Eth125 R8 Wk2 Stereotypes Prejudice Essay

Please complete the following exercises, remembering that you are in an academic setting and should remain unbiased, considerate, and professional when completing this worksheet. Part I Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each: ?Race ?Ethnicity ?Religion ?Gender ?Sexual orientation ?Age ?Disability Category Stereotype 1 Stereotype 2 Stereotype 3 Race All African Americans are good at basketball. All Middle Easterners hate America. White people are all racist. White people don’t have rhythm. All Asians are geniuses. Hispanics don’t speak English very well. Gender Women are unstable and irrational. Men are the financial provider. Men are smarter than women. Sexual Orientation All Gay men are promiscuous. Lesbians are â€Å"butch† and gay men are â€Å"fem†. Gays and lesbians hit on everyone. Bisexual people are greedy and just want everyone. Part II Answer each question in 50 to 100 words related to those stereotypes. Provide citations for all the sources you use. ?What are the positive aspects of stereotypes, if any? It is hard to imagine that there could be any advantage to stereotypes since they are essentially believing things about people that are not necessarily true. However, stereotypes could benefit a person to react quickly based on similar past experiences. The use of stereotypes reduces the amount of thinking we have to do when we meet a person for the first time because we already have a basic preconceived notion of them. McLeod, S. A. (2008). Stereotypes. Retrieved from http://www. simplypsychology. org/katz-braly. html Copyright  © 2012 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Stereotypes and Prejudice Worksheet ETH/125 Version 8 2 ?What are the negative aspects of stereotypes? Stereotypes tend to make us forget to consider a person’s individuality and can cause us to judge a person prematurely. The things that we think based on stereotypes could very well be completely untrue. I also believe that because of the nature of stereotypes they can easily lead to prejudice toward an entire group of people. McLeod, S. A. (2008). Stereotypes. Retrieved from http://www. simplypsychology. org/katz-braly. html Part III Answer each question in 50 to 150 words related to those stereotypes. Provide citations for all the sources you use. ?Define stereotypes and prejudice. What is the difference between stereotyping and prejudice? Use examples to illustrate the differences. Stereotypes are unreliable generalizations about all members of a certain group or class that do not take into consideration a person’s individuality. Prejudice is having a negative attitude toward a person based solely on the fact that they belong to a certain class or race. An example of a stereotype might be that all African Americans are good at basketball. A prejudice would be that a person does not like a certain individual because they are African American. Schaefer, R. T. (2012). Racial and Ethnic Groups (13th ed. ) ?What is the relationship between stereotyping and prejudice? I believe that stereotyping can lead to prejudice. If a person has a stereotype that people of Middle Eastern descent hate America, that might then lead them to have a negative attitude toward all people of Middle Eastern descent. Another example could be that if someone has the stereotype that all white people are racist, that might then lead them to be prejudice against all white people. ?What can be done to prevent prejudice from occurring? I think that in order to prevent prejudice from occurring each group must have complete equality in rights, opportunity, and power. I think that kids from a young age need to be taught to interact will all different races and classes of people so that they learn that everyone is equal and they can work together to reach golas instead of working against each other. Copyright  © 2012 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Stereotypes and Prejudice Worksheet ETH/125 Version 8 3 Copyright  © 2012 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Feasibility study for creating a furniture business Essay

This feasibility study is unusual and hard to make,,,,,we have to submit it on Tuesday,,,,,, we need to have our conclusion and find information for it,,,,,,,,, 1.history 2.business objectives 3.current situation and problems,  Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping. Furniture is also used to hold objects at a convenient height for work (as horizontal surfaces above the ground), or to store things. Furniture can be a product of design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture’s functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. It can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic, and wood. Furniture can be made using a variety of woodworking joints which often reflect the local culture. Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Neolithic period 1.2 Classical world 1.3 Early modern Europe 1.4 19th century 1.5 Early North American 1.6 Modernism 1.7 Ecodesign 1.8 Contemporary 1.9 Asian history 2 Types of furniture 3 Types of wood to make furniture 4 Standards for design, functionality and safety 5 See also 6 References 7 External links History[edit] Furniture has been a part of the human experience since the development of non-nomadic cultures. Evidence of furniture survives from the Neolithic Period and later in antiquity in the form of paintings, such as the wall  Murals discovered at Pompeii; sculpture, and examples have been excavated in Egypt and found in tombs in Ghiordes, in modern day Turkey. Neolithic period[edit] Skara Brae house Orkney Scotland evidence of home furnishings i.e. a dresser containing shelves. A range of unique stone furniture has been excavated in Skara Brae, a Neolithic village located in Orkney. The site dates from 3100–2500 BC and due to a shortage of wood in Orkney, the people of Skara Brae were forced to build with stone, a readily available material that could be worked easily and turned into items for use within the household. Each house shows a high degree of sophistication and was equipped with an extensive assortment of stone furniture, ranging from cupboards, dressers and beds to shelves, stone seats, and limpet tanks. The stone dresser was regarded as the most important as it symbolically faces the entrance in each house and is therefore the first item seen when entering, perhaps displaying symbolic objects, including decorative artwork such as several Neolithic Carved Stone Balls also found at the site. Classical world[edit] Ancient furniture has been excavated from the 8th-century BC Phrygian tumulus, the Midas Mound, in Gordion, Turkey. Pieces found here include tables and inlaid serving stands. There are also surviving works from the 9th-8th-century BC Assyrian palace of Nimrud. The earliest surviving carpet, the Pazyryk Carpet was discovered in a frozen tomb in Siberia and has been dated between the 6th and 3rd century BC. Recovered Ancient Egyptian furniture includes 3rd millennium BC beds discovered at Tarkhan as place for the deceased, a c. 2550 BC gilded bed and two chairs from the tomb of Queen Hetepheres I, and many examples (boxes, beds, chairs) from c. 1550 to 1200 BC from Thebes. Ancient Greek furniture design beginning in the 2nd millennium BC, including beds and the klismos chair, is preserved not only by extant works, but by images on Greek vases. The 1738 and 1748 excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii revealed Roman furniture, preserved in the ashes of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius, to the eighteenth century. Early modern Europe[edit] Florentine cassone from the 15th century The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, and ornamented with carved designs. Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century marked a rebirth in design, often inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. A similar explosion of design, and renaissance of culture in general, occurred in Northern Europe, starting in the fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs that frequently incorporated a profusion of vegetal and scrolling ornament. Starting in the eighteenth century, furniture designs began to develop more rapidly. Although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one nation, such as Palladianism in Great Britain or Louis Quinze in French furniture, others, such as the Rococo and Neoclassicism were perpetuated throughout Western Europe. 19th century[edit] The furniture maker by Ludwig Deutsch The nineteenth century is usually defined by concurrent revival styles, including Gothic, Neoclassicism, Rococo, and the EastHaven Movement. The design reforms of the late century introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement. Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements. Early North American[edit] This design was in many ways rooted in necessity and emphasizes both form and materials. Early American chairs and tables are often constructed with turned spindles and chair backs often constructed with steaming to bend the wood. Wood choices tend to be deciduous hardwoods with a particular emphasis on the wood of edible or fruit bearing trees such as Cherry or Walnut. Modernism[edit] Red and Blue Chair (1917), designed by Gerrit Rietveld The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism. Art Deco, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Wiener Werkstà ¤tte, and Vienna Secession designers all worked to some degree within the Modernist idiom. Born from the Bauhaus and Art Deco/Streamline styles came the post WWII â€Å"Mid-Century Modern† style using materials developed during the war including lamenated plywood, plastics and fiberglass. Prime examples include  furniture designed by George Nelson Associates, Charles and Ray Eames, Paul McCobb, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, Eero Saarinen, Harvey Probber, Vladamir Kagan and Danish modern designers including Finn Juhl and Arne Jacobsen. Postmodern design, intersecting the Pop art movement, gained steam in the 1960s and 70s, promoted in the 80s by groups such as the Italy-based Memphis movement. Transitional furniture is intended to fill a place between Traditional and Modern tastes. Stainless Steel Table with FSC Teca Wood – Brazil Ecodesign Ecodesign[edit] Great efforts from individuals, governments, and companies has led to the manufacturing of products with higher sustainability known as Ecodesign. This new line of furniture is based on environmentally friendly design. Its use and popularity are increasing each year.[citation needed] Contemporary[edit] One unique outgrowth of post-modern furniture design is Live edge, heralding a return to natural shapes and textures within the home.[1] Asian history[edit] Sendai-dansu for kimono, zelkova wood, note the elaborate ironwork, handles on side for transportation, and lockable compartment Asian furniture has a quite distinct history. The traditions out of India, China, Pakistan, Indonesia (Bali and Java) and Japan are some of the best known, but places such as Korea, Mongolia, and the countries of South East Asia have unique facets of their own. The use of uncarved wood and bamboo and the use of heavy lacquers are well known Chinese styles. It is worth noting that Chinese furniture varies dramatically from one dynasty to the next. Traditional Japanese furniture is well known for its minimalist style, extensive use of wood, high-quality craftsmanship and reliance on wood grain instead of painting or thick lacquer. Japanese chests are known as Tansu, known for elaborate decorative iron work, and are some of the most sought-after of Japanese antiques. The antiques available generally date back to the Tokugawa era and Meiji era. Types of furniture[edit] Main article: List of furniture types Types of wood to make furniture[edit] Main article: List of woods All different type of woods have unique signature marks, that can help in easy identification of the type. There are hardwoods and softwoods. Both are used in furniture manufacturing, and each have their own specific uses[2] Standards for design, functionality and safety[edit] Universal furniture test-rig for linaer tests, drop tests and swivel tests (Hegewald & Peschke) EN 527 Office furniture – Work tables and desks  EN 581 Outdoor furniture – Seating and tables for camping, domestic and contract use EN 1730 Furniture – Tables – Test methods for the determination of stability, strength and durability– withdrawn and superseded by BS EN 1730:2012. All testing methods used in European Standards are now to be found in a single document [3] EN 13150 Workbenches for laboratories – Safety requirements and test methods BS 4875 Furniture. Strength and stability of furniture. Methods for determination of stability of non-domestic storage furniture (British Standard) EN 1335 Office furniture – Office work chair EN 1728 Furniture – Seating – Test methods for the determination of strength and durability– updated in 2012: All testing methods used in European Standards are now to be found in a single document, Clarified and simplified test methods, Includes a static load test for headrests. ANSI/BIFMA X 5.1 Office Seating EN 1335 Office furniture – Office work chair DIN 4551 Office furniture; revolving office chair with adjustable back with or without arm rests, adjustable in height NEN 1812 Furniture standard from the Netherlands EN 747 Furniture – Bunk beds and high beds – Test methods for the determination of stability, strength and durability GB 28007-2011 Children’s furniture – General technical requirements for children’s furniture designed  and manufactured for children between 3 and 14 years old[4]

Human Resource management PBL 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human Resource management PBL 3 - Essay Example Their performance can spell a difference between a business’ failure or success especially in today’s very competitive environment (Guld 2007). Business organisations with a committed and motivated workforce does not only have higher productivity but also ensure the viability of the business in the long-run. Such, it is critical that businesses should motivate its workforce not only for them to commit and perform but also to keep them in the organisation. Keeping valuable employees motivated in an organisation is not only intended to make them commit and perform but also to keep them over the long haul (Frasch 2010). There are many implements used by business organisations to motivate their employees. The most common notion about motivation is to shower them with fat paychecks but this proved to be inadequate in keeping employees motivated (Herzberg 1987). As what organisational theorists have reported, committing employees to perform towards a common goal involves an i nterplay of various factors that involves not only remuneration, but also the social and psychological dimensions of work that keep employees motivated and thus, productive. ... ate employees to encourage commitment and performance among employees was first conceived by management classical theorists such as Taylor, Maslow, Mayo, McGregor, Vroom and Herzberg. While modern management and organisational theorists will argue that their concepts of motivating employees to commit and perform are inadequate, it cannot be denied that these classical theorists provided the basic building blocks of the know-how to motivate employees. From a simple idea of Taylor that adequate remuneration motivates employees, it later expanded to include the other dimension of human needs and aspects with the aim of fulfilling these needs that would enable employees to commit to the organisation. Such, it would be necessary to cite and expound the ideas of these classical theorists for us to better understand the motivational implements used by modern organisation whose concepts can be traced back to the ideas of these classical theorists. The classical theorists of motivation a. Fre derick Winslow Taylor’s Principles of Scientific Management Taylor first conceived the idea that workers are mainly motivated solely by wage. He posited that management has to possess the control and knowledge of the methods of production so that it would have a greater control of achieving efficiency in an organisation that includes motivating its workforce (Jaffe 2008). For Taylor, the breaking up functions into small quantifiable tasks is necessary to make the time-piece rate pay possible that will encourage employees to work harder if they can see that they are being paid with more work (Taylor 1911). This theory assumed that employees are more motivated with more pay and confined motivation to solely addressing the economic needs of a business organisation’s employees. Old as it

Should gay coupels be allowed to adopt children Term Paper

Should gay coupels be allowed to adopt children - Term Paper Example Proponents of child adoption by gay couples say that children adopted by gay couples display development similar to other children. This is not true. Children lack the presence, love, affection, and presence of the parent of the non-existent gender throughout the developmental process. If it is a male gay couple, the child is denied the love of a mother. If it is a female gay couple, the child is denied the affection and guidance of a father. This creates voids and grey areas in the child’s mind about the roles and responsibilities of the non-existent parent, and this subjectivity of concepts affects the child’s relationships with friends in the childhood, and with spouse and children in the adulthood. Proponents of child adoption by gay couples say that children adopted by gay couples can live a normal social life. This is very untrue. Gay couples promote gay culture. Gay culture is essentially a subculture adopted by a particular community within the society, whereas the larger part of the society comprises heterosexual couples, many of which condemn homosexuality to the extent of abhorrence. In such a conservative society, being part of a gay family may be extremely traumatic and inconvenient for the children. The children given to gay couples are at huge risk of violence, mockery, and bullying. Children raised in such families are made fun of and their views of their parents’ questionable sexual orientation are readily asked. Repeated occurrence of this encounter may yield life-long negative consequences for the children. These children are made to feel different and isolated from the larger population of children which live in the nuclear family systems. Proponents of child adoption by gay couples say that gay couples can take care of the adopted children like their own children. The fact is that the children are

20th Century Philosophy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

20th Century Philosophy Paper - Essay Example This work was extended by Russel who derived the whole of mathematics from logic. The projects of both Frege, and Russel failed but gave rise to what is known as analytic philosophy today. There is no clear definition of analytic philosophy. This philosophy â€Å"emphasizes clarity, rigor, argument, theory, truth. [†¦] This kind of philosophy is more like science than religion, more like mathematics than poetry – though it is neither science nor mathematics† (Collin, 2002). The history of analytic philosophy can be divided into five phases. The first phase from 1900 to 1910 is characterized by the quasi-platonic form of realism, which was articulated in the idiom of ‘propositions’ and ‘meanings’. Later, Moore proposed the philosophy of common sense, while Russel developed logical atomism with Ludwig Wittgenstein. This second phase continued till 1930. 1930s saw the development of logical positivism by A.J. Ayer. The fourth phase form 1945-1965 saw inclination towards ordinary-language analysis developed by John Wisdom, Gilbert Ryle, and Paul Grice. Criticism in 1960s led the analytic philosophy to dump its linguistic form. This continued till the end of the 20th century and illustrates pluralism. Simply defined, modernism is the social thought process, logical behavior, and character in the present time. This movement stretched from 1890 to 1920 and witnessed the genius of Joyce, Eliot, Lewis, and Pound among others. This movement had a far-reaching influence on the American and British society in terms of art, architecture, literature, religion, politics, and social behavior. Some of the salient features of modernism include: Experimentation; self-consciousness; individualism; elite intellectualism; and anti-realism. The modernism movement was influenced by many sources. It took allusiveness in style from symbolism; an urban setting from realism; artist-focused view, and

High Budget Deficit and the Growth Rate of the Economy Essay

High Budget Deficit and the Growth Rate of the Economy - Essay Example The nation with high private saving will offset the moderate deficit financing in a much better way to provide for investment capital necessary for the growth of economy. Thus, for future economic growth national savings matter highly. National saving is the measure of the accumulation of financial and other real assets overtime. Future national income will largely depend upon this accumulated stock of assets. Unfortunately, deficit financing coupled with nil or negative private saving has made the national saving negative. In this perspective, deficit financing on a sustained basis cannot help US economy. Higher Interest Rates Macguineas (2011) argues that ever increasing deficit financing will exert upward pressure on interest rates thereby increasing the cost of capital. Budgetary deficits are financed through government borrowings. When government borrowings rise to a high level, the government may have to offer increased interest rates so that sufficient buyers are attracted to buy government debt. Obviously, higher interest rates will tend to retard the economic growth rate. Higher Borrowing Leads to Higher Interest Payments Increasing borrowings year after year will necessitate higher spending on debt-interest. Higher interest burden eats away the productive deployment of the capital necessary for the economic growth. As a result, the needy sectors such as education, health starve of the funds that are necessary to provide impetus to the economy. Defense Spending and Budgetary Deficit Korb et al. (2011) of the center for American Progress (CAP) argue that defense spending has created the current fiscal crisis. The experts from the CAP believe that the massive deficit is the result of increasing defense budget during 2004 through 2012. It...This essay offers a comprehensive review of the effects, that the high levels of budget deficit exercise on the economic development of the country, using the example of the US. In 2011, it was the third straight year when the gap between American government's income and spending remained negative to the tune of $1 trillion or above. In percentage terms, the deficit is hovering at around 10 percent of gross domestic product in last two years. This was causing serious concerns at several quarters on soaring national debt. The national saving rate is important for future economic growth and budgetary deficit has a direct bearing on national saving rate. Since last many years private saving is meager in the US and in last couple of years it has gone even negative. With such a low/negative saving, it is difficult to obtain economic growth and US productivity at desired rate. Ever increasing deficit financing will exert upward pressure on interest rates thereby increasing the cost of capital. Budgetary deficits are financed through government borrowings. When government borrowings rise to a high level, the government may have to offer increased interest rates so that sufficient buyers are attracted to buy government debt. Higher interest rates retards the economic growth rate. It can be concluded that when the government incurs debt, it is important to know what government does with that money. If the money are deployed for productive purposes, it can certainly help the economy of the present as well as future generations.

What itTakes to be a Leader Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What itTakes to be a Leader - Research Paper Example While peeping into the history of several great leaders, they are found abound with several discerning traits in their style of functioning. It would be most appropriate to identify the exemplary skills that make one effective and inspiring leader across all cultures, societies and communities. Integrity President Eisenhower once said, "The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office" (Forbes, 2013). Leaders with integrity do and preach the same things; no difference is found in their saying and doing. People get inspired only when they see their leaders full of integrity in their day-to-day activities. It needs to be noted that without integrity, leaders cannot create a lasting image on their followers, peers, or subordinates. Courage Primarily, it requires courage to be a leader. Courage does not mean becoming a great warrior in the battl efield that fires enemies but the real courage is to do the right things always regardless of its consequences. Leaders display courage to go against traditional thinking and take risks without jeopardizing their integrity, values and ethics. Moreover, their courage never derives its strength from official power sources. I do not consider Stalin, Mussolini or Hitler as true leaders because their courage emanates from the powers they relish as rulers. That is why they could not make any good for their citizens or humankind. Contrasting this, M. K. Gandhi or Martin Luther King had no powers whatsoever but they turned the tide in their favor by sheer inspirational and motivational abilities. Truly, Gandhi and King were courageous leaders as they faced rulers bare handedly putting their own life at risk. They were charismatic leaders who could garner mass support through non-violent means. Empowerment Empowerment is a buzzword of twenty first century and since industrial revolution, the world has moved a lot – in last hindered years or so using this philosophy. Leaders disseminate power from source to periphery and empower people as per their capacities. This enhances self-respect and dignity of the people. Empowered people tend to work at best of their abilities delivering excellent outcomes. A leader tends to provide direction to the people but never controls and restricts them. At the same time, effective leaders share success with others and take blame of failures on them. In real sense, a true leader becomes a facilitator on the path for smooth trotting. In today's corporate world, young adults, wherever they work, love autonomy and leaders respect it because it is easy to bring organizational change by giving them more operational freedom. Bill Gates says, â€Å"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others† (Pritchard, 2011). How true his statement is! Creative and Visionary Creativity, innovativeness or fore sightedness is a specialty of an effective leader. Leaders see the future upheavals much in advance and accordingly, formulate their plan. However, they are found to be hardworking and dedicated but the quality that set them apart is their vision. As the world becomes more technology driven, the leadership will come in the hands of those people who are highly creative. Steve Jobs got a second stint in Apple because he was highly creative in his approach. He designed, built and marketed the products in the ways that many large companies, during the time, could not even think of. Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is a hallmark of true leaders. Intelligence at cognitive level is just not sufficient to make someone an

Palm Oil in South East Asia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Palm Oil in South East Asia - Research Paper Example In addition, many of these smallholder palm oil producers are not well educated, due to which they lack skills and techniques of conducting business activities, efficiently. These two reasons has been the core element that causes lack of efficiency in the production of palm oil in the country. Moreover, limited production of palm oil by these smallholders also put deep impact on the overall production of palm oil by Indonesia. In this way, resources are heavily wasted by the producers, which can easily be utilized for earning precious foreign reserve for the country (World Growth, 2011). The government of Indonesia has realized the importance of wasted resources in palm oil industry and has stepped forward to overcome the loss of precious natural resource. Government, in collaboration with large scale palm oil producers, is hiring experts and technicians to provide assistance to the smallholders. Also, the government is spending heavily on conducting research and development of palm seed, fertilizers and pesticides to ensure maximum output. These seeds, fertilizers and pesticides are provided to smallholders on subsidized prices, which make it possible for every smallholder to afford better options for cultivating and harvesting palm oil. To further facilitate the smallholders, Government has introduced several schemes such as RISDA, FELCRA and FELDA. All these schemes focus on land reforms, land resettlement and rehabilitation of smallholders. Moreover, these schemes also aim at educating the smallholder palm oil producers about the potential of greater production that their lands can deliver. These measures, along with other measures that are not discussed in this report, by the Indonesian government are designed keeping in view the necessity for developing businesses and industries sustainably. Since the intervention of Indonesian government in

Consulted Magna with Recommendations Essay Example for Free

Consulted Magna with Recommendations Essay Magna International Inc. (Magna) is a Canadian car and light trucks parts maker, who design, develop and manufacture automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components, as well as engineers and assembles complete vehicles, primarily for sale to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Magna operates in three geographical regions: North America, Europe, and the rest of the world (mainly Asia, South America and Africa), making Magna an international company. We have investigated Magna and identified two key issues they are currently facing. Firstly, Magna is suffering Quality Control problems in their divisions, such as Magna Powertrain, Magna Steyr, Magna Closures, Magna Car Top Systems, etc. The current method of dealing with problems is a weak matrix structure. However, we recommend two alternatives that will increase Magnas efficiency. Our first recommendation is to create a Dedicated Team. Our second recommendation is to enhance the existing Matrix Structure, by making it stronger. We illustrate numerous strengths and weaknesses for each recommendation. The second issue Magna is dealing with is the increased pressure to unionize their employees. To a degree, this matter seems unavoidable. We simply recommend Magana create a Managements Rights Clause and/or Management Prerogatives Rights in order to protect their rights and clarify various aspects of employment rights from the beginning. Therefore, Magna needs to assess these alternatives from their internal perspective. As a consulting agency, we can only suggest alternatives that would suit the organization and improve their current drawbacks. Introduction Magna International Inc. (Magna) is a Canadian car parts maker and supplier to a wide variety of automakers throughout the world. The systems Magna provides are major components in the final assembly of cars, for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Honda, Porsche, Volkswagen, along with others. We have identified two issues with Magna, for which we have derived several alternatives. One issue is Quality Control (QC) in Magnas systems, which is due to organizational structure when dealing with QC. Another issue that Magna is currently experiencing is the increasing pressures to unionize their employees. Magnas current QC procedure will be discussed, followed by an analysis of Magnas two key issues we have identified including alternatives that we propose. Current Quality Control Process In order to properly asses the current situation with the QC processes an employee of Magna directly involved with such issues was interviewed. The company is organized in a number of independent divisions that are system/product oriented, for example Vision System, Powertrain System, Electronic System, etc. Each of these divisions is involved in a final system assembly stage and supplying systems to the car and light truck manufacturers. Each division has its own chain of suppliers and sub-contractors to supply parts, to make adjustments or process them, and to perform primary assembly. The final assembly of the system is performed at one of the Magna division plants (Appendix A). The cross functional team (CFT) is comprised of representatives from the functional departments. These representatives are gathered from departments, such as Logistics, QC, Materials, Production, Accounting and Purchasing (Appendix B). They are assigned to the team, as CFT members, in order to deal with a specific problem at hand. The CFT leader only has authority to gather information on the QC problems, workout possible solutions to implement with the respective cost associated with these solutions. The solutions are then conveyed to the Chief Operations Officer (COO) for consideration, decision and implementation. Once the problem is resolved, CFT members resume to their respective positions and duties. Other factors with regards to QC include financial risk, performance risk as well as problems between business to business relationships. In terms of financial risk, if Magnas quality is not up to par, their clients demand may diminish and will result in lower revenues. Currently, the Big Three (Ford, GM, Chrysler) represent 60% of revenues, therefore it is in Magnas best interest to insure that demand does not diminish for these customers because a ripple affect will occur and Magna will also be affected by a decrease in demand and revenue. Along the same lines, if customers are not satisfied with the parts produced, they will find another supplier. In addition, if defective parts have to be shipped back, it poses a financial risk given that Magna is losing the potential to make a profit from those parts, representing an opportunity cost. Furthermore, there are performance risks associated with QC given that customers may purchase parts that do not function or perform as they are intended to. Moreover, if Magna is supplying dysfunctional parts it will jeopardize the relationship with their customers by diminishing the trust and loyalty that has been established over the many years of their relationship. This may result in an unfavourable image on Magnas part and will create a risk of being replaced by another supplier. As a result Magna may choose to find other companies with higher standards to outsource to and form a strategic partnership with them. To re-establish trust with their customers, they will have to provide superior performance, social ties and specific investments such as training new supplier personnel on how to produce certain parts and establish contractual agreements specifying for example the limit conditions on products and also who will be responsible for losses incurred as a result of faulty products. Thus, with this background knowledge of Magnas QC problem, we suggest two alternatives for Magna, a Dedicated Team Approach and Strong Matrix Team Approach. Alternatives Dedicated Team Magnas current CFT (weak matrix structure) is ineffective because the CFT leader does not possess enough authority to resolve the issue in a timely manner, hence cost effective. In order to achieve successful project completion, one of our recommendations is to implement a Dedicated Team (Appendix C). This structure is preferred when considered solely from the project managers point of view. People and assets are allocated completely to the project for as long as they are needed to complete the project. Furthermore, in a Dedicated Team, the project manager has full line authority over all the resources. This effectively sets up a separate goal-oriented department of the company, which is its own functional department. The project manager still has the problem of managing and integrating other companies and external organizations contributing to the project, but has full mastery over all the people and groups working on the project within his/her company. This goal-oriented structure makes planning, control and general project management simpler and easier than with other forms of organization. There can be much better integration of everyone who is involved in the project and communication between them (formal and informal) is faster, direct and frequent. Teamwork is much easier to develop and therefore creates a higher degree of commitment to the project objectives, especially when the team is permanent. Conflict is likely to be less than other project organization forms and if complications arise it can be solved more easily. Consequently, project teams tend to maximize the probability of completing projects on time, within budget and to specification. Unfortunately, teams are not the most flexible way in which to use company resources. If more than one team exists in the same company, it becomes necessary to increase the numbers of specialists on the payroll because each specialist (or group of specialists) must be allocated fully to each project team for the projects life. It is usually difficult to switch specialists from one project to another to take account of day-to-day fluctuations in workload. Division of labour within functions is therefore more difficult so that a dedicated project team might have to make do with a generalist in a function where a specialist would be preferred. Therefore, although the Dedicated project team (separate divisional form of project organization) enables projects to be managed more effectively than the functional organization and it avoids some of the problems of more complex organizational forms, it can generally be used on larger projects capable of sustaining bigger functionalist groups within the team. The team structure is appropriate, therefore when a company is handling a single important project, or where one project is much more important than the others, it justifies setting up a completely separate company division. In that case, the size of the project and the volume of the work should be great enough to provide full time activity for each of the functional specialists or groups assigned to the project. Dedicated project teams cannot be used when a company is handling several relatively small projects simultaneously on a continuous basis because they would splinter up the function resources. This splintering inhibits the transfer of personnel between projects according to demand and reduces the number of projects that a company can handle for a given number of staff. Strong Matrix Team One of the reasons that Magna is experiencing problems with effectively dealing with its QC problems has to do with its organizational structure. Magna currently has in place a weak matrix system which creates problems with its reporting dimensions. The current belief is that in order to get things done in the organization there has to be a dual-reporting structure, in which one person is assigned to two bosses. With regard to the QC procedure Magna currently has in place, the CFT leader that has no real authority or decision making power over the problems that arise. The CFT leaders duty is simply to gather information, analyze the problem, provide solutions, and report all this to the COO. The COO discusses this information with the board of directors who decide as a whole which option to choose and then vertically pass down the information to the CFT leader. This process exerts a lot of time and every hour of idle production costs the company millions of dollars. Another issue with the current matrix structure is that employees that are part of this CFT are having a difficult time dealing with this vertical chain of authority; they have to deal with their functional manager as well as their team leader. This usually results in the CRT leaders requests being left out of the equation.

Abortion Essay Example for Free

Abortion Essay Abortion has a long history and has been induced by various methods including herbal abortifacients, the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma, and other traditional methods. Contemporary medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures to induce abortion. The legality, prevalence, and cultural views on abortion vary substantially around the world. In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive plublic controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. Abortion and abortion-related issues feature prominently in the national politics in many nations, often involving the opposing pro-life and pro-choice worldwide social movements. Incidence of abortion has declined worldwide, as access to family planning education and contraceptive services has increased. Abortion incidence in the United States declined 8% from 1996 to 2003. Abortion is an issue that evokes, on all sides, very strong feelings and judgments and very heated recriminations. The most radical formulation of the anti-abortion or pro-life side of the debate views abortion as the murder of unborn children, and so as the equivalent of out and out infanticide, making the legal use of abortion since Roe v. Wade, at a rate of around 1.5 million a year in the United States, into a holocaust of the innocent fully comparable to the Nazi genocide against the Jews. Radical pro-life activists who blockade abortion clinics (or who even commit terrorist acts of vandalism, arson, and murder) see what they do as what good Germans didnt do in the face of Hitlers atrocities, or what John Brown did do in his attempt at Harpers Ferry to free the slaves through mass rebellion.

Challenges To Masculinity In World War 1

Challenges To Masculinity In World War 1 In the years 1914 to 1918 half of all men between the ages of 15-49 left behind their usual lives and jobs to toil on the battlefields and war related occupations during the First World War. Of 8 million men mobilised, some 1.7 million were wounded and 722,000 killed (Bourke, 1994). Sometimes referred to as the war to end all wars 5 million men served and survived and every frontline soldier experienced loss; it made an unforgettable impact on those who lived through it (Gregory, 1994). 7% of all men between the ages of 15-49 were killed in battle (Bourke, 1996). Men who fought in the trenches had memories of living with the dead, fears of death, close escapes of death, killing and bereavement. It is no wonder men were traumatised and broke down (Gregory, 1994). In this essay, I will show how this trauma challenged the idea of a man being masculine and how this is linked to challenges of ethnicity. Masculinity for many people is what differentiates men from women or femininity (Bourk e, 1996). Ethnicity is a social construction representing the cultural values and norms which distinguish members of a given group from others (Giddens, 2001:689). What was unbearable about modern warfare was its passivity in the midst of extreme dangers. Modern warfare was more psychologically difficult than warfare in the past because the men had to remain for days, weeks, months in a narrow trench exposed to constant dangers (Bourke, 2000). The trauma of world war one made society less secure, the period following the Great War is portrayed as the decline in Victorian values. The world wide economic depression meant fewer jobs and for those men who were unemployed found themselves no longer the breadwinner of the family (Bourke, 1996). Before world war one, those who were without limbs were mostly working class, for example children of the poor, adult factory workers, dock labourers and miners. However, after the war men who had been very fit had become war amputees, for example 70% war amputees were aged younger than 30 but also 10% officers (Bourke, 1996). The war affected all classes. The trauma of world war one made all men from different classes who were amputees invisible in the labour market. Labourers had no incentive to give jobs to disabled men. This became very embarrassing for soldiers; advice and help from officials such as the Heritage School at Chailey recognised that there was little they could do to eas e what must have been a difficult alteration for wounded men. Crippled soldiers had to be made in to men again, because they were often reduced to being children (Bourke, 1996). The war had a dissolving effect on the class structure of Britain, although still being a class-conscious society the emotional stress of war brought males classes closer together. Before the war, not having an arm or a leg meant you were poor but because of the war all classes were affected. Going out to work was an important milestone on the road to manhood and a source of pride, there was a link between masculinity and living wage that required defending (Bourke, 1994). Although the majority of disabled veterans found employment, 100,000 disable ex servicemen were unemployed in 1920 (Gregory, 1994). It did not matter about your class anymore, during the war all men had to live in the trenches regardless. Those men who had suffered losing a limb during the war regardless of their class faced challenges to their masculinity because they were no longer the breadwinner of their families (Bourke, 1994). For Irish soldiers the trauma experienced in world war one challenged their masculinity because their actions in wartime were not actually appreciated. The breakdown of Irishmen is linked to ethnicity because despite Irishmen having a reputation for being an aggressive race Irishmen, they were generally thought of as weak because pensioning authorities and the war office constantly asserted without statistical evidence that proportionally more Irishmen were driven mad in war than their English, Scottish and Welsh comrades. In Southern Ireland, the proportion of ex-servicemen receiving pensions for neurasthenia and other disabilities was said to be well above average. In an attempt to explain this prejudices started to emerge. There had been a common assumption before the war, for example according to one writer high lunacy levels in Ireland were a legacy of mental weakness dating from the sufferings of the famine years (Bourke, 2000: 61). Their ethnicity was legitimised with politics ; Irish soldiers were stereotyped because legislation passed at the time legitimised them as being prone to mental illnesses. It was British masculinity that helped to win the war rather than Irish people. Irish people were a site for ethnicity. Such assumptions about the social and ethnic characteristics of shell-shocked men meant they received poor treatment at the casualty clearing stations and later the hospitals, assumed to be trying to malinger. Emotional Irishmen and weak privates were given progressively more painful electric shocks in an attempt to help these men (Bourke, 2000). There was an added emotional stress for men/ex-servicemen, which challenged their masculinity because their actions in warfare were not appreciated. The neglect started the moment they stepped off the hospital ship. Pensioning officers never stopped in their attempt to prove that mentally ill men were liars and malingers. The ministry of pensions were obsessed with the problems of reducing the pension bill, for example as late as 1931 they were still warning medical officers to beware of shell-shocked men who exaggerated their symptoms so their pension would not be re-evaluated at a lower rate. Those ex-servicemen who had broken down in war were faced with a hostile attitude. Irish ex servicemen were not only outcasts for having fought for Britain, their maddened minds debarred them from participating in civil war and the war of independence in an increasingly militaristic society, which discredited their very masculinity. Returning home they found their masculinity challenged, every one from bureaucrats at the ministry of pensions to local employers seemed to gang up against them (Bourke, 2000). Therefore, Irishmens masculinity was challenged because of their ethnicity that was justified with politics. Similarly, by 1914 the vast majority of the Indian troops for the Indian army were drawn from the north and North West of the sub continent, the provinces of Punjab, the North West frontier and the independent kingdom of Nepal. The regional bias was the result of the martial races theory, which had influenced British recruiting strategy since the 1880s. A mixture of indigenous notions of caste and imported social Darwinism, the martial races idea had at its core the belief that some Indians were inherently more warlike than others. Very few troops were recruited from southern and eastern India because of the growing British conviction that southern and eastern Indians had become weak and powerless through racial degeneracy. By the time of the armistice, India had provided over 1.27 million men, including 827,000 combatants, contributing roughly one man in ten to the war effort of the British Empire (Omissi, 1999). For Indian men, there was an intense fear of shame because many troops often expressed contempt for those who ran away or deserted, or who otherwise failed their duty. It was better to die than to fail in ones duty (Omissi, 1999:12), for Indian soldiers shame could involve a loss of masculinity, given the highly gendered nature of military service. To be a coward was to be like a woman. The range of military behaviour was tightly constrained by the types of masculinity available to soldiers. The reputation of the regiment really mattered to the troops because shame like honour attached itself to the micro-identities of the regiment. In the few weeks after their arrival in France the soldiers letters were full of hope and good cheers. The censor believed the soldiers wanted to show their loyalty to the King and to prove themselves equal to white men. Above all Indian soldiers fought to gain and preserve their izzat (Omissi, 1999:12), in other words their honour and reputation. It was considered glorious and honourable to die in battle. This was not jus t about retaining their masculinity, but also their ethnicity. They not only had to prove they were masculine, but that they were equal to British men. War veterans were mentally and physically traumatised. Just as the outbreak of war in August 1914 drove many young men to recruiting offices because it was a sign of masculinity, this was also true of after the war. The images created to encourage young men to volunteer to go to war were posters of men who were brave and fearless; this painted a picture of what masculinity should be like. There was this idea of a compulsory masculinity (Barker, 1998). Therefore, when soldiers suffered from a host of new mental disease defined throughout the war, for example shell shock and war neuroses. The patients were thought simply as weak and cowardly men. Neurasthenia came to be treated as if it was a disease of the will rather than of nerve force (Barker, 1998:1). This made men blameworthy for their own illnesses. It appeared that mental illnesses were inherited. Men had huge pressure on them to behave a certain way in the heat of battle; the soldier should always confront dangers with steadfa st courage because of the posters that showed this compulsory masculinity. It is obvious that these social expectations of the masculine role in war were related to shellshock. World War one was a crisis of masculinity because suffering an emotional breakdown at the time made them be seen as less of a man because there was this idea of a compulsory masculinity, they had to act in a certain masculine way. The images constructed of men going to war were very manly; coming back all traumatised was a challenge to their masculinity. Trench warfare itself challenged masculinity, for example many jobs and tasks men had to fulfil were tasks their mothers, wives or servants would attend to at home. Female duties such as washing, mending, cooking and nursing were all tasks women would normally attend to. Men also mothered each other for example they had to nurse the sick and wounded and comfort men during times of stress and ordeal. This helped men create stability, which helped the soldiers to cope with physical hardship and emotional disruption. In addition, men received and sent letters, which enabled men and women during world war one to transcend the gender-bound categories because it helped women to experience the traumas of war; it brought men and women together. The traumas of world war one, such as illnesses and generally low spirits intensified the need to receive a letter from their loved ones. The moment where men felt there lowest was when they needed the image of home the most (Dudink, Hagermann and Tos h, 2004). By writing letters in showing attentiveness to their mother or loved one, men fostered a connection with a feminine sensibility. This was a sign of their masculinity being challenged because men wanting to go home were sign of weakness, something considered to be quite feminine. The closeness of the mother-son tie was something, which men replicated in their relationships with each other at the front. Men acknowledged that the depth of the maternal attachment and mothers remained important figures in emotional relations amongst men (Dudink, Hagermann and Tosh, 2004). Therefore to conclude, there were many challenges posed to masculinity by the experience of world war one, many men broke down during war and developed psychological illnesses such as shell shock and neurasthenia. It was considered unmanly to develop these and those who suffered from these illnesses were made blameworthy for them because they were considered hereditary. Furthermore, men who lost a limb because of the war had their masculinity challenged because if they were unemployed they were no longer the breadwinner of the family and this made them feel feminine. Irish men suffered the worst challenges to their masculinity and this is linked to ethnicity because for Irish soldiers to break down was a loss of their manhood but part of their ethnicity because politics legitimised them as prone to being mad.

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) :: Essays Papers

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) Abstract: Computers are being used for many different reasons all across the world. Computers are used in the work place for documentation and to keep records of clients. The question that will be answered is how does the computer monitor affect an individual during use? The anatomy of the human eye will be addressed to give the reader a better understanding of how light travels through the eye. Computer Vision Syndrome, also known as (CVS), is an effect of gazing into a monitor for long periods of time, and will be discussed to give the reader a clear illustration of the negative effects of the computer monitor. Computer monitors are used in everywhere in many types of lighting, and workplace lighting is an example that will be discussed. The factors that contribute to CVS will be discussed, the symptoms, and finally ways to prevent CVS will be addressed so that the reader will be aware of what can happen if they are sitting in front of a computer for a long duration. How does the computer monitor affect the individual during use? To answer this question, I will address the structure of the pixel and the anatomy of the eye. The human eye is very complex system that responds to many different types of light waves. The light waves enter through the cornea, which is a curved thin membrane that bends the light that passes through. The pupil is the part of the eye that contracts or dilates in response to a given amount of light. For example, if an individual stands in a well-lit room, then the pupils would be constricted because there is too much light. If that person turns the light off, then the pupils will dilate. They dilate, or become bigger because the eyes want to see what is going on. While an individual type on the keyboard in front of the computer monitor, the pupils act the same as in a lighted room versus as dark room. The images that one sees on a monitor such as graphics are made of small pixels. Pixels are the result of an electron beam striking the phosphors coated rear of the surface of the screen (Watt, 2004). Outside of the pixel is less bright than the center of the pixel (Watt, 2004). It is the pixel, which makes it hard for the eyes to focus.

The Sun Rising by John Donne :: Poetry

The Sun Rising by John Donne "The Sun Rising" by John Donne uses figurative, rhetorical and hyperbole techniques to demonstrate the displacement of the outside world in favor of two lovers' inner world and how the sun fulfils its duties by revolving around their bedroom. Donne uses figurative language throughout the poem. The first stanza compares the sun to a "Busy old fool" (1) and "Through windows, and through curtains call on us?" (3) is figurative language for eyes. A wink allows the sun to come into the lovers' inner world. The reader knows the lovers' bedroom is not the center of the world and the sun does not "contract[ed]" around their bed. Donne's displacement of the outside world, in favor of the lovers' inside world, uses a rhetorical technique to attempt to prove by reason the durability and power of a couples love. When Donne asks why the sun "calls on us?" (3), "Why shouldst thou think?" (12) and "Must to [the sun's] motions lovers' seasons run?" Donne expects you to already know the answers. He uses this language to help you pass beyond the limits of the material world by disregarding external influences and coercing the sun to rotate around the lovers instead. Figurative language and rhetorical technique are combined with hyperbole to change the outside world to revolve around the lovers' inner world. Dunne pushes the sun away telling it to "go chide" (5) and in stanza twenty-nine "Shine here to us, and thou are everywhere" (29). These are exaggerations for the sake of emphasis putting the lovers at the center of the world. Figurative,

Buddhism (The Buddha)

The Buddha sought to show us how to overcome suffering by attaining Nibbana. Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world today. Its history that now span some two and a half centuries began from the birth of its founder, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Most scholars agree that Siddharta who became known as Buddha was an actual historical persona. He began the religion and philosophy of Buddhism when he reached Enlightenment in 535 BCE while meditating under a Bodhi tree following his abandonment of the life of luxury (The Buddha).Beliefs and Ethics Central to Buddhism is the understanding of the nature of humans and the causes of human suffering or dukkha. The Buddhists hold the viewpoint that human suffering lays in ignorance, concluding that it is a condition brought about by conflict and stress inherent in human existence and the interaction with the world (Buddhist Ethics 2005). There are various schools of Buddhism such that it has no one bible or sacred texts but instead, a vast collection of authoritative texts from different traditions.Theravada Buddhism has the Tipitaka or Pali canon; Mahayana Buddhism has the Chinese Buddhist Tripitaka, and the Tibetan branch has the Kangyur and Tengyur, among others (Strong, 2008). In sum, the following constitute part of the basic beliefs in Buddhism: A. The Four Noble Truths 1. Life is suffering or dukkha; 2. The origin of suffering is attachment or craving; 3. Attachments can be overcome, and this cessation of suffering is called nirvana; 4. The way to accomplish the cessation of suffering is the Eightfold Path (Boerre).B. The Eightfold Path – consists of eight elements that can be grouped into the three categories, as follows: †¢ Wisdom or prajna – right view and right aspiration or intention †¢ Morals – rights speech; right action and right livelihood †¢ Meditation or samadhi – right effort; right mindfulness, and right concentration (Strong, 2008). C. Karma  œ all of human actions bear consequences within a cycle of human craving and suffering, such that our lives are always conditioned by our past actions (Buddhist Teachings). D.Buddhist ethics or precepts termed as sila – made up of the four conditions of chastity, calmness, quiet and extinguishment. According to the Karmic Law, keeping sila is meritorious and serves as good cause to bring about happy or peaceful effects (Buddhism 2008). E. Rebirth – consciousness continues beyond death, finding expression in another life or reincarnation in the future (Buddhist Teachings). F. Enlightenment – through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, one is liberated from karma towards Enlightenment, the state of being that transcends suffering (Buddhist Teachings).Customs and Festivals Because there are many schools of Buddhism that have emerged throughout the centuries, the rituals and practices of Buddhists vary according to tradition in different parts of the globe . Significant Buddhist customs include the following: A. Veneration of the Buddha – refers to the honoring of, and meditation, on the qualities of the Buddha. B. Pilgrimage – the main purposes of the pilgrimage to the many Buddhist centers is the fostering of spiritual discipline or the fulfillment of a vow.C. Ordination – the rite of passage of anyone wishing to be a Buddhist monk involves the renouncing of secular life and accepting life in the monastic sangha as a novice (Venerating). Buddhist festivals are important holy days celebrated in various traditions, which include: †¢ Dharma Day, which marks the beginning of the teachings of Buddha; †¢ Losar, the most important Tibetan holiday that marks the New Year (lunar); †¢ Parinirvana, a Mahayan Buddhist holiday marking Buddha's death;†¢ Wesak festival, the most important festival in the Buddhist calendar, celebrates the birthday of Buddha on the full moon of the month of May. Sangha Day th at celebrates the spiritual community (Holy days). The divisions of Buddhism have sometimes been called sects or schools, but in this book I have used the word lineage, as it seems to fit better with Buddhist experience. A Buddhist is one who has taken refuge, and he or she has taken refuge in a specific tradition whose teachers stretch back, or are claimed to stretch back, in an unbroken line or lineage to Shakyamuni Buddha.There is one over-arching principle in the effective spread of Buddhism: skillful means. As Buddhism asks the individual, so it asks a culture: What is it, do you think, that will bring you the most happiness? When it has heard the response, Buddhism says, under its breath, But that will only bring you samsaric happiness, and continues, out loud, That is good, the Dharma can help you. Then, starting from that samsaric desire, it seeks a way of assisting the individual or culture to break out into extra-samsaric joy.Most countries into which Buddhism spread were what we might call low cultures, that is, they had rich local traditions but little sense of nationhood or broad cultural identity, and did not have a national religion or philosophy. Buddhism was able to supply this lack. It provided a Great Tradition perspective, encouraging local customs to coalesce into national polities and incorporating them in a supra-national worldview. The price was the downgrading of the local customs.Indigenous deities were said either to have converted to Buddhism, becoming Dharma Protectors (dharma-pala), or foolishly to have rejected it, thus being demoted to demons. The only country in which this did not happen smoothly was China. It had already developed, in Confucianism and Taoism, sophisticated national systems, and so was not the â€Å"pushover† that, for example, Tibet was. Buddhism had to be more humble as it approached the Chinese, and it has often smelled, to good upstanding Confucians, of foreigners and their nefarious plots.Even so, t he cultural blending was such that Buddhism came to be counted as the third religion of China, and the eirenic phrase ‘The three religions are a harmonious unity’ was coined. No other foreign system, other than Communism, has been able to penetrate Chinese culture so completely. Buddhism says that it can be said that since the human problem is essentially one of ignorance, and since this is a phenomenon that exists in varying degrees of intensity, it is always worth examining any claims to truth.This is especially the case when the Absolute Truth attested by Buddhism is beyond perfect verbalization, for another religious or philosophical tradition, despite apparent conflict of ideas, may actually be trying with different terms to express the same ultimate perception which is enshrined in Buddhism itself. Rival truth claims are, then, not necessarily hostile and the Buddhist should feel it possible to engage in interested discussion with advocates of other ideologies. Fu rther, it is always possible that other religions may be able to suggest useful techniques for the attainment or apprehension of Absolute Truth.Yet the Buddhist knows that the propositions which attempt to approximate Truth must be submitted to the light of the ultimate Buddhist experience, and if they cannot be seen to lead toward this, they are in genuine and decisive conflict with Buddhism. Each religion, then, is open to dialogue, but each presents a touchstone by which authority is to be tested – the experience which suggests the U+016nyatA concept for Buddhism, and for Christianity the experience of God as he expresses himself in Christ.Interestingly enough, this emphasis on a decisive experience or intuition of Truth means that ardent adherents of both recognize the significance of Kierkegaard’s dictum about subjectivity being truth and know that there are important respects in which a man committed to another religious experience may yet understand mine far bet ter than a purely objective observer can ever hope to do. To study and record the observable data of a religious tradition is utterly useless for the purpose of understanding what the religious man considers important about it.Thus the dialogue between Christians and Buddhists may well be more productive of sympathetic understanding (even with strongly affirmed disagreement) than that between either Christians or Buddhists with disinterested social scientists. Resources Strong, John. Experience of Buddhism. Retrieved 07 Apr. 2008 from Shippensburg University Site: http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/buddhawise. html. Buddhism. (2008, April 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:38, April 10, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title= Buddhism&oldid=169957239. Buddhist Ethics and Social Criticism. (Updated 21 June 2005). Retrieved 07 Apr. 2008 from Image India Site: http://india_resource. tripod. com/buddhism. htm. Buddhist Teachings. Retrieved 07 Apr. 2008 from bbc. co. uk Site: http://www. bbc. co. uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/buddhateachings. shtml. Holy Days. Retrieved 07 Apr. 2008 from bbc. co. uk Site: http://www. bbc. co. uk/religion/religions/buddhism/holydays/.‘Religious text. ’ (2008, October 23). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:44, April 9, 2008, from http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title= Religious_text&oldid=166613250. The Buddha. Retrieved 07 Apr. 2008 from bbc. co. uk Site: http://www. bbc. co. uk/ religion/religions/buddhism/history/history. shtml. Venerating the Buddha, Pilgrimage and Ordination. Retrieved 07 Apr. 2008 from bbc. co. uk Site: http://www. bbc. co. uk/religion/religions/buddhism/ customs/customs. shtml.

Dharavi is an Indian national disgrace

Dharavi has been noted as being one of the largest and oldest slums in Asia. It is located in the heart of India’s financial capital in Mumbai and can be seen as a combination of neighbourhoods, each with their own unique character, which have been shaped by waves of migrants who came from the four rural corners of India. A world city is a city that acts as a major centre for finance, politics, trade and business. A suburb is a residential area outside a city’s central area. Mumbai is situated in the west of India and next to the Arabian Sea, as in figure 1, with a population of 14,350,000 people spreading over 603 KM2 making it India’s largest city, Dharavi is in the south of Mumbai, as in figure 2, with a population of 600,000 people and spreading over 2 KM2. You can read also Waves Mumbai is also India’s financial centre with a major port and industrial area, it is home of the ‘Bollywood’ movie industry and a centre of culture all of which makes it the world city that it is today. As well as being a world city, it is residence to ‘the largest slum in Asia’, Dharavi. A world city is a particular city deemed to be an important point in the global economic structure. A reason why Dharavi can be seen as a disgrace and an embarrassing blot on Mumbai’s wish to become a world city is due to its poor surroundings which triggered the comment of ‘an Indian national disgrace’. I personally disagree with the statement as there are plenty of positives to Dharavi however; I can see why this comment was made due to the negativities that Dharavi has brought with it. I will firstly evaluate why people may think Dharavi is a national disgrace then I will evaluate why Dharavi is not a national disgrace and finally I will conclu de. FIGURE 2 FIGURE 1 As I previously stated, I can see why people will also agree with the above comment. Dharavi is densely populated with one million people per square mile. This amount of people causes massive overcrowding on transport used to travel to and from work in Mumbai, as you can see in figure 3, leaving those who don’t live in Dharavi experiencing the negatives of having ‘Asia’s biggest slum’ in the city they live in. One of the main problems of Dharavi is its poor sanitation, as you can see in figure 4. Dharavi has an open sewer system which attracts rats and disease as well as the chemicals which travel through sewers. The lack of sanitation is something that would be seen as a bad reflection of Mumbai as a whole making some people views it as an ‘embarrassing blot’ on Mumbai.Ap World History Units 1-3 Study Guide Despite this, Dharavi holds thousands of tiny industries within the slum providing jobs for the residents. 80% of the residents in Dharavi work there. The slum also has a very close net community and spirit however, home to many orphans which may doubt Mumbai on its ability to become the world city it desires to be. Due to the increase of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) there has been talk of redeveloping Dharavi and a committee has been setup called Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) and headed by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has been a controversial scheme formed with a goal to rehabilitate the entire slum and to re-house all of the residents which have around 72,000 families, also with the money the committee would look to build better infrastructure in and around the area of Dharavi which would increase tourism and generate more income for those businesses in that area. FIGURE 4 FIGURE 3 Mumbai was originally a series of fishing villages that became a port of which site encouraged Mumbai’s development. The port had access to the sea on both sides meaning that the port as well as its surroundings became known as the gateway to India. The banking, finance and insurance sectors that was associated with the port which allowed Mumbai to become India’s major centre of finance. As India’s economy grows and becomes increasingly part of the globalised economy, Mumbai is becoming a world city. It is seen that Mumbai holds the attributes to become a world city, it is a well-respected city and area of India yet the issue of Dharavi lays centre in Mumbai. Dharavi, as well as Mumbai, holds its own respected attributes breaking the conventions of what we view as ‘slums’, being home to police and fire stations, a post office, high-end shops, two cemeteries, a park and most recently its first ATM was installed. Being originally home to a small fishing village community, I view Dharavi to not necessarily be an ‘Indian national disgrace’ but a relative part of India’s history to becoming the world city it desires to be today. We can also see Mumbai quite similar to Rio and how they have their favelas, but Rio is still recognised as the financial centre of Brazil, as you can see the similarities in figures 5 and 6. Another similarity is that they are both part of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies even though having a vast amount of slums Brazil and India have the biggest economies in world being one of the biggest economies this means more countries would want to trade with you and they would not base their trade on what surrounds the financial centre of the country they are more than likely concentrating on their investment and if its making a profit. Previously I spoke about the DRP and the SRA, they had an initial plan to redevelop the area and provide each family with a 250 square foot apartment, and however this would not allow residents to carry out their businesses due to such small of space. FIGURE 6- Slum of Dharavi FIGURE 5- Favelas of Rio I conclude that despite the negatives Dharavi bring upon Mumbai, I felt the positives overshadow the negatives. Dharavi should be praised on being able to create its own small economy, which other communities may struggle to attain anywhere in the world. Also the city has to recall the history behind the slum due to it being the fundamental to Mumbai’s growth in becoming the world city it wishes to be. This is why I differ with the comment â€Å"Dharavi is an Indian national disgrace and an embarrassing blot on Mumbai’s desire to become a world city†; because in my opinion I consider Dharavi is not a national disgrace of and humiliation to Mumbai.

Eating Healthy With a Busy Lifestyle Essay

A lot of people feel trapped by their busy lifestyles when they’re trying to eat healthy. After all, who has time to cook when they need to commute two hours each way, pick the kids up from school, and do the laundry? Eating healthy with a busy lifestyle does not have to be complicated. Here are a few steps that can help you eat well even when you’re constantly crunched for time. 1) Simplify Your Diet One of the easiest ways to eat healthier when you’re strapped for time is to simplify your diet. You might want to have that fancy curry reciple you’ve just learned, but do you really have the time for it? Stick to the basics of what you like, buy them in bulk, and mix those up over the week in a few basic meals. You’ll be surprised at how much you actually like simple foods. For instance, one of my favorite meals for lunch is a simple microwaved baked potato with some sunny side up eggs. It might sound weird, but it definitely gets the job done and is healthy and quick to boot! If you’re not into cooking at all and eat out for every meal (tsk tsk) the following tip will probably help you much more. 2) Eating Out Like a Pro! Not everyone has time to make a baked potato and eggs. Some people don’t even enjoy cooking at all! In order to eat healthy while eating out, you really only need to ask yourself the following question: Is what I’m eating something that someone from the 1940s would eat? Think about it in terms of how processed the food is and how big the portion size is. There weren’t too many obese people back then, so they must have been doing something right! Portion size should be about what you can fit in both of your hands (unless you have freakishly small/large hands). Also, when you eat out DRINK WATER! In the San Francisco Bay Area eating out like a pro has been drastically simplified as everything has calorie listings. I tend to go for whatever has the highest food volume to calorie ratio. 3) Carry Food With You! It isn’t terribly hard to carry some good healthy snacks with you. Carry some nuts (unless you’re allergic, because then you would die) and eat a few every time you feel like you’re getting hungry in between meals. A hand full of nuts can go a LONG way in keeping you satiated. Fruits are also delicious, healthy, and portable snack foods. I always carry two or three bananas with me along with some almonds in case I get the munchies. For you extreme folks out there you can resort to carrying canned goods in your car (along with a can opener if you cant open cans with your mind bullets). A lot of canned goods last forever and are actually pretty good for you (especially the low sodium variety). Photo Credit healthy enteraining platter 1 image by Brett Mulcahy from Fotolia.comA busy lifestyle may leave you little time to cook and eat healthy meals. According to Jeannette Bessinger and Tracee Yablon-Brenner, authors of â€Å"Simple Food for Busy Families: The Whole Life Nutrition Approach,† it is possible to eat a diet filled with nutritious foods even when you are busy with a career and family. A few simple changes will allow you to create cooking and eating routines that focus on a variety of healthy ingredients. Prepare meals ahead of time. Take a few hours on a weekend afternoon to make soup, chili or pasta dishes, for example. Portion them out into freezer safe containers and freeze them. Focus on cooking with healthy ingredients, such as fresh vegetables, sodium-free canned beans and whole wheat pasta. Pull out one meal each evening for a quick and healthy way to feed your family. Sponsored Links Lose Weight in 1 Session?Lose upto 10cms in a single session Or get your Money Back!BizzyBody2u.com Step 2 Keep healthy snacks bagged and ready to go. Cut up fresh fruits and vegetables and store them in individual serving sizes. Portion out small amounts of nuts, seeds, dried fruits or air-popped popcorn. Grab a couple healthy snacks as you leave each morning to have a nutritious food choice on hand no matter how busy you get. Step 3 Pack your lunch everyday. Put several healthy foods into a lunchbox to help you avoid the fast food line when hunger strikes, recommends Sharon Jean Wiginton, author of â€Å"Abounding Health Naturally.† Make sandwiches with plenty of vegetables on whole wheat bread or wraps made with whole wheat tortillas. Pack one or two pieces of fruit or one or two servings of vegetables to round out the meal. Step 4 Make a smoothie to take with you when you are on the go. Place your favorite fruits along with low-fat plain yogurt and ice cubes into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a portable cup to drink as you go about your day, suggests Wiginton. Step 5 Look up restaurant menus ahead of time to help you choose the healthiest meals when you eat out. Search for nutrition information from the place you plan to eat and make your meal decision before you arrive. Stick to your choices by ordering without looking at the menu again. Sponsored Links Weight Loss TreatmentVery Effective, Safe & Affordable. At Klinik Mediviron Wisma UOA, KLwww.MedivironUOA.com Standard Chartered CardEnjoy up to RM300 CashBack when you apply for a Credit Card online.StandardChartered.com.my/CreditCard Childhood Obesity FactsSee Facts on Childhood Obesity. Symptoms, Treatments & More Here.symptomfind.com/ChildhoodObesity Cheap Supplements OnlineLow price for Whey Protein, BCAA, Loose weight & Kinesio Strappingwww.MyFitness.my Tips and Warnings Pack lunches the night before. Get your lunch and your children’s lunches ready ahead of time so everyone has a healthy meal ready to eat. Stash a few snacks in your purse, bag or car so there is always a healthy option when you are hungry. Do not eat while you are driving because it may increase the risk of an accident. Keep foods in the car but wait until you reach your destination to eat them.

Decision Making and Reasoning Essay

There are different types of decisions that we must make as well. From simple choices when planning for a vacation or making more life changing choices that require a detailed, logical analysis concerning what to do. Questions about strategy use have been treated in several different lines of decision-making. Largely, a distinction arises in terms of when and why deliberative processing best describes decision-making behavior. Under novel decision-making conditions, there is no prior experience to guide the decision-making process. The process involves selecting the appropriate strategy. Under repetitive successful decision-making conditions, there is a long history of experience. Some decisions become automatic in the sense that they require no deliberation. In this process, we address the issue of how decision processes transit from more controlled or deliberative strategies, to simple decision rules, and finally to automatic or routine strategies. What one sees as rational behavior in many of the social situations that have been studied is likely to depend on whether one conceives of rationality as enlightened self-interest in a fairly narrow sense, or one factors in the roles of such variables as self-image and conscience, or one allows for the possibility that a rational person might take a genuine interest in the welfare of other people, independently of his or her own. In other words, what is perceived as a dilemma from one perspective may not be a dilemma as perceived from another; a decision problem that is very difficult when assessed relative to one set of values may be very easy when assessed relative to another set. Dilemmas are difficult decision problems, necessitating, as they often do, choices between equally unsatisfactory (or in some cases equally attractive) options. Some social dilemmas pit self-interest against the common good. What constitutes rational behavior in dealing with dilemmas has been a question of interest to many theorists and students of human reasoning. Certain prototypical situations—notably various versions of the prisoner’s dilemma have been intensively studied with the hope of gaining insights into the determinants of competitive and cooperative behavior. However, along the way, we may use simple rules to decide when and where to stop and which specific routes to take, depending on incidental factors such as traffic. It is important to understand how these various decision domains are differently perceived and processed. (Betsch et al, 2004, p1) Strategies That Guide Human Decision Making A strategy is used to refer to processes which are relatively slow, goal-directed, systematic, and under explicit conscious control. However, it is also argued that to reason deductively rather than inductively does require a conscious effort at deduction and only occurs in response to specific instructions. Thus deduction is seen as a strategy. An account of strategic deductive reasoning with the mental models framework is preferred. (D’Ydewalle et al, 2000, p1) The strategic phases of decision making are the generation phase, the evaluation phase, and the learning phase. In a very rough sense, these phases correspond to the periods before, during, and after one makes a decision, respectively. Hence, they can be viewed as three successive points in time, but there is a great deal of recursion that can occur between phases. (Klein et al, 2001, p31) The tendency to implement appropriate behaviors strategies is apparent by the number of techniques available. For example, vigilant problem solving found that most executives report that they engage in one of a number of simplistic strategies for arriving at a solution. These simplistic strategies of simple decision rules are grouped them into cognitive categories. The cognitive decision rules: 1. Unreflectively using a standard operating procedure, 2. Accepting the first alternative that comes to mind that is good enough to meet the minimal requirements (satisfying), 3. Searching ones mind for a well-known analogy that turns out to be inappropriate (analogizing), 4. Consolidating the choice discovered through rules (1) to (3) and bolstering it in one’s mind by focusing mainly on the positive features of the choice, 5. Saving time and effort by getting someone who has looked into the issues to provide a brief description of what one should do and why (the nutshell briefing rule). (Byrnes, 1998, p21) For example in a case study format, Suppose that a student already possesses some automatic but dysfunctional strategies for making the decisions the instructor seeks to have make well. Then, before the training effort can begin in earnest, those â€Å"bad habits† have to be eliminated. This will be a prodigious task because, by their nature, the already established strategies will initiate themselves effortlessly, uncontrollably, and beyond the trainee’s consciousness. Because decision making is such a fundamental human activity, which each of us has practiced day-in and day-out all our lives, perhaps the majority of our decision strategies are automated. This means that it is folly to think that it is even possible to fundamentally change a person’s basic decision-making dispositions. (Klein et al, 2001, p25) Managerial leadership is generally considered a major factor in organizational behavior because of its putative effect on individuals, groups, and organizational outcomes. Some regard leadership as a special case of social influence. But progress has been very slow in understanding why leaders exert influence in certain situations while not in others. Research has not produced particularly robust and reliable findings in this regard.

A Study on the Worlds Educational System

A Study on the Worlds Educational System A number of similarities as well as differences exist between the K-12 education system in the United States and the 8-4-4 system in Kenya. The similarities are such as the age at which children enter into school. In both countries children enter school approximately at the age of five or six. Also, the initial grade of commencing education is termed as kindergarten in both countries. In addition, one has to spend twelve years both in primary and high school education level before qualifying for tertiary education which may be in the universities or colleges despite the difference in the grading system within the twelve years. Another similarity between both systems is that one can access the K-12 or 8-4-4 education from both private institutions as well as public institutions. Moreover both systems enjoy funding from the state governments as well as federal and local government but those attending private institutions are self- sponsored that is they have the responsibility of payi ng their tuition fees to the institutions. Also in both systems one has to perform at a certain set average standard at the examinations provided in each level in order to qualify for the next level. In both systems students traditionally proceed from one level to the subsequent one as a â€Å"class† upon the completion of each academic year. In both countries it is compulsory to enroll in to the education systems after attaining the minimum required age and the parents or guardians who fail to abide by this law risk been prosecuted in accordance to the laws of the countries. However these laws are much more strict and effective in the United States as compared to Kenya where laxity has been observed in the enforcement of the compulsory education laws leading to a very dismal enrolment of children in schools especially in the parts of the country inhabited by the pastoralists’ communities. Nevertheless, in both countries there is no a compulsory level of the education system which one should go up to before leaving the education system. One is free to undertake his or her studies up to primary level, high school level or even college or university level in accordance to his intellectual capabilities as well as financial strength. In both countries student loans and scholarships are provided in the university level to enable students meet their tuition costs as well as other related costs such as those incurred while undertaking research projects (Brint in the primary and high school level the school year usually starts immediately after the customary summer recess that is in August and sometimes in September while in Kenya the school year commences in January immediately after the New Year festivities. In the U.S, students have only six hours of schooling per day while in Kenya students spend almost ten hours in school on a daily basis. In the 8-4-4 system, students in primary and high school level break for holidays three times per year while i n the K-12 system students have only one long holiday which is slated during the summer season. Another difference between the systems is that in the K-12 system, primary education takes only five years while in the 8-4-4 system it takes eight years. In the K-12 system; upon graduating from primary school, one proceeds to middle school before proceeding to high school while in the 8-4-4 system one directly joins high school upon completing primary education. In the U.S each state governs the public education unlike in Kenya where the public education system is governed by the central government. In Kenya, one is free to obtain admission to any public school of his or her choice within the country while in the U.S the right of entry to a certain public school is mostly granted on the residential basis. Also the grading scale used in the 8-4-4 system is quite different from the one applied in the K-12 system. The rate of enrollment into the K-12 system is quite high as compared to the 8-4-4 system. Besides, teacher employed in the primary level in the K-12 system are graduates of early childhood development degree program while in the 8-4-4 system majority of primary school teachers possess only a certificate from a teachers training college (Herbst, 1996)

Law Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Law Society - Essay Example Then the new role which the Law Society has to play is discussed with the initiatives of government. The study concludes stating the roles taken by the Society in implementing the regulatory changes. The Society was first founded on June 2nd 1825. The Society acquired it's royal charter in 1831, and commenced its operations from a new building in Chancery Lane, in 1832. "A new Charter in 1845 set the Law Society as an independent, private body servicing the affairs of the legal profession like other professional, literary and scientific bodies". (Formation of the Law Society, 2004: para 2) The former title of the society was 'The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors and others not being Barristers, practicing in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom' which later became colloquially renowned as "The Law Society". It changed its name officially in 1903. (Formation of the Law Society, 2004: para 4) The current legal regulatory system is biased with no clear objectives or principles and functions with minimal interests towards the consumers. There exists a confusion regarding the current system supervising bodies' viz., Law Society and Bar Council. (Reform of legal services, 2006) The areas of regulations for legal services suffer from various regulatory gaps, functional overlaps and irregularities. For instance, in cases of service providers like solicitors who provide legal advice as well as non-incidental financial advice, they are regulated simultaneously by the Law Society and the Financial Services Authority. (Regulatory Gaps, 2004) A consultation paper published in May 2003 depicts Government's conclusions on the issues analyzed on matters as raised in the document "In the public interest". (Government Conclusions, 2003) The Department for Constitutional Affairs in its report published in July 2003, arrived at a conclusion that the framework of regulations regarding lega l services in England and Wales was highly inefficient and outdated in handling current legal requirements of the consumers. (Legal Services Review, 2004, Para 1) Consequently, Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer ordered a review into regulation of the legal services. The Chancellor described the current frame work of the Law Society as "outdated, inflexible, over-complex and insufficiently accountable or transparent". (Lawyer regulation 'needs change', 2004: para 11) On this behalf, an inquiry, headed by former deputy governor of the Bank of England, Sir David Clementi, came forward with his suggested recommendations including the establishment of a new regulatory society, the Legal Services Board. (Lawyer regulation 'needs change', 2004) Proposed changes in the regulation of legal services Sir David Clementi, in December 2004, published a report suggesting important changes on the regulation of legal services which also won the support from the Government. Clementi, through his report suggested many reforms for the efficiency of legal service including the removal of disparity of business structures, the references, how the new structure would benefit the legal service, the clear distinction that has to be made between

How important are creative thinking skills into Btech National Diploma Essay

How important are creative thinking skills into Btech National Diploma Art and design Level 1 at one FE college - Essay Example l education focuses on the skills of critical analysis, suggesting creating a logical argument, eliminating the incorrect paths and focusing on the correct one. However, there is another kind of thinking, one that focuses on exploring ideas, generating possibilities, looking for many right answers rather than just one. This kind of thinking takes us to a whole new plane of thoughts and resulting possibilities, which though might seem out of sync with times, might nevertheless be the beacons of light to solving the impending problems. Thus creative thinking has to be seen as a skill crucial to problem solving in any sphere of life. Creative thinking is a skill with what we are all born with but decreases as children are exposed to the environment around them. The social responsibility for bringing about the proper blending of creative thinking and critical thinking which nevertheless has its own merits lies on the shoulders of the education system. The study focuses on the need, importance, motivation, systematic efforts and the gaps therein towards development and application of creative thinking skills in FE colleges in general and the Art and design Diploma course in particular and how does training in Art and design affect creative thinking skills. While assessing the literature on the given topic - Creative thinking Skills, How important are they in BTECH LEVEL1 Diploma of Art and Design? , its important to evaluate what has been written both in terms of the Creative thinking skills as a subject as well as its importance in Further education in general and the Art and Design FE courses in particular. It is important to move from literature pertaining to and supporting ideas from a subjective point of view to the specific area of study. The current thinking and efforts on developing creative skills in FE has its basis in the policy papers and resultant initiatives started in the late nineties. The evolution in the thinking and the efforts as well continues

Business Ethics Reverse Discrimination Term Paper

Business Ethics Reverse Discrimination - Term Paper Example However, there is a phenomenon referred to as reverse discrimination, which is defined as occurring â€Å"when a person is denied an opportunity because of preferences given to protected-class individuals who may be less qualified† (Mathis & Jackson, 2005, p.103). In this situation, it must be proven that the organization where the individual is employed was denied opportunities or received discriminatory actions because a member of a protected class was given preferential treatment. This paper describes situations in the workplace that involve reverse discrimination, with a focus on the legal structure that forbids this from occurring and the ethical issues potentially involved in workplace reverse discrimination scenarios. The Letter of the Law The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits discrimination related to compensation, working conditions, or certain privileges for individuals over the age of 40 that work for employers with 20 or more employees (Mathis & Jackson). It is a federal law, thus it applies to all businesses across the United States fitting the profile of 20 or more employees. A situation occurred where those individuals who were considered a protected class against the ADEA filed suit alleging reverse discrimination based on benefits provisions and early retirement benefits options. At General Dynamics Land Systems, the company decided it would be in the best interest of the business to alter the retiree health care benefits scheme. Full health care benefits were to be provided upon signing the new General Dynamics contract, but only if the individual was 50 years of age or older (Zink, 2006). Workers who were not yet of 50 years of age, thus not in a protected class under the ADEA, filed suit against General Dynamics citing reverse discrimination since they were not to be afforded the full health care benefits due to their younger age profiles. The ADEA explicitly states the following: â€Å"It shall be unlawful for an employer – (1) to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, term, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual’s age† (Zink, 2006, p.2). Ultimately, this case was dismissed by the Circuit Court, citing that reverse discrimination was not allowed under the ADEA. However, the younger workers were allowed to pursue their reverse discrimination suit citing other legal precedents. This particular case was chosen for analysis because many organizations, in fear of receiving liability outcomes, will deny opportunities to younger workers in favor of those in an age-related protected class. Though General Dynamics does not necessarily fit this profile, it was necessary to show how the language of the ADEA and similar legislation can be misinterpreted so that younger workers miss out on many workplace opportunities because of how the language is spelled ou t. Consider the following case that did meet with victory in the court system alleging reverse discrimination, where the business did deny opportunities to a non-protected class in favor of avoiding liability. The New Haven Fire Department had established a proficiency test to determine which firefighter candidates were most qualified to receive promotions. Detailed steps were undertaken to ensure that the tests were unbiased, â€Å"including painstaking analyses to ensure the tests