Legal, Safety and Regulatory Requirements Essay

This paper examines the impact of legal, safety and the regulatory requirements of the human resources development in an organization. This aspects look at the rights of the employee and the employer and how they are secured. This human resources process affects the lawful, well-being, and governing guidelines inside a business while the privileges of those employers and workers are protected by the U. S. Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Department of Homeland Security. The employee-related regulations are to guard the privileges of a company and worker. The U. S. Department of Labor gives organization an excellent effective setting and reduces employment ratios by offering development within the organization. The human resources areas have to commit to having current rules and guidelines for salaries and times worked. And human resources management has to guarantee all personnel whether United States residents or non-United States mindful of any material may possibly be related (United States Department of Labor, 2011). According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 states it is unlawful to differentiate a capable individual with a disability. The law states it is prohibited to react against an individual since the individual complained about injustice, filed an allegation of discrimination, or take part in discrimination complaint. It expects that employers fairly provide the known physical or mental restrictions of an otherwise capable individual with a disability who is an applicant or employee, unless doing so would force an undue difficulty on the process of the employer’s business. The employees of Department of Homeland Security work diligently to preserve the well-being and safety of the United States. They work with municipalities, people, and countries to support them plan for and pull through from emergencies. They evaluate dozens of virtual security statements, and portions of intelligence, continuing continuous communication with specialists all through the country to defend the United States most important buildings and resources. With the legislation of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Department Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge made a commitment that the new human resources system would be the result of a cooperative and comprehensive process involving supervisors, employees, labor organizations, and a expansive group of participants and specialists from the Federal division and private organization in order to deliver the greatest procedures possible for the employees of Homeland Security. The final guidelines administer to the new human resources for Department Homeland Security is evidence to that commitment The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defends all employees working inside a corporation against discrimination regarding age, disability, sex, national origin, color or race. The human resources organization has to stay in agreement by making sure that all supervisors are extremely capable to properly relate with employees in the process of hiring, training, advancing, and dismissing. This law is enforced by a federal agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This law is laid out into three segments that consist of e sexual harassment, affirmative action, and equal opportunity. These three different segments have a huge influence on the human resources division, and the employment process and this department must follow the law. These equal opportunity regulations will guarantee an employee is given an equal opportunity while submitting an application or resume for a position at an organization regardless of race, age, or gender. When looking at affirmative action this process allows an organization to hire individuals which fit in to a certain group of individuals. The sexual harassment process is put into the work environment to guarantee employees both women and men are secured under both federal and state law, sexual harassment can be verbal, physical or both, this type of harassment cannot only affect an employee’s work environment, but more importantly that person emotional well-being. Sexual harassment can make an employee feel uncomfortable coming to work, prevents them from focusing on their tasks work, and they can take that emotional stress home with them. The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 law makes it unlawful to discriminate against any individual basis on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. It also makes it unlawful to react hostile to an individual because the individual protested about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in a discrimination lawsuit (â€Å"U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission†, 2011). This law also states that supervisors reasonably provide candidates’ and employees’ time to hold religious customs, except if doing so would inflict an unnecessary stress on the owner’s organization. This also goes for the federal government and employment services, and labor establishments, also need to acknowledge the law. The majority of discrimination lawsuits claim a violation of this law. In regards to the statement that, â€Å"Common sense and compassion in the workplace has been replaced by litigation. † I look up the definition and it stated that Common sense is sound practical judgment derived from experience rather than study. And compassion is sympathy for the suffering of others, often including a desire to help (Encarta 1999). Guidelines and procedures are put in place to defend employees and employers. Nevertheless, not all procedures and guideline are for every employee or employer. Every situation is different and has to be approach differently; no two people are the same. A human resources manager has to be able to look at these different situations and make a choice that’s good for the organization employees. Making the right decisions protect the organization from lawsuits. The distress of upsetting employees or possible ligation has caused human resources departments to outline guidelines and procedures.

Family and Unilever

2. 1 Macro Environment 2. 1. 1 Economy – Residential a) Economic -The policy of the Vietnamese industry is mutually agreed to build the economy of Vietnam following the trend of industrialization and modernization; giving priority to attract foreign investment, especially from transnational companies and multinationals such as Unilever to increase its budget. The domestic market (wholesale, retail, flow of goods, etc. ) has grown much more.And infrastructure in major cities, especially Ho Chi Minh City have been adequate investment, first on a par with other countries in the region. -Unilever Vietnam as the consumer goods market in this new, more â€Å"land† to business. -Economic growth of Vietnam is low possibility that high consumption of products. -Finance, Vietnam credit growth, the stock market is fragmented. In addition, telecommunications systems, communications, telephone charges, postal and Internet have the highest rates around the world.So, it the introducti on of the Internet in business is not possible for Unilever, although the company has repeatedly refers to this goal as a way to reach customers and promote your products successfully in industrialized countries. b) Population -In addition to the extended family model non-traditional married family. Also added and growing one share, and have major differences in consumer decision model extended family. -Distribution of population in Vietnam is very uneven.Rural population lives in 72%   Large-scale population of 86 million people (13th in the world), rising by about 1 million per year. $ Hardworking, eager to learn, is considered receptive knowledge, new technology. So promise quality human resources for Unilever   -Vietnam Educational level is relatively high, especially in urban areas. A lot of people graduating from high school and college †¦ compared to other countries; further intellectual labor in Vietnam better performance excellence in technology-so this is an abund ant human resources for the company. Vietnam has a young population structure and popular model extended family (including grandparents, uncles, etc. ) opportunities for Unilever because this is the company's target customers. -Population-planning policies of the government will make in the next few decades, young people will grow old and aging population structure is no longer an advantage for Unilever. In addition, the extended family in the middle (the most common family structure in Vietnam), the choice of buying a product, especially high-end products, generally considered very carefully.So, group consumption of personal care items (personal care) not as much as senior SSWD group (single, separate, widowed, divorced) in the capitalist countries. 2. 1. 2 Politics and law a) Political In the context of terrorism, war, epidemics, etc. Recently, the Vietnamese politics is considered stable and was selected as one of the safest destinations in Asia-Pacific own, and bring peace of mi nd to investors. Unilever-a world renowned company with strong financial background has decided to set up a branch in Vietnam – Unilever Vi? t Nam.We show that they also felt good political environment in our country's favorable conditions for long-term growth of the company. b) Legislation Legal system more complete, create favorable conditions for foreign companies such as Unilever to promote investment, business   Done still complain opinions (both excess and insufficient, inconsistent, overlapping   Our country's economy is on track to develop stronger, deeper integration into the world economy, thus modifying, perfecting the legal system that are consistent with international law is very same urgency. 2. . 3 Nature and technology a) Natural Vietnam is located in a relatively favorable position in the region, with a long coastline, many large seaports to facilitate the export of goods when Unilever began to focus on exports in the near future. Hot and humid tropical c limate is not suitable for some products originating from the parent company in Europe. Vietnam particularly rich source of medicinal raw materials for the production of consumer goods as well as research products. b) Technology -In terms of the country's technology still weak, so Unilever bring their echnology not only their most advanced   -The change in production technology at the plant is small, even if it was done in the branch Unilever in another markets. The only change when the demands of the competition. -Because Unilever consumer goods production has more or  «Technology » fairly stable   2. 1. 4 Culture and Society – Vietnam has a very diverse culture, rich and rich -Vietnam is a country of religious freedom to distribute, advertise products not subject to many constraints too strict as many other Asian countries. Vietnam state religion is Buddhism, traditional customs and rites bold Asians. Culture regions, provinces, districts and villages. 2. 2 Micro En vironment 2. 2. 1, customers Lipton target customers are elderly or middle-aged (30-50). They will be making decisions for the majority of problems in life, including the choice of the consumer to buy the product. â€Å"Many tea drinkers choose Lipton because it is really inexpensive and you can get it just about anywhere. It is surprising that more people do not drink tea, as they would longer, happier and healthier lives if they did† (Winslow 2006).Furthermore, some customers think that taking anti-oxidants are healthy, thus, customers drink a couple of gallons per week: â€Å"Tea makes you look younger too and gives you energy as well. 2. 2. 2 Competitors One of the major competitors for Lipton in the world ice tea market is Nestle Refreshment Company, maker of Nestea Ice Tea, well-known competitor for Lipton ice tea. Like Lipton-Unilever, Nestle Refreshment Company has forged agreement with another soda manufacturer, Coca Cola.

Assignment Marketing Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Research - Assignment Example Qualitative technique seeks to exemplify attitudes concerning behavior posed by consumers. Credits depicted by this technique include intense scrutiny incorporated during research. Unlike quantitative, it focuses on value instead of statistical facts (Katsirikou & Skiadas: 2010, pp. 27). This encompassed digging deeply to unveil perceptions encompassed by consumers. In-depth analysis occurs by execution of interviews performed at individual stages. The interviews demand exhaustive information because consumers explicate themselves. The interviews depict no time limits and thus customers entail chances to offer explanations concerning their behavior. Therefore, qualitative technique clinches the tribute of gathering detailed information. Detailed information entails negligible loopholes because it equips the researcher with satisfactory knowledge. Consequently, sufficient knowledge culminates to the researcher drawing sound conclusions concerning their study. Interviews conducted resu lt to rich knowledge concerning consumer mannerisms. Qualitative technique thus entails illuminations of a dependable method. Under this technique, there encompasses various approaches towards gathering rightful information involving the customer’s. The interviews depict liberated forums where consumers would articulate themselves without panic of intimidation. In addition, the technique presents contact with the clientele. This methodology thus offers a personal touch, hence urging consumers to air their feelings eloquently (Tadic & Mamic: 2011, pp. 280). In addition, incorporation of focus groups eminent in qualitative technique presents a reliable approach. This gains explanations from the information that these groups involve experts who seek digging for information by discussing. Observational technique depicts another qualitative technique. The method entails the advantage of being economical.

Dream house Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dream house - Assignment Example A dream house has to be designed to meet the preferred color schemes, locations as well as other special features (Ransom, 8). People should understand that it is possible to buy a house that does not have all preferences, but they can later make improvements on the house to meet the specifications intended. In this case, house improvements should not just be directed towards fixing a certain problem, the owner has to know that pampering a house is a daily activity (Smith, 7), there will always be preference for certain features in the course of staying in that house. The most important thing is to ensure that the value of that particular house remains intact. It is important to note that improvements in the dream house can be expensive in some cases, this means that the person who intends to have it must do it gradually, he needs to begin with areas that are most unpleasant to those areas which are sometimes unnoticeable. A dream house should always be designed to withstand various environmental factors; it should not expose the occupants to environmental risks. However, it is important to note that some environmental hazards are unpredictable and unavoidable, for this reason, people should always understand and derive better ways to handle them when they come. Nonetheless a dream house should be stable and conducive for its inhabitants in all seasons, whether it is in hot summers or cold winters Eileen is considered one of the most important and competent designers and architect of the 20th century, at the same time; she is among the women who are termed as most influential in this field. She has risen to become very much renowned and inspired many other people including modern approaches in design and architecture as well as decors for various types of property (Eileen. 4). Eileen started up her career amidst hard circumstances that would have made anyone rubbish her off. However, she persisted with her

Strategic Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Strategic Plan - Essay Example To complete the strategic plan for â€Å"Sir Harry†, a SWOT analysis would be provided, in conjunction with stipulating the lounge’s mission and vision statements, values and objectives, as well as strategies and goals. â€Å"Sir Harry’s† aim to provide top of the line service to customers looking for a quiet respite from the busy life through posh and romantic ambiance and the luxury of enjoying cocktails in the company of friends. The lounge bar embodies the perfect get-away to unwind and spend quality time to treat oneself or friends to an extraordinary nightlife experience. The vision is to employ initially a small staff of highly qualified and competent personnel totaling 10 in all to increase annually by 3 to 5 personnel depending on the number of guests and visitors that patronize the lounge. These personnel would assume the roles of a lounge manager, finance, human resources and operations manager, and the rest would be in charge of directly addressing the needs of the customers through expertise in cocktails, specialty hors-doeuvres and canapà ©s, serving, as well as security and maintenance. The projected sales are initially $5,000 per night for the first month, and to increase by 10% until the sixth month. From the sixth to twelve months, sales is expected to pick up by 20 – 25% until the 2nd year. The values that would make â€Å"Sir Harry’s† stand out among the rest of the lounges in Hawaii is its adherence to exemplary service that would not only satisfy customers but delight them into coming back for more. In addition, the luxurious, sophisticated and romantic ambiance makes clientele extend their stay and look forward to more nights of experience with â€Å"Sir Harry’s†. 1. Owner/Proprietor: Prepare and develop a comprehensive business plan and forge contacts with suppliers to position the lounge as an upscale bar within the Hawaii district with the next 3 to 5

Does Receiving a College Education while Incarcerated Influence Research Paper

Does Receiving a College Education while Incarcerated Influence Convicted Felons Ability to Find a Job - Research Paper Example This project stresses that the overall education attainment of inmates and the formerly incarcerated is considerably below that of the general population in every world’s country-this is especially in regard to A and O-levels. In the United States, for example, about half of the nation’s adults had at least some level of college education. This was inconsequentially the opposite indication because less than 2o per cent of state and federal prisoners had some college education. College education for individual convicts while incarcerated ultimately affects their ability to find jobs. College going for the college students is therefore meant to aid the rehabilitation process and not utterly give the convicts employment. Education is one of the best rehabilitation weapons as some of the felons may have done offense due to the lack of appropriate hunger management skills. Through college education, this would be the beginning of learning basics of life for the felons. This paper makes a conclusion that college education plays a critical role for the felons that are incarcerated particularly with regard to their ability to find a job. The views of the researchers point towards using the educational platform as a tool for rehabilitating the inmates. The starting figures of the prison population foster the need of more effective solutions of making the lives of the prisoners better, for their sake and the sake of society in general. Through education, the lives of the offenders can be significantly improved.

Organizational Behavior (1) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Behavior (1) - Assignment Example This paper will describe the 21st century manager and discuss how various organizational cultures influence such managers. The 21st century manager is faced with the duty of managing people in this era of change. This era is characterized by technological innovation, deregulation, globalization, new political systems, a new workforce mentality, more service-oriented jobs and a new emphasis on "knowledge work† (Hofstede, 1980). These are the changes that managers and their organizations ought to progressively respond to in order to achieve effective organizational structures (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy, 2008). To discuss how organizational culture influences the 21st century manager, it is important to define organizational culture. Organizational culture is a set of shared mental suppositions that guide action and interpretation in organizations by outlining apposite behavior for various situations (Hofstede, 1980). Cultures develop in organizations due to internal integration and external adaptation. External adaptation mirrors an evolutionary tactic to organizational culture and proposes that cultures exist since they assist an organization to subsist and flourish. If the culture is useful, then it embraces the prospective for engendering constant competitive advantages. Internal integration, on the other hand is a valuable function because social structures are requisite for establishments to exist. Organizational practices are cultured through socialization at the workplace. Work environments strengthen culture on a daily basis by encouraging workers to exercise cultural values (Gome z-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy, 2008). Organizational culture influences managers to embrace behaviors that persuade employees to embark on tasks in a constructive and empowering way. Managers in the 21st century have learnt to embrace the contingency approach to management in a business world that is faced with diverse and ever growing pool of management techniques and

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Final Project - Essay Example However they soon diversified their portfolio and ventured into selling DVDS, CDs, and MP3 downloads software’s, games, electronics, food, toys, furniture and apparel. They started spreading out from United States and established bases in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and China. A business model is also termed as a business design. It is the way in which a business intends to specify a value proposition for its targeted customers, it’s positioning and it’s financial model. In other words, it is a summary of how the company intends to serve its customers, in what areas does it intend to serve its customers and what would be its product offering. At the Inception of Amazon.com, the delivery of information, services and goods to end customer was employed as its business model. It was called the â€Å"Online Retailer of Physical Good†. Under this model, manufactured products are sold online and there is a lot of dependency on third party providers. Third party providers are needed to maintain a continuous stock of supplies. Of the four types of e-commerce business models out there, Amazon uses the Business to consumer e-commerce (B2C) model. The B2C models focuses on direct selling of goods and services to the customer. This is done via online catalogs and shopping cart transaction systems. Amazon uses the virtual market place, a subtype of B2C model. Amazon became known for its feel-friendly culture when it was first launched. It was keen on recruiting the brightest, versatile and most intelligent people on the block. Its leaders tried to inculcate the same vision that they had for Amazon in the minds of their employees too. They believed in sharing hard work and fun at work. While employees were paid less than the market rates, they were given enough empowerment to feel happy and wanted at Amazon. Under its cost leadership strategy Amazon has stood out by offering rock-bottom prices. It provides good

Police Perception In My Community Essay Example for Free

Police Perception In My Community Essay INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE Community Oriented Policing is a philosophy and not a specific tactic, It is a proactive, decentralized approach, designed to reduce crime, disorder, and by extension, fear of crime, by intensely involving the same officer in the same community on a long-term basis, so that residents will develop trust to cooperate with police by providing information and assistance to achieve those three crucial goals (Trojanowicz   and Carter,1988) The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Crime Act) is widely recognized as a significant milestone in community policing. It was intended by President Clinton and Attorney General Reno as the â€Å"changing of policing.† The legislation provided the funding vehicle for an additional 100,000 police officers to boost law enforcement efforts in a climate of nationwide anxiety about crime. The Act gave the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (OCOPS) the task of supporting a major drive toward rooting community policing in solid foundations to become the prevailing orthodoxy in American law enforcement. (Nicholl, 1999) Law Enforcement Agencies throughout the country look to Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to improve their own services. According to OCOPS, â€Å" Community policing focuses on crime and social disorder through the delivery of police services that includes aspects of traditional law enforcement, as well as prevention, problem-solving, community engagement, and partnerships. The community policing model balances reactive responses to calls for service with proactive problem-solving centered on the causes of crime and disorder. Community policing requires police and citizens to join together as partners in the course of both identifying and effectively addressing these issues.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to note then the Public’s Perception of the Police is an essential element for the success of Community Policing-based strategies. Throughout the country, studies have been made that correlate Police Perception and Community Policing. During the past 20 years, there has been an expanding body of research examining citizens’ attitudes toward the police. Most of this research has been directed at assessing the determinants of these attitudes. In contrast, less attention has been focused on the reasons why citizens hold certain attitudes (Frank et al,2005) The author then, as a member of the Chesterfield Police Department, has a special interest in Community Policing and Police Perception, most especially in his own community. This research them aims to study Police Perception particularly in the Community of Chesterfield Township, a part of The County of Macomb in the state of Michigan.   It is worth mentioning that The   Chesterfield Police Department ‘s aim is embodied in its mission statement:   it is committed to providing the highest quality of public service and crime prevention while maintaining the publics respect and protecting the rights and dignity of everyone. The Chesterfield Police Department is dedicated to strong community relationships while providing a safe environment to enhance the quality of life for our citizens and visitors, which is very much in line with the concept of Community Policing. This is further supported by this Police Department’s value statement , abbreviated as POLICE, which includes developing an everlasting PARTNERSHIP between the Community, having a dedicated to the OATH of protecting and serving all people ,recognizing the importance of all Department members and Citizens, treating each other with fairness, LOYALTY and respect , maintaining   the highest degree of INTEGRITY, being responsible and accountable for their own actions and decisions , believing that COOPERATION and teamwork will enable them to achieve all goals of this Department and having a commitment   to EXCELLENCE in the performance of their   duties (http://www.chesterfieldtownshippolice.com/values.htm)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Chesterfield Police Department’s Mission and Value statements share the same elements with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services which aims   â€Å"to help law enforcement agencies implement and enhance community policing, defined   as a policing philosophy that promotes and supports organizational strategies to address the causes and reduce the fear of crime and social disorder through problem-solving tactics and police-community partnerships.† (C.O.P.S. http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=36/ )   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chesterfield Township is located in Macomb County, Michigan and encompasses an area of approximately 26 square miles. The population at the 2000 census was 37,004.   This increased to 446,962 in the year 2006. (Muller, 2006) The Township was established in 1842 and became a Charter Township in 1989 by Resolution. (Pall, 2002)   In Chesterfield, The number of violent crimes recorded by the FBI in 2003 was 28. The number of murders and homicides was 1. The violent crime rate was 0.7 per 1,000 people.   Meanwhile, in the whole Macomb county, of which Chesterfield is included, a total of   22,395 were reported for the year 2000 , a majority of reports were for Larceny and Motor vehicle theft. Sixteen of the reports for that year were on murder, 309 for rape and 384 reports on robbery for that year (Federal Bureau of Investigation to the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, University of Michigan)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is in from scope then that the author gathered data for the completion of this research Guided by feedback from other researches undertaken on Police Perception of the community such as these:   Ã‚   Gathering data on crime and community policing at the local level not only supplements our national data, but also allows local officials to identify their particular crime control needs, said Bureau of Justice Statistics Director Jan Chaiken.   As part of the Justice Departments emphasis on police working with residents in their neighborhoods, we are giving local law enforcement agencies tools to learn more about crimes and public opinion that may not be reported to the police.† Community policing is a crime fighting strategy that encourages law enforcement to work in partnership with the community to solve crime problems. The high degree of citizen support for Americas neighborhood police officers is a testament to the dedicated men and women who work day in and day out to establish relationships with residents in their communities, said Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder.   These relationships help citizens and police work together to promote community safety. (Smith et al, 1999)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In light of these statements, this research was undertaken to determine the Police Perception in the Community of Chesterfield Township, whether it is positive or negative through the use of a Police Perception survey adapted from earlier studies made by other police department in certain cities, particularly Portland (Campbell De long, 2005) , Pasadena (Police Assessment Resource Center, 2006). Chicago (The Chicago Community Policing Evaluation Consortium, 2004) and Kentucky (Kentucky Crime Prevention Coalition) it also aims to provide demographic breakdown of survey respondents in relation to their Police Perception in Chesterfield Township.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such information will enable the Chesterfield Police Department to continue living out their mission statement and embody the philosophy of Community Policing by either maintaining or improving their performance based on their community’s police perception, as will be determined by the survey done for this study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is the hope of this author that this research will also lead to the initiation of other studies concerning his community and the other areas in the County of Macomb, and even the State of Michigan to further improve the Police Departments public service performance to ensure the safety of the citizens. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The idea of examining Police Perception is not new. The community’s perception of the police department has been linked to the success of police programs to promote safety in the neighborhood. A study made by Gallagher. Et al in 2001, summarizes the studies made regarding Police Image and Community’s perception of the Police in a â€Å"The Public Image of the Police: Final Report to The International Association of Chiefs of Police. Research findings point out that : â€Å"Polls of the adult population in the United States since the 1960s show that the majority of the public has an over-all positive view of the police. Depending on the year and the particular measure used, the percentage of respondents with a positive assessment of police has been between 51 and 81 percent. When asked to assess service to their own neighborhoods, respondents tend to produce even higher evaluations. Relatively few citizens offer a negative assessment of police. (Gallagher et al. 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research also recognizes that Police Perception has a great impact on the success of the promulgation of Community Policing. Trojanowicz Carter(   1991) discuss the philosophy and role of community policing. It points out that â€Å"Community Policings unique contribution is a radical departure from the past and the present. While todays community policing efforts retain the best elements of the foot patrol programs of the past, they are intended to avoid both the old systems abuses and shortcomings.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In â€Å"Community Policing, Community Justice, and Restorative Justice: Exploring the Links for the Delivery of a Balanced Approach to Public Safety† Nicholl in 1999 with a report funded by Grant No. 98-CK-WX-0059 awarded to the National Victim Center by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. It discusses the concept of Community extensively, in a policy-maker’s perspective.   Liou Savage make the connection between Community Policing Strategies and Public Perception of Police through their research â€Å"Citizen Perception of Community Policing Impact† This study examines the impact of community policing by analyzing citizens perception of crime and police work before and after implementation of a community-oriented policing program in three neighborhoods in the city of West Palm Beach, Florida. The study reveals very positive findings about the community policing, including: perception of decreased local crime, increased perception of police performance, neighborhood improvement, and police-community relationship. Implications concerning the relationship between the community and the police, and citizen satisfaction and public services are discussed.( Liou Savage) Many other studies have been done to examine Police perception and these take into consideration different variables, being done in various settings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frank, Smith and Novak (2005) focused on the reasons why citizens have certain attitudes towards police officer. Their study â€Å"uses the survey responses of 613 residents of a Midwestern city to examine the information accessed by citizens when responding to questions regarding their general and specific attitudes toward the police. The findings suggest that citizens focus on attributes of agencies and encounters, some focus on the behavior of officers during interactions, and others base their attitudes on general perceptions of the occupation of policing.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A comprehensive look at   Police perception issues can be found in Brown Benedict’s article â€Å"Perceptions of the police: Past findings, methodological issues, conceptual issues and policy implications† which is a   research updates and expands upon Decker’s article â€Å"Citizen attitudes toward the police: a review of past findings and suggestions for future policy† by summarizing the findings from more than 100 articles on perceptions of and attitudes toward the police. Initially, the value of research on attitudes toward the police is discussed. Then the research pertaining to the impact of individual level variables (e.g. race) and contextual level variables (e.g. neighborhood) on perceptions of the police is reviewed. Studies of juveniles’ attitudes toward the police, perceptions of police policies and practices, methodological issues and conceptual issues are also discussed. This review of the literature indicates that only four variables (age, contact with police, neighborhood, and race) have consistently been proven to affect attitudes toward the police. (Brown Benedict,2002)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In terms of application, several police departments have made their own studies on Police Perception. â€Å"Community Policing in Chicago an Evaluation of Chicago’s Alternative Policing Strategy†   Prepared by The Chicago Community Policing Evaluation Consortium was done in through a grant awarded to   award to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in 2004. The â€Å"Portland Police Bureau 2005 Community Assessment Survey† was conducted for: City of Portland, Bureau of Police by Campbell de long resources Inc in August 2005 Police Assessment Resource Center and   Vera Institute of Justice completed â€Å"Assessing Police-Community Relations in Pasadena, California† in 2006 . The Kentucky Crime Prevention Coalition, meanwhile, adapted the use of a Community Policing Survey. HYPOTHESIS H0= There is no significant percentage of Chesterfield Residents who have a have a positive perception of the Chesterfield Police Department H1= There is a significant percentage of Chesterfield Residents who Have a positive perception of the Chesterfield Police Department METHODOLOGY:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Taking into consideration the limitations in man power and resources for this research, a simple random sampling method was applied to come up with the survey results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the calculation for a 95 per cent confidence level and confidence interval of five, the sample size was 275.   The survey was conducted by distributing survey forms in several households   around the Township of Chesterfield. Respondents were limited to Chesterfield residents above 18 years of age. Only one respondent per household was accepted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These survey forms, consisting of eight simple questions pertaining to the residents’ perception of the police, which was based on survey forms used by other Police Departments as stated in the literature review. Only eight questions were included in the survey, because these questions focused on Police Perception. This is due to the scope and resource limitation stated earlier. A copy of this questionnaire is included in the appendix section of this paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This study’s objective is to present data about Police Perception of the residents of the Township of Chesterfield in Macomb County in the State of Michigan. This research is done to show that the general perception of police in the sample population perceive the police positively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sample size was 275 respondents in the township of Chesterfield, which has a population of 446,962 in the   latest census in the year 2006. Based on a confidence level of 95 and a confidence interval of 5, the sample size is sufficient to estimate the response of this community regarding their perception of the Chesterfield Police Department.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Figure 1 shows the demographic breakdown of respondents by race. More than half of the respondents were Caucasians, which also reflected the actual population of Caucasians, 93 % of Chesterfield population, in the 2000 Census made by the US Census Bureau. In the sample population, 61 per cent was composed of Caucasian or white residents. Other races composes   14.5 percent and 12 percent were of African-American descent. Asians comprised 5.5 per cent and 4.4 % of sample population were Hispanics/Latino. Meanwhile, 1.1 per cent was   American Indians and Pacific islanders compose on 0.7 per cent. Based on these figures, it can be surmised that the Chesterfield Township was predominantly Caucasian, in terms of the population. The relationship of this data to the results concerning Police Perception will be discussed later.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study only included residents who were 18 years old of age and above. The data shows that   majority of respondents were from the 18-29 age group, with a percentage of 39 of the sample population. The age group with the least number of respondents was that of residents 50-59 years old, representing only 9 per cent of the sample population. This signifies that the Chesterfield township has fairly young residents, as seen by the larger percentage of those below middle age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given the limited man power and resources, the author opt to estimate Police Perception using only eight questions adapted from other studies stated earlier. The first three questions were on how the community perceived police officers, based on their encounters. The fourth question estimated the residents’ opinion about the adequacy of the number of police officers in the community. The fifth, sixth and seventh questions estimated residents’ perception of police based on three parameters- behavior, ability to assess needs and relationship of police officers to residents themselves. The last question asked the residents to give their over-all perception by indicating their rating for the Chesterfield Township Police Department.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Figure 3 Police Perception Responses in Chesterfield Township Community shows the relationships of responses of residents to the first three survey questions. As evident in the chart, answers for the questions on police perception based on encounters follow a similar pattern, indicating that most respondents agree that police officers are prompt, professional and fair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Figure 4 represents the respondent’s opinion on the need for more police officers in the community. Based on the results gathered, majority, 36.4 per cent , slightly agree that there is a need for more police officers in the community. As a whole, though, it can be seen that more residents disagreed and strongly disagreed, 14.5 and 7.3 per cent respectively, that there was further need for more police presence as compared to respondents who agreed,9.1 per cent, and strongly agreed,1.8 per cent to the augmentation of police visibility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With regard to the Chesterfield community’s perception of Police based on three parameters, their responses follow a similar trend, as evident in Figure 5. In terms of behavior, 49 . 5 per cent rated police â€Å"Good†. 32. 7 % gave Chesterfield police officers a rating of â€Å"excellent†. â€Å"Fair was how 14. 5 per cent rated police in the community while 3.6 per cent did not know how to answer this question. In their ability to address the need of the community, Chesterfield police officers were   again rated â€Å"Good† by 54 . 5 per cent of   the residents.    An â€Å"Excellent† rating was given by 29.1 per cent, while â€Å"Fair† was what 11. 6 per cent deemed appropriate. There were 4.7 per cent of the population, though, that didn’t know how to rate their police officers. When it comes to relationships between Chesterfield residents and their community’s police, majority, 43.6 per cent chose to rate this, as â€Å"Good†, Fair was give as rating by 27. 3 per cent of the population and 21.8 gave an â€Å"Excellent† mark. There were 7.3 residents, though that were still unsure how to rate the Chesterfield community’s relationship with its police officers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on this information, Police perception in   the areas specified were rated â€Å"Good† by a majority of Chesterfield residents. This point out a positive view of the township’s police officers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In relation to this positive response, the over-all rating of Chesterfield township community residents is seen in Figure 6. However, here, we see a shift of the rating from â€Å"Good† to Fair†. Apparently, most residents, 40.4 per cent particularly, perceive the Chesterfield Police Departments’ performance as â€Å"Fair†. Thirty two per cent believe that the township’s police deserve a â€Å"good† rating. Approximately 25 per cent believe their Police force is â€Å"Excellent† HYPOTHESIS TESTING   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This limitation of this study has been presented in the previous chapters. It is important to reiterate that this is mainly, a descriptive study. However, for research purposes, the Hypothesis that â€Å" There is a significant percentage of Chesterfield Residents who Have a positive perception of the Chesterfield Police Department† has been stated, with its corresponding null hypothesis â€Å" There is   no significant lower percentage of Chesterfield Residents who have a have a positive perception of the Chesterfield Police Department†. Based on the data presented, there is evidence to believe that on all eight questions, the community’s police perception leaned towards a positive image of the members of the Chesterfield Police department.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although specific statistical tools were not applied on the data, the descriptive statistics show that the Hypothesis should be accepted and the null hypothesis are rejected. CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATIONS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This study aims to observe the Chesterfield community’s perception of its police officers. Based on the data present, it is evident that most residents of this community hold a positive perception of their police officers. Descriptive Statistics show evidence of these, based on the percentages of positive responses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This study, however is simplistic and there are a lot about Police perception these communities that should be evaluated so that they are translated into information that can improve the services of the Police Department.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The data gathered for this research however, can be a guide to others who will pursue such inquiry on Police Perception and who are interested in this area as a means on evaluation of Community Policing Programs, much like what other police   departments have done in their respective communities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to point out, however, that more resource be invested in such an endeavor to be able to come up with data that is comprehensive and more accurate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is the hope of this author, though that this simple research has given a glimpse of the Chesterfield’s community’s perception of its police officers, and serve as a spring board to more advanced and relevant research. REFERENCES: Annan, Sampson O.(1995) NATIONAL SURVEY OF COMMUNITY POLICING   STRATEGIES, 1992-1993 [Computer file]. ICPSR version. Washington, DC: The Police Foundation [producer], 1994. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], Brown, B. Benedict W. (2002) Perceptions of the police: Past findings, methodological issues,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   conceptual issues and policy implications Policing: An International Journal of Police  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategies Management, 25,543 580 Campbell Delong Resources, Inc.(2005) Portland Police Bureau 2005 Community Assessment   Survey Conducted for: City of Portland, Bureau of Police RETRIVED   27 APRIL 2008 from http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=105839 Chesterfield, Michigan. Podunk, The Power of Place retrieved 29 April 2008 from http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21700    Frank, J, Smith, B.W., Novak, K.J. (2005)Exploring the Basis of Citizens’ Attitudes Toward  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the Police Police Quarterly 8, 206-228 Gallagher, Maguire, E., Mastrofski, S., Reisig, D.(2001) â€Å"The Public Image of the Police:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Final Report to The International Association of Chiefs of Police By The Administration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Justice Program George Mason University†.   International Association of Chiefs of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Police retrieved on   28 April 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://theiacp.org/profassist/ethics/public_image.ht Liou,K.T. Savage,E.G. â€Å"Citizen Perception of Community Policing Impact†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Public Administration and Management: An Interactive Journal. Retrieved on  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   28 April 2008 from http://www.pamij.com/liou1.html Mission Statement. 2007. Chesterfield Township Police Department, retrieved 27 April 2008 from http://www.chesterfieldtownshippolice.com/mission.htm Nicholl, Caroline G. (1999).Community Policing, Community Justice, and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Restorative Justice: Exploring the Links for the Delivery of a Balanced Approach to Public Safety. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Police Assessment Resource Center    Vera Institute of Justice. (2006) â€Å"Assessing Police-Community Relations in Pasadena, California.† retrieved on 28 April 2008 from http://www.parc.info/client_files/Pasadena/Assessing%20Police%20Community%20Relations%20in%20Pasadena%20California.pdf Scaglion , R. Condon, R.   (1980)   Determinants Of Attitudes Toward City Police.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Criminology 17, 485–494 Sims, B., Hooper,M., Peterson S.A. (2002)   Determinants of citizens’ attitudes toward police:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Results of the Harrisburg Citizen Survey – 1999 Policing : An International Journal of Police Strategies Management, 25, 457 471 The Chicago Community Policing Evaluation Consortium ( 2004 ) â€Å"CAPS at Ten :Community Policing in Chicago An Evaluation of Chicago’s Alternative Policing Strategy†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Institute for Police Research retrieved 27 April 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/publications/policing_papers/Yr10-CAPSeval.pdf Trojanowicz R.C.   Carter, D.   The Philosophy and Role of Community Policing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The National Center for Community Policing, Michigan State University.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   retrieved on 28 April 2008. fromhttp://www1.cj.msu.edu/~people/cp/cpphil.html

Mass Media for Environmental Awareness

Mass Media for Environmental Awareness Perspective of pollution and use of mass media in environmental awareness for The Upper Lake: A case study Introduction South Asia, home to over one-fifth of the world’s population, is facing a growing water crisis. This region is in the grip of continuing flood and drought cycles, dictating the need for a long-term strategy for management of its water resources. Big and small water bodies, in the form of lakes and reservoirs, dot the landscape of South Asia. These ecosystems impound precious freshwater, and are the most easily-accessible source for human use. Historically, major cities in this region flourished in geographical regions with assured water supplies that sustained civilization for centuries (Kodarkar Mukerjee, 2006). Unfortunately, the last half of the 20th century has witnessed large-scale degradation of the environment in general, and water resources in particular, due to multiple anthropogenic factors such as unprecedented population growth, and consequent urbanization, industrialization and chemical intensive agriculture. Among the first victims of this degradation process were the lakes and reservoirs in the vicinity of urban areas that underwent large-scale pollution due to sewage and industrial effluents and toxic chemicals. In most cases, nutrient enrichment led to eutrophication of water bodies (Edmondson 1991), and exhibiting negative manifestations such as: Loss of water-spread area because of siltation and construction activities; Continuous algal blooms; Excessive growth of macrophytes (e.g, water hyacinth) and loss of biodiversity; and, Water quality degradation There also are drastic alterations in the morphometry (the process of measuring the external shape and dimensions of landforms, living organisms, or other objects) and water-holding capacity of lakes and reservoirs, due to inflow of silt, dumping of garbage and reclamation activities. The process has been further aggravated by encroachments and unauthorized construction activities in the catchment and on the lakebed. Compared to rural areas, the impact of this degradation is more severe in urban areas due to their high population densities. Because of the ecological, economical and recreational potential of lakes, there is an urgent need to protect, rehabilitate and conserve them as precious natural resources. Objectives This case briefly examines how these issues have been addressed for the Upper Lake of Bhopal, a part of the Bhoj Wetland, and the use of various media tool in environmental awareness for The Upper Lake, the Bhojtaal. Method Case study method is an approach that emphasizes detailed contextual analysis of a limited number of events or conditions and their relationships. Various researchers have used the case study research method for many years across a variety of disciplines. Journalists and media persons, in particular, have made wide use of this qualitative research method to examine contemporary real-life situations and provide the basis for the application of ideas and extension of methods. Researcher Robert K. Yin defines the case study research method as an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context; when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident; and in which multiple sources of evidence are used (Yin, 1984, p. 23). The present study, in this regard, used case study approach to the problem identified as above. For addressing the problem, secondary database from multiple sources have been used. The sources for the data collection were libraries, internet blogs, journals and books. Results and Discussion Available literature indicates that, in India, construction of storage reservoirs is an age-old practice. Former rulers contributed significantly by constructing large numbers of impoundments for providing drinking water to the people in their cities. This was particularly necessary in arid, semi-arid and other regions with highly erratic rainfall. The Upper Lake of Bhopal, arguably the oldest among the large man-made lakes in the central part of India, falls in this category. This lake was created in the early-11th century by King Bhoj by theParmaraRaja Bhojduring his tenure as a king of Malwa(1005–1055), by construction of an earthen dam across the Kolans River, a rain-fed tributary of the Betwa River. He is also said to have established the city of Bhopal (also named after him, then as Bhojpal) to secure the eastern frontier of his kingdom. There is a legend why the built the lake. The story behind creation of Bhojtaal According to an old story, once king Bhoj suffered from skin disease and allVaidyas(Doctor in English) failed to cure him. Then, one day asainttold the king to build a tank to combine 365 tributaries and then have a bath in it to wipe out the skin disease. Bhoj called upon his engineers to build up a huge tank. They spotted a place near riverBetwa, which was 32km away from Bhopal. It was found that it has only 359 tributaries. AGondCommander Kalia fulfilled this shortage. He then gave the address of an invisible river. After merging the tributaries of this river the number 365 was completed. The lake was created by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans River. An eleven gate dam called the Bhadbhada damwas constructed at Bhadbhada in 1965 at the southeast corner of the Lake, and now controls the outflow to the river Kaliasote. The Upper Lower Bhopal lakes, collectively known as Bhoj Wetlands, are urban water bodies. The upper lake is a major source of potable water for the people of the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. The lower lake was constructed much later on the downstream of the dam of Upper lake. The eastern catchment of Upper Lake is urban whereas the western catchment is rural in nature. The Lower Lake is surrounded from all sides by human settlements. Economic Value The Upper Lake is a source of potable water and meets 40% of the demand i.e. 29 MGD of drinking water for the city’s growing population. Its fishing rights have been given on long lease by the BMC to a fisherman co-operative consisting of some 500 fishermen families. The Lower Lake is mainly a recreational site. The livelihood of 250 washer-men families belonging to socio-economically weaker sections of the society is dependent on the Lower Lake. Table 1: Details of the Bhojtal (Upper Lake) and Lower lake Environmental issues surrounding Bhojtaal According to various sources referred, the major issues concerning the environment of the lakes are as described below (table 2): Table 2: The Problems and causes surrounding pollutions in Bhojtaal. Problems Causes Reduction of storage capacity of lakes Inflow of silt and organic materials from urban and rural catchments along with monsoon runoff and dry weather flow. Addition of clay and non-biodegradable materials through immersion of idols. Obstruction to smooth flow through the spill channel of the Upper Lake resulting in a threat to the stability of the earthen dam. Constriction of the spill channel due to deposition of silt. Increase in seepage through the earthen dam of Upper Lake Improper maintenance and growth of vegetation over the dam had caused dislocation of stone lining of the dam Deterioration of water quality Inflow of untreated sewage from habitation. Dumping of Municipal wastes not collected by the Municipal Corporation. †¢ Dissolving of paints in water during immersion of idols. †¢ Run off of chemical fertilizers from the catchment. †¢ Activity of washing of cloths by people resulting in release of detergents. †¢ Leakage of oil during motor boating and cruise movement Flourishing growth of invasive aquatic plants †¢ High Nutrient load of lakes due to inflow of sewage and agricultural wastes. Reduction of water spread area. †¢ Encroachment on the lake fringe area which gets exposed when water level falls after rains. Environmental Pollution and impurities Caused by garbage thrown carelessly, empty bottles, throwing of food stuffs remained carelessly and diesel released by boats. Impurities are drawn in the lake coming out from the colonies, hotels and resorts and causes water pollution. Medical waste thrown in the lake Media tools used for awareness generation Media tools and materials developed and used for public awareness programme towards creating awareness of environmental pollution and its impact on Hoardings at Strategic locations Publications of special bulletin (Tal Sandesh to create awareness regarding diversion of Idol immersion activities). Advertisement in news papers regarding project actions. Communication through TV/Radio. T-Shirts/Caps showing massage of Save Bhopal Lakes used by the students/volunteers involved in awareness campaign. Stickers having various slogans for lake conservation were used sparingly to communicate the massage. The analysis of various literature reveals that several Public awareness programme and educational materials developed were developed like use of street theatres, Rallies, open forum discussions, workshops, seminars, Lectures and Audio-Visual shows, organizing various fairs, Mera Taal Mera Bhopal on World Environment Day, Jheel Mahotsav (in 2014), etc. Apart from all the above, big media houses participated in awareness generation activities to save the upper lake. Dainik Bhaskar’s Jalsatyagrah campaign was a big event in this regard. This Jalsatyagrah campaign is carried out by Dainik Bhaskar Group in many cities on regular intervals. The campaign includes activities like road shows, public meetings, awareness educational programes in schools and residential areas. Mobile exhibition demonstrating a working model of roof water harvesting is also organized in various cities. Dainik Bhaskar and other media groups like Dainik Jagran, Ptrika, etc. carries out special stories columns in its group newspaper on water conservation. Advertisements are also released on regular basis to create awareness about water conservation. In addition, Bhaskar Foundation has restored many village ponds in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Di-silting has been carried out with the help of public participation Conclusion In the developing countries, where financial resources are limited for infrastructural development, implementation of conservation plan for the conservation of a wetland system like Bhoj wetland is unique. It has tried various innovations both in case of application of technology and for taking help of public by the use of various IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) tools. Involvement of the public with the project, in part to solve the religious and social issues, is worth emulating in these parts of the world. Further, the use of various mass media tools have come out as innovations that has turned out as a positive change for the people of Bhopal and the lake itself. Bibliography Anonymous, (2004). Completion Report of Public Participation and Awareness Campaign under Lake Bhopal Conservation and Management Project. Detailed Project Report of Dredging and Desilting of lakes. (1998). Bhoj Wetland Project. Fateh, A.L. (1982). Our Environment. National Book Trust of India: New Delhi Kodarkar , M. S., Mukerjee, A. (2006). Bhoj wetland, Experience and lesion learning brief. Madhya Pradesh lake conservation authority, Bhopal, India, pp.1-2. Mukerjee, A. (2000). â€Å"Religious Activities and Water Pollution: Case Study of Idol Immersion in Upper and Lower Lakes of Bhopal.† Paper presented in World Lakes Session, 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague, Netherlands. Mukerjee, A., P.K. Nandi A.K. Bajpai. (2000). â€Å"Dynamics in Bhoj Wetland, Bhopal.† Paper presented at the 20th Annual International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society, Madison, USA. Pani, S., B.J. Khan P.K. Nandi. (2002). â€Å"An analysis of effectiveness of restoration measures in the improvement of water quality of Bhoj Wetland.† In the Proceedings of the International Conference on Hydrology and Watershed Management, Hyderabad, India. Postel, S. (1984). â€Å"Water: Rethinking management in an age of scarcity.† World Watch Paper 62. Subrata, P. S.M. Misra. (1993). â€Å"Impact of hydraulic detention on the water quality characteristics of a tropical wetland (Lower lake).† In Pankaj Srivastava (ed.). Environmental pollution and its management. Tekale, N.S. (2003). â€Å"Idol immersion: A critical analysis of environmental impact on urban lakes and remedial measures.† In the Proceedings of the UGC-sponsored National Conference on Urban lakes: Environmental status economics and management options, Hyderabad, India Yin, R. K. (1984). Case study research: Design and methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Zafar, A.R. (1959). â€Å"Taxonomy of lakes.† Hydrobiologia 13(3): 187-299. Indu B. K. Upadhyay1

Differentiation in the Marketing of Fashion Clothes

Differentiation in the Marketing of Fashion Clothes Consider current practices of differentiation in the marketing of fashion clothes Report on: a) The current situation in the UK and regional markets (market segments, key players, sales practices, trends, opportunities and threats) The UK clothing market is essentially mature, following changes in the profile of the UK retail market for clothing during the 1990s. There was a major shift away from traditional sources of purchasing, such as department stores, clothing independents and variety stores, in favour of discounters, supermarkets and sports outlets. This reflects the ‘casualisation’ of the UK and the downward pressure of cheaper, imported products on retail price levels. Shopping for clothing and footwear is increasingly moving away from the traditional high street locations to out-of-town shopping centres, where families may typically spend a good part of a day browsing and shopping in a wide range of stores, rather than visiting their local high street to shop in specific outlets. Mainstream women’s clothing is still strongly populated by private labels from variety stores, such as Marks Spencer or Bhs, and clothing specialists, such as Next, River Island and Principles. Premium product ranges remain focused primarily on department stores and there is some degree of â€Å"trading up† to labels such as Alexon, Planet, Viyella or Jaeger by consumers with greater disposable income levels (Global Market Information Database, 2005). Discounters significantly strengthened their share of consumer purchasing over the last two decades, largely due to the success of the Matalan and Primark chains. However, there are indications in the last two years that strong growth in the position of supermarket groups, largely due to their expansion into fashion wear, is beginning to shift value-driven purchasing in their favour away from discounters, though this shift is not yet decisive. Supermarkets are becoming increasingly involved in clothing; with companies suc h as Asda, Tesco and J Sainsbury have all launched clothing collections under a brand identity during the past few years. For example, J Sainsbury commissioned fashion designer Jeff Banks to launch a clothing range and Asda’s George at Asda range quickly became well-established, making supermarkets increasingly key players in the market. However, supermarkets still tend to focus on price, rather than fashion, and are thus not yet truly key players on the scale of Marks and Spencer, Next and Matalan (Global Market Information Database, 2005). The UK consumer increasingly regards an item of clothing or footwear as a disposable item, rather than an investment and this has affected both consumers’ approaches to purchasing decisions, and the fashion marketers’ sales practices. Whilst quality remains important, as an item must be fit for use, fashion styles play a much greater role in everyday purchasing than previously, so that a piece of clothing may not be expected to last longer than one season. This, in turn, places an emphasis on price levels; and the significantly increased availability of ‘value’ brands in supermarkets and discounters, which stimulates volume purchasing without contributing to value sales development. There is also a growing emphasis on purchasing clothing for leisure use, which has a direct impact on the sales practices used, and on their styling. The dramatic increase in purchasing of sports clothing and footwear during recent years was largely underwritten by fashion marke ting, rather than by a significantly higher level of participation in active sports. Although a necessary requirement of life, which requires regular replacement for functional reasons, let alone in response to fashion trends, clothing sales show an increasing trend of been strongly affected by price discounting during recent years (Global Market Information Database, 2005). Increased competition at retail level, particularly due to the growing involvement of supermarkets and discounters, is causing deflation on prices in most UK clothing and footwear. This situation has been further exacerbated by the growing globalisation of product supply, with formerly UK production increasingly relocated to low-cost production units in the Far East and Eastern Europe. This major shift of production of clothing away from the UK to low-cost production locations, primarily in Asia-Pacific or Eastern Europe, has raised marketing threats for several UK companies over ethical issues surrounding the reported exploitation of cheap labour in these overseas production units. There was extensive media coverage of Marks Spencers decision to abandon its previous strategy of sourcing the majority of its products from UK production (Global Market Information Database, 2005) To compensate for this shift in production, leading UK manufacturers began to emphasise their extensive expertise in product design, which adds value to the finished product. This offers an excellent opportunity for companies with the necessary experience to design and market new ranges of products with lower production overheads. b) Your assessment of the marketing strengths and weaknesses of the key players in terms of branding, reputation, differentiation and elements of the marketing mix. Marks Spencer has historically had a reputation as a leading retailer in the UK’s clothing sector, and this is a position that the company undoubtedly aspires to maintain. The bulk of its turnover is attributable to clothing, approximately 50%, and food, with 44%, (Global Market Information Database, 2005). However, as competition in the apparel sector intensified in the late 1990s, Marks Spencer struggled to maintain market share. Marks Spencer has always positioned and differentiated itself as offering reasonably priced, high quality and well-fitting clothes, but this marketing strategy received something of a battering at the end of the 20th century, as designers and commentators alike criticised the company for the very aspects of its brand which had traditionally attracted customers to the chain. However, Marks and Spencer’s marketing mix, primarily its design and quality, has received far more favourable press in recent years, and a renewed focus on casualwear and the core womenswear ranges, Per Una and Blue Harbour, have helped the company improve performance and regain market share (Strategic Direction, 2005). Matalan’s combination of low overheads, due to low cost out-of-town locations and overseas direct product sourcing, has enabled the chain to undercut high street competitors by as much as 50% on its own brands, and by as much as 35% on external branded products. Complementing its low price differentiation, Matalan also has an astute marketing mix. It operates as a clothing club: customers pay a mandatory  £1 membership fee for the privilege of shopping at the stores. Membership information also enables Matalan to use direct marketing and to target customers with catalogues and tailored clothing lines to meet demand (Rowley and Haynes, 2005) The potential of the discount clothing market remains significant. Marginally larger than its leading competitor, New Look, Matalan looks relatively well placed to make the most of burgeoning opportunities in the discount sector. However, the recent slowdown in the clothing market does not appear to have been to Matalan’s advantage . The company should be in a position to benefit from trading down by consumers in the event of economic down-turn, but recent figures suggest that consumers are shopping elsewhere to get the best deals on designer names, and that Matalan’s bargain image now counts against it in the increasingly celebrity image-driven fashion markets Next is one the major success stories of the upper end of the UK clothing mid-market. A retailer of fashionable, moderately priced clothing, for trendy men, women and children, Next offers products targeted at the top end of the mass market, and aims to combine individual styling with quality and value for money. Resisting the temptation to be overly trend setting, opting to differentiate itself by offering sensible and stylish clothing, rather than highly fashionable items, Next has maintained strong consumer loyalty. Since the early 1990s, Next has resisted all attempts to increase the number of clothing brands that it operates, convinced that diversification would ultimately be to the detriment of the Next brand. The success that it has achieved over many years as a result of product development, the progressive move to larger stores and the increase in the number of home shopping customers has convinced both the retailer itself and investors that it is right to continue with this marketing mix (Datamonitor, 2005) c) Your marketing recommendations for any organisation wanting to enter the market. In 2009, the United Kingdom apparel retail industry is forecast to have a value of $45.8 billion, an increase of 18.5% since 2004. The compound annual growth rate of the industry in the period 2004-2009 is predicted to be 3.4% (Datamonitor, 2005). This indicates that there will be space for new retailers to enter the market for clothing. However, consumer purchasing of clothing and footwear is now moving away from traditional outlets, such as department stores, variety stores and high street specialists, towards grocery supermarkets and discounters. This reflects a general move to out-of-town shopping, with consumers particularly attracted to the convenience of purchasing all their clothing items at the same time, and in the same store as they regularly buy groceries (Global Market Information Database, 2005) The brand name of an item of clothing also acts as a strong influence on the purchase decision, particularly among younger consumers. Peer pressure means that it is critically i mportant to be seen wearing the â€Å"right† brand of sportswear, and sales of children’s wear have been boosted by this fact in recent years. At the same time, parents are typically enjoying a greater degree of disposable income during the review period, which is increasingly focused on spending on fashion items for their children (Coughlan, 2006). Equally, the downward pricing trend in the UK fashion retail industry has led many retailers to focus upon profitability, rather than sales growth in recent years. Companies are continually trying to cut costs by utilizing measures such as larger retail formats, and by shifting production or changing their suppliers to lower cost regions in Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Some retailers have cut production and entered into niche markets in an attempt to add value to their business and improve margins. The UK retail industry is thus undergoing significant changes; traditionally dominated by high street retailers, supermarket chains such as ASDA and Tesco are expanding their clothing lines aggressively and gaining an increasing share of apparel sales. Originally the supermarkets purely focused on price to make their apparel attractive to British consumers and subsequently there was a certain stigma attached to their garments. However, as time has passed and supermarket labels have beco me more widely accepted, they are moving their range of clothes more upmarket, placing increased pressure on to traditional apparel retailers. Given this, any organization wanting to enter the UK fashion retail market is likely to have to differentiate itself based on brand, rather than quality or price. As new entrants will almost undoubtedly lack the buying power and reach of MS, Next, Matalan or Tesco, they would be better advised to concentrate on building a profitable niche, and the best way to do this is to make themselves a desirable brand. Given the preference for the latest fashions, at reasonable prices, with clothes only intended to last for the season they are purchased, the ability to react rapidly to changes in the market is also vital for any new entrant. This would differentiate them from the large chains, which often have structured, lean, and slow supply chains. Finally, although the need to base production facilities abroad, to take advantage of low labour costs, is now widely recognised as being vital to profitability, there have been high levels of negative publicity over potential â€Å"sweatshop† working practices. As such, a significant advantage can accrue to an organisation which differentiates itself on the basis of providing good wages and working conditions to its overseas workers, provided that the price of the clothes can still be kept competitive. References: Coughlan, S. (2006) Spoilt for choice. BBC News Magazine. Accessed 14th June 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5071222.stm Datamonitor (2005) Apparel Retail Industry Profile: United Kingdom. Global Market Information Database (2005) Clothing and Footwear in the United Kingdom. Euromonitor International. Rowley, J. and Haynes, L. (2005) Customer Relationship Management: The Matalan Way. Marketing Review; Vol. 5, Issue 2, p. 175. Strategic Direction (2005) Will the real Marks Spencers stand up?: Searching for that winning brand. Vol. 21, Issue 9, p. 28.

What exactly is a ‘surveillance society’? Essays -- Politics, Civil L

What exactly is a ‘surveillance society’? The term is often used by the popular media to refer to the older more totalitarian notions of the ‘security state’ or Orwellian references to ‘Big Brother’ (Wood, 2009: 180). However, Wood points out that ‘surveillance societies’ exhibit immense cultural and geographical variety, in both historic and contemporary contexts, and need not exhibit totalitarian features (2009: 181). Wood acknowledges that more study of how societies encounter surveillance in order to determine the elements that operate at the different socio-spatial levels (2009: 189). The right balance between surveillance and privacy, and security and civil liberties, is far from clear. While many shy away from the Orwellian nightmare depicted in the novel Nineteen-eighty-four (1984), they also demand protection from criminal activities and terrorist attacks. Post 9/11 civil liberties have been increasingly traded in for greater surveillance of the citizenry, especially in the US and associated countries (JÃ ¼rgensen, 2004: 55). Surveillance is not inherently sinister or malig...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Essay -- TV Television Show Essays

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Mentors feature prominently in the Gothic genre. From Dr Van Helsing in Bram Stoker's Dracula, who leads the young heroes into their quest to annihilate the Count, to Rupert Giles, the Watcher in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, older and more experienced adults have provided essential guidance for the younger protagonists of the genre. The differences in media of expression and the subsequent adaptations from novel to television series has not affected the presence of this character, more than a hundred years after the publication of Dracula in 1897. What also unites the novel and the series is their fin-de-sià ¨cle resonance. According to Elaine Showalter, sexually and socially subversive themes feature strongly in periods of cultural insecurity. In addition to the century that separates Buffy from the Count, there has been a plethora of vampire movies and books of various merits. As a result, the late-twentieth-century average spectator knows the basic facts of vampirism. Therefore, the creators of Buffy the Vampire Slayer need to challenge their audience through another aspect of the series. Turning to their advantage what might have been a serious hindrance, they adopt a self-reflexive ironic perspective on the genre. This tenuous but innovative tension between borrowing from the tenets of the Gothic and moving away from them is especially appreciable when one evaluates the Watcher, Giles. Giles embodies both the principles of continuity and daring innovation that characterise the series and contribute to its appeal. The similarities between Dr Van Helsing in Dracula and Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer create a sense of thematic and structural continuity through different media. They share a sim... ...Unofficial Critical Companion to Buffy and Angel. Ed. Roz Kaveney. London: Tauris, 2001, 98-119. 8. Wall, Brian and Michael Zryd. "Vampire dialectics. Knowledge, institutions and labour." Reading the Vampire Slayer. An unofficial critical companion to Buffy and Angel. Ed. Roz Kaveney. London: Tauris, 2001, 53-77. 9. Jung, C. G. The Phenomenology of the Spirit in Fairy Tales. 1912. Trans. R. F. C. Hull. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1967. 10. Heilbronn, Lisa M. "Natural Man, Unnatural Science: Rejection of Science in Recent Science Fiction and Fantasy Film". Contours of the Fantastic. Ed. Michele K. Langford. New York: Greenwood, 1990, 113-9, 115. 11. Auerbach, Nina. Our Vampires, Ourselves. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995, 5. 12. Tudor, Andrew. Monsters and Mad Scientists. A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. 1989. Oxford: Blackwell, 1991, 114.

On the Existence of God: On John Haught’s What is God

John Haught’s What is God aims to provide â€Å"a simple ‘mystagogy’†¦ an ‘introduction to mystery’ (116). The importance of mystery to Haught’s work may be traced to his main assumption that the existence of God is evident in the existence of â€Å"a cognitive ‘feeling’ of inexhaustibility† that an individual experiences in relation to the experience of depth, future, freedom, beauty, and truth (115). He states, â€Å"The notion of mystery is indispensable to our discourse about the divine†¦To say that God is ultimately mystery is the final word in any proper thinking about the divine†¦in order to accentuate the utter inadequacy of any thoughts we may formulate about God† (Haught 115). Haught argues that within a world controlled by technological advancements, man continuously opts to contain the mysterious aspects of life (117). In order to prevent the continuous repression of the mysterious aspects of life, Haught argues that it is necessary to consider certain experiences which when examined can only be understood within the context of the assumption that God exists. These experiences are those of depth, future, beauty, and truth. In line with this, what follows is an analysis of John Haught’s argument regarding the existence of God as it is presented in his book What is God. Initially, it is interesting to note that the book addresses the question â€Å"What is God? as opposed to â€Å"Who is God? †. By addressing the aspect of deity in a manner that cannot be represented by personal imagery, the succeeding chapters of the book discusses the main problem of God’s absence. This problem however is addressed in a similar manner within each chapter as Haught specifies the implications of this absence to the religious life of this period. The different implications of the absence of God i n the various aspects of human life are further discussed within the text through five themes for thinking about God. These themes refer to depth, future, freedom, beauty, and truth which function in the imagination as the ‘persuasion’ or ‘lure’ for the acceptance of the existence of a mysterious and divine being; that being God. Within each theme, Haught places emphasis that these themes and concepts imply a pattern of letting go in order to be able to freely step into the terrain where an individual is truly addressed by the Other. Within the context of the theme of depth, for example, Haught adheres to Paul Tillich’s discussion regarding the ‘the depth of existence’. Within the aforementioned work, Tillich argues that there are various depths to human existence. For Tillich, although the aspects of human existence differ by the degree to which an individual is subsumed within a particular experience, the manner in which one experiences and seeks the experience of the different aspects of experience in different depths ensures that there exists a fundamental aspect of existence which each individual opts for due to its ability to provide meaning to an individual’s life. Haught quotes Tillich, who states, The name of this infinite and inexhaustible depth†¦is God. The depth is what the word God means†¦For you cannot think or say: Life has no depth! Life itself is shallow. Being itself is surface only. If you could say this in complete seriousness, you would not be an atheist; but otherwise you are not. He who knows depth knows about God. (14-15) Tillich, within this context, argues that to assume that existence has various meanings and to assume that existence has no meaning both involves the assumption of the depth of existence since even if an individual merely affirms that ‘being’ is surface only, that individual also assumes that there is an aspect of existence which involves the lack of being and this lack of being in itself may be considered as an aspect of the depth of existence. In line with this, Haught argues that the experience of depth ensures the existence of God since God refers to the aspect of existence which all individual’s experience. He states, â€Å"‘God’ is a name for the dimension of depth that all of us experience to one degree or another, even if only in the mode of flight from it† (Haught 15). Haught further argues that depth is an example of one of the experiences in â€Å"the horizon of our experiences† that one recognizes the existence of God (Haught 15). Haught’s emphasis on the metaphor of the ‘horizon’ in which one experiences God repeats itself in his discussion of the other experiences which ensures the existence of God such as the future, freedom, and beauty. Haught argues that in the same manner that to live in depth involves the acceptance of the experience of the different degrees of understanding one’s life, to live in future also requires living with the instability and messiness of historical existence and with the changing images of God which these historical events imply (Haught 28). In the same manner, to live in freedom involves living courageously in the face of non-being wherein non-being refers to the face which absolute freedom presents upon the individual as it invites us to embrace it (Haught 49). To live in beauty, on the other hand, involves the ability to endure the breakdown of one’s own restrictive narrative in favour of the wider novelty and contrast of the divine narrative presented through the various images relayed by nature (Haught 71). Finally, to live in truth also involves moving beyond the security of the limited approval of others as one trusts in the unconditional acceptance which alone makes truthful living possible (Haught 111). It is important to note at this point that as Haught’s explanation for the existence of God places emphasis on the identifiable and universal aspects of human experience which may imply the existence of God, Haught’s method follows a deductive method which involves the assuming that since certain aspects of human experience remain universally mysterious to man, these experiences may be attributed to the existence of a divine being. This is in accordance to his conception of God which is not based on a gender-specific image since it allows his conception of God to explore both the theistic and non-theistic arguments for God’s existence. In the final part of the book, Haught concludes that the aforementioned experiences affirm the existence of God as a ‘mystery’ since if God is experiences as an ultimate mystery human experience of God is ensured in the different depths of reality. This however does not necessarily imply that to speak of God as a mystery involves speaking of God as an entity which is not possible for the human mind to recognize or have knowledge of. According to Haught, this merely implies that God exists as an entity which allows the human experience of boundlessness. He states, It is our fundamental openness to mystery that sets us apart from the animal and grounds the self-transcendent nature of our lives. It is our openness to mystery that constitutes the foundation of our freedom and liberates us from the slavery of mere morality. It is because of our capacity for mystery that we experience the uneasiness and anxiety that provoke us to move beyond the status quo and seek more intense beauty and more depth of truth. In short, mystery is what makes a truly human life possible in the first place. (Haught 124) For Haught, the importance of the recognition of the existence of God to human life lies in its ability to allow the individual to transcend the ordinary barriers of life. The function of religion within this context is to enable the individual to recognize the manner in which he may delve into the mystery of God in order to transcend the barriers set to the individual within social reality [i. . the barriers of sex and social status]. In line with this, it is important to note that Haught’s discussion does not place emphasis on the role of God within one particular religion. On the other hand, his discussion is veered towards the justification of the necessity of God’s existence within any form of religion. For Haught, within all these religions, the similarity between them lies in their conception of the experience of God as an experience of mystery. To equate God with mystery enables the function of God within these religious institutions to free the concept ‘God’ from the narrow ideas of ultimacy. In summary, John Haught’s What is God equates God to the experience of mystery since the experience of mystery as can be seen in the experience of depth, the future, freedom, beauty, and truth, allows the continuous evolution of humanity’s experience of God and hence in the process does not lead to the limitation of God as an anthropomorphic figure. One may note that such a view is in accordance to John Haught’s evolutionary theology as it places emphasis on the role of the evolution of human consciousness in the discovery of God. Since the mysterious events are always in accordance to what is known and what is not known by man, the development or evolutions of man’s consciousness and man himself may be equated with man’s drive towards the discovery of God. By equating God with the experience of mysterious events, events which go beyond an individual’s understanding, Haught was able to allow the synthesis of the view that man stands as an entity that is continually evolving and the view that man’s evolution is in line with the discovery of mystery however God continues to stand as a bigger entity as opposed to man as his existence is continuously affirmed by the experience of mysterious or unknown events as is the case with the experience of depth, future freedom, beauty, and truth stated in John Haught’s What is God.

Educating the Exceptional Learner Essay

The reading week provided many new ideas and one of those was the gifted and talented, creative. Learning about children and youth with these extraordinary abilities of; elaboration, transformation and visualization. Sternberg, states in the reading that, â€Å"Individuals can be talented and may display extraordinary skills in mathematics, sports, music, or other performance areas. † I have worked with students that display these extraordinary abilities and many are also gifted with a high intelligence quotient. But, many also have no social abilities. They have no idea how to make friends or how to talk to their peers. They struggle with social interactions and boundaries. There are some exceptions and it is always a pleasant surprise to experience these exceptions. In another part of the reading, they talked about the mental age of a student. This phrase was new for me. A student’s mental age is based on their intellectual abilities. In the reading, J. P. Guilford saw intelligence as â€Å"a diverse range of intellectual and creative abilities†. This concept is very powerful because of its views on intelligence as much broader. There are many who have contributed to the definitions of giftedness. The definitions and concepts of giftedness appears to have an explanation that serves a purpose of influence; what the student is qualified for, the amount of funding and training for educators. â€Å"This is not the universally accepted definition of giftedness? † (Clark, 2008). Characteristics of giftedness are limited and are an inadequate sample of various ethnic and cultural groups, so the studies do not represent this group as a whole. Giftedness can come from many diverse sectors. The origin of giftedness has a lot of controversy. Geneticists determined that giftedness is heredity and can have environmental influences, but environmentalists allege otherwise. Plomin and Price (2003) captured it best when they said â€Å"it may well be more appropriate to think about general cognitive ability as an appetite, rather than the aptitude. It appears assessments like testing done today are being used with children for whom they were designed and children, who were once excluded, are now being included. I feel when children are included good things are bound to happen. How to use this information in the classroom is to provide students with the right type of testing. The correct testing will help discover the students’ abilities, abilities that would no rmally not be evident in everyday classroom performances.

Dickens’ Hard Times: His Penchant for Romantic Principles Essay

Hard Times is a rare example of fiction spun out of very prosaic materials. Yet it possesses certain romantic characteristics of brooding tenderness and deep sympathy for the neglected and the underprivileged which became hall mark of Charles Dickens’ novels. It also displays a grieving melancholy, a mournful reflectiveness and a quantity of self-indulgent sentimentality. The American scholar A. O. Lovejoy argues that â€Å"the word ‘romantic’ has come to mean so many things that, by itself, it means nothing at all. It may seem that repetition has wrung the life out of the term, yet it still appears to be as potentially sustaining as a twist of pemmican. It is a word at once indispensable and useless. F. L. Lucas has counted 11,396 definitions of romanticism. (Cuddon. 767). But we are more concerned with the definition of â€Å"a tendency to exalt the individual and his needs and emphasis on the need for a freer and more personal expression. †(Cuddon. 769-70) The entire novel in three parts is built up on the romantic and nature imagery of sowing reaping and garnering of harvest. It is an illustration of the biblical saying â€Å"As you sow, so your reap. † The first book of â€Å"sowing† begins with the seeds of wrong education by Mr. Thomas Gradgrind: â€Å"In this life, we want nothing but Facts, sir; nothing but Facts! † (Hard Times. 3) But as the story develops, we find that it is this education of hard facts which runs riot and destroys the happiness of his own children, Tom and Louisa. Dickens creates a poignant novel out of misplaced affections and social exploitations. Ironically, his son and daughter, Tom and Louisa, are misled by their father’s unimaginative education. They get along with the wretched Sissy Jupe, the daughter of a poor circus worker and suffer at the hands of the hard-hearted school master. Sissy is forced by circumstances to leave school and work as a household companion to Tom and Louisa who prefer the world of imagination so vehemently denounced by their father. Louisa’s first blunder is to run into an incompatible marriage with a man of fifty when she is just eighteen. It turns out to be a marriage of convenience with a highbrow aristocrat named Joshia Bounderby who unabashedly declares: â€Å"I have watched her bringing-up, and I believe she is worthy of me. At the same time – not to deceive you—I believe I am worthy of her. † (Hard Times. 84) The reason for such odd marriage is her brother Tom who seeks a position in Bounderby’s bank. Dickens exposes the hypocrisy behind the veneer of Victorian idealism. Interwoven with it is the sub-plot of unfortunate Mr.  Stephen Blackpool who jumps from the frying pan into the fire by his attempt to run away from his alcoholic wife. His love for Rachel is frustrated as he gets no help from anyone to divorce his wife. Moreover, he is witch hunted for a false charge of robbing the bank which is actually masterminded by than Tom. Throughout the novel Dickens explores the conflict between the world of facts and imagination in children and its effects in their later life, as the New Testament says: â€Å"by their fruits ye shall know them.† (Matthew 7. 20) Being a drop-out Sissy is lucky to have escape Gradgrind’s soul-destroying education and proves its futility. Dickens’ story depicts the suffering of victims, especially women, for whom we feel great sympathy. The underdogs include Sissy and his poor father Mr. Jupe, the unhappy Blackpool and Mrs Pegler. Rachael is romantically attached to Blackpool and spends sleepless night to be with him, but it is an irony of fate that she has to serve Stephen’s sick wife in impoverished lodgings. Like Sissy, she is an angel who lives for others. In Victorian society her relationship with a married man can hardly be expected to be respectable. In a moving speech she reveals her feeling of guilt for her misjudgment. Mrs Gradgrind first carries out her husband’s philosophy only to realize late its folly and advices Louisa to pay heed to Sissy. Mrs. Pegler is another victim of wrong education. Her megalomaniac son, Bounderby, tries to prove how he has succeeded despite his neglected childhood, but his allegations are proved to be false. The romantic interest in the story is sustained in Hard Times by Louisa Gradgrind. Against her father’s warning, she peeps at the circus and comes to her brother’s defense by asserting her curiosity. Because of her immaturity she is exploited by James Harthouse; yet she shows considerable wisdom by being very sensitive to her mother in death bed. Harthouse has his charm of personality, particularly for the people he likes. Mr. Harthouse’s romantic affair with Louisa is marred by the jealousy and suspicion of Mrs Sparsit. Sissy Jupe is associated with the heavenly ‘ray of sunlight’. In spite of the halo, she is down-to-earth and she makes a last attempt to hide Tom in the circus when he is implicated in robbery. It is touching to see her consoling Rachael when she waits for Blackpool. There are also victims of incompatible marriage like Louisa and Bounderby, as well as Blackpool and his drunken wife. Louisa’s marriage is a sacrifice to provide her brother with a job, but he repays this sacrifice with utter ingratitude by robbing the bank that provides him with livelihood. Most of them are victims of wrong education imparted by Thomas Gradgrind’s ‘model school’. Failed marriage is a recurrent theme in Dickens’ novels. In David Copperfield, for example, the marriage with the sweet doll-like Dora crumbles to make way for a sensible marriage with mature Agnes. Dickens himself was romantic like his hero and had an incompatible marriage with Maria which broke up in 1833 when he became free to marry Catherine Hogarth in 1836. Though she bore thirteen children, her marriage broke up in 1858 when Dickens developed a romantic affair with actress Ellen Ternan. Dickens spins a memorable tale out of the sordid industrialized life of nineteenth century England – Coketown with its blackened factories, downtrodden workers and polluted environment. Dickens gives a vivid picture: â€Å"It was a town of red brick, or brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. .. It has a black canal in it, and a river that ran purple with ill-smelling dye, and vast piles of building full of windows where there was a rattling and trembling all day long..†(Hard Times. 18) His concern for Nature being substituted by man-made machines is expressed in no uncertain terms: â€Å"A special contrast, as every man was in the forest of looms where Stephen worked, to the crashing, smashing, tearing piece of mechanism at which he laboured. Never fear, good people of an anxious turn of mind, that Art will consign Nature to oblivion. † (Hard Times. 54) This horrid picture of an industrialized town presupposes a romantic nostalgia for the natural beauty of the pre-industrialized era. The plot of Hard Times hinges on the ‘stick-to-hard-facts’ education imparted by Mr.  Gradgrind: â€Å"Herein lay the spring of the mechanical art and mystery of educating the reason without stooping to the cultivation of the sentiments and affections. Never wonder. †(Hard Times. 39) But his philosophy is defeated by his own children who secretly wondered â€Å"about human nature, human passions, human hopes and fears, the struggles, triumphs and defeats, the cares and joys and sorrows, the lives of death of common men and women! †(Hard Times. 39) Herein lies dickens’ romanticism – the triumph of the mind over matter.