Black People and Affirmative Action Essay

Please be advised that Assignment One on the printed Tutorial Letter 101/3/2013 on pages 12 – 14 has a number of both typographical and numerical mistakes. This happened as a result of a number of factors: the initial assignment reading was too costly for the Department to commission in terms of copyright and had to be retracted at the last minute. The reading on â€Å"Affirmative Action: a losing battle? † was then included but with an almost impossible deadline, which resulted in the errors reflected therein. This is regrettable and we apologise for any inconvenience this might have cost you. The corrected version of the assignment is on page 3 and is attached to this TL and again on my UNISA for your convenience. The marks are out of 100 marks – 50 for Section A and 50 marks for Section B. NB: Please note that the due date has not changed in any way (4 March 2013). 2 ENN103F/102 8. 4. 1. FIRST SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to read an article and to critically engage in academic reading and reflecting on the material in an academic manner by answering the short paragraph questions provided as well as an essay. Assignment 01 will be marked fairly fully and sent back to you. Affirmative action: a losing battle? There are considerable reasons to suppose that this topic, which affects all citizens of South Africa, in particular, seems dated. In some instances it is a policy viewed with hostility as it is said to discriminate against sections of the population, yet in others it is seen as beneficial to women, black people and the disabled. Studies show that in many instances this form of historical redress has proven a hindrance to performance and makes the beneficiaries doubt their abilities when viewed by their superiors. This has a negative effect on an organization since the quality of work is seen as being sub-standard. Equally, there are significant indicators, both in industry and the private sector, that the opening up of previously closed avenues through the policy of affirmative action made companies perform better since the beneficiaries of such workplace selection viewed their work as a challenge. Where beneficiaries claim stigmatization by such a selection process, it means they prefer not to have been selected through such efforts. Either way, the battle seems to go on and on. In the light of this ongoing and divisive debate, the level of debate regarding the policy has not progressed further since comparative studies of the policy have not been seriously undertaken. There has been no systematic study of the developments in how the policy actually proves beneficial as a tool of redress. Part of the reason is that, firstly, there is a lack of monitoring of what goes on in organizations, and secondly, that the regulations are not strictly enforced. For instance, companies will usually ‘front’ a black person, a woman or a disabled person, as a chief executive officer and leave the matter of compliance as a secondary issue. Rarely do such companies face serious consequences even if they do business with the government. The question then is whether a time limit should be placed on the policy and Act or whether it should be declared unconstitutional. Consideration has not been taken, for instance, of measures used in other countries to actively promote privilege. Very few advocacy groups ever mention the Naturalization Act of 1790, the Homestead Act of 1862 or even the Federal Housing Administration Loan Program of the 1930s used by the government of the United States of America to promote racial preference; or that such Acts were also used as models for other racially divided societies. Advocacy groups for and against the policy and Act have routinely made it a point that the policy is unsettling, needless and discriminatory, on the one hand, while others argue forcefully that the amelioration of past injustices justifies its implementation. Whichever side is on the ascendancy cannot take the other side’s viewpoint, and in the end the past divisions are set to continue. 3 SECTION A: Short questions Answer the following questions in short paragraphs. Please note that each question will be marked out of 10 marks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Is the affirmative action policy morally defensible? Explain. In your opinion, which country has successfully implemented the policy of affirmative action and why did it succeed? In your view, why did the South African government choose to implement the Affirmative Action policy and Act, and was it ever justifiable? Does the policy need to be discontinued after a certain length of time, and why? In your opinion, why is it that people from a different racial group are unemployable in certain sectors of the economy and not in others? [10 X 5 = 50] SECTION B: Essay Write an essay of approximately one and a half page on either of the questions below. Please note that each essay will be marked out of 50 marks: 1) Do you think cultivating an equal opportunity society has helped countries such as South Africa and America to move forward? In a carefully worded essay, show why this is the case or why it is not. OR 2) To what extent do you consider such a policy and act relevant to the needs of any society today? [50 marks] Best wishes The ENN103F Team 4.

Disability Discrimination In The Work Force

Disability refers to the state in which a person may be physically or even mentally impaired. Impairment may limit a person from performing certain tasks. Disability may either be in form of a terminal disease or physical like the inability to use some parts of the body. People with disability have for quite some time been sidelined especially in the carrying out of public duties. Discrimination has especially been rampant in the working areas and in job markets. There has been believe that physically or mentally challenged persons are unable to perform tasks like the other persons. Another form of discrimination is the racial discrimination.Person subjected to this kind are often thought inferior to their counterparts. This may subject them to rejection in job markets regardless of their qualifications. Despite the many laws relating to the rights of the disabled persons, employment rate is still high rated as current estimates have discovered. The issue of discrimination has raised concern especially with organizations which protects and fights for the disabled human rights. It has been found out that many physically challenged individuals have the capability to perform similar jobs with other persons. They also compete fairly in the job areas.There is thus need to create favorable environment for such individuals. Challenges faced by the disabled persons at work places A study conducted in March 2008 by David Grinberg on job discrimination showed an increase of 9% in a span of five years. Out of this, 14% were disability related discrimination. Job places have been identified as areas where physically and mentally challenged persons are highly discriminated. To begin with, to get a job for these people takes much longer than for their counterparts. Employers are usually prejudiced and end up turning off disabled persons even when they qualify for the jobs.This has led to high levels of unemployment for the disabled persons, (Grinberg & Nazer para. 2). Potent ial employers also site the lack of facilities to accommodate them. They argue that the cost of accommodating them is high which may only mean additional cost to the businesses. They are afraid that the disabled persons may not perform as expected which may lead to a decrease in their output thus profitability. Also most building has not been constructed in a way to accommodate especially the physically challenged persons. This poses a major obstacle even to the potential employers (Grinberg & Nazer para.3).In the jobs however, the situations are not much different for the disabled. They suffer discrimination from they colleagues at work and even sometimes from their employers. This is usually notable by the exclusion they face from the social cliques of other employees. They are also looked down upon and the environment is usually not so conducive for them. They also tend to be segregated from the major activities in their work places. This has led to high turnover for the disabled and even worse a low morale in their work. Promotion for the disabled also comes in hardy in the job areas.Though they perform fairly the same with their counterparts, or even sometimes better as research has discovered, their labor is barely recognized by their employers (Barnes, et al pp. 27). Harassment in job areas for the disabled is also high. For a long time, the disabled have been equaled to beggars. Some employees feel that they are helping the disabled and it’s not really for job purposes. They thus end up threatening them with dismissal with others demanding for special offers from these kind of employees. Harassment has also been seen in the area of granting leaves and in termination.Most disabled persons are rarely granted family leaves and when they do; their allowances are scrapped off (Australian Public Service Commission para. 3). This has led to a cry of justice in the recent past with people calling for enactment of laws to protect the disabled. Ignorance of the rights of the disabled has also led to an increase in harassment behavior in the job areas. The disabled persons are unaware of the set rules which protect them from these practices. Other forms of harassment may include comment or actions aimed at demeaning their subject or conduct meant to intimidate its target person (Barnes, et al pp.34). Sexual harassment on disabled person at work places has also been reported. Employers take advantage of especially the mentally challenged persons to exploit them. This has challenge has been camouflaged by the lack of well coordinated government and welfare associations. The aggrieved parties thus do not know the right channels to use to seek for assistance (Barnes, et al pp. 43). Most mentally disabled person face challenges in the work place because unlike their counterparts, they tend to be slower. The organizations have not set up enabling environment to accommodate them.This has in turn lead to criticism and accuses of laziness. Su ch persons are demoralized as they are led to believe do not measure up to others. Physically challenged individual also find it hard in areas where they are restricted due to their disabilities (Australian Public Service Commission para. 4, 5). Most offices for example have no places for wheeling the wheel chairs making it impossible for these persons. Others affected by office arrangements are the blind. Many organizations lack facilities for them and if they do, they are rarely updated. This makes the disabled to lag behind in matters of technology and information.Most disabled person also requires adjustments in their working hours. This however is not provided in the job places thus posing a major block to this people. There are also few job varieties available for the disabled persons. This leads to high potential of them being under-utilized. This jobs are most often low paying and with low prospect of promotion (Australian Public Service Commission para. 8). Apart from job r elated areas, the disabled are better talented in other areas than their counterparts. However, this potential is always not recognized as they are not included in the organizations out of office activities.Also, whereas the management offers training to the other employees, this is not so with mostly the mentally and visual challenged employees. The management sites high costs for such training thus rendering these employees unproductive and inefficient. For the physically impaired employees, no arrangement is done for them to attend job related seminars. This diminishes their chances of promotions (Daniel pp. 4). Disabled persons also face problems of low esteem at work places. This is because they are led to believe that they are less endowed than their counterparts.This in turn may lead to poor performance which ultimately leads to dismissals. Interpersonal relation between the disabled and the rest is characterized by prejudices from both sides. This leads to formation of unhea lthy social classes thus tension at work places. Many laws have so far been passed regarding the plight of the disabled. The public seem to be ignorant of them; this calls for public awareness and education on how to handle people with disabilities. However, the physically, mentally and visually challenged persons have a role to play to ensure that these practices are done away with in working places (Daniel pp.7).Disability should not be a reason to make one look down his abilities or even allow other to do so. They should work to ensure that all the prejudices surrounding them due to disability are eliminated (Taylor pp. 12, 13). They should also learn to fight for their rights at job places. Disability rights should be well explained to the employers as well as other employees to ensure that such conflict does not arise in job areas. Conclusion The government should ensure that they set up agencies to look into the plight of the disabled persons.These people should also be synthe sized on these matters and encouraged to seek legal actions against a person violating their rights. The employment laws should also be revised to ensure the correct working environment is created and the necessary adjustments are made to accommodate the challenged persons. Employment agencies should also be set up to help link the disabled persons with potential employers. Managers should also be given funding and other support necessary so as to reduce the costs associated with employing the disabled persons (Taylor pp.17).Lack of proper and up to date information to the disabled persons has also been noted as a major drawback at the work areas. The government should ensure that these people are taught relevant and current affairs so as to be competitive enough at their work areas. Organizations should also set measure to ensure that all the employees are well represented in all educational issues. This would help raise the morale of the disabled persons and as well help improve t he inter-relations among all employees.

The Final Gift

The average person knows very little of death; it is a feared topic and not openly discussed. We misunderstand the process, do not know what to expect, and there is great mystery surrounding the end of life. The authors saw a much-needed chance to educate the public, to allow them to learn from death, even to appreciate it as a natural part life. The patient does not know what they are facing, and are burdened with extreme fear. Many have unresolved issues in their lives, and these can be the source of great agitation and even panic as they approach the end.The caregivers, oth family and the medical team, use medication to ease physical pain but this is often not enough to produce peace. The authors know from experience that helping the patient requires more then simple pain management. One must listen and interpret what is happening, to help alleviate any concerns the patient has. Callanan and Kelley share the wisdom and the â€Å"gifts† patients offer in death, by approachin g each situation with â€Å"open hearts†¦ and minds† and celebrating the patient's life. (callanan ; Kelley, 1992) The authors coin the phrase â€Å"Nearing Death Awareness† to summarize the dying process. Callanan ; Kelley, p. 1) The dying have an â€Å"awareness† of what is happening to them, and possibly even a glimpse into an afterlife. With some basic education, families are taught to care for loved ones, making them comfortable, which change to look for. The dying should be given the choice on how and where they will spend their final time. They most often choose the familiar setting of home, surrounded by loved ones. Hospice nurses and other medical professions are available on site, giving care and support not only to the patient, but also to the family. Death is portrayed in our modern society as dramatic and painful.Often family members become simple spectators, playing no role in providing comfort leaving everything to the medical staff. (Callana n ; Kelley, p. 38) Callanan and Kelley seek to make families and friends more involved in the dying process; providing care and comfort. They understand what their loved one is experiencing, learn from it, and help them pass with dignity and peace. The passing will often leave us with clues, some related to their lives, professions, hobbies; and these are ways of them telling loved ones that they are dying, an attempt to make final communications.It is important for the family to listen for such clues and interpret them, to communicate with their loved one and reassure them that they will be fine; the arrangements have been made. Visions of an afterlife and visitations by deceased loved ones are common with many patients before death. This seems to offer comfort to most who experience this, and they are often unable to describe in words they Joy and beauty that they witness. The authors recognize these as supernatural and spiritual events. They serve to ready the patient for the aft erlife, and Join loved ones who have passed n.The scientific community disputes such assertions; viewing such occurrences as simple functions of the brain as it is failing and dying. Such â€Å"visions† would then be common to patients, as a shared physiological process we all experience from dying and near death experiences. The authors do not attempt to explain or dispute the reality ot these supernatural events They snare what a loved one might experience as they near death to educate. The experiences they have witnessed and the Joy and comfort brought about in an extremely difficult time by these spiritual events.The patient and their family will go through five stages in dealing with impending death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Denial is a result of shock; it keeps those involved from accepting the reality of the situation. (Callanan ; Kelley, p. 44) Denial should never be encouraged, as it can give false hope, and make the diagnosis even more difficult to accept. Anger can be the toughest to deal with, and can be driven by fear and resentment. Empathy and support should be offered as one works through the anger.Understanding and communication are important to try and overcome anger. Bargaining is best understood as an almost child-like behavior, â€Å"one more hug, one more story, one more drink of water (before bedtime)† (Callanan ; Kelley, p. 53) The dying try to postpone what is inevitable; and usually this bargaining is with a higher power, God. They make promises of change or good deeds while trying to â€Å"buy' more time or better health. Those around the patient may not be aware of the bargaining process, as the patient pleads with â€Å"god† in private.Depression stems from grief of losing relationships, health, future opportunities and experiences. (Callanan & Kelley, p. 4) The patient seeks to be understood and empathized with; attempts to dismiss or make light of the depression only worsen the situation. Acceptance finally comes as death approaches. Acceptance of death can be peaceful, yet painful for the family as they realize their loved one is ready to move on. (Callanan & Kelley, p. 55) Acceptance of death can be misinterpreted that one is giving up, does not care, or is detached from loved ones. To some degree, most people die†and react to someone else's death†in ways reflecting their usual style of handling of crisis†. (Callanan ; Kelley, p. 9) Our everyday natural personas and emotions tend to be amplified by death, and can bring out some of our worst and best behavior. â€Å"†¦Like birthing, dying can be an opportunity for the whole family to share positive experiences, rather than only sadness, pain, and loss. That is the challenge of this work, and that's the Joy for me†. (Callanan ; Kelley, p. 30) As a radiation therapist I will be working with many patients that are battling cancer, a life threatening diagnosis. For some, the trea tment is palliative; there may be little hope of a cure. It is important to recognize and understand what the patient s experiencing, their emotions, which stage's of the dying process they are in. Empathy and truly listening to the patient will be vital in building trust and open communication. Stages of death such as anger may be evident, and it is vital to realize the anger is not directed at medical staff, but a reflection of inner struggles the patient is going through.I have very limited experience in discussing and confronting death in my personal life. Final Gifts has given me a better understanding of what dying entails. The experiences Callanan and Kelley share will prove useful in discussing death with future patients. With the goal of providing the best care possible, I will be able to educate the patient better after reading Final Gifts. I will be able to explain what is typical when facing death. Help to alleviate concerns of the unknown, fear of pain and what is happe ning to them.The stories shared by Callanan and Kelley will make me more receptive to what the patient may be communicating to loved ones. I may be able to pass on such intormation to the family who are best suited to interpret such final requests. I now believe that death does offer lessons for us to learn from, to help us celebrate our own lives and those f loved ones. We can prepare to eventually leave this world without regrets. We could avoid hostile or broken relationship now, and have a new found appreciation for the time we have.The authors make many valid and insightful observations on the dying process. Hospice nurses by profession, they were able to observe and document the dying process of their patients, allowing us to learn from experiences of others. The end of life is certainly filled with emotions of all involved, physical changes, spiritual experiences, and highlighted by relationships with friends and family as death draws ear. The patient often knows they are dyi ng; their final mission is to make amends, find closure, and wrap up any â€Å"loose ends† in their life.It is important for the dying to know their family will be taken care of, that they accept their departure. Family should celebrate the life of the dying; their accomplishments, relationships and triumphs. The spiritual experiences, communicating with others in the afterlife and seeing beautiful places to come is a very fascinating topic. I have yet to personally experience any near death experiences, and find myself somewhat skeptical about he role a higher power and afterlife. I do not dismiss or deny any such experiences.I am able to draw personal comfort knowing there appears to be a peace that comes with such events as ones nears death. These near death experiences play an important role in giving Joy and comfort to those passing from this life. I do not need a scientific or religious explanation of the source, and there are infinite theories on the subject. Simply kn owing that such events are a cause of peace for the dying is very comforting. The authors seek to change death from taboo and feared to a part of life more nderstood and accepted.It is portrayed badly in media, as a sad and painful event. They seek to change the stereotypes of death, to educate the reader, help them face their own death or that of a loved one. Hospice care looks to alleviate the physical pain of the terminally ill, however emotional distress should not be overlooked. Unresolved conflicts with loved ones need to be addressed, sometimes with one's faith or â€Å"God† as well. Once healing of relationships is attempted or obtained, the dying rest knowing nothing was left unsettled in their lives.Families witness their oved one able to pass in peace and tranquility, making the loss that much easier to cope with. Callanan summarizes the process as such, â€Å"By listening and understanding these messages, we are given unique opportunities to prepare ourselves for their loss, to deal with our fears of dying, to use well the time that is left, and to participate more significantly in this life event†.

Substance Abuse Policies on Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Substance Abuse Policies on Workplace - Essay Example The employer should refer the employee to an EAP program. EAP's furnish professional counselors who provide confidential assessment and short-term counseling to employees and their families in order to assist in dealing with substance abuse, marriage and family problems, stress related problems, financial and legal difficulties. The business community recognizes that everyday life stresses and more serious problems such as drug abuse can negatively affect employee attendance, concentration and productivity. Employees realize that being provided with an EAP to help solve these problems means the employer values the employee. Whether or not an employee uses the services of the company EAP, there is more respect for the employer who provides the service. The EAP will keep the employer informed of the employee's progress and compliance with treatment. Although having an EAP available is not a legal requirement, it is good business. Against that backdrop, employees know that their employer has their interests at heart. Managers should choose an appropriate time to annually reiterate to employees the company's substance abuse insurance benefits. At that time, clearly make known the company's commitment to confidentiality and interest in employees' well being. Encourage workers to take advantage of available insurance coverage if they need help for alcoholism or other drug dependency.

To Build or Buy (Modell's Sporting Goods) Assignment

To Build or Buy (Modell's Sporting Goods) - Assignment Example ia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia (Modell’s Sporting Goods, 2013). Exclusive Brand Offerings: the business will offer its customers high-quality goods at competitive prices, which are marketed under exclusive brands. The business will invest in procurement and development staff that sources performance-based goods that are targeted to the enthusiast of sporting for sale under brands. The company’s private label products will present value to its customers at every price point and offer it with high gross. Competitive Pricing: The business will position itself to be aggressive on price, but the business will not endeavor to be a price leader. The business will maintain a strategy of matching its competitors advertised prices. In the case, a customer discovers that a competitor has a lower price of an item; the business will lower its price. In addition, under the "Right Price Promise," just in case within 30 days of buying an item from the company, the buyer finds a lower price by a competitor, the company will refund the difference. The business will seek to offer value to customers and uphold a reputation as the main provider of value. Broad collection of Brand Name products: the business will deal with a variety of popular brands including Columbia, Nike, North Face, Callaway, Under Armor, Adidas, and private label products sold under names that include Walter Hagen and Ativa, which are found in its stores. The breadth of its product selections in every group of sporting goods provides customers a variety of price points. Genuine Sporting Goods Retailer: The business history will be a retailer of authentic athletic products, footwear and apparel, which implies that it will offer athletic merchandise that is of high quality and intended to improve customers’ performance. The business will believe that its customers seek authentic, real product offerings, and

Nietzsches Critique of Liberalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nietzsches Critique of Liberalism - Essay Example Against the backdrop of liberalism movement that was taking place in the late 17th century and early 18th century, Nietzsche claimed that democracy only worked to protect the rights of the majority, which included the general population compared to the liberal idea that democracy worked to protect the rights and interests of individual people (Ansell-Pearson, 1994). This view on liberalism strikes the right chord because, in every sense, democracy in the modern world is based on the rights of the majority against the rights of individuals. This means most constitutions, the world over, claim to protect the rights and privileges of individuals yet, on the other hand, the rights of the majority overrules. It is only in exceptional cases, which often involve the affluent in society, that this view is applied. The rich are always given their rights when they demand them. The idea of liberalism emphasized on protecting the rights of every individual, but according to Nietzsche, these individuals’ are usually the rich people in society. The liberals did not protect the rights of the general citizenry as they claimed. Instead, they were clustered in one group and their rights were determined as a whole’. Nevertheless, the rights of the majority came in as a second priority since the liberals focused on securing the rights of the affluent in society. This means that the poor or middle income had no say; since the rich people were the main decision and policy makers because only their voice counted in key decision making. This notion created a slave mentality among such liberal states. According to Peters, et al (2003), Nietzsche also believed in the mastery of oneself. He believed that human beings should define their live according to themselves and rid themselves pity of the weak members of the society. In order for an individual to succeed in a society, he should not be tied to any equality standards, but be allowed to go grow beyond boarders in tandem with their abilities. This means that liberalism hindered the growth of individuals since it placed standards and emphasized on equality among individuals, yet each individual has the ability to grow beyond the average. He believed that liberalism emphasized on equality among members of the society, yet in the real sense not every human being has the same potential as the other. He envisioned a society where, individuals would have their own independence and

A Life-Span View Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Life-Span View - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the researcher’s life dates back when she was a little girl. She was a jovial and playful baby. The people around me were truthful which led to the elemental sense of my trustworthiness. The researcher depended on her mother and her father for care, comfort, and sustenance. By this time, the author’s relative comprehension of the world came from her parents, particularly her mother, and their interactions with her. The researcher’s parents’ regularity, warmth, and reliable fondness exposed her to a world ruled by the trust. There was no point in the author’s life that her parents failed to offer a secure surrounding to meet her basic need. Just like noted under Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory, this would have created mistrust which would have resulted in suspicions, lack of confidence, withdrawal and frustration to me. The researcher’s parents were the regular sources of comfort, food, love, which taught her to trust. As the author grew older, she started to choose clothes by herself. By the age of 3, the author had gained control over eliminative roles and would make choices in her life and explored the environment around her. Needless to say, her parents still provided a secure environment where the author would carry out her own activities at will. The researcher’s patients were patient and would wait to look at her choices and would correct her if I had gone wrong at some point. At this time of the researcher’s life, she had developed a strong interest in music and played with the radio. The author would put some loud music which her parents would control by informing her to reduce the high volume. The author was able to feed herself now and would wash her clothes and use the bathroom on her own. Between the age of 3 and 6 years, the author was imaging much. She would take on tasks just because she had been active. The researcher was slowly learning t he world around her and learning numerous basic principles. The researcher would tie her shoes and tie her school tie and would speak effectively with her parents without any problems. The author did not like being idle and would felt guilty if it happened. The author felt the urge to help her mother with her household chores. The author would also feel bad if she did something and was not productive as she had anticipated.

Reflective journal on management skills Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Reflective journal on management skills - Article Example fortunately the lead counselor personally requested that I hand the report directly to her instead of to the office manager and she was very disappointed when she read it. She conducted her own investigations and discovered that the entire report was my own work alone and that I had not involved the other staff in the creation of it. I felt so ashamed of my work that I avoided her for the next week. I was the topic of discussion in the office with all the other staff members talking about me and the report. The lead counselor forced me to repeat the entire project and report to her each day. I was also to bring her the recommendations of every person I interviewed and she would go and confirm these recommendations personally. I learnt a lesson that next time I would be given an opportunity like that, I would do my best. I will adhere strictly to what I need to do and make sure that I follow the instructions precisely. I am sure that if I follow the instructions to the letter, I will perform better. This is because whatever result I will produce will be compliant with the instructions and I will avoid a situation where I bring reports that are from my imagination. I ought to cultivate a sense of responsibility, which will help me respect my work. I have to respect my work and see it as an important responsibility that I must complete well. This will help me be an organized and responsible individual and will transform me into an asset for whatever organization I work with. This lesson ought to help me adapt and become a proper professional for my own good and the good of my professional

Managing in an Inclusive Environment Diversity Essay

Managing in an Inclusive Environment Diversity - Essay Example Meisinger 2007 State of Workplace Diversity Management Report conveys that a survey with 1400 HR Professionals reveal that 52 percent of the respondents believe that diversity practices accomplish specific business objectives to a large extent. Still, these respondents had stated that diversity management remains a challenge because, diversity management field is not well-defined or understood, focuses too much on compliance, and places too much emphasis on ethnicity and also on gender. Creating an Inclusive work environment pays. By bringing about diversity programs an organization can create such environment. There are at least 19 business houses, which have taken seriously and brought in enviable diversity programs. These efforts include such interventions like giving women of color access to variety of support networks, extending leadership development programs to minority groups and diversity workshops to managers Chubb Group of Insurance Companies have offered a comprehensive diversity initiative called 'Reach Up, Reach Out, Reach Down', in which high-potential employees of color receive management training and development opportunities. Almost a quarter of female employees who took advantage of management training last year were women of color. Compliance is no doubt an important factor. ... Competitive Advantage Experts are of opinion that there are valuable competitive advantage in employing diverse work groups and they offer seven good reasons why an organisation should have diverse workforce : 1. It is the right thing to do, both ethically and morally. 2. A diversity helps complying with the laws regarding issues of discrimination. 3. Having diversity in a company opens up marketing opportunities, because prejudice aspects of customers are substantially balanced 4. A diverse group of people provides better and varied ideas. 5. Companies want to hold themselves out as the employer of choice. 6. Diversity helps retain your people. 7. Diversity initiatives impact the bottom line. [MANUEL ESPINOZA, (2007), 6-2-2009()] Compliance with law Compliance is no doubt an important factor. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has observed that, particularly after the Sep 11 attacks , focus was on preventing workplace discrimination, harassment and backlash against innocent employees and applicants for employment who were, or were perceived to be, Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern, South Asian or Sikh. Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (ENDA, H.R. 3685) prohibits discrimination. Further, it would add 'Sexual orientation' to the list of protected groups, classified by race, religion, ethnicity, sex, age, disability and pregnancy. This would grant protection to gay men, lesbians and bisexuals against discrimination at the workplace. In the Constitution, free exercise of religion is an absolute right. The Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2007 (WRFA, H.R. 1431) involves accommodation of religious freedom in the workplace. Currently, under Title VII of the Civil

Improvement of Writing in the English Course Essay

Improvement of Writing in the English Course - Essay Example   The first aspect of improvement was noted was with regards to use and misuse of certain types of observation. For instance, many of the sentences that were exhibited in the essay in question showed no sign appropriate modulation for defendant and the clauses. This is, of course, a problem due to the fact that without proper punctuation for longer sentences, a danger of run-on sentences is created. Moreover, without clear punctuation on the sentences, it was possible for the reader to become lost in this the main point of what was being stated. A further issue was noted with regards to the way in which, as were used. This was probably partly out of fear that they would be used incorrectly if used at all; however, without utilizing proper comments within the paper, the flow and main points they were attempting to be related to the reader were almost invariably lost. Although these two aspects of punctuation with the most common, there was also the technical problem exhibited on mor e than one occasion of the subject for agreement. This is, of course, an issue that many non-native speakers struggle to exhibit in their work; yet, it is something that I found is been greatly improved during this particular course. More than merely gaining a better understanding of what birds should be used in what way with which subjects, the better identification of how this course is helped educate me is with regards to the fact of how I am almost nearly always aware of the fact that I need to focus upon this aspect of writing.... of what birds should be used in what way with which subjects, the better identification of how this course is helped educate me is with regards to the fact of how I am almost nearly always aware of the fact that I need to focus upon this aspects of writing. From the non-technical standpoint, the writing in the previous essay exhibited a clear lack of flow and organization. It is easy to argue that one of the most important aspects of any essay is not linked nor the level of language that is use; rather, it is the ability to assist sinks we and clearly state what the main points are and relate them in an organized and coherent manner. This is does not mean to say that the essay was completely disorganized or without any sense. Instead, what was noted after a careful review of the essay was the fact that it oftentimes displayed a wondering style and did not adhere to the points of the thesis topics of each and every paragraph. Instead, additional information that was somewhat tangentia lly related to the subject matter was oftentimes included as an aside. More than merely being distracting, this practice led to the essay losing overall coherence and not being able to express itself adequately to the reader. As a means of correcting such a practice, I’ve come to the realization that it is absolutely necessary to outline each and every essay prior to writing and be forever mindful of topic sentence and thesis sentence for each and every paragraph. This helps the writer as a means of staying on point and fully developing the ideas at hand rather than rushing on to new and unrelated information. Another aspect of the students writing that is greatly benefited from the English course is with regards to the level of broad and otherwise unsubstantiated statements that were

France During the Period from 1789-1793 Essay Example for Free

France During the Period from 1789-1793 Essay During the turbulent and unstable years of the French Revolution, there were many changes in the aims and ideologies of the revolutionaries. The Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 sparked off events that caused the upheaval of French society, as the three Estates sought to protect and advance their interests. Many factors influenced the changing of the revolutionaries aims, and perhaps none more so than the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. From the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, it can be assumed that the aims of the revolutionaries in 1789 were for the benefit of the French people of every class, but the desire for exclusive political power had undermined this. With mounting social and economic unrest, the French monarchy was under constant scrutiny in the years prior to the Revolution. The Enlightenment had served to cause a change in perception of the French people, from the nobility to even common artisans. The blind faith in the Aristocracy was waning, and the Third Estate, the majority of the population, had much cause to complain. The Third Estate enjoyed few privileges, and were subject to feudal obligations and heavy direct and indirect taxes (e.g. taille and gabelle) as well as the hated corvee royale. The peasants’s lives were ruled by the seigneurial obligations, the payment of tithes, and the scarcity and expenses of common essentials such as bread heightened the dislike for the monarchy who led extravagant lifestyles. The peasant class sought only to improve their standard of living. The bourgeoisie felt an increasing sense of frustration as opportunities for social and employment advancement were limited. The nobility and clergy occupied the higher social classes, and had the privilege of birth, but the business leaders of the Third Estate could not penetrate those circles. While the general consensus among the bourgeoisie was for a constitutional monarchy, they also desired a more significant say in the running of France. The heavy taxation on the Third Estate was regarded as unfair, and the bourgeoisie desired a system of taxation that was based on equality. With the meeting of the Estates-General, the representatives of the Third Estates aimed to address these issues of the ancien regime that affected them. The Second Estate, the Nobility, in favour of the Estates-General, sought only to further their own interests. In the economic crisis of 1769, King Louis XVI attempted to pass reforms that would remove some of the Nobility’s tax exemptions. The Nobility revolted, which contributed to the king calling a meeting of the Estates-General. Therefore we can deduce that the motives of the Nobility in 1789 were solely to preserve their privileges. The Declaration of the Rights of Man was drawn up, and in it was the general principles that reflected the liberal and enlightened thinking of the French population in 1789. The Declaration righted many of the complaints from all three Estates. The Night of 4 August 1789, saw the ending of class privileges. The manorial system in which peasants were tied to their landlords through obligations and fees were gone, as was the corvee and all tithing to the church. The nobility and the clergy gave up their exemptions from taxation. Various factors explain the radical shift in the revolutionaries aims. One significant issue was the popular support of sans-cullotes to the Jacobin Club. The sans-cullotes had an increasing influence on the course of the Revolution, and often achieved their goals by violent means. Jacobin leaders like Robespierre endorsed their extreme measures in the summer of 1792 to overthrow the Girondins, an opposition to the Jacobins. The King was also partly responsible for the failings of the Monarchy, and the rise of the Republic. His decisions to use his veto against legislation that seemed to threaten the interests of the Nobility and Clergy, portrayed him as a biased ruler. He was also found to have had secret dealings with the Revolutions enemies. When the Royal Family attempted to flee from Paris to Austrian territory in June 1790, they were captured in Varennes. The effect was catastrophic for the monarchy. Brought back in humiliation to Paris, it finally proved that the King could not be trusted. For the first time, the aims of the revolutionaries shifted to the establishment of a democratic republic, and the abolition of the constitutional monarchy. The Jacobin Club, a radical political force now led by Maximilien Robespierre, was at the head of the calls for a republic. Petitions by the radicals and the sans-culottes were sent demanding the King be put on trial for treason. The King had not been embracing of the Revolution, and his actions to counter it led to his execution on 21 January 1793. In conclusion, the aims of the French revolutionaries had gone through a series of radical changes from 1789 to 1793. From the Storming of the Bastille to the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the motives for the Revolution were generally moderate: to improve the standard of living, and promote equality and fairness. However, this was marred by the three Estate’s only looking only after their own interests, and the power struggle between revolutionary leaders. From the end of 1789, the motives of the leading revolutionaries grew increasingly radical and repressive, and in the ensuing Terror thousands would yet lose their lives in the name of the Revolution after 1793.

Objectification of women Essay Example for Free

Objectification of women Essay Should prostitution be legalised and monitored or illegal and unmonitored? Main Arguments Primoratz â€Å"what’s wrong with prostitution?† ( Vol. 68, No. 264, Apr., 1993 ) Nussbaum â€Å"taking money for bodily services† Yolanda Estes â€Å"moral reflections on prostitution† Sources The philosophy of sex contemporary readings, Alan Soble and Nicholas.P.Power, Rowman Littlefield, Jan 1, 2002 Prostitution and pornography: â€Å"philosophical debate about the sex industry† Charges against prostitution: an attempt at a philosophical assessment, Chicago journals, Vol. 90, No. 3, Apr., 1980 Lars.O.Ericsson Introduction and thesis I will clearly state how my argument will be structured for prostitution through the various articles and philosophers I have studied. I shall also outline how I will come to my conclusion. Body An outline of my basic arguments will be presented with supporting sub arguments, these will include all the above references. I will use both Primoratz and Nussbaum to back up my conclusion. I will then evaluate and analyse their arguments in order to further support my view for prostitution. Then I will look at views that are opposed to the legalisation of prostitution through Yolanda Estes who defends Kantian ethics. After evaluating this I will come up with various responses. Conclusion Look at objections I was unable to argue against as lack of space, also look  at my overall argument and see implications of accepting the conclusion. Essay plan Although we are sometimes justified in withdrawing or withholding life sustaining treatment for someone who is terminally ill and suffering, we could never be justified in killing such a person? Critically discuss the claim? Intro Define what passive and active euthanasia are and their basic differences, Discuss the various arguments that you will look at and show your point of view for the essay State the part of the world that you will be discussing, both the us and uk Main body Body will be split into two main arguments, my first argument will discuss the moral difference between killing and letting a person die. I will use various references and examples from the articles and books noted. My argument will attempt to show that their can be no yes or no answer to the question as each case is very specific and should be taken on its own merits and not by one law. I will then look at various examples where courts have both ruled for and against passive and active euthanasia, critically discussing the decisions and as to weather they were morally permissible. I will then attempt to add a philosophical standpoint such as utilitarianism or Kantian ethics to further prove my original argument. After this I will also add counter arguments and attempt to provide possible responses in order to strengthen my argument. Conclusion Here I will summarise my viewpoint and show various arguments that I may have added if I had more space. I will then attempt to finish my essay with a quotation from one of the various articles that both agrees with and summarises my stance. Books and articles Euthanasia and physician assisted euthanasia, (Gerald Dworkin, Cambridge University Print, August 28 1998) Euthanasia: a reference handbook Jennifer Fecio Mcdougall, Martha Gormen, 2008) Euthanasia: death with dignity and the law, Hasel Biggs, Hart publishing, jan 1, 2008) Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (why active euthanasia should be allowed, article, 2001, navlo, Brithish medical journal)

The Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Ltd Company Tourism Essay

The Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Ltd Company Tourism Essay With 380 million international arrivals annually and market share of more than 40% of global tourism Europe commands the position as the number one tourist destination European Commission Vice-president Antonio Tajani- Journal of the Institute of Tourism Studies Dec 2010 pg 30. Company History Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Ltd is a Maltese registered company that owns The Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa. The hotel enjoys a central location in the San Anton area. This Boutique style hotel neighbours both the Official Residence of the President of the Republic of Malta and the San Anton Botanical Gardens. Initially in 1920s, the site was a private residence called Villa Refalo, which was later sold to the Pisani family in 1959. (IL-Haddiem, 1968). The villa was transformed into the Corinthia Restaurant in the 1962. The company name Corinthia stems from the trademark columns that remain a prominent feature in the Villa Corinthia Restaurant. The restaurant prospered and was particularly popular with both locals and expatriates on field breaks from Libya. The success of this fine dining restaurant led the Pisani family to engage the services of architect Dom Mintoff, who designed and supervised the building of one of the finest hotels of its time. The hotel was amongst one of the first five star hotels in Malta to have full conference facilities in addition to 141 rooms, 11 suites, Garden Spa and 5 food and beverage outlets. The official opening of the hotel in the June of 1968, was conducted in the presence of then Minister of Education, Culture and Tourism, Doctor George Borg Olivier, His Excellency Duke of Edinburgh and renowned actor Roger Moore. The success of this enterprise has set the foundation for Corinthia Group of Companies, as we know it today. The group is organised into four business units, each of which plan and implement well-defined strategies driven by single objective of continued growth. The unanimity of purpose, to achieve our founders vision, towards expanding the Corinthia Portfolio Internationally, is driven by Mr Alfred Pisani himself. To date the company owns or operates sixteen hotels in nine countries. Mission Our Mission is to provide our guests with the craftsmanship of care Company Philosophies The company philosophy is primarily based on the core values, mainly integrity, honesty, trust and respect, which form the foundation of relationships within the Corinthia Group as well as with our customers and business partners. Definition of an Industry. There are numerous sources that provide a definition of an Industry, however, the succinct description in The Oxford English Dictionary of an industry is as follows :- a particular form or branch of economic or commercial activity Snapshot of the Tourism Industry in Malta Economic Performance According to its 2010 report  [1]  , Travel and Tourism contributes towards 19.4% of the GDP (EUR1,151.4 million) with a forecasted increase of a further 3.6 % by 2020. Export earnings from International Visitors is expected to reap in the region of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 777 million with a forecasted growth to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1443.4 million in 2020. Currently, 23.7% of the labour market are employed in industry related occupations and it is anticipated that this will rise to 28.9 % by 2020. These statistics substantiate that Travel and Tourism is perceived to remain one of the key engines for growth for the Maltese Economy. Tourist Performance Although the National Statistics Office has not issued the official statistics for 2010 Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism estimated that the total number of Tourists to the island was in the region of 1.3 million  [2]  . This is an .1 million increase on 2009 figures  [3]   Capacity : The National Statistics Office December news release Collective accommodation establishments :Oct 2010 reported that there are a total of 158 accommodation establishments on the Maltese Islands which equates to a total bedstock of 17,966 . During the month of October statistic report that the total amount of non resident arrivals in109,581 visitors who stayed an average stay of 6.3 nights. 5 Star Hotels on the Island Currently , there are a total of fifteen accommodation establishments that are classified with a 5 star rating. During the month of October, this accommodation tier enjoyed an occupancy of 73 %. Having an information at hand is invaluable when assessing the viability of an industry. The World Travel and Tourism Council uses set Indices which can be valuable to ascertaining an Industrys attractiveness and future economic potential. The use of PESTLE to scan the Broad Environment for drivers of change There are numerous characteristics or strategic elements that can influence the life cycle of the local tourism industry. One organisation, acting independently, may have very little influence on the broad environment: however, the forces in this environment can have a tremendous impact on the organisation (Enz, C.A, 2010).p16  [4]  . Consequentially, if one was to consider this statement in todays local business scenario, it consolidates the school of thought that theres a limited likelihood that organisations have opportunities to influence the broad environment. However, according to The principle of Enactment organisations do not have to submit to the existing forces in the environment. (St.John, Harrison ,2010)  [5]  . One example of how this is validated in the local context, is through management agreements that hoteliers have formed with Internationally renowned Brands. In contrast, the Corinthia Palace Hotel, has established its own brand called Corinthia Hotels International Ltd (CHI Ltd). The strategic choice to create a Maltese Brand is a means to differentiate between the International brand names such as Hilton, Inter Continental, Marriot and Starwood Hotels that currently operate on the Island. Through a concept of backward integration the Corinthia Brand has eliminated having to pay substantial contributions to third party Management Companies by forming its own unique Brand. Additionally, it has been able to penetrate the International Tourism Industry by offering Management Contracts to overseas operators in the Industry. The task of measuring competitiveness is full of complexities as there are numerous forces at play. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to have a thorough understanding of both the potential threats and opportunities available. This will then provide the basis for which a company responds to trends and influences by integrating its resources to achieve a strategic advantage on its competitors. Local firms competing within the Tourism Industry invariably have similar resources available to them. Additionally, each will be challenged by similar forces. Therefore, it is safe to assume that most will pursue similar strategies. However, the company that best acclimatises itself through capitalising on its strengths, its unique resources and capabilities is more likely to be successful. All organisations formulate business plans that will enable the firm to use its core competencies to achieve its mission, goals and strategies. PESTLE Analysis Therefore, in order for any business enterprise to adapt to the broad environmental forces it is common practice to analyse key indicators in the macro environment by situational analysis. The four areas that are believed to influence and form the context in which the firm operates are as follows :- Political Forces Economical Forces Socio cultural Forces Technological Forces The Political Environment can significantly influence an industry and organisations. Economic Performance Political Scenario in Malta The tou The Maltese Government recognises that Tourism is a key contributor to the Maltese Economy. The government has collaborated with Public Employment Services, Educational Institutions and Social partners to invest and improve on the current skills set of the current labour market. The broad environment. Forces within both the Broad and Task environment are critical determinants for strategy formulation for any organisation. However, the core of a firms business environment is formed by its interaction and between three key stakeholders and their impact on the market place :- Customers, Suppliers, Competitors. This is more commonly known as the Task Environment. All contemporary organisations within all Industries face forces that can significantly affect profitability. If a firm understands these forces, then it can develop a business level strategy that allows the business to either take advantage or protect itself from these forces, which in turn allows the firm to be consistently profitable.'(Ahlstrom.D,2009)  [6]  . Although many business models exist, most companies use the framework of environmental understanding established by Economist Michael Porter to measure potential of an in Industry. Porters Five Forces Model In the March- April 1979, one of the most cited authors in Business and Economics, Professor Micheal. E. Porter, published an article in the Harvard Business Review, titled How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy.  [7]  . In this article he wrote : Competition in an industry is rooted in its underlying economics, and competitive forces exist that go well beyond the established combatants in a particular industry. Customers, suppliers, potential entrants, and substitute products are all competitors that may be more or less prominent or active depending on the industry. The state of competition in an industry depends on five basic forces. The collective strength of these forces determines the ultimate profit potential of an industry. This article formed the basis of Porters Five Forces Model. This user friendly model is now widely applied by many organisations to formulate the firms business level strategy. Corinthia Palace Hotel is no exception. Key strategic decision makers within the company use this model in their business plan to represent their analysis of the dynamics of the competitive structure and each forces influences the Maltese Tourist Industry . Bargaining Power of Customers Bargaining Power of Suppliers Threat of New Entrants The Threat of Substitute Products or Services Function The hotel has two primary functions which are to provide accommodation and catering services to travellers. Market Although perceived as a business hotel, the main market is leisure travellers. The tour operator and Leisure Segments constitute approximately 64% of the hotels market share. The company enjoys amongst the highest customer retention rate within the Corinthia group, averaging in the region of 20%. Suppliers

Comparing And Contrasting Christianity And Buddhism :: Comparison Religion Christian Essays

Comparing And Contrasting Christianity And Buddhism Christianity and Buddhism are different religions, yet compare and contrast greatly. Though founded at different periods of time, Christianity and Buddhism have shaped cultures and have had a great influence on people all around the world with origins, customs and beliefs. Siddhartha Gautama was born about 563 B.C. He left his wealthy lifestyle when he was about 29 to seek wisdom. For years, he found not wisdom but only pain. After meditating for several days under a tree, enlightenment finally came to him. He would now be known as the Buddha or "enlightened one." Buddha and Jesus, the founder of Christianity, are alike and different in many ways. Jesus of Nazareth was born about A. D 6. He claimed to be the son of God, but was disliked by those who practiced other religions. When he was about 33 years old, Jesus was tried and prosecuted for heresy. He was then sentenced to be crucified. After his death, Paul continued to spread Christianity throughout the world. More than a thousand years later, it became one of the most widely known practices in the world, just as Buddhism has. Christians and Buddhists have their own customs and beliefs. Followers of Christianity are to love thy Lord first and love thy neighbor as thyself. Jesus gained large crowds and followers by performing miracles. Since Christians are only to worship the Lord, they are monotheist. Buddhism, however is quite different. Buddha taught his followers the Four Noble Truths, the main ideas of seeking enlightenment. In addition to seeking enlightenment, people could reach nirvana, or a "release from pain and suffering". Buddha taught all his followers to treat all other living things with love and respect. Throughout both their lives, Jesus and Buddha spread the teachings they taught, Christianity and Buddhism. After the resurrection of Jesus after his death in A. D 33, the disciples began to spread the word about Jesus. Paul, one of the disciples of Jesus, spent the rest of his life preaching and spreading Christianity to Jews and non-Jews alike. Just like Jesus, Buddha spread his teachings throughout his life.

Science in Not Going Too Far Essay -- Scientific Argumentative Persuas

When asked the question of whether or not scientific knowledge should be boundless, I can't help, but to wonder why it wouldn't be. Everything that I can think of that has to do with science such as coming up with cures for diseases, being able to re-create a human being and its parts. Being able to choose whether or not your child will be a boy or a girl, have blonde or brown hair or blue eyes or green eyes is, as far as I'm concerned, extremely beneficial. I don't see anything wrong with cloning either. What's the big deal anyway, it's not like you are going to have a bunch of look-a-likes running around. It is going to cost way too much money to get someone or something cloned. I have to throw in an argument from the other side and Mary Shelly said it in her novel, Frankenstein, "If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections, and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is certainly unlawful, that is to say, not befitting the human mind." (233) How could she say the study doesn't benefit the mind? We've always said that we learn from our mistakes haven't we? If the wrong person should somehow receive or get a hold of the technology and scientific methods to cloning, then it could definitely be a dangerous thing not benefiting. They could somehow regenerate all of the world's most evil creatures if he or she wanted a world of anarchy. They could single handedly become ruler of the earth. Of course, it would take a long time for those clones to grow up and become adults capable of creating such putrid crime. But, until then I think that all cloning is doing is making us more aware of how the human body works and that is only go... ... I think life is full of trading. You have to give up some things before you can learn more. So, all those animals and things that we test on are very respectable things to me. Science is the only reason that I am here today as a matter of fact. I actually died and then they had to do a C-Section in order for me to live. The only reason they were able to keep me alive is because through scientific experimentation they were able to learn and save more people. So science is all around us, we just don't notice it so don't hold it back. Works Cited Bishop, J. Michael. "Enemies of Promise." The Presence of Others. Editors Andrea A. Lunnsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York. Bedford St. Martin's, 2000, 237-242. Shelly, Mary. "Frankenstein." The Presence of Others. Editors Andrea A. Lunnsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York. Bedford St. Martin's, 2000, 233.

The Trouble with Stereotyping Essay -- Stereotypes

The Trouble with Stereotyping   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The world has hit a brick wall in human development. People have created a giant system that categorizes people and groups into classes. These classes are then broken down into subdivisions for people’s placement in the world, and everyone’s eyes. Stereotyping has become so prevalent in every persons thoughts that we now base everything we do on it. We base business, home, and social life on a stereotypical view that doesn’t need to be present in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"Don’t Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgments,† Robert Heilbroner states that, â€Å"Stereotyping is one way in which we ‘define’ the world in order to see it.† This statement proposes points that people don’t just see people anymore, but the stereotype class they put them in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stereotypes that appear in the business atmosphere are the most prevalent to see. Some of these typecasts are women in the workplace in certain jobs and the type of job they can accomplish or gain with their level of schooling completed. Women are not stereotypically recognized by men to hold high positions in a company. Women could have the same capabilities and maybe even higher qualifications than a man going for the same position, but men label women to be less qualified and have less of a reputation in order to be head of a company. However, this is not true. We need to eliminate the labeling of women. I believe that people’s education should and have no bearing on what everyone can accomplish in a w...

Alternative Learning System Essay

Introduction The Alternative Learning System or ALS is a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction (Guerrero, 2007, p. 2). It is a program by the Department of Education (DepEd), through its Bureau of Alternative Learning System that helps disabled people, cultural minority members, out-of-school youth, former inmates and/or rebels, industry-based workers, and others who cannot afford or missed the opportunity to go through formal elementary and secondary schooling. It was first called Non-Formal Education when it began in 1984. Its main focus back then was to help its students acquire technical skills that they can use for livelihood. Its focus diversified after its name was changed into Alternative Learning System in 2004. It now includes literacy classes that are aimed at eventually offering elementary and high school diplomas to students who have the same above-mentioned backgrounds. Legal Foundations The source of the ALS educational system can be traced to the basic and  fundamental law of the land. The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides for a free and compulsory elementary education and free secondary education through DepEd. Also, the Governance of the Basic Education Act of 2001, which is also known as Republic Act No. 9155, dictates that it is the primordial duty of the State, through DepEd to promote and protect the right of the citizens to quality education and shall initiate steps to ensure the accessibility of education to all. Among many of its provisions, this law recognizes ALS as a â€Å"complement of formal education and a major component of basic education with a clearly defined role within the overall educational goals (Guerrero, 2007, p. 9).† The Executive Order 356 of 2004 renamed DepEd’s Bureau of Non-Formal Education to the Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS). Not only does this Order repeat the bureau’s mandate to address the learning needs of marginalized learners, but it also directs BALS to provide a systematic and flexible approach to reach all types of learners outside the school system. In the 80’s, the global community launched a campaign called Education for All (EFA) that aimed to eradicate illiteracy and promote functional literacy for all peoples of the world by the year 2015. The Philippines was a signatory to this and as such, committed to providing education for all Filipinos and resulted to the formulation and adoption of the Philippine EFA 2015. The goal is to have in place a credible ALS that will increase functional literacy among the marginalized groups of learners. The country also affirmed its commitment in reducing poverty and any form of human deprivation as outlined in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which is also aimed to be attained by the year 2015. DepEd is primarily tasked to implement the 2nd major goal of the MDG which is to achieve universal education. In summary, the EFA plan for 2015 distributes urgent tasks that will guide DepEd in fulfilling the spirit of RA 9155 and EO 356, and ultimately the vision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. It embodies the various programs, projects, and activities necessary to achieve the goal of quality ALS for all marginalized Filipino learners. ALS in Cagayan de Oro City DepEd, in close coordination with the city government of Cagayan de Oro,  implemented the program of ALS in the city and aims to attain the indicators and goals of Education for All (EFA) 2015 and of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Since 2007, the city government, as part of its implementation strategy, has been conducting advocacy socialization and mobilization in all its Barangays through the ALS Coordinators in order to determine the number of out-of-school youth, illiterates, and school leavers. Massive information campaigns were conducted. Consultations and meetings were also initiated discussing the importance and benefits that may be derived from the literacy program by focusing on the empowerment of the learner and of his/her potentials towards personal growth as he/she participates in the development of his/her community. As a beneficiary of technical assistance from World Bank through the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), the city government has formulated its own City Development Strategy (CDS), which serves as the guide in implementing its various  programs and projects. The ALS ranked third among the top priority programs and projects reflected in the CDS.  Various City Ordinances, Resolutions, Executive Orders and others were passed and issued to support the implementation of ALS. Through the Local School Board (LSB), all the Barangays in Cagayan de Oro City are major stakeholders supporting the various local departments and offices assigned by law to attain the goals of the program. The local Special Education Fund (SEF) and other available resources of the city government provides certain appropriation to support the program through the construction of training venues, the salaries of the employees, coordinators and teachers, acquisition of equipments and supplies, and others. The ALS program was implemented in the 57 urbanized and 23 rural Barangays in Cagayan de Oro City since 2007. Of the Barangays covered, the program faced some problems especially in the 11 hinterland Barangays of the 1 st Congressional District of Cagayan de Oro City. These Barangays are agricultural areas and have a relatively higher incidence of poverty and unemployment. These are: Pagalungan, Tagpangi, Taglimao, Tuburan, Pigsag-an, Tumpagon, Bayanga, Mambuaya, Dansolihon, Tignapoloan and Besigan. These are the areas we are  focusing on in our P.P.B.S. paper and presentation. The Problem The ALS in our paper is meant to reduce the illiteracy rate in the said localities by providing an alternative avenue for achieving a high school equivalent diploma among the illiterate adult population through its existing adult specific curriculum. We are doing this by introducing our own incentive program. The adverse issues confronting the implementation of the program in the fringe Barangays of Cagayan De Oro are the low rate of participation among the illiterate adult population and the low level of survival and/or retention among those who choose to participate. Rough estimates in the concerned areas indicate very low participation in the ALS program. Of those who avail of it, only very few actually commit to graduate. Insofar as the goal of attaining the highest participation among the total number of  potential beneficiaries is concerned, the ALS program translates into a dismal percentage of the estimated success rate. On closer assessment, the identified causes for this mediocre success rate appear to be the lack of incentives to avail of or sustain participation to the ALS program due to economic constraints. These constraints are characterized as follows: 1) Participation in ALS education implies unacceptable daily income loses among potential participants. In the fringe hinterland localities where incomes are hardly sufficient to meet minimum daily living costs, participation during school days will mean abdicating daily incomes needed to insure the provision of basic living needs like the day’s food supply. 2) ALS Participation also implies incurring added education related costs. While enrolment, facilities and learning materials are free, travel costs and other miscellaneous allowances are required to insure that participants are physically present and who’s mental and health dispositions are conducive to learning. Sustaining these costs for repeated learning sessions are often enough to deter potential participants. Scope and Limitation of the Paper There is a wide choice of perspectives and plenty of levels to approach ALS as a topic. In this paper, the existing ALS program we are attempting to improve using our version of the same are the following eleven hinterland fringe Barangays in the 1st Congressional District of Cagayan de Oro City: Pagalungan, Tagpangi, Taglimao, Tuburan, Pigsag-an, Tumpagon, Bayanga, Mambuaya, Dansolihon, Tignapoloan and Besigan. Our focus customers here are the resident adults (18 years old and above) in the said areas. The ALS’ Assessment and Evaluation phase, Accreditation and Equivalency processes (ALS A & E), livelihood programs, and its curriculum are only part of the paper as an assumption that they are there, functioning as they should. Because our topic is not focused on them, they are not discussed here. And of course we think they are very important since we are drawing our strategies from the existing overall mechanism of how the ALS program works. We are asking the questions, â€Å"How  do we increase the participants and make them commit to actually finish the program?† and â€Å"How do we motivate those employed or volunteered directly in the ALS program to participate and meet their objectives?† These are the concerns that this group is attempting to manage. Figure 1 shows the Strategic Framework of the proposed ALS Incentive Program. The focus of our P.P.B.S. is to add a set of incentives to continually help improve the mechanisms that operate ALS. The Planning, Programming, and Budgeting are at work separately along this framework. It is our desire that this model will cascade smoothly to our target learners. Vision: Substantial reduction of illiteracy among adults in the fringe Barangays of Cagayan de Oro City through the Alternative Learning System and where human dignity is restored thereby resulting to personal growth and community development. Mission To improve the ALS’s participation and completion rate among the illiterate adult population in the concerned areas of Cagayan de Oro City through the participation incentive program. Figure 2 shows the S.W.O.T. Analysis for the proposed ALS Incentive Program. The program’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats will help clarify the present situation and strategies that can be developed out from them, and will determine the salient indicators of success, the abilities of the program managers and stakeholders and the available skills and resources. The S.W.O.T. Analysis conducted is grounded on knowing â€Å"Where the program is now?† and in identifying â€Å"What are the strategies needed to attain its goals?† The Strengths and Weaknesses are inside factors within the control of those involved in the ALS organization (inside environment). They  are: Strategy, Structure, System, Staff, Skills, Style, and Shared values. On the other hand, Opportunities and Threats are outside influences that impact the ALS organization S and O are strategies that should be executed, given that the Strengths and Opportunities are there. W and O asks the question, â€Å"How can we use our Opportunities to offset or even reverse our Weaknesses?† S and T asks the question â€Å"How can we use our Strengths to offset or even reverse our Threats?† W and T is the combination of Weaknesses and Threats. It shows that they are part of the organization’s identity since no organization is perfect. Because these factors cannot be fixed, it contains strategies that manage or minimize the damage caused by them. Figure 3 shows the organizational structure of the proposed ALS Incentive Program. Figure 4 shows the Strategy Map of the proposed ALS Incentive Program. The objectives shown in the map have a causal relationship as traced by arrows along each of the different functions in the ALS Incentive Program, namely: Financial Perspective, Learning and Growth, Internal Process, and Client Perspective. As you can see, the goals here are Increase Participation, Increase Completion, and Decrease Illiteracy. And each of these is supported by our proposed incentives. The Balanced Scorecard in Figure 5 below will elaborate on the different incentives mentioned in this paper so far. It will also describe how the objectives from different functions in the ALS Incentive Program can be achieved by concentrating on and satisfying its three parts: Measures, Targets, and Initiatives. The Balanced Scorecard will be a helpful guide in carrying out the functions of each member of ALS in helping themselves and their learners keep motivated and be on track towards achieving their goals. Conclusion While this group acknowledges the current efforts made by the LGU’s, DepEd, BALS, and ALS in their cooperation and hardwork, the daily operations to help reduce illiteracy in the involved barangays is still far from what they should be. Our emphasis here, as already mentioned, is the introduction and proper management of an incentive program in the ALS program. As what we have presented, we believe this would optimize the operations in each step  and level of the program. And thus, in the long run, the reduction and even total elimination of illiteracy is then achieved. It is our hope that this P.P.B.S. be part of the many considerations that may help the functions of the current ALS program.

Institutions and Securities Essay

Hiring the precise applicant is always a challenge. After you have examination the resumes and applications and done the entire preface base, you narrow your hunt and choose who will be interviewed for a particular position. A review of the literature from the past ten years shows a fairly consistent pattern of concerns and issues about staffing. Articles on staff evaluation, staff participation in planning, and staffing patterns frequently occur, however, the vast majority of such articles focus on larger urban libraries. In articles devoted to rural library staff, most writers point to concerns and problems which can be traced almost always to staff education. Marketing, services to special populations, technology, and recruitment all can be crystallized under the heading of â€Å"educational needs. † How to effectively incorporate the time of volunteers, day care for staff children, and benefits package selection have all been discussed, but education, sometimes referred to as training, is the single most common thread which may be found in the literature treating rural library staffing. Your business depends on people. People make your goods and serve your most important asset: clients. To grow, your industry needs a constant base of people. But hiring the exact people is risky—and tough! You need a partner who can employ, screen and hire for you. For the first part of creating the good talented and performance staff team every company need to choose and developed human strategy. HRProfessional Magazine presents its â€Å"Multi-Level HRM Strategy Key to Flexible Staffing Success† (October/November 2001) by Mary Ann Lesperance, CHRP. The article deals with the main HR principles such as â€Å"flexible firm†. The â€Å"flexible firm† model suggests that we can design our workforces to proactively meet our business needs through flexible staffing arrangements. – state article. The meaning and the main goal of benchmarking we could recognize from thesis â€Å"Seven Steps to Effective Competitor Benchmarking† written by Arik R. Johnson is Managing Director of the Competitive Intelligence (CI) support bureau and consultancy Aurora WDC. â€Å"When it comes to Competitive Intelligence, there are a few simple tools that can provide for sophisticated comparisons of business functions between organizations that can help firms â€Å"benchmark† the constituent processes of the company with direct or indirect competitors, allowing a company to gain the upper hand in a marketplace. But, what is the process for setting the metrics, methodologies, milestones and comparisons which might be used to measure the success of a CI/benchmarking function, or the success of a Strategic Planning department as a whole? † Dina Berta in her article â€Å"Mark Clark: a newcomer to Highlands Ranch, Colo. , but an old hand at sales and staffing success – Red Robin Gourmet Burgers† told about Celia Morden. She has been a server at the Red Robin Gourmet Burgers in Highlands Ranch, Colo. , for only six months, but the restaurant, she says, is vastly different from any other restaurant she has worked at in the past 12 years. The focus is not on what employees do wrong but on what they do right, she says, giving general manager Mark Clark the credit for the way the restaurant is run. â€Å"This is the best management staff I’ve ever worked for; they really care about you,† says Morden, while clearing a table during a recent lunch rush. â€Å"Mark surrounds himself with good people. † When everyone else was hiring more recruiters to deal with staffing shortages, we went in a totally different direction. Who within your organization is responsible for recruitment? The goal is to have a resounding response of â€Å"Everyone! † It is not uncommon to hear the statement: â€Å"We wouldn’t have this staffing problem if only Human Resources would advertise more, etc† While HR is accountable for setting up systems to maximize recruitment, the missed opportunities of an organization relies on the HR department maintaining its staffing for all the organization’s employees– said Nicole Morin-Scribner in her paper â€Å"Staffing! The HR business partner model alternative. Maine in Focus – human resources† HR can run the biggest ad, but most healthcare workers typically pay the most attention to what employees from that organization say about what its like to work there. Study after study demonstrates that business success is dependent on the organization’s people. HR has an ideal opportunity to apply its expertise to help its organization succeed. Proper staffing has, is and will continue to be a major concern for managers around the country. Pundits predict that the problem will continue for at least the next decade and maybe beyond if we don’t do something in the present. You can hardly pick up a newspaper or trade magazine without finding at least one article on staffing. Worked Cite: 1. HAIL, L. AND LEUZ, C. â€Å"International Differences in Cost of Capital: Do Legal Institutions and Securities Regulation Matter? † Working Paper (September 2003): 1-27. 2. HAMADA, R. S. â€Å"The Effect of the Firm’s Capital Structure on the Systematic Risk of Common Stocks. † The Journal of Finance (May 1972): 435-58. 3. HILTON, RONALD W. ; MICHAEL W. MAHER; AND FRANK H. SELTO. Cost Management Strategies for Business Decisions. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. , 2003. 4. PricewaterhouseCoopers â€Å"Financial Management Benchmarking Program Best Practice Findings† 5. Delery, J. E. , and Doty, D. H. (1996) ‘Modes of theorizing in strategic human resource management: Tests of universalistic, contingency, and configurational performance predictions’. Academy of Management Journal 39/4: 802-835.

History Of The Spanish Inquisition Of The 15th Century Essay

The Spanish Inquisition is usually synonymous with persecution, brutality and tyranny; and it is thought to be the forerunner of the covert regulatory bodies of contemporary autocracies. Yet how accurate is this picture of an establishment set up in the late 15th century to route out deviation and agnosticism in that land? This report aims to place the Spanish Inquisition in its correct historical context. BACKGROUND The conception of inquisitions to eliminate religious heretics was not new when, in 1478, Pope Sixtus IV sanctioned the formation of Spanish Inquisition. The monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, decided to establish a body (which began its work in 1480) chiefly to deal with the issue of the huge numbers of converted Jews (Conversos) who were alleged of continuing to carry out tenants of the Jewish religion after apparent conversion to Catholicism. Following the formal expulsion of all non-converted Jews from Spain in 1492, the problem of the Conversos increased. The roots of the Spanish Inquisition can therefore be traced quite clearly back to anti-Semitism. In 1518, the Inquisition became a permanently unified body under one head, the Inquisitor-General . Tomas de Torquemada was appointed by the Monarchs as Grand Inquisitor of the Inquisition. The Catholic Church, under the rule of the pope in Rome was a powerful force in Europe during the Middle ages. The decrees of the church provided the basis of law and order. Christians who disagreed with catholic principles were regarded as heretics, and heresy was considered an crime against the church and the state. The â€Å"inquiries† into a person’s faith to determine whether or not one was a heretic, was branded as the inquisition, with the inquisitors being priests or bishops who subjected a suspect to long grilling followed by terrible tortures. Death by fire was often the punishment of those who did not repent. The heretic’s property was then claimed by the church. Between 1478 and 1502, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon took three complementary decisions. They persuaded the pope to create the Inquisition; they expelled the Jews; and they forced the Muslims of the kingdom of Castile to convert to Catholicism. All these measures were designed to achieve the same end: the establishment of a united faith. The Christian, Muslims and Jewish communities existed tolerantly throughout the first centuries of Muslim domination and continued to do so in the Christian Spain of the 12th and 13th century. Tolerance presupposed an absence of discrimination against minorities and respect for the point of view of others. This tolerance was nowhere to be found in the Iberia of the 8th century to the 15th. Spanish archdeacon named Ferran Martinez was busy delivering a sequence of sermons in the diocese of Seville. It was his remarkable eloquence rather than the novelty of his subject which attracted an audience: for he spoke only on a single theme, one that in every age has provided an easy stalking horse for demagogues religious and civil- the iniquities of the Jews. Their veins had venom that poisoned whatever contribution they made. The Jews, he argued, had been guilty, as a body, of the greatest crime in history. They adhered to a faith that had been rejected in no uncertain manner by the Deity. Their ceremonies were outmoded and impious, rendered those who performed them capable of the most heinous misdoings and doomed them to eternal punishment in the hereafter . ORIGIN AND AIMS Jews weren’t newcomers in Spain. They had been settled there since the 1st century. Documentary and archaeological evidence demonstrates their numbers at the beginning of the fourth century, long before the coming of the Arabs or the Visigoths. The latter had persecuted them, but under the moors they had flourished as nowhere else in Europe. They were an important and influential minority. Every Spanish city had its prosperous juderia, or Jewish quarter, comprised of craftsmen and weavers, goldsmiths and carpenters . The Jews had been expelled from England in 1290 by Edward I En masse. His example had been followed in France sixteen later, by Philip the Fair. The Spanish Jews considered themselves secure from anything of the sort. The activities of Martinez disturbed them but didn’t alarm them. Month after month passed without any untoward occurrence. They fell into the error of imagining that nothing would happen. It came as a shock to them when at the close of 1390, just before Christmastide, Martinez succeeded in having some synagogues in the diocese partially destroyed and closed down, on the plea that they had been built without authorization. The community, alarmed, applied for protection to the council of regency then governing Castile in the name of the young king Henry III, which ordered steps to be taken for the protection of the petitioners. Martinez was defiant, however, and his sermons were as violent as ever. On Wednesday, March 15th, 1391 his harangue was particularly effective, and his audience was roused to a high pitch of frenzy. On its way from the church, a turbulent crowd, thirsting with zeal and greed, surged towards the Jewish quarter, which seemed to be in imminent danger of sack. The civil authorities were at last awakened to the necessity of stern measures. Seizing two of the most turbulent members of the mob, they had them flogged, turned them into martyrs overnight. After some further disturbances, order was outwardly restored: but the spirit of unrest still simmered and Martinez continued his unbridled invective from the pulpit. These seemingly unimportant disorders are to be traced some of the greatest tragedies in history – the darkest page in the dark record of the Jewish people, one of the saddest episodes in the history of human thought, and the ultimate decline of sprain from the high status to which her achievements and her genius entitled her – everything, in a word, which is associated with the term, â€Å"the Spanish Inquisition†. On June 6th, a storm broke out. An infuriated mob rushed upon the juderia of Seville and put it to sack. An orgy of carnage raged the city. The dead were numbered by the hundreds, if not by the thousand. Every ruffian in the city flaunted the finery sacked from Jewish houses, or boasted the ravishing of a Jewish maiden . Through some curious psychology of mass psychology, the infection spread from one city to the other, and throughout Spain onslaughts on the Jews became the order of the day. The fury raged that summer and autumn, and at several places the entire Jewish community was exterminated. At Cordova, the ancient Jewish quarter, where Moses Maimonides had first seen the light, was reduced to ashes. Toledo was witness to a similar horrifying carnage. 70 other towns in Castile were doomed to similar incidents of terror. In Aragon, in spite of measures put into force by the authorities to suppress the mayhem, the case was commonly adhered. In Valencia, within a few days, not a single professing Jew was left alive in the entire kingdom. In Barcelona, despite a half hearted protection given by the civic authorities, the whole community was wiped out. From Catalonia, the disorders spread to the Balearic Islands, where a massacre took place on August 2nd at Palma. Outbreaks were prevented only in the kingdom of Granada thanks to the efforts of the crown, in Portugal. Elsewhere in the peninsula, hardly a single community escaped. The total no of victims was estimated as many as 50,000 . The Inquisition did not begin in Spain, but did gather notoriety there. Shortly after commencement, the Spanish Inquisition was accused of numerous abuses. Accusations of heresy ran rampant, and innocent, faithful people were unjustly punished by public trials and condemnation. This usually took the form of strangulation or burning at the stake. The Inquisition, although vastly changed and more humane, remained a strong force in Spain until the early 19th century . By about 1750 the Inquisition had lost its power. It had been created to eradicate all traces of Semitism in Spain. The Jews had long been expelled and two and a half centuries of persecution had eventually eliminated the Judaisers. Yet the statues of blood purity still did not disappear; in fact, in the course of the eighteenth century, they tended to multiply. They no longer constituted a serious obstacle to a career in the Church, the official administration, or civic society. By the end of the eighteenth century, essentially the Inquisition was operating as a political policing force devoted to opposing the introduction of revolutionary and liberal ideas. By this time, it seemed to have softened its attitude. It no longer published edicts of faith encouraging the faithful spontaneously to denounce their neighbors and their relatives. Nor did it any longer torture its prisoners. CONCLUSION The Spanish Inquisition was one of the most powerful organizations used to eradicate heresy and safeguard the unanimity of Christendom. Begun in 1478, by 1512 the Inquisition was under review for a wide range of issues – from corruption, patronage and bribery. The Spanish Inquisition, first established under Queen Isabella was finally suppressed 356 years later under Queen Isabella II, leaving its mark in the annals of Western civilization. The onset of the Enlightenment slowed down the Inquisition. It, however, wasn’t until the Spanish invasion of Napoleon that the Inquisition finally came to an end in 1810, being completely abolished in 1836. It is estimated that more than 20,000 people were killed because of the Inquisition. Numerous more were subjected to torture and others had their possessions confiscated. John Paul II’s teachings are an ever present reminder of how to learn from history: â€Å" †¦we must take account of the complexity of the relationship between the subject who interprets and the object from the past which is interpreted†¦. Events or words of the past are, above all, â€Å"past. † As such they are not completely reducible to the framework of the present, but possess an objective density and complexity that prevent them from being ordered in a solely functional way for present interests. It is necessary, therefore, to approach them by means of an historical-critical investigation that aims at using all of the information available, with a view to a reconstruction of the environment, of the ways of thinking, of the conditions and the living dynamic in which those events and those words are placed, in order, in such a way, to ascertain the contents and the challenges that – precisely in their diversity – they propose to our present time . On 12 January 2000, to mark the Catholic Church’s Jubilee, Pope John Paul II issued a document entitled Memory and Reconciliation in which he asked for forgiveness for the errors of the Church over its 2,000 year history. ? BIBLIOGRAPHY Kamen, Henry. The Spanish Inquisition: An Historical Revision. London, 1997. John Paul II, Memory and Reconciliation, 2000. Finkelstein, Louis. 1970. The Jews: their history. New York: Schocken Books. Kohen, Elizabeth, & Elias, Marie Louise. 2004. Spain. New York: Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish. Lea, Henry Charles. A History of the Inquisition of Spain. 4 vols. New York, 1906–1908. Lemieux, Simon. â€Å"The Spanish Inquisition. † History Review 7. 44 (2002): 44-49

Why is it difficult for Mexican Americans to live in America?

The movie Selena tells how difficult it is for Mexican Americans to live in a country like America. There are great expectations from people who live there especially for artists and other people who wish to conquer the entertainment industry. Mexican Americans in the United States are often ridiculed in their manner of speaking and performances.Many American racists will not hire group of Mexicans as performers. If there is a chance to get them for programs and performances, the audience has dual expectations from these groups.Moreover, they are also subject to discrimination by the Mexican American community when they perform English-American instead Spanish songs. When a flashback of Abaraham, Selena’s father, as a member of a family band playing â€Å"Blue Moon,† was presented in the film, the way they were rejected by the Mexican American audience shows that the Mexican American community was not ready to accept Mexicans who play English songs. When Abraham discove red Selena’s golden voice, he knew that Selena was meant to be on the limelight.With his support, Selena was convinced that she can become successful â€Å"in a field where every other Mexican American woman had failed† (Bernardinelli, 1997). When Selena grew older, she wanted to have a musical identity that she can call her own, which was mostly influenced by American pop music. As a Tejano singer, she was singing Spanish songs while she idolizes American pop singers. Because of this, there were times when Selena and Abraham clashed about the direction of the band’s music.However, he never failed to respect her and prod her to choose her own path. Thus, Selena is a film that deals with a clash of two different cultures (Bernardinelli, 1997). An example of this in the movie includes the part where Selena was to be interviewed by a TV reporter. Abraham told Selena that her English and Spanish should be perfect. She has to look like she can understand and identify with icons of both cultures. This was a lesson that Selena took to heart.However, in the interview, she made a mistake. After the interview, Abraham expressed his frustration by saying that to be fully accepted in America, Selena must become â€Å"more Mexican than most Mexicans† and â€Å"more American than most Americans† (Quintanilla & Nava, 1997). She is an American, but she is also a Mexican, and she has to learn to draw from both cultures to form her own style (Berardinelli, 1997). When Selena died, nobody quite knew where to place her culturally (Rodriguez, 1997).But her tremendous popularity on both sides of the border is a symbol of how hyphenated Mexican-Americans have gone from the margins to the mainstream (Rodriguez 1997). Selena's story is one of the â€Å"burden of leading hyphenated lives, and of the need to forge a place for ourselves between the dismissive Anglo-American and Mexican mainstreams† (Rodriguez, 1997). She was indeed a dreamer who preferred to go on discos rather than ranches.When she was already popular among the Mexican Americans, she still dreamed of becoming a â€Å"crossover† star to sing English songs. It is said that in the past, Mexican-American identity and having a Latino culture is a great shame for the immigrants’s children and grandchildren. â€Å"Mexicans called their English-speaking, ‘Scooby-Doo’-watching American cousins ‘pochos,’ which meant something like ‘watered-down Mexicans’† (Rodriguez 1997). Selena's popularity both in the Mexico and America marks the changes in the new generation whereâ€Å"’pocho’ no longer connotes a marginal position in a culture that was never fully [Mexcian], but a growing pride in Mexican-American hybrid status, and the ability to sample and absorb the best from both sides of the border. † (Rodriguez 1997). Living in America with traces of Mexican-American blood is never easy becau se not only they are discriminated by Americans, they are judged by other Mexicans, especially when they act â€Å"too American† However, these things never discouraged the late Selena to reach the top.Reference: Berardinelli, J. (1997). Selena. Reel Reviews. Retrieved February 18, 2008 from: http://www. reelviews. net/movies/s/selena. html Quintanilla, Jr. , A. (Producer), & Nava, G. (Director). (1997). Selena. [Motion picture]. Warner Brothers. Rodriguez, G. (1997). Selena's story â€Å"pochos† have come of age. Pacific News. Retrieved February 18, 2008 from: http://www. pacificnews. org/jinn/stories/3. 06/970321-selena. html