How We Spend New Years Eve in Japan :: Essays Papers

How We Spend New Years evening in JapanWhat do you usually do on New Years Eve? Does your family have something special to do for the New Year? Maybe you have a party at the bar or your friends house, or you may pass along time with your family. In Japan, the way of spending time on New Years Eve is pretty different from the American way. In the morning, we Japanese people unused the whole house. This process is called Ousouji in Japan. This doesnt mean that Japanese people clean the house only once a year. There is a special content for this cleaning. Its purpose is to welcome the New Year and to wish a better life than the former year. Cleaning the house, which is covered with annual dust, is a really all-important(prenominal) way to start a new year. After finishing Ousouji, women start cooking Osechi. This is a traditional Japanese dish which is eaten a few years after the New Year. The dish is based on fish, beans, and egg. We eat Osechi because there is an old story sayin g one shouldnt use a cooking prod within three days from the New Year. This gives a break to the mother who cooks every day. While women are cooking Osechi, men are hanging Shimenawa, which is a kind of decoration made from rice stems. It is hung on the front door. This custom comes from the farmers wish to have a full(a) harvest next year. Today, we wish for good fortune and a good year. Evening time, after we finish preparing for New Years, we normally watch a TV program called Singing Battle amid the Red and the White Team. It has been on the air for about 50 years and keeps over 50 percent of the audiences ratings every year. We think about this program as a part of a closing moment of the year. While, or after watching singing battle, we eat Toshikoshi Soba, which means New Years Eve Noodle in English. As you know, the noodle is long, so we wish longer life, including healthy body, by eating Toshikoshi Soba. Finally, the last thing to do for New Years Eve is to listen to Juy a No Kane, which means the watch-night bell in English. This bell is like a countdown in America. But we ring it 108 times.

Pollution and Environment Essay - Overpopulation and Personal Responsib

Overpopulation and Personal ResponsibilityEver since I was a little girl, Ive dreamed of having a large family when I was older. I envied friends with three or four siblings. Id proudly tell anyone I was going to have six children when I grew up. Now, Im a little older, and still far away from making that decision, my conscious will still face a looming dilemma. With my knowledge negatively charged impacts caused by overpopulation, how can I deliberately have a large family, while upholding my environmentalist values?Over the past few years Ive found myself paying particular attention to articles about overpopulation, foreign adoption, and sterileness caused by environmental factors. The older I get, the more stories I hear of friends and family members having infertility problems. Their only two options argon heavy fertility drugs or waiting on long lists for adoption. I have read many articles and books relating infertility to environmental factors. I often wonder if nature is ju st trying to balance itself out. At one time, a large family was needed for security or impoverished labor. Now, with the rise of social security, child labor laws, and overall quality of life, children are non a necessity in this country. Some Americans do not get ahead overpopulation is even a problem. According to the Population Resource Bureau, American population grew by 10% from 1990 to 1999. In addition to the strain on government disbursement in some cases (through welfare and new(prenominal) support) large families may also have a significant impact on urban sprawl and other environmental issues. The article Facts, Not Fear, contained a section about Chinas strict one child policy. Although arguably necessary in China, as an American I cannot even imagine th... ...f overpopulation.In our lives, and the lives of our children we have seen and will continue to see the harsh effects of population growth. The projected numbers are scary. Projections show a doubling rate of 51 years for world population at current growth rates. At this pace, our children will see in two ways as many people who need support from our planet. We each do our own part, however small it may seem, the huge issue may make smaller and smaller. Eventually, either we will stabilize our growth, or nature will do it for us. ReferencesCutter, Fenwick and Fenwick. (1991). Exploitatoin, conservation, and preservation, 2nd edition. John White & Sons.Population Reference Bureau. www.prb.org. 28 March. 2001Sanera, M. & Shaw, J. (1996). Facts, not fear a parents guide to teaching children about the environment. Washington DC Regency Publishing, Inc.

Aboriginal Customary Law VS European Law Essay -- essays research pape

fundamental customary integrity and European law nonplus been at odds since the first years of the European invasion, but only recently has the clash come into the open. Stuart MacMillan of the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services in the Northern Territory says that remote Aboriginal communities in that location and in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland see no reason why they should submit to "whitefella law".The governments of the Northern Territory and Western Australia are investigating how autochthonal law can be incorporated into state law. Chris Sidoti of the Human Rights Council of Australia says "Some people would say that human rights runs opposite to Aboriginal law, others that it provides a universal bill to which other legal traditions must adapt. Customary law cant remain immutable. The problem for those trying to bring the two systems into line is that human rights law derives from a Hesperian legal tradition which frequently c ontradicts Aboriginal law.Colin McDonald, a Darwin barrister and expert in customary law, says that on such issues Australias legal system may simply have to bite the bullet and go against the norms of international human rights.Aboriginal women have often claimed that the law has been slanted to support the rights of indigenous men over women.Lowitja ODonoghue, who in one case chaired the governments Aboriginal affairs body ATSIC, believes that Australian law should be more aggressive in such cases. Some aspects of Aboriginal law are travel out of practice. Chris Sidoti believes that whatever balance is struck will be as distinct from handed-down European law as it is from traditional Aboriginal law. "For traditional people, being put in jail is more inhuman than spearing, and any unified law would have to recognise that. Aboriginal Customary LawThe gamy Court did, however, conclude in that case (a conclusion confirmed in WA v Commonwealth, Wororra Peoples v WA and Teddy Bi ljabu and others v WA, High Court, demo 16 1995) that some Aboriginal land law (that which attracted the status of native title) survived the colonisation process. What is far less certain is the fate of Aboriginal customary laws that were not implicated with title to land. Did traditional laws on subjects such as family relationships, title to goods, community justice mechanisms, inheritance and criminal law survive c... ...e necessary, and those laws which were to be applied could not be made applicable to all of the Aboriginal peoples but only to some.It would not be inconsistent with the principle of equality before the law that, where members of the Aboriginal race have special needs, those should be recognised by special rules laid down by the law. Further, the law is flexible enough to allow the courts to make the special situation of an Aboriginal party where that is relevant. As the courts have recognised, the sentencing of Aboriginal offenders presents particular diffi culties. Judges, in an attempt to do justice in discharging the difficult agency of sentencing tribal and semi-tribal Aboriginal persons, have gone further. Clearly the ordinary criminal law is capable of facing these difficulties. It is neither necessary, nor desirable, to apply to the Aboriginal peoples the rules of their customary law rather than the general law. The attempt to uphold Aboriginal customary law is one aspect of the notion that the Aboriginal peoples will benefit if they continue to be treated as a class separate from the rest of the community, which must necessarily be a dependent and disadvantaged class.

Essay --

Daisy Horne Ms. SoppeEnglish 10118 November 2013Abortion should be IllegalIn 2008, approximately 1.21 million miscarriages took place in the U.S. This proves many people have desensitized themselves by taking adult male lives. Also, within the last decade moral set have changed drastically. People have also lost a sense of responsibility. Irresponsibility has led from small actions to big ones, such as getting an abortion. popular women choose to throw their own child away. Christians feel that abortion is synonymous with killing a bread and butter. Every life is a special one. Every life contributes to a bigger picture but people have given numerous excuses to explain their actions. If a person goes directly to prison for murdering someone consequently it shouldnt be any different for a mother aborting her child. God doesnt give special rights to pregnant women to make abortion okay. Abortion is unacceptable, inhumane and an unethical practice that should be illegal.Many peopl e arent even aware of what an abortion really is. An abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. There are two types of abortion, medical abortion and surgical abortion. A medical abortion involves taking the drug mifepristone often called the abortion pill. A woman seeking a medical abortion can obtain one through doctors or through a medical office. Whichever way an abortion procedure is performed it is still wrong and cruel (Lowen 1).Its personally known that some international ministries have built orphanages because of the lack of children to adopt. One international ministry solely recently rescued 8 boys from slavery in Ghana, Africa. Ministries, organizations, and companies globally look for ways to promote a healthy living for young babies. Even i... ... from What Does the sacred scripture Say About Abortion? Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 13 May 2013. Hernandez, Barbara. Rape Justifies Abortion. Abortion. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 13 May 2013.ProCon.org. Abortion ProCon.org. ProCon.org. 8 May 2013. Web. 13 May. 2013.Smith, Mailee R. Parents Have a Right to Know About Teen Abortion. Teens and Privacy. Ed. Nol Merino. Detroit Greenhaven Press, 2011. Current Controversies. Rpt. from Parental Involvement Laws Protecting bush league and Parental Rights. Defending Life 2009. Americans United for Life, 2009. 177-179.Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 13 May 2013.Stacey, Dawn, M.Ed., LMHC. About Abortion - Abortion Procedures. About.com Contraception. 3 August 2009.The Holy Bible. Wheaton, Illinois Good News, 2011. Print.

Harshness and Cruelty in Streetcar Named Desire :: Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

One of the main themes expressed by Tennessee Williams in his play, A StreetcarNamed Desire, is to condemn those who display stiffness and harshness in theirtreatment of others, especially those who are weak and vulnerable. Threecharacters who demonstrate these insensitive qualities are Blanche, Mitch, andStanley. Whether the cruelty is deliberate or not, it results in thedestruction of others, both physically and mentally. Blanche Dubois, the central victim of mistreatment in the play, was herself,dealing out her share of insensitivities during her younger days. When Blanchewas 16, she had a in truth handsome caramel brown named Allan Gray. She was very much inlove with him and decided to marry him. But by total surprise one night,Blanche found her lover in bed with another man. She tried to pretend thatnothing had happened. However, she was unable to hold what she saw inside, andtold Allan I saw, I know, you disgust me( p.96). To Allan, Blanche seemed tobe a psyche who accepted him for who he was in a society where homosexuals arediscriminated against. What Blanche said completely devastated Allan and hefound no reason to continue living. Although Blanche had no intentions of hurting Allan, enough damage was done to prompt Allan to shoot himself, his mindand body destroyed. The harsh treatment dealt by Mitch to Blanche near the end of the play isstrikingly homogeneous to Blanches treatment of Allan Gray. Mitch is a friend ofStanleys whom Blanche falls for during her visit to New Orleans. Therelationship between Blanche and Mitch had been developing steadily. Bothcharacters felt the need to settle down in life and both saw the image ofmarriage at the outcome of their relationship. It did seem as though the imagewould become reality, until Stan interfered. Stan filled Mitchs mind with disapproving stories of Blanches checkered past and the relationship quicklyturned sour. Mitch had not believed Stan at first, but when he receivedconfirmation of the truth to Stans accusations, he became heart-broken andenraged. Mitch goes to confront Blanche personally and accuses her of being aprostitute and lying to him. Mitch also says that Blanche is hiding something,as he has never seen her in broad daylight. He then tears the report card lantern offthe light bulb, representing a tearing away of Blanches shield from realism.Blanche admits to the accusations but reasons that she has changed her ways andnever did lie in her heart. Mitch appears to forgive her as he goes to pamperBlanche. But in the midst of the embrace, Mitch blurts out, Youre not clean

Harshness and Cruelty in Streetcar Named Desire :: Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

One of the main themes expressed by Tennessee Williams in his play, A StreetcarNamed Desire, is to condemn those who exhibit cruelty and harshness in theirtreatment of others, especially those who are weak and vulnerable. Threecharacters who demonstrate these insensitive qualities are Blanche, Mitch, andStanley. Whether the cruelty is deliberate or not, it results in thedestruction of others, both physically and mentally. Blanche Dubois, the central victim of mistreatment in the play, was herself,dealing out her share of insensitivities during her younger days. When Blanchewas 16, she had a very handsome lover named Allan Gray. She was very much inlove with him and decided to marry him. But by total surprise one night,Blanche found her lover in bed with another(prenominal) man. She tried to pretend thatnothing had happened. However, she was unable to hold what she apothegm inside, andtold Allan I saw, I know, you disgust me( p.96). To Allan, Blanche seemed tobe a person who accept ed him for who he was in a society where homosexuals arediscriminated against. What Blanche said completely devastated Allan and hefound no reason to continue living. Although Blanche had no intentions ofhurting Allan, enough damage was do to prompt Allan to shoot himself, his mindand body destroyed. The harsh treatment dealt by Mitch to Blanche near the end of the play isstrikingly similar to Blanches treatment of Allan Gray. Mitch is a helper ofStanleys whom Blanche falls for during her visit to New Orleans. Therelationship between Blanche and Mitch had been developing steadily. Bothcharacters felt the need to settle down in life and both saw the image ofmarriage at the outcome of their relationship. It did seem as though the imagewould become reality, until Stan interfered. Stan filled Mitchs mind withunfavourable stories of Blanches checkered past and the relationship quicklyturned sour. Mitch had not believed Stan at first, but when he receivedconfirmation of the truth to Sta ns accusations, he became heart-broken andenraged. Mitch goes to confront Blanche personally and accuses her of being a ill-use and lying to him. Mitch also says that Blanche is hiding something,as he has never seen her in broad daylight. He then tears the paper lantern offthe light bulb, representing a tearing away of Blanches shield from realism.Blanche admits to the accusations but reasons that she has changed her ways andnever did lie in her heart. Mitch appears to forgive her as he goes to kissBlanche. But in the midst of the embrace, Mitch blurts out, Youre not clean

Control and college students Essay

venue of maintain refers to an individuals perception about the underlying main causes of events in his or her invigoration either in general or in specific ar such as health or academics. This basically implies our thoughts control our actions, when this executive lick of thinking is realized it positively affects our smells, motivation and academic performance. It bunghole be interior where a person believes that they control themselves or external that they are controlled by their environment, some nobleer power or other large number control them.If a person has an congenital locale of control, that person attri thates his advantage to his efforts and abilities. The development of locale of control stems from family, culture and the past experiences that leads to rewards. Most internals come from families that localizeed on efforts, education and responsibility. On the other hand eternal come from families of low well-disposed economic status where there is a lack of mannersspan control. Developing an external locale of control is an adaptive response to living in lengthen circumstances without control.Research has shown that people are akinly to develop internal venue of control if they life in family environments characterized by warmth, protection and nurturance. It may non a surprise that people who grow faced trauma or are living with right now go through external locus of control. Locus of control influences the life of an individual in all aspects academically, socially and also financially. These are the determinants of the quality of life. Locus of control and college studentsAcademically, a person who expects to pass leave behind be motivated to make up ones mind give seek in formation and likely to have good study habits and a positive academic attitude. A person with an external locus of control attributes his mastery to luck or fate and makes less effort to learn. He will experience anxiety because he believes he is not in control of his life. The students with an internal locus of control have better adjustments to college in term of academic achievement and social adjustment. This is caused by a fast inner being and the understanding that he has an upper hand in his life.They are able to live with people from all walks of life because they know what heap affect them is the decisions they themselves make. They are not subject to the ideas of the multitudes they are able to put a clear distinction between what they want in life and what the society dictates to them (Njus & Brockway, 1999). A study found that college students with a high internal locus of control did well in distance schooling. They enjoy learning situations that require a certain amount of independence from the learner.They are able to put effort in their studies because they believe they can make it no consider the situations they face. This inner drive and self confidence in these students motivates them to do even better though they have to work extra hard (Dille & Mezack, 1991). For students with an internal locus of control, they must attribute their success to their efforts. They have to develop an individualized learning plan that includes their goals and how to achieve them. It also contains a time frame and the outcome they expect.On the other hand students with an external locus control, they were likely to withdraw from their courses. They are also correlated with failure though it may not be rattling significant. These students need a lot of encouragement and guidance from the tutors. This makes their success a matter of combined efforts with the reluctance of the tutor these students face difficulties in finding success which is highly affected and threatened (Pugliese, 1994). Female college students are more inclined to channel responsibility for failure.Male students tend to attribute their failure to external or unstable causes while the young-bearing(prenominal) attributes their f ailure to internal causes which appears to be an over simplification. Female students are fond of blaming themselves on issues of failure more compared to male students. This has been know to cause stress during exams and a lot of tension which affects their performance negatively. Male students have been found to associate their failure to lack of efforts more as compared to female students. Locus of control is highly associated with stress levels, emotional resilience and need for achievement.Locus of control cannot be separated from the ability to be embarrassed. Differences in distraction are highly determined by the locus of control. Embarrassment is a form of social anxiety that occurs when a persons public identity element in a particular situation is threatened. The individuals possessing an internal locus of control have a higher embarassability than those with an external locus. The individuals with internal locus of control take e reallything that happens to them upon t hemselves hence their failures are points of much embarrassments (Robinson 1991).Deeming control over events in ones life may not led to a superior lifestyle. When an individual tries to change a situation that is unchangeable it causes frustration, disappointment, and depression. When the forces from outside takes the control of behavior consequences, the most realistic and healthy approach is an external orientation (Hock, 2001). In the light of this matter people with an internal locus of control will feel they control the events that occur in their live. It is possible that the responsibility of controlling what happens will turn to guilt when hateful situations arise.This will cause this individuals play there games cool and also be very careful with the decisions they make for the fear of being embarrassed (Hock, 2001). The students with an internal locus of control have high levels of personal responsibilities and are likely to experience many changes of interest. This will be due to fear of failure because mostly they never come in to terms with failure. As long as these individuals are internally motivated and convinced that whatever they want to engage in will make their ego or self esteem increase they will go for it.Out of a research it was found that internal locus of control positively relates to confidence, behavior intent and actual behavior concerning weight loss. If these individuals believe that smoking would their weight prohibiting weight gain, appetite change, and reduced weight they would opt to go for it (Holt, Clark, and Kreutzer, 2001). The internal focus of control and the family structure it also appears to be reasonable to believe that career goals and reasonable behavior are signs of adjustment.There is a ratiocination that students who become leaders might aspire to more prestigious careers that might further testify to their psychological and social adjustment. The purpose of the study was also to apportion the question of th e variables that are related to the leadership behavior which seems to clearly signify the adjustment. There was an assessment of independent and combined esteem of self esteem of focus control carrier goals leadership behavior and family structure. Those students who were identified being high in leadership potential seemed to be higher in self esteem.Had internal focus of control and would have more carrier aspirations and would have two biological parent family compared to those who had an external focus of control (Haworth & Iso-Ahola, 1997). Almost every college or university claims that their campus has a beverage problem. More police may be released during the evening hours so as to discourage drinking among students. Programs are implemented trying to instruct students about safe ways to drink alcohol and to recognize alcohol related problems. In all these situations the campus and the students try to reduce the behavior of drinking.When discussing norms one should narrow down between descriptive norms and the inductive norms. The descriptive norms describe actual behavior e. g. the behavior of drinking alcoholic beverages. An inductive norm would represent approval of the drinking behavior. In 2003 Borsari and Bosari had conducted meta-analysis concerning the effects of inductive norms along with the normative norms in relation to drinking behaviors in college and any other discrepancies, which involves the differences in beliefs between self and judgments of others (Haworth & Iso-Ahola, 1997). individual with an internal locus of control will most likely believe in working to be a good person so that they can reach a higher spiritual state. It has been seen that college students with high level of religiosity also have high academic achievements and are mostly those with in internal locus of control. Believing in the faith influences everyday life and perception of being a good student which has vast implications to locus of control. External loc us of control has been described as individuals attributing life events to luck, fate or external forces.In deed external locus of control has been found to correlate with belief in superstitious phenomena. Locus of control, optimism and self esteem are good indicators of well being. People with high internal locus of control tend to be happier and able to deal with life difficulties in a healthier way. People with low self esteem will tend to explain any success they have by attributing it to luck rather than their own abilities. While those with high self esteem will associate it to qualities within themselves. It can be attributed with the detail that they make decisions and they are ready to pay the cost for the consequences.The students with an internal locus of control are able to adjust to changes and can modify their way of life to suit the current environment to prevent the environment from dictating the outcome of their efforts. People with internal locus of control spend much time focusing in the positive things and can take risk to self disclosure. They will always appear confident and persuasive they are very out spoken and have a lot of influence to the rest of the students. Their ideal seems always superior and they will force them into actions.They are more innovative in efforts to attain more fame out of their achievements. They are risk takers in all fields that can make them acquire fame and priority. They are focused and mostly have a very liberal way of life. They plan ahead mostly they appear stress free but they are highly affected by things fame and excellence but not other aspects of life (Haworth. buns & Iso-Ahola. S (1997). Students with an external locus of control, because of locating their control outside themselves, those students with external locus control feel that they have less control over their fate.These college students tend to be more stressed and are prone to clinical depression. With internals they exhibit two essen tial characteristics which are the high achievement motivation and low-directedness. This basis of the locus of control was proposed by Rotter in 1966 (Baum, 1997). Rotters undimensionality has been challenged by Levension who argued that different dimensions of locus of control like the belief that events in ones life are self-determined are chance based and organized by others. Locus of control has impact upon smoking behavior among college students.A study indicated that, smokers who tend to resume smoking after are among college students who have external locus of control. Those students who persistently avoid cigarettes believe that they have a great power of control over their lives compared to those who resume smoking (Baum, 1997). Disability among the students can be associated to development of external locus of control. This is accelerated by impairment, where it affects individuals ability to cope with daily activities. This implies those able to handle their daily activi ties can develop internal locus of control.Acknowledgement of their conditions and contentment with what the can achieve in their conditions builds an internal locus of control. This increases with appreciation and encouragement from the entire society. Locus of control has a lot of influences on sexual behaviors of college students. Individuals with external locus of control are more likely to involve themselves sin more risky sexual practices. Conclusion Academically, a person who expects to pass will be motivated to learn will seek in formation and likely to have good study habits and a positive academic attitude.A person with an external locus of control attributes his success to luck or fate and makes less effort to learn. He will experience anxiety because he believes he is not in control of his life. The students with an internal locus of control have better adjustments to college in term of academic achievement and social adjustment. This is cause by a strong inner being and the understanding that he has an upper hand in his life. They are able to live with people from all walks of life because they know what can affect them is the decisions they themselves make (Viorst, 1999).ReferenceBaum Andrew (1997) Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine ISBN 0521436869, Cambridge University Press. Dille, B. & Mezack, M. (1991) Identifying predictors of high risk among community college telecourse students. American Journal of Distance Education 5 (1), 24-35. Haworth. John & Iso-Ahola. S (1997) Work, Leisure and Well-being ISBN 0415017033, Routledge. Hock, H. R. (2001) Forty Studies that Changed Psychology (4th ed). New Jersey Prentice Hall. Holt, C. L. , Clark, E. M. , & Kreuter, M. W. (2001) Weight locus of control and weightrelated attitudes and behaviors in an overweight population.Addictive Behaviors, 26, 329-340. Njus, D. M. & Brockway, J. H. (1999) Perceptions of competence and locus of control for positive and negative outcomes. Personality and Individual Differences 26, 531-548. Pugliese, R. R. (1994) Telecourse persistence and psychological variables. American Journal of Distance Education, 8 3, 22-39. Robinson, J. P. (1991) Measure of Personality and complaisant Psychological Attitudes. San Diego Academic Press Viorst Judith (1999) Imperfect Control Our Lifelong Struggles with Power and Surrender ISBN 0684848147, Simon & Schuster.

Three in the Middle: the Experience of Making Change

little faulting, founded in 1937 and acquired by H mavenywell Inc. in 1950, is a breakdown that has long been known as an innovative industry attractor in switches, sensors and manual controls. During the transition from electro-mechanical to electronic and solid state, Micro Switch enlisted the assistance of 49 course of study Honeywell employee to maintain their competitive edge within an constantly changing grocery.With an internal shake up intended to preserve the organizations reputation, as well as improve their downward decline, middle managers ar left to ponder if both(prenominal)thing had gone wrong, or as this the way a successful swop was supposed to feel (Lenan, S nonation, 2008, pg. 194, para. 1). Case Summary and Problem comment Economic issues began arising during the switch from electro-mechanical to electronic and solid state during the late 1970s and early 1980s.The apparent regression was in full force by 1985 and it took twain years of plummeting for Micro Switch to enlist the help of Ramon radiate Alvarez in 1897. Alvarez had effectd a significant track record for himself and thus reinforced this decision. He had non only been a Honeywell employee for 49 years, unless also a history of turning around two otherwise Honeywell surgical incisions. Alvarez developed a three year plan to non only reignite Micro Switchs competitive edge, but to also facilitate carrying into action excellence.Despite his reputation for being psychologic totallyy intimidating, Alvarez was able to move cautiously enough in the beginning to gain support from senior managers, but did non necessarily shape the tone for itemory workers and degrade level employees. In this three year plan, Alvarez devised three different strategies to go about achieving this mission. First was to create a mission tilt as well as a new vision growth through quality solutions to customer needs (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 194, para 3).Second, was to establish a princ ipled annual strategic planning process that allowed Micro Switch to become more competitive, quicker to respond, and monetarily savvy. Third was the development of APEX, Achieve Performance Excellence, a sit around that would non only act as the focal point of this change, but would allow Alvarez to continue to fine tune Micro Switchs strategies during subsequently years. In its initiative year APEX was intended to encourage nearly 4,000 employees that the change was an urgent matter, and increasingly more necessary than ever before.APEX think on giving employees specific ways to strive for quality and distinction by creating an employee suggestion system, as well as awards for employees that met performance objectives. Quality and performance was the heart of this transition and by 1990, APEX became much more sophisticated. The structure Block Councils was developed during this time and was comprised of an arrangement of committees and councils. Their primary objective was t o encourage division wide involvement in a variety of strategic areas by creating six councils that use new standards to their designated area.These areas were the customer satisfaction council, quality council, goals council, awareness council, fostering council, and recognition council. Upon reading the observations of three high level managers who also served as chairs on many of the new councils, it becomes evident that the plan brought forth by Ray Alvarez in fact had many little(a) comings. The first three year plan focused on symptoms not actual calling and according to bend Rowe, another Micro Switch music director, the easy changes had already been made.Now the company had to tackle deeply ingrained behaviors and processes which were holding the division back from reaching its goals (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 200). Alvarez in many ways, did not focus on separating immediate symptoms from the actual underlying problems. Focusing on symptoms whitethorn achieve more appr oval in the beginning, but this will begin to dissipate once people realize that the basic core problem never went away.As indicated above, Alvarez did an exceptional job announcing the change, implementing APEX, and encouraging division wide involvement through Building Block Councils. That being said, the Building Block Councils focused around middle and higher level managers, not demean level employees, and thus lower level employees were not immediately included in the process. This would later change as Deb Massof, a new director brought on by Alvarez and often seen as an outsider, tirelessly attempted to encourage employee involvement. Massofs initial utcasting was the symptom of an underlying culture clash problem that should feature been dealt with indemnify away. When trying to have meetings to get employees involved in the strategic planning process, Massof asserts that she just got blank stares from employees. Lower level employees should have been informed that some t hings were vent to change according to Massofs account, it appears as though no one ever actually told them they would be doing away with the top down approach. This may have been hindrance in this situation.If this change had been formally communicated, just by some employees hearing this, their involvement and productivity may have increased significantly. collectible to the fact that prior to Alvarez, Micro Switch operated under a top-down bureaucratic management structure, and he should have considered that Micro Switch had likely attracted employees that had not only accepted this, but became increasingly comfortable with that approach, as well. However, they did not anticipate this, and this led to a owing(p) deal of resistance to the change itself.Massof has indicated that she was lastly successful in developing cross functional business teams, but states that initially thinking independently was exceptionally unusual for nearly all of the employees and roughly of them co uldnt even comprehend wherefore they were being pressed to do so. Communication of expectations and really communication in general could have improved the capacity of this situation vastly and could have got lower level employees on board a lot quicker.Case and point, Massof stated that in July of 1990, her unit completed their indorsement strategic plan with no complaining, and brought a new level of skill and detail to the task (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 202, para. 3). In addition to this, they were also able to establish benchmarks during their back strategic plan. Measurability is an essential aspect of the change process and yet Ellis Stewart, another Micro Switch director, indicated that his team felt as though they were not able to see any of their progress despite their efforts. What we need is some growth to take advantage of all the work weve done (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 204, para. 2).Due to the fact that Stewarts business unit had not established any benchmarks, short term goals, or measurability to dilate short term wins, they had trouble maintaining motivation and upholding morale. The next underlying problem is the lack of direction. According to Massof, I do think people want to change. They do want to do good. But theyre real frustrated at not knowing what to change (Leban, Stone, 2008, pg. 200).Without actually saying it, Massof illustrated that there really was not a fruitful plan set in place, let alone one that included employees in the planning stages. Alvarez did a wonderful job creating a sense impression of urgency with Micro Switch directors, establishing a vision, and goals. The fundamental problem lied not within the why part, the why part was clearly understood. Rather, the main issue is that lower level employees were not steered in the right direction and obviously were not an integral part of the change process as they didnt even understand what they needed to change. starting with why is of course important, but the what aspect, arguably just as important if not more, is what actually sets people in the right direction. The next core problem is that the change implemented was not small and manageable. During Massof first 18 months with Micro Switch her highest priority in her business unit was making up for fifteen years of no investment and no new products to compensate for years of neglect and to start drawing people into both the revitalization process and periodical operations in ways they had never done before (Leban, Stone, 2008, pg. 01).This is hardly what one would consider a small manageable change Massofs business unit didnt even understand their own customers anymore. In addition, there was no use of a project manager or consultants to help them with market research, and thus no one to keep them on track and remind of what the goal actually was. Trying to gain support for the culture shift was a large problem during the change process, and although Alvarez often encouraged autonomy, this was not always the case.The new and improved Micro Switch was expected to perform with a sense of urgency and thus work was expected to be not only that of high quality, but done as quickly as possible. Ellis Stewart, head of Building Block Council on Training, swiftly and efficiently developed a new employee training program known as APEX College, and was reprimanded for acting without authorization. For change to be successful it is imperative there are no wavering expectations and mixed signals being sent and authority must be given with state. Review alternate(a) Courses of Action, Make Recommendations, and ImplementListed previously in the section above, are ten evident problems and in this section, each problem will be lumped together ground on similar underlying issues into five categories, reiterated and then recommendations will be made. 1. The initial focus was placed on symptoms not problems. Changes were not small and manageable. neediness of project manager, etc. F ocusing on underlying problems is a crucial step in the change process. Many organizations, who aim to change aspects of their business whether it is internally or externally, tend to focus on the symptoms because of their obviousness.Although as stated previously, tending to symptoms may gain more initial acceptance and approval, the change will elapse short in the end as the realization that nothing actually changed, sets in. My recommendation is to dig deep and not look for a band-aid solution, but quite an one that tackles deep rooted issues. I also think in this situation, bringing in outside assistance would be increasingly prudent. Analysts, project managers, and other like professionals generally have the ability to point out core, fundamental issues that have either been ignored or simply not accepted by the organization.Meaning that, many organizations suffer from certain issues that become the big elephant in the room that no one talks about, or its an elephant that onl y lower level employees see, but cannot point out due to the organizations management style. In the case at hand, it seems as though nearly all of Micro Switch employees didnt even realize many of the issues because they werent expected to, and thus because no one questioned it, it was never brought to anyones attention.This is precisely why I feel an outsider, who is actually hired and contracted to provide a service that points the underlying problems out would be extremely useful. . Communication was poor and employees were not told the culture was going to change. Employees were not actually an integral part of the change process, despite announcements stating otherwise. The tone of the change process was set, but employees had no direction. (What should be changed what shouldnt). drop of Clear Expectations. Communication is essential in many areas of life, and businesses are certainly not the exception. A successful change requires buy-in from staff, and this includes all diff ering levels of employees understanding their roles.In this case, my first recommendation would be to inform employees of how Micro Switch used to operate, very top down. By Alvarez simply assuming that employees knew that Micro Switch had previously operated under a Theory X type of management structure, he set a number of the employees within the organization up to fail before they could succeed. In some instances, this can be helpful, but in business when time is of the essence and truly invaluable, the stumble that occurred could have been prevented.The next step would be to illustrate what the new Micro Switch structure would look like. This is what is used to be, this what were changing, and these are the expectations, type of deal. Now, these things are important notions to communicate, but role understanding is where Micro Switch actually began to see a lot of issues. If employees do not understand what they need to be changing, what their roles are, and what the expectation s are, then the change cannot be implemented. Lastly, this should all be communicated verbally, and in writing.Each employee should receive a packet of information and be briefed over and over again about the upcoming changes. After it is made exceptionally clear, each employee should sign a waiver of sorts, indicating that they understand not only why the change is taking place, but more importantly, what their role is in the process, what is going to change, and what the expectations are related to their own job duties. Delegating tasks to help employees during this process is crucial, and therefore communication does not need to be administered by just one individual.Having a plan and communication that plan would help Micro Switch in terms of efficiency and gaining approval at a quicker rate. 3. opponent to the culture change imposed was not anticipated in advance. Massof indicated that Micro Switch was in a time warp and their extreme resistant to change was deeply ingrained in Micro Switchs culture. Resistance in contrast, to the previous issue listed above, is something that should have been assumed. In this case, my recommendation again, begins with communication.Considering the employees perspective and enquire them until face to face is a question that should be tackled initially to help develop a plan to fill in perception gaps. Resistance is not always a bad thing and in the case at hand, anticipating this could have helped Alvarez really communicate what was going to be changed, thus making the capital punishment process a lot smoother. After this, tracking perception is vital and although Alvarez attempted to have employee feedback system, it did function in an efficient manner.Not a coarse deal of information was give about the system, which leads me to believe that it was not very thought out. Resistance can be caused by a lack of understanding, not necessarily disapproval and this proved to be true in this case. 4. Lack of measurability. In any change, measurability is a key factor. My recommendation would be to create project goals and use the scorecard approach. Alvarez did a great job dealing with education, but only dealt with part of the performance aspects.The development of APEX should just be starting point, but how will Micro Switch know if its successful if its not measured and tested. I would also implement short term goals to prevent loss in momentum, as stated by Ellis previously, employees at all levels need to see growth. This is illustrated through measurability. 5. Lack of authority with responsibility Successful change must be driven by support from top management, involve employees and project managers. I would begin by using a combination of Change Theories E and O thus accepting the paradox between hard side of change and the soft side change.Alvarez left a lot of gaps in his plan, and most his plan involved the softer, internal side of the organization. This issue ties a lot into communication, clear guidelines, and concise expectations however, it is still important adduce on its own due to the account given earlier by Stewart. Follow-up and Evaluate In order to evaluate this process, I would focus in the beginning on the balanced scorecard approach. This strategic management system enables organizations to focus on their vision, schema and their measurement.Balanced scorecards also offer a structure for communicating how employees are expected to execute the strategy. Micro Switch employees at various levels felt they had nothing to show for their work. This technique could have cleared up a lot of confusion during the Micro Switch change and increased their efficiency exponentially. In addition to the clarity provided, this system would also illustrate their progress in tangible terms. This process includes four different areas of measurement, financial, customer, internal operations, and learning and growth.Therefore, this measurement system should satisfy the need s of employees at various levels and shareholders well, because as its title indicates, its well balanced. This approach indicates that although financial measurements are of extreme importance, they cannot take the place of intangible assets. Following the guidelines of the balanced scorecard approach from this point, I would make the strategy explicit, choose the measures, define and refine, and deal with people. Once these have been established, the work needs to be divided up into two interfaces, differentiation and integration.Differentiation refers to the degree of law of similarity or difference represented by the design of the work unitsthe way an organization coordinates the work across work-units is the integration (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 66). Conclusion Although Alvarez did implement some great ideas during the beginning of his time at Micro Switch, the shakeup led many middle managers to ponder if something had gone wrong. In the end, its not necessarily that anything i mplemented had gone array, but rather that there were many gaps in the planning that needed to be filled in.Initially, this wasnt as evident but as excitement began to dissipate and employees struggled to understand what their new roles were within the organization, the holes in the plan became clearly evident. Developing APEX set Micro Switch on the right track, but left a lot to be desired with the way things were handled (or not handled) internally. By merely adding communication, a project manager, goals, and measurements, Micro Switch employees at various levels would have likely felt a lot more optimistic with the end result.

Project Management Life Cycle Essay

Four Steps of Project focusing vivification CycleProject Management Life Cycle is a separation for a spue. tally to Ms. Cuis research, managers can separate a whole go through to some go and connect those steps with proposal operation the sum of all those steps ar project focal point life pass (Cui, 2011). at that place are four components in project management life rhythm, which are period requirement, project stages, project task and project result. Generally, because the unpredictability of project, project management life cycle often uses time dimension to control and evaluate the project (Cui, 2011). There are galore(postnominal) ship canal to separate project life cycle into steps. Project Management Institute in United States (PMI) separates the project life cycle into three steps beginning stage, medium stage and final stage (Cui, 2011).Chinese Project Management Body of Knowledge (C-PMBOK) separates the project life cycle into four steps Conception Phase, Devel opment Phase, Implementation Phase and lowest Phase. Though those two standards have some differences, both of them separate a project into many steps in order to survey and control the operation of project. In my opinion, the standard of C-PMBOK is better than the standard of PMI. C-PMBOKs standard is not still found on time dimension except also based on activity dimension. C-PMBOK demonstrates the eventful bespeak for each stage. However, the standard of PMI is only based on time dimension and fails to demonstrate aims of stages. (1) Conception PhaseIn this step, the project practitioner should try his or her best to clarify the core mission, the clients demand, the aim and the definition of his or her project. In business, project practitioners may send a Request for Proposal (RFP) to customers. According to the feedback of RFP, project practitioner pass on make a basic concept for his or her project. Feasibility report and project design are two necessary documents in th is step. (2) Development PhaseIn this step, project practitioner should make the detail plan for the whole project and discuss this plan with customers. This step is the last step before the project will be put into practice. Not only a plan, a scheduling duration should be set up for next stage. In addition, project practitioner should excogitate the team and arrange works. (3) Implementation PhaseIn this step, the project is implemented. Project team should works as the project plan and ensure all phased aims achieved. (4) Final PhaseAfter Implementation Phase, the work of the project is finished. However, finishing all works does not means that the whole project finishes. In this step, some important work still should be done. For example, in trading business project, project practitioner should check out whether the goods are delivered to correct client and whether all invoices are paid in time. In addition, the feedback from clients and the lesson learned are both should be do ne in this step. People should understand that those steps above are a general method to separate the project life cycle. Both standards of C-PMBOK and PMI are guides rather than practical ways. In different industries, most of managers will use those ways to separate manage their projects.However, according to the different characters of industries, managers separate their project based on their different needs. For Instance, in urban construction industry, Morris Model is widely employ in project management life cycle (Dong & Wang, 2010). Morris Model separates the project life cycle into four steps, which is same as general method. However, steps in Morris Model demonstrate the characters of urban construction industry Feasibility step, urban planning and designing, building step and putting into use step (Dong & Wang, 2010). The Ways to respect and Control the ProjectTo ensure the project operating well and on time, the ways to evaluate and control are important. In current pr oject management life cycle theory, three concepts are introduced to managers, which are used to evaluate the project operation. (1) CheckpointCheckpoint is a specific time point. Managers will set up many checkpoints in each steps of project life cycle. Every checkpoint will have a specific time span with another one. Manager will compare the situation of project operation with project plan to check whether or not the project is on track. For example, when China Merchants Bank designed their peeled system, the manager of IT department set a checkpoint every two week to evaluate whether this employees finished their work as project plan that is 1000 lines electronic computer programs per week. (2) MilestoneMilestone is a specific time point, too. However, different with checkpoint, the project will be evaluated not only whether the time schedule is okay but also whether the quality and goal requirements are achieved on milestone. Milestone will be set after a stage work finish. In a step of project life cycle, there will be many checkpoints but only few milestones. (3) BaselineBaseline is a kind of superfluous milestone. The stage work before a baseline will be the basis of the stage work after this baseline. For example, when airplane company designs a innovative plane, engine design and tune up will be a stage work followed by a baseline because of three reasons. First, the engine design and tuning should be finish in time because the fly test cannot be done without engine. Second, the quality of engine design and tune is the core element of the base hit of test. Third, the engine design will be one of basics of next stage work plane tuning. When manager set checkpoint, milestone and baseline, they need to delve carefully. If thetime spans between them are too short, the evaluation will be meaningless. However, if time spans are too long, mistakes will accumulate too many and in effect(p) to be fixed and rescued. Managers should try to ensure the pr oject is operating as schedule. If missing the checkpoint, milestone or baseline, managers need to fix their plan to chase the time expected schedule, or the project might be delay or failed on quality.ReferenceGray, C. F., & Larson, E. W. (2000). Project Management The Managerial Process. Boston Irwin/McGraw-Hill, c2000. Project Life Cycle. (2010). Retrieved from http//wiki.mbalib.com/wiki/%E9%A1%B9%E7%9B%AE%E7%94%9F%E5%91%BD%E5%91%A8%E6%9C%9F Dong, W., & Wang, J. (2010). The Project Management Life Cycle of Urban Construction Based on Parallel Engineering. Urban Construction. 4(69). 161-162. Retrieved from http//doc.mbalib.com/ attitude/72774efdf93f3360debc6fa5f66edfd8.html Miao, Z. (2012). The Management of Core Stage of PDM Project Life Cycle. E-Work. Retrieved from http//doc.mbalib.com/view/d1b58b855dd0dc9998b3ee7d4899a771.html Cui, L. (2011). The Optimization Research of Project Management of Graduate Student Research Project. Journal of Guangxi University. Retrieved from http //doc.mbalib.com/view/c6c150395dca43e5a5755d199261d8b5.html

Performance Management and Executive Compensation Essay

IntroductionIn the history of modern economies, from the late 1800s to today businesses declare faced good challenges regarding honorarium for executives and its relation to job per fashion modelance. In response to major economic crises during the 20th century, the United States enacted broad-based legislation criterions as attempts to prevent what were seen as ethical challenges and agency conflicts surrounding both performance management and executive compensation.To understand the current issues facing businesses and regulators, it is important to look at three of just about significant legislative acts Congress has passed. The Securities Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934, as well as the SarbanesOxley Act of 2002 represent legislative interventions regarding corporate fiscal accounting toward the goal of curtailing the ethical challenges and the conflict of agency problems that can formulate from performance management and executive compensation. Yet even after these laws we re enacted, ethical conflicts can and tacit do arise when it comes to the compensation for employers and executives.Securities Act of 1933The Securities Act of 1933 was born in response to the stock market crash of 1929. Just as it was then, companies who issue securities to raise money for monetary support new investments or to expand operations have an inherent incentive to present their company and its plans in the rosiest light possible to investors (Sarkar, 2013).The Securities Act of 1933 serves the dual design of ensuring that issuers of securities to the public disclose material discipline to investors as well as ensuring that any securities proceeding are not based on fraudulent information or practices (Sarkar, 2013). The Securities Act of 1933 affects public disclosures through a mandatory registration process for sellers and brokers and applies to the sale or trade of any regulated security typeface (Sarkar, 2013).Securities Act of 1934 (a.k.a. the Exchange Act)The Exchange Act primarily regulates transactions of securities that view as place after its initial offering by a company (Sarkar, 2013). These transactions lots take place between parties other than the issuer, such as through trades that retail investors execute via brokerage firms (Sarkar, 2013). The biggest effect of The Exchange Act was the basis of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a federal agency responsible for regulating the securities markets (Sarkar, 2013). Since 1934, the SEC has taken on the role of mitigating fraud, ab spend, and other ethical issues in the pecuniary reporting of publicly traded entities.Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002The Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002 was the most significant legislation passed since the 1930s and came in the aftermath of the corporate scandals at companies such as Enron, WorldCom, and Arthur Andersen (Amadeo, 2013). Sarbanes-Oxley created the general Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a new organization whose pu rpose is to help oversee the accounting industry (Amadeo, 2013). To prevent the sort of conflicts of refer that had led to the Enron fraud, SOX established new prohibitions for auditors when engaging in consultation work for their auditing clients. It too banned company loans to executives and gave increased job encourageions to whistleblowers (Amadeo, 2013).Performance Management and decision narkr CompensationEven after the passing of the Securities and Exchanges Acts of 1933 and 1934 and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, in that respect are reasons to be concerned about ethical violations in financial accounting. Two areas where there still exist possibilities for unethical activity which could harm the supply of reliable information to investors are the performance management within a company and the compensation packages of executives.Current Ethical ChallengesWhen evaluating situations to support ethical decision-making, one must first identify the ethical problems as they arise (Eldenburg, 2005). Performance measurements are most often measured in terms of time or financial figures how long or how much. When selecting a new CEO, the board of directors is required to offer a financial package that is both lucrative enough to attract the most qualified individual and yet also appears fair to other ranking executives of the company. Such financial packages need to be approved by the major shareholders when the salary will impact the companys financial reports. During an economic recession, firms whitethorn significantly downsize their workforce as well as benefits and labor rates employees receive, yet often find themselves contractually obligated to hand-out large bonuses and increasing salaries for their executives.This is potentially a major ethical issue for a company and its executives, with the fibers of the company being reduced while executives are earning more and more even though the firm is struggling. CEOs at the countrys 200 largest com panies earned an average of 20 percent more last year than in 2009, according to recent corporate filings. By comparison, average pay for workers in the private sector rose just 2.1 percent last yearnearly the smallest increase in decades (Harkinson, 2011).It is also not unheard of for CEOs to be forced to step down while still receiving their lucrative compensation packages only to also be given a freehanded golden parachute as they leave. Excesses like this can have detrimental effects on employee morale as the majority of the company often consists of those earning the least. Boards of directors should take into consideration the financial standing of the firm before they offer an over-the-top compensation package to a CEO.As an illustration of the contrary, Steve Jobs volunteered to work at orchard apple tree for a salary of only $1 per year A regulatory filing shows Apple CEO Steve Jobs compensation package remained the usual $1 in fiscal 2010 as is customary, Jobs got no bonu s or perk (Steve Jobs, n.d.). In terms of ethical challenges and executive compensation, Jobs proved by his example that it is possible to bewilder the company first even if that meant earning a salary of $1. CEOs do not often have to settle for such low salaries to show leadership and comradeliness however, accepting less exorbitant amounts can help avoid accusations of greed and impropriety altogether.Current Agency IssuesPrincipals hire brokers to make decisions for them and to act in their behalf (Eldenburg, & Wolcott, 2005, pp. 591). Often, agents may go on to hire agents of their own, delegating authority and establishing sub-units known as responsibility totals which can decentralize decision-making and accountability. A particularly special case of the principal-agent consanguinity involves the executives of companies who are effectively agents of the shareholders selected to run the company. Four common types of responsibility centers are cost centers, revenue centers , profit centers, and investment centers. (Eldenburg & Wolcott, 2005, pp. 595)Those agents who possess decision-making authority over a responsibility center use demographic financial data provided by the accountants for budgets and reviews of sales, profits/losses, value appraisals, and costs. Accountant and audit provided information is used to evaluate and measure performance, monitor the effectiveness of managers, reward performance, and influence decisions. (Eldenburg & Wolcot, 2005) The audit information accountants prepare and present is vital to the principal/agent relationship and performance measurement, but also has its costs. The primary challenge presented by the principal/agent relationship concerns the high level of pressure to perform that an agent can experience in the form of the agents compensation.Money, as well as other forms of compensation such as bonuses and stock options, increased authority, and ownership expectations are direct motivators of challenges to the ethical foundation of agent performance. When principals evaluate the performance of agents, their decisions are likely to be based on the same accounting information their agents also used. This common use provides a potential incentive for an agent to alter, falsify, or otherwise misrepresent certain data that principals receive.As decision-making authority is granted from a principle to an agent, the agents performance is evaluated to some degree from each authority level. Evaluating the effectiveness of the decisions made in each agency level or responsibility center is the core of measuring, monitoring, and motivating performance. Poor performance leads to a loss of decision-making authority, responsibilities, compensation, and other benefits within the entire principal-agent structure. Conversely, outstanding performance has the opposite effect and benefits everyone up the principal-agent ladder. goalThe Securities Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934 are essential because of th eir transparency as spelled out in their objectives, and for providing prospective investors detailed information about investment decisions. Their main purpose was to protect shareholders from misrepresentation and scam in the selling of security. The Acts mandated that securities sold to the public within the United States of America must be listed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Later, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) was established to make sure that CFOs and CEOs authenticate and approve the financial reporting of their companies. Despite these monumental pieces of regulation, which resulted in the creation of two separate oversight agencies, there are still situations susceptible to ethical challenges and agency issues particularly concerning performance management and executive compensation.ReferencesAmadeo, K 2013. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Retrieved from http//useconomy.about.com/od/themarkets/p/sarbanes-oxley.htmEldenburg, L. & Wolcott, S. (2005). Cost ma nagement Measuring, monitoring, and motivating performance, (1st ed). Hoboken, NJ John Wiley & Sons.Harkinson, J. (2011). Americas 10 Most Overpaid CEOs. Retrieved from http//www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/10-most-ridiculously-overpaid-ceosMcConnell, C., & Brue, S. (2005). Economics principles, problems and policies (16th ed.). New York McGraw-Hill.Sarkar, D 2013. Securities Act. Retrieved from http//www.law.cornell.edu/wex/securities_act_of_1933Steve Jobs again earned $1 for work. (n.d.). Retrieved from http//www.timesleader.com/stories/Steve-Jobs-again-earned-1-for-work-at-A,115771

The Legend of the Pearl

Once upon a time, there was a butterfly who was so wretched and lonely that he did not want to live anymore. As he stood, genuinely depressed, on the sea-shore, thinking about the uselessness of his life, he heard a soft, clear voice beside him. Good morning. Who are you? The voice asked. Im a butterfly, but who are you? A speaking stone? I dont believe it The voice replied. Im not a stone. Im a shell, an oyster Im a living being just like you are. Would you like to be my friend? The butterfly asked. I have no friends, and Im very unhappy because nobody loves me. I want to die in the sea. I dont want you to die, said the shell. I am just as lonely and sad as you, and I too have never known what it is like to be loved, but, now that you are here neither of us is alone. encumbrance with me, be my winged prince and tell me all about the things that you have seen in the world things that the eyes of a daughter-of-the sea will never see. The butterfly stayed at the shells side a nd they grew to love each other, more than anyone could ever imagine.The butterfly had collected all the colours in the world in his wings and he gave them, as a bouquet, to his sweetheart, while the shell gave, as her gift from the sea, all the mysterious whispers of the deep. Their joy was short-lived, as butterflies have a shorter lifespan than shells, and when the butterfly died, the shell interred him in the sand. Then she cried and cried so much that she died of her sadness, and was dissolved by her tears. Next morning, on a small mound of sand, marked with a coral cross, appeared the very first pearl, made from the tears of the shell, the colours from the butterflys wings and their love. The End

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 18. There Are No Words For This.

18. thither Are No Words For This.Bellas ashes, streaming with red, started to twitch, jerking around in Rosalies arms bid she was beingelectrocuted. All the while, her instance was blank unconscious. It was the wild thrashing from inside the center of her body that moved her. As she convulsed, sharp snaps and cracks unploughed time with the spasms.Rosalie and Edward were frozen for the shortest half succor, and whence they broke. Rosalie whipped Bellas body into her arms, and, sh verbodecadeing so fast it was hard to separate the individual words, she and Edward shot up the st subscriber linecase to the second floor.I sprinted after them.Morphine Edward yelled at Rosalie.Alice get Carlisle on the ph single Rosalie screeched.The style I followed them to looked like an emergency ward set up in the middle of a library. The lights were brilliant and white. Bella was on a table under the glare, scratch up ghostly in the spotlight. Her body flopped, a fish on the sand. Rosalie p inned Bella trim dispirited, yanking and ripping her clothes out of the way, while Edward grokbed a syringe into her arm.How many times had I imagined her naked? Now I couldnt look. I was afraid to hold in these memories in my head.Whats happening, Edward?Hes suffocatingThe interposenta must backpack for detachedSomewhere in this, Bella came around. She responded to their words with a shriek that clawed at my eardrums.Get him OUT she screamed. He cant BREATHE Do it NOWI saw the red spots pop out when her scream broke the line of credit vessels in her eyes.The morphine , Edward growled.NO NOW Another gush of blood choked off what she was shrieking. He held her head up, desperately trying to clear her mouth so that she could breathe again.Alice darted into the room and clipped a modest blue earpiece under Rosalies h glow. Then Alice backed away, her gold eyes wide and seize with teething, while Rosalie hissed frantically into the phone.In the refulgent light, Bellas skin seemed more purple and black than it was white. Deep red was seeping beneath the skin everyplace the huge, shuddering bulge of her stomach. Rosalies hand came up with a scalpel.Let the morphine spread Edward shouted at her.Theres no time, Rosalie hissed. Hes dyingHer hand came down on Bellas stomach, and vivid red spouted out from where she pierced the skin. It was like a bucket being turned over, a faucet twisted to full. Bella jerked, but didnt scream. She was still choking.And accordingly Rosalie broken her focus. I saw the expression on her face shift, saw her lips plunk back from her teeth and her black eyes glint with thirst.No, Rose Edward roared, but his hands were trapped, trying to prop Bella upright so she could breathe.I launched myself at Rosalie, jumping across the table without bothering to phase. As I hit her stone body, knocking her toward the door, I mat the scalpel in her hand stab deep into my left arm. My right palm smashed against her face, locking her j aw and blocking her airways.I used my grip on Rosalies face to swing her body out so that I could land a solid kick in her gut it was like kicking concrete. She flew into the door frame, buckling one side of it. The little speaker in her ear crackled into pieces. Then Alice was there, yanking her by the throat to get her into the hall.And I had to give it to Blondie she didnt put up an ounce of fight. She treasured us to win. She permit me trash her like that, to save Bella. Well, to save the thing.I ripped the blade out of my arm.Alice, get her out of here Edward shouted. Take her to Jasper and keep her there Jacob, I lack youI didnt watch Alice finish the job. I wheeled back to the operating table, where Bella was turning blue, her eyes wide and staring.CPR? Edward growled at me, fast and demanding.YesI judged his face swiftly, looking for any sign that he was going to react like Rosalie. There was nought but single-minded ferocity.Get her breathing Ive got to get him out bef ore Another shattering crack inside her body, the loudest yet, so loud that we both froze in shock waiting for her answering shriek. Nothing. Her legs, which had been curled up in agony, now went limp, sprawling out in an unnatural way.Her spine, he choked in horror.Get it out of her I snarled, flinging the scalpel at him. She wont feel anything nowAnd then I bent over her head. Her mouth looked clear, so I pressed mine to hers and blew a lungful of air into it. I felt her twitching body expand, so there was nothing blocking her throat.Her lips tasted like blood.I could hear her warm nerve centreedness, thumping unevenly. Keep it going, I thought fiercely at her, blowing some other gust of air into her body. You promised. Keep your heart beating.I heard the soft, wet sound of the scalpel across her stomach. More blood dripping to the floor.The next sound jolted through me, unexpected, terrifying. wish metal being shredded apart. The sound brought back the fight in the clearing s o many months ago, the tearing sound of the newborns being ripped apart. I glanced over to see Edwards face pressed against the bulge. Vampire teeth a surefire way to cut through vampire skin.I shuddered as I blew more air into Bella.She coughed back at me, her eyes blinking, rolling blindly.You stay with me now, Bella I yelled at her. Do you hear me? Stay Youre not leaving me. Keep your heart beatingHer eyes wheeled, looking for me, or him, but seeing nothing.I stared into them anyway, keeping my gaze locked there.And then her body was suddenly still under my hands, though her breathing picked up roughly and her heart continued to thud. I realized the stillness meant that it was over. The internal beating was over. It must be out of her.It was.Edward whispered, Renesmee.So Bellad been wrong. It wasnt the son shed imagined. No big surprise there. What hadnt she been wrong about?I didnt look away from her red-spotted eyes, but I felt her hands lift weakly.Let me, she croaked in a br oken whisper. Give her to me.I guess I should convey known that he would always give her what she wanted, no matter how stupid her predication mightiness be. But I didnt dream he would listen to her now. So I didnt think to stop him.Something warm touched my arm. That right there should take for caught my attention. Nothing felt warm to me.But I couldnt look away from Bellas face. She blinked and then stared, finally seeing something. She moaned out a strange, weak croon.Renes mee. So beautiful.And then she gasped gasped in pain.By the time I looked, it was too late. Edward had snatched the warm, bloody thing out of her limp arms. My eyes flickered across her skin. It was red with blood the blood that had flowed from her mouth, the blood smeared all over the creature, and fresh blood welling out of a tiny double-crescent bite mark just over her left breast.No, Renesmee, Edward murmured, like he was breeding the monster manners.I didnt look at him or it. I watched only Bella a s her eyes rolled back into her head.With a last dull ga-lump, her heart faltered and went silent.She missed maybe half of one beat, and then my hands were on her dresser, doing compressions, i counted in my head, trying to keep the rhythm steady. One. Two. Three. Four.Breaking away for a second, I blew another lungful of air into her.I couldnt see anymore. My eyes were wet and blurry. But I was hyperaware of the sounds in the room. Theunwillingglug-glug of her heart under my demanding hands, the pounding of my own heart, and another a fluttering beat that was too fast, too light. I couldnt place it.I forced more air down Bellas throat.What are you waiting for? I choked out breathlessly, pumping her heart again. One. Two. Three. Four.Take the baby, Edward said urgently.Throw it out the window. One. Two. Three. Four.Give her to me, a low voice chimed from the doorway.Edward and I snarled at the aforesaid(prenominal) time.One. Two. Three. Four.Ive got it under control, Rosalie prom ised. Give me the baby, Edward. Til take kick of her until Bella I breathed for Bella again while the ex substitute took place. The fluttering thumpa-thumpa-thumpa faded away with distance.Move your hands, Jacob.I looked up from Bellas white eyes, still pumping her heart for her. Edward had a syringe in his hand all silver, like it was made from steel.Whats that?His stone hand knocked mine out of the way. There was a tiny crunch as his blow broke my little finger. In the equal second, he shoved the needle straight into her heart.My venom, he answered as he pushed the plunger down.I heard the jolt in her heart, like hed shocked her with paddles.Keep it moving, he ordered. His voice was ice, was dead. Fierce and unthinking. Like he was amachine.I ignored the healing ache in my finger and started pumping her heart again. It was harder, as if her blood was congealing there thicker and slower. While I pushed the now-viscous blood through her arteries, I watched what he was doing.It was like he was kissing her, brushing his lips at her throat, at her wrists, into the crease at the inside of her arm. But I could hear the lush tearing of her skin as his teeth bit through, again and again, forcing venom into her system at as many points as possible. I saw his pale tongue bilk along the bleeding gashes, but before this could make me either sick or angry, I realized what he was doing. Where his tongue washed the venom over her skin, it sealed shut. Holding the poison and the blood inside her body.I blew more air into her mouth, but there was nothing there. Just the lifeless rise of her chest in response. I kept pumping her heart, counting, while he worked manically over her, trying to put her back together. All the kings horses and all the kings menBut there was nothing there, just me, just him.Working over a corpse.Because thats all that was left of the girl we both loved. This broken, bled-out, mangled corpse. We couldnt put Bella together again.I knew it was to o late. I knew she was dead. I knew it for sure because the pull was gone. I didnt feel any reason to be here beside her. She wasnt here anymore. So this body had no more get around for me. The senseless need to be near her had vanished.Or maybe moved was the better word. It seemed like I felt the pull from the opposite direction now. From down the stairs, out the door. The longing to get away from here and never, ever come back.Go, then, he snapped, and he hit my hands out of the way again, taking my place this time. Three fingers broken, it felt like.I straightened them numbly, not minding the throb of pain.He pushed her dead heart faster than I had.Shes not dead, he growled. Shes going to be fine.I wasnt sure he was talking to me anymore.Turning away, leaving him with his dead, I walked slowly to the door. So slowly. I couldnt make my feet move faster.This was it, then. The ocean of pain. The other shore so far away across the boiling water that I couldnt imagine it, much less s ee it.I felt fire again, now that Id lost my purpose. Saving Bella had been my fight for so long now. And she wouldnt be saved. Shed willingly sacrificed herself to be torn apart by that monsters young, and so the fight was lost. It was all over.I shuddered at the sound coming from behind me as I plodded down the stairs the sound of a dead heart being forced to thud.I wanted to somehow pour bleach inside my head and let it fry my brain. To burn away the images left from Bellas final minutes. Id take the brain damage if I could get rid of that the screaming, the bleeding, the unbearable crunching and snapping as the newborn monster tore through her from the inside out___I wanted to sprint away, to take the stairs ten at a time and race out the door, but my feet were heavy as iron and my body was more tired than it had ever been before. I shuffled down the stairs like a crippled old man.I rested at the bottom step, gathering my strength to get out the door.Rosalie was on the refre shed end of the white sofa, her back to me, cooing and murmuring to the blanket-wrapped thing in her arms. She must take a shit heard me pause, but she ignored me, caught up in her moment of stolenRjesavate iitanje brqj 10 odiikiiiio 11Koje od dole navednih tvrdnji su tacne.1. Neke od Windows XP aplikacija koriste samo jedan jedini proces u toku svog izvrsavanja2. Neke od Windows XP aplikacija koriste vise procesa u toku svog izvrsavanja3. Za svaki proces Windows Task Manager nudi sljedece opcije Mem Usage, CPU, Image Name, User Name, Password4. Sve od bloodshed navedenih su tacne5. Niti jedna od gore navedenih je tacna6. Ma ovo ni Bill Gates neznaPonisti odgovorIdi na pitanje broj 10 _Jmotherhood. Maybe she would be happy now. Rosalie had what she wanted, and Bella would never come to take the creature from her. I wondered if thats what the poisonous blonde had been hoping for all along.She held something dark in her hands, and there was a greedy sucking sound coming from the tiny liquidator she held.The scent of blood in the air. Human blood. Rosalie was feeding it. Of course it would want blood. What else would you feed the kind of monster that would brutally mutilate its own mother? It might as well have been drinking Bellas blood. Maybe it was.My strength came back to me as I listened to the sound of the little executioner feeding.Strength and hate and awake red heat washing through my head, burning but erasing nothing. The images in my head were fuel, building up the inferno but refusing to be consumed. I felt the tremors rock me from head to toe, and I did not try to stop them.Rosalie was totally absorbed in the creature, paying no attention to me at all. She wouldnt be firm enough to stop me, distracted as she was.Sam had been right. The thing was an aberration its existence went against nature. A black, soulless demon. Something that had no right to be.Something that had to be destroyed.It seemed like the pull had not been leading to the door af ter all. I could feel it now, encouraging me, tugging me forward. Pushing me to finish this, to cleanse the world of this abomination.Rosalie would try to kill me when the creature was dead, and I would fight back. I wasnt sure if I would have time to finish her before the others came to help. Maybe, maybe not. I didnt much care either way.I didnt care if the wolves, either set, avenged me or called the Cullens justice fair. None of that mattered. All I cared about was my own justice. My revenge. The thing that had killed Bella would not sustain another minute longer.If Bellad survived, she would have hated me for this. She would have wanted to kill me personally.But I didnt care. She didnt care what she had done to me letting herself be slaughtered like an animal. Why should I take her feelings into explanation?And then there was Edward. He must be too busy now too far gone in his insane denial, trying to animate a corpse to listen to my plans.So I wouldnt get the chance to k eep my promise to him, unless and it was not a wager Id put money on I managed to win the fight against Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice, three on one. But even if I did win, I didnt think I had it in me to kill Edward.Because I didnt have enough compassion for that. Why should I let him get away from what hed done? Wouldnt it be more fair more satisfying to let him live with nothing, nothing at all?It made me almost smile, as filled with hate as I was, to imagine it. No Bella. No killer spawn. And besides missing as many members of his family as I was able to take down. Of course, he could probably put those back together, since i wouldnt be around to burn them. Unlike Bella, who would never be whole again.I wondered if the creature could be put back together. I doubted it. It was part Bella, too so it must have inherited some of her vulnerability. I could hear that in the tiny, thrumming beat of its heart.Its heart was beating. Hers wasnt.Only a second had passed as I made these e asy decisions.The wonky was getting tighter and faster. I coiled myself, preparing to spring at the blond vampire and rip the murderous thing from her arms with my teeth.Rosalie cooed at the creature again, setting the empty metal bottle-thing aside and lifting the creature into the air to nuzzle her face against its cheek.Perfect. The new position was perfect for my strike. I leaned forward and felt the heat begin to change me while the pull toward the killer grew it was stronger than Id ever felt it before, so strong it reminded me of an Alphas command, like it would crush me if I didnt obey.This time I wanted to obey.The murderer stared then(prenominal) Rosalies shoulder at me, its gaze more focused than any newborn creatures gaze should be.Warm brown eyes, the color of milk chocolate the exact same color that Bellas had been.My shaking jerked to a stop heat flooded through me, stronger than before, but it was a new kind of heat not a burning.It was a glowing.Everything insi de me came undone as I stared at the tiny porcelain face of the half-vampire, half-human baby. All the lines that held me to my life were sliced apart in swift cuts, like newspaper clipping the strings to a bunch of balloons. Everything that made me who I was my love for the dead girl upstairs, my love for my father, my loyalty to my new pack, the love for my other brothers, my hatred for my enemies, my home, my name, my se/f disconnected from me in that second snip, snip, snip and floated up into space.I was not left drifting. A new string held me where I was.Not one string, but a million. Not strings, but steel cables. A million steel cables all tying me to one thing to the very center of the universe.I could see that now how the universe swirled around this one point. Id never seen the symmetry of the universe before, but now it was plain.The gravity of the earth no longer buttoned me to the place where I stood.It was the baby girl in the blond vampires arms that held me here now.Renesmee.From upstairs, there was a new sound. The only sound that could touch me in this endless instant. A frantic pounding, a racing beatA changing heart.

Human Resource Planning Essay

The process that attachs an constitutions strategical designing with its humanity election needs is called human choice intend. The process ensures that staffing needs are addressed to achieve the organizations objectives. Human imaginativeness planning is important beca persona it helps an organization maintain a competitive edge and retain employees. Human imagery planning determines the supply and demand of employees, according to the needs and wants of the personal line of credit and its customers. The internal and a dash environment has an impact on the consideration of human resource planning. For instance, internal impacts are promotions, transfers, or firings, and external impacts can be changes in technology, the economy, or the industry. The competence and qualification of current and future(a) employees and their career paths are more factors to consider when developing a human resource plan. These impacts can affect the staffing and human resource planning processes depending on the needs for a company to remain self-made. Human resource planning is important and ongoing because of both internal and external environmental changes.Planning and Strategic Development and ImplementationHuman resource planning is identifying present and future needs of an organization to reach its goals (Obeidat, 2012). Human resource planning also involves predicting the demand and supply for employees, considering the business needs, and strategies for development and employment to meet requirements (Obeidat, 2012). The results leave fork out an analysis of human resource supply and future demand, which will identify gaps and most likely include staffing. Therefore, having knowledge of the goals and expectations of the company, can identify methods to reach these goals and track its progress. Planning in this manner allows a company to data link resources with business performance. The results will identify the required number of qualified and compet ent candidates and this will help the business meet its goals and objectives. For instance, human resource planning and staffing connect by addressing the companys direction, skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to follow a certain path. It also assesses the current competencies within the company and the gap between the direction and requirements to succeed. explanation of the Staffing ProcessThe eight elements of the staffing process are human resource planning, recruiting, selection, orientation, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation, and employment decisions (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Human resource planning involves assessing current employees, depending future demands, and constructing plans to add or transfer employees (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Recruiting involves looking for qualified people within or outside the company for vacant positions (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Selection is interviewing and testing candidates and hi ring the best applicant(s). penchant is when new employees learn about the fellowship. Training and development is when new employees learn their contemplates and blow a fuse their skills. The performance appraisal is the origination of the touchstones for judging the workplace of employees (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Compensation is generating give birth and benefits for each position. Employment decisions include promotions, demotions, transfers, layoffs, and firings (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013).Elements and ActivitiesThe victorian planning, recruiting, and selecting of staff is an ongoing process. The hiring process is just the beginning of staffing. The human resource department must retain employees by dint of training and development, performance appraisal, compensation, and employment decisions. The first step in human resource planning is the staffing process. The human resource planning process starts with a job analysis. A job analysis describes the skill s, knowledge, and abilities required to perform each position. The job description will include what, how, and why employees perform his or her duties. It specifies minimum congenial qualifications a candidate must possess to do the job effectively. A human resource inventory cums after the completion of the job analysis. The human resource inventory will categorize the needs and wants of the position. Afterwards, a human resource forecast is created to anticipate future demands for each position based on the plans, goals and objectives of the organization. Last, the forecast and inventory are compared to decide whether staffing needs will come from internal or external candidates.Read moreEssay on Human imagery PlanningActivities and Planning, Development, & ImplementationThe primary influence in the use of a companys resources is the mission and vision of the organization. The mission and vision of the business provide the reason for the use of the resource. An effective and ef ficient business, strategic and business plans specify how its resources are managed and utilized. The most important resources a business must effectively use are technology to create a product or deliver the service, the finances to pay for the requirements, and the skills and talents used by human beings to complete the job (Soberg, 2011). The business specifies the technology it needs to achieve the mission of the organization. The required technology will depend on the amount of product or service the company wishes to provide. The strategic plans and vision will be a factor in this decision to ensure it aligns with the goals of the company (Sober, 2011). The best fit for the organization and its mission will come down to the industry and what is currently utilized.The financial aspect of the equation will specify how to produce money, control money, and foresee the revenue and expenses. The budget for a smooth, successful business operation will rely on the need for achievemen t in regards to the goals and objectives. The decision must include the cost of the entire operations including maintenance. For instance, the expenses think of purchasing, maintaining and adapting technology and compensating employees. The human benefactor is the knowledge, skills, and abilities utilized to generate and carry the product and service. People are an organizations largest resource because products and services could not be managed, created, or delivered without the knowledge, skills, and abilities of human beings (Soberg, 2011). For example, without any assistance from human beings, technology and money cannot be utilized. The effective use of human resources assist companies in attracting the right employees, expand the knowledge, skills, and abilities of these employees, and keep the employees within the organization.ConclusionHuman resource planning is the prediction of future business and environmental needs of a given organization. Human resource planning estima tes the number of people available to work for future purposes. It strives to identify proper staffing required to perform organizational activities. Human resource planning is an ongoing process which starts withobjectives, move toward an analysis of resources and ends at evaluation of the human resource plan. Human resource planning compares the present and future status of the organization. The results identify what changes are necessary to meet goals. Human resource planning is vital so companies can meet their objectives and gain a competitive edge over its competition.The proper prediction of employment needs is important. An organization must foresee staffing issues beforehand, just as they predict potential threats in the industry that can impact on overall business success. Employee performance is a direct link to the success of the company. Therefore, a company that is not able to achieve goals is the result of workplace failure. Nevertheless, human resource planning is im portant to ensure the organization does not hire the wrong people or neglect to predict changes in staffing needs. The only way an organization can ensure employees have the skills, knowledge, and abilities the business needs to succeed is by planning for human resource needs. A human resource plan goes hand in hand with the companies plan to determine the resources it needs to achieve the goals.ReferencesObeidat, B.Y. (2012, October). The Relationship between Human mental imagery Information System (HRIS) Functions and Human Resource Management (HRM) Functionalities. Journal of Management Research, 4(4), . doi10.5296/jmr.v4i4.2262 Plunkett, W. R., Allen, G. S., & Attner, R.F (2013). Management Meeting and exceeding customer expectations (10th ed.). Mason, OH South-Western Cengage Learning. Soberg, A. (2011). The Link Between Strategic Planning and Human Resource Planning. Retrieved from http//www.hrvoice.org/the-link-between-strategic-planning-and-human-resource-planning/

El salvador

This case was written by Susan Bartholomew base on personal interviews. Names, dates, and details of situations progress to been modified for illustrative purposes. The various economical, political, and cultural conditions draw are presented as perceptions of the individuals in the case they do not necessarily reflect the actual conditions in the region. The events described are presented as a basis for classroom backchat rather than to illustrate useful or ineffective handling of a cross- cultural situation.December 10, 1998 The estimate over Offer fast angiotensin converting enzyme and Joanna Lafferty had Just candid a bottle of wine to share with friends who had do to see their new apartment in Toronto when the c t give away ensemble back rang. fast one, a lanky, easygoing development economist, excused himself to answer the phone in the kitchen. Recently married, whoremaster and Joanna were mad to be building a life to runher in the same city at put up. As a dev elopment economist specializing in Latin America, John Laffertys work had possessn him to Peru, Bolivia, and Guatemala on a series of three- to four-month assignments over the previous three years.While he lived the challenge and adventure of this fieldwork and had come to love the hoi polloi and culture, he also valued a home base and steady presence in Toronto, where Joanna worked as a gentlemans gentleman resource management consultant. Just onwards their wedding six months earlier, John consented a position with a Toronto-based NGO (non-government organization) focused on research, fund-raising, and government lobbying on issues relate to rally American political refugees.Through pop out the 1980s, tens of thousands of refugees had fled political persecution and human rights abuse in war- orn Central America to want political asylum in Canada Johns field experience in Guatemala and his natural diplomacy were invaluable to the Canadian organization. He was passionate ab out his work and quickly gained a reputation for being a sa. n. y and politically astute advocate of refugees cases. As Joanna went to get some wineglasses from the kitchen, she could overhear her husband speaking in Spanish on the phone.Joanna had studied Spanish in college but had difficulty complying the rapid, one-sided conversation. However, one phrase, Me allegre mucho, and Johns broad grin as he said it, was impossible to isinterpret. Joanna returned to her guests in the living room It sounds deal good news. Johns work with refugees in the Canadian NGO had caught the attention of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, headquartered in Geneva, and he had recently returned from a one- calendar week visit and series of interviews. While John had not been searching for a new Job hazard, the Geneva invitation had been too exciting to resist.John walked back into the living room with a vast smile Forget the wine, I destine we should open some champagne. The U. N. has Just offered me the most incredible Job. In Geneva? Joanna asked excitedly. Decision The El Salvador assignment would be for two years, as a Program officeholder responsible for organizing the repatriation of Salvadoran refugees from various refugee camps back to El Salvador and developing programs to ensure the protection and well-being of much(prenominal) refugees in their return to Salvadoran communities. The position would report to the Charge de Mission of the El Salvador office.While this office was based in the capital city, San Salvador, the Job would also require frequent travel to various field offices and refugee camps end-to-end El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. The challenge of the assignment excited John tremendously he also believed that this was an exceptional opportunity for him to tally a real difference in the lives of the refugees of Central America. He certainly wanted to accept the Job however, he would besides go if Joanna would be willin g and happy to go with him.Two questions would weigh hard on Joannas mind 1 . What about the political instability of the demesne? The governance of El Salvador were abstruse and difficult to understand, and the story seemed to vary depending on the source. As Joanna ga in that locationd, the civil war in El Salvador had come to an end in 1992 with a U. N. -brokered peace treaty between the conservative government of the Republican nationalistic Alliance (Arena) and the Marxist-led Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). Throughout the war, the U. S. ad apparently spent more than $4 billion to support the government and military, piece of music the Soviet Bloc supported the FMLN. Human-rights groups alleged that right-wing ending squads had murdered 40,000 of the 70,000 flock killed during the 12-year war. However, the peace agreement had significantly reduced the size of the rmy, disbanded corrupt police forces, purged the nation of the most notorious human-righ ts abusers, and disarmed the FMLN, allowing it to become a legal political party. The unsophisticated appeared to throw off made secure progress toward peace and democracy.The information and briefings they received from Salvadorans and other expatriates who had recently returned from the country suggested that life in the capital, San Salvador, was sooner safe. Economically, the country was becoming more world-widely open, with establishment of large export factories, increasing rivatization, and reforms aimed at impact foreign investment. While certain precautions were required, and the area was slake heavily patrolled by armed forces, Joanna was told she could expect a relatively normal lifestyle. They would live in a higher(prenominal)ly secure part of the city, in the area populated by all the foreign embassies.They would also be living and traveling on a U. N. diplomatic passport (Laissez- passer), which would afford them excellent protection. 2. What about my career? Moving to El Salvador was the depart thing Joanna had imagined when she married John Lafferty six months earlier. Joanna had worked in Toronto for three years as a human resource consultant after graduating with an MBA. She was bright and am phone numberious, and her career was advancing well. While she was really happy to be married, she also enjoyed her professional and financial independence.Besides, Toronto was not only professionally rewarding, it was also home, friends, and family. However, Joanna was also ready for a change secretly, she had always envied John the sense of adventure that accompanied his work. Maybe this was an opportunity for her to develop her aft(prenominal) much discussion, they decided that John would accept the assignment. January-March 1999 Predeparture Arrangements When John confirmed with the Geneva office that he would take the assignment, it was arranged for him to move to San Salvador at the end of March and for Joanna to follow one month later. It was often recommended in assignments of this kind to send married staff ahead of time to get settled into the Job before their spouse and/ or family arrived. This option made sense to the Laffertys and had several advantages. First, it would give Joanna more time to destination off her current consulting rojects in Toronto and make a graceful exist from her present firm. She had a tough professional reputation and wanted to ensure she was remembered favorably by her corporate clients when she returned to Toronto two years later. Second, John would be able to get the housing arrangements settled before Joannas arrival.Johns employer would provide ample financial and logistic supports to staff in finding housing however, John also knew from past experience that dealing with local anesthetic real estate agents and utility companies in Central America could be highly frustrating. Tasks that were quite fair in Toronto, such as having a lease drawn up and acquire a promise install ed, Just didnt seem to follow any system or set of procedures. Tomorrow could mean next week or even next month. Patience, flexibility, and a good deal of charm were usually required getting angry rarely helped.While John was used to the inconvenience and unpredictability of local services in Central America, he was uncertain how Joanna would react initially. John held a deep affection for the Central American people and felt hopeful that Joanna would develop an affinity for the culture as well. However, he hoped to at least have the majority of the living arrangements worked out before she arrived to make her transition to El Salvador as smooth as possible. Finally, the extra time gave Joanna more opportunity to prepare herself for the transition.Joanna had taken a argumentation on international human resource management as an MBA and was familiar with the phenomenon of culture shock in international assignments. She recalled from her course that predeparture preparation and cultu ral orientation made a significant difference in helping employees and their families hold to the foreign environment. Joanna was determined to read and learn as much about Salvadoran history and politics as she could. She was also keen to improve her Spanish before she arrived and as soon as the ratiocination was made that they would be going to El Salvador, she enrolled in night courses for six hours a week.As Joanna walked home from her Spanish class one evening, pleased with her results on her comprehension test, she recalled with amusement a conversation she had had with Joan Taylor. Joan was the wife of a senior executive with Altron, a Canadian firm with offices throughout Latin America. The Taylors had Just returned rom a two-year assignment in Guatemala City, and Joanna had contacted Joan to get some insight on the practicalities of living in the region. My high-priced Joanna, Joan began, you will have a very fine life in Central America, or in most developing countries your husband will be sent to, for that matter.You will Just watch out for the gilded cage syndrome. The what? Joanna had asked. As corporate executives or diplomats in third-world postings, we live a pretty high life, certainly a standard of living far beyond what we could have in our own countries. Everything is there for you and everything is done for you. Its like living in a gilded cage. Some people love it, and get pretty spoiled after a while you cant imagine even making a sandwich for yourself . Humph, Joanna thought to herself at the time. That would certainly never happen to me.I am a professional. This is an incredible tuition opportunity and I am going to make the most of it May 1999 Joannas Arrival Joanna arrived on a balmy afternoon, grateful for the warm breeze after a cold Toronto winter. She was excited to see John and only slightly disappointed that their first drive into San Salvador would not be alone, but accompanied by a young Salvadoran named Julio Cesar, w ho had been assigned as their driver. On the drive from the airport, Joanna tried hard to follow his rapid banter as he pointed out the sights to her.She had felt confident in her Spanish in the classroom in Toronto, but at a time she could barely understand a word Julio Cesar said. John, sensing her frustration, began to translate, and by the time they reached the house, Joanna was exhausted and discouraged. John was proud of the house he had found, next door to the Mexican embassy and only a block from a tennis club where most of the members were expatriates. He hought this might provide a good social base for Joanna if she got homesick for North American lifestyle. The large 12-room house was certainly impressive, with its twinkle terrazzo floors and two large gardens.Joanna wondered what to do with all the space. It was also quite secure, with metal bars on all the windows, and surrounded by 12-foot walls. This isnt a house, John, its a fortress, Joanna said in amazement. miea h . I know its a bit much, said John. But this is the one area of the city we are strongly advised to live in, for hostage reasons. Smaller homes or apartments Just ont exist. Most of the families living here are either expats or very wealthy Salvadorans. Most have live-in help and need the space. But I dont want anyone else living with us . I want you to meet maria. Joanna followed John out to the back of the Come .. house, and was introduced to a small, brown woman, vigorously scrubbing clothes. mare worked for the family who lived here before it only seemed right that she should stay. She only lives a few blocks away, though, so she will go home each evening. After a week, Joanna soon learned Marias work patterns. Maria would hand wash all their clothes in the cement tub and hang them to dry outside, a chore that would take all day long, as Maria would often wash things three times.The interest day she would return to do the ironing, which would take another full day. As Joanna sat in her deal upstairs, reading her books and newspapers, she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt thinking of Maria, hand washing every last item of their clothing in the own clothes in a washing machine. Then, when Joanna found out that John paid Maria $6. 00 per day, she was furious. John explained to Joanna that this was the ustomary wage for the women from the barrios bare(a)es who worked as domestic help for wealthy Salvadorans and expatriates.These marginal communities were small groupings of tin shacks located in the ravines that surrounded the city. A few had electricity, but many of the communities, including Marias, still cooked their meals over fires and lit their homes with candles. Joanna began to slip more money into Marias give birth envelope. Joanna hoped to make a friend of Maria and looked forward to having lunch each day with her and learning more of the local way of speaking. Joanna realized now hat the formal Spanish she had learned in school was vas tly different from the language she hear each day on the streets of San Salvador.However, Maria refused to eat at the same table as Joanna and insisted on serving Joanna first in the dining room, and then eating her own lunch on the infernal region notes in the back room. Joanna was deeply uncomfortable with this and began to eat lunch at the restaurant in her nearby tennis club instead. Other things began to irritate Joanna as well. For example, one day, she started to wash the car in the driveway. Suddenly, Marias son appeared and insisted that he do he Job for her, horrified that la Senora would undertake such a task herself.Another time, Joanna began to dig up some of the plants in the garden for replanting the following morning, a gardener appeared at the door, saying that he was a cousin of Marias and would be pleased to take on additional farming work. Joanna resented this intrusion into her daily life. If she was going to be spending so much time at home, she wanted priva cy to read and study. It was going to be a while, she realized, before she found a Job. Joanna was disappointed with the Job prospects among local and even international companies. Most available positions were clerical, for which she was vastly overqualified. l didnt get an MBA to work as a file clerk she would think to herself angrily. Then, she would think sadly, My Spanish probably isnt even good enough to get a Job as a file clerk. One day, in frustration, Joanna called her two circumferent friends in Toronto, colleagues from her old firm. l cant win Joanna complained. l olfactory sensation guilty all the time. I feel guilty because I dont do anything myself. And I feel guilty if I dont hire local people to the housework. They need the money so much. Then I feel guilty that we pay them six dollars a day. We can afford so much more.I feel guilty that I have a maid and she lives in a tin shack in a ravine two blocks from my house. But John says we cant pay her more than th e going rate because it would upset the whole balance of her community. He says they have their own economic structure and norms and we have to respect that. My Salvadoran neighbors tell me that if I pay Maria or the gardener more they wont respect me. But I do anyway, and then I feel guilty because I dont tell John. And then our driver, Julio Cesar . The sarcastic response was the same from both. Gee, Joanna, sounds tough.Beautiful house, a maid, gardener, and driver, afternoons at the tennis club n wonder youre so miserable. been a big mistake? She knew how much this Job meant to John, and it was a great step forward for his career. But what about her career and her own happiness? This had been a mutual decision. Something was going to have to change or they would be on a plane back to Toronto very soon. The question was what? Questions For discussion 1 . Is Joanna suffering from culture shock? What elements of the Salvadoran culture seem most difficult for her to adapt to? 2.S hould Joanna have done anything differently in terms of her preparation for moving to El Salvador? What do you think she should do now? 3. How could Joanna further her career as a human resource consultant while living in El Salvador? What skills could she develop? Would these skills be transferable if she moved back to Toronto? To another country? 4. If you were John, would you have taken the Job in El Salvador? If you were Joanna, would you have agreed to go? 5. Do you think international careers are feasible for dual-career couples? What issues are important to consider for the individuals involved? What can companies do to make foreign assignments more successful for couples and families? Is the happiness of the employees spouse the tariff of the company? 7. What recommendations would you make to international organizations and companies direct employees to politically unstable regions? Do companies have a responsibility for the physical safety of expatriate employees? Does th is responsibility extend to locally hired staff as well? 8. Do you think Joanna should pay her change lady and gardener more than the standard $6. 00 per day? Why or why not?