Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes - Essay Example The point is that Bacon considered the reality as perceptional, empirical thing, that’s why the only knowledge that can be reliable for humans is the perceptional one. Rational thinking only processes the empirical information. Descartes’ method or rational analysis of deduction is about thinking only. Descartes claims that any knowledge that we get must be questioned by doubt not to take wrong and mistaken information for truth. By deduction Descartes means analyzing the reality by finding the most elementary truth, which lately will lead to some bigger truth and this consistent order of research must reveal the origins of everything. But the main rule in this inquiry is to be skeptical, because only skeptical approach can discern wrong and truthful knowledge and select the appropriate one to move on in exploration. Bacon’s and Descartes’ methods are obviously totally different, because the fundamentals the thinkers use in their approaches are considered to be opposite. Descartes uses rational thinking and doubt-based analysis, while Bacon claims that the only thing researcher can rely on is empirical knowledge. Both Locke’s and Hobbes’ political theories are based on the concept of social agreement (contract). But the main essential difference between the roles of government in these theories is in their opposite views on basis of society: Hobbes claims that society is based on feud of people with each other, when Locke says that it is equality what makes people to conclude social agreement.

Original formulation of attachment Essay Example for Free

Original formulation of attachment Essay The attachment theory was produced by John Bowlby and colleagues in the 1950s. Influenced by the work of Freud and Harlow, amongst others, Bowlby drew on ethological concepts to develop his theory. Early on in an infants life they build a close contact with a significant object. From these early relationships with their attachment objects infants create what Bowlby called internal working models (IWM) (Oates et al. 2005). The Robertsons (1989) brought to light the distress infants experience when they are separated from their attachment figure, this lead Bowlbys instigation to incorporate separation anxiety into his theory.   Mary Ainsworths (1954, 1978) work on maternal deprivation enabled Bowlbys ideas to be empirically tested through designing the Strange Situation and attachment classification (Oates et al. 2005). Bowlbys theory envisaged attachment classifications to continue through generations (Oates et al. 2005). Main et al. (1994) devised an equivalent classification for adults that were assessed through the Adult Attachment Interview, (AAI). Having a stable and long term relationship with carers was a feature that Bowlby thought was important in order to develop good IWM; Hamilton (1994) subsequent research explores this idea.  Bowlby integrated the work of Winnicott on good enough mothering that was later explored by researchers such as Vondra et al. (1995).  The predictive value of the Strange Situation on later attachments was challenged by Lamb et al. (1985).  Baumrinds model of parenting style extended Bowlbys work on IWM and the cultural context in which the theory was originally formulated looked into. The quality of having a reciprocal relationship is an important factor in attachment. The attachment theory has enabled research to branch off into investigating some of the reasons linked with attachment that may cause disturbed behaviour.  Ainsworth was the first to contribute and solidify Bowlbys theory of attachment with respects to having a secure base as a means of exploring the world.  Building on the observations of the Robertsons (1989) and on the pioneering work done by Harlow (1958), Ainsworth set out to study maternal deprivation. During her research in Africa in 1954 she developed Bowlbys work on separation anxiety by observing the behaviour of children, not when they were separated with their attachment figure but reunited as the difference in behaviour was more apparent (Oates et al. 2005).  For the duration of her research in Baltimore, Ainsworth used Bowlbys theory on IWM to expand the theory of attachment. Four different types of attachment emerged as a result of maternal sensitivity; secure (Type B), insecure-resistant or ambivalent (Type C), insecure-avoidant (Type A) (Ainsworth 1978) and disoriented and/or disorganised (Type D) (Main and Solomon 1990). She entwined attachment types to IWM to develop the attachment theory and successfully solidified their work through the Strange Situation, a gold standard procedure now commonly used as a method of studying infant attachment (Oates et al. 2005).  Through this procedure Ainsworth was able to relate attachment classification to different IWM.  The Strange Situation gave justice to Bowlbys theory on how a child builds up a working model of how attachment figures are likely to behave toward him in a variety of situations and on those models are based all his expectations (Bowlby, 1973, p.369). A further incentive to develop the study of internal working models was Mains (1994) attempt to translate Ainsworths infant-mother attachment classifications to equivalent adult classification.  Bowlbys original formulation suggests consistency across generations in attachment style (Oates et al. 2005). Main developed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) to asses an adults ability to integrate early memories of their relationships with their parents into overarching working models of relationship (Oates et al. 2005, p.38). From the AAI adults were classified into three categories; Dismissing; autonomous and preoccupied. These three types of adult classification can then be associated with infant attachment types. Dismissing adults would be related to insecure avoidant (Type A) infant attachment, infants securely attached (Type B) would develop into autonomous adults and adults who were classified as preoccupied would have had an insecure attachment type as infants (Focus Collection 3. 2005). Mains work took Bowlbys work up a generation to follow through his work on IWM. Making use of Ainsworth empirical methods that tested Bowlbys ideas, the Strange Situation type classification proved to be a partially good predictor of adult attachment types (Oates et al. 2005). Hamilton (1994) found this to be true in cases where the childs circumstances had remained stable. Cases where life events such as divorce or parental illness had occurred could be held accountable for the change in attachment type (Hamilton, 1994). Bowlby believed in the notion of good enough mothering (Oates et al. 2005). Influenced by the work of Winnicott an aspect of the Bowlbys theory is for the attachment figure should allow just the right amount of delay in meeting the infants needs to encourage both tolerance of waiting and confidence in ultimate satisfaction (Oates et al. 2005, p.25). The parental behaviour towards an infant is thus very much a central cause for the childs attachment type that he or she develops from their IWM. Subsequent research has investigated the influences on attachment. Vondra et al. carried out a study in 1995 that showed consistent parental behaviours could be used as a reasonable predictor of their children classification type. Caregivers that were sensitive tended to have securely attached infants (Type B), infants classified as avoidant (Type A) were probable to have controlling mothers and ambivalent infants (Type C) were likely to have unresponsive mothers (Oates et al. 2005).

New marketing plan for HMV canada

New marketing plan for HMV canada This report proposes a new marketing plan for HMV Canada and incorporates proposals on new profit streams detailed examination of the marketing environment, swot analysis, provides information on SMART objectives, gives a clear segmentation targeting and positioning report, proposals for 7Ps and control and evaluation will be provided in the end. This report has been created in close teamwork , using primary information through interviewing some of the HMV managers and secondary information available in HMV annual reports. HMV group is a leading specialist entertainment retailer operating through different stores in the UK, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore and transactional local territory websites, which include digital, download. It operates a small specialist chain of entertainment shops in the UK trading as Fopp. In Live entertainment, the group operates 12 venues, summer festivals and ticketing in-store and online. The group is extending to high-quality cinema and pay-to-play games. Hmv is also the UKs leading bookseller, operating as, In-store, Online digital Waterstones. Profit /loss 2010 Directory HMV UK Ireland: Total sales of 1,242 £m increased by 7.6%. HMV International: Total sales of 253 £m decreased by 8.5%. Hmv Live: The Groups result includes 0.9 £m of profit after tax making an operating loss of 0.2 £m. Waterstones: Waterstones total sales decreased by 6.5%, making total sales of 513.6 £m. Joint venture 7digital Inc: The Group acquired 50% of 7digital Inc, a digital media services company, The cash paid for it was  £8.1m. Acquisition of MAMA Group Plc: The acquisition of MAMA Group Plc for  £47.0m in cash, This was to achieve control over the Mean Fiddler Group, Net assets acquired was a total of 20 £m. HMV UK Ireland: The business now trades from 285 stores, following the integration of 32 ex-Zavvi [ex-specialist competitor] stores. HMV International: 125 HMV stores in Canada, 7 stores in Hong Kong, Singapore and local territory websites. Waterstones Total of 314 stores. the groups strategies: The company has successfully delivered most of the strategic objectives in the three-year plan commencing March 2007; The new strategies will be discussed later. FORCES ANALYSIS: Competitive Rivalry: [strong competitiveness] Supermarkets: Online: In general, supermarkets are not considered effective competitors to Large Range Retailers, as they stock a narrower range of titles, predominately best sellers and do not provide the browsing experience or pre-sales service offered by the others. Hmv competes with Amazon, iTunes, Play.com and other generalist and mass merchant retailers; Amazon offers a superior browsing experience as they have the ability to generate recommendations based on past purchases, as well as huge range of products. HMV Canada competes with Future Shop/Best Buy and Wal*Mart. The threat of entry: [high] The barriers to entry are low at all levels, with the increasing number of New competitors entering the internet sector to market their product directly to consumers, and also the use of technology that makes small companies, they face low barriers to entry with investments usually being recovered in short time, the threat is high . The power of buyers: [high] Because of the strong market position of Hmv as main routes to market, and as important marketing vehicles, Hmv are able to negotiate significant discounts with suppliers for the volume they sell, so the suppliers will have no option but to agree to higher discount terms. The power of suppliers: [low] In this market, the power of high street retailers like Hmv controls suppliers and as a result make their power very low, as discussed before, the buyers are very powerful and can incredibly threaten the suppliers to agree on important discount rates. So, the power of suppliers in this market is low. The threat of substitutes: [high] As discussed above, the technologic development and the growth of new digital market has made it easy for new substitutes products to compete with the high street retailers, and the threat of new substitutes in the market has become greater. SWOT analysis internal Strengths Market leading specialist in music, DVD and books Waterstones, member of HMV group is UKs largest high street bookseller Ottakars takeover- specialist book portfolio Fopp Stores [the group operates as a small specialist trading as Fopp.] Operations in seven territories Connections in film industry and events and festival ticketing. Few loss-making stores important Sales growth every year 100% of all packaging used in deliveries is either Re-used or recycled. outstanding product range across all genres Vibrant and stimulating store environments in key shopping locations. The use of in-store radio and listening posts and the latest plasma screen video walls. in-store personal appearances (PAs) :[album signings, and also live performances] Group synergies [Hmv and Waterstones have key operational features in common, example: the management of stock and inventory]. Strong internal communication with head office and employee in stores SWOT analysis + PESTEL external PESTEL Opportunities Political Economic Strategic alliances with media distributors/producers. Live music and entertainment evolve the product mix in stores and online Invest in cinema screens Social Online social networking Loyalty card scheme develop store atmosphere (increase footfall) Sufficient disposable income Technological Internet /digital downloads Pay-to-play services. Digital products E-books/e-readers and related accessories Mobile phone digital media In-store instant digital product purchase. Environmental Decrease Carbon footprint Reduce energy usage in stores. reduce water usage in stores: Waste management /recycling. green build [energy efficient ] Legal SMART objectives. Concentration on increase of revenue and profitability of business in 2011 through implementing new profit streams detailed in 7P proposals below, and monitoring the performance and execution of these business plans . The renaissance of stores of Hmv Group by reducing marketing expenses. Developing online music download portlal for affrortable pricing in first quarter of 2011. Pay more attention to the internet free illegal file sharing by finding new solutions how to ban or stop these type of anti-copyright issues by working with government in order to come up with new actions against those issues. Because an illegal file sharing causes much problems to financial, political and social ways for the Hmv Group Plc. Market segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies. Through this part of the report, it will be focused on the methods in which a well-built strategy of market segmentation, targeting and positioning factors to successful marketing planning. Market Segmentation. It is generally suggested that, a market segment is made of a group of consumers who have similar set of needs and desires. There are a number of effective methods, which Hmv Group management should approach to segment HMV in competitive market: Geographic country, cities, population destiny, climate. Psychographic lifestyle, characteristics, personality. Demographic family life cycle, income and occupation , race, nationality, religion, education, age, sex. Behavioural knowledge, attitudes, readiness to purchase, occasions, benefits, loyalty status. From these concepts, it will be more convenient to apply to market segmentation of Hmv Group Plc. From the research it has been proven that, the geographic strategies of Hmv stores in Canada are basically located in every high street of the cities and towns. This is a successful way to open the Hmv stores in busy places where more consumers visit to purchase the products. If we look at psychographic strategies of Hmv Group Plc, it aims to change or effect positively to consumer lifestyles and personalities. Therefore, the Hmv concerns these terms into consumer views and commitments as to keep existent consumers and also new consumers by supplying with quality and brand new products. Demographic strategies, which Hmv that should be chosen with reasonable and profitable decisions. For that reason, several stages in the family life cycle which will be the most effective factors that should be concentrated: Bachelor stage: Young and single people who aged between 16-25 years old and they have few financial obligations which means they are able to spend money for new products. The classification of this group segment in occupation and income is normally semi skilled or unskilled (Group D) and casual workers, students or unemployed individuals (Group F). Usually, they are most likely to show their interests in buying entertainment products such as games, movies, music albums, books and new technologies such as mobile phones, computers and other brand new products. Newly married couples: In addition, another segment of people who are newly married couples without children and they aged between 20-30 years old. They have higher purchase rate of consumer desirables. This target group has disposable income available, therefore being valuable consumer group. The social grades for newly married people are basically, professional, intermediate managerial skilled (Group B) and junior managerial skilled, supervisory or skilled individuals (Group C1/C2). Market Targeting. Hmv Group Plc should apply market targeting in order to make decisions how those certain segment groups can be targeted. Differentiated market when an organisation targets numerous groups of segments. It would be effective decision for the Hmv Group Plc to choose differentiated market, for the reasons of having several pointed segments for their products. Because, it develops different products and services with separate marketing mix strategies targeted at the changing groups in competitive market. It is widely proven that, the most usual customers of Hmv are perceptive devotees who observe each purchase as a high priority. However, one of the visions of Hmv is to make their discerning shoppers and casual browsers satisfied by providing trusted and valuable brands. Product Positioning. Product positioning determines on the position within the market that product is to inhabit. In this way of strategy, Hmv should do product positioning by appealing product income and how it varies from present and possible competing products. According to Wilson and Gilligan (2005, p.354), there are several influences on product positioning and it would be good decision for Hmv Group Plc to pay attention to these suggestions of authors: Product variety Performance Prices Distribution network Advertising and promotion Consumer profiles Word of mouth Customers experiences Media used By analyzing these suggestions of authors, the product positioning strategy that Hmv can come with by attracting consumers by offering promotional, quality and price discounted products that might change consumers buying behaviour.

Kurt Vonnegut and Slaughter House Five :: Biography Biographies Essays

Kurt Vonnegut and Slaughter House Five Kurt Vonnegut is one of the favorite dark humorists of the past century. Combining humor and poignancy, he has become one of the most respected authors of his generation. For twenty years, Kurt Vonnegut worked on writing his most famous novel ever: Slaughter House Five. The novelist was called "A laughing prophet of doom" by the New York Times, and his novel "a cause for celebration" by the Chicago Sun-Times. However, Vonnegut himself thought it was a failure. He said that, just as Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back, so his book is nothing but a pillar of salt. Kurt Vonnegut tied in personal beliefs, characters, and settings from his life into the novel Slaughter House Five. Kurt Vonnegut grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. He alluded to Indiana in his writings frequently and considered himself a Midwesterner. There were three traumatic experiences Vonnegut talked about in this novel that happened to him as he was growing up. One was when his father took him to the pool when he was young and taught him to swim by the "drown if you don't" method. Another time, he and his family went out to see the Grand Canyon. As he was looking over the edge his mother touched him and he wet his pants. The third experience he mentioned was when his family was touring a cave, he was very scared and then the tour guide asked everyone to turn off all their lights and it was pitch black except for two glowing red dots from his dad (Modern Critical Interpretations 4). These experiences showed through Vonnegut's novel as his alienation from others throughout the book (Novels For Students 464). Kurt Vonnegut's personal beliefs in life, we also in Slaughter House Five. Vonnegut believes that only heart believes in freewill but it is non-existent. In his novel he writes about a group of aliens called tralfamadorians who come and take Billy to their world and put him in a zoo (Kurt Vonnegut Jr. 75). While Billy is with them, they teach him this also, and they are obviously the far superior race. Another belief that Vonnegut has, is that war is horrible, he says "war is not an enterprise of glory and heroism, but an uncontrolled catastrophe for all involved" (Novels For Students 265).

Data of an employee from the Human Resources Department

A manager of a company can obtain the biographical data of an employee from the Human Resources Department of the company. The Human Resources Department is the one responsible of holding and filing all the related information about an employee of the company such that the file of the employee’s biographical data. The biographical data of an employee is all about his name and personal information about the employee. Age, sex, gender and race maybe included to the biographical data.Ethnic heritage, sexual preference and other related data can also be found on the employee’s biographical data. Weight, height, color of eyes, marital status and number of children are also part of the biographical data. Qualities, strengths and weaknesses of the employee is also being included in the biographical data in order for the employee to let the company hiring him to know his qualities that will match the specified job.In order for the manager to get a compatible ability-job fit, se veral steps could be undertaken. The first step that could be done by the manager in order to get an ability-job fit in is to perform the selection process. A simple analysis of the job will present information about the jobs being done in the company and the required abilities the applicants should possess in order to do the effectively.The manager could make an interview to the applicant, then the applicant may take an examination and the manager could be able to evaluate the applicants according to the abilities they possess for the job. After the selection and evaluation of the applicants who are fitted for the job specified, the next vital step is to make an analysis regarding promotion of the employees already in the company and accepting the applicants who are fitted with the job currently done by the employees.Assessing of the abilities of the new employees is essential in order to match the required abilities of the human resources of the company. Fit can be enhanced by job modifications such that the modifications will help the employees develop specific talents. To complete the ability-job fit in, the final option is to give trainings to the new employees (Robbins, 2007).

Questions

What should you do next? What are some of the options at your disposal to ensure that you do not alienate your colleagues? As the budget is limited and the number of projects in question is multiple, only the best projects which promise the maximum growth for the company can be selected. As the CIO of the firm, my Job is to keep the functional manager's happy and motivated at all times. At the same time I cannot create a void between the sponsors and myself. This type of situation creates a dilemma and needs to be dealt tactfully.As a next step I would: ) Conduct meetings with my functional managers and explain the situation such that there is no communication gap created b) Create a plan with them to help effectively sell their project to the sponsors c) Explain to them what made the other projects get selected over their projects. d) Help him identify what his project proposal lacked. 2) Are there any structural problems with the budgeting process at Performance Boards, Inc.? What improvements would you suggest for next year†if any? The performance board is tied down for budget and they need to allocate budgets to different projects.However, at a particular time, not all projects can be fulfilled. Thus only the projects best suited towards the organizations growth can be undertaken in the limited budget. However, the organization should undertake projects which will help sales. Since it is a manufacturing firm, â€Å"sales† is an important part of their business line. An increase in sales will lead help the organizations growth and increase in revenue. Performance Boards Inc. should prioritize their pillars when it comes to IT development. Since the industry is digitizing, IT priority in all departments should be created.As a strategy for next year, I would a) Create a plan where the parked projects could be prioritized. b) The project plans that are parked should simultaneously be worked upon to ensure that the plan is update as per industry. c) The departments which are the pillars of the organization and generate revenue should be put on the highest priority d) The departments which help in ensuring that the organization is still a good place to work should be placed next. e) The CIO must appoint other managers to help the departments develop a good project proposal which becomes difficult for the sponsors to ignore. The CIO should emphasize to the sponsors as to how long a particular project has been kept waiting and help the departmental projects get sanctioned. This will help him maintain relations with both the departmental managers and the sponsors. 1) Chargeback Chargeback is the mechanism by which a company charges for the amount of service that is provided by them. This model for revenue generation is used extensively in the cloud and Amazon runs it Web Services based on it. They charge a customer for the amount of resources that they consume on a monthly basis.For instance, a ustomer can start a virtual machine with amazon with a particular configuration at any time. The customer has the option to upgrade his subscription to a new one by paying the difference between the price initially paid and the actual price. By this, he gets an upgraded system. This is a classic example of a chargeback revenue model. 2) Allocation Allocation is a mechanism that many companies use to charge project teams for the services purchased by them. For instance, a company like Accenture which is a service based company has various projects running within.The company provides each team with a lot of infrastructure which is required for carrying out their tasks effectively. An example of this can be the helpdesk system which they have to provide assistance to the employees. The company charges the project team, a fixed price based on the number of employees on the project. Further, the project has to bear this cost irrespective whether it is used by the employees or not. Further, the number of times the helpdesk system can be used is not fixed. The employees are free to use it as many times as they need. 3) OverheadThe distribution of costs incurred by the company to install information systems which are distributed equally to all departments are known as an overhead cost. Crouse hospital in Syracuse went ahead to build an information system to maintain EMR. They had to bear the entire cost of this system which was internally borne by the various departments within the hospital. Whether it be the Cardiology department or the Respiratory department, each department had to bear the same cost to get the EMR installed. This cost that was borne by the department was an overhead cost which was used to fund an information system. Questions What should you do next? What are some of the options at your disposal to ensure that you do not alienate your colleagues? As the budget is limited and the number of projects in question is multiple, only the best projects which promise the maximum growth for the company can be selected. As the CIO of the firm, my Job is to keep the functional manager's happy and motivated at all times. At the same time I cannot create a void between the sponsors and myself. This type of situation creates a dilemma and needs to be dealt tactfully.As a next step I would: ) Conduct meetings with my functional managers and explain the situation such that there is no communication gap created b) Create a plan with them to help effectively sell their project to the sponsors c) Explain to them what made the other projects get selected over their projects. d) Help him identify what his project proposal lacked. 2) Are there any structural problems with the budgeting process at Performance Boards, Inc.? What improvements would you suggest for next year†if any? The performance board is tied down for budget and they need to allocate budgets to different projects.However, at a particular time, not all projects can be fulfilled. Thus only the projects best suited towards the organizations growth can be undertaken in the limited budget. However, the organization should undertake projects which will help sales. Since it is a manufacturing firm, â€Å"sales† is an important part of their business line. An increase in sales will lead help the organizations growth and increase in revenue. Performance Boards Inc. should prioritize their pillars when it comes to IT development. Since the industry is digitizing, IT priority in all departments should be created.As a strategy for next year, I would a) Create a plan where the parked projects could be prioritized. b) The project plans that are parked should simultaneously be worked upon to ensure that the plan is update as per industry. c) The departments which are the pillars of the organization and generate revenue should be put on the highest priority d) The departments which help in ensuring that the organization is still a good place to work should be placed next. e) The CIO must appoint other managers to help the departments develop a good project proposal which becomes difficult for the sponsors to ignore. The CIO should emphasize to the sponsors as to how long a particular project has been kept waiting and help the departmental projects get sanctioned. This will help him maintain relations with both the departmental managers and the sponsors. 1) Chargeback Chargeback is the mechanism by which a company charges for the amount of service that is provided by them. This model for revenue generation is used extensively in the cloud and Amazon runs it Web Services based on it. They charge a customer for the amount of resources that they consume on a monthly basis.For instance, a ustomer can start a virtual machine with amazon with a particular configuration at any time. The customer has the option to upgrade his subscription to a new one by paying the difference between the price initially paid and the actual price. By this, he gets an upgraded system. This is a classic example of a chargeback revenue model. 2) Allocation Allocation is a mechanism that many companies use to charge project teams for the services purchased by them. For instance, a company like Accenture which is a service based company has various projects running within.The company provides each team with a lot of infrastructure which is required for carrying out their tasks effectively. An example of this can be the helpdesk system which they have to provide assistance to the employees. The company charges the project team, a fixed price based on the number of employees on the project. Further, the project has to bear this cost irrespective whether it is used by the employees or not. Further, the number of times the helpdesk system can be used is not fixed. The employees are free to use it as many times as they need. 3) OverheadThe distribution of costs incurred by the company to install information systems which are distributed equally to all departments are known as an overhead cost. Crouse hospital in Syracuse went ahead to build an information system to maintain EMR. They had to bear the entire cost of this system which was internally borne by the various departments within the hospital. Whether it be the Cardiology department or the Respiratory department, each department had to bear the same cost to get the EMR installed. This cost that was borne by the department was an overhead cost which was used to fund an information system.

The Actual Experience essays

The Actual Experience essays Have you ever been to one of you favorite bands or musicians shows before? Wondered what it takes to put on a show? You are in that point of view of being in the crowd. Now you will learn what goes on from the point of view of a band member in a group called The Same. There is a bassist/backup vocalist, guitarist/vocalist, and a drummer. When a band of musicians takes the stage at a show there are things that have to take place and feelings that dont compare to anything else. I will bring you in a musicians shoes on the day of a live show. During the actual performance, the feelings, and what happens after the show. The time comes up when The Same is supposed to set up their equipment on stage and get ready. The bassist has a Fender p bass, the color of the sky on a beautiful day, and an 8 x 10 Hartke amp. It is about the size of a small child. The drummer has a very nice 5 piece set. Two crash symbols that will cringe in your ears, a snare that could pop a zit right off your face, a ride cymbal that rings like a bell, two toms, hi hats, floor tom, and a thumping bass drum. The guitarist has two different amps, and a nice wooden-red guitar with a lot of pedals. The Same then gets on stage and starts to set up. The amps are then turned up loud, making sure to have the volume of the bass amp up just as loud as the guitar amp and the drums. Then the mics are turned on. Check one, two. Czechoslovakia, the guitarist says. Check one, two. Checky, check, check, said the bassist. Now its time for the band to get their mind set to what they are about to play and forget anything else that tends to flow through their brains. There is a feeling of being focused, relaxed, but a little nervous. Hearts are beating fast and they are just walking back and forth ready to rock some kids socks off. Their teeth are cringing and their throats just want to get some ...

Why Do Most Humans Seek Beauty Essay Essay Example

Why Do Most Humans Seek Beauty Essay Essay Example Why Do Most Humans Seek Beauty Essay Essay Why Do Most Humans Seek Beauty Essay Essay Why most worlds seek beauty is every bit interesting as it is deep. In order to contemplate why most worlds seek beauty. I had to look at what is â€Å"beauty† . To inquire what is beauty. I had to look where beauty can be found. After reflecting on this very inquiry. I found in my thought that beauty could be found in every individual thing that exists. by at least person. Not merely on a physical plane but besides on a non-physical plane. Could I be so bold as to state that beauty is what people refer to as God. or all that is. and that people seek God or â€Å"beauty† to happen significance or confirmation of their very being? Although many can hold on certain things as being beautiful. beauty is genuinely in the oculus of the perceiver. If what is beautiful to one may non be beautiful to another so beauty can be described as an sentiment. One can hold an sentiment and another can hold. nevertheless. both are sentiment. So what is beauty? How and why do worlds seek beauty? If I can easy come to a decision that beauty is every bit single as we are human. Then I had to inquire myself how do we see beauty. Is it experienced through our sense of sight? We experience a beach. or mountain as being a beautiful thing we are looking at. Yet the reply is non so simple. Why is that beach or mountain beautiful? What about the things that happen to us that can be merely as beautiful? I think that when we experience beauty. we experience beauty through all of our senses based on the significance we put behind our thought of its beauty. Does this mean that people seek out that which is meaningful to them and happen that beautiful? In the book â€Å"Catch a Fire† . a life on the life of Bob Marley by Timothy White. I found illustrations of my thought. After Bob Marley recorded and released his first vocal. he spent most of his rewards playing his vocal for three hebdomads in a local nickelodeon until the tradesman removed the vocal because he was ill of listening to it. Bob thought hearing his music on the nickelodeon was beautiful. The tradesman did non see or experience the beauty Bob Marley felt. I can associate to both sides of this coin. I have excessively experienced the beauty in making music and the bang of listening to my music on the wireless. It was genuinely a beautiful thing to me because I had reached a end and that made me experience good. On the other manus. holding been in the music concern. I have been handed many a demo tape. which is a sample of someone’s music. I can state you foremost manus that I felt like that tradesman. I did non see the beauty or experience the same exhilaration as the instrumentalist. To state you the truth. sometimes it was reasonably painful to listen to these. Then I had to make up ones mind how I was traveling to interrupt the intelligence to the instrumentalist that I didn’t portion the beauty in his music. I am certainly many did non portion the beauty I saw in my ain music either. Another illustration from â€Å"Catch a Fire† is Bob Marley’s female parent Cadella. She saw Bob Marley her kid. as beautiful. I think that every female parent in the universe can associate to seeing her kids as beautiful. I can’t think of a more beautiful thing than my kids. Mother’s see the beauty in their kids because they love them unconditionally. Even after the tests and trials of raising your kids. the relationship may alter but the bond does non. No affair what. that beauty neer slices. When you have a kid it is like falling in love like neer earlier. So do we seek beauty to fall in love and the feeling we get from that connexion? We can see that people do seek out beauty in connexion with person or something. One of the most beautiful things in life is to see person that is connected to their passion. whatever that passion is. This beautiful connexion produces the tallness of one’s part to the universe through the action of their love of something and thereby linking or placing with others that portion the same passion or a â€Å"lover† of their plants. Peoples seek beauty and connect with one another. Connection is a basic human demand of all people. conditions it is the connexion with another human being. an art piece. a musical composing. a message. themselves. The list is eternal on the how. why. and what people find a connexion to. The most complete account of why worlds seek beauty could be found in the significance we put behind something taken in by the oculus or head. the feeling we get by seting a significance in a idea or experience that feels good. a linguistic communication that speaks to our psyche that we can place with that can bring forth life-transforming pleasance. We worlds seek beauty because it gives us pleasance and puts us in a province of cloud nine. Seeking beauty is the route to felicity.

Multicultural education scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multicultural education scenario - Essay Example How multicultural education would be deemed as effective here totally depends on my undertakings. I would have to find out the exact ways through which their understanding of education would increase and make them feel comfortable with the studies at hand. This will propel them to attain education at their best and thus move ahead with the basics of their respective lives in a reasonable way. I would find out how they will be more effective than they are at the present, and thus offer them solutions which are based on pure logic and comprehension. For making them realize that education is the key to open any lock within their lives, I would ensure that education is instilled within them in a very hassle-free way, so is the case with the 4 students who are having special needs and have to bring in a great amount of hard work with each passing day of their lives. It is important to know that the children who hail from the poorest of backgrounds would have to be considered for their edu cation norms more than anyone else. They would have to be given the special emphasis which is direly required in this day and age. Within the aegis of the classroom, these students would be supported by encouragement and special efforts shall be made to let them get acquainted with the other students in the classroom as well. What remains important however is a vision to move ahead in life and find out about its different nuances through hard work, devotion and complete commitment coming to the fore. The types of activities that could be done within the classroom include the making up of groups which shall comprise of students from different backgrounds so that they have a better understanding and interaction levels with one another. This would set the ball rolling as far as their respective domains are concerned, and they would feel better at interacting with the ones who are present within their respective groups. Role-play could be deemed as one of the most looked after propositi ons within the activities that could be inculcated within the classroom understandings, and this shall pave the way for the future success of the classroom in the long run. Each group could allow the others (groups) to learn more because each of these would be able to bring in the very best with the changing activities that they have been offered with. The groups would therefore tie in the results with the comprehension that has been reached upon, as it will assist in a better understanding of how things shape up within their respective realms and how serious consideration should be paid towards realizing where the other group has derived its basis from, in the wake of reaching the desired results (Davis, 2007). The learning tangent is such an important one for the 21 students within this classroom setting because it teaches more than mere education; it makes them realize who they really are essentially. One of the most significant reasons behind preaching multicultural education li es in the fact that it does away with the ailment of stereotyping within the classroom. Nearly all of the students understand that stereotyping someone due to one’s diverse background or merely an ailment is not something which

Certification and accreditation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Certification and accreditation - Research Paper Example However, the information system must meet the approved safeguards or protection in the two domains i.e. technical and managerial. The duration of a typical certification and accreditation process should be executed in sixteen to eighteen months. However the duration will vary due to the complexity level of the networked environment. (Stark, 1994) The dissimilarity between a Certified and an information system auditor is a compliment of both these roles. The certifier will review the systems for compliance with the stated requirements from the regulations, law or the board (Langsley & American Board of, 1983). In contrast, the auditor will validate the results submitted by the certifier for meeting the requirements. However, it is not necessary that an auditor may be a part of the same organization (Stark, 1994). Likewise, information system auditor is responsible for carrying out an independent review or audit of examination of records and activities for accessing the appropriateness of system controls for assuring compliance with policies and procedures. Similarly, a certifier is associated with conducting technical decisions of complying systems with organizational requirements, conducting risk assessment focused on system operation, certification actions and combining or integrating the finalized certification along with accredited packages. The post of this individual is known as Information System Security Manager. Furthermore, the contribution of a reviewer is associated with internal organizational role that falls under the role of a certifier (Stark, 1994). The phase 5 of the Certification and Accreditation process called as Disposal is not addressed. For instance, there is always a disposal phase of any process, system, applications etc. likewise, the process of system disposal, few factors need consideration. These factors are mentioned below: Disposal of Storage devices: if an

Philosphy of Nursing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosphy of Nursing - Assignment Example America, England, Australia, Germany like countries are severely affected by the shortage of healthcare professionals especially nurses. As per the July/August 2009 statistics, despite the current easing of the nursing shortage due to the recession, the U.S. nursing shortage is projected to grow to 260,000 registered nurses by 2025 (Nursing Shortage Resource, 2009). In short the demand for the qualified nurses is immense irrespective of the recession or economic problems. Nobody wants to put their life in jeopardy. Even though the demand was huge, availability of qualified nurses with the right outlook or frame of mind is less which forced me to select nursing as my profession. This paper briefly explains my nursing philosophy. Nursing boundaries, first addressed by Florence Nightingale, are referred to in the â€Å"Nightingale Pledge† used in pinning ceremonies which teaches the nurses to devote themselves to the welfare of those committed to their care† all refer to standards or boundaries relating to their duties and responsibilities as nurses (Holder & Schenthal, 2007). My personal philosophy of nursing revolves around the above pledge. Nursing is always a profession which attracted me even from my childhood. I am really a sensitive person who always keeps a strong concern about the sick and needy people. Keeping high levels of values and ethical standards is necessary in all professions, especially in nursing profession. Morality and ethical values are diminishing from the current professional world day by day and nursing profession is also not an exception. The absence of values and ethical standards in nursing professional has created lot of problems in providing good healthcare services to patients. Florence Nightingale and Mother Teresa like noble personalities are rarely appearing in the world. The story of Florence Nightingale and Mother

IMF's Stuctural Adjustment Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

IMF's Stuctural Adjustment Programme - Essay Example Some of the conditions that third world debtors needed to fulfill were devaluing currency, import liberalization, privatisation, "cuts in government expenditure", continued debt servicing, economic development focused on exporting goods and moratorium on hiring and pay increases for both public and private sectors (Kreye and Schubert,1988, p.264). "The structural adjustment scheme was primarily implemented to address balance of payments issues". These issues were largely generated by internal conditions such as high inflation rates, budget deficits or inefficient allocation of resources. The IMF assumed that in order to recover from the debts, third world countries must tighten its expenditures and divert them to more productive domestic investments. However, tightening the belt meant reduced government subsidies on food and services, higher interest rates, more lay-offs, higher interest rates and taxes. The scheme inadvertently affected the poorest segments of the third world country. Ferraro and Rosser (1994) noted that instead of easing the burden debt, the policies of the IMF appeared to drive the country into further debts. The IMF's policies with exclusive emphasis on internal economic improvements failed to consider external factors such as oil price movements or global recession that might affect the fiscal positions of the third world nations. ... emphasis on internal economic improvements failed to consider external factors such as oil price movements or global recession that might affect the fiscal positions of the third world nations. Their policies had pushed the heavily indebted countries into more desperate conditions and the future of economic growth in these countries was hampered. The structural adjustment programmes were perceived as benefiting more the creditors than debtor countries. In addition, the foundation of the SAP framework was rooted in neoliberalisation and an emphasis on export capacities of debtor countries. The SAP also would require the poor country to be integrated into the international market economy. Most of the poor nations hardly had the right political and economic structures that would address the demands of the IMF SAP. Instead of easing the burden of debt, SAP appeared to have driven the poor countries into dire positions. The intent of the SAP was to remove any government controls over key economic sectors to induce a free market financial condition. Socio-Economic Impact of IMF SAP The inappropriateness of IMF structural adjustment programmes could be seen in various aspects of socio-economic structures of a debtor country. The stringent conditions imposed by the SAP on the debtor countries as a requisite to avail of the IMF financing has affected the poor nation's socio-economic fundamentals. Currency Devaluation The currency devaluation requisite of the IMF SAP meant that the population would experience increases in basic cost of goods formerly accessible. In addition, essential items like agricultural machineries, medicines and other provisions included in the development project would be expensive (Riddell, 1992, p.57). The purchasing power of the local currency

Germany economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Germany economy - Essay Example In 1948, the Soviets withdrew from the four-power governing bodies and initiated the Berlin blockade, which lasted 11 months. On May 23, 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) was established on the territory of the Western Occupied zones and declared full sovereignty on May 5, 1955. On October 7, 1949, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was established in the Soviet zone with East Berlin as its capital. From that time on, the two largest states were known as "West Germany" and "East Germany," Berlin was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin, with West Berlin completely surrounded by East German territory. As a western capitalist country, West Germany enjoyed prolonged economic growth, while East Germany soon became the richest, most advanced country in the Soviet bloc. Even so, many of East Germany's citizens looked to the West for political freedoms and economic prosperity. In 1989 the Berlin wall was removed, and German reunification finally took place on October 3, 1990 , when the GDR was incorporated into the FRG (History 2007). Its per capita income of more than $28,700 makes Germany a broadly middle class society (Background 2007). In the western part of the country, Germany's standard of living is among the highest in the world, with powerful incentives to save offered by the state. Earning power for both workers and employers assures income to meet cost of living. There is no exaggerated difference between compensation for blue-collar workers and white-collar employees. In 1990, the absorption of the eastern German population and economy into western Germany had only a marginal effect on western living standards. On the other hand, East Germany, with its lower earning power suddenly had to pay West German prices, and the wholesale shutdown of former state factories and enterprises caused vast unemployment in industrial cities (Germany: Standards of Living 2007). Third quarter growth for Germany in 2007 was at its strongest for the year, boosted by higher spending on company machinery and construction. The prediction, however, for the fourth quarter and into 2008 is for slower growth due to high oil prices and a strong euro. But the latest preliminary gross domestic product (GDP) figures suggest Germany is on track for annual growth of about 2.5 percent, which would be one of the best performances in the past 15 years. The euro's rise against the dollar increases expenses for exporters while high energy costs are impinging on company profits (Germany Grows 2007). More attention should be paid to domestic product than to capital gains. Poverty With welfare reforms scheduled to be implemented in 2005, social organizations were warned of a dramatic increase in the number of poor people in Germany (Corbett 2004). Corbett stated that according to an association of German charities, the number of poor people in Germany were expected to increase from 2.8 million to 4.5 million-almost double. The average income in 2004 was roughly 2,200 ($2,700) a month but by counting the number of people living on the lowest level of social welfare assistance, the charitable organizations note that after the reform HartzIV, these people would have a monthly

BG Group plc Accounting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BG Group plc Accounting - Coursework Example Of the three business segments of the company, the E&P segment is the largest in terms of non-current assets subject to impairment issues. Oil and gas exploration is a capital intensive activity and all costs incurred are capitalized as intangible assets until oil or gas is discovered. Once the reserves are proven, these costs are transferred to property, plant and equipment in the company balance sheet. Costs incurred on unsuccessful oil and gas fields are written off in the in the income statement (BG Report 2011, pp 89). This method of accounting based on â€Å"successful efforts† is not a term defined in the IFRS 6 but used by the oil and gas industry as a carry over from previous GAAP practices (KPMG, 2008). BG plc does not differentiate between development fields and production fields. This too is inline with accepted industry practice (KPMG, 2008). Non current assets are reviewed at least once a year for impairment. As on 31 December 2011, BG Group held a balance of $ 4,383 million in expenditure related to unproved oil and gas reserves within the category of intangible assets. In the previous accounting year, this figure was higher at $5,342 million (BG Report 2011, pp 89). For assessment of impairment, BG plc combines oil and gas production fields into cash generating units based on geographical location, use of common facilities and marketing arrangements (BG Report 2011, pp90). This disclosure is not usually made in Oil company reports (KPMG, 2008) and is therefore an improvement on industry practice. BG plc uses the net present value of future cash flows for impairment assessment using certain short term and long term assumptions depending on the nature of the asset. The Exploration & Production business segment is particularly sensitive to commodity prices. Impairment testing of oil and gas properties is based on assessment of proven and probable reserve estimates using the SEC definition (BG

IMF's Stuctural Adjustment Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

IMF's Stuctural Adjustment Programme - Essay Example Some of the conditions that third world debtors needed to fulfill were devaluing currency, import liberalization, privatisation, "cuts in government expenditure", continued debt servicing, economic development focused on exporting goods and moratorium on hiring and pay increases for both public and private sectors (Kreye and Schubert,1988, p.264). "The structural adjustment scheme was primarily implemented to address balance of payments issues". These issues were largely generated by internal conditions such as high inflation rates, budget deficits or inefficient allocation of resources. The IMF assumed that in order to recover from the debts, third world countries must tighten its expenditures and divert them to more productive domestic investments. However, tightening the belt meant reduced government subsidies on food and services, higher interest rates, more lay-offs, higher interest rates and taxes. The scheme inadvertently affected the poorest segments of the third world country. Ferraro and Rosser (1994) noted that instead of easing the burden debt, the policies of the IMF appeared to drive the country into further debts. The IMF's policies with exclusive emphasis on internal economic improvements failed to consider external factors such as oil price movements or global recession that might affect the fiscal positions of the third world nations. ... emphasis on internal economic improvements failed to consider external factors such as oil price movements or global recession that might affect the fiscal positions of the third world nations. Their policies had pushed the heavily indebted countries into more desperate conditions and the future of economic growth in these countries was hampered. The structural adjustment programmes were perceived as benefiting more the creditors than debtor countries. In addition, the foundation of the SAP framework was rooted in neoliberalisation and an emphasis on export capacities of debtor countries. The SAP also would require the poor country to be integrated into the international market economy. Most of the poor nations hardly had the right political and economic structures that would address the demands of the IMF SAP. Instead of easing the burden of debt, SAP appeared to have driven the poor countries into dire positions. The intent of the SAP was to remove any government controls over key economic sectors to induce a free market financial condition. Socio-Economic Impact of IMF SAP The inappropriateness of IMF structural adjustment programmes could be seen in various aspects of socio-economic structures of a debtor country. The stringent conditions imposed by the SAP on the debtor countries as a requisite to avail of the IMF financing has affected the poor nation's socio-economic fundamentals. Currency Devaluation The currency devaluation requisite of the IMF SAP meant that the population would experience increases in basic cost of goods formerly accessible. In addition, essential items like agricultural machineries, medicines and other provisions included in the development project would be expensive (Riddell, 1992, p.57). The purchasing power of the local currency

BG Group plc Accounting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BG Group plc Accounting - Coursework Example Of the three business segments of the company, the E&P segment is the largest in terms of non-current assets subject to impairment issues. Oil and gas exploration is a capital intensive activity and all costs incurred are capitalized as intangible assets until oil or gas is discovered. Once the reserves are proven, these costs are transferred to property, plant and equipment in the company balance sheet. Costs incurred on unsuccessful oil and gas fields are written off in the in the income statement (BG Report 2011, pp 89). This method of accounting based on â€Å"successful efforts† is not a term defined in the IFRS 6 but used by the oil and gas industry as a carry over from previous GAAP practices (KPMG, 2008). BG plc does not differentiate between development fields and production fields. This too is inline with accepted industry practice (KPMG, 2008). Non current assets are reviewed at least once a year for impairment. As on 31 December 2011, BG Group held a balance of $ 4,383 million in expenditure related to unproved oil and gas reserves within the category of intangible assets. In the previous accounting year, this figure was higher at $5,342 million (BG Report 2011, pp 89). For assessment of impairment, BG plc combines oil and gas production fields into cash generating units based on geographical location, use of common facilities and marketing arrangements (BG Report 2011, pp90). This disclosure is not usually made in Oil company reports (KPMG, 2008) and is therefore an improvement on industry practice. BG plc uses the net present value of future cash flows for impairment assessment using certain short term and long term assumptions depending on the nature of the asset. The Exploration & Production business segment is particularly sensitive to commodity prices. Impairment testing of oil and gas properties is based on assessment of proven and probable reserve estimates using the SEC definition (BG

Leading Teams Essay Example for Free

Leading Teams Essay The following report presents an analysis of Shell Oil, and the ways in which it incorporates team leadership concepts in balancing stakeholder needs. Stakeholders are defined in The Times 100 case study Balancing Stakeholder Needs as â€Å"anyone who has an interest in what a business does or an influence on the business†. The case study continues on to identify Shell’s stakeholders as shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers, local communities, and interest groups. It is vitally important for large corporations such as Shell to balance the needs of these parties, in order to ensure profitable, safe and continuous operations. In order to do so, Shell must consider what the needs of each of these groups are, and how to use leadership to control the effects of conflicting needs. a) Making reference to appropriate theory what aspects of leadership and team dynamics may Shell have considered when considering their approach to balancing Stakeholder needs? The leadership tactics employed by Shell in balancing stakeholder needs will be varied, but will no doubt include an assessment of its vision and principles, the corporate leadership style, and how to construct its teams to maximise performance. The statement â€Å"Begin with the end in mind† (Covey 2004 cited Benson and Rice 2009a, p.3), gives a fair indication as to the purpose and necessity of a corporate vision. Where is the business going, and how is it going to get there? An essential element to leadership, a vision defines the goal that everyone in the company should be working towards. Kotter (1990, p.105) suggests that a key part of vision is â€Å"how well it serves the interests of important constituencies†. In other words, Shell should display balanced stakeholders needs in the company vision. According to Nanus (1992 cited Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1993), a vision should also display the following  characteristics, which Shell would likely have taken into account for each group of stakeholders: * Attracts commitment and energises people * Creates meaning in workers lives * Establishes a standard of excellence * Bridges the present to the future * Transcends the status quo. Shell publishes its vision, along with its core values and other operating principles in the Shell General Business Principles, which is widely communicated, and available for download from the company’s website. Shell has clearly recognised for quite some time the value and necessity for a vision in balancing needs, as the first set of principles was originally published in 1976 (Royal Dutch Shell plc 2005). It is important to separate leadership from management. Kotter (1990, p.104) states that â€Å"Management is about coping with complexity†, and that â€Å"Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change.† And what is a vision, if not an anticipated change to the company? The management of change is a key role of leadership. The recent corporate restructuring and appointment of a new CEO in July 2009 (Wighton 2010), shows that Shell’s leaders are required to consistently react to changes such as market conditions, and adjust its focus to ensure al l stakeholder needs are still being met. The study of leadership in general has led to many differing leadership theories, which can essentially be divided into two categories; Behaviour Models, and Situational Leadership. Behaviour Models tend to address the personal traits of the individual leader, and Situational Leadership addresses a customisation of style to each new situation. While it is possible to apply some Behaviour Model theories to an organisation, it is more likely that Shell apply Situational Leadership methods, altering the balance of task vs. relationship dependent on which stakeholder group is being considered. Shell will also have spent considerable time finding the most effective teams for their business profile. Owing to the highly technical nature of Shell’s operations, there is a good possibility that it uses expert teams to ensure that shareholder needs are incorporated at every level of the organisation. For example, and expert in say, oil drilling, may not have the expertise to determine what effects a proposed course of action would have on the local  community. It is worth noting however, that it may be time for Shell to re-evaluate the effectiveness of its teams. Wighton (2010) reports that Shell has been â€Å"plagued by delays and budget overruns on big projects†, indicating that its teams are not performing. To ensure that stakeholder needs are being met, Shell will have incorporated ways in which to monitor and control performance within the organisation. Shell begins by reporting. It reports on several sectors of the business, to include annual financial reports, which are particularly relevant to shareholders, and sustainability reporting, which will be of interest to local communities and interest groups (Shell International B.V. 2010a). It became apparent, through the annual reporting to their shareholders in May 2009 that Shell had misinterpreted its shareholders needs. This resulted in a tense annual meeting where the shareholders voted 60% against the proposed incentive scheme for executives, which would have seen top executives receive large bonuses, even if they failed to meet performance targets (Lindsay and Pagnamenta 2010) b) How may Shell’s approach to balancing Stakeholder need’s impact upon employee motivation? There are two major motivational theories which are widely used in the field of management; Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory (1959 cited Boddy 2008, p. 500-502), and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1970 cited Boddy 2008, p. 494-497). The Two Factor theory suggests that there are two elements to motivation, Motivating Factors, and Hygiene Factors. Motivating Factors contribute to an employee’s satisfaction, and Hygiene Factors contribute to their dissatisfaction. The theory identifies these factors as: Motivating Factors| Hygiene Factors| Achievement| Company Policies| Recognition| Supervision| The work itself| Relationship with Supervisor and Peers| Responsibility| Work conditions| Advancement| Salary| Growth| Status| | Security| Herzberg went on to conclude that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not opposites. The opposite of satisfaction is no satisfaction, with the opposite of dissatisfaction being no dissatisfaction. In other words, the absence of Motivating factors does not create dissatisfaction, and the existence of the Hygiene Factors does not create satisfaction. On the other hand, in the Hierarchy of Needs, Maslow speculates that everyone has a prescribed set of needs that must be met in a certain order, as follows: Maslow maintains that employees begin by looking to fill Physiological needs, for example a properly heated/cooled workplace. Only when Physiological needs are met, or mostly met, will an employee seek to fulfil their Security needs, for example a permanent contract. And so on through the other needs. Both of these theories have identified common areas of motivation relating to security (job security, salary), recognition (status, advancement, self-esteem, rewards), and job development (growth, achievement, self actualisation, responsibility). Regardless of which theory, if any, that Shell has chosen to adopt, these are the basic employee needs that they will need to have taken into account. It is a widely held belief that employees are a company’s greatest asset, which means that their role as stakeholders is an important one. If Shell is getting the stakeholder balance right, they will have addressed their employee’s needs, which should result in positive levels of employee motivation. As we saw in Question a) however, it is not always that easy to get the balance right. If Shell has favoured its shareholder needs, this could potentially lead to employee pay cuts and a reduction in safety costs, in order to maximise profits. If interest groups and local communities are favoured, this could potentially lead to the cancellation of new and innovative projects that would have allowed employees to develop new skills and achieve new discoveries. All of these outcomes would have a noticeably negative effect on employee motivation. If we are to believe Shell, it recognises this need for balance, and goes to great efforts to ensure that employee’s needs for recognition and job development are met (Shell International B.V. 2010b). It professes on its website: * â€Å"Joining Shell means getting more out of your working life than you thought possible.† (Shell International B.V. 2010b) * â€Å" [We make] every effort to provide the kind of rewards and benefits that will complement your own particular lifestyle and needs† (Shell International B.V. 2010c) Certainly, the testimonials offered by Shell employees, from every facet of the organization, seem to support these statements (Shell International B.V. 2010d). It is worth noting however, that nowhere in the literature published in the Jobs Career section of the Shell website, does it address the subjects of job stability, employee safety, or personal security. It was reported by Wighton (2010) that within weeks of his taking over at the helm of Shell in July 2009, Peter Voser had cut 5000 jobs. Combine this with the inherent safety risks of the petrochemical industry, and the security risks associated with operations in locations such as Nigeria, and some doubt is cast on Shell’s ability to meet all of their employee’s needs. c) What conflict situations may Shell have needed to consider and manage in order to successfully achieve its balance towards Stakeholder needs? Shell has five main stakeholder groups, shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers, local communities, and interest groups (The Times 100 ca.2009, p. 133-136). The nature and the needs of each one of these groups differs to such a degree that conflict is nearly inevitable. â€Å"Conflict frequently has its roots in difference† (Benson and Rice 2009b, p.2), this statement supports the idea that conflict management can also be regarded as the management of differences. Shell’s balancing of stakeholder needs could essentially be redefined as management of the differences in stakeholder needs; or conflict management. With a multinational company such as Shell, listing potential conflicts could be a daunting task. To begin with, the shareholder’s need to earn the greatest dividends possible is obviously at odds with the em ployee’s desire for greater remuneration and benefits packages. The shareholder’s and employee’s dedication to innovative new technologies and projects may oppose the goals of interest groups who strive  to protect the environment and human rights, and local communities who are stretched to accommodate a new industry. The customer’s desire for a reprieve from the ever increasing cost of fuels is in direct opposition to a supplier’s objective of selling their product at the most profitable price. The list is virtually inexhaustible. Shell has incorporated measures throughout its organization to mitigate potential conflicts, which centre on ensuring balance, communication and involvement. The first and foremost of these measures is Shell’s decision making criteria (The Times 100 ca.2009, p. 136), which is specifically designed to achieve a good balance of stakeholder needs and provide a transparency by assessing: * the economic impact of the activity is likely to yield a good return for shareholders * the social impact will be suitable for employees and communities * the long-term effect of its activity will harm the environment As mentioned in Question a) Shell report openly and honestly on its activities and their effects, through financial and sustainability reporting. According to Shell, they have â€Å"voluntarily reported on our environmental and social performance since 1997 because this performance matters to our stakeholders and to our business success† (Shell International B.V. 2010a). This provides a consistent avenue for communication with stakeholders. The greatest volume of resources dedicated to mitigating conflict can be found in Shell’s social programmes. A brief review of its website reveals that it has no fewer than seven separate social programmes, which focus on a myriad of topics, from sustainable development, to road safety, to HIV/AIDS (Shell International B.V. 2010e). There is an underlying conflict however that is not so easy to identify, and which is not evidently addressed in the mitigation measures. It is the diversity of the stakeholders that presents Shell with perhaps the biggest challenge of all. In order to truly balance stakeholder needs, Shell must consider the cultures in which it operates, and strive to understand â€Å"the richness and strength of the many different facets of diversity, including age, gender, colour, race, ethnicity, religion, differing abilities (physical and cognitive), sexuality, socio-cultural and economic background† (Benson and Rice 2009c, p.2). This will not only affect the way in which it must represent itself in each region, but it will also have a great impact on the internal development of its teams in order to maximize performance.  Again, the management of differences between cultures becomes the management of conflict. d) Conclude by taking the key elements of your observations in steps a-c regarding Shell in order to make a recommendation for other organisations to consider implementing the approach of balancing Stakeholder needs as a means to business success? Shell Oil began as an antiques dealer in London, who diversified into importing shells from the Far East in 1833 (Shell International B.V. 2010f). This is a far cry from the multinational petrochemical company of today that is a recognized symbol around the globe. The business success that has propelled Shell from local antiques store to global giant will not have happened by accident. It will be well calculated and methodically achieved. This outstanding business success will certainly provide many other organizations with insight regarding balancing stakeholder needs which will be beneficial. First and foremost is the need for vision and leadership. Business success on the scale of Shell Oil cannot be achieved without establishing a vision of what that success will look like, and how to get there. A properly composed and communicated vision will essentially be the battle cry that enlists all of your stakeholders to joining in and making the increased business success a reality. To accompany this, it is necessary to embrace the ideas of leadership over management, after all, â€Å"No one yet has figured out how to manage people effectively into battle, they must be led† (Kotter 1990, p.104). Once a vision has been communicated, it will quickly lose momentum if the stakeholders are not informed of its progress. Tools to measure and disseminate the organisation’s and individual’s performance to the vision should be developed. No matter how inspiring the vision and enthusiastic the leadership, effective teams who are able to perform will be essential. Dependent on the type of organization, and its particular stakeholders, the team dynamic required to meet expectations will be different. For example, the approach to technical innovation required by Shell will not be needed in a non-profit organization that gives support to individuals through social programming. Research into effective team structures for the desired outcome is highly recommended. While no one group of stakeholders should overshadow the rest, it is perhaps the employees who will have the most complex needs to balance against the other stakeholders. Every organisation should ensure that the balance of stakeholder needs promotes positive employee motivation  in order to achieve its envisioned business success. A study of motivational theories should be undertaken to understand the various factors, before assessing them within the organisation. As concluded in Question b), Shell has heavily promoted its ability to meet the job development and recognition needs of its employees, though it may have fallen down on fulfilling needs such as job and personal security. This will in part be owing to research and feedback directly from their employees. The employees most valuable to Shell and achieving its vision may be those who are eager to participate in the innovative and technical projects that Shell has to offer, and are willing to sacrifice in other areas as a result. Every organisation should work with its employees to determine what their needs are against the desired outcomes of the company, before assessing how these needs will fit into the balance of stakeholders. An organisation who is striving to achieve business success would benefit from approaching the balancing of stakeholder needs as if it were the management of differences in needs, in other words, conflict management. Consistent communication will be required with each stakeholder group in order to identify and discuss potential conflicts. This will allow the introduction of appropriate mitigation measures within the balance. It is acknowledged that not every organisation will be conducting multinational business; however careful research into the diversity of the stakeholders is recommended. This will allow the organisation to harness the differences within its stakeholder groups, with a view to maximising potential for performance. This report has summarised some of the key areas addressed by Shell Oil in its balancing of stakeholder needs, and has made some high level recommendations for other organisations to consider. Any organisation that is keen to achieve business success will no doubt find value in research regarding Shell’s approach. References Benson, A., and Rice, M., 2009a. Developing and Sustaining Effective Teams Guide 2: What are you there for? Setting Objectives. London: Royal College of Nursing. Available from: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/78735/003115.pdf [Accessed 02 February 2010]. Benson, A., and Rice, M., 2009b. Developing and Sustaining Effective Teams Guide 6: Some thoughts about conflict. London: Royal College of Nursing. Available from: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/78735/003115.pdf [Accessed 02 February 2010]. Benson, A., and Rice, M., 2009c. Developing and Sustaining Effective Teams Guide 4: Is everyone involved? Diversity. London: Royal College of Nursing. Available from: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/78735/003115.pdf [Accessed 02 February 2010]. Boddy, D., 2008. Management: An Introduction. 4th ed. Edinburgh: Pearson Edutcation. Kotter, J.P., 1990. What Leaders Really Do. Harvard Business Review, 68 (3), 103-111. Available from: Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost [Accessed 31 March 2010). Lindsay R. and Pagnamenta, R., 2010. Shell tries to appease investors with caps on pay. The Times, 17 February. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/movers_and_shakers/article7029759.ece [Accessed 21 April 2010]. Royal Dutch Shell plc, 2005. Shell General Business Principles. The Hague: Shell International Limited. Availa ble from: http://www.shell.com/home/content/aboutshell/who_we_are/our_values/sgbp/sgbp_30032008.html [Accessed 03 April 2010]. Shell International B.V., 2010a. Our approach to reporting. The Hague: Shell International B.V.. Available from: http://www.shell.com/home/content/environment_society/approach_to_reporting/our_approach/our_approach_to_reporting_26042007.html [Accessed 03 April 2010]. Shell International B.V., 2010b. Jobs Careers. The Hague: Shell International B.V.. Available from: http://www.shell.com/home/content/careers/ [Accessed 03 April 2010]. Shell International B.V., 2010c. Rewards Benefits. The Hague: Shell International B.V.. Available from: http://www.shell.com/home/content/careers/professionals/rewards_and_benefits/professionals_rewards_benefits_13092006.html [Accessed 03 April 2010]. Shell International B.V., 2010d. Meet Our Professionals. The Hague: Shell International B.V.. Available from: http://www.shell.com/home/page/careers/our_people/tool/app_xp_meet_ou r_people.html [Accessed 03 April 2010]. Shell International B.V., 2010e. Programmes. The Hague: Shell International B.V.. Available from: http://www.shell.com/home/content/environment_society/society/our_neighbours/social_investment/programmes/ [Accessed 03 April 2010]. Shell International B.V., 2010f. The beginnings. The Hague: Shell International B.V.. Available

Theoretical Perspectives Of Multiculturalism And Multiracialism Politics Essay

Theoretical Perspectives Of Multiculturalism And Multiracialism Politics Essay Within any multicultural society lie numerous complexities. From the States definition to the implementation, limitations within the multicultural theory and other contributing factors can however complicate its compatibility to academic, political rhetoric and social reality. For Australia and Singapore, geography, history and political culture set these countries apart in the definition and employment of multiculturalism. Australia is a country with a diverse ethnic and cultural makeup; Singapore on the other hand has a longstanding adherence to the four founding ethnic groups. But within respective cases, discrepancies emerge within the context of academic and public interpretation, making the multicultural affair both a loved and loathed subject. By juxtaposing multicultural Australia with multiracial Singapore, this chapter will introduce a broad overview of the multicultural/ multiracial debate that has challenged the reality of these contemporary nation-states. It will begin with the discussion of Benedict Andersons theories of imagined political belonging. This will be followed by a close analysis of the measures that have been sought to reconcile the nation-state framework within Australia and Singapore. The chapter will then explore the theoretical debates that exist within the State administration before concluding with an overview of these approaches by drawing upon their similarities, divergences and their impacts on their respective societies. Globalisation and cultural homogeneity The conventional notions of citizenship and national identity have been synonymous to the ideology where national belonging is limited to a single nation. More recently however, the processes that drive migration, the influx and settlement of transnational workers and global economic development have resulted in increasingly heterogeneous communities within nation-states (Castles and Davidson 2000; Soutphommasane 2005). Faced with such dramatic challenges to the imaginations of homogeneity, the traditional idea of citizenship is increasingly undermined as states find it difficult to manage their internal framework based on a presumption of ethnic and cultural homogeneity. The core vision of nationalism is the idea that it consists of individual citizens that share a distinct and autonomous national culture. Benedict Andersons whose works influence us on the way we think about nation-states, observes that a nation is a makeup of a political community that is imagined as essentially sovereign and limited through the stimulation of deep emotional attachment: Nationality, or so, as one might prefer to put it in view of that words multiple significations, nation-ness, as well as nationalism, are cultural artefacts of a particular kind. [These artefacts] once created à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ became modular, capable of being transplanted, with varying degrees of self-consciousness, to a great variety of social terrains, to merge and be merged with a correspondingly wide variety of political and ideological constellations (1991: 4). At the heart of Andersons argument is the idea that nationalism is built on what is almost purely an emotional connection that binds communities together. The imagined nets of kinship between persons and the State allows diverse communities to connect with each other without actual knowledge of their fellow members, and these invisible ties that motivate them to risk their lives for the nation-state in times of warfare under the perceived imagining of their nationhood (7). Such imaginings which are based on the ideological construct is at the core of nationalism. When they are absent or otherwise eclipsed by difference, these imaginings are imposed or buttressed by the State. In another influential discourse, Ernest Renan (as cited in Eley and Suny 1996: 42) suggests that national identity cannot exist without first submerging difference, including cultural and ethnic distinctiveness that could prove divisive.  [1]  The existence of national identity is dependent on the States ability to organise a universal set of values and cultures for its society, or as Castles and Davidson indicate, One has to be made into a national before he or she can become a citizen (2000: 27). Without these national imaginings, the legitimacy of the State probably would not have prevailed. Under the pressures of globalisation and the changing character of migration towards the end of the twentieth century, the traditional notion of citizenship where political belonging is limited to one nation began to evolve. As mass international migration leads to the proliferation of cultural and ethnic diversity within national communities, it consequently became increasingly untenable for nation-states to maintain the ideology of a homogenous national culture (Soutphommasane 2005: 401). Such shifts in migration patterns have undermined even the strongest argument about homogeneity. Japan for instance, where the State has long made claims about the homogeneity of its population, is now forced to recognise the reality of ethnic minority workforces that have become increasingly prominent in Japanese society (Castles and Davidson 2000: 157)  [2]  . Scholars and political elites have also begun to recognise that new measures were necessary to recognise such social changes, especially the need to accommodate cultural pluralism brought about by the movement of people across national boundaries. In relation to this, scholars have critically studied the multifaceted processes of migration and have produced a vast number of works in this field, including new and plural systems of identification and belonging (Lawson 2000), transnational communities and hybridisation (Bailey and Smith 2004), and new patterns of belonging and citizenship (Castles 2002; Joppke 1999; Law 2002). The multicultural debate: the case of Australia Affected by the processes of globalisation, a number of countries have begun to expand the traditional notion of universal citizenship in legislation and public rhetoric to include every individual, especially minorities, into a re-badged national culture under the new form of multicultural citizenship. Multicultural citizenship acknowledges the practise of culture and formation of identities in a variety of social and cultural contexts, departing from the antecedent understanding of monoculture and homogeneity (Soutphommasane 2005: 403). It also recognises minorities, ostensibly furnishing such communities with stronger voices in decision-making at the local, national and international level (Moodod 2007). The shifting nature of State-society relations in Australia, under the broader ambit of multiculturalism, provides us with one of the most obvious examples in the development of multicultural institutions and policies. Up until the mid-twentieth century, Australian society had been relatively homogenous, with over 90 percent of the ethnic dynamic identified as British during the post-war period in 1947 (Dunn and Forrest 2006: 210). And for most of Australian culture and institutions, the Anglo identity poses as a dominant influence. However in the beginning of the 1970s, the demise of the White Australia policy and the nations demand for skilled labour attracted an influx of non-white groups into the Australian society (Anderson and Taylor 2005: 470). It gradually became difficult for the State to sustain the myth of its national identity on the basis of Anglo-Celtic origins. The dominant community had to accept realities of ethnic diversity and a cosmopolitan identity, although resistance towards this continues at all levels of Australian society to this day. Incidentally, multicultural citizenship is a subject of controversy in the political and academic lexicon. The idea of multiculturalism, which was introduced in Australia as a public policy to manage cultural differences, was condemned in some quarters as being oppressive, undermining the quintessential Anglo-Celtic heritage of the nation (Bulbeck 2004; Johnson 2002), as well as being a threat to national security (Noble and Poynting 2008). The issues of immigration and social cohesion have become widely familiar to the Australian media and public. Today, multiculturalism continues to be a recurring subject of contest as recent events in Australia, such as the Cronulla Riots in 2005 and the assaults on Indian students in Melbourne in 2009 have shown. In each instance, the friction caused by deeply entrenched and unmanageable differences have brought the issue of cultural divides back into the public sphere.  [3]   The interpretation of multicultural citizenship in Australian political administration has a long tail, and has assumed diverse meanings under various political leaders. When the Whitlam government first unveiled multicultural programs in the 1950s, the purpose of the policy was to direct welfare services and forms of assistance to disadvantaged groups, namely migrants from non English-speaking backgrounds and those with little political and social representation. However when the Fraser government came into power in 1975, this political understanding of multiculturalism changed. Instead of simply being about the provision of welfare services, multiculturalism became a bipartisan policy that underscored the significance of cultural preservation for various ethnic groups, with a pragmatic approach to foster minorities voices within the society (Castles and Davidson 2000: 170). It was during this period that multiculturalism functioned as a policy directive, in hope that it would facil itate access for minorities and marginalised groups to fully participate and benefit from social, economic and political aspects. This continued to the 1980s until multiculturalism began to encompass a wider definition than the mere representations of cultural and ethnic entities. By then, it also (controversially) began to push into a new national ideology where it represented the buttress of national culture and identity in Australia (Galligan and Roberts 2003). From a policy that had been specifically associated with migrant resettlement services since its emergence, multiculturalism in the 1980s progressed to the advocacy of accepting and celebrating cultural diversity within Australian society. [Multiculturalism is] a model to be worked towards-a vision for the futureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Multiculturalism should not just mean majority group assistance for minority cultural groups, but rather should be a way of perceiving Australian society as a whole Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, 1982 (as cited from Galligan and Roberts 2003). The Keating government was keen on creating a new national identity based on the diverse nature of cultural groups within its society, its independence from the British monarch, its propinquity to Asia and its necessity to flourish in an increasingly globalised economy (Johnson 2002: 175). In a radical departure from traditional notions of Australian national identity, Keating wanted a national identity to acknowledge the British and Irish heritage in Australias history, judiciary system and culture, but yet was also distinct from core political values that privileged British identity (176). The new Australian identity, according to him, would illustrate his hope of Anglo-Celtic Australians embracing multiculturalism for the future social and economic benefits of the nation. Keatings policies were unpopular, garnering backlashes from politicians, scholars and public. This largely relates to the notion of multiculturalism displacing the legacy of Anglo privilege with a more cosmopolitan and inclusive national identity. There were concerns that broader conceptions of Australian identity could overhaul distinctive values and qualities that make up the uniqueness of Australian culture and subsequently disregard mainstream Australians for the interests of non-Anglo ethnic groups (Johnson 2002: 177). Hence, fear and tension began to heighten as the dominant group felt progressively pressured to surrender their privileged position under the escalating diversity of ethnic groups. Within the political framework, Keatings vision for new Australia reached an important juncture in 1996 when two public figures publicly opposed to his policies Pauline Hanson and John Howard. Following this marked a drastic decline in the significance of multiculturalism as the usage of the term became eschewed in Australian politics (Castles and Davidson 2000: 165). Beyond what could be described as reflexive ripostes to threats at cultural power, criticism surrounding the idea of multiculturalism have also much to do with its indistinct and constantly-evolving definition. (Ellie Vasta: 212) In some cases, it was deemed to have been introduced almost accidentally by political elites to accommodate the fluctuating diversity of the society. A term that is developed on-the-spot, the understanding of multiculturalism is therefore inconsistent. On one level, it is assumed as an appropriate designation for welfare policies and on another, it merely becomes a term that describes the multiple cultures that exists within Australian society. Hence multicultural critics such as Zubrzycki 1995) blame multiculturalism for being a presupposed concept with its principles couched in jargon, and the extent of its effectiveness is not largely known. Another polemic of multicultural citizenship reveals further dilemmas in the accommodation of cultural differences within a common civic culture. According to the National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia (1989), multiculturalism must be expressed with an overriding and unifying commitment to Australia, to its interests and future first and foremost. Nonetheless Soutphommasane (2005: 408) argues that while it is important for a national culture and a sense of shared belonging to anchor a multicultural society, multicultural citizenship cannot be observed under a civic culture that is impervious to change. If so, this could undermine the political representation of minority cultures at the institutional level, contradicting multiculturalisms pledge to include citizens from diverse cultural backgrounds and provide them equal voices as the majority. Built-in cultural biases within Australian political institutions which have witnessed the entrenchment of traditions first established by the Anglo-Celtic elites would continue to pose a problem for multicultural citizenship unless it provides the basis for a more inclusive form of political identity for multicultural citizens (Soutphommasane 2005; Castles and Davidson 2000). In essence, it is never possible to classify multiculturalism as something that is either good or bad in a society. A recent survey conducted by The Age indicates that most Australians continue to support immigration despite the political kerfuffle that coloured its history (Edwards 2009). This partly points to the fact that peoples perception and experiences of migrants are often fluid and contextual (Wise 2005: 183) and as a result, they may display versatile responses between positive and negative assessments of their migrant neighbours. Drawing experiences from an ethnography fieldwork conducted within a culturally-diverse suburb of Sydney, Wise also concludes that no clear division can sit between the merits or deficits of multiculturalism even though multiculturalism continues to stand as one of the prominent topics of debate in Australias political history. One People, One Nation: the multiracial framework in Singapore Unlike Australia, ethnic pluralism has always been a distinctive and defining feature of Singapore society since its founding as a colony. Long before Singapore established itself as an independent nation-state, its society was already made up of diverse ethnic groups originating from different parts of the Malay Archipelago, Asia, the Middle East and Europe due to trading links between these countries, international migration and settlement (Lai 2004: 1). For Singapore, ethnic pluralism has also been the central challenge to societal cohesion and nation-building. In the colonial era, ethnic communities were deliberately kept apart from one another as a matter of public policy. However in the years leading to the nations independence, as events of internal unrest and racial riots plagued Singapores social order, the ruling regime the Peoples Action Party (PAP) recognised that a cohesive nation was imperative to state survival (Lai 2004: 5). Hence upon independence in 1965, Singapore immediately included the idea of multiracialism in its Constitution, and the notion served as a foundation for other policies (Chua 2003: 60). However, Singapores approach in managing its multiethnic population remains strikingly different when compared to Australia. Multiracialism in Singapore represents an aspiration of the political elites to unite ethnic and cultural differences together, emphasising on bridging social divisions and advocating a shared sense of national culture. While multiculturalism in Australia which is essentially a public policy to manage diversity as well as to police racial discrimination and racism among diverse ethnic societies (Castles and Davidson 2000l; Chua 2005; Moodod 2007), multiracialism in Singapore can be thought of as being the States chief instrument of control in social life; it is developed as a tool of necessity due to Singapores heterogeneity and represents the States opportunity to recognise cultural differences. The policy of multiracialism allows the State to suppress potential tensions among ethnic groups, pre-empting public dissent and disallowing the issue of race to threa ten the States legitimacy of rule (Barr 2006; Chua 2003). On the face of affairs, the Singapore State has been quite successful in maintaining social order and stability with this pragmatic ideology, and has managed to avoid public race-related conflicts since the start of the 1970s. Within the context of Singapore, it is firstly important to distinguish the differences among ethnicity, race and culture because these terms are often used interchangeably in public and official discourse. While ethnicity and culture are forms of social construct where communities or groups seek identification and develop relationship with each other based on differences and day-to-day interactions (Lai 2004: 2), race on the other hand is identification based on the physical attributes of a person, namely the colour of a persons skin (Franklin 2003: 470). Due to colonial history, multiracialism remains as the official term within the political administration of Singapore instead of multiculturalism. Similarly, the State employs the term race instead of ethnicity and multiracialism instead of multiculturalism. Multiracialism expresses the States intention to create social order in the face of potentially divisive issues such as race, religion, ethnic origin and culture (Trocki 2006). The CMIO model of multiracialism is an essential component of the States ideology of pragmatism. Developed as an intentional decision of nationhood, CMIO multiracialism scheme a convenient political tool for the State to homogenise cultural differences within a racial group by attributing race to essentially one culture, language and to a lesser extent, religion (Lai 1995: 179). Prior to Singapores independence in 1965, the ethnic population in colonial Singapore was diverse with many languages and cultures practised within a single race. The Chinese race for instance, constituted of the Hokkiens, Teochews, Cantonese (Chua 2005: 5) as well as other linguistic communities who shared different culture and traditions (Trocki 2006: 139). Under the CMIO framework however, these differences were streamlined and orga nised around the elements of colonial history, language and geography. The heterogeneous population was categorised into four major race groups Chinese, Malay Indian and Others. Each race is attributed to one culture and one language the Chinese race is associated with Mandarin which is the official race-language; the Malay race with the Malay language; and Indian race with the Tamil language. Within the States interpretation, the CMIO model is looked upon to be the most effective approach for managing its society. In contrast to assimilation where the minority races are overridden by the dominant, CMIO model gives fair treatment by recognising all racial groups as equal in policy. It ensures that the interests of minorities and their interests are protected so they are not disadvantaged in the society, as well as providing equal opportunity for them to advance. Most importantly, the CMIO model illustrates the States efforts for encouraging race consciousness and the divisions within the society, advocating tolerance for such differences, and the desire for individuals to mutually accept each other for the benefit of the nation (Chua 2003: 17). However while the CMIO framework allows for the simplification of racial interpretation in both private and public lives, scholars have observed that it is in fact problematic. In recent years, multiracialism classification of CMIO surfaced once again in the light of academic debate as the nation steers itself towards integration of the world economy under the processes of globalisation. The Singapore states desire to attract what it calls foreign talent has opened the door to a high density of transnational relations as economic policies have resulted in a large influx of migrant workers (Yeoh and Chang 2001; Yeoh 2004): It is precisely for our childrens sake that we must take this open, cosmopolitan approachà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ However talented we may be, it is impossible for us to produce in our next generation the same constellation of talent, the same richness and diversity of backgrounds and abilities, just from the children of three million Singaporeans. -The Straits Times, 25 August 1997. Scholars have expressed concerns that the presence of transnational workers could invite a population that is increasingly too heterogeneous to be defined within the parameters of the CMIO classification. As Yeoh (2004) points out, a cosmopolitan Singapore shifts away from the older stance of multiracialism and the nations quest to build a cohesive society based on the four founding races (2442). For the government, it has long since been its ambition to assume individuals to have a fixed and unequivocal ethnic identity under the CMIO model; cosmopolitanism on the other hand invites fluid and complex forms of identification that can no longer be homogenously recognised. Increasingly, individuals of heterogeneous backgrounds would feel suppressed by the state-imposed CMIO model which limits them to negotiate and choose their own identity, leading to consequences where individuals feel unrecognised and separated from their ethnic classification (Lai 2005: 11). Under such circumstances, there would be Chinese and Indian migrant workers that do not subscribe to the CMIO-defined Chinese category, as well as those who feel that CMIO-defined Others is an insufficient representation of their race. Meanwhile the local community is also aware of the paradigms weaknesses: What [does] the CMIO classification in Singapore for? Are you against or for that? I do think its ridiculous that children of mixed heritage have to be forced to take their fathers races as theirs. I think the CMIO classification is merely for the govt to carry out their plans, such as HDB racial policy and so on. However I find it totally unnecessary. Sgforums.com, 27 February 2005. The indication of forced in the writers assertion explains her belief that social reality is actually more complex than the States simplified view with the CMIO multiracialism model. Instead the writer views the model as a coercive method for nation-building policies, as well as overwriting individualism for the societal good. Another contributor expresses her views on the limitations of the CMIO multiracialism model, and how it critically de-emphasises the importance of dialects that exist within the Chinese language other than the official race-language, Mandarin: An abundance of knowledge of Chinese traditions, values and history is contained in the oral and written embodiments of these southern Chinese languages, such as surviving literature, operas and stories. Sadly, the chain of passing down this heritage is being lost rapidly in Singapore. -Sgforums.com, 7 March 2009. Deng is exasperated that the governments move to suppress the use of dialects with the Mandarin language has a cost to bear. While the present Chinese community are mostly bilingual in English and Mandarin something that the government hopes to achieve, dialects also quickly become a language unknown to them. Chua (2003) describes this phenomenon as one of the consequences of the state-imposed CMIO multiracialism model where the understanding of racial harmony is minimalist and lacks substantial cultural exchange, deep understanding and even less cultural crossing of boundaries (75). This reinforcement is built on the tolerance of differences, as well as the governments aspiration to prioritise a shared sense of commonality and national identity before ethnic identities. The CMIO classification model also has internal contradictions if one approaches the idea of cultural difference within anthropological paradigms. As Franklin (2003) indicates, culture is in essence a complex notion which is malleable, flexible and also contestable (477). Rather than being fixed, it carries a mobile meaning which overtime can be moulded, lost, changed under the conditions of everyday life. Likewise, ethnic identity is a makeup of longstanding history, culture and tradition that equip members with an exclusive shared sense of belonging and membership (Lai 2005: 10). Hence it is not possible for identities, under the circumstances imposed by the State, to be effectively curtailed to a homogenous identity shared by a particular race group and subsequently, a homogenous identity shared by the national community. In reality, identities from cultural context can never be completely displaced by national identities (Bader 1997). The States ambition of protecting minority interests with the CMIO multicultural model also promises more optimism in rhetoric than in reality. Multiracialism in practice does not translate into equality for all races; accounts of marginalisation, especially among minorities, continue to pose a significant problem for Singapores ethnic-relations.The introduction of the Speak Mandarin program towards the end of 1970s which was intended to serve as cultural ballast for the non-English educated Chinese is suggested to reveal biases in its implementation that would in turn disadvantage non-Chinese race groups (Trocki 2006: 153). The program which is seen as an effort by the government to align Singapore with Chinas emerging affluence and to create Chinese cultural elites became less significant when it comes to other second languages. Despite the fact that the Malay and Tamil languages are the nations official languages, there was lesser push from high status institutions to promote thei r usage (Gopinathan, Ho and Vanithamani 2004: 236). Similarly, Michael Barr noted significant levels of cultural bias within the education system which often put non-Chinese children at a disadvantage (Barr 2006). He argues that the disparate portrayal of uplifting Chinese and the boisterous non-Chinese in the school textbooks, along with racial stereotype, depictions of prejudice and racial consciousness, would detrimentally deprive minorities of inspiring role models, undermining the States meritocracy ideal and its emphasis on equality as a method for encouraging harmony and understanding among all race groups. Australia and Singapore compared This chapter has illustrated the differences between the management of multiethnic population in Australia and Singapore. While multiracialism in Singapore has been inscribed in the Constitution since the beginning of its sovereignty and has been incorporated in many of its public policies since, multiculturalism only emerged in Australia during the 1970s as a policy to control differences. Secondly, for reasons of colonial history, Singapore uses the word race in replacement of ethnicity and uses multiracialism instead of multiculturalism as the official term within the political administration. And thirdly, Singapore functions on a political culture disparate from Australia. Being a one-party state, the Singapore government rules in a politically-hegemonic position with little risk of being displaced by alternative sections of parliamentary power, therefore establishing a form of governance that is deviated from the Western understanding of an open and liberal democracy. And unlike Australia, the Singapore government predominantly uses multiracialism as an instrument of social control. And such elements can be illustrated in the CMIO model where the government streamlines cultural differences to simplified classification, as well as controlling and advocating languages deemed as beneficial for the national interest. For Australia, the definition of multiculturalism evolves overtime in political administration as a consequence of responding to realities. However even when both countries have a different inherent understanding of multiculturalism, they present weaknesses and dilemmas that contradict respective political intentions of managing a multiethnic society where minorities risk domination of the majority at the socio-political level, and are subsequently put to a disadvantage. And in both countries, both governments emphasise greatly on national culture and language by placing individuals allegiance to the nation before their own ethnic and cultural values. But in the process of doing so, scholars in both contexts noted the costs of doing so. In the case of Australia, minorities risk being displaced by the dominant Anglo-Celtic group as well as underrepresentation at the political level especially if local institutions remain unreceptive to change. And in the case of Singapore, the importance of dialects and its values that are increasingly displaced by the State-imposed CMIO model, resulting in a minimalist understanding of r acial harmony where race groups do not engage, interact and have a deep understanding of each others cultures.