Interpersonal Communication Through URT Essay Example for Free

Interpersonal Communication Through URT Essay Everyday we encounter people unknown to us. There are times when we are totally no interested in meeting and introducing ourselves to them. In certain situations we are forced or are voluntarily placing ourselves within there area of consciousness, like in a class or in our office, we disclose information about ourselves in order for a complacent relationship to transpire. This new connection will either grow or dissipate based on the disclosed information. Researchers say that interpersonal communication occurs only between two people who have known each other for quite some time (Borchers). This can be attributed to the contextual factors, such as psychological, relational and cultural, present in interpersonal discourses. The attainment of these factors signify that the two people conversing already know well of each other (King, 2000). At first, when we are asked by our late seatmate at first day of school who our professor is, or when we ask our office secretary who to call to fix a down network system, the interaction that occurs implies only an impersonal exchange between two people who ask for information because of external needs and is most likely to end that same moment. When you answer the above questions with â€Å"hes the head of the department, we live in the same neighborhood† or â€Å"i know a little on systems troubleshooting but it isnt my job, ill call one immediately,† the interaction introduces information related to the speaker and are affective to the receiver. This exchange becomes personal and may give way to a more gratifying relationship through following disclosures. These disclosures in turn reduces uncertainty, a considerably large blockage to a desirable relationship. Berger and Calabrese uncertainty reduction theory in 1975 presents steps on how we can achieve a fully ineractive personal relationship with other people. This theory explains why people tend to be information seekers and reduce the unpleasant effects of uncertainty in an introductory conversation and in the whole attainment of a relationship (Oregon State University). The theory discusses three stages of disclosure in interpersonal development. These stages are entry, personal, and exit (University of Twente). The interaction given above can be considered within the entry stage. By giving information on where you live or what your skills are(demographic), the receiver obtains also some point of conformity or agreement that sparks an interest for a relationship. Eventually we reveal our values, attitudes, and beliefs and we are taken now taken to the personal stage of disclosure. These somewhat â€Å"deeper† information suggest the existence of a relationship between two people. The exit stage relates to discourses on the shared values, beliefs, and attitudes which lead to actions or decisions where both interests are unified. Since interpersonal communication is based on two interrelated peoples discourses, this not specified only on verbal exchange, uncertainty reduction theory is an effective tool in determining interpersonal relationships and communications. By focusing on the information exchanged by two individuals we can predict the stage of their relationship – whether on entry, personal, or exit stage. Certainly, the information shared will not be as substantial in terms of personal relevance necessary for the attainment of interpersonal communication. Given the difficulty of initiating contact and conversation aimed at establishing a relationship, we are most likely to shy away and be frightened. If this happens, proceeding conversations are terminated. One basic method in squeezing out information from another person is to reveal your own personal information. Self-disclosure gives way to information not normally revealed through ordinary conversations. It requires an initiative to know and be known. Also, it is a way to know how the other people react and determine the topics under their interests. Furthermore, the voluntarily disclosure of personal information gives an impression of the willingness of a person in entering a relationship. In uncertainty reduction theory, self disclousre acts as the most effective way in removing the barriers of mistrust and non-complacency. By analyzing the information you reveal, one notices your values, beliefs, and emotional and moral tendecies accompanying your disclosures. These are considered to be a pattern for compatibility looked after by uncertain people. The situation above is common to almost everyone, given that the educated still dominate in number those who havent been to school or had work. I have experienced introducing myself to someone I am interested to. Most of the time I am replied with suspicion and mistrust which make me feel in need of proving myself. By self-disclosure I get their attention and know further what interests them and on fortunate times they react with personal disclosures too. Eventually the barrier of uncertainty dissipates and we are now getting ready for a more personal relationship. By reducing uncertainty we increase trust, thus more information is exchanged. Uncertainty reduction theory explains the systematic yet unsure disclosures toward interpersonal communication. Through complete understanding of the three concepts, uncertainty reduction, disclosure, and interpersonal communication, we can attain desirable relationships that can outlast time itself. References: Uncertainty Reduction Theory. 2006. Oregon State University. Retrieved 2 April 2008. http://oregonstate. edu/instruct/theory/ur.html King, Donnell. (2000). Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication. Pellissippi State Technical Community College. Retrieved 2 April 2008. http://www. pstcc. edu/ facstaff/dking/interpr. htm Borchers, Tim. (1999) Interpersonal Communication. Allyn Bacon. Retrieved 2 April 2008. http://www. abacon. com/commstudies/interpersonal/interpersonal. html Uncertainty Reduction Theory. 2004. University of Twente. Retrieved 2 April 2008. http://www. tcw. utwente. nl/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Interpersonal

Empowering women through education

Empowering women through education Ghuman (2002) overviewed that women with higher freedom are those who retain their earnings compared to those who are unemployed and have no importance in the contribution to decision-making in households. He also added that working women occupy a better position and have a higher degree of authority as they earn money. As said by Noeleen Heyzer, executive Director of the United Nations Development fund for Women(UNIFEM) efforts must be put together to empower women and take decision to eliminate gender inequality. Carmen Moreno,Director of United Nations International Research and Training Institute of Women (INSTRAW) added that women must be encouraged to raise their voices in politics, participate in decision making and have access to education which will contribute positively in their development and for them to make better decisions on the different issues. 2.5 Empowering women through education As stated in the report of the of the expert group meeting by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), education smooth the progress of womens empowerment and for eradicating poverty among women as it enlarges womens abilities. During the period 1980-1994 the gap between girls enrolments and boys enrolment at primary level decreased in developing countries. But there are some important differences that stand out. In the case of sub-Saharan Africa the declining of the gender gap in some countries is accredited to a fall in the enrolment of boys and only a minor rise in the participation of girls. According to UNESCO data, girls net enrolment in secondary school decreased between 1985 and 1997 in 10 out of 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa; 7 out of 11 countries in Central and Western Asia; 2 out of 21 countries in Asia and the Pacific; 6 out of 26 in Latin America and the Caribbean; 6 out of 9 in Eastern Europe; and 1 out of 23 countries in Western Europe and other developed countries.. According to Goutam Roy (2009), women education contributes in helping to reduce poverty. He added that empowerment and total emancipation are two major aspects that can help to alleviate poverty. Greater emphasis is being put on women education nowadays, as there are wider job opportunities and proper attention to the women in development programmes. He also mentioned that Scholarships are given by government in HSC level, technical of vocational education to motivate women students to become educated. Women teachers are being trained to improve the quality of education given and improved teaching methodology. Goutam Roy research proved that Empowerment and development are inter- related. The slow speed of women education is boosting women empowerment resulting in women development. According to the last decade, many countries have decided to reach our women, understand their needs and include them in the development process. Survey which was carried out in 2000 shows women literacy is 66% higher than men in developing countries. He analyses that the empowerment of women has become a social and political phenomenon. The development process is strengthening when both men and women participate and education is deeply related to women empowerment. Investing in education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty as Investment in girls in secondary education gives positive outcomes. Stine Ankerbo Karina Hoyda (2003) outlines that education is vital to womens empowerment in so far as it enables women to be more productive. According to the World Bank, a mothers education has beneficial impact on the size of the family, her children well-being and how effective she uses commodity services. Education is a mean to promote development in social, political and economic spheres. Studies and research prove that there exist a high correlation between an increase in women schooling and decline in infant mortality and fertility rates. Before the mid 1970s little attention were paid to the economic benefit which can be related to women. Educated women contribute to economic development. For example, in Africa 46 percent of the female labour force is in agriculture. If they were given proper education they would have been increase in productivity that will hinder economic growth. With investment in education for girls and women significant progress in social and economic gr owth can be deduced according to economic analysis. An increase in girl enrolment in primary schools leads to lower fertility rate, higher GDP per capita and life expectancy. Studies undertaken by a world bank on 20 developing countries find that when devote substantial resources to female primary education which leads to higher economic productivity, improved standard of living and life expectancy, lower infant and maternal mortality compared to countries where women do not benefit from proper education. According to CSO reports, the earlier a child starts going to school every day, and the less risk of slipping into a spiral of poverty in adulthood. Therefore, the EAP program helps families who, for lack of money, do not send their children to school. 2.6 Feminization of poverty The term feminization of poverty refers to the fact that women suffer from poverty much more than men. In countries and across the world, women live in poverty excessively in contrast to men. The term feminization of poverty, created in the 1970s by Diana Pearce, refers to the focus of poverty among women, mainly female-headed households. However, the feminization of poverty, in reality, refers to something broader than merely lack of income or a state of economic need for women. She added that poverty is being feminized because of three main reasons, namely: The growing amount of female-headed households. Individual and cultural stereotypes about and inequity against women and girls. Macroeconomic trends such as globalization and trade that fall short to take into consideration womens position in economy. While the very definition of poverty mean the lack of ability to meet essential needs such as food, clothing, or shelter, being poor also involve the lack of choice, little opportunity, the incapability to accomplish life goals, and eventually the loss of hope. In addition, the feminization of poverty influence more than just women as it affects children, who disproportionately live in female-headed households. According to Bianchi, the increase in non marriage among women, especially those who were adolescent, restricted the income prospective of the family, but also make the legal aspects of child support difficult. The increase of divorce rate, and a rise in life expectancy among women further enhance a gendered poverty, while social programs and income transfers planned to remove individuals out of poverty were less successful in reaching this goal for women than for men. Presently, research persists to prove the existence of a gendered component to poverty, one that has become more obvious and even more prominent with the increase in female-headed households, and perhaps even more noticeable among the young and elderly female population. Female heads of household are not only more likely to be poor, but their poverty is more likely to be elongated. The majority of studies of the hardship of women point to two primary mechanisms that force women into poverty at higher rates: demographic change and the economy. Since the discovery of the feminization of poverty, the nature of social life has changed considerably, as has the structure and nature of the family. Demographic shifts have without doubt rise inequality for women and their children. The amount of children born to unwed mothers has seen a considerable rise since the 1950s. Childbearing out of wedlock, high divorce rate, explain a drastically higher percentage of households headed by single women who are upbringing their children on their own. Moreover, the average lifespan for both males and females has improved and nowadays women are one step ahead of their male counterparts. With a longer life expectancy, women will require significantly more income to guarantee their survival in their later years. Changes occurred in the constitution of family and general demographics have led women and mothers at a substantial disadvantage in terms of the monetary funds accessible to cater for themselves and their families. Apparently the poverty rate among single-male heads of household was around 17.6%, while the rate for single-female heads of household was 36.9% in 2005.undoubtedly, the increase in the divorce rate has somehow affected women, who disproportionately assume the role of primary caregiver when divorce occurs. When coupled with womens usually inferior incomes and less property rights, divorced women promptly became more vulnerable to poverty than men. In the United States, most of the children living at or below the poverty line live in single-mother households. Furthermore, women are less likely to remarry after a divorce than men, which left them to single-income households with fewer resources for a long period of time. In 2005, there were 13.5 million divorced women in the United States-3.7 million, or 37.6%, more divorced women than divorced men. 2.7 Measuring the extent of feminization of poverty Taking into account the extent to which poverty is feminized, one is mostly disturbed with whether or not women disproportionately experience poverty in contrast to men. Conversely, as considered by the Census Bureau and other governmental agencies, both in the United States and around the globe, poverty is a household concept. That is, individuals are classified as poor if they form part of a household in which the household revenue is below the poverty level for the household size. In households headed by married couples, the assumption is that both men and women presumably experience poverty at the same rate-either both members of the couple are in poverty, or neither of them is. According to Christopher et al., the gender gap in poverty exists because single women are poorer than single men. Additionally, in many examples, women living in marriages where their partner is the wage earner are consequently more likely far from poverty. 2.8 Women in politics During the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women on July 2010, some of the successes noted by Helen Hambling, Group Manager, and head of the Australian delegation stressed on the fact that women now comprises of almost one third of parliamentarians, while seven ministerial positions, including the Prime Minister, and the Governor General the highest public position were held by women. Since 1995, womens position improved by three-fold, and of the seven High Court justices, three were women. To enhance the participation of indigenous women in political life, the Government had started the indigenous womens programme. It was a grant programme that supply financial support for actions that would aid lessens those womens disadvantages and promotes their assumption of legislative and management roles. Rachel N. Mayanja, special advisor to the secretary- general on gender issues reported that there are only a few women in politics, with women presently filling just 16.8 percent of parliamentary seats, a slight rise of 4 percent since 1999. LIZ Chadderdon powell highlighted that There are only 19 female CEOs running Fortune 500 companies. That is only 3.8%. Moreover there are seventy-four women in Congress out of five hundred and thirty five seats in both the House and Senate. That implies that women comprises of only 13.8% of Congress while being 52% of the voting population of America. Sarah Brewer, Associate Director of the Women and Politics Institute at American University, states her study on female political consultants demonstrate women frequently work longer in the field before setting up their own firms. three primary reasons for the political consulting industrys glass ceiling: firstly Women are mothers and need to give time to their children, which make it difficult to serve their clients 24/7/365 and loose that edge to their male competitors, moreover being a committee ED or a partner in a firm one need to be powerful some women are shy and cannot be that aggressive and finally people in dominant positions (usually men) are reluctant to move out and give others a leg up. 2.9 Feminization of the labour force The effect of neobileral structural adjustment economic development on woman in the worlds workforces in the global economy is of great interest to policy makers. Standing (1989, 1999) and Catagay and Ozler (1995) suggest that neoliberal structural adjustment generally leads to greater feminization of the labour force caused by both demand and supply side. supply may increase due to the fact that woman enter the labour force to offset declining household and demand may increase as firms may employ more women due to lower cost of female workers. Different studies made on feminization of the labour force such as the modernization hypothesis suggest the economic development contribute to an increase in women labour force participation. On the controversy boserup(1970) who first propose the marginalization hypothesis found that economic development , urbanization relative growth of the manufacturing can lead to a fall in women labour force in the market because their traditional roles in agriculture and home production lose importance. According to the studies of Cooper Lewis (1999),Mintzberg(1996) and Rosener (1990) there is the establishment of a more humane style of management with a rise in women occupying higher level jobs as women show much care to their employees and they are more concerned with their well-being. 2.10 Equal opportunity A recent policy research report by the World Bank (2001) identifies gender equality both as a development objective in itself and as a means to promote growth, reduce poverty and promote better governance. Research undertaken by the university of stellenbosch business school in south Africa found that top level positions is still uncommon ready to accept woman are professional equals as governments policies legislation do not works . In 1996 a Gender Policy Framework (GPF) was set by the African government to authorize the international convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against woman. The GPFs main aim was to integrate gender policies by ensuring that; Womens rights are perceived as human They have equality as active citizens Their economic empowerment is promoted Their social uplift is given priority They are included in decision making They are beneficiaries in political, economic, social and cultural areas. Turning to the labour market, Helen Hambling, Group Manager, Department of Families Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and alternative head of the Australian delegation recognized that women in Australia still received 18 per cent less than men and were retiring with half the savings of men. The New Fair Work Act recently operated also intended at pay equity between women and men. In the private sector, however, women held one in eight executive management positions, and the number of companies with no women executive managers had increased between the years 2006 and 2008. To deal with that, the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency had developed a combination of regulatory and educative measures, and held round tables across the country 2.11 Role of micro finance in empowering women and reducing poverty Akinyi Janet, Editor of The African Executive magazine reported that Women in Africa are not empowered because of poverty and negative cultural practices. Credit is not very accessible, which is the main restriction on womens capability to earn income. The Microfinance sector is involving African women in the economy as they were in terrible need of income to enhance their small farms which hardly fed them. Statistics shows that women consist of 74% of the 19.3 million of the worlds poorest people now being helped by microfinance institutions. She further said that In Africa, MFIs have witnessed remarkable gains. The sector offers financial services to the poor women in possible micro-enterprises make enterprising women more powerful through financial access and expertise and significantly lessen poverty. Her research shows that more access to savings and credit facilities make women stronger in taking economic decisions. It also develops their skills, knowledge and in addition improves their position in the community. The increase in access to microfinance has made womens path to social and political empowerment easier. Moreover Akinyi Janet found that Women have shown that they are reliable clients especially in repaying loans in a specific time .empowering women has been a success as it increases individual family expenditure on health, education, improved nutrition and food security. The UNDAW report (November 2001) microcredit and microfinance projects have been recognized as key strategies to tackle womens poverty by offering women with the prospect to have their own businesses, augment their productivity and earnings and, attain greater empowerment. However, there is increasing concern among womens organizations, researchers and practitioners concerning the way in which microcredit and microfinance programmes are being encouraged. It is observed that there is limited empirical evidence to maintain a linear relationship between microcredit, poverty alleviation and gender equality and empowerment of women. There are also not many studies that investigate the extent to which microfinance programmes have helped non-economic dimensions of womens empowerment. Hulme and Mosley (1996) also reveal the relationship that exists between credit and poverty reduction is from new investments to the pattern of income change to poverty alleviation. A positive link can be generated between the two depending on whether projects yield high returns and if they can create jobs. World Bank (2001) highlights that the poor can be helped through credit replacing productive assets damaged in a natural disaster. Therefore, microfinance programmes help the poor households to sustain income shocks. Moreover the majority of the micro-credit programmes help mainly women or households headed by women (Otero and Rhyne, 1994; Hulme and Mosley, 1996; Khandker, 1998; Murdoch, 1999b; World Bank, 2001). Sadegh Bakhtiari, from Isfahan University in Iran stresses on the fact that Microfinance can be a helpful means for poverty reduction. However, it should be used thoughtfully -It has been proven that the link between microfinance and poverty alleviation is not simple, because poverty is not an easy phenomenon as there is many obstacles for the poor to cope with. It is important to know what form microfinance is appropriate for the poorest; the delivery channel, methodology and products offered are all linked together and affect poverty. 2.12 Political and economic constraint in empowering women It is a fact that male dominates women under certain aspects like political, economic and socio-cultural and they are much well paid for the same work. Henshall (2004) defines gender equality as the same opportunity given to men and women to be able to lead an enjoyable life. However this may not always be the case as according to Feinstein (1979), there still exists a large gap in female and male wages. For the same job performed women may earn less than men. In Pakistan female job is viewed as inferior and low grade. He also argued that women are obliged to carry out domestic job like household maintenance and child caring. The traditional thinking of people in Pakistan strengthens restriction over empowerment. Khalid (1991) analyses that women are restricted from the political environment in the country. They are not exposed to social, cultural, political and economic participation in the community activities. Their works are unrecognized and they encounter problem with societys attitudes which affect their working capabilities adversely. Henslin (1996) finds that male are commonly paid more for the same work and they usually dominate the socio-cultural, economic and political aspects of the society. In contrast, females are discriminated against economically, politically and socially. Consequently this adversely affects them to emancipate and become independent in life. According to Dr Naz (2009), in Pakistan male has much more power in controlling economic resources. Consequently women are regarded as inferior as they have no say in economic and political affairs as well as decision making also. Furthermore even if women are equally qualified as men yet their income tend to be lower than that of men. However, this type of inequality exists in other countries as well. Due to the complex structure in Pakistan, women face a lot of difficulties in taking part in the economic and political activities in a democratic way and to even exert their voting right. Additionally Hafeez (1983) argued that the traditional thinking of husbands that is they are conservative and believe that women should remain at home as housewives prevents the participation of women in political and economic activities. The ego problem of the husband which restrict women employment have negative effects on their children and family life .At times the relatives (in-laws) are against women employment as they fear of losing their self-image as women may become too independent and neglect their traditional roles. 2.13 Barriers of empowering women through educational attainment According to Amartya Sen (1999) the main focus of women empowerment in the process of development more precisely it includes female education, their employment prospect and the working of the labour market. She also added that difficulty to allow women empowerment through education is due to stereotyping in the formal education system which strengthens the traditional gender characters. Apart from the every day life experience, women are discriminated in the field of education. Male members are seen as the prime source of earnings and parents usually prefer to educate their sons instead of their daughters. The higher one climbs the educational ladder, the more that learning is a masculine experience (Henslin, 1996). Muzammil(2010) in his analysis validates the evidence that a barrier to acknowledging the significance of empowering women through schooling relate to stereotyping in the formal education system which further strengthens gender roles. He also found that it is taken for granted that women with lower level of education than men should earn less. In reality, patriarchy is an obstacle to womens empowerment and it is inter related with the political system to dominate women. Through the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW) meeting in 2001 A.Jacqueline emphasise on the fact that Womens rights and gender equality is still an issue in African countries. Women are discriminated in different field such as access to social and economic services. Consequently this act as a barrier to women empowerment. Research conducted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in July 2009 found that media and other reports disclose that women re not allowed to participate in public life. Many working women are threatened or are intimidated. Women are therefore forced to remain at home. We can conclude that this type of behaviour restrict woman to participate in life and emancipate. A forum on the role of women in Saudi Arabia suggest that However, women in the audience criticized the ministry for making it difficult for them to manage their own businesses without a male guardian or agent, which often allows men to wrest control of womens money. Also women are not allowed to drive. Unfortunately, it is such extreme measures have stood in the way of womens employment and narrow their business opportunities. 2.14 Conclusion The literature on women in different field and how women empowerment has been a success till now is considerable. As far as possible the key theories have been analysed, supported by the empirical research that has been carried out on the different features. The subject continues to evolve and there is an interest to go further in empowering women to reduce poverty.

The sustainable development

The sustainable development Sustainable Development has become the ‘buzz word in the present times. It is being used in every field right from environment to economy and politics. It is seen as the right kind of development, a solution, that is going to free the world from the dangers of environmental catastrophes triggered by the economic activities of man. On the one hand, sustainable development is perceived as the means to achieve a balanced civilization that exists in sync with its environment while at the same time progressing economically, and on the other hand, it is subject to endless debates on what exactly are its goals and how they can be achieved. This essay is a review of the chapter by Michael Jacobs, â€Å"Sustainable Development as a Contested Concept† which is a part of the book, Fairness Futurity: Essays on Environmental Sustainability Social Justice (Dobson, A., 1999). In this chapter, Jacobs expounds the radical theory of sustainable development and argues against the section that proclaims the principles of Sustainable Development (SD) to be redundant. He puts forward several interesting arguments stating the usefulness and absolute necessity of Sustainable Development in the present society. The aim here is therefore to underline some of the key issues and arguments put forward by Jacobs and to critically analyze the article. The author starts out with emphasizing the popularity of SD in the present times and its importance in context of the problems faced by the world. He highlights the two main definitions that have been generally used for sustainable development. One by the Bruntland Commission, states â€Å"Sustainable development means development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs†. The second definition by caring for the earth states that, â€Å" Sustainable Development means improving the quality of life while living within the capacity of the supporting ecosystems†. The author has in a systematic manner, explored the key issues pertaining to sustainable development. These can be summarized as follows: KEY ISSUES The first issue pointed out by the author is that the concept of SD has not yet been universally accepted. There are various forces of opposition that resist the concept. He highlights three important resistances. The first is that SD is an insufficiently defined term and hence some doubt its incorporation into policy-making, as the objectives are not quite clear. Secondly, the section of populace known as the ultra-greens absolutely rejects the notion of SD. According to them, SD provides an excuse to the business and development interests to carry on their economic activities without considering the environment as much as it should be. According to them, SD runs the risk of getting sucked into the capitalist milieu. And thirdly, opposition comes from the academia who state that the concept of SD stems from the same set of ideals i.e. ‘modernism, scientific positivism and realism, which were the foundation of modern economic growth and society. The second issue lies in the lack of a precise definition of SD. The author points out that the meaning of SD lies at two levels. At the first level, the definition is universal and consists of a set of ‘core ideas that are accepted as an integral part of the concept. At the second level comes the debate on how it should be interpreted in practice leading to alternative conceptions of the meaning. Certain sections call for a more precise meaning for the concept to become operational. ‘The technocrats for example, state that SD can be functional only when one single meaning is agreed upon. There is a ‘gallery of definitions and it is not exactly clear as to what it means by the terms ‘development or ‘needs or what must be exactly sustained and how ‘quality of life can be measured. Then the environmentalists concerned about the concept getting politicized claim that unclear definition can lead to misuse of the term Sustainable Development (SD). It is in danger of becoming a clichà © used by businesses in order to show their support to the environmental concerns whilst actually carrying out unsustainable activities. The Third issue highlighted by the author is the rift between the ‘radical sustainable development model and the ‘conservative sustainable development model. The author starts out with putting out the six core ideas of sustainable development that are integral part of it no matter which model one advocates. These six core ideas include: Environment-economy integration Intergenerational equity Intragenerational equity Environmental protection Quality of life Participation. The key argument of the author is that despite of the fact that SD contains some drawbacks in terms of ambiguity at the second level, the core ideas of SD make it unequivocal at the first level of meaning itself. He explains that the core ideas are neither meaningless nor redundant because each of them makes up a very important objective requiring firm changes in every field of policy making. Secondly, he reasons that these core ideas were never a part of the ‘developmental goals of the countries in the past 50 years. Hence incorporation of these core ideas into governmental objectives has put development on a different flight altogether. And thirdly, the scope of SD is very broad consisting of not only environmental protection but also other issues that are social and economical. These issues spring out from the environmental roots and branch out into various sectors. Hence, SD helps in building a society whose, social, economic and political agendas are underpinned by the env ironmental agenda. The author brings out the rift between radical and conservative models of SD by exploring the opposing interpretations of SD along four faultlines drawn from its core ideas. The first faultline pertains to environmental protection where SD is divided between weak SD and strong SD. The weak SD lies on the principle that economic activities cannot be carried out under the limits of environment. Environment has to be protected ‘where possible only after assessing the economic benefits availed from protecting it. It does not consider the intrinsic or existence value of the environment. The strong SD, is totally opposite, as in, it lies on the principle that economic activities should not exceed the carrying capacity of the environment whatsoever and takes the help of tools such as ‘maximum sustainable yield to govern extraction of resources. The second faultline is in terms of equity, which is again divided between the North and South interpretation. The southern view calls for a redistribution of global resources and the release of northern domination upon the resources of the world. However, the north is still uncomfortable about this viewpoint and stresses very little on issues of global distribution of resources or intra-country equality. The third faulline pertains to participation. Here the implementation of SD can be divided into ‘top-down approach or the ‘bottom-up approach. In the ‘top-down approach the governments make the decision and public participation is only limited to implementation levels and personal changes such as recycling, energy saving etc. in the ‘bottom-up approach, participation occurs at the objective setting and the implementation stages. It seeks the participation of public in shaping the objectives of SD and how it can be achieved. And finally, the last faultline pertains to the scope of the subject area. Government and businesses restrict the scope of SD to only environmental concerns. They claim that the efficiency of SD decreases as its breadth increases, as it only becomes a generalized approach to ‘progress. However, advocates of the broader conception state that SD is about the total quality of life and is valid for the entire societal concerns. The radical SD model is based on the egalitarian, strong, bottom-up and broad interpretation of SD while the other set of ideas characterize the conservative model of SD. Here it would suffice to say that the author clearly advocates the radical model of sustainable development and refutes the criticism that SD is vague and unsuitable for application. He argues that implementing SD no matter what its weaknesses are, would lead to the slow diffusion of radical SD without making the political and economic organizations jittery and uncomfortable. He argues, that even though SD is blamed to provide an excuse to the governments and businesses to carry on their economic activities, it has at the least, put up environment on the map of the business agenda. SD has created considerable debate on what should be done to protect the environment and how it should be done. It has raised awareness and increased pressure on the government to deliver. After highlighting these key issues and arguments, the following part of the essay shall consider the strengths and weaknesses of the article. It would delve into how the author has convincingly advocated the implementation of radical SD model and what are the issues he has missed out on. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLE The author has applied a very structured methodology to put forward his argument in support of sustainable development convincingly. His approach is to first define the concept of sustainable development. He uses the two most common ones that are widely accepted. These include the brundtland definition and the caring for the earth definition. These have been given at the beginning of this essay. Then he gives out the six core ideas of SD, which make up its essence. He uses these core ideas to explain the rift between the radical and conservative sustainability and finishes off with the conclusion that radical sustainability forms the core of the definition of sustainable development. As the author clearly states â€Å"There is nothing underhand about this: though contested at the second level of meaning, the radical model is drawn directly from the uncontested first level concept of sustainable development†. The major strength of the article lies in the fact that it clearly stresses the importance of sustainable development in spite of its various drawbacks. It is of a common opinion that sustainable development is the most appropriate existing approach to bringing policy changes in every phase of the society. The author puts forward alternative interpretations of the concept of SD and expounds that the kind of interpretation defines the perception of usefulness or uselessness of SD. SD has suffered from severe criticism in terms of its definition and objectives as have been clearly stated by the author in the form of the three kinds of resistances. The article is refreshing in the sense that, the author puts a positive view in support of SD and reestablishes its critical role. Many critics state that SD is incapable of changing the path of development. That economic growth will continue no matter what. The author is quick to point out the political significance of SD in this context. He states that SD has allowed adoption of international documents such as Agenda 21 by various countries putting SD and environmental protection on their objective list. ‘There are much greater levels of activity and debate in the environmental policy field. The author highlights the various ways in which SD has been able to bring a change in the approach to things. Firstly, governments are faced with an obligation to fulfill their commitment by signing documents such as agenda 21. As participation forms an integral part of SD, it has revived the participation of the public who are demanding for greater initiatives by the government. Secondly, it has increased the pressure of the media and pressure groups on the government and has become a valuable tool to make the government and businesses accountable. And thirdly, it has led to redefining the policy framework of institutions and put environmental protection on the table. Many critics are of the view that SD runs the danger of commercializing environmental protection. The author refutes the argument saying that if it were not for SD the governments would not even have been ‘pretending. SD binds the governments to new commitments and makes them more responsible even if it is at a b eginners level. The author very nicely puts forward that the strength of SD lies in the fact that every community has endorsed it. It is supported not only by the radicals but also by the conservatives. In the words of the author, â€Å"SD appears to have the remarkable capacity to articulate, nourish and propagate quite radical political ideas while appearing respectably non-political†. The author uses the four faultlines very effectively in order to bring out the ambiguity created by differing conceptions. While one interpretation, i.e. the conservative interpretation, limits the effectiveness of SD, the other interpretation calls for an overhaul of the existing policy making infrastructure. Hence before being critical of how sustainable is sustainable development, it is important to judge the interpretation taken into account for that particular scenario. Although all the ideas suggested by the radical model as put down by Jacobs, are relevant and address the core problems directly, one very important issues highlighted by Jacobs has been the North-South issue. This issue deserves more thought as it plays an important role in garnering international cooperation for SD. However, the issue does not solely lie in the global redistribution of the resources but also on the blame-game played by each other. While the North blames the poor of the south for environmental degradation, it doesnt take into account issues such as subsistence lifestyles of the very poor in the south and local scale of the degradation caused by them as compared to the global scale of degradation caused by the activities in the north (Timothy Boyle, 1998). Unless the North recognizes the consequences of its own activities and the need to change them, SD will mainly remain ideal in nature. Another important point that has been missed out is that economic growth forms the basic premise of SD. SD does not stop economic growth but only changes the way in which this growth is achieved. It has been implied that economic growth is needed to remove poverty, which is a major cause and effect of global environmental problems (WCED). However, the fact that has gone unrecognized is that economic growth per se has not been able to remove poverty till now. In the words of Sharachchandra, â€Å"if economic growth itself leads to neither environmental sustainability nor removal of poverty, it is clearly a non-objective for SD†. And finally, the notion of equity differs from place to place. What is equitable in the north may not be equitable in the south. There has been literature in the developing countries especially by authors like Jodha, who have pointed out evidence that inequity has actually ensured sustainable usage of resources. The standards governing equitability differ and hence cannot be made universal. Hence to conclude, Jacobs has done a good job at propounding the usefulness of sustainability and dismissing its critics. However, there are many minute points of digression in the concept that need to be looked at. SD as a concept cannot be run across the breadth of the globe but has to adapt itself to the microscopic differences between region to region. This is not to undermine the fact that SD has and will continue to play an important role in modifying global economic and political scenarios.

Jack the Ripper Essay -- Serial Killer Essays

Jack the Ripper was one of the most famous and renowned killers in history. Even though he was not the first serial killer, he was the first killer to strike on a metropolis setting. Jack the Ripper was in his prime at a time when the media had a strong control over society and society as a whole was becoming much more literate. Jack started his killing campaign at a time of political controversy between the liberals and social reformers along with the Irish Home rule partisans. The reports of Jack the Ripper were collected and reported by the police, but then the different newspapers with their political influences slightly distorted the stories to give them their own effect. It has been more the one hundred years since the last murder and there is no longer any more original evidence, and the â€Å"facts† about the stories have changed over time due to different writers or differing sources. The press changed Jack the Ripper from being a depressed killer of prostitutes to on e of the most romantic figures seen throughout history. One fact that most sources agreed upon was that the Ripper was a killer who wanted nothing more than to strike fear into the entire city by horribly mutilating his victims and then leaving them in locations where they were sure to be seen. Jack was the type of killer that wants fame and loved the fact that his â€Å"name† was on everyone’s lips and was able to strike fear into anyone and everyone’s heart. In the late 1800’s â€Å"Jack the Ripper† began his rampage of killings. He was a serial killer who murdered several prostitutes in the East End of London in 1888. The people of London, mainly the press at the time, dubbed this killer, â€Å"Jack the Ripper.† The name was given to the killer because at the time of the murders, a person wrote a letter to the police and press claiming to be this serial killer, and he had called himself, â€Å"Jack the Ripper.† These killings took place in the districts of Aldagate, City of London proper, Spitalfields, and Whitechapel which all happen to be within a mile radius of each other. Within these different districts, he was given different names depending on the stories that were told about the killings some of these other names that the serial killer â€Å"Jack the Ripper† was given were Whitechapel Murderer, which was an extremely creative and original name, and â€Å"Leather Apron,† which is presumed to reference the... ...se â€Å"search parties† one can find on the internet is board-line obsessive and insane. What people need to learn to accept is that their questions and puzzles they stubble upon in life will not always be answered. They need to realize that this was some lonely, crazed man that enjoyed killing defenseless individuals, but even so he was bright enough to get away with the crimes. It is a very sick and sadistic cycle of being deranged enough to plan out a murder so that no one will be able to catch that person, but at the same time being smart enough to be able to do all this. So basically, â€Å"Jack the Ripper† was a crazy, smart guy that enjoyed killing young and attractive women. Works Cited Barbee, Larry S. â€Å"Casebook: Jack the Ripper.† Ryder, Stephen P. and Thomas Schachner.  ©1996-2014. http://www.casebook.org/intro.html. Cornwell, Patricia. â€Å"Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper—Case Closed.† Berkley Publishing Group. October 28, 2003. Montaldo, Charles. â€Å"Crime/ Punishment: Jack the Ripper.† A PRIMEDIA Company.  ©2014. http://crime.about.com/od/history/a/ripper040721.htm. Sugden, Philip. â€Å"The Complete History of Jack the Ripper.† Carroll and Graf. January 9, 2002.

A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery OConnor :: Good Man Is Hard to Find Essays

A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor In the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor, every object including the characters are symbols. The Grandmother, who is the one and only dynamic character, represents all of us who have repented. The story is, as Flannery O'Connor has suggested a spiritual journey because of the Grandmother's Plight. In the beginning of the story the Grandmother is obsessed with everything worldly and superficial. She cares far too much about how others perceive her, "Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady" (O'Conner 138). She gets dressed up for a car trip so that, on the off chance that they would be in a car wreck and that in that wreck she would be thrown from the car and laying on the pavement, she would be happy because the people passing would think that she is a lady. This represents us as humans because daily we choose to be way too self-conscience. Think about females and make-up. Make-up is a perfect example of us caring a great deal about what others think of us. She is also very selfish in her endeavors. Instead of caring about what is best for the family, she wants to go to Tennessee because she has friends there whom she would like to see. There are three phases of thought for the Grandmother. During the first phase, which is in the beginning, she is completely focused on herself in relation to how others think of her. The Second Phase occurs when she is speaking to The Misfit. In the story, The Misfit represents a quasi-final judgment. He does this by acting like a mirror. He lets whatever The Grandmother says bounce right off him. He never really agrees with her or disagrees, and in the end he is the one who kills her. His second to last line, "She would of been a good woman," The Misfit said, "if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life," (O'Conner 152). might be the way O'Conner felt about most of us alive, or how she felt that God must feel about us.

6 Sigma in Banking

Six sigma concept with banking system Finance industry is considerably applying six sigma quality processes with aim of eliminating defects. Earlier six sigma was used only in the field of production, but now it is also used in service industry. Banks have tried to implement 6? by paying attention to customer complaint, time needed for crediting process and time needed for feedback and ultimately they found that 6? is also applicable in financial organization. After implementation of 6? the realization of improvement was done by using DMAIC model, where the process was recorded according to SIPOC model. PARETO method helped to identify the influence of problematic causes and ISHIKAWA model was used in identification of sample root Banks made the first significant step towards 6? with the implementation of ISO 9000:2000 standards. While moving forward with ISO standards, banks started a parallel process which includes PARETO method, measuring customer satisfaction, and audit system an d complaint management with an intention to increase customer satisfaction level.By completing this they received the knowledge on green belt without even knowing it. Now-a-days it is easy to monitor and control the quality process by using SPC. The activities were conducted by using software of CIM College, for whose usage the participants were trained and the activities involved are- * Finding the spot for improvement in order to accomplish greater customer satisfaction * Introduction of following clients need * Establishing direct communication with users of bank’s services * Interviewing of physical person, user of banks services in officesQuestionnaires for measuring customer’s satisfaction are handed over to clients and the results were processed by using the software. To increase the overall satisfaction banks have defined the future quality goals * Simplification of service providing by removing activities to 20% which don’t make additional value of the total process * Increasing customer’s satisfaction by 50% every year for next 2 years to achieve 95% satisfaction evel by the next years * Decreasing mistakes by 50% every year * Increase service faster by 20% each year * Increase profit by share- 10%more than previous year Managers through this CIM software and analyzing the STORY BOARD for crediting process can view the achievements and results of quality process. Further the documentation from a client is done only once and the information are transferred into electronic form and sent to Crediting Board for approval.

Characteristics of the breakfast cereal industry Essay

Brand History Breakfast cereals are not a homogenous product. The ready-to-eat breakfast cereal industry may be characterized by relatively low economies of scale and relatively low levels of technology. In other words, the entry into this industry is easy. Between the 1950s and the 1970s there was no entry of new firms in the industry even though all the incumbent firms such as Kellogg, General Mills, General Foods and Quaker Oats, made significant profits. Later however, there was the entry of new low-end companies in the markets and the number of brands sold by these firms also increased substantially from 25 to more than 80, and this number is still on a rise (Cabral, 2000, p. 265-266). Pricing trends For decades the breakfast cereal market was one of the most profitable in the United States. The industry had a consolidated structure dominated by Kellogg, General Mills and Kraft Foods with its Post brand. Strong brand loyalty, coupled with control over the allocation of supermarket shelf space, helped to limit the potential for new entry. Meanwhile the steady demand growth of around 3% per annum kept the industry revenues expanding. Also Kellogg, which accounted for over 40 percent of the market share, acted as the price leader in the industry for years in the industry. Every year Kellogg increased cereal prices, its rivals followed and industry profits too remained high. However, this favorable structure started to change in the early 1990s when the growth in demand slowed and then stagnated as the lifestyle and hence food patterns changed and the market saw the rise of powerful discounters such as Wal-Mart that started promoting their own brand of cereal. As sales of cheaper store-brand cereals began to take-ff, supermarkets no longer were as dependent on brand names to bring in traffic and hence they started to demand lower prices from the branded cereal manufacturers. Initially, the branded cereal manufacturers tried to hold against these adverse trends. However, in 1996 Kraft which was then owned by Philip Morris aggressively cut prices by 20 % for its Post brand in am attempt to gain market share. Kellogg son followed with a 19 percent price cut on two-third of its brands and General Mills quickly did the same. However, this too did not change the consumption pattern the growth rates of which remained flat and revenues then started going down for all the branded cereals (Hill, Jones, 2009, p. 52). The trend continued in 2000s also and the situation worsened with the private-label sales continuing to make inroads, gaining over 10 percent of the market. To top it all off, the sales of breakfast cereals started to contract at 1 percent per annum and the period between 1998-2001 saw the market leader Kellogg sliding down to the 2nd position for the first time in its history since its inception in 1906, by General Mills that continued to launch expensive price and promotion campaigns. To cover the rising cost General Mills raised prices in 2001 and competitors soon followed the trend. However, both Kellogg and General Mills tried to move further away from price competition in the industry by diversifying and focusing on brand extensions such as Special K on the behalf of Kellogg and new varieties of Cheerios. Special K was instrumental and helping Kellogg recapturing its market leadership position from General Mills and this renewed focus on non-price competition halted years of damaging price warfare (Hill, Jones, 2009, p. 52). Target markets The breakfast cereal industry targets several diverse markets but focuses upon two large ones namely the baby boomers and their children. Since a high proportion of the baby boomers are highly educated, health appeals are paramount. Thus many brands have placed emphasis on various types of oat-bran cereal. The other sizeable market, targeted to children is also highly developed. Various brands have successfully used sports personality and trade characters such as Tony the Tiger to attract the children towards their products and retain brand loyalty. The breakfast cereal industry has been adept at target market segmentation and promoting favorable brand images. The strategy of the overall industry especially Kellogg, the market leader, has been to provide a comprehensive assortment for the retailers targeting specific market segments (Michman, Mazze, 1999, p. 109-111) Competition Breakfast cereal industry faces competition from hand-held breakfast products such as bagels, muffins, doughnuts etc. These have in fact led to a decrease in the growth of the breakfast cereal industry. The industry also faces competition from frozen waffles, pancakes, and French toast brands which have proved to be a concern both in the past and the present. Many analysts consider that the competition is due to the change in dietary habits, though some also say that this has been due to th increase in cereal prices for the branded segment (Michman, Mazze, 1999, p. 112-113). Advertisements and Promotional activities From the time of WH Kellogg, the breakfast cereal industry has been dependent on marketing strategies and expensive promotions. In fact in 1909 itself the advertisement budget of Kellogg had reached 1 million per annum. Needless to say this is a major problem in the industry which has become price sensitive in present times. This activity has led to a decrease in profits and considering that the market share has not increased since the 1990s, this has become even more of a problem. There were also many insufficiencies generated by coupons and in-store promotions. For instance, more than 95 percent of the cereal coupons were thrown away and not redeemed and approximately half of the promotional expenditures did not reach the consumers in the form of lower prices. Because of these inefficiencies, as well as congressional investigations and competitive treats, the breakfast cereal industry has moved to lower prices. As the returns earned by the cereal manufacturers exceed most other grocery products, there is fierce competition among manufacturers (Michman, Mazze, 1999, p. 113-114). Factors contributing to success and failure There are a combination of variables that contribute to the successes and failure of the breakfast cereal industry. These variables and strategies include innovation, target-market segmentation, image, physical environment resources, and human resources. Such factors must be combined in various degrees for success. The breakfast cereal industry has shown innovation in product and packaging strategies. In addition to this, breakfast snack bars are a new innovation. The image of the breakfast cereal industry has been positive enough to withstand the assault of private-label brand sot a large extent. Also cereal manufacturers with their successful track records and huge advertisement budgets do not have much difficulty in convincing retailers to give their new product introduction a chance. In 1970s, Kellogg designed shelf space allocation programs for supermarkets. Sophisticated computers and programs developed by members of the breakfast cereal industry now help to allocate shelf space according to turnover. The breakfast cereal industry has also been successful in designing packaging for shipping and for display purposes. To sell their product brands and retain the company brand value, the breakfast cereal manufacturers have developed the strategy that links the brand name to the company name instead to identifying brand products by their individual brand names. For instance, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and Special K, as well as General Mills’ Total Raisin Bran and Total Corn Flakes use this strategy. To fend off private brand competition by offering product line depth and high brand identification (Michman, Mazze, 1999, p. 114-115).