Question is in the instruction part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Question is in the instruction part - Essay Example In relation to architecture, it may be useful to define the concept of ‘Gothic’, which first belonged to the medieval period in Europe, from about 12th to 16th centuries. The characteristics included the pointed arch, large ribbed vaults and large, high windows, and later the flying buttress. The style was applied mainly to churches and cathedrals, therefore having religious and ecclesiastical connotations, though stately homes, convents and monasteries also adopted it. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, its revival coincided with the popularity of the Gothic genre in English fiction, often quoted as having originated with Horace Walpole’s ‘The Castle of Otranto’ (Walpole 1764). The underlying ethos seems to be one of highly charged emotional content, thrilling sensationalism and a rejection of the rational and classical clarity with determined the Enlightenment. Gothic fiction and architecture would seem to seek to extend beyond normal, ratio nal boundaries in society and to find instead, a more exciting form of expression and stimulation – almost taking reader and characters to the brink of insanity through the alteration of perceived reality. Certainly, the Gothic literary conventions call up childhood fears, myths, legends and superstitions, and in so doing, overturn common perceptions and distort reality. Just as it is impossible to fully understand the workings of the human mind, the environments created in the fiction are difficult to grasp, alien and mysterious and possibly reflecting, in the form of the deep, dark pits and dungeons, an allegorical picture of psychic depths beyond our conscious knowledge. Robert Barry (1995) states that: In ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, Poe creates an atmosphere of increasing tension and doom, launching into a description which engages the

Power In The First Part Of A Clockwork Orange Essay Example for Free

Power In The First Part Of A Clockwork Orange Essay The opening of the novel is the line Whats it going to be then, ey? This is clearly something that is said by someone in an authoritative position and we learn in the next sentence that this is Alex. He is our narrator and this gives him a certain amount of power as he can choose what he wants to tell us as readers. Burgess also shows Alexs power through the various violent attacks he perpetrates on people who we would consider to be in a position of more authority than Alex is in our own society. The first of these instances is the attack upon a schoolteacher, which is a clear and obvious indicator that this society is very wrong. At the tender age of fifteen, it would be considered totally inconceivable that Alex would not only attack, but also humiliate a man who relies upon respect from youths in order to do his job. The physical power the gang have over the teacher is almost a way of compensating for Alex and his gang feeling threatened intellectually and in this sense the teacher is the more powerful. This idea of physical versus intellectual power is explored again when the gang leave the town centre to seek victims in the suburbs. When they find the writer and his wife, they destroy the book and beat the couple into teary subordination. These actions are lead by Alex who is portrayed as an almost psychotic intellectual and so dislikes the idea of not understanding the fair gloopy title of the book. I believe he is also prone to paranoia because he gets angry at the merest suggestion of someone being more intelligent or cultured than himself. As a totally egocentric way of asserting his power, Alex also beats up a drunk who is stumbling around and singing because he found him disgusting. This does not show any correlation to the other attacks as there is obviously no intellectual challenge from this man and so this attack is purely a confidence boost and has no real reason at all. Aside from their physical power, Alex and his gang also command a certain amount of fear amongst the elderly folk at the pub they visit. They are able, through brash bribery and intimidation, to get a room full of adults to comply with their wishes fairly easily even though no violence is used, or even suggested. This shows that the gangs of youths roaming the streets are infamous and that the civilised society they prey upon is doing little, if anything, to stop them. The power presented to us here, or lack of it, is the states diminished power over criminals of a violent and numerous nature. This is further demonstrated when Alex and his gang come across a rival gang in a desolate place where their laws are obeyed e. g. survival of the fittest. The power each gang has over the other is decided in a very fitting way considering what is done with this power because the gang who can cause the most injury and pain wins the power to carry on doing so to other people outside the gang wars. One such unfortunate victim is the old woman who is the last of Alexs victims as a free man. The gang, and Alex, assume they have unrivalled power over the old woman not only because of her age but also because they see themselves as untouchably strong in fights and aggression. However, Alexs power seems to be with his gang because, contrary to his own beliefs, he finds he cannot do the robbery alone and is shocked to find the old woman beating him with a stick. This is a very strange thing to happen to Alex as he sees himself as above the possibility of actually getting hurt. However, it is clear that this invulnerable character is only as such when he is supported by his gang, who are given very little credit throughout the first half of the novel for their various roles within the crimes. The utterly surreal struggle for power and control between the old woman and the young but hardened criminal ends with a swift blow to the head from Alex and so we see his physical power keeping him in control yet again. However, the authorities finally get Alex under their control through (ironically) fairly violent methods. The police are portrayed as fighting fire with fire, so to speak, as they beat Alex and humiliate him just as he had done to so many before. This is cleverly done by Burgess as this lets the reader see how these people, who are fighting against Alex and the culture he represents, are actually no better than him in a moral sense as they get their power in exactly the same way e. g. through violent beatings and intimidation. Another example of role reversal is the relationship between P. R Deltoid and Alex both before and after his arrest. Prior to the arrest, Alex was very dismissive of P. R Deltoids warnings and cared little about what he had to say, as he was untouchable and would never be caught, as he was such an intelligent young man. However once he realises how much trouble he really is in, he becomes very meek and humble before P. R Deltoid and asks him for help. It is then that P. R Deltoid becomes the one who does not care and, in his position of power over Alex, spits in face. This is an act usually saved for use by the very lowest of people and is yet more evidence of the hypocritical use of humiliating actions on Alex by the people who are supposed to be putting an end to these actions. Throughout the first part of the novel, Alex uses barbaric force and pure physical strength to overpower his enemies and victims. He sees this as proof of his own undeniable strength when, in fact, it is down to his gang that he is not harmed by his numerous encounters with violence. His egotistical delusions lead him to believe that he can impose his power upon someone by himself and this over-confidence ultimately concretes his arrest. From this point, the readers of this novel would expect to see the police processing and punishing Alex harshly but effectively and humanely. Instead, we realise that the police are so used to seeing the violence that they no longer try to avoid it and instead resort to it themselves. We are shown that power has changed hands dramatically over the course of the first part of the novel but we can also recognise that the way in which the power is gained and exerted does not change in the slightest as it passes from criminals to civilians to policemen. This is a very interesting comment on the dystopian society presented to us in this book and serves as a powerful warning for our own future.

Effect of Market on Pay Rates and Structures

Effect of Market on Pay Rates and Structures Executive Summary This assignment is based on two parts. Part A is focused on what is happening in the market of pay rates and structures. How management decide to pay to their employees and factors affecting the pay systems? Part A is mainly discussed on the factors that affecting to the pay rates in organisations. The role of management to deciding the pay structure and the system, they should follow to decide the pay rates. It consists of many illustration and examples in the way of case studies. It includes an overview of the scope in reward management, a description of the factors of pay rates coming in this context. The careful review and analysis are performed on deciding the pay rates, the conclusions are judged with suitable references and examples. In part B of this assignment, the topic of dismissal is discussed. The types of dismissals procedure and the methods of managing the dismissals in organisations. In this assignment, we discuss the need of the dismissals and how to manage it properly. The is supported with literature reviews and case studies. What is the affect of the dismissals on the employers as well as employees and how society is affected by this? This part will discuss on fair dismissals and the legal aspects of the dismissal process. Part A Do you think â€Å"management freedom of action in deciding relative pay rates is constrained by the product market, the labour market, collective bargaining, technology and the internal labour market † Discuss and debate. What factors should management consider in your opinion? Substantiate with many examples. Introduction The skills of managers had explained that there are several ways of connecting different types of efforts and rewards relying on what is being occurred and by which method. There are many varieties of pay distribution structure. Payment by outcome plans of different types, system then connect time-related encouragement to achievement criteria group and individual schemes, bonus plans relates to plan outcome. Sometimes payment systems are determined to work in some conditions but not in all. Sometimes, managements experience with the payment system is not planned in a proper method to show which payments are suitable for which situations, its objectives? The management indicate to some of the characteristics in choosing proper payment systems such as- product market, labour market, trade unions, technology and the expectations and manners of workplace. There are further factors which also need to be considered by the management while deciding or modifying the pay system. Each factor is present in every situation, but differs in their application depending on the time and situation. The management should organise systematically the payment systems and would require a method of calculating the differences applied in these factors. The managements experience need a process of designating payment schemes in such a manner that it should match with the conditions. Although, there is no specific criteria or any particular system designed, which can provide management to classify payment systems, especially to help at the time of choosing payment system. Also there is no particular format or method which is available to suit unusual or unpredicted situations. It has been said that when basic necessities are satisfied, like food, shelter, clothing, then other higher needs comes further. Therefore employees expect from the management to redefine their jobs, so that their jobs can be enlarged and they get work promotions, which could enlarge their range of skills. There is need for training to enlarge the skills of employees, which they expect more from the managements side to be classified as continuous process. Management have to deal with all these problems. Firstly, they have to classify the schemes and motivate th e workers. Secondly, they have to add the procedure that provides them opportunity of the design of organisation. Thirdly, to add the aims of the managers which they would need to set themselves. Consequently, there are many other factors while discussing the pay rates by the management. Pay Structure The time, management selects the pay rate for their workers, they have to choose how they will reward them. The systems transparency is the basic key to make certain that everyone knows the system of their payment calculation and on what basis they are receiving their bonouses or enhancements. What is Pay Structures? According to Armstrong and Brown, Definition: â€Å"Pay structure gives a structure for managing base pay and other aspects of reward† Some main types of pay structures are Traditional graded structures Broadbanded structures Graded pay structures Job families Mixed model ( broadbanded and job family) Pay spines Individual job structures In many organisations, there is lack of formal pay structures and they use ‘spot rates for different jobs or people. There is no scope of progress in pays, just what they think at that time the pay should satisfy minimum needs for the workers that will be the pay of that worker. For example, Thistle Hotels acquired a market-driven spot rate approach. According to the authors, in the UK ,there are great numbers of organisations with less than 100 employees have no formal pay structure, just what they think at the time of the appointment of the employees, they are worth, that will be the pay structure of them. But in other big organisations, they use the formal structure of pay which Appoint pay scales grouped into grades. Progress the actions for pay progression. Specify the criteria on which individuals or jobs can shift between grades, bands or levels. Factors Affecting Pay Rates Managers freedom of action make manager more flexibility in determining an employees pay rate within a specified salary range. With this flexibility comes accountability, however, requiring managers to apply sound judgment using a set of established pay factors to justify an employees rate of pay. Salaries are â€Å"managed† normally around market rates depending on departmental needs, the work units needs, and budget availability or constraints. Applicant and employee situations may make one or more of these factors more important in determining the pay rate. Managers may also consult with Human Resource staff experienced in applying pay factors as a resource when making pay decisions. There are primary pay factors to consider when making a pay decision in career. Those pay factors are described below.Pay decisions should be made fairly taking into consideration all of the following. There are several things and issues which management to kept in mind because these issues are important and core issues could make a impact on management in terms of relative these core issues are under. On first stage we need to discuss these issue then after that recommendations could be make easily 1) Labour market: In labour market, labour organization is usually showed as a complication for adjustment. But responses of unions are aggressive opposition to acceptance or even explicit cooperation. There are three main characteristic responsible for this kind of events. These are mention in the below diagram. A) Strength of labour movement: In industry, the labours an aggressive attitude on wages tends to be associated with relatively strong unions. As expected, the small or week unions are less aggressive. The large or powerful unions are more responsible because they are greatly participation in discussion and decision making at the national level. On the other hand in the developing countries this kind of formality is totally different. Only a few unions have strong labour movement and among this the aggressive attitude is common. B) Economic Cycle: In the developing as well as industrial nations, the depression is reduces aggressive attitude of labour regularly. C) Political institutions: The nature of the political command is only associated with how governments handle labour relations. More important things are that behaviour of labour unions towards the nature of political party and how these unions are connected with these parties. The workers cooperation is related to those things which encourage the business to invest. The current sacrifices will ultimately relate to future gains or profits. (Booth, A. (1995), The Economics of the Trade Union, Cambridge, CUP.) Case Study: Labour Market Outcomes and Trade Reforms: The Case of India* The Policy Reforms of 1991 In 1991, modifying labour laws to enhance flexibility in labour markets was envisaged as  part of the economic reform program that commence. However, the lack of harmony and political instability has postponed industrial relations reforms. A handful of changes have been initiated in recent years. For instance, as part of the restructure of unprofitable public-sector enterprises, a voluntary retirement system was institute by the government to reduce their workforce. In 2002, the government decided to modify the Industrial Disputes Act of 1947 allow companies to lay off employees without seeking its permission, if they employ less than 1,000 workers. This change is likely to impact 95 percent of Indian enterprises, provide employers with greater freedom in their labour decisions and improve labour market flexibility. Labour Markets: Regulations and Rigidities The informal sectors of the economy, which account for the bulk of employment, have remained outside the scope of labour laws and labour-market Institutions. Furthermore, the informal nature of employment contracts, the illiteracy of the workers, and the surplus labour in the rural economy have condemned attempts to unionize these workers. In India, Most labour laws are applicable to the organized sector. The organized sector offers what can be called â€Å"good† jobs and failure of the sector to draw out labour from unorganized sectors leads to a general decline in employment conditions. Labour Market Rigidity Indias labour market is ranked 45th labour market flexibility in the GCR 1998. Rigidities include rigidities in the deployment of human resources, in work practices, and in wages. While India is a labour surplus economy, wages are often set at above market clearing levels, particularly in the organized sector. The downward demands on wages are mitigate by labour market imperfection such as the existence of monopolistic trade unions and minimum wages guaranteed by law. These conditions apply especially to the public sector. The government fixes minimum wages for workers in the unorganized sector. However, constitutional minimum wages have been largely ineffective in influencing wages in unorganized sectors due to weak enforcement, irregular revisions, and lack of proper indexation to cost of living. In an economy where state-sponsored social security is nearly absent and where â€Å"good jobs† are unusual, employment security in the organized sector is of apparent value. The issue is not simply one of removing rigidities; it is also one of concurrently ensuring the economic and social security of the workers. While labour market flexibility will make possible readjustment and restructuring, it must be accompany by some kind of insurance and social security to the huge unorganized labour force in the country. Employment provided under the â€Å"Jawaharlal Rodger Yolanda† — a form of unemployment benefit where the government provides employment through labour-intensive infrastructure projects. (Pushan Dutt, Department of Economics, University of Alberta, 2005.) 2) Product Market: A full understanding of how product market regulation affect labour market out comes requires a systematic measurement of the channels through which these regulations affect equilibrium outcomes in various economic environments. In this framework, job insecurity generates a perverse effect on workers incentives, which shifts up the real wages schedule and may yield employment losses. Product market regulation and redundancy payments contribute to reducing labour turnover, thus easing the workers incentive constraint. Consequently, and against conventional wisdom, regulations may have a positive impact on employment, and a substitution effect may emerge across deregulation policies. Moreover, in some cases a complementarily arise between regulation in product and labour markets, both interacting to ensure more stable labour regulation.(oxford journals, industrial and corporate change, 2006) Product market reforms can give significant economy advantages. All organisation for economic development (OECD) countries rely essentially on competition in product markets to organize product. The advantages of competitive markets over command and control system is generally recognized. It is regularly difficult to provide experiential evidence of the effect of incremental changes in the intensity of competition for aggregate economic performance. This is partly because product market competition is only one among many factors influencing key aggregate performance indicators, such as productivity and employment. OECD has a rational connection between strong competition in markets for goods and services and better productivity and employment outcomes.( Product Market Regulation and Market Work: A Benchmark Analysis, Lei Fang and Richard Rogerson, NBER Working Paper, February 2007) Case Study: BT- telecommunications company increase marketing response rates by 100 percent. Challenge: BT needed to identify customers propensity to purchase and then calculate their likely competitive value once they become customers, to obtain the greatest value from its marketing budget. After creating accurate customers profiles, BT planned to develop new product targeted to specific customers groups. Solution: BT selected PASW Modeller (one type of software) to analyze data and build exploratory models for its â€Å"business highway† campaign, which was aimed at small business customers. A higher response rates to marketing campaigns, increase product revenues, and an even greater market share for the company. Results: 1) Improved direct mail campaign response rate by 100 percent. 2) Provided sales and marketing with a targeted â€Å"best prospects† list the once peaceful telecommunication industry has turned competitive. To retain its customers, gain new customers, and maximize sales, the company needed facts about exactly who was buying its products and services. To identify these customers, the company established a customer and campaign analysis team, headed by Senior Consultant Stephen OBrien, within its business connections division. The teams first assignment was to model customer profiles for BTs Business Highway product, which provides small business customers with three telephone numbers, one standard and two digital, on a single line. The launch included a major direct mail campaign and national media coverage. (http://www. Financial times.co.uk, 2007) 3) Collective Bargaining: Collective bargaining is specifically an industrial relations instrument or device for employment relationship. In collective bargaining, the union always has a combined interest for the benefit of several employees. Where collective bargaining is not for one employer but for several, cooperative interests become a characteristic for both parties to the bargaining process. Further, in labour relations involve the public interest on pay which can impact on need to be satisfied, such as the subsistence of the freedom of association and a labour law system. The nature of the relationship between the parties in collective bargaining distinguish prices. (Sriyan de Silva, Collective Bargaining Negotiations, 199, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION) Governments are interfere in collective bargaining because the negotiations are of interest to those away from the parties themselves. In collective bargaining certain essential conditions the negotiations from normal commercial negotiations in which the buyer may be in a stronger position as he could take his business elsewhere. In the employment relationship the employer is a buyer of services and the employee the seller, and the latter may have the more powerful authorize in the form of trade union action. (Blau, F.D. and Kahn, L.M. 1996: International Differences in Male Wage Inequality: Institutions versus Market Forces, Journal of Political Economy, 104, 4, 791-837.) The ILO Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98), 1949 describes collective bargaining as: Voluntary negotiation between employers or employers organizations and workers organizations, with a view to the regulation of terms and conditions of employment by collective agreements.( ILO, Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949) According to Marginson and Sisson. There are several essential characteristics of collective bargaining, all of which cannot be reflected in a single definition or description of the process: It is not corresponding to collective agreements because collective bargaining refers to the process, and collective agreements to the possible result of bargaining. It is a method used by trade unions to develop the terms and conditions of employment of their members. It seeks to restore the imbalanced bargaining position between employer and employee. Where collective bargaining impinges on government policy. Where it leads to an agreement, it modifies the individual contract of employment because it does not create the employer-employee relationship. (Marginson, P. and Sisson, K. 1998: European Collective Bargaining: a Virtual Prospect?, Journal of Common Market Studies Vol 36, 4, 505-28.) Case Study: Bargaining Power for Farmers, or The More Things Change†¦ Richard A. Levins is Professor and Extension Agricultural Economist in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Since the closing of the frontier in the last quarter of the 19th Century, the encounter with an increasingly dominant urban-industrial society has emerged as the major force in American agricultural development.The dramatic impact of this encounter during the last two decades has contributed to a crisis in social organization in both urban and rural areas.This crisis has resulted in intense concern by farmers and farm organizations over agricultures changing role in the national economy. â€Å"Bargaining power for farmers† has turned into one of the leading issues in current agricultural policy discussion. The milk holding action by the National Farmers Organization (NFO) in March 1967 dramatized, both to the general public and the national political leadership, the seriousness of the efforts some farmers were willing to make in order to achieve greater bargaining  power in the marketplace. In response to this new evidence of rural unrest Secretary of Agriculture Freeman took to the country for a series of â€Å"shirtsleeve† conferences with largely hostile farm audiences across the Midwest.Task force studies and meetings with farm producers  and marketing organizations to explore the interest and economic consequences of strengthening the power of farmers to bargain about terms of sale and market prices were conducted by USDA during the fall of 1967. In his January 1968 State of the Union  Address and his February 27 Agricultural Message, President Johnson recommended that Congress give serious attention to legislation â€Å"to help farmers bargain more effectively for fair prices.† The issue of bargaining power for farmers is not new in the history of agricultural policy discussion. Farmers have long used organization as a means of improving their political and economic bargaining power.The National Grange, oldest of U.S. farm organizations (founded 1867), grew rapidly in response to the long period of rural distress in the 1870s.The Farmers Alliance Movement in the 1880s represented a second major attempt by farmers to organize themselves, an effort that led to the formation of the Populist Party in 1891.The Farmers Union, organized in 1902, drew heavily on the old Farmers Alliance-Populist movement for its leadership and support. In contrast to earlier political efforts, however, the Farmers Union placed major emphasis on achieving economic power through cooperative marketing. The most dramatic effort by farmers to achieve direct marketing power occurred during the 1920s. Farmer cooperative associations achieved protection from antitrust action through the Cl ayton Antitrust Act (1914) and the Capper-Volstead Act (1922). Under the leadership of Aaron Sapiro of California, national commodity cooperatives for wheat, cotton, tobacco, peanuts, and many other crops were formed.The objective was to obtain control over a sufficient portion of the entire crop to become a dominant factor in the market. Control of producer deliveries were to be achieved by means of long-term contracts with members. (http://www.choicesmagazine.org/2002-4/2002-4-02.pdf) 4) Technology: Technology also plays an important part in terms of pay rise or relative pay rate because now a days technologies like work process engineering has minimise the labour role also because in the past labourer do so many things with hand but now a days those things could be easily done by the help of technology has some how overtaken the place of labour work .So management also bare in mind that if they are going increase relative pay or they going to invest in technological side they can save a lot of money while investing in technology. So technology also plays important role in terms of pay rise . 5) Internal labour market: Internal labour market also plays an important part on relative pay rates because now a days even though free capital market concept but all of this some countries at present they protect internal labour market .Because now a days internal labour market peoples enjoyed more benefits instead of peoples who came from some where else .Internal labour market also gives management some so management they believes internal labour market is bit more expensive then international labour market. 6) Financial Resources Available: Generally , it is HR staff for how much the salary will be paid to workers but there is also the responsibility of the manager as well to promote their workers. Often, when manager want to promote their staff the financial of the organization will become the challenge for the manager. Therefore manager should be aware of budget resources of all decision will be made. They have to weigh the available budget that company has against with the other factors for the best solutions. Managers should insight of the competencies and how HR used to recruit, hire, evaluate, develop, and pay their staff. The manager probably get help form consulting with HR staff for more information. Before promote any staff for more pay that is the duty of manger to make sure that the company have the budget available for that position for the promising a pay rise, which means if no fund available that is no point for manager to post or advertise for a higher position to their staff. As a managers that is nece ssary to work with all level position in the organization such as subordinates, upper management and most important is cousulting with HR for get the information as much as possible to decide what range of performance will be the most required for employee in each section to move from one level to another. As the employee , they have right to use their new ability or their specific competence they gain for a increase pay. Normally, if the employees who have the higher-level skills which not needed for the work the skills they have will be not considered for higher paid. Employees must be able to use their new competencies within the work unit to qualify for a pay increase. Managers must make sure that they have a plan and are allocating pay raises fairly and equitably rather than haphazardly or under changing â€Å"rules† for different employees. 7) Appropriate Market Rate: As managers, it is crucial to understand of market labor value of particular job for making decisions about the salary. Sometimes market rate not fixed all the time therefore the manager can justify paying higher rate on some case. Managers should be aware of the competencies and skills that already listed as minimum qualifications for the job. Managers should ask HR to establish a higher Market Reference Rate that exceeds the established market rate (if verified by market conditions). HR regularly monitors market rates for certain jobs but can do special reviews at the request of managers in situations like these. Generally, management should not pay too high than the established market rate for new employees for the task that only worth for certain amount. Hence, management have to study and always updated the established market rate for each position and level that will be promoted. The best way for manager to update is to consult closely with the HR offices for market salary info rmation. 8) Internal Pay Alignment: Manager should attempt to equalize the pay amount of the worker at the same level, same task , same job and performing in the same unit as much as possible The manager have to make sure that the person who will be paid more than the others, will be justified by more than one factors not only the years of services. When the manager becomes aware of any possible unjustified pay inequities among peers, these inequities should be investigated and resolved or justified to maintain fair treatment and to avoid legal problems based on possible discrimination or equal employment issues. The HR office is available to assist with reviews of internal pay equity issues. Fair salary offer for new employee should be consider with the existing employees salary and benefit package compare with the market rate. The manager may decide to make some salary adjustments. Or the manager may decide that this is not an important factor compared to other pay factors, and may not need to make any adjustments. M anagers might again consult with HR staff for help in analyzing differences in pay and benefit package comparisons. For more example, a chosen experienced applicant may be coming from another state with a comparable salary but where the cost for family health insurance was significantly less than the company rates. The manager may decide to add a proportionate increase to the salary offer to make up for the applicants increased insurance costs. In another example, a chosen experienced applicant may be coming to us from another state with a much higher salary (above the market rate for this position). The manager decides to offer the company standard market rate salary and considers this a fair offer since the cost of living in the company area is significantly less than in the applicants former state. 9) Required Competencies: That is the managers duty to make sure that the staff or an applicant has the minimum qualifications of the job. Qualifications are the competencies such as the knowledge, skills, abilities and traits which is determine and employees perform. These things are the factors of how applicants are hired and staff appraisals. Hence, it is very crucial that the competencies is expected for each person to categories their level in a particular job. Manager should make sure that any pay rates accurately reflect an employees competency level and the correct associated market rate. Moreover, managers have to make sure that a current staff have the minimum skills which required of the job. In filling a vacant position, the manager should consider on the level before posting and lists minimum and preferred qualifications. Also the pay range for the job at the suitable contributing, journey or advanced level. The duties and responsibilities for the job also counted for recruit employee. An applicant who only has the minimum qualification is not possible to qualify for a higher-level job therefore they can not be paid at higher level. Manager must check that the duties, responsibilities and ability are consistently applied to the correct levels. Basically, the more education and experience a person has got , the higher the level of competencies. Managers should be aware that employees or applicants years of experience do not always equate with levels of competencies, however. This means that two individuals working in the same class may have equal years of experien ce, but be at a different competency levels therefore different pay rate. Case Study: Pay strategy at Eastern Power plc Prior to Eastern Power plc becoming a privatized electricity supply company, pay awards were across-the-board annual pay increases and personal progression through salary grades until the maximum of the grade was reached. Annual pay awards were based on cost of living indexes nationally negotiated between the employers and trade unions on an industry-wide basis. With the formation of independent and competing electricity supply companies, the pay system was identified by senior management at Eastern Power as an important means of demonstrating the companys new, more autonomous, market-driven nature. Furthermore, it provided a tangible mechanism for reinforcing the cultural change required of individuals accustomed to working in a large public utility. Performance-related pay was introduced with no real preparation of the workforce and minimal, if any, training of line managers about either its intended purpose or application. During the first two years of operating PRP , the reported employee and managerial experience was far from positive. Complaints of inequitable treatment grew, many managers were uncomfortable with their increased discretion and pay decisions were frequently viewed as unfair, subjective and over-dependent on personal managerial preferences. Line management reported feeling unclear about what was expected from them in the new organization, which was reflected in the difficulty they had in setting clear and measurable targets for the employees for whom they were responsible. At Eastern Power plc, moving to performance-based pay strengthened the power and influence of line managers in the employment relationship but it also increased their supervisory responsibilities, accountability and emphasized the importance of demonstrating fairness and consistency in their decision-making. In a rapidly changing organizational context, it may well provide an immediate means of ‘signalling a changed organizational climate but clarifying mutual expectations of the wage/effort bargain at the level of the individual remains of paramount importance in the employment relationship. The process of achieving the desired alignment is widely recognized as complex and ‘reward management can be seen as indicative of the contradictions that exist within the discipline labelled human resource management'(Kelly and Monks, 1998:113). In part this is due to the very tangible nature of pay compared with many other human resourcing strategies. The contradictions observed in rewards policies certainly provide plentiful illustrations of a dilemma long identified in strategic human resourcing: how to elicit organizational commitment through the development of employee potential( Walton, 1985) while optimizing the use of human resources just as any other economic factor ( Storey, 1992 ). Source: http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B871.pdf (John Leopold Lynette Harris Tony Watson , The strategic Managing of Human Resources, Prentice Hall ,2005 p 211-220) Case study: Smart company

Griffins Egg: Gunther :: essays research papers

Griffin's Egg: Gunther   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Griffin's Egg is a story about Gunther, a man who lives on the moon. And his adventures,as he gets into all kinds of situatutions. He, along with many others, have inhabited the moon because Earth is engauged in a full thermonuclier war. The dangers of the moon however, also come along. Solar flares, dangerous robots, CMP chips, and many more dangers await Gunther on the moon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As gunther is delivering some fuel rods to the G5 Assembly Plant, a Surface Warning is broadcast, this is high levels of radiation caused by a solar flare. He is 30 minutes away from the nearest shelter, and the advisory is for 20 minutes. He finds a way to make a rig to sit under the truck, so he would be shielded from the radiation. He also uses his robot, Siegfried, to control the movement of the truck while he is riding under it, on his way to the plant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When he finally made it so the plant, he went inside to find it filled with thick, smoke-like mist. His light only distorts the images, so he turns it off and gets used to the dark room. When his eyes finally got adjusted, it was just in time, because just then a big metal puncher came by and punched a hole in the ground right next to him. He stumbled away, only to find that the robot was following him. He ran into the shelter and closed the door, sealing the robot outside of the shelter. The shelter was s small room, just big enough to fit a cot, a chemical toilet, and a rebreather with spare oxygen tanks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A while later, after the flare was over, the CMP chips, which has been implanted in everyone's brain that had come to the moon, was being used against them. Krishna, a scientist, found that if he broadcasted over the chips frequency, he could make hypnotic suggestions to the people with the chips. Gunther had to find a way to stop this, so he and another scientist, Hiro,

Educational policy Essay

On Tuesday May eleventh, 2010 David Cameron became the British Prime Minister after forming a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition. This followed five days of negotiation as the general election had produced a hung parliament. While the Conservatives were the largest party, they held an inadequate number of seats to meet the threshold for majority rule, and so formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, (guardian.co.uk, 2010). Even prior to becoming Prime Minister, David Cameron spoke at length on the Conservatives’ education election manifesto by announcing plans to attract the most educated professional teachers into the classroom. Central to his party’s focus on education was his party’s desires to improve the standard of teacher’s education, he said, â€Å"The most important thing that will determine if a child succeeds is not their background, the curricula, the type of school or the amount of funding, it’s the teacher,† (daily mail.co.uk, 2010). This paper intends to examine the evolution of the Academy school system under the current coalition government, make a comparison between the current the education policy under the coalition government and the tripartite system of the 1944 Butler Education Act. It will examine the effects of both systems on the pupils within them, whether in fact pupils will benefit from the Academy and free school systems or is it the case that there are also be some pupils who are disadvantaged by this  system. There will also be an examination of what will happen to pupils who are not educated in either the academy or free school systems and the influence that market forces will have on the establishment and success of schools. Education is the delivery of knowledge, skills and information from teachers to students; the process of becoming an educated person, (Carr & Kemmis, 1986). Education promotes the abilities to perceive accurately, think critically and act effectively to achieve self-sele cted goals and aspirations, (Gelber Cannon, 2011). It allows individuals to map their experiences and provides a variety of reliable routes for individual’s to return to optimal states when they find themselves facing difficult decisions and life events. Crucially in modern era, education itself is seen as a vital resource for global economies, in fact most first world economies are characterised as ‘learning economies’, (Tze-Chang, 2011). It is the acquisition and retention of knowledge that drives global economies which, in previous generations, were based entirely on pure market forces, (Avis, 1996). Consequently an economy based exclusively on market forces would be unable sustain learning and innovation, (Morgan, 1997). For modern economies to flourish they must develop a combination of a ‘learning economy’ with market forces, (Beckett & Hager, 2002). It is for these reasons that successive governments have recognised the essential value of a higher educated population and have improve the way in which the population is taught from school age right throughout life, (Wolf & Evans, 2011). Even Prior to the Coalition Government taking power, there had been a move towards Neoliberal ideology from the previo us two governments. From 1997 New Labour brought about changes within educational policies that Tony Blair stated were part of the ‘Third Way’. This was intended to evolve social democratic ideals into encompassing the Neo-liberalism that had been prevalent for the decade under Thatcher’s Government, (Hill,2001). Neo-liberalism attempts to evolve away from social democratic principles such, redistributive policy, taxing the very wealthy, defending equal opportunities with a strongly proactive sense of achieving more equal outcomes, relying on the high standard qualifications of professional groups (such as teachers) and regulating these professionals in the interests of equal opportunities. Neo-liberalism focuses on the continuation of the national curriculum which has had a strong influence from central government. So for instance, Margaret Thatcher insisted that events of the previous twenty years had not to be included in history lessons, (Thatcher, 1980). Even today many teachers believe the national curriculum prevents them encouraging creativity and innovation, focusing on a narrow curriculum and a strict testing regime, (McCormick & Burn, 2011). Neo-liberalism encourages the competition of schooling through supporting market forces with the spread of selective `specialist schools’, (Hursh, 2005). New Labour called these ‘Modernising’ comprehensive education’ by encouraging ‘selection and diversity’, (Kassem et al, 2006). One important area of neo-liberal ideology is marrying of private organisations with public services such as education; New Labour termed these `creating new partnerships’, (Clarke et al, 2000). These ideologies question of `standards’ achieved in school tests expecting that education focus on achieving good test results and making these a requirement for entry into Higher Education, (Rowden, 2011). There are concerns that neo-liberal education policies increase in inequalities in terms of social class, (Hill, 2003). In many ways the new school systems will create winners, those who attend new inspiring buildings that are full to the brim with facilities and opportunities for the pupils, however there will also be losers, those who continue to attend buildings possibly built in the 1950’s with teachers who are not amongst the highly paid or highly educated, (Griffiths, 2007). Investment by the private sector, (which is prone to the nuances of market forces) and reduction in public spending on education is considered `increased public expenditure’, from a neoliberal approach, (Goodwin, 2011). The Importance of Teaching, The Schools White Paper 2010, was published 24th November 2010, its intention was to improve the standard of education for teachers and allowing head teachers to recruit and set pay for the highest educated teachers. Following this the Coalition formulated their plans for the future of education in the UK. This would in some respects follow on from New Labour’s neo liberalistic approach of including private organisations in the creation of new ‘Academy Schools’, (Gunter & Forrester, 2008). The first academies were introduced under the Labour government in 2002, (Higher Standards, 2005). Academy schools are independent from local  education authorities and are state funded with assistance from external organisations; these can include businesses, charities or other governmental bodies. The idea followed the inception of charter schools in USA, (Budde, 1988). They were also influenced in part by the Swedish School system. Charter schools are American schools which are independent from their ‘public school system’, (Finn et al, 2000). They were intended to allow the schools themselves more freedom to be more innovative, while being accountable to local education boards for improved student achievement. Charter schools were meant to create partnerships between educators, parents and students. Many Charter Schools began in the 1990’s; however there has been widespread criticism of the Charter school system. One criticism is that funding has in fact not followed the schools, which were often built within deprived areas. This in fact has meant that many have actually lost funding and have gone into administration, (Buckley & Schneider, 2007). Kunskapsskolan schools were established in Sweden in 1999, it translates into ‘Knowledge School’s and currently operates 30 secondary schools in Sweden. Kunskapsskolan schools are privately managed, non-selective and non-fee paying, with funding for these schools provided by the Swedish government, (Eiken, 2011). The Kunskapsskolan model in Sweden has produced higher than average results and is currently the model behind a number of the UK academy schools. The Kunskapsskolan model was based on personalised learning with every student following a long-term learning and attainment plan which is formulated between the student and the student’s Personal Tutor and their parents. The learning plan was designed to ensure that every student achieves the very best results that he or she is capable of. Kunskapsskolan students are offered the opportunity to work at their own pace, using their own learning style to achieve their own goals and those set by accrediting bodies. Parents are encouraged to actively engage in their children’s education, participate in setting goals and are able to monitor their child’s progress through online reporting systems, (Ball, 2008). New Labour intended that the establishment of academies would drive up standards by replacing failing schools in struggling education authorities, (Chitty, 2009). Under New Labour’s guidelines the academy schools could be established only if they held a sp onsor and could raise two  million pounds in independent funding. The government would then contribute  £25 million, (Pennell & West, 2007). The academy would then run the school outside of the local education authority’s (LEA) funding control, but still operate within all the national requirements for curriculum and standards, (Griggs ,2010). The Coalition Government has greatly expanded the number of Academy schools. The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, initially asked every head teacher in England if they would be interested in achieving academy status. By 31st August 2010, 170 mainstream schools had made an application to convert to academy status and as of 1st April 2012 there are 1776 academies in the UK, (education.gov.uk, 2012). The Academies Bill opened up the possibility of applying for Academy status to all schools and no longer required these schools to hold sponsorships or raise the initial  £2 million, (Wilson, 2011). All other schools, irrespective of their ‘Ofsted’ rating, were also able to apply to become academies if they are part of a group which includes a high performing school or if they join an existing successful academy trust. For the first time since its inception primary schools are also permitted to apply for Academy school status, (Bassett et al, 2012). Ofsted refers to the acronym used for the Office for Standards in Education. It monitors and is the overall regulatory body for the provision childminding, child day care, children’s centres, children’s social care, state schools, independent schools (including Academy schools) and teacher training providers, colleges and learning and skills providers in England, (ofsted.gov.uk, 2012). It also monitors the work of the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Following this, The Coalition Government introduced The Education Bill into the House of Commons on Wednesday 26th January 2011 and received Royal Assent on 15th November 2011, (legislation.gov.uk, 2011). The Education Act specified that from now on all new maintained schools must be setup as either an academy or ‘free schools’. So in effect there will be no new state schools, (Needham et al, 2006). Prior to this they launched a new initiative to introduce what they termed ‘Free School’s into the education arena. Free schools are proposed and governed by local community groups such as groups of parents, faith groups or other interested parties. They are free at source to parents and are all-ability state-funded schools set up in response by local people to meet the needs of local communities and in order to improve education for children in their community, (Leo et al, 2010). The first Free Schools opened in September 2011. Alongside Academies and Free schools, The Government also proposed other types of secondary educational settings governed by local community groups such as the University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools were launched. The process of creating a free school begins with the Secretary of State entering into an Academy Arrangement with a person, group of people, or an organisation. These arrangements usually take the form of an â€Å"Academy Agreement†. In this agreement, the government agrees to provide funds for the school in exchange for certain undertakings, including that the school provides provision for children with special educational needs and different abilities. that the curriculum is balanced and broadly based, that in the case of secondary schools, they provide an emphasis in a particular subject such as sport, science or the arts, and that the pupils are drawn wholly or mainly from the area in which the school is located, (Gunter, 2011). One concern voiced is the claim that Academy schools will be completely outside of the control of not only education authorities but national overarching governmental control, (Woods, 2011). However even the regular state schools have increasingly less control by local education authorities and it is certainly the case that successive reforms over the past two decades have given all schools much greater autonomy, (Bangs et al, 2010). Most legislation that governs schools is currently derived from national government or national bodies, such as the national curriculum or Standard Assessment Tests, Ofsted, or government legislation on issues such as safeguarding or Every Child Matters, (Field, 2010). Local education authorities, in fact have increasingly less control over individual schools. LEA’s continue to be responsible for the provision of school places, sitting appeals when a child does not gain a place at their chosen school and taking responsibility when a school fails, (Bradley & Taylor, 2010). LEA’s also continue to have responsibility for the provision of educational psychologists and special educational needs support. Nonetheless, Academy schools system does provide an increasing  amount of freedom not only for head teachers and teachers, in what they teach, how they are structured, pay structures, freedom to adapt the national curriculum and the freedom to vary the length of the school day and how the school sets its holidays, (Bassett et al, 2010) They also offer freedom to pupils in the sorts of the subjects they study and even in fact the kinds of examinations they gain, for instance, the English baccalaureate, (Taylor, 2010) When asked by the BBC’s Mike Baker in 2010, â€Å"what exactly makes an academy different?† The Former Schools Commissioner, Sir Bruce Liddington, stated that they are more, â€Å"a state of mind more than anything else†, (bbc.co.uk, 2010). Sir Bruce Liddington is the director-general of E-Act (formerly Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust), which is responsible 14 academies and free schools which aim to target the education of children in Britainâ⠂¬â„¢s most deprived areas. However critics have voiced concerns in regards to E-Act’s expansion plans in that they wish to create a â€Å"super-chain† of 250 academy and free schools within five years. There has also been criticism of how these schools will be run and the way market practices will influence the teaching, such as buying and selling of intellectual property, (guardian.co.uk, 2011). The Education Secretary, Michael Gove has stated that â€Å"outstanding† schools may possibly no longer have to undergo the Ofsted inspection, freeing them to concentrate solely on education and not preparing for audits. He has also made the link between â€Å"outstanding† schools and Academy schools, by allowing all â€Å"outstanding† schools to automatically achieve Academy status. Clearly this equates academies with quality, (Dept. of Education, 2010). New academy schools will not be able to select purely on ability, however Grammar schools which have converted to Academy status c an continue to do so, (Miller, 2011). Nonetheless Academies can and do select according to the behaviour of the child, (Sales et al, 2010). Much available research points to there being an increase in challenging behaviours amongst children and young people who come from deprived backgrounds, (Wickham, 2011). Michael Gove himself stated, in a speech at Durand Academy in London, ‘There is a direct line to deprivation which begins when children are failed in primary because their behaviour is not policed with proper boundaries and they are not taught how to read properly. When these young people arrive in  secondary school they cannot follow the curriculum and cover up their failure with a show of bravado, acting up in class’, (politics.co.uk, 2011). Michael Gove also made the link between children who have no positive male role model in their lives and, ‘the Educational underclass’, who he believed would ultimately continue on to become, ‘NEETS’ (not in education, employment or training), again making the links between behaviour and social and economic deprivation, (Attewell & Newman, 2011). The attempt to bring children out of poverty and encourage participation in education has been a central theme for the Neo-liberalism policies of the Coalition Government and the previous New Labour Government, (Hall, 2011). However it was the Coalition Government alone who expanded on the idea of the Academy Schools to Include ‘Free Schools’ and the thinking behind such proposals as the University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools. Free Schools are a recent concept introduced by the Coalition Government, making it possible for the first time parents, teachers, faith groups, charities and businesses to set up their own schools, (Morris, 2011). They are non-fee paying and supported by government. Free schools are subject to the School Admissions Code of Practice, other than that they are permitted to accept only those children they chose. The government has stated that Free Schools must meet the same admissions criteria as the National Admissions Code, however they will have the flexibility to select based on their own criteria. These types of schools are an extension of the existing Academies Programme. Free schools are expected to offer a broad and balanced curriculum. They are still su bject to Ofsted inspections and are expected to comply with standard performance measures, (education.gov.uk, 2011) The first 24 free schools opened in autumn 2011. They represent the most overtly market-oriented policy as part of the neo-liberal Coalition government’s school reform policies in England. There is some degree controversy, as these schools are led by market forces and again to achieve success will be motivated to accept only children from a particular group (for instance those of a particular faith). This could lead to some democratic discrimination if they are not made to be fully accountable in terms of the application process, the governance of free schools, and their effect on local authorities, (Hatcher, 2011). There are also some concerns that some free schools will be run for profit. So for example, it was reported in The  Guardian Newspaper,(guardian.co.uk, 2012), that the head of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch; who is currently being investigated on charges of telephone hacking had had secret meetings with The Education Secretary Michael Gove expressed an interest in applying to set up a free school, (guardian.co.uk, 2012). One example of a free school will be the Phoenix Free School in Oldham which was conceived by Tom Burkard, a former teacher and military instructor. The school itself will be run by ex-military staff and will have a focus on discipline. Burkard says the school will teach children between the ages of 11years and 18years, and will encourage high standards of behaviour, literacy and numeracy, (localschoolsnetwork.org.uk, 2012). University Technical Colleges are described as a new concept in education which offers secondary age pupils from age 14years to 19years olds vocational courses at specialist colleges. There initially proposed by New Labour but had cross party support. The former education secretary, Lord Kenneth Baker proposed them as a means to promote the concept prepare younger people for work. He said, â€Å"We want to forge a partnership between vocational education and universities, further education colleges and employers.† Each university technical college (UTC) will be sponsored by a university or college of further education. They will develop their own specialism, usually to reflect the university’s a rea of excellence. The colleges are intended to be small, with numbers no more than 800 students. Funding is intended to come from sponsorship and from government. The university will not be required to provide funds; however, their assistance is needed for curriculum development, teaching support and guiding student’s education progression. These sorts of courses are intended to reflect a normal weekday and the students will embark on high quality vocational courses rather than purely academic ones. However, there is a requirement that the pupils continue have a background in academic study. Following post sixteen education, the pupils can progress onto apprenticeships utilising support from local employers for day placements with the most up to date equipment. This enhances the employment experience of students and is intended to encourage the development of a work ethic. Pupils can progress on to study for diplomas, A-levels other related qualifications, (edge.co.uk, 2012). There have been  some concerns voiced about the UTCs. For instance, John Bangs who is the head of education at the National Union of Teachers, fears this could lead to reintroducing widespread selection at 14, â€Å"Academies and UTCs are predicators of the kind of pessimism that kids are forever destined for one or other route. It sorts the sheep from the goats, which I’m very opposed to†, (guardian.co.uk, 2010). But Professor Alison Halstead, who is heading a UTC sponsored by Aston University, due to open in 2012, says fears are unfounded. â€Å"Nobody wants academic selection. This type of technical institution is not going to be suitable for all youngsters, and, if it’s not, there are 76 other schools in this area to choose from†. However the Department of Education has strict selection criteria which currently allow UTC’s to select only 10% of pupil admissions based on their aptitude and states that all of new the new school types must comply with the School Admissions Code, (Clegg, 2011). The Studio School is a yet another new concept in education, which seeks to address the growing gap between the skills, and knowledge that young people require to succeed, and those that the current education system provides. Studio Schools are designed for 14-19 year olds of all abilities. They are small schools for 300 students; and with year-round opening and a 9-5 working day, the emphasis will be on creating an environment more like a workplace than a school, (Fuller & Unwin, 2011). Working closely with local employers, Studio Schools will offer a range of academic and vocational qualifications including GCSEs in English, Maths and Science, as well as paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area. Students will gain a broad range of employability and life skills through the skills framework, and will have the option to go on to university, further training, and into employment. There are also the concerns that these sorts of education facilities, like the free schools could have influence from market forces, (Bonell et al, 2011). Evidence in the past has suggested that this has a negative effect on children’s education and reduces their life choices in later life, (Gorard, 1997). As mentioned previously, many of the Charter Schools in USA have since failed many because they failed to attract the investment of businesses. The reasons for this are diverse, however some commentators highlight that many were developed within deprived inner city areas. Business ventures did initially contribute funding to set these  schools up but ultimately withdrew support as the area’s the schools were built in, were not in positions to sustain market involvement. It appeared that many were unlikely to become self-sustaining without on-going support from philanthropic communities, (Minow, 2000). It is the frailty of involving market forces into education that causes concerns for many. There are also issues as regards future life choice, for example, would a child whose school was funding entirely by a bank and who experienced the full weight of that bank’s marketing focuses, make another choice as regards their banking when they reached adulthood, (Adkins, 1999)? With all these new types of education structures there appears to be central themes of freedom and flexibility for teachers and head teachers with new opportunities for children, however alongside this there are concerns that these schools will create divisions within the education system. Also what of the children who will not get the opportunity to attend one of these new types of schools? Will they ‘suffer’ from attending less prestigious schools? What of teachers who do not hold prestigious qualifications? Although the new schools are not able to select purely on intellect, they can make some selections which state schools cannot, they can also select out children who have behaviou ral problems. As has been discussed earlier, this does tend to discriminate against children from deprived backgrounds and these were part of the criticisms that the ‘tripartite system of education’ was charged with in the 1960’s In 1944 The Butler Act brought about radical changes for the British Education System with the basic aim was to give every pupil an equal opportunity to develop his or her talents and abilities to the full, within a free system of state education, (Dent ,1948). For the first time the structure of Education in England and Wales was divided into three stages; Primary schools which taught children from 5years old up to the age of 11years, secondary from the age of 11years until 15years (This was increased to 16years from 1973) and then finally optional post-16yrs education in either an academic setting and on to Higher education or vocational qualifications via the further education route. The most important aspect of this was that for the first time, free secondary education became compulsory for all. At the time the Butler Education Act received cross party support, (Boyle, 1972). The Butler Act proposed three  different types of schools; grammar schools (which were intended for the most academic of children), secondary technical schools (which were intended for children who were gifted in the arts, technology or crafts) and secondary modern schools (For everyone else). This became known as the tripartite system. The tripartite system did allow for a small number of schools to combine all three types of school into one ‘Comprehensive system’, however in reality this did not happen, (Francis, 1995). Pupils were assessed by a tests called ‘the eleven plus’ which was administered to them at age 11years. This was a once only test after their 11th birthday. The system was intended to allocate pupils to the schools best suited to their â€Å"abilities and aptitudes†. However increasingly there were many criticisms directed at this system. For instance, the once only test decided a child’s future, the late developers, or children who were ill on the day, children with dyslexia or social problems were expected to achieve the same as any other child. It was almost certainly true that the test which was given by more or less exclusively middle class teachers was biased towards middle class children, for example it might ask a question which related to classical composers, something a middle class child would be more likely to answer right than a working class child, (Moore,1996). The intention had been that there would be parity of esteem between the three types of school, with none holding a more prestigious position than the other two. However, there were often only two types of school available in practice, those pupils classed as ‘Technical’ were denied the opportunity to attend Secondary Technical schools as very few were built. As a result Technical children went to Secondary Modern schools, (Elder, 1965). It was official policy to mark down female scores, so girls on the borderline of the academic threshold were denied a Grammar school education just because of their gender which resulted in them going to Secondary Moderns, (Deem, 1981). In effect, these meant that it became a one opportunity to pass or fail the eleven plus. Those who passed were granted the opportunity to attend Grammar schools, those who failed would be forced to attend Secondary Moderns, (Hendrick, 1997). Ultimately the result that vast majority of children went to Seco ndary Modern schools, (around seventy percent), and only about five percent were accepted into Secondary Technical schools. Consequently the majority of children were automatically considered to have  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœfailed’ the eleven plus, (Simon, 1986). Middle class children certainly derived the most benefit out of the tripartite system, and this was directly at the expense of the working class. Children from middle class homes were more likely to be focused to achieve within education, (Tomlinson, 1991). Middle class children were taught and tested by mostly middle class teachers which asked questions about experiences they were familiar with, (Welford, 1968). Working class children, in particular experienced the democratic prejudice that has more recently been a major criticism of the New Academy school system. For instance the eleven plus was seen as culturally biased towards the middle class; questions related to table place settings for example, something a middle class child would be more likely to be aware of than a working class child, (Marwick, 2003). Children attending the Secondary modern schools were not intended to achieve academic success or enter into the professions. Curriculums were developed out of the interests of local employers, such as manufacturers and agriculture and consequently taught subjects with a practical dimension. As there was no external examinations to be taken at the end of the pupil’s education and pupils were not under pressure to achieve, (Heath, 1984). There was a possibility of staying on for a further year and in the 1950s there was a growing tendency to do so. Those who continued into the 5th year could sit the General Certificate of Education (GCE) and a very small number did continue on to Higher education and the professions, (Little & Westergaard 1964). However this system did change things for many school children. It ensured secondary education was free for all and one of the results of the Act was to educate and mobilise women and the working class for the first time ever (Thompson, 2000). The Tripartite System was abolished by the new Labour government of 1974 and The 1976 Education Act finally ended any selection of pupils by ability thus officially ending the Tripartite System, (Aldrich, 2002). Although certainly there are a small number of Grammar schools who continue to operate and continue to select based entirely on ability. This is in part due to The Thatcher government allowing selection once again in 1979, and it was used increasingly by individual schools eager to choose  the best pupils, (Chitty, 1989). In 1986 the first City Technology Colleges were proposed, arguably inspired by the Technical schools. Although currently there have no further attempts made to restore the Tripartite System, the perceived failure of the Comprehensive System gave New Labour and currently the Coalition Government the impetus to propose â€Å"Beacon Schools†, â€Å"Advanced Schools† and an â€Å"escalator† or â€Å"ladder† of schools, (Brighouse, 2003). So will the new school systems create disparity? Certainly for pupils attending Academies do appear to gain much more from their state school counterparts; often built in brand new or newly renovated buildings, with smart new uniforms, lots of facilities and the best, most engaged and most highly paid teachers, (Gewirtz, 2009). As was discussed earlier, there has been a move by the Coalition Government to increase professional standing amongst teachers, by only allowing those with a first class honours degree to even enter the profession, (education.gov.uk, 2012). As a consequence these young teachers will obviously be sought after and will be attracted to the schools that pay the most, (Avis, 2011). Clearly Academy Schools, who can set their own pay scales, are more likely to attract the best educated teachers, (Lupton, 2011). So what of the rest? Michael Gove has often made the link between non-academy schools and ‘failure’. Immediately thrusting these children in a position of being ‘written off’ as ‘no hopers’ and failures; destined to a life of being a NEET or ending up in youth custody, (politics.co.uk, 212). Will these children in the future, become ‘the rest’ who under the tri-partite system ended up in secondary modern schools, those who were never quite good enough to meet the standards for a grammar school education? In April 2012, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers’ union (NASUWT) meeting for its annual conference voiced concerns that academies will be used to dismantle national teacher’s pay agreements and will attack the stability of existing state schools, (bbc.co.uk, 2012). Michael Gove has also suggested that organisations of individuals who oppose the changes in the school systems are, â€Å"happy with failure†, (bbc.co.uk, 2012). However in fact, the Academy school system itself has not produced the outstanding educational results expected, (Barker,2012 ). Barker (2012) stated that the changes in the school system  were more likely to, ‘provoke a crisis than to sustain the last government’s drive for improved effectiveness’. There have also been other anxieties voiced by individuals, such as the celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver who accused the Government of attempting to make profits from school children by de-regulating school meals and allowing schools to utilise private companies and his biggest worry, fast food outlets to provide meals for school children, (bbc.co.uk, 2010). For British society to compete in the Global market place, it has to continue to educate its young people. The United Kingdom (UK) can no longer rely on its manufacturing base or the products of commonwealth nations. In the future the UK’s most saleable commodity will be its knowledge. Any Government will need to invest in its young people, encouraging in them a desire to learn and stimulate participation. The UK’s current market is dominated by financial services, especially in banking and insurance. For these services to continue to maintain the prestigious place they hold globally they must supported by continued inn ovation from information technology, architecture, science and the arts. However education is vital not just for the contributions the next generation will provide in creating wealth but as a part of human life in of itself. The importance of education to children and to British life is beyond question. It therefore should continue to attract the highest levels of investment from Government. Government’s led by individuals who most understand what it means to teach children; teachers. Teachers should be the ones to set standards, not big businesses. Children should be encouraged to participate because school is a place where they can feel valued and happy. Schools should ensure safety, not just within buildings or against school bullies but free from the influence of market forces. Governments should encourage parity across all schools and not attempt to make links between certain types of school and failure. The tripartite system benefitted one group of children with the exclusion all others. Modern education policies should not continue to do the same, because as Ghandi said, ‘You must be the Change you wish to see in the world’. 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Free Essays on Kluckhohn & Anthropology

Kluckhohn’s Passage of Wisdom In Kluckhohn’s passage he explains the differences and similarities of the worlds cultures. Kluckhohn’s theory is that people act the way they do because that is the way they were brought up. I have a friend that recently went to Africa. He said that the culture over there is extremely different. For example, his sister could not wear shorts because in Africa, women who have clothing showing skin above the knees are considered prostitutes. One day it was extremely hot and she wore shorts. She was approached by at least ten men that day. Mr. Klucklohn talked about a traders wife in the essay. She fed her guests rattlesnake sandwiches. They thought that it was good until they found out that it wasn’t chicken but rattlesnake, at which point they vomited it all out. Kluckhohn thinks that people’s actions are determined by their ancestors’ experience. I disagree with that. Sometimes it is true but only because they were taught that way. Immigrants from another country often bring their culture with them. They teach the culture to their children but usually the family is â€Å"Americanized† by the time the granchildren grow up. I agree with the majority of Kluckhohn’s theories. People are influenced by the cultures that they were raised in.... Free Essays on Kluckhohn & Anthropology Free Essays on Kluckhohn & Anthropology Kluckhohn’s Passage of Wisdom In Kluckhohn’s passage he explains the differences and similarities of the worlds cultures. Kluckhohn’s theory is that people act the way they do because that is the way they were brought up. I have a friend that recently went to Africa. He said that the culture over there is extremely different. For example, his sister could not wear shorts because in Africa, women who have clothing showing skin above the knees are considered prostitutes. One day it was extremely hot and she wore shorts. She was approached by at least ten men that day. Mr. Klucklohn talked about a traders wife in the essay. She fed her guests rattlesnake sandwiches. They thought that it was good until they found out that it wasn’t chicken but rattlesnake, at which point they vomited it all out. Kluckhohn thinks that people’s actions are determined by their ancestors’ experience. I disagree with that. Sometimes it is true but only because they were taught that way. Immigrants from another country often bring their culture with them. They teach the culture to their children but usually the family is â€Å"Americanized† by the time the granchildren grow up. I agree with the majority of Kluckhohn’s theories. People are influenced by the cultures that they were raised in....

NEW EYE TRACKING TECHNIQUES IMPROVE REALISM OF AIR Essays (484 words)

NEW EYE TRACKING TECHNIQUES IMPROVE REALISM OF AIR Essays (484 words) NEW EYE TRACKING TECHNIQUES IMPROVE REALISM OF AIRCRAFT SIMULATORS A simulated flight environment for pilot training may soon be made more realistic through the use of eye-tracking technology developed by researchers at the University of Toronto's Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IMBE). Many safety and cost benefits are obtained by training aircraft pilots under simulated conditions, but to be effective the simulation must be convicingly realistic. At present, th e training facilities use large domes and gimballed projectors, or an array of video screens, to display computer-generated images. But these installations are very expensive and image resolution is low. Further, it would take an enormous amount of addi to improve image quality significantly throughout the whole viewed scene. However, based on the visual properties of the eye, realism can be obtained by providing a high-resolution 'area of interest' insert within a large, low-resolution field of view. If the image-generating computer 'knows' where the pilot's fixation is, it mage there. The technology to make this possible was developed by a research team headed by Professor Richard Frecker and Professor Moshe Eizenman. The work was carried out in collaboration with CAE Electronics Ltd. of Montreal with financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Their eye-tracker can record and analyze accurately up to 500 eye positions per second. The system works by means of capturing and processing the reflections of a low-level beam o f invisible infra-red light shone onto the eye. Multi-element arrays capture the image of the eye and digitize the information, which is then processed in real time by a fast, dedicated signal processing unit. The difference in position between the ligh tre of the pupil reveals the instantaneous direction of gaze. Developments by the IBME team have significantly increased the speed of signal processing in addition to enhancing accuracy of eye position estimates. Eizenman believes that "these improvements make our eye-tracker very effective in monitoring the large G-force environment where the pilot tends to make larger eye movements because of contraints which exist on movements of his head". In a new generation of aircraft simulators, under development by CAE Electronics Ltd. of Montreal, a head tracker which tells the direction of the pilot's head is mounted on top of the helmet. The eye tracker is mounted on the front of the helmet, and is ll exactly where the pilot's eye is fixating. Frecker said that "successful integration of our eye tracker into the novel helmet-mounted CAE flight simulator would result in a new generation of simulators that would likely replace the current large domes and cumbersome video display units." Initial tests of the integrated system will be carried out in collaboration with CAE Electronics at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona later this year.

Virgil Quotations With English Translations

Virgil Quotations With English Translations Publius Vergilius Maro (October 15, 70 BCE - September 21, 19 BCE) was the leading poet of the Augustan era. His Aeneid glorified Rome and especially the ancestry of the first Roman emperor, Augustus (Octavian). The influence of Virgil (Vergil) on subsequent writers has been immense. He is responsible for sayings or the sentiments behind sayings that we still use, like Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, from Book II of the Aeneid. All Virgil quotations listed here include a reference to their original location, the Latin that Virgil wrote, and either an old, almost archaic translation from the public domain (mainly for the longer passages) or my own translation. [Lat., Experto credite.]Believe in the one who knows from experience. (Trust the expert.)- The Aeneid (XI.283)[Lat., Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco]Not being ignorant of bad things, I learn to help the wretched.- The Aeneid (I.630)[Lat., Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est.]Every fortune is to be conquered by bearing (it).- The Aeneid (V. 710)[Lat., Quisque suos patimur manes.]We each allow our own ghosts. (We make our own destiny.)- The Aeneid (VI.743)[Lat., Disce, puer, virtutem ex me, verumque laborem; Fortunam ex aliis.]Boy, learn virtue from me, and true work; luck from others.- The Aeneid (XII, 435)[Lat., Saevit amor ferri et scelerata insania belli.]Love of iron (weapon) rages; also the criminal madness of war.- The Aeneid (VII.461)[Lat., Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae,Et servare modum, rebus sublata secundis.]O heart of man,/ not knowing doom, nor of events to be!/ Nor, being lifted up, to keep thy bounds/ in prosperous days!- The Aeneid (X.501)[Lat., S tat sua cuique dies; breve et irreparabile tempusOmnibus est vitae; set famam extendere factisHoc virtutis opus.]To each his day is given. Beyond recall/ mans little time runs by: but to prolong/ lifes glory by great deeds is virtues power.- The Aeneid (X.467) [Lat., Aegrescitque medendo.]He grows increasingly ill with the remedy. (The medicine is making him sick.)- The Aeneid (XII.46)[Lat., O formose puer, nimium ne crede colori;]Oh! Beautiful boy, dont put too much faith on (your) complexion. (Perhaps, beauty fades.)- Eclogae (II.17) *The real version, Nunc scio, quid sit Amor, comes from Virgils Eclogues VIII.43. Not all misquotes are so easy to untangle.

The nature of general tortious liability comparing and contrasting to Essay

The nature of general tortious liability comparing and contrasting to contractual liability - Essay Example The paper tells that the similarity between general tortuous liability and contractual liability is that both give rise to actionable demands in a court of law, and both, if adequately proven, entitle the plaintiff to damages from the defendant. The main difference between general tortuous liability and contractual liability is that the latter is strictly voluntary, in that the parties by mutual consent, agree to bind themselves to certain obligations to each other, and be liable for damages in case of breach. These obligations are stipulated in a contract that shall be the law between the parties. For there to be a valid contract, there must be a meeting of the minds, i.e., an intent to create legal relations, an offer and acceptance, and mutual consideration and the parties must be capacitated to enter into the contract. One of the classical and enduring cases of contract law is the case of Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball EWCA Civ 1. In this case, a company had come out with an adve rtisement challenging readers to use Carbolic Smoke Ball to prevent Influenza. It said that if used according to instructions, the user would not be susceptible to Influenza anymore, and if he still contracted the disease, the company would pay him 100 pounds. When a claimant came out, the company refused to pay, saying that there was no intent to create legal relations. In finding against the company, the court held that a valid and legally enforceable contract existed. In a situation where a valid contract existed, breach of it would constitute contractual liability. For example, in a contract of the sale of apples of a certain quality, if an inferior quality was delivered, it can be said that a contractual liability is created. In contrast, tortuous liability does not attach by reason of contract, but because of a breach of a duty of care. It is quite possible that the defendant may not have been aware of the extent of his liability or may not even know the person to whom he is l iable, quite unlike parties to a contract who are all known to each other. To quote the seminal case of Donoghue v. Stevenson 1932] UKHL 100 (26 May 1932) " You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour. Who then is my neighbour? The answer seems to be - persons who are so directly affected by my act that I ought reasonably to have them in contemplation as being affected when I am directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called in question." After Donoghue, the definition of what constitutes tortuous liability has been refined considerably and has crystallised into a three-way test: proximity (as held in the case of Donoghue), foreseeability, which means that the defendant should have been able to foresee the consequences of his or her actions (Caparo Industries Plc v Dickman and Others [1990] 2 AC 605.), and the test of â€Å"fair, just and reasonable†, recently upheld in the cas e of McFarlane and Another v Tayside Health Board [2000] 2 AC 59. To demonstrate causation in tort law – i.e., to show that the loss caused to the claimant was a result of a breach of duty of care by the defendant – the most simple test is the â€Å"but for† test. But for the defendant’s actions, would the claimant have incurred the loss? This was elucidated first in the case of Barnett v. Chelsea & Kensington Hospital ([1969] 1 QB 428) where a doctor was not held liable for a patient’s death even if he did not examine the latter, because the patient would have died anyway with or without the ministrations of the doctor. However, it must be remembered that one incident can give rise to several claims, and a claimant can elect between a breach of contract claim or a negligence claim involving duty of care1. (Jones, 2000, page 379). Explain the nature of liability in negligence and the concept of vicarious liability (P8 & P9) The nature of