The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains

The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains Maxine Hong Kingston’s work has long fascinated critics for its investigation of speech, language and storytelling as a means of unlocking some of the deepest secrets of the Chinese culture, a culture that observes very clear behavioral distinctions between genders.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kingston belongs to a culture wherein women â€Å"use story as a means to understanding and survival,† whereas for the most part the men of the Chinese culture â€Å"tend toward silence† (Pinkser n.p.). In Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains, from her non-fiction work China Men, the author explores the theme of enforced silence and its consequences in numerous facets. The story details not only what happens from the standpoint of political oppression, but also how the theme of enforced silence plays itself out in families, often in an intergenerational manner. Critic Sanford Pinsker understands that the enforced silence, especially that which is staunchly observed among Chinese men, â€Å"forces Kingston to invent multiple versions of what may have happened in her fathers past† (Pinkser n.p.). The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains exists as an epic family history, and follows the world travels of a number of generations of Chinese men. Kingston recounts the journeys of her â€Å"family of male sojourners across America and away from womenfolk and children in China. This dispersed arrangement of family members was the predominant form the traditional Chinese extended patrilineal family system took during the peak years of emigration† (Pinkser n.p.). Although these generations of men traveled the world and witnessed many wonders, their culture of enforced silence bid them not to share most if not all of the details of their exper iences. In Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains therefore, we see the impact of this silence as family members attempt to make sense of their heritage with only anecdotal and speculative information available to them, often delivered from third and fourth hand sources, not from the grandfathers themselves.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the reader’s first experiences of the theme of enforced silence occurs when Kingston discusses the third wife of her maternal grandfather (Kingston 85). The woman in question is not given a name, nor does Kingston reveal the grandmother’s origin, explaining only that â€Å"my maternal grandfather had brought a third wife back from his third trip West, Bali or Hawaii or South America or Africa† (Kingston 85). The impact of the silence – in this case, the suppression of detail about this element of the family – reveals itself in the fate of the grandmother. Kingston claims that â€Å"I am glad to see the black grandmother ended up with a son and grandson who are articulate. When she came to China she â€Å"jabbered like a monkey,† but no one answered her. Who knows what she was saying anyway? She fell mute† (Kingston 85). In this passage from the text we glimpse the consequence of enforced silence on the grandmother – her family essentially ignores her, until she stops attempting to communicate with anyone at all (Kingston 85). In this example, though Kingston does not overtly state it, the enforced silence destroyed a member of her family (Kingston 85). The above example also brings up the idea of enforced silence in the area of interracial marriages. Despite the fact that interracial marriages clearly happened between the grandfathers who traveled the world and the women of other races and cultures that they met a nd fell in love and married there, all details of these unions are kept silent and buried in the culture, and even within the families where they occur, as evidenced by the lack of information that Kingston seems to know about this relative. Critic Linda Ching Sledge has spoken of the issue of interracial marriages and its treatment in Kingston’s work and in the Chinese culture at large. In Sledge’s words, Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains draws an accurate portrait of â€Å"the thorny issue of miscegenation† in the Chinese culture (Sledge 19). According to Sledge, â€Å"it is well known that intermarriage was strictly forbidden to Chinese by Confucian teachings, for it went against the classical notion established in the Li Chi that marriage was a religious duty between consenting families to secure the services in the ancestral temple for the predecessors and to secure the continuance of the family line for posterity.† (Sledge 19). The enforced silence in regards to the black grandmother in this case has deep cultural roots in the ancient teachings of Chinese philosophy, economic practices and social customs, although the appearance of the black grandmother herself speaks volumes about the â€Å"long ignored problems of sojourner history- loneliness, homesickness, sexual frustration- without cultural bias† (Sledge 19). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the fact that silence was culturally bred, clearly once the sojourners left China, their natural desires trumped their cultural taboos. In Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains, we see the impact of enforced silence in the way that the black grandmother is treated, but not in the action of the grandfather himself, who took her as his wife. In Sledge†™s opinion, the reader comes â€Å"to understand and accept the emotional needs motivating these men to enter relationships which violated so profoundly cherished family and religious attitudes because we view such relationships from a sojourners (Bak Sook Goong) own point of view† (Sledge 19). We also see the practice of enforced silence applied in the political arena in Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains. In this case the enforced silence relates to keeping quiet and not drawing attention to oneself and one’s family, for fear of rousing the interest and ire of the Communist party. Interestingly, this fear transcends physical borders in The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains, and the family remains cognizant of the long arm of the Communist Party – real or perceived – even though they live in the United States. We find an example of this in the text wherein Kingston discusses the enforced silence as an obsta cle to her trip to China. â€Å"I’d like to go to China if I can get a visa and – more difficult – permission from my family, who are afraid that applying for a visa would call attention to us: the relatives in China would get in trouble for having American capitalist connections, and we Americans would be put in relocation camps during the next witch hunt for Communists† (Kingston 87). In Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains, the author also illustrates a contrasting perspective on enforced silence, one that provides an important insight as to how the Chinese sojourners were able to move beyond the constrictive silence of their culture, travel the world and enjoy a fuller experience of life. Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains attributes this phenomenon to the influence of nature. In her mind, certain parts of China transcend the enforced silence of their culture through the example provide d by the natural world – nature itself is dynamic, ever changing, and certainly rarely silent. Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the following example, the reader witnesses the impact of enforced silence slowly eroded by the natural curiosity displayed by the ocean. â€Å"†Ocean people are different from land people. The ocean never stops saying and asking into ears, which don’t sleep like eyes. Those who live by the sea examine the driftwood and glass balls that float from foreign ships†¦Sometimes ocean people are given to understand the newness and oldness of the world; then all morning they try to keep that boundless joy like a little sun inside their chests. The ocean also makes its people know immensity. They wonder what continents contain the ocean on its other side, what people live there† (Kingston 90). Here Kingston’s The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains gives the reader a glimpse of how the enforced silence of the Chinese men can be broken – through curiosity, through an understanding that there exists a large world out there, one that offers different experiences, different people, and one that perhaps does not suppress verbal expression to the same extent that the Chinese culture does. In this passage Kingston offers the reader one of the main clues as to how the Chinese men who grew up in a system of enforced silence were able to move beyond it and expand their horizons to the wider world. Kingston, Maxine Hong. â€Å"The Great Grandfather of the Sandalwood Mountains.† China Men. New York: Random House, 1977. Print. Pinsker, Sanford. Maxine Hong Kingston: Overview. Contemporary Novelists. Susan Windisch Brown. 6th ed. New York: St. James Press, 1996. Web. Sledge, Linda Ching. Maxine Kingstons China Men: The Family Historian as Epic Poet. MELUS 7.4 (Winter 1980): 3-22. Web.

Valkyrie the July Bomb Plot to Kill Hitler

Valkyrie the July Bomb Plot to Kill Hitler By 1944 there was a long list of Germans who had reason to want to assassinate  Adolf Hitler, and there had been attempts on the lives of several senior German officers. There had also been threats to Hitler from the German military itself, and with World War Two not going well for Germany (especially not on the Eastern Front) some leading figures began to realize that the war was doomed to end in failure  and that Hitler intended to lead Germany into total destruction. These commanders also believed that if Hitler was murdered, then the allies, both the Soviet Union and the western democracies, would be willing to negotiate peace with a new German government. No one knows what would have happened if Hitler had been killed at this point, and it looks unlikely Stalin would have backed off from marching into Berlin to stake his claim to a satellite empire. The Problem With Killing Hitler Hitler knew he was increasingly unpopular and took steps to safeguard himself from assassination. He disguised his movements, not letting his travel plans be known ahead of time, and tended to prefer residing in safe, heavily fortified buildings. He also strictly controlled the number of weapons which surrounded him. What was needed was someone who could get close to Hitler, and kill him with an unconventional weapon. Plans of attack were developed, but Hitler managed to avoid all of them. He was incredibly lucky and survived multiple attempts, some of which descended into farce. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg The disaffected clique of military figures who were looking to kill Hitler found the man for the job: Claus von Stauffenberg. He had served in several key campaigns of World War Two, but while in North Africa had lost much of his right arm, his right eye, and digits on the other hand and been returned to Germany. The hand would be a rather important problem later in the bomb plot, and something which should have been better planned for.There had been other plans involving bombs and Hitler. Two army officers had been lined up to commit a suicide bombing of Hitler by Baron Henning von Tresckow, but the plans had fallen through because of Hitler changing plans to stop this danger. Now Stauffenberg was transferred from his hospital to the War Office, where Tresckow worked, and if the pair had not formed a working relationship before they did now. However Tresckow had to go fight on the Eastern Front, so Friedrich Olbricht worked with Stauffenberg. However, in June 1944, Stauffenberg was promoted to full Colonel, made a Chief of Staff, and had to regularly meet with Hitler to discuss the war. He could easily arrive carrying a bomb and not make anyone suspicious. Operation Valkyrie After a new front was opened with the successful D-Day landings, the situation looked even more desperate for Germany, and the plan was put into effect; a series of arrests also pushed the conspirators- a group involving leading regular army commanders- on before they were caught. Hitler would be killed, a military coup would take place, loyal army units would arrest SS leaders and hopefully, a new military command would avoid a civil war and negotiate an immediate end to the war in the west, a forlorn hope. After several false attempts, when Stauffenberg had carried explosives but not had the chance to use them against Hitler, Operation Valkyrie went into effect on July 20th. Stauffenberg arrived for a meeting, sneaked out to use acid to begin dissolving a detonator, entered the map room Hitler was using, put a briefcase containing the bomb against a table leg, excused himself to take a telephone call, and left the room.Instead of the phone, Stauffenberg went to his car, and at 12:4 2 the bomb went off. Stauffenberg then managed to talk his way out of the Wolf’s lair compound and headed for Berlin. However, Hitler had not died; in fact, he’d hardly been injured, with just burnt clothes, a cut hand and ear drum problems. A number of people did die, then and after, from the blast, but Hitler had been shielded. However, Stauffenberg had actually carried two bombs, but he’d had massive difficulty priming both given he only had two fingers and a thumb, and he and his assistant had been interrupted as they tried to prime, meaning only one bomb was in the briefcase Stauffenberg carried into Hitler with him. The other bomb was spirited away by the assistant. Things would have been different if he’d been able to leave both bombs together: Hitler would most certainly have died. The Reich would probably then have fallen into civil war because the plotters were not prepared. The Rebellion Is Crushed Hitler’s death was to be the start of a seizure of power which, in the end, turned into a farce. Operation Valkyrie was the official name for a set of emergency procedures, allowed by Hitler, which would transfer power to the Home Army to react if Hitler was indisposed and unable to govern. The plotters planned to use the laws because the head of the Home Army, General Fromm, was sympathetic to the plotters. However, whereas the Home Army was supposed to seize key points in Berlin and then move outwards across Germany with the news of Hitler’s death, few were willing to act without explicit news. Of course, it couldn’t come.The news Hitler survived was soon out, and the first batch of conspirators – including Stauffenberg – were arrested and shot. They were the relatively lucky ones because Hitler had anyone else tangentially connected arrested, tortured, brutally executed and filmed. He may even have watched the video. A thousand were executed, and relatives of key figures were sent to camps. Tresckow left his unit and walked towards Russian lines, whereupon he set off a grenade to kill himself. Hitler would survive for another year until he killed himself as the Soviets approached his bunker.

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Reading response - Essay Example This exhibits itself when Stafford tells Susan to make the faculty work for her or get rid of it. He was not ready to shape his leadership based on the followers input. His decisions went from top to bottom. On the other hand, Susan always collected information from participating parties and based her decisions on consensus. One component of Rost’s definition states that the relationship has its base on influence. The influence is not forced upon any party and flows in both directions; from the leader to followers and from followers to leaders. Another component states that the people in the relationship are the leaders and followers. This emphasizes on the nature of leadership being a relationship, practiced by both leaders and followers. The next component says leaders and followers intend real change. This means that both leaders and followers are putting their efforts towards achieving a common, realistic goal. The goal is the desire of both leaders and followers (Rost, 1991). Under the post industrial view leadership, followers are viewed as collaborators in partnership with leaders. The leaders’ wishes are not imposed upon them, but the followers may influence leaders to make changes. To make a common purpose, the followers’ wishes are factored into the relationship. The followers have an interactive opportunity in the processes (Rost,

Chapter 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Chapter 2 - Essay Example nderstanding with respect to the way in which solar energy represents a potential to serve as an effective form of renewable energy in the coming decades. Solar energy is one of the most promising forms of alternative energy that is yet to be explored to its full potential. However, alternative energy could not be used without an understanding of some specific requirements, such as, geographical location and policy (Goh et al, 2014; Liu et al., 2013). Yet, regardless of the promise that solar energy seeks to provide, the fact of the matter is that it still represents a litany of drawbacks; drawbacks that will be discussed at some depth further in the analysis. For this very reason, individuals are necessarily discouraged from using it and the level of research that takes place is limited with respect to the means by which this energy is stored after it is collected. However, with all that being said, it must also be understood that this is still a relatively new technology. Within these lines, it can further be expected that developments in solar energy could necessarily lead to a breakthrough in which it could reduce or entirely negate many of the negative drawbacks that have thus far been evidenced. It is of no question that technology has heavily impacted the way in which processes take place within the modern world. The changes in technology over the past hundred years have been profound; giving of mankind the ability to fly, orbit the Earth, visit the moon, create the Internet, build the computer, and perfect the internal combustion engine. Nanotechnology is a topic that has a high level of relevance with respect to the development of the world. Essentially, nanotechnology refers to the manipulation of matter; either in the atomic, molecular, or super-molecular state (mnyusiwalla et al, 2003). In such a way, the developments within this sphere could vastly contribute to the increased efficiency of different processes; even going so far as to ensure that

Kinematics analysis of data Essay Example for Free

Kinematics analysis of data Essay From the data we gathered on this experiment, the effects of the height of the track can greatly affect the acceleration of the cart. Base on the data on the table, the higher the height of the track will have higher acceleration and will lead to higher sinÃŽ ¸. From this, it implies that the higher the displacement of the track will lead to the higher acceleration of the cart. The reason why the cart will have higher acceleration to higher displacement is because of the continues gravitational pull to the cart without restriction to its track. Time and the inclination of the track are interrelated to each other. As for the higher the inclination of the track will lead to shorter time to takes the cart to goes down to the track. The time will become shorter because as for the higher the inclination of the track will also have higher acceleration which means the cart will become faster and that’s why it will takes shorter time to goes down to the track. The difference between the picket fence’s acceleration and the value of g is the value of the slope of a graph of average velocity versus time will be the acceleration due to gravity of the falling object. And also the value of g is the computed value for the free fall acceleration, while the picket fence’s acceleration is the value that gathered by manual experimentation for the free fall acceleration, that is also why the data on the g of table 2 and the data on table 3 have the similarities on the digits or values.

The Art of Ancient Rome :: Essays Papers

The Art of Ancient Rome The Roman sculptures and architectures were greatly influenced by the Greeks and also some effects by the Etruscans. Romans were influenced mostly by Greek art in many ways. It was because the variety of paintings, sculptures, and the different style of early architectures presented in every period of Roman history. They had pasted and copied many art works from the early Greek to build up their empire. Although the Etruscans had contributed and influenced the Roman in some ways such as educated them to build fortifications, bridges, drainage systems, and aqueducts but their underst6anding on both the art and language is still limited to the Greek. The differences between the art of Roman and other civilizations were that every Roman arts whether were sculptures or architectures had served some purposes and played certain roles in the daily lives of Roman citizens. For example, Romans love to build small concrete building with the vaulting systems. The small building which was called the bay (Pg. 105). This unique system helps to construct much fine and greatest architecture for Romans such as the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, the Colosseum and the Basilica of Constantine. The Pantheon of Rome was also another striking example of fine Roman structure. These structures were often used for religion matters, public meetings and entertainment for every Roman citizen. If any Roman citizens wanted to have some fun, they would attend the Colosseum and watched the gladiatorial game or a series of chariot race. If some other citizens wanted to seek God or certain deity, they would likely to go to the Sanctuary of Fortuna Prim igenia. In fact, architectures were significant in the lives of Roman citizens. On the other hand, the Roman sculptures were also significant. They displayed the heritages and traditions for every Romans and played an important role in the history of Rome. The Art of Ancient Rome :: Essays Papers The Art of Ancient Rome The Roman sculptures and architectures were greatly influenced by the Greeks and also some effects by the Etruscans. Romans were influenced mostly by Greek art in many ways. It was because the variety of paintings, sculptures, and the different style of early architectures presented in every period of Roman history. They had pasted and copied many art works from the early Greek to build up their empire. Although the Etruscans had contributed and influenced the Roman in some ways such as educated them to build fortifications, bridges, drainage systems, and aqueducts but their underst6anding on both the art and language is still limited to the Greek. The differences between the art of Roman and other civilizations were that every Roman arts whether were sculptures or architectures had served some purposes and played certain roles in the daily lives of Roman citizens. For example, Romans love to build small concrete building with the vaulting systems. The small building which was called the bay (Pg. 105). This unique system helps to construct much fine and greatest architecture for Romans such as the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, the Colosseum and the Basilica of Constantine. The Pantheon of Rome was also another striking example of fine Roman structure. These structures were often used for religion matters, public meetings and entertainment for every Roman citizen. If any Roman citizens wanted to have some fun, they would attend the Colosseum and watched the gladiatorial game or a series of chariot race. If some other citizens wanted to seek God or certain deity, they would likely to go to the Sanctuary of Fortuna Prim igenia. In fact, architectures were significant in the lives of Roman citizens. On the other hand, the Roman sculptures were also significant. They displayed the heritages and traditions for every Romans and played an important role in the history of Rome.

Designing Pay Levels, Mix and Pay Structures

CHAPTER 8 DESIGNING PAY LEVELS, MIX AND PAY STRUCTURES LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Identify the major decisions in establishing externally competitive pay. 2. Describe the purpose(s) of a salary survey. 3. Discuss the importance of defining the relevant market in a pay survey. 4. Explain the steps involved in designing a pay survey. 5. Describe the key issues involved in interpreting the results of a pay survey. 6. Explain how the market pay line combines the internal structure with external market rates. 7. Discuss the use of pay grades and pay ranges and their relationship to internal alignment and external competitiveness. . Discuss the pros and cons of the market pricing approach to establishing a pay structure. OUTLINE I. MAJOR DECISIONS A. There are seven major decisions involved in setting externally competitive pay and designing the corresponding pay structures 1. specifying employer's external/competitive pay policy 2. define the purpose of the survey 3. select the relevant marke t competitors 4. designing and conducting surveys 5. interpreting survey results and constructing the market line 6. constructing a pay policy line that reflects the external pay policy 7. alancing competitiveness with internal alignment through the use of ranges, flat rates, and/or bands Definition:A survey is the systematic process of collecting and making judgments about the compensation paid by other employers Steps in conducting wage and salary surveys: 1. select the jobs to be surveyed 2. define the relevant markets 3. select the firms to be surveyed 4. determine the information to ask 5. determine the data collection technique 6. administer the survey II. SPECIFY COMPETITIVE PAY POLICY an external pay policy requires information on the external market †¢ surveys provide the data for translating that policy into pay levels, pay mix & pay structures III. THE PURPOSE OF A SURVEY? A. Conducting a salary survey is necessary to obtain data to set an organization’s pay p olicy relative to its competitors. B. An employer conducts/participates in a survey for the following reasons †¢ its an opportunity to collect information to make judgements regarding compensation †¢ to adjust pay to changing external pay rates & recognize pay trends in marketplace to establish/develop or price an adequate pay structure †¢ to analyze personnel problems that may be pay related †¢ defending pay practices in a court of law †¢ to attempt to estimate the labor costs of product market competitors †¢ hiring and retaining competent employees †¢ promoting worker productivity C. Adjust Pay Level – How Much to Pay? market surveys provide information so that an employer will be able to adjust the firm's pay levels relative to competitors (ex. AACSB salary survey) 1. most organizations make adjustments to employees’ pay on a regular basis . these adjustments can be based on one, or more, of the following issues: a. overall upward movement of pay rates caused by competition for people in the market. b. performance. c. ability to pay. d. terms specified in a contract. D. Adjust Pay Mix – What Forms? 1. the mix of forms and their relative importance makes up the â€Å"pay package† 2. adjustments to the different forms that competitors use (base, bonus, benefits, etc) & the relative importance they place on each form occur less frequently than adjustments to overall pay level . it is unclear why changes to the pay mix occur less frequently than changes in the pay level 4. since some pay forms may affect employee behavior more than others, collecting information on total compensation, the mix of pay competitors us, and costs of various forms is increasingly important E. Adjust Pay Structure 1. survey information used for directly valuing jobs in some cases 2. in other instances, used to validate job evaluation results (see if market rates vary greatly from those obtained in the firm’s job eva luation)Study Special Situations 1. information used to review competitor pay scales in case of high turnover or to justify differentials between certain gender dominated jobs in legal situations 2. many special studies appraise the starting salary offers or current pay practices for targeted groups, such as patent attorneys, sales managers, or software engineers G. Estimate Competitors' Labor Costs 1. surveys allow for organizations to compare labor costs especially in a highly competitive industry, as input for decisions making, etc. 2. hey may use salary survey data to benchmark against competitors’ product pricing and manufacturing practices IV. SELECT RELEVANT MARKET COMPETITORS A. To make decisions about pay level, mix, and structures, a relevant labor market must be defined that includes employers who compete in one or more of the following areas Relevant markets are expressed as: †¢ employers who compete for the same occupations and skills required †¢ the ge ographic distance employees are willing to commute/relocate †¢ employers who compete with the same products/servicesB. As the importance and complexity of qualifications increase, the geographic limits also increase C. Competition tends to be national or international for managerial and professional skills and local or regional for clerical and production skills D. The generalizations do not always hold true. Examples include: 1. in areas with high concentrations of scientists, engineers, and managers, the primary market comparison may be regional, with national data used only secondarily 2. some larger firms ignore local market conditions E.Research suggests that if skills are tied to a particular industry, as underwriters, actuaries, and claims representatives are to insurance, the market should be defined on an industry basis 1. if certain skills, i. e. accounting, sales, clerical, are not limited to one particular industry, then industry considerations are less important. 2 . from the perspective of cost control and ability to pay, competitors in the product/service market should be included since the pay rates of these competitors will affect both an employer’s costs of operations and its financial condition. F.While the quantity of data available for international comparisons is improving, using the data to adjust pay requires a lot of judgment. G. Fuzzy Markets 1. new organizations and jobs fuse together diverse knowledge and experience, so â€Å"relevant† markets appear more like â€Å"fuzzy† markets 2. organizations with unique jobs and structures face the double bind of finding it hard to get comparable market data at the same time they are placing more emphasis on external market data V. Design the Survey A. Consulting firms offer a wide variety of surveys covering almost every job family and industry group imaginable.B. Survey design involves considering the following issues: 1. Who should be involved in the survey design? 2. How many employers should be included? 3. Which jobs should be included? 4. What information should be collected? C. Whom to Involve? †¢ compensation specialist or HRM manager †¢ operating managers †¢ employees (task managers) †¢ outside consultants (avoid wage fixing allegations) D. How Many Employers? †¢ depends on circumstances, no set/magic numbers (problematic for global companies) †¢ in small markets with few employers: 2 or 3 firms in larger local markets with 200-300 positions: 12-24 firms †¢ in national labor market and some regional survey: 100+ firms †¢ salary surveys reflect industry, geographical area Publicly Available Data a. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the major source of publicly available compensation data and publishes extensive information on various occupations in different geographic areas b. While some private sector firms may track the rate of change in BLS data as a cross-check on other surveys, the data are n ot specific enough to be used alone â€Å"Word-of-Mouse† a.A click of the mouse makes a wealth of data available to everyone and means that managers must be able to explain the salaries paid to employees compared to those a mouse-click away. b. The quality of salary data on the Web is highly suspect. Where Are the Standards? a. Opinions about the value of consultant surveys are rampant b. Many firms select one survey as their primary source and use others to cross-check of validate the results c. Some firms routinely combine the results of several surveys and weight each survey in a composite based on a judgment of the quality of the data reported . For staffing decisions, employment test designers report the test’s performance against a set of standards (reliability, validity, etc. ) For market surveys and analysis, similar indices and standards do not exist E. Which Jobs to Include? Keep the survey simple and include only enough jobs necessary to accomplish the purpo se of the survey and to encourage participation 1. Benchmark Jobs Approach †¢ include only benchmark (stable in content) jobs in the surveys †¢ ensure that benchmark jobs represent all unction/levels in the firm †¢ slotting of remaining jobs 2. Low-High Approach †¢ useful for skills based structure that has no match with competitors †¢ identify highest and lowest paid benchmark jobs for the relevant †¢ skills and use these as anchors for skills based structures †¢ slot the remaining wage rates into the structure 3. Benchmark Conversion Approach †¢ traditional approach †¢ perform job evaluation on all jobs and use benchmarks on survey †¢ transfer salary info from benchmark jobs & convert internal structureF. What Information to Collect? Collect information about: †¢ the nature of the organization (size, structure, financial) †¢ information about the total compensation system (bonus, benefit) †¢ actual rates paid to each incumbent for jobs included in survey No survey includes all the data included in the discussion; the data collected depend on the purpose of the survey. Organization Data – data includes company identification, financial information, size of company, and the structure of the organization. .Total Compensation Data †¢ all the basic types of pay forms are required to assess the total pay package and competitors’ practices †¢ data collected includes: (1)Base pay – amount of cash competitors decided each job and incumbent is worth. (2)Total cash – includes base plus bonus; indicates competitors’ use of performance-based cash payments. (3)Total compensation – includes total cash plus stock options and benefits VI. INTERPRET SURVEY RESULTS & CONSTRUCT A MARKET LINE There is no single best approach that is used to analyze data.There are steps that the organization should take to ensure that use of the information is justified. A. Verify Data †¢ test for quality & accuracy of data (examine distribution patterns) †¢ check for accuracy of job matches (titles vs. descriptions) †¢ if jobs are similar but not identical, then leveling can be used to weight data according to closeness of match B. Anomalies 1. perusing actual salary data provides an analyst with a sense of the quality of the data and helps identify any areas for additional consideration. 2. nomalies may include: 1) does any one company dominate? 2) do all employers show similar patterns? 3) outliers? 3. analysis of the anomalies may indicate additional information about competitors’ pay policies, ex. a competitor may deliberately differentiate itself with pay as part of its strategy C. Statistical Analysis †¢ frequency distribution (organizes data into intervals) †¢ central tendency (mean, mode, median, weighted means) †¢ dispersion (get some idea from mean and dispersion value, the distribution of wages; ex. tandard dev iation, quartiles/percentiles) †¢ outliers/extreme values can distort mean value †¢ using this information to establish a single wage value D. Update the Survey Data †¢ to counteract â€Å"aging† of data, adjusts need to be made Extent of updating depends on: †¢ historical trends in the marketplace †¢ economic outlook for the future in the employer's market †¢ consumer price index (CPI) †¢ manager's judgement E. Construct a Market Pay Line Development of a market pay line involves making decisions about which benchmark jobs to include, which companies to include, and which measures of pay to use usually a straight line but can be curvilinear or hinged †¢ statistical techniques such as regression analysis can be used to derive a market pay line †¢ pay level policy will reflect positioning of pay line (percentile) Definition: A market line links a company’s benchmark jobs on the horizontal axis (internal structure) with market rates paid by competitors (market survey) on the vertical axis. It summarizes the distribution of going rates paid by competitors in the market F. Combine Internal Structure and External Wage RatesThe internal consistency and external competitiveness components of the pay model are combined through the development of the pay structure. The pay structure achieves two objectives: 1. produces pay policy line to reflect market wages to internal structure 2. allows for pay ranges, and give the firm some internal flexibility VII. FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: THE PAY POLICY LINE A. The pay policy line reflects external competitive position in the market B. There are several ways to translate external competitive policy into practice 1.Choice of measure – based on Colgate’s stated policy, Colgate would use the 50th percentile for base pay and the 75th percentile for total compensation as compensation measures in its regression 2. Updating – the approach used by an organiza tion to update salary survey data reflects its pay policy. C. Policy Line as Percent of Market Line. 1. another way to translate pay-level policy into practice is to simple specify a percent above or below the regression line (market line) that an employer intends to match and then draw a new line at this higher (or lower) level 2. here are alternatives among competitive pay policies, and there are alternative ways to translate policy into practice 3. if the practice does not match the policy, then employees receive the wrong message VIII. FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: GRADES AND RANGES Creating pay ranges is also part of designing a pay structure that reflects the organization’s policies on maintaining internal alignment and external competitiveness A. Why Bother with Grades and Ranges? 1. grades and ranges offer flexibility to deal with pressures from external markets and differences among organizations quality differences among jobholders †¢ productivity differences among individuals †¢ differences in the mix of pay forms competitors use 2. ranges provide managers the opportunity to: †¢ recognize individual performance differences with pay †¢ meet employee expectations that pay will increase with time †¢ encourage employees to remain with organization 3. from an internal alignment perspective a range reflects differences in: †¢ performance †¢ experience 4. from an external competitiveness perspective, a range is a control device 5. ranges are not used by all employers skill-based plans establish single rates for each skill level regardless of performance or seniority †¢ flat rates are favored by unions (use regression formula) †¢ broad bands are being adopted for greater flexibility B. Develop Grades †¢ fairly similar jobs (comparable value) are grouped together †¢ lateral moves without change in pay †¢ allows for certain degree of flexibility †¢ some subjective decisions in designing pay gr ades makes it tough †¢ jobs grouped together for traditional purposes, career pathing C. Establish Ranges Midpoints, Minimums, and Maximums midpoint of each range serves as control point to correspond with †¢ the pay policy line following a matching(competitive) policy †¢ midpoint reflects pay level at which competent person is paid †¢ range spreads vary according to jobs (spread increasing with worth) †¢ determine degree of overlap desired (arithmetic, geometric, random) D. What Size Should the Range Be? a. size of the range is based on judgment about how the ranges support career paths, promotions, and other organization systems. (1)top-level management positions typically have ranges of 30 to 60% above and below the midpoint 2)entry to mid-level professional and managerial positions typically have ranges of 15 to 30% above and below the midpoint (3)office and production work typically have ranges of 5 to 30% above and below the midpoint b. compensation ma nagers use actual survey rates, particularly the 75th and 25th percentiles, as the range minimums and maximums c. another approach is to establish the minimum and maximum separately, with the amount between the minimum and the midpoint a function of how long it takes a new employee to become fully competent E. Overlap (re: rules of thumb) degree of overlap to mirror commonality between grades †¢ high degree of overlap indicate small differences in the value of jobs in adjoining grades – ex. title change but not much change in pay †¢ overlap beyond three adjacent grades should be avoided †¢ jumps in pay grade should involve at least 10% differential †¢ size of differentials should support career movement thru’ structure †¢ difference between supervisor and worker: approx. 1 grade or 15% IX. FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: BROAD BANDING A. Broad banding is a new technique 1. his approach consolidates approximately 4 – 5 traditional pay grades int o a single band with one minimum and one maximum 2. since a band encompasses many jobs of differing values, a range midpoint is usually not specified B. Contrasts between ranges and broad bands are highlighted in Exhibit 8. 19 C. Supporters of broad bands list several advantages: 1. they provide flexibility to define job responsibilities more broadly 2. they support redesigned, downsized, or boundary-less organizations that have eliminated layers of managerial jobs 3. they foster cross-functional growth and development. a. mployees can move laterally across functions within a band to gain depth of experience b. emphasis on lateral movement with no pay adjustments helps manage the reality of fewer promotions in flattened organizational structures 4. flexibility eases mergers and acquisitions since there are not a lot of levels to argue over D. The most important difference between the grades and ranges and broad-banding approaches is the location of controls 1. grade and range approa ch has guidelines and controls designed into the pay system 2. band approach has only a total salary budget that provides constraints. E.Banding involves two steps: 1. Set the number of bands a. examples indicate the use of 5 to 6 bands for pay purposes (1)Merck uses 6 bands for its entire pay structure (2)General Electric replaced 24 levels of work with 5 bands b. the challenge is how much to pay employees who are in the same band but different functions performing different work 2. Price the bands and reference market rates a. each band will likely include multiple job families. b. based on external market differences in pay rates, the different functions within each band are likely to be priced differently collapsing several traditional grades into one or two career bands †¢ objective is to provide more flexibility in moving people among jobs †¢ don’t need to change band or make pay adjustment when moved Steps 1. Set number of bands – usually three to eigh t for pay purposes. 2. Price bands using reference market rates and zones 3. Determine within band (lateral) movement since purpose of banding is to encourage cross-functional movement X. BALANCING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PRESSURES: ADJUSTING THE PAY STRUCTURE A.Adjustments may be necessary in the pay structure to balance internal consistency and external competitiveness. B. A distinction has been made between the job structure and the pay structure 1. A job structure orders jobs on the basis of internal organizational factors that are reflected in job evaluation or skill/competency certification 2. A pay structure is anchored by an organization’s external competitive position and reflected in its pay-policy line C. Reconciling Differences †¢ Internal JE & external market survey results may not agree and may therefore produce two different structures †¢ pay structure vs. ob structure (ex. labor shortage may impact this) †¢ review of the JA and JE may be necessary to see if a job was accurately evaluated or to a/c for differences between market rate & internal rate †¢ managers tend to weigh market data more heavily than internal J. E. D. Locality Pay †¢ problems with governmental transfers (NYC vs. Des Moines) †¢ GS system makes no allowance for performance factor †¢ federal government pay system less sensitive to market changes †¢ Federal Employee Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA) E. Compression †¢ caused by pressure of external forces vs. nternal factors †¢ outside wages increasing faster than internal ones †¢ pay differential among jobs are smaller relative to KSA differences XI. MARKET PRICING †¢ strong emphasis on market de-emphasizes internal consistency. †¢ price as many jobs as possible in external market, then rank to mark the unique jobs †¢ appropriate for firms with lots of jobs comparable to external market †¢ down side is that it allows competitors (market) set pay policy XI. YOUR TURN: Word-Of-Mouse: Dot-Com Compensation Comparisons YOUR TURN 2:Are Compensation Surveys Upward Biased?

Work Ethics

According to Webster’s Dictionary â€Å"work ethics is a belief in work as a moral good.† Which is basically saying you do your work because you want to, not because you have to, and maybe get noticed for it? Some people work because they have to but if you have work ethic for what you work for it’s because you are doing it because you like and thinks it is a good job. If you do job just because then it is not considered a good work ethic, it is considered a work ethic but you only do the job because you have to do it.Those with a good work ethic often also possess generally strong character. This means they are self-disciplined, pushing themselves to complete work tasks instead of requiring others to intervene. They are also often very honest and trustworthy, as they view these traits as befitting the high-quality employees they seek to become, to demonstrate their strong character, these workers embody these positive traits daily, likely distinguishing themselv es from the rest.I have a work ethic. My work ethic is working in the library at my high school. I work in the library because I have to. I don’t like to work in the library but I do because it is a good work ethic. I work here because they need help.Many students leave school ill-prepared for the workplace. Poor academic skills and work habits limit their understanding of how they might fit into the adult world. Work-based learning addresses this problem by extending the walls of the classroom to include the whole community, giving students real world experiences and opportunities to apply academic skills in the workplace. Work-based learning is an integral part of school to careers transition, combining school-based learning and work-based learning into an integrated experience for all students.Through work-based learning, â€Å"Employers reinforce academic lessons, schools emphasize career applications, students gain experience in the adult world of work and connections t o a range of post-secondary options, including college, technical training and skilled entry level work.† The National Center for Career and Technical Education (NCCTE) defines career development as â€Å"the total constellation of psychological, sociological, education, physical, economic, and chance factors that combine to influence the nature and significance of work in the total lifespan of any given individual.†Work-based learning is defined as a coherent sequence of job training and work experience that involves actual work experience and connects classroom learning to work activities. One of the key elements that lead to the success of a school to careers system is work-based learning. Students must have access to a range of developmentally appropriate work-based learning experiences. Schools and employers need flexibility to develop a school to careers transition that builds on local strengths and is tailored to local needs and circumstances.The work-based compo nent may include a variety of activities including job shadowing, school based enterprises, entrepreneurial programs, dual enrollment, mentorships, career pathways, and service learning to name a few. Using a range of in-school and out-of-school strategies – paid or unpaid work experiences during the school day or after school – with programs customized to fit the needs of young people, school, businesses, and the local community, the main focus of any of these work-based learning experiences is that they must offer academic study, professional/technical skills, and work related experiences.Although most people have wanted to concentrate their efforts related to work-based learning on students in the upper years of high school, they should realize that programs that do not start until the 11th grade miss the chance to make a significant impact on many students. Work-based experiences need to take a progressive sequential approach that includes preparation (feeder) expe riences starting as early as elementary or middle school.It is crucial to include younger students before they become discouraged and disengaged or drop out of school altogether. â€Å"Feeder† experiences expose young people to a range of career opportunities through such options as summer internships, job shadowing, and career exploration workshops, all of which are geared to the connection between school and work and the integration of academic and occupational training. Ideally the work-based learning component is delivered through a planned program of job training and other employment experiences related to a chosen career.

Resolved Collective Bargaining Rights Example

Resolved Collective Bargaining Rights Example Resolved Collective Bargaining Rights – Article Example Resolved collective bargaining rights What are some reasons why workers want to join unions in the public sector? Therecent years have witnessed a remarkable market rise in the number of public employees demand to join unions or public sector. At the same time, public employees have also intensified the demand to act and organize collectively through employee organizations that they choose for themselves. The reasons for this demand are set on the rights of workers so as to avoid labor strife, to insure the efficiency, and the continuity of the local government and the state, to secure economic stability, as well as develop a harmonious relationship between the employees and the public employer (Wellington and Winter 101).These goals are set to be achieved by the union security provisions by reducing the potential conflicts among public employees, as well as that which can occur between public employees and their employers. The unions in the public sector also set arrangements that t end to stabilize the labor relations between the public sector and their employers. However, there can be potential biasness that exists in these directions. For this reason, it is extremely imperative to keep in mind the reasons for understating the relative strengths that may occur in the public sector unionism (Wellington and Winter 120).What is an effective budget strategy for unions?The effective budgeting strategy helps in efficient management of money. Viewing personal budgeting and budgeting for unions is a realistic assessment for living standards. This is attributed to the fact that unions are supposed to set their financial goals, such as pensions, savings, among others. They should also focus on what is set to be addressed. This makes an analysis of the financial requirements vital in financial coalitions (Wellington and Winter 207). There should be a shared mission, vision, and action plans as part of an effective budget strategy for unions. This shared financial commit ment helps in communication and decision making.Wellington, Harry H., and Ralph K. Winter. Structuring Collective Bargaining in Public Employment. Washington: Brookings Institution, 1970. Print.

Discover The Marriage Proposal by Anton Chekhov

Discover The Marriage Proposal by Anton Chekhov Anton Chekhov is known for brilliant, full-length plays, yet in his younger years he fancied writing short, one-act comedies like The Marriage Proposal. Filled with wit, irony, and brilliantly developed and impassioned characters, this three-person play shows the young playwright at his best. The Comedies of Anton Chekhov Anton Chekhovs full-length masterpieces may be considered comedies, yet they are filled with dour moments, failed loves, and sometimes even death. This is especially true in his play The Seagull a comedic drama which ends with a suicide. Although other plays such as Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard do not culminate in such an explosive resolution, a feeling of hopelessness permeates each of Chekhovs plays. This is a sharp contrast to some of his more jovial one-act comedies. The Marriage Proposal, for example, is a delightful farce that could have ended very darkly, but the playwright instead maintains its energetic whimsy, concluding in a successful albeit combative engagement. The Characters of A Marriage Proposal The main character, Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov, is a heavy-set man in his mid-thirties, prone to anxiety, stubbornness, and hypochondria. These flaws are further amplified because he becomes a nervous wreck when he tries to propose marriage. Stepan Stephanovitch Chubukov owns land next to Ivan. A man in his early seventies, he gladly grants permission to Ivan, but soon calls off the engagement when an argument over property ensues. His chief concerns are maintaining his wealth and keeping his daughter happy. Natalya Stepanovna is the female lead in this three-person play. She can be jovial and welcoming, yet stubborn, proud and possessive, just like her male counterparts. Plot Summary of A Marriage Proposal The play is set in the  rural countryside of Russia during the late 1800s. When Ivan arrives at the home of the Chubukov family, the elderly Stepan assumes that the well-dressed young man has come to borrow money. Instead, Stepan is pleased when Ivan asks for his daughters hand in marriage. Stepan whole-heartedly bestows his blessing, declaring that he already loves him like a son. The old man then leaves to fetch his daughter, assuring the younger man that Natalya will graciously accept the proposal. While alone, Ivan delivers a soliloquy, explaining his high level of nervousness, as well as a number of physical ailments that have recently plagued his daily life. This monologue sets up everything that unfolds next. Everything is going well when Natalya first enters the room. They chat pleasantly about the weather and agriculture. Ivan attempts to bring up the subject of marriage by first stating how he has known her family since childhood. As he touches upon his past, he mentions his familys ownership of the Oxen Meadows. Natalya stops the conversation to clarify. She believes that her family has always owned the meadows, and this disagreement ignites a caustic debate, one that sends tempers flaring and Ivans heart palpitating. After they yell at each other, Ivan feels dizzy and tries to calm himself down and change the subject back to matrimony, only to get immersed in the argument yet again. Natalyas father joins the battle, siding with his daughter, and angrily demanding that Ivan leave at once. As soon as Ivan is gone, Stepan reveals that the young man has planned to propose to Natalya. Shocked and apparently desperate to be married, Natalya insists that her father bring him back. Once Ivan has returned, she tries to bend the subject toward romance. However, instead of discussing marriage, they begin to argue over which of their dogs is the better hound. This seemingly innocuous topic launches into yet another heated argument. Finally, Ivans heart cannot take it anymore and he flops down dead. At least thats what Stepan and Natalya believe for a moment. Fortunately, Ivan breaks out of his fainting spell and regains his senses enough for him to propose to Natalya. She accepts, but before the curtain falls, they return to their old argument regarding who owns the better dog. In short, The Marriage Proposal is a delightful gem of a comedy. It makes one wonder why so much of Chekhovs full-length plays (even the ones labeled as comedies) seem so thematically heavy. The Silly and the Serious Sides of Chekhov So, why is The Marriage Proposal so whimsical whereas his full-length plays are realistic? One reason that may account for the silliness found in this one-act is that The Marriage Proposal was first performed in 1890  when Chekhov was just entering his thirties and still in relatively good health. When he wrote his famous comedy-dramas his illness (tuberculosis) had more severely affected him. Being a physician, Chekhov must have known that he was nearing the end of his life, thereby casting a shade over The Seagull and the other plays. Also, during his more prolific years as a playwright, Anton Chekhov traveled more and beheld many impoverished, marginalized people of Russia, including inmates of a penal colony. The Marriage Proposal is a humorous microcosm of marital unions among the Russian upper class in late 19th century Russia.   This was Chekhovs world during his late 20s. As he became more worldly, his interests in others outside the middle classes increased. Plays such as Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard feature an ensemble of characters from many different economic classes, from the wealthiest to the most impoverished. Finally, one must consider the influence of Constantin Stanislavski, a theater director who would become one of the most important figures in modern theater. His dedication to bringing a naturalistic quality to drama may have further inspired Chekhov to write less silly plays, much to the chagrin of theater-goers who like their comedies broad, loud, and full of slapstick.

Systems and Operationsmanagement Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Systems and Operationsmanagement - Coursework Example Various theories of operation and process management have been visited in the case study to formulate the appropriate recommendations. Since inception in 1970, Airbus has had to maintain a corporate goal of lunching a competitive fight that would enable the realisation of a sustainable market share. Despite the competitive nature of the market from major players such as Boeing and Lockheed, Airbus kept the nerve to initiate bold investment projects that enabled it to grow and reach the global status. A winning corporate combination of practices such as operations and strategy management ought to have played a major role in the rise of the company. To surpass its anticipated entry into the market, Airbus management had to venture into more challenging business that no one else had ventured into. An ambitious diversification of the organisation package of market participation was identified as the solution to keeping up with the pace of the market’s dynamic challenges. To this end, Airbus rolled out one of the most daring ventures amid internal capacity issues. Such a venture is the A380 project that became too much of a challenge along its initial implementation. Perhaps with the best operations and process realignments that corporations in this age need to armour their planning with, the success of the A380 project at Airbus would be a different story. An analysis of the project using insights postulated by systems and operations management theory has been used in the case study of the A380 project to highlight useful corporate lessons worth of sieving from the failures thereon. Airbus systems and operations logistics were evolving at an increasing rate since its founding in 1970 aiming to formulate a consortium of air transport initially covering Britain, Spain, Germany and France. As a consortium, it was not clear if the