Sports Marketing Plan - a plan to increase interest and attendance for Research Paper

Sports Marketing Plan - a plan to increase interest and attendance for C.D. Chivas U.S.A. located in Los Angeles, California - Research Paper Example The services are presented to our esteemed customers are offered ad Chivas which is in Los Angeles, California. There are no particular criteria or method for accessing our services except for the tickets. It is our responsibility to ensure our target customers enjoy the entertainment. In this section, we major in the analysis of our competitors and the comparison with our services. Among our competitors are: Galaxy, NBA, and the choice to staying at home. We will examine the quality of service of our competitors. For instance, we will have to look into the times at which our competitors offer their games, the price of their tickets among others. As a service provider in a stiff competition market, we shall examine the strengths and weaknesses of our current competitors such us Galaxy and NBA. We will consider any competitor potential and with ability to influence the choice of our customers. At this stage we will provide a defensive and offensive strategic context so as to assess the opportunities and threats. This stage is very essential as a component of our corporate strategy. The entertainment industry has a wide scope and nature as sales depends on the customers’ enjoyment of the games. Our competitors who are Galaxy and NBA also offer similar services as we do and therefore quality of service we offer will distinguish us from our competitors. Our customers include every individual who enjoys watching games. We target teenage and young adult groups as our major customers. As mentioned before, the key success factor is the quality and cost of our services. Our competitors though offer similar services, we beat them in quality and our prices are also moderate and affordable to our customers. As a competitive strategy, we shall increase and multiply the number of our first time attendants. Possibly, we need to increase this by 500 people per game. The overall increase population is 9000 and we want to achieve this by October 31, 2013. In order to

Adam Bede Essay Example for Free

Adam Bede Essay George Eliot s novels are all dramas of moral conflict. She did not believe in art for arts sake, but in art for moralitys sake. According to Leslie Stephen, George Eliot believed that a work-of art not only may. but must, exercise also an ethical influence. She believed that, our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. If we yield to temptation and sin, suffering and nemesis are sure to follow. We have to reap the consequences of our own actions. Her characters suffer because they violate some moral code, because they yield to temptation whether consciously or unconsciously, in Adam Bede both Hetty and Arthur suffer for this reason. Poignant tragedy is the result because both Arthur and Hetty are creatures of weak moral fibre. They are unable to resist temptation. This moral weakness results in sin, which is followed by punishment and intense suffering. Arthur-Hetty story traces the movement from weakness to sin and from sin to nemesis. Stratagems of Passion The stratagems of passion are seen with illuminating c1arrty when Arthur, after luncheon, is unable to recall the feelings and reflections which had been decisive in his decision to avoid Hetty. We are told of his conscious thoughts, and the self-deceptions and distortions of truth that we see in them make, so to speak, a chart of the subconscious force of his impulse to see her-as a strong underwater current, showing nosing on the surface, is yet known to be present by the extent to which its pull on the keel of a ship alters its course. It is in such accounts of motives, conscious and unconscious, that Arthur is created and exists as a character in the novel. Our recognition of his good intentions, self-deceptions and weaknesses of will make the portrayal real and acceptable to us. Maturity through Love We are not permitted to see the process by which Dinah is enabled to . overcome her fear, and it is a serious flaw in the novel that it is so. All, we learn is that having been told by Adam of his love for her and having admitted in turn a love for him, Oinah once more retreats to Stonyshire, not staying even long enough to participate in the Harvest Supper. Adam, after waiting for several weeks, is no longer able to endure the strain and sets out for Stonyshire to find her. As he leaves the Loamshire world and enters gray treeless Stonyshire, he is reminded of the painful past, but in an altered light~ for now he possesses what George Eliot calls a sense of enlarged being, the consequences of thtt ruller life brought about by his suffering. He sees Stonyshire now through Dinahs eyes, as it were, and ifhis vision includes the barren land, it also includes the wonderful flooding light and the large embracing sky. Adam waits for Dinah to return from her Sunday preaching not at her home, but on a hill top. Here, in the midst of her world, he discovers that Dnah has undergone a change, the power of her love for him has in a sense overcome her fears; she feels like cl divided person without him, and she is willing †¢to become his wife. He, therefore, takes her back to Loamshire whence she had so fled. It is not, however, to the green and golden world of. June with which the book began; rather to an autumnal mature world. Here, on a rimy morning in departing November, when there is a tinge of sadness in the weather as well as in the joy which accompanies the wedding, Adam and Dinah are married. it is in the fitness of things that they should so come together, for they are bound to either by their common suffering for Hetty and by their painful memories, suffering gives rise to sympathy, and love based on such sympathy alone can be fruitful and lasting. Critic after critic has expressed the view that Adam is too good to be true. It has been said that he is a perfect human being, George Eliots ideal, fully mature and enlightened from the very beginning. But the truth is otherwise. A moment’s reflection shows that he is proud, hard and self-righteous with little sympathy for ordinary sinners, which we all poor mortals are. As a matter of fact, the novel traces the process by which he gradually sheds his faultsof his education, enlightenment and maturity, through a process of suffering and love-and becomes ultimately a complete man, a fully integrated personality, through his love of Dinah and his marriage with her. The process of his education occupies the centre of the novel. The point would become clear, if we briefly consider this process. Hard and Self-righteous There can be no denying the fact that Adam is hard and self-righteous. In the very chapter we are told,† The idle tramps always felt sure they could get a copper from Seth; they scarcely ever spoken to Adam. This is the flaw (not a fatal one) in Adams innocence: In fact, Adam is a stone-hearted person at the very beginning. The very fault in him lies in his over-confidence which makes him to think that he is righteous and it is not wrong in any way. This is told to us by the hymns he sings and the ending with the same hymn is not only appropriate but it also gives him the impression how much significant the hyn1n is? He does not harm anybody, knowingly. Not for a single moment he thinks when he hurts anybody. He is much confident about his doings, Ive seen pretty clear, ever since I could cast up a sum, as you can never do whats wrong without breeding sin and trouble more than you can ever seen. His confidence is shaken when he catches his friend red handed while making love with his beloved Hett}, in the woods. He realises his mistakes, how incomplete his mental seeing has been! He understood it all now-the locket, and everything else that had been doubtful to him a terrible scorching light showed him the hidden letters that changed the meaning of the past. Here starts the process of his education and self-realisation. Realities of Midlands’ Life: George Eliots novels reveal the very aspects of the English Midlands, more specially Warwickshire and Coventry. The†¢ beauty of these Midlands plains caught the attraction of her eyes and these plains found their setting in her novels. Quite a feature of the scenery-and indeed of Warwickshire generally is that the hedges are everywhere closely painted with trees, whose height, as well as the riotous wastefulness of the hedgerose, give evidence of a kindly soil and climate. Methodic Themes: Written by Feuerbach, The Essence of Christianity was translated into English by George Eliot. The influence of Feuerbach can be seen in George Eliot, in her works. In the above mentioned book, Feuerbach talks about the religious significance of water, wine and bread. All of three are sacred for him. The reason for the sacredness of water lies in the fact that it isa force of nature and it keeps us reminding that we have our origins in nature, the same origin of other lower creatures. Thus necessity of water symbolises our oneness with nature and Baptism as well. Wine and bread are man made things which look towards nature for the raw-material, thus symbolises that man is much superior to other lower creatures who are not so efficient to modify natural things. In the Christian ritual of Baptism, only water is used, for innocent and pure-hefirted childr~n. Whereas for the mature man, the Lords supper which includes wine and bread, is served. It suggests that man is much above animals. If the man is hungry and thirsty, he will no more remain a human being and taking of bread and wine restores him to his humanity. This truth is revealed to us through three suppers which is taken by Adam and his humanity kept ever-present in him. References Eliot. George. Adam Bede. New York: Penguin. 1996. Greegor. G. R. George Eliot: a collection of critical essays. Englewood Cliffs, N. J. , Prentice Hall. 1970. Ian Adam.Character and Destiny in George Eliots Fiction. Nineteenth-Century Fiction. University of California Press 1965. 127-143 Jones, Robert Tudor A critical commentary on George Eliots Adam Bede. London: Macmillan. 1968. Levine. G. L The Cambridge companion to George Eliot. Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2001. Pletzen, E Van. Eliots Adam Bede. The Explicator. 56, no. 1, (1997): 23. Thale, Jerome. The novels of George Eliot. New York, Columbia University Press, 1959. Watt, Ian P. The Victorian novel; modern essays in criticism. London, New York, Oxford University Press, 1971.

Civilization Essay -- science

Civilization In his essay â€Å"Civilization and Its Discontents†, Sigmund Freud states his opinion that technological progress has failed to make humans happier. I strongly disagree to this opinion as I believe that today’s technological progress has made our lives more efficient and interesting, and thus more happy. Freud speaks in a time when the progress of technology had not started its rapid acceleration, and so the technology of his day did not have a large positive impact on the whole of society, compared to today’s world. Technology has changed many things in our lives, but has it made our lives any better? Technology does make people happier. Humans always want to upgrade their paraphernalia to new more efficient pieces of equipment. Researchers are always looking to improve the current technology, and come with modern efficient devices to improve our lives. Researching has been created because we want to evolve along the technological scale. Humans have been progressing for thousands of years and we still are. If society were to stop emerging with new inventions, we would be very unhappy in the long run. The leading edge of technology is what makes us happy. The microwave oven is a prime example of technology making us happy. If we were to abolish the microwave many people would be angry because it is a very handy cooking appliance. Items that are efficient make society happy. Technology is directly linked to happiness. Simple devices have been developed to make almost every aspect of our lives easier. Remote controls, electrical beds, gel based running shoes, palm pilots and cell phones are just a few examples of how the little things make our lives easier and more comfortable for us. Anybody that owns a new top of the line cellular phone is proud to have it because it makes simple things in their life easier, and thus taking away stress. A lot of these things we take for granted, but without them people would surely feel the loss as their lives would be a little more stressful to carry out, so today’s technological devices truly do make us happier, or keep us happy. There are hundreds of thousands of hobbies, sports and activities existing in the world today with the help of modern technology. There are hobbies for all ages and all tastes on the market. Imagine if we only had a few hobbies involving constructing things out of wood... .... Just because our technology is more advanced does not mean we can achieve a higher level of happiness. Our lifestyles are more efficient and thus a larger portion of the population is content. People have more time in day because many chores have been cut down in time. The reason we seem to have very little time in day is because we all partake in more activities that are being made possible by modern technology. Technology has a much greater impact on society now than in Freud’s time because it has been expanding more rapidly. My reasoning for this essay would be much harder to demonstrate if we were in the early 1900’s but I would still stick to my opinion. The fact that our opinions are stated in different times makes it harder to compare them. As John Mill would say â€Å"opinions should always be argued against†. Because Freud lived in a time when the then modern technology did not affect the mass of population in greatly positive ways, he has more reasoning to say that technology does not make people happier. But because I am referring to today’s world, I strong believe that modern technology makes us happier as it touches the lives of every person in many different ways.

Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Go Hand in Hand Essay -- Hunting Ess

It’s a brisk November morning like any other day, but today isn’t any other day, today is the first day of firearm deer season. Shots are going off everywhere like world war three declared on deer. I’m wrapped in every hunting garment I own but winters cold embrace always finds its way in. My cheeks are rosy red and my breath was thick in the air. As I raise my shotgun and pull the trigger, my heart races and my hands shake. As I race after my prize, the sounds of leaves crunching beneath my feet are muffled by the ringing in my ears. I’m walking face to the ground like a hound on a trail and then my eyes caught it, my very first whitetail. I will never forget my first deer and the joy I felt sharing it with my family. Hunting is a passed down tradition for my family and friends. Throughout the world, millions of people participate in the spoils and adventure of the hunt. Hunting has been a pastime since the beginning of man. Hunting is one o f those things either you like or you don’t like. It’s hard to explain the joys of hunting ,because it’s something one must experience for his self. Hunting does have laws and regulations you have to abide by. Are hunting regulations benefiting the hunter or the animal? This paper will discuss some of the regulations and laws, types of game, disadvantages of regulations, the pros of regulations, poachers, and ways to preserve wildlife and there habitat. To hunt in the state of Illinois one must obtain a green card from the hunters safety course. Then they need to buy a hunting license for whatever county they hunt in. When firearm hunting by yourself you also need a Foid card, or literally, a Firearms owner identification card. You also need tags for the animal you are goin... ...ake, but what they give is endless. Without anything to regulate game it would be a wild frenzy among hunters, but with regulation hunters try to enhance their wildlife and habitat, they use precision, skill, and try do whatever they can to better their chances or fix their mistakes every year. Without regulations and laws it’s just killing, but with them it’s a fine art that holds new challenges around every turn. Works Cited 1. Dnr.Illinois.gov 2. www.NWTF.com 3. The hunter in conservation by The Council for wildlife Conservation and education. inc 4. The Duck hunters book by Lamar Underwood & Tom Hennessey 5. Field and Stream magazine November 2013 6. Treasury of Big Game Animals by Erwin A. Bauer 7. Advanced Whitetail Hunting by Ron Spomer & Gary Clancy 8. The Art and Science of patterning Whitetails by Dr. James C. Kroll and Gordon Whittington

Corporate Strategy Analysis Discussion Essay

The Destination CEO videos offered a great insight into the lives of the people that have to run the huge organizations. It seems as if all of them have been faced with a challenge somewhere within their careers. The following paper will discuss the different corporate strategies: growth, stability, and renewal. It will also discuss how each CEO used the planning function of management which are concentration, vertical integration, and diversification. I agreed with my teammates discussions of the CEOs of the companies. We discussed four CEOs: Neville Isdell, Coca-Cola CEO, Gary Kelly, Southwest Airline CEO, Mackey McDonald, VF Corporation CEO, and Anne Mulcahy, Xerox CEO. The corporate strategy that was used by Neville Isdell is growth and the planning function used is diversification. This is due to the fact that he is seeking to branch out by selling non-carbonated beverages. Such as Coca-Cola Black, a coffee and buying all or part of vitamin water from Glasso. The corporate strategies used by Gary Kelly are growth and stability, and planning function of management is concentration. The reason for this is locking up the hedge fund contracts, and keeping cost down. Continuing to fly the same planes (737) so that parts and maintenance are easy is a great strategy. He also promotes treating customers like kings and queens, and employees even better! The corporate strategy used by Mackey McDonald is growth and the planning function is vertical integration and concentration. This is because of the focus on their lifestyle brands, such as Vans and Reef. They avoid getting involved in the high risk fashion brands & stayed with the commodity brands. Concentrate more on what the consumer would use every day. The corporate strategy used by Anne Mulcahy is renewal and the planning function is concentration. She took over when Xerox was on the brink of bankruptcy. She had to cut cost to be able to make the company successful. She even had to shut down the division that she herself had started (Destination CEO video). Kathleen McWain wrote, â€Å"Neville Isdell or the Indiana Jones of Coke displayed innovation and commitment to employee morale. Isdell handled flat sales growth, low morale and high turnover with  aggressive globalization. Coca-Cola decided to be a total beverage company introducing Dasani water and Fuze tea. Isdell convinced his board that just because Pepsi had branched into other markets successful Coke needed to go more towards global domination than diversification. Cokes sales are no longer sluggish, moral is high and employee turn over is low. I applaud Gary Kelly’s fuel hedge fund and that he is keeping Southwest airlines in the black. His flying in coach to experience what his passenger do gives Mr. Kelly a better insight into how his company runs, which I feel really helps him make tough resource allocation calls. That being said I do not think that Mr. Kelly’s Band-Aid patch of Southwest’s underfunded, profit destroying, pension plan dealt with the problem. (all pension plans paid after the employee retires are profit destroyers) I think it only delayed the fact that either the pension plan needs to be funded or pensioners must have their pensions reduced. As Southwest is not the only underfunded pension plan in the country. I feel Southwest is waiting to see if another company is successful in reducing pension payments to retirees. I also feel that as soon as a company is successful in either dumping or strongly cutting pensioners pay other companies will follow and it will be like domino falling.† As stated in the introduction, my team wrote the same things about the videos. The CEOs of each company made the same impact on us all. They stories of the CEOs and what they went they endured, and in some cases still enduring, is motivational. I personally would have probably given up by now. However, the most motivational one to me is Anne Mulcahy, because she took a company on the brink of bankruptcy and turned Xerox around into a powerhouse. How awesome is that! References Bateman, T. (2011). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitve World(9th ed.). Retrieved from http//: www.ecampus.phoenix.edu. Destination CEO Videos

Links between the art forms Essays

Links between the art forms Essays Links between the art forms Essay Links between the art forms Essay All three art forms are very similar, music, drama and dance. Between these three art forms there are many links; the similarities being uses of canon, motifs, unison, rhythm, dynamics, space and dialogue. However there are differences between the art forms but they work together to enhance the theatrical and musical effect; these being the use of tension, pace and dynamics. This essay will be referring to my own practical work.The first drama lesson was focused on Greek Chorus. The way a group works together to become one body to narrate a story is very important, so we took a passage from the play OEDIPUS THE KING by Sophocles and physicalised phrases within the text in small groups.Then we beheld the woman hanging there,A running noose entwined about her neck.But when he saw her, with a maddened roarHe loosed the cord; and when her wretched corpseLay stretched on earth, what followed-O twas dread!We stood in a semi-circle and the person speaking stood in the centre of the formatio n and spoke one line whilst the outer people acted out parts of the line, e.g. on the line Then we beheld the woman hanging there, the outside formation pretended to be dead and hanging by letting their head flop backwards while the rest of their body was loose and floppy. After practising a few times we added sound effects from a spring drum to add tension and make the scene more dramatic.The links between this piece of work and the other art forms are that the words of the passage were spoken in a rhythmic way almost like a spoken song. The actions performed by the outer formation of the semi-circle were all in unison, choreographed like a dance piece. The way that the rhythm and pace worked with the physicality of movements and sound created an enhanced effect.GHOST DANCES was a piece created and choreographed by Christopher Bruce in 1981. The piece was created based on the people who were threatened by General Pinochet a man who overthrew the Chilean Government and ran an oppres sive regime in 1973. People who opposed Pinochet were murdered; according to various reports and investigations, between 1200 to 3200 people were killed, up to 80,000 were interned, and up to 30,000 were tortured by his regime including women and children.We learnt two motifs that were very common in GHOST DANCES, the squat motif and the line motif. We then looked at the animalistic movements within the dance and created our own individually. After that we got into small groups and put the animalistic movements together with the two motifs, whilst adding in some key movements (balances, jumps, stillness etc.) and then developed it slowly. Then we listened to three different pieces of music and picked one to fit our dance round. My group picked the last piece of music played because it emphasised a particular point in our dance which needed to be.The links between this piece of work and the other art forms are that developing the animalistic movements was similar to creating a charac ter using stereotypical actions of the chosen animal. We experimented with travelling in different directions, being in unison or canon and changing the pace to fit the desired mood of the dance. Adding layers to the dance was similar to adding layers in a song, bit by bit fitting it round the existing piece creating an enhanced outcome.Slavery of the African American people occurred from 1619 1895. Rural slaves used to stay after the regular worship services, in churches or in plantation praise houses, for singing and dancing. But, slaveholders did not allow dancing and playing drums, as usual in Africa. They also had meetings at secret places (camp meetings, bush meetings), because they needed to meet one another and share their joys, pains and hopes. In rural meetings, thousands of slaves were gathered together and they listened to travelling preachers, and sang spirituals, for hours. The song WADE IN THE WATER, according to many internet sources and popular books, claim that sp irituals such as this contained plain instructions to fugitive slaves on how to avoid capture and the route to take to successfully make their way to freedom. This particular song allegedly recommends leaving dry land and taking to the water as a strategy to throw pursuing bloodhounds off the slaves trail.Wade in the water.Wade in the water, children.Wade in the water.Gods gonna trouble the water.Over the past few weeks, we have been singing a variety of spirituals and have been looking at the features of them, such as call and response and syncopation. With this, we started to improvise our own piece using a repeated motif of music as a background and singing single bar phrases with nonsense syllables individually. Then we got into little groups, taking a short motif we had already learnt and devised a short piece of music based around this motif using nonsense syllables to make sure we concentrated on the melody, harmonies and layers.The links between this piece of work and the ot her art forms are the fact that we improvise to repeated motifs of music, for example the 12-bar-blues which is similar to improvising to and around a short dance motif. There is a specific link between spirituals and the dance piece Ghost Dances. Both art forms contain intense emotion, layers and types of characters, which leads to the fact that choreographing a dance is not dissimilar to creating a piece of music.EAST is a play by Steven Berkoff written in 1975 all about dealing with growing up and rites of passage in Londons rough East End.We looked at the 25th anniversary version of EAST to get a feel of the uses of mime, melodrama and character types. We created a little scene called Gun in the Drawer and did it to a rhythm of bars of eight. Then we developed it by adding three different points of repetition to enhanced the melodramatic side, and subsequently put it to the preset music of scene two from EAST, a mime sequence where Mike comes to meet Sylv and her parents. Sylv i s attracted to Les and a fight breaks out. After that, we looked at the very beginning text dialogued by Mike and Les explaining how they met and describing a fight between them over Mikes girl Sylv. We individually chose a line from the duologue and heavily physicalised it.LES: Its soft, its gooey but choose it I did not in my Mothers hot womb did she curse this name on me its my handle under the soft its spiky, under the pillow its sharp concealed instrument offensive weapon lies waiting.MIKE: Oh, he doth bestride Commercial Road like a Colossus thats my manor where we two first set our minces on each other and those Irish yobs walk under our huge legs and peep about for dishonourable bother hes my mucker, china or mate.The links between this piece of work and the other art forms are that the words were spoken rhythmically like a song, e.g. its sharp was spoken staccato to accentuate the words. Music was added for effect and to add more tension to the piece along with c hanges in levels and speed of both movements and words spoken. In the mime piece, the actions were choreographed to a rhythm of eight bar phrases like a dance which helped create a further feel of heightened physicality.All three art forms are very similar, music, drama and dance. Between these three art forms there are many links; both similarities and differences the differences working together to enhance the theatrical and musical effects.Using my own practical work as examples, I can see that the different art forms can be used within each other to create tension, or just to enhance it along with pace and dynamics.

Challenges of the Youth Essays

Challenges of the Youth Essays Challenges of the Youth Essay Challenges of the Youth Essay Essay Topic: Everything I Never Told You Challenges of the Youth BY JDN21 Abusive Parents By: Jeremiah Ngiratreged 587-8868/778-5668 Palau Mission Academy In times like these, when faith often proves in vain, many turn away from what is right. The toughest challenges that the youth face often begin at home. It is hard to say what truly drives human beings to be so careless and cruel, but we can say this for sure, all people have the potential to be monsters. The duty of a parent is to protect, to nurture, and to teach their children. Some parents simply toss this responsibility to the wind, and leave the future of a child to chance. I have seen and eard many stories of many children being abandoned, abused, and apprehended. Can children really be blamed for criminal actions? Is everything that they do really a reflection of who they are, or is it all nothing more than a voice crying out in desperation to be heard by someone? Sometimes actions are the only way people know how to communicate with each other. Many of the youth today, not only have to face the challenges of school, and work, but must also have to face the trials of their own home. A few years ago, I had a friend who had been one of the smartest, strongest, and most inspirational people I had ever known. She was someone that I had always looked up to. She was always kind, always loving, always willing to do what was right and a great friend to everyone she met, but somehow she never seemed happy. One day she came to school looking hurt and miserable and wouldnt respond to anyone. I asked her what was wrong and pleaded with her to be completely honest. She made me promise not to tell anyone about anything she was about to tell me. I made her that promise, and she rolled up her sleeve. Her arm was had been abused by her parents the night before, but what shocked me even more as the fact that she told me this had been happening for 2 years and no one had ever known. I had been the first person she told, and the last. As her best friend I kept my promise and never told anyone, thinking that I was doing the right thing. A month later, she died. She had taken her own life. Her parents were caught, arrested, lost everything they had, and everyone finally knew the truth, but it was too late. Years later that memory still haunts me and still I regret never saying anything. I wish I could go back, wish I could change the past, because though promises are meant to e kept, some must be broken! My friend, who I will not name, paid the ultimate price at the hands of her own parents, and for what? She never did anything wrong! Abusive parents not only endanger the lives of their own children, but of everyone around them as well! What is it that drives a parent or guardian to be such a monster? There are many reasons, but one of the most common reasons is alcohol. Alcohol affects the brain it warps your mind, and deters your Judgment. It brings out the worst in you, and makes you do things that you would never normally do. It can eighten your anxiety levels making you more prone to being easily angered, annoyed, or abusive! It is a very dangerous thing, and because of it, many lives have been lost and taken. It is highly addictive, which makes its appeal to people even stronger. Many find it extremely hard if not impossible to quit. Because of this, many kids even fear going home. Staying at a friends house, finding excuses to be late, doing everything in their power to avoid being near their own parents are all desperate attempts of children trying to escape the harsh reality of them being eaten, sexually abused, or worse. Many will grow up angry and bitter, with both psychological and physical damage. Most will follow their parents example and become alcoholics themselves, thus starting the cycle over again. How many more of these children have to suffer? How many more have to die? How many more have to go through hell and back, before somebody realizes all this must stop?! A childs parent is their whole world, their light in the dark, their shelter from the storm. The time span of childhood to adulthood is the most important time of all. It is at this ime when every child learns whats right and whats wrong, whats up and whats down, who they are and who they want to be. This is the time of their life where they need the most support. Parents are not only caregivers, they are living examples, and if a parent is doing nothing but beating their child, pushing them around, or yelling at them constantly, they are doing nothing but destroying their child, and creating a monster! What you reap is what you sow, and one day when that child grows up the only thing that parent will see in him is a reflection of himself as a parent. This doesnt have to happen, in fact this was never how the world was suppose to be, and though we cannot end parental abuse we can prevent and limit it! It is my hope that one day we will all wake up from this nightmare. That every home will be filled with love, that every child will grow up happy, healthy, live long prosperous lives, and that no one ever has to go through the pain of losing a loved one to abuse ever again! For I know the plans I have for you, so says the Lord, Plans to help you not to harm you, to give you hope and a future. -Jeremiah 29:11

Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Boxer

Muhammad Ali - 'The Greatest' Boxer Muhammad Ali was one of the most famous boxers of all time. His conversion to Islam and draft evasion conviction surrounded him with controversy and even exile from boxing for three years. Despite the hiatus, his quick reflexes and strong punches helped Muhammad Ali become the first person in history to win the heavyweight champion title three times. At the lighting ceremony at the 1996 Olympics, Muhammad Ali showed the world his strength and determination in dealing with the debilitating effects of Parkinsons syndrome. Dates: January 17, 1942 June 3, 2016 Also Known As: (born as) Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., The Greatest, the Louisville Lip Married: Sonji Roi (1964 - 1966)Belinda Boyd (1967 - circa 1977)Veronica Porche (1977 - 1996)Yolanda Lonnie Williams (1996 - Until his death) Childhood Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. at 6:35 p.m. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky to Cassius Clay Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay. Cassius Clay Sr. was a muralist, but painted signs for a living. Odessa Clay worked as a housecleaner and a cook. Two years after Muhammad Ali was born, the couple had another son, Rudolph (Rudy). A Stolen Bicycle Leads Muhammad Ali to Become a Boxer When Muhammad Ali was 12 years old, he and a friend went to the Columbia Auditorium to partake in the free hot dogs and popcorn available for visitors of the Louisville Home Show. When the boys were done eating, they went back to get their bicycles only to discover that Muhammad Alis had been stolen. Furious, Muhammad Ali went to the basement of the Columbia Auditorium to report the crime to police officer Joe Martin, who was also a boxing coach at the Columbia Gym. When Muhammad Ali said he wanted to beat up the person who stole his bike, Martin told him that he should probably learn to fight first. A few days later, Muhammad Ali began boxing training at Martins gym. From the very beginning, Muhammad Ali took his training seriously. He trained six days a week. On school days, he woke early in the morning so that he could go running and then would go workout at the gym in the evening. When Martins gym closed at 8 pm, Ali would then go train at another boxing gym. Over time, Muhammad Ali also created his own eating regimen that included milk and raw eggs for breakfast. Concerned about what he put in his body, Ali stayed away from junk food, alcohol, and cigarettes so that he could be the best boxer in the world. The 1960 Olympics Even in his early training, Muhammad Ali boxed like no one else. He was fast. So fast that he didnt duck punches like most other boxers; instead, he just leaned back away from them. He also didnt put his hands up to protect his face; he kept them down by his hips. In 1960, the Olympic Games were held in Rome. Muhammad Ali, then 18 years old, had already won national tournaments such as the Golden Gloves and so he felt ready to compete in the Olympics. On September 5, 1960, Muhammad Ali (then still known as Cassius Clay) fought against Zbigniew Pietrzyskowski from Poland in the light-heavyweight championship bout. In a unanimous decision, the judges declared Ali the winner, which meant Ali had won the Olympic gold medal. Having won the Olympic gold medal, Muhammad Ali had attained the top position in amateur boxing. It was time for him to turn professional. Winning the Heavyweight Title As Muhammad Ali started fighting in professional boxing bouts , he realized that there were things he could do to create attention for himself. For instance, before fights, Ali would say things to worry his opponents. He would also frequently declare, I am the greatest of all time! Often before a fight, Ali would write poetry that either called the round his opponent would fall or boast of his own abilities. Muhammad Alis most famous line was when he stated he was going to Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His theatrics worked. Many people paid to see Muhammad Alis fights just to see such a braggart lose. In 1964, even the heavyweight champion, Charles Sonny Liston got caught up in the hype and agreed to fight Muhammad Ali. On February 25, 1964, Muhammad Ali fought Liston for the heavyweight title in Miami, Florida. Liston tried for a quick knockout, but Ali was too fast to catch. By the 7th round, Liston was too exhausted, had hurt his shoulder, and was worried about a cut under his eye. Liston refused to continue the fight. Muhammad Ali had become the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. The Nation of Islam and Name Change The day after the championship bout with Liston, Muhammad Ali publicly announced his conversion to Islam. The public was not happy. Ali had joined the Nation of Islam, a group led by Elijah Muhammad that advocated for a separate black nation. Since many people found the Nation of Islams beliefs to be racist, they were angry and disappointed that Ali had joined them. Up to this point, Muhammad Ali was still known as Cassius Clay. When he joined the Nation of Islam in 1964, he shed his slave name (he had been named after a white abolitionist that had freed his slaves) and took on the new name of Muhammad Ali. Banned From Boxing for Draft Evasion During the three years after the Liston fight, Ali won every bout. He had become one of the most popular athletes of the 1960s. He had become a symbol of black pride. Then in 1967, Muhammad Ali received a draft notice. The United States was calling up young men to fight in the Vietnam War. Since Muhammad Ali was a famous boxer, he could have requested special treatment and just entertained the troops. However, Alis deep religious beliefs forbade killing, even in war, and so Ali refused to go. In June 1967, Muhammad Ali was tried and found guilty of draft evasion. Although he was fined $10,000 and sentenced to five years in jail, he remained out on bail while he appealed. However, in response to public outrage, Muhammad Ali was banned from boxing and stripped of his heavyweight title. For three and a half years, Muhammad Ali was exiled from professional boxing. While watching others claim the heavyweight title, Ali lectured around the country to earn some money. Back in the Ring By 1970, the general American public had become dissatisfied with the  Vietnam War  and was thus easing their anger against Muhammad Ali. This change in public opinion meant Muhammad Ali was able to rejoin boxing. After participating in an exhibition match on September 2, 1970, Muhammad Ali fought in his first real comeback bout on October 26, 1970, against Jerry Quarry in Atlanta, Georgia. During the fight, Muhammad Ali appeared slower than he used to be; yet before the start of the fourth round, Quarrys manager threw in the towel. Ali was back and he wanted to reclaim his heavyweight title. The Fight of the Century: Muhammad Ali vs.  Joe Frazier  (1971) On March 8, 1971, Muhammad Ali got his chance to win back the heavyweight title. Ali was to fight Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden. This fight, billed as the Fight of the Century, was viewed in 35 countries around the world and was the first fight Ali used his rope-a-dope technique. (Alis rope-a-dope technique was when Ali leaned himself on the ropes and protected himself while he let his opponent hit him repeatedly. The intention was to quickly tire out his opponent.) Although Muhammad Ali did well in a few of the rounds, in many others he was pounded by Frazier. The fight went the full 15 rounds, with both fighters still standing at the end. The fight was unanimously awarded to Frazier. Ali had lost his first professional fight and had officially lost the heavyweight title. Shortly after Muhammad Ali  had lost this fight with Frazier, Ali won a different kind of fight. Alis appeals against his draft evasion conviction had gone all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, who unanimously reversed the lower courts decision on June 28, 1971. Ali had been exonerated. The Rumble in the Jungle: Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman On October 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali had another chance at the championship title. In the time since Ali lost to Frazier in 1971, Frazier himself had lost his championship title to George Foreman. While Ali had won a rematch against Frazier in 1974, Ali was much slower and older than he used to be and was not expected to have a chance against Foreman. Many considered Foreman to be unbeatable. The bout was held in Kinshasa, Zaire and was thus billed as the Rumble in the Jungle. Once again, Ali used his rope-a-dope strategy - this time with much more success. Ali was able to tire out Foreman so much that by the eighth round, Muhammad Ali knocked Foreman out. For the second time, Muhammad Ali had become the heavyweight champion of the world. Thrilla in Manila: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier Joe Frazier really did not like Muhammad Ali. As part of the antics before their fights, Ali had called Frazier an Uncle Tom and a gorilla, among other bad names. Alis comments greatly angered Frazier. Their third match against each other was held on October 1, 1975, and called Thrilla in Manila because it was held in Manila, Philippines. The fight was brutal. Both Ali and Frazier hit hard. Both were determined to win. By the time the bell for the 15th round was rung, Fraziers eyes were swollen nearly shut; his manager wouldnt let him continue. Ali won the fight, but he himself was badly hurt as well. Both Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought so hard and so well, that many consider this fight to be the greatest boxing fight in history. Winning the Championship Title a Third Time After the Frazier fight in 1975, Muhammad Ali announced his  retirement. This, however, did not last long as it was just too easy to pick up a million dollars here or there by fighting one more bout. Ali did not take these fights very seriously and became lax on his training. On February 15, 1978, Muhammad Ali was extremely surprised when novice boxer Leon Spinks beat him. The bout had gone all 15 rounds, but Spinks had dominated the match. The judges awarded the fight - and the championship title - to Spinks. Ali was furious and wanted a rematch. Spinks obliged. While Ali worked diligently to train for their rematch, Spinks did not. The fight did go the full 15 rounds again, but this time, Ali was the obvious winner. Not only did Ali win back the heavyweight champion title, he became the first person in history to win it three times. Retirement and Parkinsons Syndrome After the Spinks fight, Ali retired on June 26, 1979. He did fight Larry Holmes in 1980 and Trevor Berbick in 1981 but lost both fights. The fights were embarrassing; it was obvious that Ali should stop boxing. Muhammad Ali had been the greatest heavyweight boxer in the world three times. In his professional career, Ali had won 56 bouts and lost only five. Of the 56 wins, 37 of them were by knockout. Unfortunately, all of these fights took a toll on Muhammad Alis body. After suffering increasingly slurred speech, shaking hands, and over-tiredness, Muhammad Ali was hospitalized in September 1984 to determine the cause. His doctors diagnosed Ali with Parkinsons syndrome, a degenerative condition that results in decreased control over speech and motor skills. After being out of the limelight for more than a decade, Muhammad Ali was asked to light the Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremonies of the  1996 Olympics  in Atlanta, Georgia. Ali moved slowly and his hands shook, yet his performance brought tears to many who watched the Olympic lighting. Since then, Ali worked tirelessly to help charities around the world. He also spent a lot of time signing autographs. On June 3, 2016, Muhammad Ali died at age 74 in Phoenix, Arizona after suffering from respiratory problems. He remains a hero and icon of the 20th century.

'All About Eve 'Film Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

'All About Eve 'Film Review - Essay Example Although it is not set in the present-day, it does at least take women back to what it was like to be a star on Broadway who is up and coming during a time where the country was on the verge of rebuilding after a war. It is compelling and interesting and shows a relationship between Eve and the woman who is starting to age and see her career start to flail, Margo Channing. Women like to see relationships of other women, especially in show business where only a few women are lucky enough to relate. Since the 1950s were a time when women were starting to gain stronger roles in the household due to it being post-war, this movie is spot on. Eve, who stumbles upon Broadway, could easily be a strong and powerful woman. At this time, women were needed to be breadwinners in a household. Eve could be seen as one of those people as females were starting to finally take off as movie stars in the post-World War II

Monitoring our home planet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Monitoring our home planet - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze the identified phenomenon that leads to natural disasters through a critique on the available web based monitoring resources. Earthquakes Earthquakes are sudden tremors that result from sudden release of energy from earth crust. The energy produces seismic waves that are experienced as earthquake. The magnitude of earthquake is determined by the degree of frequency of the resultant seismic waves. It is estimated that 500, 000 earthquakes occur annually and they are detectable with the current monitoring instruments. However, only 20% of the detectable earthquakes cannot be felt or experienced. Distribution of earthquakes around the globe is closely associated with tectonic stability. Regions with active geological activities such as volcanoes, and faults lines are more prone to earthquakes than more geologically stable regions. However, this does not restrict earthquakes to certain areas since areas that have never recorded cases of earthquakes such as New York often experience earthquakes that are below the detectable magnitude. The main earthquake zones around the world are closely associated with regions that have h istory of active volcanic activities, strong tidal waves, areas with natural fault lines and regions within tectonic plate interfaces. Seismometers are used to monitor seismic waves in the earth crust and predict earthquakes. Countries such as Japan, Haiti, Indonesia, and Turkey have experienced severe cases of earthquake in the recent past. Various resources have been set to monitor trends of seismic waves and the possibility of earthquakes. IRIS Seismic Monitor, Live Earthquakes Map and GeoNet – Quakes are some the main earthquake monitoring websites. The web based monitoring technology provides up-to-date information and data on earthquakes. However, the websites have a geographical bias and usually assume the welfare of developing countries. It is evident that the current geological system that depicts seismic hotspots is not accurate. However, the websites are restricted to availability and distribution of earthquakes monitoring infrastructures around the world. Politics plays a significant role in the recording and reporting of earthquakes and related information. Most of the global earthquake monitoring infrastructures such as satellites and seismic wave monitors are controlled by major world powers (Ollier, 1988). This indicates that availability of information concerning earthquakes is closely linked with global politics. In addition, data collection is mainly carried out in area that are of political interest. The seismic monitoring resources do not cover less developed countries or regions of less political interests. However, web based results can be used to predict occurrence of earthquakes in less developed countries through extrapolation methods. Global economics plays a critical role in monitoring and

International Supply Chains Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Supply Chains - Essay Example More simply, it is the science (and art) of ensuring that the right products reach the right place in the right quantity at the right time to satisfy customer demand. It has also been defined as "the management of inventory in motion and at rest". (Source:http://www.ocs.ca/english/30_logistics.html). A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that performs the functions of procurement of materials; transformation of this material into intermediate and finished products; and distribution of these finished products to customers. (Source: Ganeshan & Harrison - Introduction to Supply Chain Management) International Supply Chains are those supply chains that transcend national boundaries in their operations. Logistics and supply chain solutions help clients realize the many benefits of an improved supply chain. They include reducing distribution costs, improving customer service, speeding up sales process and improving customer loyalty. The United Nations Convention on International Multimodal Transport of Goods (Geneva, 24 May 1980) states that "International multimodal transport" means the carriage... The United Nations Convention on International Multimodal Transport of Goods (Geneva, 24 May 1980) states that "International multimodal transport" means the carriage of goods by at least two different modes of transport on the basis of a multimodal transport contract from a place in one country at which the goods are taken in charge by the multimodal transport operator to a place designated for delivery situated in a different country. The operations of pick-up and delivery of goods carried out in the performance of a unimodal transport contract, as defined in such contract, shall not be considered as international multimodal transport." In loosely coined terms of day-to-day industry usage, multi-modal simply represents a combination of truck, rail, water, and or air transport to haul everything from small to large items, from raw materials to finished goods, and from perishable to non-perishables. (Source from website ). Major transport growths tries to achieve a balance between providing accessibility to the markets, economic efficiency and reduce threat to the environment. Multimodal transport, that is using two or more transport modes for a trip between which a transfer is necessary, has been touted as a solution for the current transportation issues. This came into full force with the invention of the container in 1960's by Malcolm MacLean. McLean explained that while sitting at a dock waiting for cargo he trucked in to be reloaded onto a ship, he realized that rather than loading and unloading the truck, the truck itself (with some minor modifications) could be the container that is transported. (Source from website ). The improvement in

Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction Assignment

Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction - Assignment Example Furthermore, they are given about 10% discount during in-store purchase. The company also offers its employee starting benefits that include both dental and vision insurance. The company pays for not only retirement but also vacation (Ager & ROBERTO, 2013). Manager, on the other hand, are hired only from within and this way they potentially make over 120,000 per year. These are among the things that set Trader Joe’s apart since having a healthy and happy ‘crew’ results in good sales as the staff is approachable to customers and is proud of the job. Trader Joe’s does not just employ managers. Instead, prospective managers are sent to Trader Joe University to learn everything there is about the company. With the training they get, they do not have problems running the store in accordance to what Trader Joe’s has set as guidelines. The university also fosters in them loyalty that they pass on to other members of staff so that the stores are ran according to the company’s and customers’ expectations (Allaway et al., 2011). When every member of staff is instilled with the right character, loyalty, and customer-focused attitude, it does work for the best of the company as the customers receive the service they expect. Conditioning employees in such a way is a marvel and is in no doubt the reason Trader Joe’s a success. Understanding the emotions and attitudes of others is key to managing relationships with all those that leaders work with. Normally, leaders assume superiority and relate with other subordinate staff as lesser people. It goes a long way when a company sees every member of staff as a partner instead of a worker (Lepak, & Snell, 2002). As a leader, it is crucial to understand that your emotions affect those that work around you. This way, decisions made in the store should be founded on reason and rational thinking. By understanding the emotions of others,

Marketing research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing - Research Paper Example Today, over half of the 500,000 cars that are sold by Hyundai in USA each year are manufactured within the country itself. The company employs over 20,000 US citizens directly and generates indirect jobs for 6,000 more through its vendors. The company has a marked presence in the states of Alabama, Michigan and California, which house our manufacturing facility, engineering facility, proving grounds and design and research center respectively (Hyundai Motors, 2011). Hyundai’s association with USA goes deeper than just selling cars in the country. Since 1998, Hyundai Motor America, along with Hyundai dealers has been striving to help find a cure to childhood cancer by funding the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. The company has hitherto raised $13 million for the cause. Marketing Brief Market Hyundai Motor America, being an automobile manufacturer, is obviously engaged in the automobile manufacturing market in USA. The company manufactures vehicles across variou s categories including, but not limited to compacts, family sedans, crossovers as well as premium vehicles. It also positions its products in various segments based on price starting from prices as low as $9,985 and going as high as $58,000. Main Competitors The competitive landscape of Hyundai Motor America comprises five main competitors viz. Ford Motor, General Motors, Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Hyundai Motors currently holds a 5.3% market share in the US market, but is seen to be steadily catching up to its competitors, recording its three best monthly sales volumes in the country after August 2010 as well as its best ever worldwide sales figure in the same year (PR Newswire). It is currently among the top four foreign car manufacturers in the country. However, the company is also threatened by the rapid progress of global rival Suzuki Motors as well as upcoming names such as Tata Motors and Fiat who are looking to gain a strong foothold in the US market after faring well in the Asian and European markets in identical vehicle segments. The Hyundai premium segment model ‘Genesis’ has also been touted as a competitor to luxury cars like the BMW and the Lexus. Main Customers The main customers of Hyundai Motor America comprise the end user of the automobiles manufactured by them. Like any other automobile manufacturer, Hyundai has an established distribution chain in the country to sell its products directly to the buyer. In other words, it is primarily a B2C company and focuses its marketing on the end consumer. All intermediaries in the sale of Hyundai products are either affiliated with or subsidiaries of the company. Core Competencies Hyundai Motor America, as well as its global contemporaries have a competitive advantage over their opponents through their constant innovations in new technology available at affordable costs to their customers. Features synonymous with any Hyundai car include power, handling, safety, comfort, stability, good cu stomer service and economy in their cars. Every car rolled out by Hyundai motors in the US is expected to have adequate powers, safety measures, simple and responsive controls, comfortable interiors and provide good mileage for that segment. These features are the main reason that Hyundai’

Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction Assignment

Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction - Assignment Example Furthermore, they are given about 10% discount during in-store purchase. The company also offers its employee starting benefits that include both dental and vision insurance. The company pays for not only retirement but also vacation (Ager & ROBERTO, 2013). Manager, on the other hand, are hired only from within and this way they potentially make over 120,000 per year. These are among the things that set Trader Joe’s apart since having a healthy and happy ‘crew’ results in good sales as the staff is approachable to customers and is proud of the job. Trader Joe’s does not just employ managers. Instead, prospective managers are sent to Trader Joe University to learn everything there is about the company. With the training they get, they do not have problems running the store in accordance to what Trader Joe’s has set as guidelines. The university also fosters in them loyalty that they pass on to other members of staff so that the stores are ran according to the company’s and customers’ expectations (Allaway et al., 2011). When every member of staff is instilled with the right character, loyalty, and customer-focused attitude, it does work for the best of the company as the customers receive the service they expect. Conditioning employees in such a way is a marvel and is in no doubt the reason Trader Joe’s a success. Understanding the emotions and attitudes of others is key to managing relationships with all those that leaders work with. Normally, leaders assume superiority and relate with other subordinate staff as lesser people. It goes a long way when a company sees every member of staff as a partner instead of a worker (Lepak, & Snell, 2002). As a leader, it is crucial to understand that your emotions affect those that work around you. This way, decisions made in the store should be founded on reason and rational thinking. By understanding the emotions of others,

BUSINESS PROJECT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

BUSINESS PROJECT - Assignment Example ess and rapidity of SME’s, this proposal highlights these issues and offers space for development of this sector with regard to the current concerns surrounding SME’s in the Ireland dispensation. Ireland has a populace of roughly four million inhabitants with two million of them in employment. A consummate part of them works for the government, state and public sector agencies while the rest operate within the enterprise sector. With regard to the size of this sector, it is succinctly evident that success of the SME sector in the Irish dispensation is a critical determinant of the country’s economy. Moreover, the economy of Ireland is in an epoch of transition from domestic or home-based demand to the external demand, which characterizes its economic strength. SME’s, therefore, have overtaken construction in based on the rate of growth. Notably, the Irish SME market is now global due to the effect of globalization in the Irish enterprise sector. Thus, regarding the current issues as highlighted in this proposal, the future of SME’s in the Irish economic sector is much promising. In this study, addressing of current issues facing SME’s in Ireland and policies for the sector’s development is the chief focus. More so, address of these issues is a consummate part of this research, since, they and translate to the future of the sector. It additionally offers a foundation for worthwhile business prospects that would take economic advantages in Ireland’s SME sector and solve the difficulties associated it. More specifically, the problems linked with this explanation include actions necessary for leveraged development in Ireland’s SME sector and various policies that would inculcate a drive towards sectoral development. In addition, contemporary matters in connection to this sector are an area of concern in this proposal discussion. The distinct underlying concept in this discussion is prior to the various given studies and investigations of past

Assisted Suicide Essay Example for Free

Assisted Suicide Essay If you’re suffering from excruciating pain and there’s no hope you will recover and doctors are keeping you alive for as long as you can take for no reason, would you want them to pull the plug? Assisted suicide is mostly legal in 16 countries. In the U.S. assisted suicide is legal in Washington, Oregon, Vermont and Montana does not specifically address physician-assisted suicide but have no laws against it and physicians who practice it are shielded from prosecution. Assisted suicide is a controversy because too many people it’s against their religion. Assisted suicide is considered to be inhumane to some people because some people say that animals are put down, not human beings. Also some believe that some people might take advantage of assisted suicide. It’s a choice that some people might want to take if they’re suffering. Most of the people that are against assisted suicide say it’s because it’s against their religion. Others believe it is inhumane and say it violates a fundamental tenet of medicine by contradicting the doctors role as a healer to end a person’s life (murder) even if they are suffering. Assisted suicide should be legal everywhere because if you do not believe in it then you don’t have to choose that option, but people that believe in it should be able to choose. Many physicians believe assisted suicide should be legal and terminally ill patients should have the choice to end their suffering. If you have the right to live, shouldnt you have the right to die? If you have the right to live, shouldnt you have the right to die? When such people ask for assistance in exercising their right to die, their wishes should be respected† This quote from Claire Andre (page 1) is stating that someone who is asking to end their suffering from a terminal illness/disease that their wish should be honored and respected. Claire is trying to prove that assisted suicide should be respected if one has the desires to end their  life but only from a terminally illness/disease. She is stating that it’s actually inhumane to keep someone alive as long as possible through medical treatment. If the doctors know that a patient wont recover they should be able to ask the patient if they want the option of getting a high dose of medicine that will end their s uffering. Most people who are against assisted suicide have no reason besides that it’s against their religion because it’s technically suicide. Others say that it’s inhumane and it’s technically murder because you’re taking someone’s life. Also some people think that some people that are having family issues or people who are in debt might try to take advantage of assisted suicide. Dr. Ann McPherson, a 64-year-old GP from Oxford, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. After 14 years of being diagnosed she now has terminal pancreatic cancer and secondary cancer in her lungs. She is only taking her morphine and she does not receive cancer treatment anymore. Assisted dying is something I have considered. I have no idea if I want it, that depends on how my dying goes. But I want it to be there. I feel very strongly that palliative care should include assisted dying, I call it assisted dying, not assisted suicide, because suicide has connotations of someth ing bad, running away. I think the law is inhuman as it stands and I think the  ­public is ahead of the lawmakers on this. (Page 1) she believes that making it illegal to have a physician end ones suffering is inhumane and should be reconsidered. Also no one would be able to take advantage of assisted suicide because there are protocols and you have to be terminally ill. To those who believe that assisted suicide technically suicide and against their religion are wrong. How can it be inhumane if it’s their choice to end their own suffering? If God loved you he wouldnt want you to suffer through terminally illnesses/ diseases he would want you to be able to end your suffering. Dr. Ann McPherson calls it assisted dying because she believes that suicide is just as excuse to end your problems or run away. Maybe some people are just against assisted suicide because of the name and havent looked into it. Maybe if they used the name Euthanasia or Assisted dying more often people might look at it different. Dr. Ann McPherson also has a husband, children, and grandchildren. She states that she wants her family to be there for her and she said I dont want to go to  Zurich, to some anonymous facility; I would want to do it in my own bed. I have a husband, three children and five grandchildren and I would like them to be there if that is the route I go down, though I dont want them to be directly involved. A professional should be able to do that. (Page 2). She doesnt want her family to take part in her death but if she was able to choose that path she would want her family to be there. Also if someone asked a physician to help them assist suicide and they were not terminally ill but they had life problems, they should and would be turned away. Assisted suicide is a way out of suffering from illness and diseases not life issues. There have been only 5 countries to fully legalize assisted suicide and only 3 states (soon to be 4) in the United States. The other 11 countries have no law against suicide/ assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is starting to appear in many court cases around the world and is starting to be considered worldwide. Some countries have no laws about assisting a suicide or suicide itself but do have laws like failure to assist a person in danger, an assisted with manslaughter, accessory to murder, and even murder is brought up in cases that involves someone assisting someone in suicide. While Oregon, Washington State, Vermont and Montana permit physician-assisted suicide, Montanas Supreme Court determined that assisted suicide is a medical treatment. We find no indication in Montana laws that physician aid in dying provided to terminally ill, mentally competent adult patients is against public policy and therefore, the physician who assists is shielded from criminal liability by the patien t’s consent.†(Page 1) The Montana Supreme Court states that physicians may assist patients in ending their lives with a high dosage of legal drugs. The states living-will law provides the basis for the practice said by the Montana Supreme Court (page 1). Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States (Washington, Oregon, Vermont, and Montana) have legalized assisted suicide. More countries are starting to move toward legalizing assisted suicide/ euthanasia. In 1997 Colombias Supreme Court ruled that penalties/ criminal offenses for mercy killing should be removed. They havent legalized assisted suicide but are leading towards it. In the United Kingdom a man named Martin who is 46 years old suffered from a brainstem stroke. He is completely paralyzed everywhere except for his eyelids. He has a computer in which he stares at 24/7, that recognizes one letter at a time as Martin blinks and stares at it. He uses his eyes to spell out his desires, frustrations and anger on his computer. He wants to go to court for an assurance that any professional person/ physician who helps him to die/pull the plug will not be prosecuted. The doctors said that he could live for years in his state and even his wife is trying to help him fight for the right to die. He describes his life as S-H-I-T and he just wants to die (page 1). The United Kingdom’s laws are suicide is not a crime but assisting a suicide is. Martin is fighting for his right to die and the United Kingdom is debating it. This shows that more and more countries are starting to consider legalizing assisted suicide and they are realizing that in some situation s it should be allowed. Assisted suicide should be legalized, allowed, and accepted everywhere .More and more countries are legalizing assisted suicide every year. There should be a choice for someone who is terminally ill and suffering to end their life without anyone being prosecuted. If you dont believe in assisted suicide then you dont have to choose that option. A person who is suffering from a terminal illness/disease should have the right to die, no doubt. If you believe its inhumane to end ones suffering how is it not inhumane to keep someone who is suffering alive by a machine keeping them alive. If suicide is against your religion then you dont have to choose assisted suicide, but would God really want you to suffer, no. Also if the name â€Å"assisted suicide is the reason youre against it, call it euthanasia. If you believe that it violates a fundamental tenet of medicine by contradicting the doctors role as a healer to end a person’s life (murder) even if they are suffering, you are mos t definitely wrong. It’s inhumane to keep someone alive who is suffering and have asked you to end their suffering by using an overdose of medicine to make their passing painless and quick. If you have the right to live, shouldnt you have the right to die? The answer is yes because why/how can it be a crime to commit suicide or assist suicide by a physician? How can you possibly be punished and also why should a Judge be able decide whether you live or not? Assisted suicide  should be legal and not have to have a Judge decide your life. Some people might say its technically suicide and some people might say its technically murder. How on earth is it either of those? First off you are just trying to end your suffering if you choose assisted suicide and a physician assisting a patients suicide/death isnt (should not be considered) murder. The physician is just helping them ease away their suffering. All around the world countries are debating whether or not to legalize assisted suicide. More coun tries every year are legalizing it and already 4 states of the United States have approved it. In some countries if you assist a suicide you could be charged from failure to assist someone in danger to murder. Most people who have been charged with assisting a suicide were let off. The charges were acquitted but not after fighting them in court. Learning more about assisted suicide and suicide in general would give more people more knowledge about assisted suicide and why it should be legalized. Most people were taught very young that killing yourself/someone is very bad so every time the topic about assisted suicide by physician comes up they say it’s wrong to kill yourself and it’s wrong to kill someone. They do not have the slightest clue that assisted suicide is helping suffering people and their families watch them suffer. It would bring peace to the person who is suffering and to their family to know that their suffering has ended. So shouldnt we have the right to die, if we also have the right to live? If you are suffering from a terminally illness/disease or terrible accident where you can no longer eat, clean, use the bathroom, change clothes, and even adjust yoursel f wouldnt you want the option of assisted suicide.

Definition Of SME In China

Definition Of SME In China Abstract Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background A large number of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) came out in 1980s as China has been moving from a centrally planned system towards a market-oriented economy. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have been involved in the economic reforms. Until the end of 2004, major SOEs rapidly change into small and medium non-SOEs. At the same time, many SMEs sprouted as the implementation of non-SOE promotion policy. Nowadays, Chinese SMEs have increasingly contributed to Chinas economic growth. As recorded until 2007, there are 42,291 medium-sized enterprises and 2,327,969 small enterprises which represent 1.78 percent and 98 percent respectively of the total number of enterprises operating in China. The output value of SMEs contributed at least 60 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) as well as generating more than 82 percent of employment opportunities in China. Since SMEs growth rapidly and pay the critical roles in Chinas economic, in order to improve SMEs performance, the governmen t has provided various ways to support SMEs such as introduced promotion law in 2003, issued a document State Council on Encouraging, Supporting and Guiding the Development of Private and Other Non-Public Owned Economies in 2005 and published the SMEs growth project in 2006. Despite the external support, the internal factor such as human resource management (HRM) has been evolving dramatically in recent years. The Chinese labor market is characterized by a vast pool of poorly qualified personnel, more than 15 per cent of the populations are illiterate and many university graduates lack marketable skills. The shortage of top-class professionals and managers is acute, especially in areas such as accounting, HRM and marketing. Aggravating such shortages is the concentration of professionals in the major coastal cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou (Verburg, 1996). Human Resource Management in China as new as its market economy, with its traditional personnel administrative system undergoing a period of profound change. Besides, HRM in China are different from those in other countries because of different political, economic systems and social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, HRM in China faces several problems. First, Chinese enterprises in general do not have a systematic approach to HRM that is consistent with their enterprise business strategy. Second, despite the oversupply of labor, many employees are experiencing recruitment and retention problems. Third, there is a lack of an effective system which links long-term motivation and performance with reward. Forth, there is a lack of coherence and continuity in enterprise training. The growth of human capital is obviously lagging behind that of enterprise profit (Pawan, 2004). Hence, this study aims to find out what are the problems about HRM in Chinese SMEs, what are the roles of HRM in SMEs, how is the role of HRM affect employee performance, and extent where this employee performance affect organization performance. 1.1.1 Definition of SME in China With the SME Promotion Law of China effect in 2003, the new definition of SME came out as well. The new guidelines base on the number of employees, revenue and total assets of enterprises. The SME definition in China is quiet complex. Such as the specific criteria about the total assets of enterprises in industrial sector, including mining, manufacturing, electric power, gas, water production and supply and construction. However, in the industries like transportation, wholesale and retail business, and hotels and restaurants, there is no assets requirement. Guidelines for the industrial sector requires SMEs to employ a maximum 2,000 people, and to have an annual revenue not exceeding RMB300 million. Their total assets should not exceed RMB 400 million. Medium-sized enterprises should employ a minimum of 300 people. Their annual revenue and total assets should not exceeding RMB30 million and 40 million respectively. The rest are classified as small enterprises (Details see EXHIBIT 1-1 ). Consequently, an SME in China may be quite large relative to SMEs in other countries. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on small enterprises (SEs), including the problems of SE, the survey of SEs, and the recommendations about human resource perspective for SEs. EXHIBIT 1-1 The definition of SME in China 1.1.2 Challenges to Chinese SMEs During the twenty-first century, businesses became more than slim; some became anorexic. Cost cutting achieved impressive short-term results. According to some studies, about 50 per cent of the company cost is the employee salary pay. Therefore, in order to cut operation cost, companies start to cut employee salary. Consequently, cutting the pay for the employee caused employee dissatisfaction and left. In China, the serious problem which the organization faces is the shortage of skilled staff to carry out maintenance and repairs or lack of trained employee. Likewise, one of the significant difficulties of SME is the cost of doing business in industrial areas and host towns are high; physical infrastructure is poor; and operational costs are high. 1.2 Research objectives In general, small firms pay less attention to human resource management than their larger counterparts do (Barron et al., 1987; Hornsby and Kuratko, 1990). The available empirical information on HRM within SMEs suggests that smaller firms make less use of high performance HRM practices than larger organizations do (Barron et al., 1987; Homsby and Kuratko, 1990). This is in line with the finding that small organizations are in general more likely to operate in an informal and flexible manner than larger firms are. For instance, Koch and McGrath (1996) find that, normally, firm size is positively related with the incidence of HRM planning and formal training, and with the level of overall HRM sophistication. Westhead and Storey (1997, 1999) find that both managers and employees are less likely to get formal training in a small firm. In a study by Jackson et al., (1989), smaller companies are found to have less formalized performance appraisals, less likelihood of bonuses based on compa ny productivity and less training than larger companies do. Aldrich and Langton (1997) find that larger companies have more formalized recruitment practices. However, firm size is not the only factor in predicting HRM practices. A large heterogeneity exists in the type and formalization of HRM practices found among smaller firms. Thus, this study aims to find out the problems of HRM within Chinese SMEs, to increase our understanding of HRM practices in SMEs and seek out what are the roles of HRM in SMEs. What is more, the impact of HRM practice will be also considered, via the chain of better HRM, better outcomes, to better firm performance, and then to better and more sustainable economic performance in the national economy. As well as what are the challenges for HRM in Chinses SMEs. 1.3 Problem statement The importance of HRM has received much attention in recent years. Some researchers approved that the practive of HRM might lead to better HRM outcomes that can enhance firm performance (Beer, Spector, Lawerence, Mills and Walton 1984; Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna 1984; Guest 1987; 1997; Schuler 1988; 1997). As well as suggest by Boselie et al.,(2001) and Guest (1997), increase usage of high performance HRM practices is generally associated with improved firm performance. Moreover, as MeEvoy (1984) already suggested, HRM practices may be an important cause of small-firm success or failure. However, there has different view of HRM. Some argued that there is a weak link between HRM and performance (Lee and Chee 1996; MacDeffie 1995; Purchell 1995; Dunphy and Stace 1992; Wong et al. 1997). In the recent Chinese economy, what are roles of HRM may contribute to better behavioral outcomes, and thus lead to better enterprise performance? Therefore, this study addressed the following research questions: RQ1: What are the roles of HRM in Chinese SMEs? RQ2: Do the roles of HRM enhance employee performance? If so, which role is the most important? RQ3: To what extent the employee performance affect the organizational performance? RQ4: What are the challenges to HRM in Chinese SMEs? The basic hypothesis is that the roles of HRM improve employee satisfaction. Further, positive employee satisfaction is positively correlated to employee performance. Consequently, positive employee performance is positively correlated to organizational performance.The Structural Equation Model as bellow: Organizational performance Employee performance Employee satisfaction The role of HRM H1: The role of HRM improve employee satisfaction H2: Positive employee satisfaction is positively correlated to employee performance H3: Positive employee performance is positively correlated to organizational performance 1.4 Research motivation How to manage an organizations workforce is a fundamental aspect of each organization, irrespective of its size. Enterprises are faced with the task of recruiting and retaining a suitable workforce. This is not only a challenge for large enterprises, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises. The increasing attention on HRM in SMEs is a comparatively recent phenomenon. HR- researchers have largely ignored the SMEs, even though smaller companies could be fruitful subjects for empirical investigation because their numbers, the growth-rates and not least diversity in the qualitative aspects of management practices. Traditionally, HRM is not being seen as important as other departments like marketing, accounting, operation. There are two reasons for the lack of interest for the HRM in SMEs. Firstly, the managers and/or owners of the SMEs, often ignored personnel, or HR issues like training and development, performance management, employee counseling etc. It seems that the mangers have the view that HRM is unresponsive or not tailorised enough to their needs, and it is considered too costly and activity to carry for a small organization. The lack of appropriateness, expectation of the activities being too bureaucratic, time consuming and the lack of clarity concerning direct effects etc., has resulted in very limited attention to the approach and the techniques associated with it among management (often without any background knowledge on personnel and HR). Earlier studies indicate even traditional personnel activities are rather seldom used in SMEs. Accordingly, with the growth of SMEs in China, and SMEs have increasingly contributed to Chinas economic growth, we need to pay attention to the SMEs performance, or we can say pay attention to HRM in SMEs. As HRM issue always been ignored, especially in SMEs, the researcher attend to do this research to explore the problems regarding HRM within SMEs and the roles of HRM in SMEs as well as the challenges for HRM in Chinese SMEs. 1.5 Scope of research Based on regional distribution (see EXHIBIT 1-2), 68.58 percent of SMEs are located in the east of China, 20.14 percent in the middle of China, 11.28 percent in the west of China. Small enterprises in the top five provinces make up 48.4 percent of all small enterprises. These provinces are all located in the eastern area of China which is Jiangsu, Zhengjiang, Guandong, Shanghai, and Shandong with 11.6 percent, 11 percent, 10.4 percent, 9.9 percent, 8.9 percent, and 7.6 percent of all SEs, respectively. EXHIBIT 1-2 Distribution of registered types of small enterprises (see EXHIBIT 1-3) is as follows: domestic enterprises in mainland China make up 96.1 percent of the total; HK-, Macao- and Taiwan-based enterprises, 2 percent; and foreign enterprises, 1.9 percent. Meanwhile, private enterprises comprise 66.1 percent of all SEs. EXHIBIT 1-3 Chapter 2 Literature review 2.1 Human Resource Management overview (à ¦Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ µ) HRM is about the management of an organizations workforce. Managing a workforce first of all requires the presence of a workforce, which calls for activities in the fields of recruitment, selection, appraisal and compensation. Next, the workforce must be organized. Tasks and responsibilities must be determined and communicated. To ensure that employees possess required knowledge and skills, training and development activities can be carried out. Such activities may influence the working climate within the organization, and thus employee commitment and job satisfaction. Organizations may also employ activities that directly aim to improve commitment and satisfaction, either because job satisfaction is a goal in itself, or because it is believed to have a positive impact on organizational performance. 2.1.1 Roles of Human Resource Management In the past few years, roles of HR professionals were viewed in terms of transition from operational to strategic, qualitative to quantitative, policing to partnering, short-term to long-term, administrative to consultative, functionally oriented to business oriented, internally focused to externally and customer-focused, reactive to proactive, activity-focused to solutions-focused. However, these transitions are too simplistic. In fact, the roles of HR professionals are in reality, multiple and not single. In order to create value and deliver results, HR professionals must begin not by focusing on the activities or work of HR but by defining the deliverables of that work. Therefore, Dave, (1997) came out the framework of four key roles of HR professional (See EXHIBIT 2-1). The two axes represent the HR professionals focus and activities. Focus ranges from long-term/strategic to short-term/operational. HR professionals must learn to be both strategic and operational, focusing on the long term and short term. Activities rang from managing process (HR tools and systems) to managing people. These two axes delineate four principal HR roles which are: (1) Management of strategic human resources; (2) Management of firm infrastructure; (3) Management of the employee contribution; and (4) management of transformation and change. In other words, the roles of HR professional are strategic partner; administrative expert; employee champion and change agent. Table 2-1 summarizes the deliverables, metaphor and activities the HR professional must perform to fulfill the role. EXHIBIT 2-1 HR Roles in Building a Competitive Organization Table 2-1 Definition of HR roles Management of Strategic Human Resources This role focuses on aligning HR strategies and practices with business strategy which requires that the HR professional works as a strategic partner, helping to ensure the success of business strategies. Translating business strategic into HR practices so that the business can adapt to change, better meet customer demands and achieve financial performance through its more effective execution of strategy. Management of Firm Infrastructure Management an organizational infrastructure is a traditional HR role. This role requires HR professionals design and deliver efficient HR processes for staffing, training, appraising, rewarding, promoting and managing the flow of employees. HR professionals must ensure that these organizational processes are designed and delivered efficiently. Management of Employee Contribution This role indicates that HR professionals involve in the day-to-day problems, concerns and needs of employees. As employee champions, HR professionals need to understand employees needs and ensure that those needs are met, overall employee contribution goes up. Therefore, HR professionals should be active and aggressive in developing human resource, linking employee contributions to the organizations success. Management of Transformation and Change The final role of HR professional is to management transformation and change. Transformation entails fundamental cultural change within the firm. Change refers to the ability of an organization to improve the design and implementation of initiatives and to reduce cycle time in all organizational activities. HR professionals help to indentify and implement processes for change. Ulrich, in conjunction with Brockbank, reformulated the 1997 model in 2005, listing the following roles: Employee advocate focuses on the need of todays employees through listening understanding and empathizing. Human capital developer in the role of managing and developing human capital (individuals and teams), focuses on preparing employees to be successful in the future. Functional expert concerned with HR practices that are central to HR value, acting with insight on the basis of the body of knowledge they process. Some are delivered through administrative efficiency (such as technology or process design), and others through policies, menus and interventions. Necessary to distinguish between the foundation HR practices recruitment, learning and development, rewards, etc and the emerging HR practices such as communications, work process and organization design, and executive leadership development. Strategic partner consists of multiple dimensions: business expert, change agent, strategic HR planner, knowledge manager and consultant, combining them to align HR systems to help accomplish the organizations vision and mission, helping managers to get things done, and disseminating learning across the organization. Leader leading the HR function, collaborating with other functions and providing leadership to them, setting and enhancing the standards for strategic thinking and ensuring corporate governance. 2.1.2 Strategy Human Resource Management There is a growing awareness of the importance of human resources as well as strategy HRM. An integral component of organizing and staffing is SHR, which is becoming more widely recognized as critical to developing and implementing considered responses to profit pressures (Kawalek and wastall, 2005; Lam and Schaunbroeck, 1998; Murphy and Zandvakili, 2005). As a result, .Much attention has been given to SHR in recent years (Ericksen and Dyer, 2005; Martin-Alcazar, Romero-Fernandez, and Sanchez-Gardey, 2005; Richard and Johnson, 2004). Strategy HRM is an approach to making decisions on the intentions and plans of the organization in the shape of the policies, programmes and practices concerning the employment relationship, resourcing, learning and development, performance management, reward, and employee relations. According to Hendary and Pettigrew (1986), strategic HRM has four meanings: 1. The use of planning; 2. A coherent approach to the design and management of personnel systems based on an employment policy and manpower strategy and often underpinned by a philosophy; 3. Matching HRM activities and policies to some explicit business strategy; 4. Seeing the people of the organization as a strategic resource for the achievement of competitive advantage. SHR is concerned with the contributions HR strategies make to organizational effectiveness, and how these contributions are accomplished (Ericksen and Dyer, 2005) and involves designing and implementing a set of internally consistent policies and practices to ensure that an ganizations human capital contributes to overall business objectives (Baird and Heshoulam, 1988; Huselid, Jackson, and Schuler, 1997; Jackson and Schuler, 1995; Richard and Johnson, 2004; Schuler and Jackson, 1987). The idea that HR management systems can play a significant role in creating success for organizations is not new. Porter (1985), for example, argued that HR management practices can help organizations gain competitive advantage by lowering costs, increasing sources of product and service differentiation, or some combination of the two. 2.1.3 Strategy Human resource vs Traditional Human Resource Strategic HR differs from traditional HR in a number of ways: 1. In a traditional approach to HR, the main responsibility for people management programs rests with staff specialists in the corporate HR division. A strategic approach places the responsibility for managing people with the individuals most in contact with them, their respective line managers. 2. Traditional HR focuses its activities on employee relations, ensuring that employees are motivated and productive and that the organization is in compliance with all necessary employment laws. Strategic HR focus to partnerships with internal and external. 3. Transitioning From HR to SHR Although HR has made great strides in becoming more strategic, it has yet to fully achieve an established role as a strategic business partner. SHR expands the traditional role of I i R from bureaucratic to strategic (Leonard, 2002). Due to the tremendous differences between traditional HR perspectives and SHR, it is not shocking that few organizations are successful in transitioning to SHR (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, and Shaw, 2003). For HR to become a strategic business partner, a complete change in mind-set is needed. Table 1 provides a discussion of the key issues or aspects of HR management and examines differences between what is required for traditional and strategic HR. Fundamental Mind-set Lepak and Snell (1998) report that a survey of 1,050 companies indicated that HR professionals devote less than one-third of their time to SHR activities. Instead, their time is spent on traditional activities. (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, and Shaw, 2003; Creen, 2002). In short, the basic mind-set of traditional HR is very transactional in nature-strict focus on these basic activities does not bode well for perceiving HR as strategic. The most frequently cited barriers limiting HR departments to more effectively contribute to their organizations bottom line were HRs strong focus on administration and the inability to directly measure HRs impact on the bottom line (Fegiey, 2006). This may contribute to a perception that HR merely plays an operational role and is not an important strategic partner. Therefore, SHR requires a different mind-set, one that focuses on organizational transformations, as well as transactions. SHR can play a more consultative role in organizations in which HR profess ionals help organizations achieve goals within the larger organizations HR system (Creen, 2002). Additionally, SHR can be more involved in transformations using change management techniques instead of strictly focusing on the transactional activities. SHR can fulfill an important role in change management by helping upper management understand the fear of change and the negative reactions to it, as well as ameliorate anxiety and prepare the work force for change. It appears that some HR professionals recognize this need (cf., Harvey and Dentà ³n, 1999), but it is uncertain if HR is currently prepared to take on such roles. View of Organization Some contend that HR professionals suffer from a lack of vision when it comes to the big picture of the organization {Leonard, 1998). HR management tends to hold a micro view of the organization and HR managers are viewed as somewhat insular, focusing solely on their HR departments and on day to-day operations. In fact, many HR professionals see the HR function as a separate entity and are not involved in finding business solutions{Caudron, 2002). For example, HR planning often takes place separately from the overall strategic planning process and only at set intervals (e.g., annually). Additionally, HR planning is often used as a means of convincing top management to allocate sufficient resources for HR rather than to enhance the organizational performance process (Lam and Schaubroeck, 1998). Although HR planning is important in its own right, even the most sophisticated HR planning processes are ineffective unless done in concert with the organizations overall planning process (Dav id, 2005; Lam and Schaubroeck, 1998). HR should develop a broad and far-reaching vision and understanding of where the organization is headed and how it can help steer the organization in that direction (Leonard, 1998). The importance of the need for a fit between HR strategy and the overall business strategy cannot be over emphasized. HR needs to focus on recruitment alignment, selection, compensation, discipline, training, reward and recognition processes, and leadership development with the strategy and goals of the overall organization. HR must understand the business and make a business case for its decisions, programs, and practices to receive full acceptance at the planning table. Education and Training Another area where HR needs enhancement to become more strategic is in its formal education and training (Meilich, 2005). First, many HR practitioners do not have formal training or education in HR management. Recently, the Society for Human Resource Management surveyed members concerning the strategic nature of HR. Surprisingly, only 35 percent of the respondents indicated that their highest level of education completed involved a concentration in HR (Fegley, 2006). Additionally, many HR professionals do not have business degrees, often reflecting inadequate knowledge of business principles and practices. The survey revealed that only 20 percent of the respondents indicated that their highest degree completed was a B.B.A. or MBA (Fegley, 2006). Consequently, many HR professionals may not have adequate understanding of business concepts that are critical for acceptance as a strategic partner. HR has the potential to positively affea numerous important business activities but HR profe ssionals need to strengthen their knowledge of HR practices and regulations as well as financial knowledge, especially in the areas of business finance, financial planning, and accounting, to do so. While a change concerning HR education and training is needed, traditional HR education should not be abandoned. Rather, its important to develop business-related capabilities to complement the technical HR capabilities that HR professionals already possess. Critical Skills Another potential barrier to strategic HR management is the basic skill set or competencies that traditional HR professionals possess. Like lawyers, HR professionals are trained to be orderly, keep accurate employment records, complete documentation, and protect organizations from litigation (Green, 2002). Although such skills are necessary, many HR professionals mistakenly see this as their only job. Senior managers need HR professionals to serve as problem solvers, conflict managers, coaches, and liaisons with considerable organizational savvy (Green, 2002). HR practitioners must re-examine their existing skills and competencies to meet these new challenges. IIR professionals may look to develop additional skill sets such as critical thinking, strategic planning, project management, organizational analysis, consulting, and change management (Hayton, Cohen, Hume, Kaufman, and Taylor, 2005). This is quite a shift from what is traditionally expected, but it is essential for HR profess ionals who are working to become strategic partners. View of Employees Traditionally, HR views employees as heads or costs to the organization. With traditional HR serving mostly an administrative function, this attitude is somewhat understandable. However, this view is certainly not strategic in nature, and surely will become even more problematic as the United States experiences the labor shortages that are forecasted. The tight labor market of the present and future will make recruiting and retention top priorities in most organizations (Leonard, 1998). Hnder these conditions, the margin for error is small and the costs associated with selecting the wrong employees or losing the right ones is exacerbated. Therefore, it is critical to view employees as extremely valuable sources of produaivity and innovation. Timeframe As previously discussed, traditional HR professionals focus more closely on the transactional aspeas of their jobs. Most of these transaaional functions fulfill immediate needs of the organization and have a near-term deadline. As a result, most traditional HR practitioners are somewhat short-term in their focus. In contrast, SHR requires a long-term focus encompassing both the immediate and future needs of the organization. SHR must anticipate where the company is going to be in five to six years and help organizations understand the impact of changing demographics and expectations of the work force (Leonard, 1998). Process/Outcome Orientation when it comes to the bottom line, many believe HR has generally been out to lunch (Leonard, 1998). Some HR professionals seem more concerned with processes than with results. While issues concerning processes (e.g., employee participation, fairness, due process) are important, IIR must place more emphasis on results and work to understand how internal decisions and actions affect the bottom line. To accomplish this effectively, HR needs to measure the effects of its systems and processes, and demonstrate their impact on the bottom tine to gain equal status in the strategic planning process. Currently, fewer than half of HR departments have an established method to measure the effectiveness of their strategies (Fegley, 2006). Through measurement, HR can help demonstrate its value to the organization while tracking how well the organization is implementing various policies, systems, and initiatives, and ensuring that the desired behaviors and processes support the organizations strateg ic goals (Pfeffer, 1995). Risk HR professionals are typically risk averse, tending to err on the side of caution as they comply with the myriad laws and regulations. HR is often seen as the entity that stops companies from doing the right things (Caudron, 1997) rather than helping companies achieve their goals and objectives. One can argue that extreme caution may be appropriate in some circumstances; however. traditional HR can generalize this approach across its functions. More risk taking is required in todays business environment. Organizations must now respond to change faster and with greater risk while operating in an unpredictable internal and external environment (Briggs and Keogh, 1999). HR practitioners should display a willingness to try new things to meet the challenges of todays global marketplace (Leonard, 2002). Response to Change HR should accept some blame for the stumbling blocks experienced in working to achieve equal status as a strategic business partner. Chief among these problems is the HR professions resistance to change (Leonard, 2002). As a group, HR practitioners have been slow to respond to changes in their jobs and in the business environment. Perhaps the most critical or damaging instance is the slow acceptance of technology. Originally, numerous HR professionals viewed technology as something that would eliminate many of their jobs, rather than enhance their roles and responsibilities. Purthermore, some were reluctant to give up their paper-based processes (Leonard, 2002). This reluctance to accept technology damages the professions image and makes HR slower to react to workplace changes, To become more strategic, HR must accept and respond to changes in the business environment. In addition to ensuring their own viability, HR professionals should show more responsiveness to change in the futur e. HR Systems and Practices Perhaps to simplify and standardize their policies and practices, traditional HR often prefers a one-size fits-a