All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is an anti-war novel from the opening chapters. Many people did not want to believe his novel represented the truth about World War I. In many ways, people were like Pauls schoolmaster, Kantorek, and they wanted to cling to classical, romantic notions of war. However, Remarque wrote his novel specifically to shatter those idealistic illusions. The young enage men who enlisted in the army on both sides often never recovered from their horrific experiences. They returned home with shattered minds and shattered bodies to an impoverished, ravaged civilian population that often regarded them as unpleasant reminders of a war they wanted to forget. Many civilians were unable to believe that the soldiers suffered horrors far greater than what they had suffered. Many veterans could not talk about their experiences because they were unspeakable. They were the victims, but they were also the killers. What had been done to t!hem, th ey had done to others as well. There are many reasons that the generation of men who entered their young adulthood during the war is called "the lost generation." The Great War seemed utterly senseless. Countries slid unknowingly into a conflict they thought would end quickly. They thought the conflict would follow the classical concept of warfare. They were utterly wrong. There was a strict disjunction between the romance of fighting for honor and the nasty, unbelievable wholesale butchery that actually happened. Hundreds and thousands of men died to win a few yards of land only to lose it again in another battle. Once the death toll neared unbelievable proportions, the war continued because civilians and soldiers demanded some justification for the slaughter and the suffering. The stalemate lasted over four years.It is difficult to estimate the scale of The Great War's casualties. Many of the dead were never buried in marked graves...

7 Military Ranks Common in Popular Culture

7 Military Ranks Common in Popular Culture 7 Military Ranks Common in Popular Culture 7 Military Ranks Common in Popular Culture By Mark Nichol 1. Captain This all-purpose title, originally identifying the leader of any band of warriors but later formalized to refer to someone holding a specific military rank, is used in civilian contexts to refer to a sports team’s most prominent member, a successful businessperson (â€Å"captain of industry†), or any leader. The rank originated with land-based forces but was carried over in naval contexts when military leaders took nominal command of ships for naval operations or ferrying of troops from one place to another, though the master of the ship the owner or owner’s representative, who unlike the captain had nautical skills actually supervised the ship’s operations. Now, any boat owner or operator is called a captain, and the commander of a naval vessel is referred to as the captain (or, less formally, the skipper) regardless of actual rank. 2. Colonel Was Colonel Sanders, founder of the fast-food chain KFC, a military veteran? He did serve briefly in the US Army, but as a lowly private. So, where did he get his title? From the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it turns out; the Bluegrass State awards the honorific â€Å"Kentucky colonel† to selected individuals who in some way contribute to the state’s well-being. But why â€Å"Kentucky colonel†? After the Revolutionary War, aristocratic landowners who had been commissioned as colonels in the Continental Army and authorized to form regiments were thereafter referred to as â€Å"Colonel† to honor their participation in that glorious conflict. Because such men were community leaders, by extension, the honorific, and in Kentucky the more specific phrase, was later bestowed on wealthy gentlemen in general, whether they had actually held a colonel’s commission or not. This tradition intensified after the American Civil War, when, as before, it was a point of honor to be able to identify oneself as a veteran especially one who had been a senior officer. The title became a routine honorific for wealthy Southern men, even those born in succeeding generations. Colonel Sanders, though of humble origins, adopted this persona after the governor of Kentucky awarded him the title. (A similar, tongue-in-cheek designation is â€Å"Nebraska admiral† a jocular nod to the fact that the Cornhusker State is landlocked.) 3. Drill Sergeant Noncommissioned officers assigned to train recruits, depending on the particular branch of the military in which they serve, have different designations, but this title, for US Army trainers, is the one most familiar to civilians, and it is often used in nonmilitary contexts to denote a harsh taskmaster. This characterization comes from the formidable personalities drill sergeants and their ilk display, because their job is to break their recruits so that their individuality is subsumed to develop unquestioning obedience and unit cohesion, two necessities for group survival in combat. 4. Ensign Originally, ensign referred to a flag, and sometimes the rank of the junior officer assigned to carry a military unit’s flag in battle was given the same name. By extension, though ensign is no longer a rank in land-based military forces, it became the entry-level officer rank in navies, though that officer’s duties have nothing to do with flags. 5. Lieutenant This term, from the French words meaning â€Å"in place of,† originally referred to the deputy of a military leader and later came to be formalized as a military rank (with variations). Like captain, it was then extended into nonmilitary contexts to refer to any immediate subordinate. A similar word is subaltern, an obsolete junior rank corresponding to a lieutenant; the term, though rare, has the same nonmilitary connotation. 6. Major Why is the leader of a marching band called a drum major? Such ensembles are descended in concept from military marching bands, which evolved from the use of bugles, fifes, and drums to sound signals to military units because shouted orders, hand gestures, signal flags, and other forms of communication might be difficult to hear or see in the noise and confusion of battle. Civilian marching bands, whose uniforms are a carryover from military dress, originally were primarily seen in parades, but performances at sporting events, stand-alone events, and band competitions began to predominate. The title of drum major an appointment, not a rank in the military hierarchy carried over to civilian usage; as with military ensembles, the person in that position, who may serve as a conductor, a marching coordinator, or both, wears a distinctive uniform to be easily recognizable. 7. Marshal This word sometimes used in place of or in addition to general in the military hierarchies of some countries, referring to a very high-ranking officer, has lowly origins: It is from a Germanic term meaning â€Å"stable boy† or â€Å"stable servant.† (The first syllable is a cognate with mare, meaning â€Å"female horse†). In medieval society, the humble stable keeper’s status steadily rose until the title referred to the commander of a feudal lord’s cavalry. Ultimately, the term â€Å"field marshal† referred to the leader of an army or a large division of it. The law enforcement term derived from association with a military marshal’s role in keeping the peace, and the use of â€Å"grand marshal† to designate an honorary parade leader stems from the military officer’s duties in ceremonial traditions. (Similarly, constable, which developed from a Latin term meaning â€Å"count of the stable,† was used throughout history from the later days of the Eastern Roman Empire as a title for various high-ranking officials, but constable now usually refers to a low rank in law enforcement.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating ConjunctionsCapitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsTrooper or Trouper?

The impact of the boxer rebellion Research Paper

The impact of the boxer rebellion - Research Paper Example Their main intention was to end the honors given to foreigners by the Ch’ing Dynasty and was later joined by Empress Dowager and other local municipalities. It was unfortunate that the people whom the Boxers’ fought treated the Chinese citizens like the second class citizens in their own land. The Boxers opted to destroy the properties of the foreigners since apart from being the richest people in the town were given lots of freedom by the dynasty. The uprising became very prevalent and spread all over China and it prompted them to start confronting Christians and non-Chinese at around 1900. Anyone who tried to take relief to that country particularly the international reliefs was attacked by the Boxers in the pretense that foreigners wanted a return of the emperor (Thompson 2-6). This writing analyses some of the impacts of Boxer rebellion. Although the Boxer rebellion did not succeed in their mission, it should be noted that they did a lot to stir up China’s na tionwide pride. The Boxers could not fight all the foreign powers because they angered almost all the foreign powers that were more superior to the boxers such as the Allied Expedition. The boxers defeat was also contributed by the fact that they were disorganized and therefore could not fight for their country and defend it properly. The Boxers only believed in rituals and martial arts which could not help them fight against the superior weapons. Boxers also did not have popular backing from within China and this too made them fail at long last (Thompson 2-6). The Boxers had very serious impacts politically on China especially as far as violation of the national right is concerned. The internal administration and security as well as the national defense were greatly weakened and stunned particularly the demands and the actions of the Boxers. The rebellion which was ended by signing of treaty made most of the Chinese people to have problem with their government (Joseph 43-47). The Q ing Empire continued to rule China since the dynasty was not very much affected by the rebels and even the foreign troops. Even the internal administration did not have power to control the Boxers and therefore they used that as justification to return to power. It was also not possible to fight against the foreigners do to the existing Qing court and this prompted the need to have institutional reforms. The government found it very necessary to come up with reforms that could help it in fighting foreign countries and this led to the begging of reform institutions after a long time of promise by the empire. The government generally had very little control over the provinces and her people at large and this made it very much unlikely to come up with reforms (Joseph 43-47). Socially and economically, China was very much affected such as the evolution of anti-Machu feelings. There was public outcry from everywhere in China when the administration levied more taxes on her people as a wa y of paying for hefty security. There was also a lot of corruption within the governments amid high taxes and this made the public to think that China could only be salvaged via revolution but not reforms (Bickers 115-120). Public were also irritated by the fact that the government could not defend their land from the foreign forces and these series of blames led to the fall of Qing reign. The fall of the regime was stirred

Australia Building codes and Compliance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Australia Building codes and Compliance - Essay Example And outdoor parking designation and outdoor dining area are also included. The center of each floor of the four storey complex is equipped with an elevator system and fire-isolated stairwell. American Institute of Steel Construction. 2012. Engineering FAQs. 11.3.1. What is a fire load? Where do fire loads primarily come from in buildings? Copyright 2012American Institute of Steel Construction, All Rights Reserved. http://www.aisc.org/DynamicTaxonomyFAQs.aspx?id=1994. Accessed: 9/4/2012. - The Building code of Australia, a uniform set of technical guidelines for the safety and construction of buildings and other structures throughout Australia is adopted under the provisions of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act & Regulation. A proposed building will comply with the BCA to the extent that it satisfies the performance requirements - this compliance can be achieved by complying with the Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions, or through the formulation of an Alternative solution that achieves compliance. Compliance can also be achieved if it can be demonstrated that the proposal is at least equivalent to the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions, if not matching them directly. In regards to CF1, the fire safety provisions, the proposed structure is limited in height; no higher than four storeys, and would not comprise extraordinary measures by the fire brigade/fire department to access, yet it requires classification as a Type A construction, so the most effective measures should be implemented. There are no planned architectural features that would add to the fire load of the structure beyond the innate potential of items brought in by inhabitants (Such as obvious plans for accelerant containment/disposal). As defined by Part C, CP1 performance requirements of the National Construction Code. No current plans exist that would enhance the effective wood-equivalent weight of potential

Reasoning Behind U.S. Decision to Enter the Korean War Essay Example for Free

Reasoning Behind U.S. Decision to Enter the Korean War Essay Introduction What determined the United States to enter the one of the costliest wars in the twentieth-century is a good topic for foreign policy study. There are several possible explanations as to why the United States participated in the war. The most important explanation is that the western world would be in a greater threat if North Korea won the war. Communist was considered as expansionism by the White House; hence, occupying South Korea might be a move of Communists to expand the Communist territory in the world. To prevent this, the United States needed to deter this possible threat. Another one is the United States is afraid of communist expansion. If North Korea won the war, it might cause countries swinging between Communist and Democratic to become Communist. Moreover, the domestic political situation for the Truman administration at that time was crucial in analyzing why the United States entered the war. These are the most important factors motivating America to enter the war. Despite the profits of the entry in the war, there were some reasons preventing the United States involved in the war. Because North Korea’s invasion was likely backed by the USSR, if the United States failed to handle the situation properly, a World War III might happen; this would lead to huge loss of U.S. personal and substantial financial costs. Other than that, because China borders North Korea and China was another major Communist country, the United States intervention could lead to war with China. In this paper, I would first analyze each major reason individually for entering the war or not intervening. After that, I would put the picture together to explain why the United States eventually chose to participate in the war. Reasons the United States entered the Korean War Fear of Communist Expansion The most important factor that influenced U.S. entry into the Korean War was the USSR’s and other Communist countries’ ambitions to expand. After WWII, the White House had started to consider the Soviet Union as imperialist. The report â€Å"the Truth of Korea† implied that the United States was a free nation and the Soviet Union was intended to build a Soviet empire around the world. By considering the Soviet Union as imperialist, the United States was afraid that if the United States stood aside in the Korean War, Communist countries would take further actions to expand. For instances, China would attack Taiwan, IndoChina would overthrow France and become Communist countries, and the Soviet Union would even build communist regimes in Middle East or West Europe. The worries were likely to become reality unless U.S. intervened. After WWII, the Soviet Union consolidated their power by setting up puppet communist governments in all countries they had liberated, except Yugoslavia. Both force and politics were used to keep East European countries following commands from Moscow. Based on these behaviors of the USSR on other countries, it was reasonable that the United States labeled the Soviet Union as imperialism. Facing a country with desires to control other countries, punishment was a better choice than appeasement according to the deterrence model. If the United States entered the war and secured independence of South Korea, Communist power would be contained. Consequently, when Communist countries were making decisions of territorial expansion, they had to consider the cost and consequence of a war with the United States. Therefore, the intervention could contain Communist power and prevent potential wars from happening. Fear of Bandwagoning The second important reason U.S. entered the Korean War was fear of bandwagoning. It was less important than fear of Communist expansion is because bandwagoning would not directly harm U.S. interests, but would impair the global political leadership of the United States. In the setting of post-World War II, the world was separated as two major political spheres, one Soviet-led and the other U.S.-led. The Korean Peninsula was one of the several places two the major political powers conflicting each other. Other than that, the political landscape in East Asia was towards Communist. In China, the Communist party led by Mao Zedong just won the civil war against Jiang Jieshi’s government supported by the United States. Countries like Vietnam and Laos inclined to join the family of Communist at that time, abd overthrow French colonists. Therefore, if Communist North Korea unified the Korean Peninsula, it would make countries like Vietnam and Laos align with the USSR without hesitati on. The United States was not willing to let that happen. According to historical documents, when the war just started, Truman and his advisors believed that to falter would forfeit world leadership because of bandwagoning and Communist expansion. Moreover, in official reports about Korea situation, concerns about Democratic power weakened if South Korea fell were raised often. In 1948’s report Prospects for Survival of the Republic of Korea,† the result of South Korea lost to North Korea would constitute a severe blow to the prestige and influence of the United States. As a result, the defeat of South Korea would encourage more countries to align with the Soviet Union. The report was before the war, the United States already considered the bandwagoning a severe threat to UN’s influence in the world. From this perspective, in order to maintain the democratic as a stronger power in the world, the United States had strong interests in entering the Korean War. Consolidation for the Truman Administration The domestic political situation for the Truman Administration was not positive before the Korean War. In 1949, the Communists in China won the civil war against the Nationalists backed by the United States. It was painful that White House lost an important country, China, to Communism because the United States had invested tons of resources in the country, but in the end, the United States did not have the expected return. It stirred a debate of â€Å"Who lost China† in the United States. The public was more in favor of McCarthy’s opinion. McCarthyism indicated that losing China to communism was the government’s fault. Based on his analysis of the civil war in China, he believed â€Å"China hands† China specialists at White House plotted Jiang’s defeat, who was the top leader of the Nationalist. Therefore, at the time before the Korean War, the Truman Administration had a lot of pressure from the public due to losing China. If South Korea was def eated by North Korea, the public would strengthen their belief that losing China was a government’s blunder. Hence, losing South Korea would be catastrophic to Truman’s presidency. From the view of domestic political situation, the United States entered the Korean War because the Truman Administration needed to prove its ability in protecting democratic power before losing all trust in the public. This point was less strong than the above two was because it was hard to collect evidence to support the point. Factors preventing the United States from entering the war War with China Entering the Korean War was likely to start a war with China, one of the greatest powers in the world. From the perspective of geography, the Korean Peninsula adjoins China. If a foreign military power of the United States was close to the border of China, China would feel threatened. The worry was validated after the United States joined in the war. On June 27th, 1950, after the Seventh Fleet of the United States was sent to neutralize Formosa, Mao, the chairman of China at that time vowed â€Å"Year after year unsure of when the enemy will attack us. We must repair the house before it rains.† Not a long time after the vow, Mao sent his army to the Korean Peninsula. Moreover, although China just ended its civil war and badly needed time to recover from the war, China was actively looking for a chance to consolidate its status in the world stage. In 1950, most countries in the world only recognized Republic of China led by Jiang and disputed the legitimacy of People’s Republic of China led by Mao. Therefore, Mao was eager to have a war with a strong world power to gain international recognition. The Korean War against the United States was a good opportunity for the communists to show the Mao’s China’s power to the world. For this reason, China was likely to enter the Korean War if U.S. intervened. Regarding the negative results of the war, people in the United States just gained peace; nobody would like to see a war between China and the United States. A war with China would lose many the United States soldiers, breakup thousands of American families and halt U.S. economy growth, hence lowering people’s living standards. Additionally, a war with China was also meaningless because at that time the United States did not want to defeat China, but defend South Korea. The war between China and the United States was predicable if the United States entered the Korean War. A war between China and the United states was undesirable for the reasons listed in this section. Therefore, a war with China was a big factor in not entering the Korean War. Start of World War III The entry into the Korean War might lead to World War III. A possible war with China might drag the Soviet Union into the war. If the Soviet Union entered the war against the United States, the Eastern Europe under control of the Soviet Union would also claim war against the United States. As a result, Western Europe would likely align with the United States to contain the Communist power in the world. People all around the world just tried to recover from the aftermath of World War II. If World War III happened right after World War II, the world would be in chaos again, creating another tragedy in human beings history. The big picture When the benefits outweigh the costs of a decision, one would put that decision into action. The three major benefits Unites States would have from entering the war were preventing domino effect of countries joining in Communist, constraining the ambitions of expansions/ invasions from Communist countries, and securing the domestic administration. The two major costs were an undesirable war with China and a possible start of World War III. It was hard to determine whether the benefits outweighed the costs. However, the listed costs were unavoidable if the United States did nothing in the Korean War. If the United States let South Korea fall, there would still be a war between Communist power and democratic power in the future. As analyzed in the section of fear of Communist expansion, Communist countries led by the Soviet Union inclined to expand their territories if their ambitions were not constrained. Therefore, appeasement to Communist countries was not going to stop them from behaving aggressively. Even though the United States would not participate in the Korean War, finally it was possible to be a day that the Soviet Union would eventually declare a war on the United States for further expansion. The costs would only become more significant than the costs of entering the war at that time. Hence, in order to prevent that from happening, the United States took the initiative to contain Communist power in the world. Additionally, human pride played a factor. Truman might recklessly enter the war in order to secure his status in White House. To him, protecting his reputation and his presidency might be much more important than starting World War III or fighting an undesired war with China. Hence, because of personal emotions, Truman would order the United States to enter the war. Conclusion There are three major reasons encouraging the United States to enter the Korean War. From the perspective of bandwagoning, defending South Korea could win credibility for democracy power and possibly win countries swaying between Communism and Democracy. In the view of the deterrence model, entering the war could constrain the ambition of imperialism of Communism countries. Considering the domestic political condition, intervention in the Korean Peninsula could make the public turn attention to the war instead of the administration’s failure in China and relieve the public pressure from the administration. On the other side, there were two important costs preventing the United States from entering the war. The first cost was an unnecessary war with China. The United States would not benefit directly from fighting against China and U.S. would consume numerous resources and human power in the war. The other cost was starting World War III. The Soviet Union could declare a war on Unites States if the condition in Korea got worse. U.S. decision to entry into the Korea War was made because of two logics. First, the costs were unavoidable if the United States just watched and did nothing in the war. Communist would continue to expand and finally encounter the United States for a war in the future. At that time, the cost would only exaggerate, not minimize. Second, Truman would more likely send U.S. troops to the war field. In order to secure his administration, he needed to turn the public attention away from China and prove his ability in foreign policy. The result of the war was peace between South Korea and North Korea. Judging from the result, U.S. entry into the war had a positive impact on the peninsula. However, whether the peace in the Korean Peninsula could be achieved through other ways at lower cost is worth further discussion.

Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Essay -- Health, Treatment

The progress in chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments have improved, such that the survival rate of cancer patients has increased, particularly among young females diagnosed in the early stages of cancer (Registries, 2010). While the priority for these patients was to prolong life, now the quality of life after treatment is of equal concern. Unfortunately, the toxicity of cancer treatments may lead to premature menopause and infertility (Brydoy, Fossa, Dahl, & Bjoro, 2007), As a result, various fertility preservation techniques have been developed in order to provide fertility preservation options for women who survived cancer. These include embryo cryopreservation, oocyte cryopreservation and most recently, ovarian tissue cryopreservation followed by grafting. Of these techniques, embryo cryopreservation is the most efficient and effective in restoring fertility (West, et al., 2009). However, retrieval of oocytes for IVF requires hormonal stimulation which may take 2-3 weeks or longer, and this may be too long for some patients to delay their treatments (Tao Tao & Valle, 2008). Additionally, embryo cryopreservation is not suitable for patients with hormone sensitive malignancies, such as breast cancer, or for young girls and adult females who have no partner and prefer not to use donor sperm. Oocyte cryopreservation avoids some of the disadvantages of embryo cryopreservation, such as the availability of a partner and the status of prepubertal girls, but the comparative low survival rate of frozen oocytes, their poor fertilization capacity and embryo development rate (Tao Tao & Valle, 2008) has directed researchers into other areas. They recognize that ovarian tissue cryopreservation could become a reasonable fertility prese... ... research model instead of some wild animals such as using domestic cats for researches instead of tigers and leopards. Among the felids (cat species), 69.3% out of 36 living wild cat species are classified as near threatened, vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered (Nowell, 2002). Domestic cats serve as a convenient research model for wild felids conservation since the folliculogenesis in cats takes about 7-13 days and the gestational length is approximately 60 days (Bristol-Gould & Woodruff, 2006). This research aims to develop successful vitrification and warming protocol for cat ovarian tissue and optimize in vitro follicle/oocytes maturation protocols in order to achieve mature, viable and functional cat oocytes. To achieve this, understanding the ovary anatomy and function, follicles, oocytes structure and the art of cryopreservation is important.

Dealing with Strangers in Strange Lands Essay

The book, A Land so Strange, tells of an expedition of 300 men, women, and enslaved Africans who set sail from Spain in 1528 under the leadership of Pà ¡nfilo de Narvà ¡ez with the dream of settling Florida. Yet, a hurricane, lost ships, navigational errors, leadership follies, and challenges from Indians well capable of holding off would-be European conquest added up to a colossal disaster. Expedition members ended up wandering along the Gulf Coast before taking to the water on handmade rafts which finally washed up on the Texas coast, in course of which their numbers rapidly diminished as they fell victim to drowning, dehydration, starvation, and cannibalism (by their fellow castaways). A mere four survivors-Cabeza de Vaca, Alonso del Castillo, Andrà ©s Dorantes, and an enslaved Moor known only as Estebanico remained. Throughout this reading, it will become quite clear that working with the Indians instead of against would have provided a more viable solution to the Spaniards survival predicament. Furthermore, the success of the Spanish in North American depended greatly on their relations with the natives. This will be seen through the embarrassing death of Narvaez and the success that Cabeza de Vaca experiences. Eventually, Cabeza and his crew begin to see the Indians as human beings and as a possible alliance in the harsh environment they are trying to conquer. The Spanish ideals of non-christians were very strong. Even the converts were criticized, â€Å"Such converts were euphemistically referred to as new christians, and were often the target of discrimination in an empire that had become unified on the basis of militant religiousity.†[1] Such an age of ego drove the kings to explore territory not only for riches and fame, but for the possibility of â€Å"spreading the good word†. During Cabeza de Vaca’s amazing journey, he went from the hunter to the hunted, from the giver to the begger, and from the fat to the starving. At one point, during a seemingly endless walk in a dessert, Narvaez notices a group of Indians. He is dying of thirst and barely has any food. However, he looks upon the Indians and says, â€Å"What poor and wretched creatures.†[2] Even at the lowest point, he still condemns the Indians instead of approaches and begs for some form of charity. Things got worse. He later gave up all hope of survival  and proclaimed, â€Å"It was no longer time for some men to rule over others, but that each one should do whatever seemed best to save his life.†[3] Narvaez died a painful death lost at sea on a raft carried by the tided. He wanted nothing to do with the Indians, even to the point of death. Such pain seemed to attract the leadership of false-superiority. Only at Cabeza de Vacas lowest point did he realize that the Indians could actually help him and the remaining survivors. He was shipwrecked on a small island with no food or drink. It is here where he stated the following after seeing its inhabitants, â€Å"Whether or not they were of great stature, our fear made them seem like giants.†[4] His fear was obviously overwhelming and he had no choice but to succumb to whatever treachery the Indians were to release. To the surprise of the castaways, the Indians brought food and drink to the survivors. They were astonished by the generosity of the Indians. The Indians eventually adopted and took care of them even through the toughest of seasons. Throughout the remainder of the story, Cabeza depended on the Indians for survival. He even went far enough to state, â€Å"These are the people most fit for war of all I have seen in the world.†[5] The Indians carried with them a great weight, for the stranded were quite useless when it comes to surviving in harsh conditions. Through persistence and persuasion, Cabeza eventually became a medicine man convinced he was sent by God to heal those in need. He worked his way up the ranks and finally came home to an astonished emperor. It is quite obvious that working with the Indians instead of against provided the best solution to the Spaniards issues. Narvaez chose a path of stubbornness and superiority while Cabeza de Vaca chose a path of harsh reality and acceptance. The Indians were taught at birth the laws of nature and how to overcome the most horrible of environmental circumstances, the Spanish came with little knowledge but a passion for fame and fortune. The following statement by Cabeza de Vaca sums it all up, â€Å"Together, Europeans and Native Americans could make the New World yield spiritual as well as material wealth† (218). Surviving in a land so strange can be strenuous beyond comprehension, there comes a time when the best ideal is cooperation. Source Cited Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange. New York City: Basic Books, 2007. ———————– [1] Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange Pp47 [2] Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange. Pp121 [3] Resendez, Pp 127 [4] Resendez, Pp 134 [5] Resendez, Pp 182

Hospitality Human Resources Management Essay

In organisations today, the scope of human resource management is vast but there are three main functions that human resource management is comprised of – strategies, plans, practices, processes and policies; attract, manage, develop and reward; and contributing to the overall performance of the organisation. Throughout this literature review the different approaches that various authors take when outlining the what activities, tasks and functions contribute to the role of an human resources manager in organisations will be discussed as well as the features that are unique to the industry and affect the role of human resources manager in hospitality. I will also make an executive suggestion as to which human resource approach I feel is the most appropriate for organisations in the hospitality industry from the readings used in this literature review. The main sources that will be referenced in this literature review include Rudman (2010), Armstrong (2006), Baum (2007) and Fà ¡ilte Ireland (2005). Human resource management is an important role within organisations and businesses which focuses closely on both the recruitment and the overall management of employees within organisations and businesses. It is a strategic approach when it comes to managing people in the work place and works to create, as well as reinforce, a work environment that is positive for organisations employees. (Heathfield, 2013). When recruiting new employees, the human resource managers of organisations look for candidates who are highly experienced in the organisations field, possess a wide variety of skills that can be applied within the organisation, and have a positive working attitude and good work ethics which they will apply to the organisation or business. Human resources management is the control of an organisation’s employees; according to Rouse (2011) an organisation’s human resources management department is in charge of creating, implementing and overseeing all policies that ar e to do with the behaviour of the organisation’s employees as well as the organisation’s behaviour towards the employees. Human resources management can be defined in many different ways and everyone  has a different view on what human resources management is comprised of. It is said that up until the 1980’s human resources management was known as personnel management, and making the change from personnel management to human resources management offered organisations a new beginning. It offered organisations new beginnings as human resources management, according to Rudman (2010), is based on three key aspects; commitment and engagement, integration and fit, and flexibility and adaptability. As human resources management can be defined in various ways it is apparent that authors will have different views on what human resources management is as well as what the tasks and activities are that make up the role of a human resources manager in organisations. The roles and functions of a human resources manager are viewed differently by organisations but all organisations do have a human resources function whether they openly recognise it or not. Human resources management uses a human resources system as a means to operate. This human resources systems amalgamates the philosophies, strategies, policies, processes, practices and programmes of human resources management. (Armstrong, 2006). Armstrong’s (2006) human resources management activities model, which was based on Becker and Gehart’s (1996) human resources management model, views the role of the human resources manager in organisations to comprise of ten key components. The ten key components of Armstrong’s (2006) human resources management activities model include organisation, an employment relationship, resourcing, performance management, the development of human resources, reward management, employee relations, health and safety, welfare services as well as employment and human resource services. These ten, supposed, key components of the human resources management activities model can also be matched to a human resources model Armstrong (2006) claims. This human resources model shows that human resources and the structure that an organisation is built on should be managed in a way that harmonises them strategically. It is also said that there is a human resources cycle which is made up of four functions that are generically performed in all organisations. These functions include selection, appraisal, rewards and development according to Armstrong (2006) who believes that the human resources cycle starts with selection, then goes on to appraisal – or  performance management which it is also known as – before splitting off into two sections, rewards and development, before finishing the cycle with performance. This model and matching human resources cycle explain human resources management in a way that appears to cover every aspect of it simply and effectively . Where Armstrong’s (2006) human resources management model talks about there being ten key components of human resources management and are simple, Rudman (2010) goes into more detail when defining the scope of human resources management. Rudman (2010) said that the scope of human resources management is influenced by how big, or small, an organisation is along with other characteristics and it â€Å"†¦covers everything an organisation does to attract, manage, develop and reward†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 8) employees who help the organisation achieve its goals. This scope of human resources management means that Rudman (2010) see the role of a human resources manager as consisting of activities, but he also talks about there being five main elements when it comes to human resources management. The five elements that Rudman (2010) suggests are the core elements that make up human resources management are staffing the organisation, managing people and performance, developing people and performance, rewarding people and performance, and managing employment relations. Staffing the organisation works towards attracting and acquiring any of the human resources that an organisation needs in order to achieve the organisation’s goals while managing employment relations aims to balance both the interests of the employers and their employees so that the organisation can work to achieve their goals. When an organisation manages people and performance it encourages their employee’s contribution and commitment to both the organisation and the organisation’s overall performance while developing people and performance ensures that the organisation’s employees have the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies that are required for the present performance and future performance of the organisation. When organisations reward people and performance it influences the behaviour and performance of the organisation’s employees by encouraging them with future contributions as well as recognising their past achievements. These fiv e core elements make up what Rudman (2010) believes to be the scope of human resources  management. While Rudman (2010) suggests that there are five elements that make up the scope of human resources management, and Armstrong (2006) claims that there are ten key components that comprise to make up his human resources management activities model which has a complementary matching human resources management model; there are many other perspectives when it comes to discussing what makes up the role of a human resources manager. Another perspective is that of Baum (2007) who suggests that there are eight aspects that combine together to make up what the role of a human resources manager involves. Baum’s (2007) views on what human resources management is good practice is adapted from Fà ¡ilte Ireland (2005) model of what good practice in human resources management is. The eight aspects that Baum (2007) and Fà ¡ilte Ireland (2005) suggest are activities that contribute to what a human resources managers role is are flexibility, participation, performance management, recognition, reward, communication, learning and development, and empowerment. A human resources manager needs to be flexible according to Baum (2007) because they need to ensure that the organisation can match their demands with the availability of their staff whilst recognising the employee’s work-life balance also needs to be managed. Performance management is an important aspect of a human resources managers role according to Baum (2007) as carrying out regular staff performance reviews within organisations will ensure that both individual performance and team performance is being delivered to the standard of the organisation leads to rewards and recognition, two aspects that Baum suggests are important. Ensuring that employee’s good efforts are recognised within their peer group and are celebrated will ensure that employees continue working to the same standard so that they can gain either monetary or non-monetary rewards. Learning and development is also important when it comes to the role of a human resources manager as having access to both on-site and off-site courses and learning opportunities for employee’s ensures that employee’s work is up to standard and they are up to date and speed with what they are required to do for the organisation to achieve their goals. Developing, managing and rewarding people and performance appear to be  common, and important, functions of what a human resources manager role consists of according to Baum (2007), Fà ¡ilte Ireland (2005), Rudman (2010) and Armstrong (2006) human resources management activities models. The three models that have been discussed all have similar functions but Armstrong’s (2006) seems to cover every aspect of what I think human resources management entails in a more in-depth way compared to how Rudman (2006) explains it. However, each model is specific and suggest what they see as the most important functions of human resources management and activities of a human resources manager. In the hospitality industry human resources management departments are often considered, and talked about being, a cost center. A cost center is a function in an organisation that does not produce any direct profit but adds to the overall cost of running an organisation. Human resources management is considered a cost center in the hospitality industry as measuring the outcomes of human resources management efforts is not always clear to see and the same goes for the results of managing employees. Many hospitality organisation’s face challenges including the business environment continuously changing rapidly, increasing competition and changing customer demands but the changing technologies of today are making it easier for organisations to share information and replicate competing organisation’s work practices and strategies. (Cho, Woods, Jang & Erdem, 2006). Cho et al (2006) found that human resources management issues and challenges are becoming increasingly important to an organisation’s performance where as Becker & Gerhart (1996) have argued that decisions regarding human resources management influence the overall performance of an organisation because human resources management aims to improve the efficiency of organisations as well as increase the revenue of the organisation. A major issue that human resources managers face in the hospitality industry is employee retention as there is a personnel shortage. There is a decrease in the number of teenagers that are available to work in the hospitality industry as the majority of them are looking for jobs that allow them to work nine to five, Monday through Friday and have the weekends off. However, in the hospitality industry this is never the case and, in the vast majority  of cases, employees are required to work over the weekend. Because of this decrease in availability of teenagers wanting to work in the hospitality industry, Bonn & Forbringer (1992) suggested that human resources managers are going to have to explore and develop new target markets and methods when it comes to both attracting and retaining employees. According to Davidson & Wang (2011) jobs in the hospitality industry are being characterised by the levels of labour turnover being quite high with a fair amount of employees leaving their current hospitality jobs for opportunities in different industries. This high labour turnover means that employees are not happy with the work they are doing but, in some conditions, it can also indicate that employee’s cannot reach the unrealistic expectations of the organisation they are working for. However, some other reasons have been known to be the cause of high labour turnover in the hospitality industry and these include; there being a lack of future career opportunities; the job-scope being dissatisfactory; and conflict between management and employees. Human resources managers are required to think of new ideas that will want people to work for their organisation so that there is a low labour turnover. If an organisation has a low labour turnover this means that their employee’s are satisfied with their jobs, they feel both safe and healthy in their work environment, and their work performance is deemed satisfactory from the employer’s perspective which is very important. Being able to attract and retain employee’s in one of the key components that is part of the activities and functions that comprise the role of a human resources manager. There are several different approaches that can be taken when it comes to human resources management; these include hard or soft, best practice, best fit and strategic. Two different approaches of human resources management are hard or soft. These approaches are opposing views on different human natures and control strategies; hard human resources management can be viewed as the basic functions whereas soft human resources is the advanced functions of human resources management. Soft human resources management is all about the self direction of individuals and in the center of the approach to managing people is trust, self-regulated behaviour and commitment. With soft human resources management employees are treated as  the most significant resources within an organisation and it focuses on the employee’s needs, roles, rewards and motivating them. This makes employee’s the greatest asset within an organisation and they are vital to the success of the organisation. Human resources managers ensure that they select the best candidates, provide them with training and development of a high and appropriate quality and are rewarded in regards to their value to the organisation. Whereas hard human resources management focuses on the strategic objectives of the organisation and human resources is treated like an equal function of production. Hard human resources management aims to minimise the cost of labour and make it flexible and people are often referred to as employee’s with this particular approach to human resources management as it reinforces that employee relations can be because of franchising, outsourcing or subcontracting. Strategic human resources is an approach that has a goal to use people in the most effective way in regards to the organisation’s strategic needs. This approach is designed to aid organisations meet their employee’s needs in the best way possible. It requires human resources managers to not only think and plan ahead different ways for the organisation to meet the needs of their employee’s but also ways for the employee’s to meet the needs of the organisation as well. (Becker & Huselid, 2006). Strategic human resources management is having the ability to plan for the employee’s needs as it helps improve and increase the amount of skillful employee’s whom choose to keep working for an organisation. Becker & Huselid (2006) suggest that improving and increasing this amount will reduce labour turnover costs, and the money that organisations would have to spend on attracting and recruiting new employee’s. The best practice approach to human resources management is based on there supposedly being a set of human resources management practices that are best suited and that using these practices will lead to the organisations overall performance being superior to their competitions. It aims to develop employees, increase their level of commitment to the organisation, with the intended outcome to improve the overall performance of organisations and create a competitive advantage that is sustainable. When it comes to this  approach to human resources management, what may work for one specific organisation may not necessarily be the best practice for another organisation as it may not fit the style of management, strategy, or working performance of that organisation. (Armstrong, 2006). Whereas the best fit approach to human resources management works on emphasising the significance that ensuring the human resources strategies are appropriate for the organisation. Human resources managers a re required to take into account bot the needs of the organisation and its employee’s. With this approach it is up to the organisation to decide what works best for them and what will fit their operational and strategic requirements according to Armstrong (2006). The most suitable approach to human resources management in the hospitality industry in my opinion, based on the findings of this literature review, is the best practice approach. This is because this approach aims to develop employee’s, increase their level of commitment to the organisation, and have an outcome that improves the overall performance of the organisation. When working in the hospitality industry it is important to attract and recruit the people best suited for the organisation and adopting this approach to human resources management it will ensure that the commitment of employee’s is enhanced and improved which, in turn, improves the overall performance of the organisation. There are a range of human resources practices that are significant to organisations when trying to attract and retain employee’s who will constantly deliver service of a high quality. These practices include selection and recruitment, teamwork, retention, training and developme nt, appraisals and rewards, and employee relations and they are all important to the human resources management in the hospitality industry. References Armstrong, M. (2006). A handbook of human resource management practice, 10th ed. London: Kogan Page. Baum, T. (2007). Human resources in tourism: Still waiting for change. Tourism Management, 28(6), 1383-1399. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/science/article/pii /S0261517707001033 Becker, B & Gerhart, B. (1996). The impact of human resource management on organisational performance: Progress and prospects. Academy of management journal, 39(4), 779-801. Becker, B. E., & Huselid, M. A. (2006). Strategic human resources management: Where do we go from here?. Journal of Management, 32(6), 898-925. doi: 10.1177/0149206306293668 Bonn, M. A., & Forbringer, L. R. (1992). Reducing turnover in the hospitality industry: an overview of recruitment, selection and retention. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 11(1), 47-63. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/science/article/pii/ 027843199290035T Cho, S., Woods, R. H., Jang, S., & Erdem, M. (2006). Measuring the impact of human resource management practices on hospitality firms’ performances. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(2), 262-277. Davidson, M. C. G., & Wang, Y. (2011). Sustainable labor practices? hotel human resource managers views on turnover and skill shortages. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tour, 10(3), 235-253. doi: 10.1080/15332845.2011.555731 Druker, J., White, G., Hegewisch, A. & Mayne, L. (1996). Between hard and soft hrm: Human resource management in the construction industry. Construction management and economics, 14(5), 405-416. doi: 10.1080/014461996373278 Fà ¡ilte Ireland. (2005). A human resource development strategy for irish tourism: Competing through people. Retrieved from http://torc.linkbc.ca/torc/downs1/Strategy%20for%20Irish%20Tourism%5b1%5d.pdf Heathfield, S. M. (2013). What is human resource management?. Retrieved from http://humanresources.about.com/od/g lossaryh/f/hr_management.htm Nickson, D. (2007). Human resource management for the hospitality and tourism industries. (1st ed.). Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. O’Neill, J. W., & Davis, K. (2011). Work stress and well-being in the hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(2), 385–390. doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2010.07.007 Rouse, M. (2007). What is cost center? Retrieved from http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/cost-center Rouse, M. (2011). What is human resource management (hrm)?. Retrieved from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/human-resource-management-HRM Rudman, R. (2010). Human resources management in new zealand (5th ed.).

Urbanization of Japan essays

Urbanization of Japan essays PHASE 1 ********************************************************************************** In 1868, the fifteen-year old Emperor Meiji, as he was posthumously known, moved from Kyoto to Edo. The move marked the beginning of Japan's efforts to modernize its political and social institutions, to develop and expand its industrial base, and to achieve parity with the Western industrialized nations. In 1882, the Ministry of Finance established the Bank of Japan. It introduced a modern currency system and put the government on a sound budgetary foundation. The Meiji government financed the construction of an industrial infrastructure. It began building the national railway network. It also financed major heavy industries that were turned over to the private sector later, such as mining, iron and steel, shipbuilding and machine tools. Until 1900, light industries such as the textile industry accounted for nearly 85% of Japan's total industrial output. The textile industry became one of Japan's mainstays in industrial output. In 1870, textile output was less than 10%. By the 1890s it jumped to over 25%. The textile industry remained an important source of industrial output in Japan until World War II. From 1900, heavy industries such as the iron and steel industry began expanding. During World War I (1914-1918), Japan experienced an economic boom. With the European Allies engaged in war with Germany, European manufacturers were unable to provide the goods to sustain their trade in Asia. Japanese firms filled the void by manufacturing and selling the goods to former customers of European firms. During the boom years, the value of Japanese industries rose threefold, and there was a rapid accumulation of capital. Industrial output surpassed agricultural output for the first time. During the 1920s, the productivity of Japanese industries increased as a result of technological improvements, greater efficiency in production, and the...

Why psychopaths are really good at getting ahead

Why psychopaths are really good at getting ahead Have you ever wondered why it seems like so many people who make it to the top of the professional food chain and occupy positions of power at work have a similar set of characteristics? You know the type- it’s pretty common to use the following adjectives to describe them as they push ahead and take no prisoners along their inevitable drive toward career success: merciless, cold-blooded, ruthless, ambitious, the list goes on. The truth is, there’s a group of people that often possess these traits- psychopaths- and sometimes the volatile and unpredictable ways in which they behave works to their advantage and allows them to get ahead in our ultra-competitive work world.Why do workplace psychopaths seem to be successful so often? Do you need to be a psychopath in order to get ahead these days? Recently, CNBC investigated why psychopaths are so good at getting ahead. Let’s take a deeper look at this issue and try and shed some light on the â€Å"psychopath questio n.†What is a psychopath?According to CNBC, â€Å"Psychopathy is an inherited mental disorder, an illness that is the result of a deformity in the brain. Those who are born with psychopathy can be dangerous.  They are also often very successful in ascending to positions of power.  Usually, psychopaths are cunning and charming, have an over-sized sense of self-worth, and are pathological liars. They show an unwillingness to accept responsibility for their actions, as well as callousness and lack of empathy.†How psychopaths gain the upper handThe ability to carefully control one’s emotions, allowing for logical decision-making to take hold, while displaying a sheen of chameleon-like charm that helps win the favor of those around them- typical characteristics of a psychopath- can help an individual advance in their career, regardless of industry or field. Simply put, the ability to effectively manipulate others around them, and display a manic energy that comes a cross as high-energy enthusiasm, are traits that are admired and valued in most workplace settings.CNBC notes that â€Å"In an office environment, overly emotional individuals are often at a disadvantage because their judgment is clouded by a desire to protect those they care about. Inversely, lacking empathy, more often than not, will help you in an environment where you have to make decisions that create negative consequences by necessity for other people†¦emotional, empathetic people may struggle to make what are often chalked up to tough business decisions because of the ramifications those decisions can have on other people. Empathy can interfere with you doing your job quite a bit. And in the competitive workplace, empathy is discouraged because it may interfere with what you need to do for work†¦ It is very well known you should not be bringing your personal issues or your emotions to work.†Confidence is another key trait that separates those who are successf ul at work from those who stay in the shadows, under the radar, and typically on the lower rungs of the career ladder- and it’s also something that psychopaths possess in abundance. These individuals typically have an intense belief in their abilities, even to the point of grandiose magical thinking, and as long as it doesn’t completely dip into the realm of absurd fantasy it could impress colleagues and help them rise above the competition. According to CNBC, â€Å"other psychopathic traits that make for successful CEOs include a comfort with lying and a lack of fear of failure. The resulting bravado can translate as aggressive ambition to a corporate board†¦ Sometimes psychopaths’ thrill-seeking behavior and impulsivity are mistaken for high energy and enthusiasm, action orientation, and the ability to multitask. To the organization, these individuals’ irresponsibility may give the appearance of a risk-taking and entrepreneurial spirit.†Shou ld you change your personality to get ahead?So†¦ should we all aim to be psychopaths at work if we want to get ahead in our respective careers? In a word, no. Although it’s true that psychopaths do often present with characteristics that help them advance in their careers, true psychopaths also display a variety of unsavory behaviors that can have the opposite effect. Their coolness tends to veer towards cruelty, and they often possess an inability to effectively collaborate with peers and operate for the greater good, instead operating in a completely self-serving manner.CNBC notes that â€Å"psychopaths are not only able to make decisions without regard for other people, they are also driven by a desire to hurt their peers†¦ Adding to the threat of psychopaths is their ability to deceive those around them. The most disturbing part of the psychopathic condition is that it can be very hard to distinguish†¦ While psychopaths are successful, theirs is certainly not the kind of success others should try to emulate†¦ As they make it to the top, psychopaths may step over, trample on, or back-stab anyone in the way.†Clearly, psychopaths possess a wide array of characteristics and personality traits, some of which are beneficial to no one and can actually be dangerous to society, and some of which that can indeed be beneficial at work. Therefore, the relative success of a psychopath in the workplace depends on her or his ability to control the particularly deviant behaviors while allowing those alpha-like traits to shine. So, rather than seeking to become psychopaths ourselves, we should strive to identify and emulate the positive traits that psychopaths tend to possess that help them make it to the top while avoiding the destructive traits that make psychopaths dangerous to be around, which should serve to help each of us find tangible and lasting success in whatever career path we choose to pursue.

How does clothing become a part of the self-realization of people Essay

How does clothing become a part of the self-realization of people - Essay Example The paper "How does clothing become a part of the self-realization of people" discovers the fashion and identity. In marketing, Vieira (2009) defines fashion as the broad based behavioral phenomenon evidenced by a variety of material as well as non material contexts. More aptly, it has been defined as an ever changing trend that is frivolous, and has a deep influence on the life of people and is accompanied by frivolous reasons. Clothing has a huge influence on not the perception of person wearing them but also on the people around the individual. In the fictional story of Batman, in Gotham, better portrays this continuum. For instance, an individual wearing a suit is attributed to certain perception generally, and the same applies for an individual wearing a street wear. When in a suit Gordon seemed trustworthy and professional but when in street wear, he was almost misidentified, and mystical. Clothing worn on a person’s personality and identity always makes one feel confide nt and organized, for instance for an athlete whose work demands means donning the sports attire, and the same individual may behave different, for instance when in a suit. The outer perception of an individual on the persons’ choice clothing is may be determined by societal cultural patterns. Consequently, clothing carries a message and creates a pseudo message that is needed by a circumstance individuals find themselves in Ozipek. In this case Bruce Wayne’s costume is the perfect example and as seen in Batman.