Definitions of HRM Essay

Introduction and Overview Definitions of HRM. The employment relationship. Commitment and control. Internal fit. Textbook: Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart and Wright (2012) Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage. Chapter 1, pp. 2-68. Examples of exam questions: How and why has the role of the HR department been changing in Western firms since the 1980s? How far and for what reasons would you agree that the debate over the differences between HRM and personnel management is all ‘hot air? Lecture 2 Analysis and Design of Work Job analysis; Job design; employee involvement; quality circles; team working Textbook: Competitive Advantage. Chapter 4, pp. 154-190. Examples of exam questions: Who benefits from employee involvement? Compare quality circles and team working with regards to their impact on the economic outcomes of a company. Lecture 3 Personnel Selection Selection criteria, Big-5 personality dimensions, selection methods, predictive validity, reliability Textbook: Competitive Advantage. Chapter 6, pp. 230-267. Examples of past exam questions: Critically discuss the use of interviews as a primary basis for selection decisions. What criteria should be considered in selecting new employees to support firm performance? How do interviews fare in evaluating these criteria? Lecture 4 Performance appraisal Competitive Advantage. Chapter 8, 338-393. Examples of past exam questions: Critically evaluate performance appraisal at work. What are the purposes of conducting performance appraisals? How might appraisals differ depending on the purpose? Lecture 5 Pay Systems Content of pay systems; selecting pay systems; pay and firm performance; pay outcomes for employees. Textbook: Competitive Advantage. Chapter 1 1, pp. 0-519. Examples of exam questions: Which factors should HR managers take into account in designing a fair pay system? Evaluate options for the design of pay systems for different employee groups. Lecture 6 Human Resource Planning, Flexibility and Turnover Human resource planning; the model of the flexible firm; contingent employment; temporary work; employee turnover Textbook: Competitive Advantage. Chapt er 5, pp. 191-211 and Chapter 10, pp. 440-478. Examples ot exam questions: ‘Temporary agency workers are hired to protect the employment security of the core workforce. Discuss critically. Contingent workers facilitate the use of high commitment management systems. Discuss. Lecture 7 Strategic Human Resource Management: Best Practices vs. Best Fit Strategic HRM; models of HRM; best practice and business strategy models Textbook: Competitive Advantage. Chapter 2, pp. 70-105. Examples of exam questions: Evaluate the relationship between the business and the human resource management strategy of a firm. Contrast and evaluate the concepts of horizontal and vertical fit in human resource management. Lecture 8 Strategic HRM: The Resource- ased View and Stakeholder Models Continuation of lecture 7: strategic HRM; resource-based view; institutional / stakeholder perspectives on HRM Textbook: To what extent do managers have a strategic choice with regards to human resource management? Critically discuss the implications of the resource-based view of the firm for designing HRM strategies. Lecture 9 Equal Employment Opportunities Competitive Advantage. Chapter 3, pp. 106-153. Examples of past exam questions: Do women have equal opportunities at work? What actions might employers take to address any inequalities? Evaluate human capital theoretical explanations of the gender earnings gap. Lecture 10 Industrial Relations Introduction to industrial relations; purposes of collective organization; effects of unions; recent trends in industrial relations Textbook: Competitive Advantage. Chapter 14, pp. 598-647. Examples of exam questions: What are the consequences of a lack of effective worker representation, be it through trade unions or some other form of worker representation at the workplace? Why do workers Join trade unions and what are the effects of union activity? How has this changed in liberal market economies in recent years?

Kfc-Stratefy for Developing

Kentucky Fried Chicken Strategic Plan-Part One Jeanette Cortez, Autumn Crowther, James Hopper Fernando Manaloto, Joe Newkirk, and Rita Salem International Strategic Planning and Implementation STR/GM 581 March 31, 2011 Dr. Tim Becker, MBA Introduction Kentucky Fried Chicken has been established as a franchise in Latin America and the focus of this plan will be the El Salvador franchise. The strategic management process is vital and a well laid out plan is necessary. Consequently, by evaluating the background of KFC, the outcome should lead to a clear mission and vision statement outlining the purpose and goals of the company.Also, the mission and vision will keep all shareholders informed of the objectives that should be met by KFC. â€Å"Defining the company mission is one of the most often slighted tasks in strategic management† (Pearce II & Robinson Jr. , 2009, p. 42). A mission lays out the organization’s goals and basically specifies the purpose of the organization . Decisions and strategies can be established after environmental scanning is done along with a Situational Analysis (SWOT). The strategic process also involves frequently assessing the industry structure and choosing strategic plan options that help expand global operations.The two chosen strategic options that will be discussed will be product differentiation and cost leadership. This plan should give clarity on how the options and recommendations fit with both the competitive situation and the organizational situation. Background Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) corporation is touted as the â€Å"world’s most popular chicken franchise† (KFC, 2011). KFC serves over 12 million customers in 109 territories and countries throughout the world (KFC, 2011).Famous for its Original Recipe Fried Chicken, there are â€Å"more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States and more than 15,000 units around the world† (KFC, 2011). This company whos e inception was in a gas station back in 1930 by Colonel Harland Sanders is now owned and operated by Yum! Brands, Incorporated. As of 2008, Yum! had revenues in excess of $11 billion and was ranked #239 on the Fortune 500 list (KFC, 2011). KFC Mission Statement, Vision and Strategy KFC’s Mission Statement is: â€Å"’The Association of KFC Franchisees, Inc. s united to protect, promote and advance the mutual interests of all member franchisees and the Kentucky Fried Chicken system. † (Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, Inc. 2006). KFC’s parent company is Yum! Brands (Yum! ). Yum! ’s vision and strategy is â€Å"committed to continuing the success realized during our first ten years. Our success has only just begun as we look forward to the future, one which promises a long runway for growth, especially on an international level† (Yum! , 2011). KFC El Salvador also falls under Caribbean and Latin America Franchisee Association (CARIBLA).CARIBLA’s mission statement and objectives are â€Å"the mission of the CARIBLA Franchisee Association is to represent, promote, and protect the general interests of all member YUM franchisees in Latin America and the Caribbean† (CARIBLA, 2011). Objectives – Contribute to maintain and improve the profitability the restaurants for the short and long term (supply chain management projects). – Represent the members' interests in different areas. – Defend and protect franchisees contractual rights. – Communicate as one voice with YUM Restaurants International. (Association Mission and Objectives,  para. 1). Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats | |Beneficial |Harmful | |Internal |Strengths |Weaknesses | | |1. Purchase power of consumer is rising. |1. Frachise cost is high. | | |2. More than half of Salvadorans income is spent on food. |2. Competition is high in the industry. | |3. Recognized worldwide brand name (15,000 w orld-wide locations. |3. Small country population. | | |4. Quality and freshness regulated throughout every franchise. | | | |5. Offers choices of local food on menu. | | |External |Opportunities |Threats | | |1. Online Sales assist profits. 1. Foreign products are currently fashionable but interest could | | |2. Introduction of new products. |decrease. | | |3. Expansion due to rising economy (Continual Growth) |2. Economic climate stability. | | |4. Only current location in capital city – San Salvador largest |3. Local suppliers are minimal. | | |hub for travelers. |4. â€Å"Pollo Campero† is a Salvadorian brand and well established | | | |chicken eatery. | | | |4.Many fast food competitors such as Burger King, McDonalds, | | | |Pizza Hut, etc. | Product Differentiation The goal of product differentiation is to increase profits by increasing consumer demand and decreasing the demand of price elasticity. Organizations typically attempt to differentiate their products t hrough physical characteristics, location, service, and subjective image differences. KFC’s product differentiation is most impacted by location, service, and physical characteristics.Consumers value a variety of products and because each consumer has different tastes, the organization will attempt to pry consumers away from current competitors by offering physically differentiated products. KFC must differentiate itself vertically, meaning the company will set itself apart from competitors by the actual quality of its products (Waldman and Jensen,  n. d. ). However, KFC’s management must wisely choose upon its locations. The company’s largest competitor, Pollo Campero, operates in 14 different locations in El Salvador and poses a high threat to the company.In addition to location, an organization’s products are highly differentiated by service. With the presence of Pollo Campero, KFC must not only rely on good food but also provide exceptional customer service that will retain its customer base. Cost Leadership The cost leadership strategy targets a broad market. KFC has developed strong relations with suppliers that use cheap ingredients. Additionally, the organization has the capital required to increase production in assets. While this type of investment represents a barrier to entry that many organizations may not overcome, this is an advantage for the organization.Furthermore, KFC’s flexibility in supply chains, product differentiation, and ease in their productions gives the organizations a competitive edge over its competitors (QuickMBA. com,  2010). Conclusion KFC is based in Louisville, Kentucky and is subsidiary of Yum! Brands, and operates in over 109 countries. A KFC store in El Salvador operates under three mission statements of Yum! , the Association of KFC Franchisees, and CARIBLA. KFC has recognizable strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to be evaluated before further expansion in El Salvador. Product differentiation and cost leadership are advantages that KFC utilizes in edging out competitors. Recommendations KFC has choices to make in expanding in El Salvador. One recommendation is for KFC to contact the lone KFC operator in El Salvador to persuade him/her to open more franchises in San Salvador with a goal of gaining more name recognition to expand into other El Salvadoran cities. KFC’s strengths and name recognition will create more opportunities in El Salvador. Another recommendation is to have the lone franchisee to find out if interest in opening new KFC stores exists among El Salvador’s entrepreneurs.The franchisee could be paid a bonus for recruiting applicants that receive franchise approval. Both of these recommendations depend on KFC equaling or surpassing food quality and customer service of chief rival, Pollo Campero, and by using product differentiation and cost leadership. References Kentucky Fried Chicken (2011). Retrieved from KFC website on March 27, 2011: www. kfc. com. Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, Inc.. (2006). Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees, Inc.. Retrieved from http://www. kfcf. com/history. htm CARIBLA Franchisee Association. (2011). CARIBLA. Retrieved from website on March 28, 2011: http://www. caribla. com/association_mission. htm Pearce II, J. A. , ; Robinson Jr. , R. B. (2009). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control (11th ed. ). Waldman and Jensen. (n. d. ). Product Differentiation ; Strategy. Retrieved from http://courses. umass. edu/resec732/docs/Waldman%20and%20Jensen%20Chapter%2013. pdf QuickMBA. com. (2010). Strategic Management. Retrieved from

U.S. Foreign Policy on Syrian Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

U.S. Foreign Policy on Syrian Civil War - Essay Example Debates as to whether U.S. policy towards the situation in Syria should call for a military action, defending the civilians, wipe out the terrorist groups or specifically act on Syrian forces suspected to be using chemical weapons on the opposition have been taken a central place in foreign policy discussions. Some groups fear that US actions may not lead to the desired outcomes, but may end up with more consequences than current problem. They fear that it may escalate the violence, create regional division and even a power vacuum that may look good from extremists’side. Unplanned expenditure and domestic opposition to the military action are some of the factors suggesting that the US should not take part in the Syrian war1. Administration critics argue that most the presumed costs of U.S. intervention are currently happening and that it will not make any difference if the U.S. gets involved in the Syrian conflict. Some believe that U.S. silence over the matter has a detrimental effect on its influence in the Middle East leading to the reconsideration of US foreign policy and revisiting of certain aspects that will increase their involvement in the Syrian war. Taking civilians into consideration, U.S. involvement in the Syrian war is inevitable. The Sectary of Sate’s announcement at the Friends of Syria Conference that the US and another member of â€Å"London 11†find it necessary to give coordinated assistance of non-lethal nature to the opposition is a good indication of what the U.S. needs to do2.   

Analyze the letter written by Galileo Galilei to the Grand Duchess Essay

Analyze the letter written by Galileo Galilei to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany - Essay Example He reiterates his loyalty to the Catholic Church and, at the same time, justifies his support of the Copernican theory of the heliocentric universe. Galileo Galilei: Letter to the Grand Duchess Galileo Galilei may be considered to be the Father of modern science. His letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany, written in 1615, is one to the most famous epistles in scientific history. It demonstrates the conflict between science and religion, and Galileo’s attempt to strike a balance between the two. As the protege of the late Ferdinando I de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the mentor of his son, Cosimo II de Medici, Galileo enjoyed a close relationship with the politically powerful and influential Medici clan. With his outspoken support for the heliocentric theory of Copernicus, Galileo was already at loggerheads with the conservative adherents of the geocentric theory and the church hierarchy. In this letter, he seeks â€Å"to justify myself in the eyes of all m en† (Galileo, 1615. P. 11). In this context, his letter to the Grand Duchess may be considered a device used by Galileo to publicize and justify his stand on the issue, to canvass the support of the Medici family, and to attempt to seek reconciliation with the church by clearing the air of the controversy which continued to dog his works. Throughout the letter, Galileo remains firm in reiterating his loyalty to the Catholic Church, its Council and its Supreme Pontiff, the Pope. Even when Galileo passionately defends experimental science, he reiterates his identity as a staunch Catholic. His intimate relationship with the Catholic Church cannot be denied. He initially studied for the priesthood, and was on friendly terms with Cardinal Bellarmine and Pope Urban VII. His two daughters, Virginia and Livia, became nuns at the Franciscan convent of St. Mathew, near Florence (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). Galileo’s belief in God is clearly stated. He sees the Div ine Maker revealed in nature’s actions. To him, his work in astronomy and his belief in God are but two mutually reconciled facets of his life. Galileo poignantly asserts his faith in God, and its expression in his work, with the words â€Å"the glory and greatness of Almighty God are marvelously discerned in all his works and divinely read in the open book of heaven† (Galileo, 1615.P22). He considers the faculty of reason to be a divine gift given to man. It is evident that he is deliberately assuming a placatory tone and is determined not to antagonize the Church, as far as possible. He declares, â€Å"I proceed with --- piety† (Galileo, 1615. P.12). Again, regarding the Bible, theologians and Church Councils, he firmly asserts that â€Å"I hold these to be of supreme authority† (Galileo, 1915. P12). He declares himself as willing to admit to any mistakes based on religious ignorance and is ready to submit to the church’s stand on the Copernican system. He does not claim from his works â€Å"any fruit that is not pious and Catholic† (Galileo, 1615. P.13). He makes his position with respect to the Church very clear by unequivocally stating, â€Å"that divine wisdom surpasses all human judgment and conjecture† (Galileo. 1615. P.15). He professes his â€Å"extraordinary esteem for the passages of holy Scripture† (Galileo, 1615. P18). Galileo attempts to clearly differentiate between his critics and adversaries, and the Church authorities. He denounces the former in the

Not sure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Not sure - Essay Example Due to the increasing technological and environmental catastrophes there is a need to develop the best practice of a crisis management. One of the situations that call for dire management is associated with the explosion of a bomb in a populous region. The explosion of a bomb and other explosives result in death and other physical injuries, as well as the destruction of various structures. Additionally, the individuals that are related to the victims and properties that are destroyed are normally left with emotional traumas. During this event, the local and national leaders are faced with the task of handling the crisis. This paper is focused on evaluating the best practice that should be employed in a crisis management in the event of an explosion which results to death, physical injuries, destruction of properties and emotional injuries. The paper will attempt to employ the Restorative Rhetoric approach in managing an explosion that results in injuries, death and property destruction; the analysis will be executed in the light of the local and national leaders who are tasked with the responsibility of managing the crisis. The Restoration Rhetoric approach emerged as an effective approach with respect to the management of the Hurricane Katrina and the destruction of the World Trade Center which occurred in September 2001(Griffin-Padgett, 2010). The restoration rhetoric was used by Mayor Ray Nagin and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in the management of the terrorist attack and natural disaster respectively (Griffin-Padgett, 2010). This model indicates that, unlike other approaches of crisis management, the restoration of image is not the chief objective; in this respect, there is a need to manage risk while ensuring the safety of the public is restored. As a result, this approach calls for an intensive examination of the leadership skills and aptitudes in crisis management.

Business plan outline Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business plan outline - Assignment Example With Eglinton Avenue being a major road that joins various municipalities, the shop would form a quick drop by joint for travelers and other residents of Midtown Toronto, who are interested in sportswear, especially the young and active, and athletes. The lease rate that I am working with is that of $22.64 per square foot, with restoration provisions requiring a payable cost of $6 per square foot at completion of the lease. This is in view of the current 21 percent average rentals rate for properties of class A, B, and C (Dalglish, 2012). With my business dealing mostly with athletic shoes, the market holds great potential for me as a quarter of the total sales made in shoes within the entire Canada come from athletics shoes. In 2013, the total sale of athletics shoes around the entire country was a $1.3 billion (NPD Group, 2014). The major competitors that Chic&Fun has include Shoeland Discount Store and Foot Solutions, both of which are located along Eglinton Avenue and have annual revenue of $75,456 and $275,690 respectively. Nevertheless, given that I have my shoe production company, I would reduce the cost of production to offer quality shoes at a lower price than my competitors so as to attract more customers and gain a large market share. Given that Chic&Fun will put in a stock of $50,000 in its first year, with a markup of 50% employed on all the products, and assuming that all the products will be sold, then the sales forecast is as below. To protect my business property from any liability, I will seek insurance coverage for corporate liability and property insurance, all of which would sum up to a total of $5000. This would protect my business from any lawsuits. The business will offer different brands of shoes of varying sizes and quality, according to the consumer affordability. The Store’s point of different will include offering the products at reduced cost, given that I have a company that produces the shoes;

Organisational Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisational Development - Essay Example Obsolete technology is used. Time lag in maintaining trust and goodwill is present. Opportunities Favourable circumstances that can be a source of potential benefit for Jim’s Cleaning are as follows: After training programs, results will depict improvement in employee’s attitude and this will also result in possible new markets and strong brand loyalty by old customers. Emerging new technology from order taking to service delivery can enhance competitiveness. Expansion of business can be made in other cities as well as a result of increased customer’s awareness in cleaning services. Expansion can be made in service range as well to increase customer’s loyalty and broader range of customer needs. Threats The possible threats to Jim’s Cleaning are as follows: Low morale will result in employee turnover. Many competitors are entering the market. Development Plan In order to resolve the problem, the development process comprises of following steps: Prob lem Lack of service employee’s interpersonal attributes in Jim's Cleaning is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and their commitment to retain withntioon to Jim' 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 this company. Decreasing morale of employees is directly affecting the level of satisfaction of customers and ultimately success chart of Jim’s Cleaning. Employees in Jim’s Cleaning are not getting successful in satisfying customer to the optimum level. Henceforth customers are not spreading the awareness of Jim’s Cleaning to their friends or family. This is damaging the image of the organisation in different ways. Needs are going unfilled, word of mouth and repeated customers are declining. Ultimately, bad customer... This essay stresses that the on-going training program will help to boost our employee satisfaction. Through this training program the employees will become more confident, can upgrade their skills, can pace with the changes occurring in the organisation, can work with full potential, and can deal with changing demands and needs. The training program will result in employees who are creative, motivated, satisfied with their careers and have high morals. Training course will allow them to achieve higher customer satisfaction and responsiveness in meeting the job roles. This paper makes a conclusion that organisation development is a necessary process of improving organisation effectiveness and for achieving the desired goals. If Jim’s Cleaning concentrates on creating value in employees only, then it will be able to make a positive connection between employee satisfaction and organisation profitability. The management should recognise that employee morale, performance and overall job satisfaction is a highly important component for increased profitability. If this change is implemented in the organisation, it will definitely produce positive results. Successful execution of the plan will allow Jim’s Cleaning to constantly perpetuate this synergistic relationship. By this relationship, Jim’s Cleaning will win customer loyalty that ultimately results in increased corporate profitability. Satisfied employees are a precondition for increasing productivity, responsiveness, quality, and customer service.

Security Monitoring Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Security Monitoring - Research Paper Example The greatest business threat to business infrastructure may not be in the form of an attack but may well be from an internal attack. In order to have a good security system they have to have a durable and large storage infrastructure. Multiple devices are used to reduce redundantly across the various facilities. Most organization uses PUT AND CUT operations in order to guarantee durability. Applications found in internal I.T include payroll, inventory, Human resource and general ledger, while other ecommerce applications are internet sales and marketing application. Storage infrastructures are vastly sturdy, and most organizations use Amazon S3. Sturdiness objects sustained via quick mending and detection of any redundancy which has been lost. For example, Amazon web services uses Amazon S3 to provide both levels, with evasions which only allows authorized access by the bucket control list. Access control list together with the bucket a control delete and gives permission to penetrat e in certain levels. Thus, the client sustains full control in regards to who have the capability to access their data, enabling them to carry out vital actions the minute a risk is identified. ... This certification gives the declaration that AWS has set up enough controls, which operate efficiently. This helps to authenticate the obligation to provide a world class cloud computing which is secure to both internal and ecommerce I.T applications. However the platforms allow the set up solutions which meet certain requirements for particular organizations. Data has to be transferred; most organizations store their data in an elastic Block store in various physical locations as part of services with no extra charge. Organization use simple database to prevent unauthorized access. The domain level controls which are provided by a simple database APIs which only allow an access which has been authorized by the domain creator. In order to have access to the database the data has to be controlled by the client (Martin p 246). All subscribe have full access of the system once she/he is authenticated a self-regulating access control listing which maps the domain to their respective to user controls. Encrypting data before sending it is another method used by the organization to safeguard data which is sensitive. In order, to save data from internal applications and other ecommerce applications, I would suggest that internal applications should operate in different databases to ensure that they do not share the same database. This will safeguard internal data against the third party, using firewalls would assist in preventing penetrates and hackers form organizations database. The rationale behind security in Internal and external applications is to have all the data secured and also ensure that clients who purchase goods online conduct secured transactions. In conclusion, web services are created to achieve set designs, which entails

Marijuana for Recreational Use Essay Example for Free

Marijuana for Recreational Use Essay Abstract What is a Weed? A plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered. – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Weed the People: From Founding Fiber to Forbidden Fruit. It is the author’s intent to explain why marijuana should be legalized and no longer considered deviant behavior. This paper will show that the United States of America is moving, ever so slowly, in this direction. First with allowing the use of medical marijuana in 14 states and many other states are reducing the severity of punishment for possession of marijuana and now two states have passed laws allowing marijuana to legally consume for recreational purposes. Marijuana has been a controversial issue on our society for many years. Although there have been many negative claims regarding its effects on the human body people are learning the truths. Although due to many years of stereotyping people who smoke pot some would rather believe the untruths. There is a skewed perception of what a pot smoker looks like. Such as how they are portrayed in the movie, Reefer Madness. Pot smokers were automatically considered addicts that eventually turned to criminal activities or they took part in some sort of deviant behavior. It was after this movie that Regan began a â€Å"War on Drugs† in 1960’s which may have helped to brand pot smokers as delinquents or deviants. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028346/ Although we make think so, using marijuana for medicinal purposes is not new. The United States began understanding the benefits of the medical properties in marijuana in the 1800’s. Later there were many papers written by physicians on how marijuana can be used to alleviate a number of medical disorders, ailments such as pain relief, glaucoma and nausea to name a few. It is also a strong appetite stimulant. Recently this has been proven most beneficial for people who have diseases that suppress the appetite such as cancer or AIDS helping them to sustain their appetite and strength. (http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5441#f2 Accessed on June 5, 2010). Currently it is thought that probably the most significant impact that the legalization of marijuana is that it would re-introduce the use of hemp into our society. This would be very beneficial to our economy. Hemp fibers are impressively strong, making the crop useful in the production of textile based products. This makes it ideal for the manufacturing of products like paper, fabric, and rope. It can also be used as a dietary supplement and has more protein than soy. Because of the higher yield per acre and the shorter growing cycle for Hemp, it is considered to be superior to cotton. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, one acre of marijuana can produce four times as much paper and can be harvested quicker than an acre of trees. (http://cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14829.shtml Accessed on June 5, 2010). Another very important benefit of hemp is that it has the ability to produced large amounts of cellulose. It has been recently discovered that the compound cellulose can be converted into a biofuel called cellulostic ethanol. This type of biofuel is able to power anything that gasoline currently does. This type of biofuel is typically produced by means of â€Å"energy crops†, primarily from corn or cotton. An energy crop is a plant grown as a low-cost and low-maintenance harvest used to make biofuels. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_crops) Hemp still reigns champion over cotton once again as it can be reproduced more often and it yields more than four times the amount of cellulose than from corn. A judge recently stated that the current marijuana laws are progressing much like those right before prohibition ended. The laws became more focused on taking down large operations, king pins and the like. It is estimated that the use of marijuana will be legalized in five years time. (http://www.wmur.com/news/national/Pot-advocates-hope-to-rise-from-prohibition/-/9857926/17619956/-/13figx9/-/index.html?absolute=true) As more and more states follow others, like Washington and Colorado and make marijuana legal for recreational use it will no longer be seen as deviant behavior. Well, no more than alcohol or smoking cigarettes. I have known many alcoholics in my lifetime but I have not known very many pot heads. I am not saying I don’t know people who smoke pot. I do, and they use it for recreational purposes and as a sleep aid. Smoking marijuana really is no different than consuming alcohol. There was a time when it was the â€Å"norm† for a man to go home after a long day at work and have a â€Å"high ball† or two. Some would rather go home after a long day at work and relax with a joint. Legalized marijuana should be treated the same as legal alcohol. Only those above a certain age will be able to purchase or use it and it will only be sold in licensed establishments. My question to society would be, do you want users consuming marijuana that has been grown illegally? Smuggled into the United States or would you rather they purchase their marijuana from licensed establishments that are regulated and contribute taxes to their community? REFERENCES http://cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14829.shtml Accessed on June 5, 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_crops http://www.wmur.com/news/national/Pot-advocates-hope-to-rise-from-prohibition/-/9857926/17619956/-/13figx9/-/index.html?absolute=true http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5441#f2 Accessed on June 5, 2010

A Taste of Honey Shelagh Delaney Essay Example for Free

A Taste of Honey Shelagh Delaney Essay In A Taste of Honey Shelagh Delaney presents Jo as a young woman looking for security and love. Compare the relationships she has with Helen, her boyfriend and Geoff. To what extent does she find security and love with each? Shelagh Delaney the writer of the play A Taste of Honey was born on November 25th 1939 in Salford, England. It was in school when she saw her first play, an amateur performance of Shakespeares Othello. She was only twelve at the time, and the play made a great impression on her. When she was seventeen, she began writing A Taste of Honey as a novel but later realised that it would be better as a play so it was first performed in 1958, accepted by Joan Littlewood, a famous director of the Political Theatre who strongly believed that plays should be about ordinary people. A Taste of Honey is mainly about a young working class girl who refuses to conform to her dreary surroundings and way of life. When the play was introduced, it was rare to find any of the situations portrayed in any other plays as the circumstances of each of the characters in the play were polemic and unaccepted by a neglectful society. Keeping up the appearances was an important factor in life, and at the time public disgrace was a horrendous situation to be involved in., so it almost became a day to day struggle to keep others satisfied with a suitable personal image that no one had the right to question. People were often very prejudiced about things like origin and race, sexual inclination, promiscuity and sex before marriage. To be involved in any of those things was a serious act for concern from the family and members of the community. At the time people were very religious and strict with regards to homosexuality, promiscuity and sex before marriage, in households from the 20th century, there was rarely a laid back mentality when these situations happened in the conventional life of an ordinary person. It was very common for a youngster to be involved in any of the above, as the senior members relied on their traditional customs and philosophies and took a lot of care in their every move. Ironically this play doesnt seem very concerned with all the issues that emerge from that society, and makes it a much more rebellious and interesting play to watch. However interesting it was, not everyone agreed with the content of the play, as some reviewers confessed that this was the first play they had seen with a coloured person and a homosexual man. Jo is a 15-year old girl who seems to have been unfortunate in life due to the circumstances that we see her in at the start of the play. By the way of life she leads, we learn that she is not happy or satisfied with herself or with her only relative, her mother. She displays inappropriate behaviour for a teenager of her time, I dont owe you a thing. By saying this we learn that she has little respect for Helen and is very distant from her, she also sounds angry and frustrated because she knows she deserves much more and also because Helen has not been a proper mother to her in any way. Something else, which we are able to see from Jos lifestyle, is that she is frequently exposed by her mother, to different men coming in and out of Helens life. The best example is Peter, a close friend of Helens. This is evidently an unsuitable environment for a teenage girl, and clearly shows that Helen is not very concerned about the image she is creating in Jos mind. We can conclude that Helen is not only being a terrible example for daughter Jo, but also is offering no security in the sense of stable relationships that can benefit Jo in a good way. Helen doesnt stand firm in front of Jo and by inviting men into her house, she is loosing all sense of respect for herself and most importantly, for her daughter. Its almost like Helen and Jo are friends who take boyfriends in for intimate relationships. At the start of the play we learn that Helen has a strong drinking problem, drink, drink, drink, thats all youre fit for. You make me sick. Jo is directly affected by it, as she has to co-exist with this habit in Helens life. We know that she clearly dislikes it and mentions how her mother isnt good for anything else apart from drinking. This can represent the way Jo feels, since the time she started to realise her mothers neglectful treat you make me sick, Jos frustration has become so great that she has started to hate her mother for being such a bad parent. By mentioning thats all youre fit for Jo tells us that Helen has been a total failure in every aspect of motherhood and wasnt able to demonstrate even the smallest sign of care and affection for daughter Jo. Perhaps Helen thought that alcohol could help ease the pain of not being able to be a good parent and offer love and security to Jo. But once again we see that Helen makes the wrong choice and maybe unconsciously might not realise how much this is also affecting Jo. This drinking problem is once again an appalling example that Helen is transmitting to Jo, as she might think its acceptable to drink in order to ease the pain and attempt to sort out problems under a more relaxed but less rational approach. Some readers may think that at the point of Helens response to Jos comments about drinking, she is completely under the dominion of alcohol, and responds in a cynical way, Dont just stand there shivering; have some of this if youre so cold. My reaction to this answer was of utter amazement as I am unable to believe the extent of Helens brutality and stupidity. She has just been told by Jo how much she dislikes the habit and still persists on acting irresponsibly and offering an intoxicating drink to her underage daughter. She should have been a little more considerate and thought of a more reasonable solution to Jos request. This once again leads us to believe that Helen is offering Jo no security, or protection in any way. Unexpectedly Jo enquires about her father just as her mother is getting ready to marry peter. As she is not pleased with what her mother responds, she declares her as a liar You liar look at me. This response was obviously generated from the way Helen answered Jos question, which evidently wasnt tactful or sensitive. Until this point we learn that Jo is unaware of who her father is, and this sort of conversation appears to be a serious issue between mother and daughter. Jo seems to feel resentment towards her mother, by the way she says you liar. By hiding this important piece of information to Jo, I believe that Helen has disrespected her daughter in various aspects. Jo as being the product of an intimate relationship between Helen and the man in question is in her full right to demand respect and to know who her progenitor was. This reveals quite a lot about Helens personality, as she demonstrates cowardice at the single thought of facing her daughter and telling her the truth about her origin. When Jo says look at me, it becomes clear to us, that she has to prove or disprove her mothers honesty with a single glance at her eyes. Jo is not entirely sure of this answer and proves to us that she does not trust her mother in her honesty and actions. Helen and Jo keep an uncharacteristic relationship; because its not one of mother and daughter love neither a friendly one. They just dont seem to be able to understand each other as such and therefore have lost all mutual respect and affection, simply because Helen is far too selfish to give up her way of life to ultimately benefit her daughter and herself. Its like theyve swapped roles, Helen being the daughter and Jo being the mother, one more responsible and conscious than the other. Jo acts like an adult in many ways, as she shows a clear disapproval upon her surroundings and her mothers drinking habits, she certainly feels uncomfortable at the men coming in and out of Helens life. Youve emptied more bottles down your throat in the last few weeks than I would have thought possible. If you dont watch it, youll end up an old down-out boozer knocking back the meths Jo is warning Helen that if she isnt careful with her habits, she will be alcoholic and drinking illicit beverages meths. Jo sounds like shes disturbed by her mothers future and has a precautious tone in her voice that makes her sound like a worried mother or wife. At the start of the play, when we meet Helen and Jo, their relationship seems very weak, and doesnt seem to get any better as the play proceeds; because of this I can predict that as they dont dedicate sufficient time and effort to form stronger bonds they will not be able to progress and comprehend their individual needs and circumstances. Anyway, its your life, ruin it your own way Helen makes this very strong remark that suggests a very careless thought with regards to Jos future. She uses a common tactic that allows her to show a dignified attitude, by offering Jo sufficient freedom to ruin her future and hold her responsible for her actions, consequently saving herself from her daughters blame and pain of failing. This shows how careless she is at offering support in Jos plans ambitions and dreams. In a way this is a very sad thing to do, because not only does Jo lack financial stability, but also love and emotional security. On the other hand Jo is conscious of her mothers intentions with regards to a good life for her. Ruining my life. After all, youve had plenty of practice this blame on Helens performance as mother is quite serious and is good at describing their relationship in general. This allegation is also good to prove the fact that Helen has offered no security or love to Jo. However making matters worse Helen accepts this accusation and unconsciously hurts Jo to a deeper extent saying yes, give praise where praise is due, I always say pessimistically she responds with no hint of shame at what she has created in Jo, because of her neglectful behaviour. I dont think that during the play their relationship gets to evolve in a positive or a negative way; however Helen may start to look at Jo as a woman rather than a girl due to the consequence of her relationship with boy and her pregnancy. In act 1 scene 2 Helen leaves her daughter Jo to go and get married to Peter, which in some way helps Jos emotional state, as it is supposedly the end of a most hated cohabitation, and the start of a new independent life. I believe that this action taken by Helen was by far the best thing she has done to benefit Jo, perhaps unconsciously but for the benefit of both sides. Helen has been a bad mother because she has never been able to offer Jo pure and unconditional love, instead she has made Jos existence imperfect and complicated without a reasonable purpose. I am not trying to justify un-motherly conduct, but she probably was never prepared to facet he responsibilities of a parent. It was completely inappropriate form Helen to allow men and alcohol form a barrier between herself and daughter Jo. Nearer to the conclusion of the play Helen returns to Jo, not to rectify her mistakes but only to make matters worse for poor Jo and her baby, I feel that she came back in a mood of pity and not love for a future single mother. However she may see herself reflected on Jo, and may feel is her duty to come to aid her. I feel great sympathy for Jo at the end of the play, because it seems to me that her life is a cycle that repeats itself over and over again. She is lonely even though she is due to have a baby and has her mother with her. Sadly Helen is still an alcoholic, and is penniless just as Jo is, which will unmistakeably make the baby suffer because of the circumstances. I also feel that since Jo and Helen have avoided resolving their differences and issues, their relationship will carry on deteriorating to a greater extent, until they will not be able to interact any longer as a team or family. Boy holds a fairly important role in the play, as Shelagh Delaney may have used him in order to represent a race and a whole group of people at the time. He is a twenty year old sailor that manages to infiltrate Jos heart and lighten up her life to a certain extent, for a short period of time. The reason why Shelagh Delaney doe not provide boy with a name, is because he ends up leaving her and breaking all his made promises, of returning and marrying her. His role in the play is of a young adult who meets Jo and eventually becomes her boyfriend. He also becomes the father of her baby, even though he is not aware of this. The relationship boy has with Jo is completely different to the ones she experiences with all the other characters, this one is of love and mutual understanding. I love youbecause you are daft. I believe that the most important factor with regards to Jos feelings and other characters is that perhaps it is the first time she falls in love with someone, and is answered back in the same way. Even though buy offers love to Jo, he certainly doesnt offer much security. This is because he enjoys having fun wherever he goes and is not able to make a promise and keep it. youre the first girl who Ive met who really doesnt care this quote shows that he is someone whos had many relationships in the past, analyses different behaviours, and therefore has gained experience in the subject. I reckon that Shelagh Delaney wants to make the audience judgemental towards boy because of the way his relationship ends with Jo, and leaving to never come back. In my opinion boy only used Jo to sleep with and never really felt anything special for her, this truly shows the type f person he is. The audience may find that he is genuine and honest about his feelings but then turns out to be insincere and false, however what really damages his image to a higher extent is how he took advantage of Jos naivety and innocence. Geoff is another important character in the play, as Shelagh Delaney may have chosen him to represent the fears, hopes and dreams of a secluded group of people, who were judged by their sexual inclination. He is false a person who provides Jo with a strong friendship and some security that perhaps she took for granted. Geoff is someone who lacks self-confidence and is in desperate search for acceptance security and companionship, he wants Jo to look at him as a man with defects and expects from her as much as she receives from him. They have a peculiar relationship as Jo refers to him as a big sister or a womanly figure in the house, you are just like an old woman really. You just unfold your bed, kiss me goodnight and sing me to sleep. This kind of remark may have resulted embarrassing for him as he is a male and much older than Jo. Shelagh Delaney is very effective at revealing Geoff qualities, by telling us the large amounts of efforts he puts into Jos house and the way that he takes care of her, someones got to look after you. You cant look after yourself. You would not expect this type of behaviour from a stranger and man in a male dominating society. Another good way the reader can see the qualities in Geoff is by comparing him to Helen, who is the total opposite of her and has taken better care of Jo in a short period of time than she has. From analysing Jos and Geoff relationship we can learn that during the time they spend living together they have both been happy and able to co-exist with each other, which is something Helen and Jo were never able to achieve. However there was always this barrier between Jo and Geoff, generated by their different attitudes towards life and other issues that revolved around their respective characters. While Geoff was optimistic, Jo was fairly negative and resembled Helens personality to some extent. This factor never really allowed them to enjoy their relationship and their time together to the maximum. I think it would be best if you left this place Geoff I dont think its doing you any good being here with me all the time this tells us that Jo is being honest with him and knows about his need to experience a womans desire to prove whether his inclination towards a men is real. To some degree Jo is a little bit arrogant as she declares that she can be self-sufficient and doesnt need from Geoff to carry on living a normal life. Nobody asked you to stay here. You moved in on me, remember? If you dont like it you can get out, cant get Geoff is a maternal figure to Jo as he is making a great effort to help her out with the preparation for the coming of the baby; something Helen would be more appropriate at doing. I thought you changed. Motherhood is supposed to come natural to women he explain this which such patience and care that almost sounds like he has passed through motherhood himself. This maternal figure is very rare and distinctive in the play as he is the only in the play who offers this sort of care and guidance, despite him being a man. Geoff is nothing like Helen simply because they do not share any qualities or even defects. The only way in which he may resemble Helens behaviour is at the end of his role, when he decides to leave Jo and not rebel against Helens prejudices and power to throw him out of Jos and the babys life. just as Helen did, he ends up deserting Jo, and not thinking of the possible emotional crisis she may start to go through. At the end of the play Jo is left standing by herself lonely without anyones help and support to hep undergo the conceiving of her baby, and the rest of her life she may still have to live. The mood is quite bleak, grim and dull at this point most of the relationships between the characters have broken up. Helen has been thrown out of Peters house and longer is she able to enjoy financial stability or Peters company as a husband. I believe none of the relationships in the play were really meant to work just as much as Geoff and Jo would have never been able to coexist considering their different circumstances. Shelagh Delaney may have chosen the title A Taste of Honey because in a way all of the characters in the play find a hint of happiness for a short while, and then just as it came it quickly diminishes and becomes difficult once again. I believe that Shelagh Delaney was correct in choosing this title for the play because it is indeed a sequence of events that resemble the ups and downs in life and the way one can taste something good but then its taken away. Its never really a constant patch of happiness throughout, but a constant struggle to keep going as much as possible.

Collective Happiness And Individual Happiness

Collective Happiness And Individual Happiness Happiness is the concern both to the public and the philosophers. But the contradiction of individual happiness and the collective happiness is always the argument in many theories. In the view of Utilitarianism, collective happiness should be in the most significant status. In order to achieve this aim, it is worthy to sacrifice the minoritys individual happiness. But whether that is the most efficient and effective way? And in such a circumstance, whether the individual happiness can be fulfilled? The essay is talking about that under the points of Utilitarianism; the social aim is to achieve a greatest happiness for a greatest number of people. And according to this guide, as long as the action can lead to a good outcome, this action should be agreed and protected, even that is an action of killing innocent people. However, to be a human being living in such a society; the individual happiness cannot be remained because of the demand from the whole society. On the other hand, the individual happiness is the personal business which did not related with the collective happiness according to Chuang Tzu. The changes happened in outside world, no matter good or bad, are just the nature course of development. The individual wills and power cannot change it at all. The theory of Utilitarianism is talking to achieve the collective happiness, while Chuang Tzu focused on the individual happiness. But both of them are too extremely to peruse the one and abandon the other one. However there is no an original contradiction between these two happiness. The crux in it is the different understanding of the concept of collective happiness as well as the freedom to choose a happy life for individuality. In summary, there is no conflict between the collective happiness and individual happiness, and the freedom to choose constitute a part of human happiness, which will in turn help construct a happy society. The case of two patients According to the points from John Harris (1975), let us support that organ transplant procedures have been perfected; in such circumstances if two dying patients could be saved by organ transplants then, and these two patients named Y needs a new heart and Z needs a new lung. If a doctor cannot save the patients because of no spare organs in stock, no one will blame the doctor. If there are no spare organs in stock and none otherwise available, the doctors have no choice; they cannot save their patients and so must let them die. In this case we would be disinclined to say that the doctors are in any sense the cause of their patients deaths. (Harris, 1975) But if a doctor didnt save the patients in the situation of that there are other organs available. Everyone will criticize the doctor for his activity just like he has shot the patients dead. If surgeons have the requisite organs in stock and no other needy patients, but nevertheless allow their patients to die, we would be inclined to say, and be justified in saying, that the patients died because the doctors refused to save them. (Harris, 1975) These situations always happen in reality; everyone will make decisions and make some judgments following the common sense. But supposing that patients Y and Z own a chance to argue for their lives, they insist that the doctor should kill another healthy people to get the new organs for them. Although obviously that breaks the law, it is really a reasonable account in the side of the patients. They point out that if just one healthy person were to be killed his organs could be removed and both of them be saved. We and the doctors would probably be alike in thinking that such a step, while technically possible, would be out the question. (Harris, 1975) In the whole process, all of the steps seem to be justifiable. But we can find the contradiction in the difference between killing and letting die. The analysis of this case from the view of utilitarianism There are three core ideas in the theory of utilitarianism; the first one is the consequentialism. According to this first core idea, consequences are the unique standard to determine whether the activities are right or wrong. Therefore, killing people will become an action can be considered for the correct reason. There are a great many people believe that whether an action is right or wrong depends upon its consequences. So what makes something like killing another person wrong is that it is an act with a very bad consequence. (Driver, 2006) Back to the case of those two patients, the doctor killing a healthy people for the reason to save another two persons. The purpose of killing is to save life, so that the action of killing people is totally right and necessary. And in the view of utilitarianism, it suggests that we should do the things to purchase the best consequence which will have the best effects for the most people in the collectivity. Following this logic, doctor should and must kill the third the one to maintain the lives of his two patients because the number of two is greater than one. Saving two lives is meaningful to lead a good consequence, and killing one people to save another two is worthy. On the other hand, the principle of utility from the view of Bentham is also the basic of the theory utilitarianism. And both law and the individuals actions should be scrutinized according to this principle. By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves of every action whatever, according to the tendency which it appears to have augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question; orà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to promote or to oppose that happiness. (Driver, 2006) As the result, happiness or pleasure is the basic good in this theory, and it is also the intrinsic value; but what has intrinsic disvalue is pain-that is the basic bad. (Driver, 2006) And according the view from Bentham, the pleasure or happiness can be measured along with the following parameters: Purity (how much pain is accompanied by it); Intensity (degree of pleasure); Duration (how long it will last); Fruitfulness (ability to produce further pleasure); Likelihood of any act to produce it (probability of an actions bringing about the expected consequence.) (Driver, 2006) Back to the two patients case again, using the elements to calculate that whether it will lead to a pleasure or a pain. Purity Intensity: although one life will be lose in the process to save the two patients, but the pleasure of the two patients alive is great than the pain to lost one life. Whats more, saving the two lives, their lives will be extended by sacrificing the other one, and they can create more happiness and pleasure in the rest of lives, which is what they expect. Therefore the other elements are totally matched. Under the logic of utilitarianism, a doctor killing a healthy and innocent people to save his patients is the action can be calculated to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people and avoid the pain. We can treat this case happened in a society which just has four persons-the two patients, the doctor as well as the healthy and innocent people. However this situation can be extended to the real society. Support that the whole society is a big machine which was consisted of many different components. Once some components were destroyed, and sacrificed the other one can fix these problems, we should absolutely abandon this one to maintain the whole. That is the reason in the utilitarianism to scarify the minority to achieve the majoritys happiness or pleasure. That will also construct a good society as Bentham described. A good society is constructed according to the logic of utilitarianism The definition of a good society Human being always consider to build a good society in which each people can perform his/her strengths in a professional scope; and then the society will be developed and consolidated in a high degree cooperation. For instance, a man who has talent in learning and running, but his ability of learning is better than running, while he like running more than learning. As the result, in order to make the best effect to the society and earn the most for him, this man should stay in university to be a professor rather than take part in the Olympic Game to be an athlete. From the view of utilitarianism, that is the most efficient and effective way to fulfill the aim to build a good society. Because everyone in the society will have their own talent, as long as people can be in a status which is match with their strengths, that will make the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Otherwise, live in the circumstance like that; people can earn their most happiness or pleasure. Back to the choice of that man, if he prefers an athlete to a professor, that will diminish the positive effect to the society and go against the principle of utility. But there may be a contradiction between the individuals strength and the personal choice. Maybe someones favorites are not the things which he is good at. That is a dilemma for us-whether to choose the favorite or the strength? Following the logic of Utilitarianism, we should choose to develop in the scope of our strength rather than our favorite, because that will contribute to the collectivity, and construct a good society. The human being living in such a society Living in such a good society, everyone will have their own status, just like a component working in a big machine. Although it will make the machine work smoothly, it also makes the component lose its existence value. Because when there are some new or more valuable components appear, or other parts have some problems which need the component to scarify to fix, this single one will be put away. That will be ok in a machine, but talking about the reality, it will produce lots of social problems. Also use that man as an example; he is good at learning and running, and he should choose to be a professor because he is more talent in learning than running. In order to make the society gain the maximum happiness, he have to spent all his time in learning but not any other things. This is acceptable in Utilitarianism, as well as the view from consequentialism. Although it will lead to a good consequence, the individual engage in it will become a component working in the big machine which represents the collectivity, and lose his personality, but just passively contribute himself. Give an example about that, the man spent his life to study and finally became a professor to make a greatest happiness for the collectivity, but he know nothing except learning. If he is replaced by others or there is no need of professors for the further development, this man will be abandoned because of the principle of utility. Whats more, though this mans favorite is running, but for the purpose to achieve the aim of a good society, he have to choose to learn as his life career. And that is the individuals cost for the good society. But we have to ask whether that is the unique definition of a good society? And whether there must be a contradiction between a good society and personal choice as well as individual development? Personal happiness in the view of individuality from Chuang Tzu Relative happiness and absolute happiness According to Chuang Tzus theory about individuality, happiness can be divided into two different concepts; the first one is relative happiness while the other one is absolute happiness. Relative happiness will come true when someone follows ones nature which is various from different individuals. This happiness is non-controllable because it depends on the circumstance which including nature environment as well as human condition. Therefore, each ones happiness is unique, no one should impose his or her likes and dislikes on others. Happiness is relative to the nature of each being: what may be happiness for the marquis is not the necessarily happiness for a bird; what is happiness for the duck is not happiness for the crane. (Imamichi, Wong, Liu, 1998) However there are many ways in which freedom can be obstructed, for the reason that ones happiness is not always within ones own control. On the other hand, although the relative happiness is out of individuals control, human being can also pursue the absolute happiness. The general conditions to achieve this goal is that we have proper understanding of the nature of things as well as unaffected by external things or changes as it not dependent upon them. In a word, that required us to follow the nature, but identify the nature firstly. There is another line of Taoist thought, however, which emphasizes the relativity of the nature of things and the identification of man with the universe. To achieve this identification, man needs knowledge and understanding of still a higher level, and the happiness resulting from this identification is really absolute happiness. (Fung, 1960) According to Chuang Tzu, there are two ways to achieve the absolute happiness, that is the forget(à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‹Å") and understand(à ¥Ã…’-), and that is also the attitude to the outside world. This attitude insists the external factors are not regarded as significant. As a result we will not be affected by the changes of the world. Furthermore, changes, good or bad from the outside society are accepted as part of the natural course of development, so that the individual activities and happiness will not and should not be affected by the outside society. He is absolutely happy, because he transcends the ordinary distinctions of things. He also transcends the distinction between the self and the world, the me and the non-me. Therefore he has no self.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦He may rule the whole world, but his rule consists of just leaving mankind alone, and letting everyone exercise his own natural ability fully and freely. (Fung, 1960) In conclusion, Chuang Tzus theory insists that happiness is totally an individual business. If someones happiness has to depend on something, thats just a relative happiness, because this man cannot control or change his own relative happiness. However, in a society, everything is related with the nature development, therefore, the absolute happiness just can come true in the condition of staying alone and living far away from the collectivity. A contradiction or a combination There is an obvious diversity between the ideas in Utilitarianism and Chuang Tzu. The theory of Utilitarianism focuses on the collective happiness which can be extended to the individual scope. While according to the view from Chuang Tzu, individual happiness will be achieved by personal choose, but no related with the collective happiness and the outside world changing. Use the man talented in learning and running to explain the difference between these two theories. On the basis of Utilitarianism, even this man prefer running to learning, he still should choose to learn to be a professor for the reason that this will make the a greatest happiness for the whole society. But it ignores his individual happiness. Besides, according to the principle from Chuang Tzu, this man should prefer to be an athlete because of his talent and interested. Even his choice will make less happiness for the society than to be a professor; he should persist in it as usual. Because no matter the society become good or bad is the nature development for individual, this should not and cannot be influenced by the personal choice, ever worse to scarify the personal happiness to satisfy the social development. The theory of Utilitarianism treats the individual happiness and the collective happiness is completely a contradiction, and requires one to scarify itself to realize the other one. But from the points of Chuang Tzu, actually there is no relationship between individual and collectivity; individual person should be loyal to his or her interest and happiness and let alone the social development which is just the nature course. The first theory treats the individual happiness and collective happiness is entirety. But the collective happiness should be put on a more important status, and the individual persons living in it is just in the status to cooperate and service for the whole society. There is a separation in the process, once there is an interest conflict between them; the individual will be given up for certain. And that is the opposing view from Chuang Tzu; individual person and collectivity is totally different and irrelevant. Although this theory gives a specific definition about the individual happiness, it makes them separate from the whole society. And there is some objective voice for this theory. If an individual person lives outside the society, he or she will lose his or her social connection and social function. That makes the individual person cannot achieve his or her happiness without a specific social circumstances. Therefore, no matter describing these two kinds of happiness as a contradiction or treating them as two independent units, there is an alternative. But there is no original contradiction between two of them, the combination of them should be an appropriate way to be consider and achieve the win-win outcome. Conclusion Happiness cannot be calculated by adding the number of lives Happiness is the consequence what human being pursues for; but there is no a specific definition of happiness. In the case of those two patients, happiness means a greater number of lives and longer lives. As the result, it is worthy to sacrifice another one to save their lives. But that will bring out another problem. If these two patients are old people, even a successful organ transplant surgery can just give them a few years of life. And unfortunately, the doctor killed a young people to gain his organs. Whether it is still a happy ending of this case? It might of course be objected that it is likely that more old people will need transplants to prolong their lives than will the young, and so the scheme would inevitably lead to a society dominated by the old. (Harris, 1975) In the situation like that, the formula of happiness is not feasible. Although a greater number of lives will remain, there is another problem come along come with itwhether the number of lives will equal to the value which these lives can create? Does the productivity of elderly people correspond to the younger people? Obviously, human being cannot be measured by the value they create. No matter the number of life or the value of life can not represent the greatest happiness which the theory of Utilitarianism talking about. Because each people in the society are unique, the value of this life is incomparable. As the result, the happiness cannot be measured by the number of lives in a society. The freedom to choose constitutes a part of human happiness, which will in turn help construct a happy society. The freedom to choose is a part of personality as well as a part of individual happiness. In the case of those two patients, both the doctor and the innocent have no choice because of saving the two dying patients. That is the same with the talented man. Superficially the man has free choices, but under the requirement of a greatest happiness, actually this man can just choose to be a professor to create the most goods for the society. In a word, that is no choice. According to the view of the Chuang Tzu, the freedom of individual people should be protected because that did not relate to any other one or the outside world which is considered the nature course of development. Although both of the ideas from these two theories seem too extreme, they also can give us a concept about collective happiness and individual happiness. Thinking too much about the collective interest and happiness will make the individual lose their freedom to choose. This will construct a society in which the individual people have to shoulder a heavy burden, because he or she cannot freely plan his or her life, but have to follow the social demand. Or the people living in such a society will be the next one to be victims to sacrifice for the collective happiness that will make individual people live in a nervous circumstance. In addition, individual happiness cannot be achieved without interacting with others in the society. Because only in the society and the relationship among people can create the circumstance for the people to plan their lives and fulfill the individual happiness. There is no conflict between the individual happiness and the collective happiness The individual happiness and the collective happiness are closed connected; each of them cannot be come true without the other one. In general idea, a collective happiness is represented by the amount of wealthy and the quality of peoples life. But that is just one elements of happiness, the other one as well as the more significant one is the freedom choice of the individual person. Although the freedom choice of person may not maintain the wealthy of the whole society, it will guarantee the quality of life which has divers understanding of different people. Also using the talented man as an instance, if this man has the freedom to choose what he really wants but not to follow the demand of the society, this will lead him to reach the maximum individual happiness. If this man chooses to be an athlete and join in the Olympic Game, maybe he can never be a champion, but the process to achieve this dream is the greatest happiness for this man. Whats more, that is also the process to constitute the collective happiness. In a word, the freedom to choose and fulfill individual happiness can also construct a happiness society. The happiness here is so different from the general happiness. This happiness cannot be calculated by the number of lives and the amount of social wealthy, but was accumulated by the individual happiness. And that is also the most stable and developed happiness both to collectivity and individuality.

Administrative Management Theory Essay -- essays research papers

Our group project is on Henri Fayol’s â€Å"Administrative Management Theory†. As a group member I took on a task of researching his theory. Henri Fayol began his career as a junior Engineer in French Mining Company. His key work was â€Å"Administration Industrielle et Generale† which he published in 1916 ad later o pulished in Eglish I 1949. The administrative theory "emphasized management functions and attempted to generate broad administrative principles that would serve as guidelines for the rationalization of organizational activities" (Scott p. 36). Fayol played a main role in the turn-of-the-century Classical School of management theory. Fayol believed that techniques of effective management could be defined and taught and that managerial organization hold as much importance as management as workers organization. He was the first to identify functions of management. The five functions of managers, according to Fayol were plan, organize, command, coordinate, and control. Planning is the act of anticipating the future and acting on it. â€Å"Planning reduces uncertainty by forcing managers to look ahead, anticipate change, consider the impact of change and develop appropriate responses.† (Robbins, 2000, p.247) Organization is the development of the institution's resources, including material and human. Commanding is keeping the institution’s actions and processes running. Co-ordination is the alignment and harmonization of the groups’ efforts. Finally, control means that t...

Tylenol Essay -- Health, Pain

Acetaminophen is a popular and powerful analgesic that is available over the counter and use worldwide, but is not widely used everywhere in the world. (1) It has been shown to temporally relieve aches, pain associated with common issues such as headache, toothaches, cramps, etc. (1) Acetaminophen can also be used to reduce fever. It has analgesic and antipyretic effects that are very similar to that of aspirin but it lacks the anti-inflammatory effects. (1) The following will explain the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and molecular toxicity of acetaminophen. Pharmacokinetics is the study of how a drug is processed in the body by examining absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. Pharmacodynamics is the mechanism of the drug at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels in the body. Molecular toxicology is the study of genetic molecules susceptible to external drugs, poisons, pollutants and their interaction with biological systems at a molecular level. For an adult (age 13 and older who are at least 110lbs) the recommended oral dose is 325-1000mg, for a rectal dose it is 650mg, and the total daily dose should not exceed 4000mg.(1) For children, depending on their age and weight, the recommended dose is 40-480mg with no more than 5 doses being administered in one day. (2) For intravenous dosing is very similar to oral dose. The standard recommended intravenous dose is either 1000 mg every six hours or 650 mg every four hours and again no more than 4000mg in 24 hours. (2) Acetaminophen can be administered orally, rectally, or intravenously. Orally acetaminophen is available in tablets/capsules (extended release and regular), chewable tablets, oral granules, and liquid suspensions. Rectally it is adm... ...sired result. This can be viewed by the dose response curve the any drug. Yet, currently there is no dose response curve for acetaminophen in existence for humans and because of this we have been unable to optimize patient therapy without the fear of overdose. (4) In recommended therapeutic doses the drug is tolerated well.(2) Single or repeated doses of acetaminophen do not have any effects on system like the cardiovascular or respiratory. It does not produce gastric irritation or bleeding which may be typical for this type of analgesic. (2) It also has no effect on platelets of uric acid excretion.(2) One may experience skin rashes or have an allergic reaction but that is rare.(2) By looking at the pharmacokinetics is it very easy to overdose or tox out from acetaminophen because the binding potential of the drug is so low and the range of distribution is high.

Global Warming And International Impact Essay

Impact on Africa: o Africa has been predicted as most vulnerable continent to climate change and variability due to multiple stresses and low adoptive capability. o Due to climate change, by 2020, about 250 million people are estimated to be affected by water stress. o Due to global warming, there is a likely a sharp decline in the manufacture of agricultural products in Africa. o There is possibility of submerging of low lying areas with large population due to global warming by the turn of the 21st century. ASIA: †¢ In the next two to three decades, there is likelihood of melting of glaziers in Himalayas which would affect the water resources drastically. †¢ Due to global warming, it is estimated that there will be water scarcity in Asia. †¢ It is anticipated that there will be death due to diarrheal disease due to droughts and floods. Australia and New Zealand: ? Water scarcity is anticipated by 2030. ? Loss of biodiversity is expected especially in Queensland Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef. . 17. ANTHROPOCENTRISM: Anthropocentrism is a concept which is concerned with preservation of a sustainable, vigorous environment which is essential for enduring happiness of human beings. It also demands that one has to foster a fortified, enriched anthropocentric idea of human interest to replace the main sectional, short-term and self-regarding notions. Further, it has been identified that anthropocentrism is the root cause of human overpopulation, ecological crisis and disappearance of many non-human genus what we term these in single phrase as ‘global warming’. As an anthropocentrist, I will struggle for protecting this universe from global warming as a precaution to save the mother earth from impending dangers of global warming. DEEP ECOLOGY: Likewise, deep ecology is an extension of ecological philosophy which values humanity as a fundamental element of environment. Deep ecology puts great emphasis on ecosystem, non-human species and processes in nature than conventional green and environmental movements. Deep ecology concept stresses that living environment all together like humanity has the same privilege to habitat and flourish. Deep ecology dissuades utilitarian environmentalism. As an environmental ethic, I will blend both the aesthetic and individualistic notions to safe guard the environment as there is no universe without clean environment. ECOLOGY EXTENSION: Enacting legislation to protect the environment is not at all sufficient. It is necessary to promote environmental ethics mainly through learning process. Thus, enactment of environmental law and promotion and learning of environmental ethics should go side by side. Environmental ethics will help one to uncalculated by learning process concerning reflection upon activist’s part in the environment. An Environmental extension will involve not only the development of a formal knowledge of one’s environment and their probable effects thereby establishing the basis. Ecological extension stresses significance on the awareness of the fundamental interdependence of all biological and non-biological forms and their fundamental diversity . Thus, ecological extension is nothing but a scientific manifestation of the natural world. Ecological extension stresses for the inherent value innate in total ecological entities like global environment or ecosystem in totality . Under ecological extension, the Earth has been described as a holistic, unified entity with ethical value of which the humanity is of specific importance in the years to come. .In my personal ethic capacity, I will blend both aesthetic and individualist ethical approach to see that environment is safeguarded as that of humanity thereby extending at par treatment to environment with that of humanity . Further , as an Environment citizen , I would strive hard to protect both humanity and non-human forms as I know well non-human forms is the part and parcel of our environment. LIBERTARIAN EXTENSION It is a political viewpoint accentuating the rights of individual. The principle of libertinism pressurizes the privilege to self-ownership and by extension, the privilege to private ownership of property and materials. Under libertarianism, supporters discourage any shape of taxation and support in favor of laissez-fair economic system. Under, Libertarian extension, a civil liberty advance is pursued. It denotes a promise to extend same rights to all members of the society. 18. CONCLUSION: It is true that disastrous global warming is hypothetically possible, such an end depends critically upon a numerous assumptions contained in computer climate models. These suppositions, taken together, symbolize faith on the part of many climate modelers that the climate system is delicate, and very responsive to small disturbances, mainly our production of carbon dioxide, relatively a negligible atmospheric greenhouse gas. I have commented that there is enough reason to have faith that the climate system is relatively numb to a doubling of carbon dioxide, which is anticipated to happen later in this century. But even if projections of strong global warming are accurate, it is not clear how to shun this contingency from a policy point of perspective. Inexpensive or alternate cheap energy is need of the hour for human well being and health. Penalizing the use of energy through taxation or caps will be ostracized and rather unproductive. To me, technological answers to the predicament appear to be the only long-term choice. Since only rich countries of the world can pay for the R&D to bring this about, it could be harmful to find those solutions by punishing economies with taxes and carbon caps. According to me, the International community should undertake following Preventive measures: It is suggested that energy efficiency standards have to be increased. Further, the use of renewable energy sources like wind, solar shall have to be encouraged by extending fiscal incentives like tax holidays etc. I strongly feel that development, protection and restoring of forests, which act as significant storehouses of carbon is to be pursued on war front stage. Thus, if the above steps are not introduced, we may loose many countries of the world to the swelling ocean waters. References Global Warming. (2007). In The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed. ). New York: Columbia University Press. Imagine No Restrictions on Fossil-Fuel Usage and No Global Warming!. (2002). Journal of Environmental Health, 65(4), 32+.

A million dollars or a knighthood: what would you choose and why?

I hardly hesitated for a second before deciding my answer to this question. I would choose the money every time. Not that I am a particularly greedy person or that I don’t appreciate the ability of a title to ensure a decent table in a restaurant or a better seat on a plane. But the latter only works if the other person is impressed by a title.Money is much more versatile. And it grows. With the proper advice and investments I could not only meet my own needs, but I could make even more money and so be able to help a wider number of good causes.Even if all I did was invest the money in a luxurious house I would be helping others because of the number of people involved – lawyers, estate agents, builders, garden designers etc.All this isn’t what I’d really do though. I would buy a mobile home and travel first before deciding where to settle. I would be able to do something really useful such as fund a new well in a remote village or buy animals and seeds fo r a third world agricultural project.   Many charities have a titled person as a sponsor, just because, in some cases at least, they think that a title on the headed notepaper will impress. I am still to be convinced.And if I wanted status I could always use a little of the money to buy an ancient title such as the ones advertised on the web site Noble Titles Their prices start from only  £2,000 and I would by far above any Sir and still have plenty of money in my pocket.Titles do not pay bills, not do they fill larders, ensure commonsense or anything else really worthwhile, though I do admit that money does not quite do all of those. The title Sir was often bestowed by a grateful sovereign on some brave hero. I am just not that brave and will settle for the money. Where do I sign?

Coal industry of pakistan Essay

Pakistan has a very large coal reserve base only Thar coal can be used to make 40,000 MW of Electricity for the next 100 years. Regional powers like China are very much interested in the project and are willing to pour billions of dollars in these projects if the Govt. of Pakistan issues sovereign guarantee. Sector will essentially contribute to the wiping out of the difference in the electricity shortage. It would stabilise the economy as oil imports are going to decrease which contribute to $8 Billion of our imports. Coal can be exported to countries around the world. Many countries are shifting to coal as means of energy and this raises export opportunity for the coal exports too. The labour cost in the mining industry is very low as compared to other parts of the world and essentially have higher profit margins. The Tax rate is nil during exploration, mine construction and extraction phase. WEAKNESSES Serious lack of infrastructure facilities Many government restrictive policies and not much help provided by the government. Government not fulfilling there contracts. There is no consistency in Government policy. Low quality coal available mostly Too much capital required to extract the coal. Thermal energy would mean more pollution OPPORTUNITIES Expansion of energy base of Pakistan Expansion of export base and reduction of oil imports. Opportunity to boost lagging industries. Growing demand of Coal THREATS Foreign involvement which might restrict local development Restrictive policies and red tapism by government Control of reserves by only a few major players Oil Lobby being a very strong force in Pakistan. Problem faced by this Industry Lack of safety and security Pakistan’s image and political situation is a deterrent to investment Pakistan’s image and political situation is a deterrent to investment The industry sustained a stab back in the recent years. Lack of knowledge of the mineral potential. Lack of Labour Safety. Lack of Government vision. Development expenditure being used for crisis management purposes. The industry relies on the findings of the PCSIR laboratories.PCSIR labs do not possess the necessary tools and equipments for refinement of minerals. Not a convenient supply of coal and at times they have to revert to oil and gas for there production mostly the cement companies. Recommendation for the industry There has to be innovation in the sort of mining techniques being adopted in Pakistan. Adoption of modern exploration techniques like photo geology, satellite imaging, Underground Gasification can be useful for the industry. Information regarding coal reserves, grades and annual production must be maintained for the information of investors that may guide their future programme and work. And it must be easily available on Government portal. Mineral development fund to be created & spent by outsourcing the infrastructure programmes to private organizations. Allocation of funds from World Bank for mineral sector programmes. Due representation to be given to all the stakeholders from mineral sector i.e. laborers, Investors e.t.c. In order to for people to be interested in the mining sector, government has to provide facilities for the workers and management near to the mining facilities. Improve the efficiency of the emergency rescuers in case of an accident in a mine. Participate in international minerals exhibitions and fairs for creating awareness of Pakistan’s mineral potential to foreign investor. This would also built the Image of Pakistan. In most of the mining camps basic facilities of roads and other basic infrastructure facilities have not been provided. As a result the mine to market accessibility is very low and also increases the cost of mining. More degrees relating to the mining industry should be started as there are only 3 till date in Pakistan A separate board for mining be made involving technocrats. Train & improve capacity of all persons in minerals managements. Establish mini power plants on coal in the mining areas. Provide in service training to technical staff i.e. laborers. Establish machinery-pool to extend services on cost effective basis Provide soft loans in the mining Industry.

Educational Failure Essay

â€Å"Every year, over 1. 2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That’s a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day† (Thornbergh). Why this happening and more importantly, what is being done to solve this problem? Because of boring classes, too much freedom, and just a lack of motivation, students nationwide are dropping out of school, and are starting on the path of minimum wage and regret. Schools are trying to resolve this issue by giving the support students the help they need, and giving them alternatives to traditional schooling. †¦nearly 1 out of 3 public high school students won’t graduate†(Thornbergh). That’s one third of today’s youths. That’s one out of three people that won’t go to college. That’s one of three people that won’t know the rewarding feeling of getting a diploma. But what’s wrong with this one third that isn’t wrong with the other two thirds? Some say it’s because if society, others say it’s because of schools. Really only half of the problem lies with schools. There are only a small percentage of dropouts that feel that they could never meet the criteria that the school demanded. Unfortunately, many students are not given the extra support they need to make a successful transition to high school and are lost in ninth grade†(Galesic 317). Most others aren’t engaged in school. â€Å"Boredom and disengagement are two key reasons students stop attending class and wind up dropping out of school†(Furger). â€Å"Fully 88% said they had passing grades in high school. When asked to name the reasons they had left school, more respondents named boredom than struggles with course work†(Thornbergh). With this combination, schools become what many students feel to be a waste of time. When schools get this reputation, they become what is known as dropout factories. â€Å"Approximately two thousand high schools (about 12 percent), known as the nation’ lowest performing high schools, produce nearly half of the nation‘s dropouts. In these schools, the number of seniors enrolled is routinely 60 percent or less than the number of freshmen three years earlier† (Galesic 314). Although schools have some blame for the problem at hand, the other half of the problem has origins that the schools can’t control, and that is society and family. Students don’t only have to deal with their school work, but also their peers and life at home. This can be stressful time for students, and, because of this stress, students’ grades may suffer. Even though a student’s grades are low, their parents might not know, or even care. Many parents just don’t pay any attention to their child’s grades. The shocking thing is that only fifty-one percent of parents somewhat knew that their child had low grades; the other percentages range anywhere from kind of knowing to almost not knowing at all. Even though dropping out doesn’t sound too bad, a person is branding themselves a quitter. Once a person drops out, there’s no going back. Sure, a person could get a GED, but, that still doesn’t hold the same weight as a diploma. Dropping out of schools will affect a person their entire life. â€Å"Even a GED is not sufficient for a job here anymore (Thornbergh). † There is no replacement for a diploma. The path of minimum wage and unemployment starts with dropping out. Only forty five percent of High school dropouts are able to find employment. Compared to the sixty eight percent that graduated, that’s a very low number in today’s economic state. Even if a drop out can be that forty five present that is employed, their annual earnings ($8,358) are only little more than half the earning of a High school Graduate ($14,601)(Sum, Ishwar, McLaughlin). Dropping out does not only affect the person who dropped out but also everyone around them. In today’s world, the efforts one person really affects everything around them. People often say, do as your told ;not as they do. That seems easy right? Well, when it comes to drop out, that’s not the case. Students are more likely to drop out if their parents did. When they drop out, their children are also more likely to drop out; leading through a vicious cycle of drop outs. Family isn’t the only thing affected by drop outs (Bridgeland, DiIulio, Morison). Over their working lives, the average high school dropout will have a negative net fiscal contribution to society of nearly -$5,200 while the average high school graduate generates a positive lifetime net fiscal contribution of $287,000. The average high school dropout will cost taxpayers over $292,000 in lower tax revenues, higher cash and in-kind transfer costs, and imposed incarceration costs relative to an average high school graduate. Adult dropouts in the U. S. in recent years have been a major fiscal burden to the rest of society. Given the current and projected deficits of the federal government, the fiscal burden of supporting dropouts and their families is no longer sustainable. ;(Sum, Ishwar, McLaughlin) Supporting dropouts and their families in no longer doable. So, what is actually being done to help students succeed in school and ultimately success in life? One solution that can has come into play in resent years in is alternative to traditional education such as viral schools and credits labs. They consist of virtual schools and programs that help students get back on track to graduating. With these They offer the help and support students need with out the social problems that traditional classes have such as labels, race, and learning disabilities. In doing so, theses alternatives are also adjusting learning to a more personal level. Education no longer has to be for the whole, but only for the small part that is the individual student. â€Å"Districts throughout the country are working to personalize learning by creating small schools or reorganizing large schools into small learning communities, as part of their strategy for reducing the dropout rate†(Furger). These individual students can now get more help and understanding then they would ever get in a traditional class room. Another Solution to this epidemic is stricter rules for schooling. Schools are not only making it harder to drop out, but also, raising the academic bar for students. Some students just quit because its acceptable , while others quit just because they’re board in schools. It would be no long acceptable to just quit if there are stricter penalties, right? Some states are making it so students can’t quit at an easily age. â€Å"Students who drop out before age 18 could have their driver’s license suspended or their work permit revoked unless their decision was first approved by a school or judge†(Thornbergh). But the problem doesn’t only lie with it just being acceptable, but also boredom. â€Å"Higher expectations and more challenging curriculum, coupled with the support students need to be successful, have proven to be an effective strategy not only for increasing graduation rates, but also for preparing students to graduate from high school with options†(Furger). The last and most research backed cure for this epidemic is early education. â€Å"Every month, new studies in neuroscience and psychology provide insights and warnings about how much of a person’s capacity for learning is shaped from birth to age 8. Young children need to experience rich language interactions with teachers, parents, and other adults who read to them, ask questions of them, and encourage their exploration of myriad subjects†(Guernsey Mead). Many students quit school because they are failing. â€Å"Preschool, they argue, is an early investment in youth that yields significant economic results later on. In their review of the research on preschool models in California and elsewhere, the authors found that one preschool program increased high school graduation rates by 11 percent, and another by 19 percent. Furger) â€Å"We need a much broader and deeper transformation of the educational system that starts, if parents choose, when children are as young as three years old and continues through the first few grades of elementary school. Early childhood does not stop at kindergarten; it extends through age eight, because children are still learning foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, social competence, and problem solving, they are more likely to retain them. (Guernsey, Mead) Because of boring classes, too much freedom, and just a lack of motivation, students nationwide are dropping out of school, and staring on the path of minimum wage and regret. Schools are trying to resolve this by giving the support students need and giving them alternatives to traditional schooling. In the time it took to read this, at least one student has dropped out. This needs to stop. Make a difference in one student’s life by helping the cause of helping students stay in school.