Little Signs of Passion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Little Signs of Passion - Essay Example One of the stylistic devices used in Little signs of passion is the mismatch of text with the images. In a single panel where the text is supposed to inform the context of the images Spiegelman intentionally creates a disconnect between the two. Spiegelman has constructed Little signs of passion as a collage of contexts within panels. The collection of collages is made to produce a confused and broken register by collapsing it inwards. Spiegelman destabilizes the chronology, timeline, and narrative voice in a manner that creates incoherence. Further, Spiegelman creates a discordant and amplified register in order to distort the slapstick tumble format. It is also clear that Spiegelman’s work is preoccupied with the themes of depression and madness, but using a postmodern approach. Spiegelman has intentionally distorted the formal unity and coherence of the narrative in many ways. One of the ways that Spiegelman does this is the use of off-beat word-picture combination with a touch of disturbing images creates an agonizingly slow pace of transition for the reader and Spiegelman crowns all this with the aura of impending terror. Spiegelman further uses modern thematic to introduce some underlying terror which is barely expressed. The use of formal play in Little signs of passion distorts the format of jokes so that they become difficult to decipher, and they tend to resist interpretation. In Little signs of passion, amplification is achieved through diegetic development. The narrative of Foul Bernie leaving a pornographic film is played in over thirty panels with later versions of the narrative including other characters such as Roxie and Augie to give Foul Bernie an opportunity to deliver an anecdote before tripping.

Adaptive Strategy and Business Sustainability Essay

Adaptive Strategy and Business Sustainability - Essay Example The changes in the environmental conditions necessitate changes in the strategies made. The adaptability to the environment changes is essential for the stability of the operations. The environment or the environmental changes provide opportunities as well as pose threats. The opportunities and the threats are analyzed in relation to the strengths and weaknesses in the system and organization. The key features of the Burgelman’s 3 stage model deals with the adaptive strategies which are useful in understanding the process and dynamics associated with the strategic decision making in an increasingly fast paced business environments. The ANZ Banking Group Limited is a leading company in banking and financial service sector in Australia and New Zeeland. To lend focus to the study, we have considered all the recent major developments in the operations of the company in relation to application of the conceptual framework. The main arguments are related to application of technology in the business and expansion activities of the company which have direct impact on the growth. Based on the analysis and assessment, conclusion is arrived at as to how successful the organization has been in decision making by applying the conceptual frameworks associated with induced and autonomous strategy and other features of the model. Failure to adapt to the developments in the technological front in the initial stages has been rectified through strategic management decisions later. However, its expansion strategy is not in the right direction and needs to be reoriented. Based on the analysis, it is recommended that the expansion activities should not be restricted to a particular region by stating reasons for the proposal. The company’s expansion strategy focusing mainly on Asian countries needs to be revisited as it should be on global basis. Adaptive Strategy and Business Sustainability – A Report on Rational and Adaptive Strategy Table of Contents Introducti on 3 Burgelman’s Strategy Dynamics Model 4 Economic environment 5 Technological innovations 7 Introduction of new products and services 9 Customer relationship Management 10 Political and Social environment 10 Human Resources Development 11 Stakeholders’ interest 12 Other factors 13 Leadership qualities 14 Culture of the organization 14 Corporate social responsibility 14 Adaptive strategies 15 Latest developments and growth 16 Managerial discretion 18 Internal control 19 Conclusion 19 Recommendations 20 References 22 Appendices Appendix – I 25 Introduction Strategic decision making is complex in nature and there are several environmental factors required to be taken into account in the formal decision making process. In the framework called as evolutionary organization theory, decision making towards adaptive strategy relevant to stakeholders, requires the conceptual understanding of the environmental changes that are continuously taking place. This enables the management to evolve conceptual framework incorporating autonomous initiatives and other relevant features for applying an appropriate model. Strategic planning in any setup is a dynamic process and it is susceptible to alterations or modifications in tune with the environmental factors which could be internal or external.    â€Å"While process research proliferated into a diverse field, its founding concern was to confront the rational actor model or choice perspective, with a more collective and socialized view of strategy making† (Schmid et al, 2010, p. 146) The strategies of adaptability for operations in tune with the changing conditions in the environment give stability to the enterprise. In this paper the application of strategy,

Employment And Gender Equity Sociology Essay

Employment And Gender Equity Sociology Essay Introduction: Although there is a significant progress that has been achieved to gender equality in the labor market over recent decades and women are moving steadily into occupations that have been reserved for men and have managed to overcome the institutional discrimination that prevents them from certain jobs that hinders their career development, but there are many obstacles remain and rooted in the way that the work itself is organized or in the challenges that face women who try to reconcile work and family commitments or for cultural and religious reasons that have social / cultural and anthropological aspects. Women are still concentrated in the most unsteady forms of work and still far reaching from getting equal working opportunities, facing the phenomenon of glass ceiling which hinders them to get into high positions. Women worldwide have achieved higher levels of education than ever before and represent more than 35% of the global workforce in 2007  [1]  . The majority of top management positions in almost all countries are primarily held by men while female managers are holding lower management positions with less authority than men. It is something goes beyond just sex differences. Although women in general may be less emphasis on career success than men, but there are considerable huge number of professional women seeking top management positions and are unable to get them. Women seeking top managerial positions levels face large amount of challenges and may require different skills to be successful in the work place than their male counterparts. The causes are varies depending upon the size of the organization, level of management, and requisite job duties. Gender mainstreaming has been defined  [2]  as a process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programs, in any area and at all levels. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well as of men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic and societal spheres, so that women and men benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal of mainstreaming is to achieve gender equality. Gender mainstreaming is a synthesizing concept that addresses the well being of women and men. It is a strategy that is central to the interests of the whole community. Although men and women are entering the labor force in equal numbers and qualifications, but the majority of top management positions still belong to men, and women share of management positions remains unacceptably low. Perception of Gender Roles: In 1960s-1970s, liberation movement has helped in changing the public perception of traditional gender roles. The introduction of the Equal Employment Organization, Affirmative Action, and Discrimination Laws helped shape public awareness. Although economic roles between men and women have become more similar over time, sex differences are still prevalent and tensions still exist in the workplace. In the United States in 2003, the most significant difference between men and women in the workforce is between Hispanic men and women 76% to 56% and the lowest difference is between black men and women (only 6% difference)  [3]  . There is a huge amount of theories explaining why sex differences exist, but most can be categorized in supporting either a nature or nurture theory. Those that support biological factors argue that people behave as they do because they are biologically male or female. Those that support the nurture approach view social-environmental factors as influencing be havior and believe that biological sex has very little to do with how people behave. What comprise sex discrimination? Article 11 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), states that appropriate measures should be taken to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment in order to ensure, on the basis of equality of men and women. The US Civil Right Act of 1964 provides strong protections against sex discrimination  [4]  . In modern societies, skilled women have the power, right and ability to compete with every field engaged with men including, employment, athletics, academics and politics without sex discrimination. Unfortunately, there is a fundamental nature all around the world to keep womens salaries lower and opportunities fewer in the employment realm. Less common, men too can be subjected to unlawful sex discrimination regardless the shape and form it takes. Unequal pay and discriminatory job standards on the basis of sex discrimination are prohibited by law. Unequal treatment on the basis of sex is the core of sex discrimination. Se parate rest rooms, does not constitute sex discrimination, but it is sex discrimination to provide different working conditions, salaries, hiring, promotion or bonus criteria to women and men. Everyone, men and women has the right to secure and perform their jobs free of unwanted demands for romantic or sexual relationships, or unwanted communications or behaviors of a sexual nature that interfere with their ability to work. Another form of unlawful discrimination is the workplace harassment. It is not enough for employers to offer his women and men employee equal pay and opportunities; they must also remedy any sexual harassment situations that are known such as: Harassment of lower-tier employees by a manager or executive of lower position. Sexual harassment among coworkers. Harassment involves unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Make sexual conduct a condition or term of employment, to base employment decisions on such conduct, or to permit sexual conduct that unreasonably interferes with an employees work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. Offensive or rude comments, unwanted touching, displays of sexual objects or photographs, or offensive cartoons or drawings may constitute sexual harassment when they interfere with an individuals work performance. Is there a real limitation on women employment capabilities? The role of men and women in the society is clearly segregated. This division of role is part of division of labor. Unfortunately the nature of division of labor between men and women became too firm and continued to persist when it was no longer appropriate. The initial division of labor between men and women was primarily influenced by the child bearing role of women and their lower average of their physical strength. These differences in characteristics have not changed and the importance in division of labor becomes marginal. The most important requirements for most important jobs are mental capacities that both men and women have. With changing technologies and social structure, women are not tied down to the home to the same extent for performing their child bearing role. Changes in economic structure and culture have greatly reduced the importance and need for domestic duties. Therefore, most of the jobs today can be equally carried out quite well by men or women. For some jobs, it can be performed better by women because of their thin fingers and other jobs can be carried out better by men for it require heavy or physical manual labor. Women continued to encounter obstacles in first getting employment and advancing in jobs although of the change in the reality that women become equal to men. These obstacles can be referred to two main reasons. Women were not encouraged to acquire the education and skills that are needed to do many jobs. There was a cultural resistance in certain societies against women carrying out many of the jobs performed by men. This resistance came not only from men, but from women too, describing them as unladylike. Women employment situation today has considerably improved and these obstacles are no longer serious enough to be a significant barrier for women with a little determination. Ascendancy of so many women across the world occupying senior most position in government and business, including as prime ministers of countries and chief Executives officers of large corporation is a testimony to this fact. The Glass Ceiling and its Causes Although women are entering the labor force in large scale, but they cannot reach top managerial level positions that oppressed by men. About 70 percent of women and 57 percent of men believe that an invisible barrier, the glass ceiling (a term coined in 1986 by the Wall Street Journal), prevents women from advancing to top positions  [5]  . There are varied causes of the glass ceiling. Some refer the causes to self-imposed by some women for choosing for example to work fewer hours than men in order to spend more time with their families. Women measure their success in the workplace differently than men while men tend to measure success by high salaries and important job titles whereas women place a higher value on their relationships with colleagues and community service. Others refer the glass ceiling cause in organizations to the good old boy network when deciding who to promote in these organizations, women are often not even considered. The majority of employees in any companies or organizations have a life outside the office. These companies or organizations that are called family friendly organizations recognize this fact and introduce to their employees options such as flex-time, onsite child care, employee-assistance programs, and telecommuting to allow them to have a better chance to accommodate and balancing their home and work lives. But the problem lies in fact that some employees have no children, no family obligations and do not want to work in a family-friendly organization dislike their organization offering services that do not apply to them. To determining what employees want in the work place is to determine how people define career success. Men and women use different types of measures when determining what makes a career successful. Men focus on earnings, promotional opportunities and success while women focus on positive interpersonal relationships and feelings  [6]  . There are also difference between men and women in their career gaps. Women not like the men in regards that they are more likely to take a leave of absence and work a part-time job. Organizations need to adopt a culture that will allow them to stay competitive but also allows their employees to maintain a balance with their lives outside of the office. Employees should take advantage of work-family programs offered but women may feel reluctant to take advantage of these programs as they feel it may lessen their chance for success within the company. Extensive travel is another issue that women must face when considering executive jobs within an organization. Women have to find a solution on how to balance and accommodate family and work life and deal with doing business in countries like Saudi Arabia as an example that might not be as receptive to women in top positions. Although that video and teleconferencing has given companies as well as managers on the top of the companys hierarchy the ability to offer alternatives to extensive travel but they will not replace face to face meetings for relationship building and contract negotiations. Great efforts were made by women to knock on the glass ceiling but have not quite broken through it yet. It is true in high business companies where women represent less than 10% of executive positions  [7]  while they were represent almost 50% of worldwide workforce. This concludes discrimination due to hiring practices. Women will continue to push towards breaking the boundaries of their employment discrimination until companies recognize the value in securing a diverse work force. The glass ceiling may not be shattered for some time, but there are more holes in it than ever before. Gender Inequality in the Economy Around 200 million women worldwide have managed to find jobs in the last decade. In 2007, working women were 1.2 billion and men 1.8 billion but still the number of unemployed women increased from70.2 to 81.6 million  [8]  . If equitable and sustainable progress is to be achieved, womens status must be improved, their rights must be respected, and their contributions must be recognized. Women freedom has improved and has more power than before. However, they are still disadvantaged not receiving the full rights compared to men in virtually all aspects of life. Women, in developing countries in particular, often lack the education and skills necessary to gain employment in more lucrative sectors. The reasons can be summarized to the following categories: Capacity: Girls likely are less than boys enrolled in primary school and less likely to attend irregularly or not at all. If gender gap exists in primary school, it widens dramatically when it comes to secondary and higher education. Girls and women are vastly overrepresented among the worlds illiterate. Women are less likely to receive professional or vocational training once employed, significantly limiting their chances at promotion and success.   Even when resources are made available to women in the form of microcredit and help with starting small businesses, business management practices are not generally taught.   Most women-owned microenterprises do not experience growth beyond subsistence level. Access to Resources Women have not much access to resources necessary to start and grow businesses. Divorce, inheritance, and land laws often discriminate against women and girls, robbing them of valuable capital and property. Without capital, women are often unable to obtain credit, an absolute necessity of business transactions.    Decision-Making Women often lack of ability to act as their own agents of change and improvement. Women are often underrepresented in positions of power and influence, and are less likely to be able to effectively pursue and protect their interests.    Women lack accessibility to informal channels of power and influence. Household Responsibilities Women are generally responsible for the majority of unpaid work associated with care of the home, children, and the elderly. Household responsibilities thus take away from the time women have to spend in paid employment, whether full-time or part-time.   This reduces female earning power and economic status. Norms and Stereotypes Even when laws prevent official employment discrimination, the participation of women in a diverse range of jobs, gender inequality may still result from cultural norms, stereotypes, and traditions. Economic activity cannot be separated from the socio-cultural context occurred from families to communities.   Values, norms and attitudes shape both hiring and job-seeking; choices are made by men and women alike that serve to economically marginalize many women. Muslim women are not permitted to leave the house while western women strive to balance traditional motherhood with work. Policies to enhance gender mainstreaming at workplace: Recruitment policies or processes should be the same, clearly written and phrases not to discriminate employee on the basis of race, color, national, ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, etc  . Non discrimination policy encompasses the operation of any work programs or activities. The law is the authority that protects anyone from being directly or indirectly discriminated  [9]  . Direct discrimination would include treating somebody differently and less favorably than others on the bases of gender, indirect discrimination that would include rules and working regulations within the workplace that advantages males against females or vice versa. Anny Human Resource Manager in any organization, recruitment process usually has three stages: Announcement or advertising, selection criteria and interview, and appointment. Before creating recruitment policy, a considerable and well thought -out approach is needed rather than trying to tackle issue on an ad hoc basis. Employers should take in consideration the following recruitment principles before formulation a recruitment policy: To be objective in identifying necessary skills and qualifications of the post candidate that will be able handle the job. Avoid any discriminatory language or implications Remain open-minded. In the announcement stage, it is unlawful to publish any advert that might be understood or hold an intention of discrimination against applicants from a particular racial group or sex. Gender neutral language must be selected and used. If the post title denotes a specific gender, it is necessary to state that application will be welcome from either sex. No graphics, style or expression indicate tendency to recruit a specific gender or race. It is of paramount importance to encourage applications from all categories of the community through including an equal opportunities statement within a job advert. Sex and race are not the only areas of discrimination, but disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status and age are grounds on which a person may not be discriminated against during the recruitment process. Selection criteria and interview should be related to the requirement of the post. Employers must be clear, precise and objective in their selection. No assumption as to stereotypical requirements for the job. Because of job criteria requires physical strength, it does not mean to exclude female candidates from the selection process. Employer should consider individual wish to work on part-time basis if he or she could undertake the required job. A covered refusal will negatively affect one gender and might raise complaint for indirect sex discrimination. If the selection process falls down on the basis of gut- feeling selection, more than one person carries out the interview to ensure that discrimination do not affect the selection process. In the appointment process, some employers use system of points to remove subjectivity from the process. Job is not necessary to be offered to individual with highest points but if it is offered to who did not score higher points is discrimination with no satisfactory explanation. No legal obligation to tell applicants why they have been unsuccessful, but many employers committed to equal opportunities which enable them to explain to the candidates why they were not selected. This approach will reduce the likelihood of a claim for discrimination being made and demonstrate the objectivity and openness used in the appointment process. Gender equality promotes the equal participation of women and men in decisions making. Supporting gender equality can reduce the gap between womens and mens access to and control of resources and the benefits of development are still out of reach for most women worldwide. Women continue to have fewer rights, lower education and health status, less income, and less access to resources and decision-making than men. Nevertheless, womens critical roles in food production, income generation, and management of natural resources, community organization and domestic responsibilities are essential for sustainable development. Gender Mainstreaming and Development effectiveness In the new conceptualization of poverty reduction, access to livelihood resources, capabilities building, security against vulnerability and equality of gender have come to be viewed as one integral process of the national plans of macroeconomic and social policies to promote growth and reduce poverty  [10]  . Scholars have identified the following dimensions of poverty  [11]  +  [12]  : Lack of access to labor markets and employment opportunities and productive resources. Lack of access to capabilities and public services as education and health. Vulnerability to economic risks and to public and domestic violence, as well as constraints on mobility. Lack of representation/empowerment, being without voice and without power at the household, community and national/international levels Gender mainstreaming introduced changes that were community sanctioned and supported, precisely because they provided identifiable and visible benefits for the house hold and communities such as: improved health status, expand primary school enrollment or both girls and boys, increased harmony in households and community , greater integration of children into community life etc.. Gender mainstreaming has integrated women more fully into communities in ways that enhanced their status. Instead of withdrawal from the house hold and separation from the community, gender main streaming increased womens opportunity, collaboration and contribution to the family and to larger community. Hence, gender mainstreaming quietly challenged long held cultural traditions and practices that ruined individual and community progress. Moreover, embedded in gender mainstreaming is a flexibility that enabled individual and communities to embrace the process at their own level of comfort and need. It dealt a direct blow to poverty, leaving in its wake a change that was desired, positive, purposeful, community driven and sustainable. Gender mainstreaming encouraged total involvement of all and became the driving force for development effectiveness. Conclusion: Since the start of the womens movement, changes in social acceptance of gender equality have been primarily due to changing perceptions among women and men themselves. Gender concept must be truly understood to be promoted effectively. It is neither an easy nor a straight forward process. It requires efforts to reduce gender inequities, whether they favor men or women. A true understanding to gender approach would eliminate gender gap, on the basis that no gender inequality is good either for individuals or the society as a whole. Gender interventions should not stop at gender equality; it should promote positive synergies that will act throughout the social system as generators of development. Gender equality should be seen within a dynamic system of relations embedded in a development process that seeks to empower its actors. The spread and enforcement of equal opportunity laws have lessened institutional discrimination and add considerable impact on the awareness of populations. Working women have become characterized by more continuous labor force participation. Women have entered many of the professions previously reserved for men, and their earnings have become an essential part of household income. They enjoined the choice for being independent earning that allowed them decide send their children, especially girl children to school. Womens economic empowerment emerged as key gender mainstreaming benefit and opened opportunities for womens participation in community development activities, with potential for their emergence as positive force in local and national politics.

Dealing with Death in Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! and Tennyson’s C

Dealing with Death in Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! and Tennyson’s Crossing the Bar Life and death are recurring topics in literature; they are not often referred to directly, but are inferred from figurative language. In Walt Whitman’s poem entitled â€Å"O Captain! My Captain† from his anthology of poems, Leaves of Grass, he describes the passing of Abraham Lincoln through the use of an extended metaphor. Similarly, â€Å"Crossing the Bar,† by Lord Alfred Tennyson, from his collection of poetry, Demeter and Other Poems, alludes to one’s preparation for his or her own death. At times, the two authors utilize similar techniques, employing various figurative language devices such as extended metaphors, diction and format, which all work to highlight their differences in meaning. Through the use of imagery, the authors’ poems invoke various emotions but end up leading to the discussion of two different journeys, one that is elegiac in memory of a historical figure, and the other applicable to all those who are facing death. The two poems share some common characteristics, as both make nautical references and deal with various stages of death. The two authors use capitalization to place emphasis on the titles of the characters in the poem. As in Whitman’s poem, he addresses the subject of the poem as â€Å"O Captain! My Captain,† who is the one leading the â€Å"ship† (2) that is nearing the port. This is an allusion to President Abraham Lincoln, who led the United States after the Civil War. Tennyson’s poem discusses the time when one will be â€Å"put out to sea† (4) to see the â€Å"Pilot face to face† (15). The subject in Tennyson’s poem lacks a name, and therefore can be applied to any individual, but the â€Å"Pilot† (15) refers to t... ...n, metaphors and imagery to memorialize the fallen captain, Abraham Lincoln and to give him the proper praise for his work for the United States. Tennyson’s subject is preparing for the end of his time, which is demonstrated through word choice and imagery. Through the use of literary devices, one can see the true similarities between the two poems, as both discuss death related topics through nautical metaphors, but also highlight the true differences in themes and meanings between Whitman and Tennyson’s poems. Works Cited Alfred Lord Tennyson. Ed. J.D. Robins. 1997. University of Toronto. 28 Oct. 2002 Walt Whitman. Ed. Ian Lancashire. 2002. University of Toronto. 28 Oct. 2002 4713 1 Marlow ENGL.12.05

My Life and Statute of Frauds

My Life and Statute of Frauds In 1677, the English Parliament passed the Statute of Frauds. It is a state statute under which certain types of contracts must be in writing to be enforceable. The primary purpose of the Statute of Frauds is to ensure that there is reliable evidence of the contracts and terms, and it is to prevent the possibility of a nonexistent agreement between two parties being â€Å"proved† by perjury or Fraud. There are 5 categories to which the contracts must to fall within the Statute of Frauds, which are: 1. Contracts involving interests in land – The statute applies to any contract for an interest in real estate. . Contracts that cannot by their term be performed within one year – The statute applies only to contracts that are objectively impossible to perform within one year from the contract’s formation. 3. Collateral promises – The statute applies only to express contracts made between the guarantor and the creditor whose terms make the guarantor secondarily liable. 4. Promises made in consideration of marriage- The Statute applies to a unilateral promise to make a monetary payment or to give property in consideration of marriage. 5.Contracts for the sale of goods priced at $500 or more. As we have seen, having a written contract helps many people to reduce the risk from misleading whenever they enter into the contracts. For example, there was a scenario case that had happened to me, and it helps me to figure out the important role of the Statute of Frauds to my life. I still remember in October last year, when I was surfing the craigslist, I found an ads said that a room for shared with a cheap price, but the owner, Jason, stated that whoever rent his place had to pay money ahead of time.I then called him and rented place. About five months after the day of contract formation, he asked to move out because he wanted to sell his house. As a result, I left the place without getting back my money. That was piss me off because I couldn’t enforce the contract, and there aren’t any recipes to prove that I had paid to him. Now, I understand that a written contract is really important. Therefore, whenever I make a deal with other people, if it’s possible, I would make a written contract. It is a brilliant choice because it protects me from fraud in oral contracts

Corporate Governance Assignment Essay

1. Introduction Corporate entities of all types need a governing body. In the case of a company, this is its board of directors. Corporate entities governed by a board of directors face the central challenge of the agency issue. Whenever a principal has to rely on agents to handle his or her business, governance issues arise. (Tricker 2012) Presently, corporate governance is an evolving concept as such there is no fixed definition. However, corporate governance has been defined as, â€Å"the system by which companies are directed and controlled.† (The Report of the Cadbury Committee on The Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance: The Code of Best Practice 1993) Recent high-profile corporate failures, scandals and, in some cases, executive corruption, have focused international regulatory and public attention on the need for having appropriate corporate governance standards and practices. (Leblanc 2005) As such, much emphasis is being placed on board evaluation. The ‘principles-based’ model of corporate governance is applied in Commonwealth countries. Under this model companies are required to report that they have followed the governance principles laid down in the codes or to explain why they have not. (Tricker 2012) Guyana being a Commonwealth country is subject to this self-regulatory framework of corporate governance. This paper used the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (2004) as the basis for reviewing the governance of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited. As such the paper is organized as follows; 1) explanation of the bases of review, 2) overview of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, 3) a review of the boards’ responsibilities, 4) recommendations for improvements and 5) conclusions. 2. Bases of Review There is no solitary model for good corporate governance, what constitutes good corporate governance will progress with the changing circumstances of the company. Established, codes and guidelines can serve as sound guidance for companies who care to be good corporate citizens. (Du Plessis, McConvill & Bagaric 2005) The OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (2004) are a set of internationally recognised and accepted guidelines that pave the way for establishing good corporate governance within an organisation. Succinctly,  put the OECD recommendations in accordance with the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (2004) are as follows: The rights of shareholders The equitable treatment of shareholders The role of stakeholders in corporate governance Disclosure and transparency The responsibilities of the board to act in good faith, diligently, and with care to treat all shareholders fairly to ensure compliance with the law to review and guide corporate strategy to select, compensate, and monitor key executives to monitor governance practices to ensure integrity of accounting and financial systems In conducting a review of the board of directors, it would be wise to assess along the guidelines stipulated as the responsibility of the board in the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (2004). Additionally, ensuring that the board complies with the national Companies Act, follows the rules set out in the company constitution and adheres to industry regulations indicates conformance to good corporate governance principles. 3. Discussion 3.1. Overview of the Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited is one of the largest and oldest commercial banks in Guyana. The bank was initially a state owned institution, British Guyana Bank, which was sold to foreign investors thus becoming the Royal Bank. Further, transition saw the Royal Bank being resold to the Government of Guyana leading to the establishment of the National Bank of Industry and Commerce Limited. In 1997 Republic Bank Limited of Trinidad and Tobago purchased majority shares of the company and later renamed it Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited. (‘History of Republic Bank’ 2015) 3.2. Responsibility 1: To act in good faith, diligently, and with care There are two key elements to the fiduciary duty of board members; the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. (Tricker 2012) The duty of care requires board members to act on a fully informed basis, in good faith, with due diligence and care. (OECD  2004) At Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited the duty of care is established as the board comprises of majority independent directors , whose extensive experience in both business and finance provide invaluable input into the decision making of the company. Additionally, in keeping with the bank’s culture of broad disclosure the executive director ensures that all pertinent information relevant to the bank’s operations is provided to members of the board of directors. (Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014) The duty of loyalty is of central importance, since it is the basis of executing other corporate governance principles. (OECD 2004) At Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited the duty of loyalty can be seen in the bank’s related party policy underscores the need for all transactions done with related parties and affiliates to be done on the same terms and conditions as with a non-related party. Directors are required to disclose their interest in related party transactions and to recuse themselves from considering or approving transactions in which they have an interest. (Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014) 3.3. Responsibility 2: To treat all shareholders fairly Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited is a subsidiary of Republic Bank Limited. As at December 31, 2014 the stock holdings of Republic Bank Limited in Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited was 51.1%. The OECD guidelines suggest this principle is of particular importance in companies, such as Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, who is the controlling shareholder and thus by de facto is able to select all board members. A sound corporate governance system requires that shareholders can actively participate in, and exert influence on, corporate strategic decision-making. If designed well, this can be done effectively through annual general meetings and proxy voting. Additionally, shareholders have a right to participate in, and be sufficiently informed on decisions concerning fundamental corporate changes. (Duhamel 2002) Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited adheres to the OECD principle in several ways. The company host an annual general meeting to which all stakeholders are given due notice of. Also, in accordance with the bank’s by-laws, three directors retire from the board annually and may offer themselves for re-election at the bank’s annual general meeting. The company also issues an annual report and quarterly financial statements to stakeholders and the general public.  Pursuant to the mandate to ensure that the interests of the various stakeholders are considered the board of directors meets, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis while the Executive Sub-Committee of the Board, comprising seven Board members, meets monthly for the remaining months. (Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014) 3.4. Responsibility 3: To ensure compliance with the law The board of directors of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited is committed to proper standards of corporate governance and maintaining these standards at the highest level. Continuous monitoring of the bank’s systems and procedures is done to ensure that standards are in keeping with the best practice as determined by the principles of corporate governance. The bank is also guided by the Recommendations for a Code of Corporate Governance issued by the Guyana Securities Council, and Supervision Guideline No. 8 on Corporate Governance issued by the Bank of Guyana under the authority of the Financial Institutions Act 1995. In addition the Bank is compliant with Supervision Guideline 10 on the Public Disclosure of Information. (Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014) 3.5. Responsibility 4: To review and guide corporate strategy As stated in the bank’s Annual report of 2014 â€Å"Of critical importance to the board of directors is the responsibility to approve and review the bank’s strategic plan and within this context, to approve annual budgets, including capital expenditure. The board retains the responsibility for reviewing and approving credit applications above a specified limit.† In keeping with the expectation of the board of directors the performance of each Management Officer is also assessed against all key performance areas which among other things may include financial targets. The performance of all management officers is reviewed by the Board of Directors on an annual basis. Additionally, taking into account the increasing need for risk assessment, the board of directors has established a risk management committee, known as the other risks committee. 3.6. Responsibility 5: To select, compensate, and monitor key executives As stated in the annual report of 2014, the managing director and management team are appointed by the board of directors. Each management officer has a written mandate and is required to execute the stated functions as outlined therein. The managing director’s responsibilities and authorities are  documented and approved by the board of directors. 3.7. Responsibility 6: To monitor governance practices Monitoring of governance practice involves continuous review of the internal structure of the company, monitoring and disclosure of corporate governance practices on a regular basis, self-assessment by boards of their performance as well as performance reviews of individual board members and the CEO/Chairman. (OECD 2004) At Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, the board of directors approves the organisational structure for the Bank which ensures a reporting structure with prudent and effective controls. The board of directors comprises nine directors including one executive director. Of the eight non-executive directors, five are independent. Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited adheres to the recommendations of the Supervision Guideline No. 8 on Corporate Governance issued by the Bank of Guyana under the authority of the Financial Institutions Act 1995 regarding its board structure. The board is comprised of an executive director and a majority of independent directors. (Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014) Further, as suggested in the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2004, â€Å"with single tier board systems, the objectivity of the board and its independence from management may be strengthened by the separation of the role of chief executive and chairman†, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited chairman is a non-executive director. The managing director of Bank (Guyana) Limited is the only executive director on the board. Additionally, in the annual report of the bank a statement of the bank’s corporate governance practice is made public. 3.8. Responsibility 7: To ensure integrity of accounting and financial systems Several committees have been set up by Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited to ensure integrity of accounting and financial systems. These committees are: 3.8.1. The audit committee The audit committee of the board meets at least quarterly to review the bank’s system of internal control, financial reporting process, audit and examination process, and compliance with statutory and regulatory laws. When necessary, the Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing the independence, competence and qualifications of the External Auditors. 3.8.2. The compensation committee The compensation, which meets at minimum once per year, is responsible for formalising the bank’s remuneration policy for staff. 3.8.3. The other risks committee The other risks committee, which meets quarterly, is responsible for reviewing policies and procedures and ensuring that the Bank is not exposed to unnecessary risks with respect to its operations. 3.9. Responsibility 8: Corporate Social Responsibility â€Å"Every board has a duty to formulate the company’s strategy, recognizing the risks involved, and part of that process involves determining how the company will behave, in other words, establishing how social responsibility will be exercised throughout the organization.† (Tricker 2012, p. 235) At Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited the need to be a good corporate citizen and perform its corporate social responsibility is understood and mirrored in the company’s vision which establishes the bank wishes to set a standard of excellence for social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility activities of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited are conducted under its Power to make a difference program. The Power to Make a Difference programme aims to enhance the quality of life of disadvantaged persons; support healthcare programmes and disability awareness initiatives; provide opportunities for young people to realise their truest potential through sport, education and th e arts; build community spirit and, in essence, help to correct some of society’s ills. (Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014) 4. Recommendations It was found that Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited in its governance aims to be a good corporate citizen by complying with rules and regulation stipulated at a national level and also meeting international standards of corporate governance. However, there are areas that could stand improvement and as such the following recommendations are made: 1) The chairman of the board of directors should be an independent non-executive director. Presently, the chairman of the board of directors of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited is also the managing director of Republic Bank Limited, the majority shareholder in Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited. Having a connected non-executive director as chairman hinders board objectivity. Since the chairman’s interest are  aligned with the majority shareholder it can be posited that the rights of minority shareholder is at threat of being be overlooked. A non-executive chairman will be able to play a critical role in representing the different constituencies in the company with an impartial viewpoint. (Cossin & Caballero 2013) 2) The compensation committee of the board of directors in addition to formalising the bank’s remuneration policy for staff, should also be responsible for setting the remuneration policy and employment contracts for board members. This committee of the board should comprise either wholly or a majority of independent directors. (OECD 2004) 3) The bank should establish a nominating committee. The nominating committee offers a check-and-balance mechanism designed to reduce the possibility of a dominant director. The nominating committee should be made up wholly, or mainly, of independent outside directors, to make recommendations on replacement or additional members of the board. (Tricker 2012) 4) A standing committee of the board should be established with significant independent director membership, to recommend policies and to oversee corporate activities on corporate ethics codes, whistle-blowing procedures, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). (Tricker 2012) As suggested in the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2004 in fulfilling its control oversight responsibilities it is important for the board to encourage the reporting of unethical/unlawful behaviour without fear of retribution. 5) Of the nine members of the board only one is female. Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited should enhance board diversity by balancing the gender of the directors on the board. Studies that have validated a performance-based rationale for bringing women on boards. Results have demonstrated that comp anies with women board members outperform companies with no women directors.(Norris, 2012) 5. Conclusion Standards of corporate governance are determined by the measures which companies take for themselves, whether voluntarily or otherwise, to improve the way they are directed and controlled, and by the legal, ï ¬ nancial, and ethical environment in which they work. The governance framework is there to encourage the efï ¬ cient use of resources and equally to require accountability for the stewardship of those resources. The aim is to align  as nearly as possible the interests of individuals, of corporations, and of society. (Claessens 2003) The governance of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, when reviewed in relation to the functions of the board as presented in the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2004 was found to compliant with most. Thus it can be deduced that, in administering both its conformance and performance duties, the board of directors of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited adheres to best practices as they recognise good governance can play a role in promoting econo mic growth and business integrity. 6. References ‘History of Republic Bank’ 2015, About Republic Bank, viewed 17 Mach 2015, https://www.republicguyana.com/about/history-republic-bank. ‘The Report of the Cadbury Committee on The Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance: The Code of Best Practice’, Corporate Governance: An International Review, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 124-124. Claessens, S 2003, Corporate Governance and Development, The World Bank, Washington. Cossin, D & Caballero, J 2013, Active Chairmanship Background: Literature Review, IMD University, IMD Global Board Center. Du Plessis, J, McConvill, J and Bagaric, M 2005, Principles of contemporary corporate governance, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Duhamel, V 2002, ‘Promoting Shareholder Participation’ paper presented at The Fourth Asian Roundtable on Corporate Governance, 11-12 November 2002, http://www.oecd.org/corporate/ca/corporategovernanceprinciples/2484854.pdf. Leblanc, R 2005, 20 questions directors should ask about governance assessments. Toronto: Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, Toronto. OECD 2004, OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2004, OECD Publications Service, France. Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited 2014, Annual report 2014: The power of one, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Guyana. Tricker, B 2012, Corporate Governance: Principles, Policies and Practices, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Forced Marriages Essays

Forced Marriages Essays Forced Marriages Essay Forced Marriages Essay What tradition, the tradition of forced marriages. It Is an unpleasant tradition of forced marriages, which still sadly, exists in this modern world. This form of pairing, affects mainly the young British Asian girls/women in the I-J. Not only does this happen here, but also in many parts of the world due to tradition that goes back to centuries. The practice of forced marriage was very common amongst the upper classes in Europe until the asses, but Is still a growing problem around the world. Forced marriages can often be confused with arranged marriages. Arranged marriages defer from forced marriage, as an arranged marriage would be arranged by someone other than the couple getting wedded. A forced marriage is a marriage in which one is married without his or her consent, or against his or her will. This tradition is still practiced in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In most but not all forced marriages, it is the female (rather than the male) who Is the Involuntary spouse. Men and women are still not completely equal In this world, and this upsets me knowing that I am growing up In an unbalanced society where women are constantly being prejudiced against men, which is why I think arced marriages should go into Room 101 . And what is the government actually doing to stop or help young girls being forced into marrying strangers or In some cases their own first cousins? Action must be taken now. The tradition of arranged marriage is central to the social systems of the community, and in particular to the system of honor. : Marriages negotiated by community elders view the union as bringing together two families, rather than two individuals. Forced marriages are generally made because of family pride and the wishes of the parents. In many circumstances, the daughter must do everything the ether tells her to do. The parents would constantly Imprint the Idea that the formally social standing or image Is worsening. This manipulation causes the child to feel that they cannot let the family down, as they fear getting rejected by them. In worst cases, the child or woman would become a victim to mental, physical or sexual abuse in order to keep quiet about the arrangement of marriage. In some instances victims have even been murdered. Many cases involve the person thinking that they are going on a holiday to their home country, but In fact it wont be a holiday at all. They re left abandoned by people who they thought they could trust. They end up facing life with a stranger, living there in distress, misery and hell for the rest of their lives. Because of this, many organizations have been introduced to the victims of forced marriages. It is quite rare that a young woman who has been forced to marry has escaped the marriage, and had returned back home. Because of their experience, they have the urge to want to help the hundreds of girls facing forced marriages. These organizations help, advise and comfort those who are subjected to the forced marriages wince snouts De recognized as a crime. Puddle awareness Ana start become more acknowledged, as there are things such as warning signs which start to follow on a forced marriage, suspicions about parents or suspicions on going on these so-called holidays. But I think the Government needs to tighten in order to prevent this from happening because not much is known about this issue. It is a crime against humanity. We all know how religion and old traditions oppresses women in the most degrading and the most outrageous forms. Dont you think it is about time to do something to ensure a womens well being? Dont you think it is about time to CRIMINALS any arced marriages? We have paid respect to ancient tradition for so long and ignored the rights of the children and women. There is always an argument on any subject. One should not be biased, but in some circumstances, the other side is really not needed. This topic is one of those, as the pros of forced marriage are absolutely, totally unnecessary. Who and for what reason would someone want to agree with this mortifying way of marriage? Well people may be for forced marriages, in order to save their family reputation as they do not want to be humiliated in their community. Following the tradition of forced arraign is the route they take, taking in no concern of their children. Where force is used in marriage, it is generally Justified through an appeal to traditional values the authority and wisdom of parents, the childrens duty of obedience, the honor of the family, respecting the tradition. Few people openly support force in marriage. When it happens, the perpetrators do not say, or for the most part even believe, that they are forcing their children into an unpleasant situation. They do not take account in what they are putting their children through. They say, and usually believe that their rater age, wisdom and experience give them a better understanding of their childrens long term welfare. Parents who push children into forced marriages are often unaware of the family law of this country. They believe they are doing the right thing by choosing the most suitable brides or grooms for their children. Some may have agreements with other families abroad; these may include having agreeing or promising to have the children married while before they are born, or having the two children married in order to bring the spouse into the I-J, or Just to strengthen the families position in the community. Parents who force their children to marry often Justify their behavior as protecting their children, building stronger families and preserving cultural or religious traditions. They do not see anything wrong in their actions. Other cultures view forced marriage as the only valid form of marriage as they may not recognize Western ideas of love and romance. Refusal to go through with a forced marriage has, in the past, been linked to so-called honor crimes. Honor crimes include abduction, imprisonment, physical and emotional abuse, forced abortions and rape, as well as murder. This is an example of such honor rimes linked with family tradition. This case involved Samara Aziza, whose brother and young cousin were given life sentences for her murder. The killing of the bright 25-year old graduate happened in the family home in Southpaw, West London, when her family decided she had to pay for having an affair with a Muslim man, not of her Tamales choosing. As her brother had been led away by police after killing Samara, he had said: There had been a problem with my sister. She does not wish to have an arranged marriage We only allow marriage within the family. My sister wanted to run away from the souse and was stopped. The whole family witnessed the event, and Samaras father had fled to Pakistan, where there is no extradition treaty, to avoid Justice. Her mother had stood by and watched as Samara was stabbed and then pulled back into the house by her hair as she tried to flee the house. Samara was stabbed eighteen times, and her throat was cut three times. The two children of Char Nazi, her 29- year old brother, were so close to the scene of the killing that they were spattered with blood. The children were aged two and four. In many cultures, the women are often looked down on than the males. A Kurdish girl named Dreary had received the order to kill herself from her uncle, via a SMS text message on her cell phone. The message read: Mimi have blackened our name. Kill yourself and clean our shame or we will kill you first. She had been seeing a boy from her school and was caught out by her family. She fled from her family, and she said, In my village and in my fathers tribe, boys are in the sky while girls are treated as if they are under the earth. The other side of the argument can go on forever as there are endless reasons why which forced marriages should go in Room 101 . Forced marriage is not a religious issue; every major faith condemns it and freely given consent is a condition of Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh marriages. Opposing tradition, in Islam, the Prophet Muhammad said: A previously married woman shall not be married without being consulted and a vi rgin shall not be married without her consent. This statement clearly establishes the principle of the females right to choose a marriage partner. Neither the legal guardian nor anyone else can force a female (or male) to marry against his or hers wishes, since Islam emphatically disallows forced arises. Why people still force their children to marry out of their will, even though it is against their religion is the question. Western society and the United Nations view forced marriage as a form of human rights abuse, since it violates the principle of the freedom and independence of individuals. It prevents the person from finishing their education, having a social life (socializing, dating) and having a happy life. Why should someone not have the right to choose their husband or wife whom they will spend the rest of their life with? As the parent constantly tells the child that t is up to them to keep the familys name honorable, once they are married, they feel they have to stay married as they cannot let down the family. If they return home, their parents would usually disown them, so this consequence influences them to stay married even though they are unhappy. Forced marriage can have a serious impact on a person, as their mentality changes due to depression and unhappiness can lead to health problems. The emotional abuse and threatening behavior coming from the family often leads to excessive anxiety, isolation, eating disorders, running away, self-harm or even suicide. When someone has been forced into a marriage and is now living abroad, the in-laws may do everything in their power to prevent the wife or husband running away or contacting their friends or Tamely. I Nils can Involve Pensacola Ana sexual souse, sometimes Imprisonment. In in-laws may even keep the passport of the person so that if they do try to run away, they wont be able to get very far. This case study is a about a woman named Same Ala was forced into a marriage at thirteen years of age. Same had been abandoned by her parents and so she grew up in a childrens home from the age of six months. When she was even; she was told that her family wanted her back, she couldnt wait. However she returned to a dirty house where she was subjected to endless chores. She lived with her brothers and sisters. Apart from her sister Mean, nobody in the family ever spoke to Same unless to bark commands. She suffered abuse from her mother who would punch her back and push her on the kitchen floor. Her mother also tried to cure Same of her stutter, as she pinned her to the floor and cut the skin under her tongue with a razor blade. Her mothers abuse drove Same to unhappiness which made her perform self harm. When her mother told Same about a trip to Pakistan, she was excited as she was to visit Pakistan for the first time, only to discover she wasnt there for a holiday. Instead Same was taken to an isolated village and forced to marry a man in his late twenties called Faze. From the wedding night on, he raped her. Aged Just thirteen, he would rape her repeatedly. Two months later, when she was fourteen she fell pregnant, Just as her mother had intended. Even better, with a son. Like many forced brides, Same had cut herself and taken an overdose to escape her marriage, but now she was a mother, she knew she had to live for her sons sake. When she was seventeen, she escaped from the family to Glasgow. The family was putting pressure on Same to go to Pakistan to bring back her son Faze. When she refused, her brother Mans had threatened her, You are going to Pakistan, even if it is in a body bag. It was then that a family friend, Share All, came to stay. She felt she could confide in him. Share came from a much more liberal family and was horrified by what she told him. At the end of 1987, Share rescued Same and Gamier and took them to Manchester. He had thought he could provide for her and keep her safe, but she wasnt safe. A ewe months later three men were arrested after a random police stop on the outskirts of Manchester. In their van were knives, baseball bats and other weapons. Mans had hired them to bring Gamier back and amazingly, Same, Share and Gamier had moved to a new address that very morning; the kidnappers had only their old address. Same was called to give evidence against her brother. As she saw her mother, she did not want to make any eye-contact as she did not want to show her mother of how scared she was. Mans was sentenced to four years for attempted kidnapping. She became Saguaros wife, whom she had her second hill with. He was the first person to show her affection and understanding since her days in the childrens home. It was a love that encouraged her to get a qualification in tourism she had had no formal education since the age of 12 and a Job at Manchester Airport. Then in 2007 she decided to stand for election to Manchester City Council, and won the biggest ever majority in her ward. Her brothers and sisters still live in Glasgow. They had come to visit her in hospital as she was having a brain tumor removed. But why was Same the only one of her siblings to be abused and Trace Into marriage? En Degas researching, Totally, Logrolling ten truth Tanat nerd uncle in Pakistan had lost a lot of money in gambling and he had promised his creditor a nice English-Pakistani girl as a way to avoid repaying the debt. Her mother wanted to help her brother more than to look after Same. Apart from Mans, Same still has some contact with her siblings, all of whom are married and have children. Although her sisters still believe that you cannot pick your own husband. Her eldest son has chosen his own bride two years older than him, Sarah who Same is very delighted and excited about. Excited about Sarahs choice to have both English and Asian wedding which will be extremely colorful and beautiful. So different from her first marriage into a world where she did not belong. She has transformed her terrifying ordeal into a book called Belonging, in which she describes her traumatic life as a victim of forced marriage. This case is a case which is quite unique and rare as she had the chance to escape, and was able to be saved by her later husband, Share. Not many victims are able to have the same chance of being saved, which is why something must be done to prevent forced marriages from aging place. This short case study is about a girl who was forced in a marriage which later resulted in attempted suicide. A girl was forced by her parents to marry her cousin from their village back home. When they first told her about the idea she made it clear that this was not what she wanted, but they insisted that she do as she was told. She did not feel she could go against her parents wishes as she did not want to hurt them, despite her friends urging her to take a stand. She married her cousin but was desperately unhappy and after two months she attempted suicide. Fortunately a rend found her in time and she was unsuccessful. She remains with her husband, although he treats her badly. She suffers from depression and attends an Asian womens support group following a referral from her GAP. She says she cannot leave her husband as it would bring shame on her family and hurt her parents. Her parents constant pressure to not let them down made it very difficult for her to rebel against the idea of letting them down. Some cases include girls contacting their embassy or high commissions office, which then attempts to rescue the girl and bring them back home. Sometimes it may be difficult as people in the village may hear upon this and pass the message on to the family which then hide the girl. Some may keep the passport to prevent the girl from going back home. The girl then has a choice to make. To either, return home where she can start a new life but she will be rejected from her family, or to be honorable to her parents by returning back to the marriage. This is often an incredibly hard decision to make which can affect the person emotionally. These cases are truly shocking and mortifying, knowing that these women and girls have to o through such experiences makes me feel absolutely sick. Currently, some two hundred cases of forced marriage are reported to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office each year. Many others go unreported. Reading this really upsets me, which strengthens my views on this topic. I would really want to see this sort of thing to stop, dont you? I En Internet Ana meal are congested Walt flews AT Trace marriages. Certainly all would be against the idea, but is this enough to change the law? Many documentaries and foundations have been made to reflect upon the hidden problem in order to raise awareness. Guiding Cards is a writer, broadcaster, and a British-Pakistani and also a neighbor of mine. He appeared in a recent broadcast (1st December 2008) of a BBC 2 documentary called This World: Forced Marriages. I wanted to know about his views on forced marriages so I decided to interview him. He told me that; The idea is that the parents want to keep the families together. So they think the best thing for them is to marry their children to somebody in the same clan, that will keep the family and clan together. And what happens is that when the girl refuses to engage in this activity, they usually runaway so instead of the family being together, the family actually breaks up. I then asked him, what is the solution and how is this going to stop? He responded by saying; Mimi need to declare forced marriages as a criminal activity, we have to criminality it. There is no other option. We have to tell these people who engage in this practice, that this practice has no place in contemporary Britain, that it is in fact a criminal act. You are violating somebody human rights, in some case you may be kidnapping them, and then of course you are forcing them onto a marriage. Author and actor Emmer Slay said: We want the older generations to know that we respect their culture, tradition and we understand that arranged marriages have a place in society. But there is a vast difference between an arranged and a forced marriage Consent. Emmer Slay is a supporter of the Forced Marriage Unit set up in 2000. Their slogan reads, Mimi have the right to choose Use it. Adamant Green is a Conservative home affairs spokesman who said, Forced marriages are a form of domestic vio lence that cannot be Justified on religious or cultural rounds. Crown Prosecution Service of West London sector director Nazi Faze says, Forced marriage is the beginning of the suffering, a wife will be repeatedly raped, assaulted and suffer a lifetime of abuse. There are many views on forced marriages but why would someone back the idea of forced marriages? The elder generation claims that it is the right thing to do as their parents had done the same. As long as the child lives under their roof they will do what they say. But what link is this with religion? There is no link, as it is against religious belief in many religions. People who engage in this act of forced marriage are usually more concerned putting culture/tradition ahead of religion. As long as the family has a good name, they are not prepared to pay the price of their children bringing shame to the family. Government NAS a role to play In all AT tens. But want nave teen done so Tar, Ana what are they prepared to do to prevent forced marriages from undergoing? The Governments forced marriage unit helps around 300 people a year who are forced into a marriage against their will here in the I-J or abroad. Around 15% of the people they help are male. The Foreign Office originally set up the Forced Marriage Unit in 2000. It was re-launched in January last year as a Joint venture with the Home Office with an annual budget of IEEE,OHO. At present, forced marriage is not a specific criminal offence in England and Wales, in the same way that domestic violence is not a specific criminal offence. According to The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act (2007), a consultation paper by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office called Forced Marriage: A Wrong not a Right, seeking views on whether there should be a specific criminal offence of forced marriage. The majority of respondents felt that the disadvantages of creating new criminal legislation would outweigh the advantages and the Government announced it would pursue civil, rather than criminal, legislation. So at present anyone found guilty of forcing someone into marriage can be prosecuted for kidnap, false imprisonment or rape, which are the criminal acts connected to forced marriage. Has anything changed? Has the number of people engaging in forced marriages changed? I feel the message is not being put across to those families who do not understand the full consequences of their actions. They do not realism that it is inhumane to force someone into a marriage in which they will have to live in for the rest of their lives. I think the government should really reconsider making forced marriages illegal. Making it illegal would entitle someone for example a doctor, youth worker, or even a friend eligible, to report the perpetrator to the police after noticing signs of someone becoming a victim. In conclusion, the definition of forced marriages speaks for itself. It has the opposite meaning to an arranged marriage, as one involves the future spouses giving heir full consent, while the other simply does not, and this is when forced marriage takes place. In its many cases, young adults and even children have been taken away by their parents and literally dumped with estranged men, sometimes cousins, along with their family who can be extremely violent towards the victims. For many of these victims, there is no way out as once they are married, an automatic ultimatum has been created for them. To either runaway back to their home and resume their education, but being disowned by their family, or to resume married life to protect and honor your family. Life for the victim can be extremely difficult as emotional pressure would have changed their mentality for the worst, causing them to runaway, perform self harm or to even commit suicide. If this is the outcome for some victims, why isnt anything being done? Why are we as a community, society, letting this happen right under our noses? It could be happening right now, and we could do something to prevent it from worsening, but it isnt that easy. People must be more aware of this problem, not only victims but the parents who engage in it. They need to realism that it is a false practice which has no humane meaning, no respect, and it retainer does not bring honor only shame. Although people claim that they had to also go tongue ten same thing, 010 teen not tank tenure was anything wrong Witt it, why would they want to enforce the same tradition on to their children? Do they think it would make their children happy? Or are they only doing this to make themselves happy? Over the years, society has changed, certainly in the British Asian community, but people are undetermined to move on from their traditions of the past. They must be able to see sense that it is utterly wrong to force someone into a marriage that they dont wish to be apart of. The youth of Asian Britain know that it is wrong and may think it is somewhat disgusting to marry your own cousin. They are aware of the problem, but what if their parents are traditional and expect the same expectations their parents had? We need to get through to them, tell them that a child is precious, and no matter if it is a boy or a girl you should not give them away to a life of unhappiness. Is this what they really want? If I were to ask a traditional parent, not even to start with the subject of forced marriage. If I were to ask, Would you want to see your son/daughter happy?

Free Essays on Rene

Renà © Ce passage du rà ©cit decrit les pensà ©es de Renà © avant son suicide protejà ©. Ceci nous donne un dessein de l’à ©tat de son à ¢me ce moment. C’est important parce que plusieurs thà ¨mes du rà ©cit sont reprà ©sentà ©s, à ©galement c’est le pinacle avant le retournement du rà ©cit quand mele sauve Renà © de sa solitude. Le thà ¨me le plus important du rà ©cit est le rà ´le de la religion. Ceci est à ©vident par le titre du roman La Gà ©nie du Christianisme. Dans ce passage, il s’inquià ¨te beaucoup de Dieu – â€Å"mon coeur aimait Dieu, et mon esprit le mà ©connaissait†. D’abord il est allà © un prà ªtre pour à ªtre pardonnà © avant son suicide. La premià ¨re raison il s’est jettà © dans la solitude est de n’à ªtre pas dans les masses des hommes dont il a trouvà © tellement impieuses – â€Å"tout à ©tait subtiment la souplesse de l’esprit, l’impià ©tà ©, la corruption.† (p.552, l.5-6) Il y ont les points principals faisant sur la rà ©ligion. Tout d’abord, pourquoi est-ce qu’on s’inquià ¨te tellement sur les morales? Pourquoi est-ce qu’on doit affrontà © ce problà ¨me fondamental? Renà © nous dit ceci est grà ¢ce de la religion, du christianisme. Il (le christianisme) nous d onne les rà ©gles de la vie, il nous affronte avec ce malheur premier. Il nous dit que la vie est vide, est le vrai bonheur est avec Dieu au ciel – â€Å"la religion nous offr! e...des chagrins de la terre et des joies celestes† (p.541- dans l’introduction). melie l’atteste aussi dans dans sa deuxià ¨me lettre, qu’elle trouve le bonheur seuelement en à ©tant dans la vie sainte – â€Å"je songe au bonheur que j’ai eu trouver un abri contre la temepà ªte† (p.556, l.20-21). Renà © aperà §evoit que les Natchez, qui sont sans le christianisme, sont les â€Å"Heureux Sauvages† qui laissent â€Å"couler les jours sans les compter.† (p.550, l.25-27). Heureusement, puisque la religion nous a donnà © ce problà ¨me, elle nous donne aussi une solution. ... Free Essays on Rene Free Essays on Rene Renà © Ce passage du rà ©cit decrit les pensà ©es de Renà © avant son suicide protejà ©. Ceci nous donne un dessein de l’à ©tat de son à ¢me ce moment. C’est important parce que plusieurs thà ¨mes du rà ©cit sont reprà ©sentà ©s, à ©galement c’est le pinacle avant le retournement du rà ©cit quand mele sauve Renà © de sa solitude. Le thà ¨me le plus important du rà ©cit est le rà ´le de la religion. Ceci est à ©vident par le titre du roman La Gà ©nie du Christianisme. Dans ce passage, il s’inquià ¨te beaucoup de Dieu – â€Å"mon coeur aimait Dieu, et mon esprit le mà ©connaissait†. D’abord il est allà © un prà ªtre pour à ªtre pardonnà © avant son suicide. La premià ¨re raison il s’est jettà © dans la solitude est de n’à ªtre pas dans les masses des hommes dont il a trouvà © tellement impieuses – â€Å"tout à ©tait subtiment la souplesse de l’esprit, l’impià ©tà ©, la corruption.† (p.552, l.5-6) Il y ont les points principals faisant sur la rà ©ligion. Tout d’abord, pourquoi est-ce qu’on s’inquià ¨te tellement sur les morales? Pourquoi est-ce qu’on doit affrontà © ce problà ¨me fondamental? Renà © nous dit ceci est grà ¢ce de la religion, du christianisme. Il (le christianisme) nous d onne les rà ©gles de la vie, il nous affronte avec ce malheur premier. Il nous dit que la vie est vide, est le vrai bonheur est avec Dieu au ciel – â€Å"la religion nous offr! e...des chagrins de la terre et des joies celestes† (p.541- dans l’introduction). melie l’atteste aussi dans dans sa deuxià ¨me lettre, qu’elle trouve le bonheur seuelement en à ©tant dans la vie sainte – â€Å"je songe au bonheur que j’ai eu trouver un abri contre la temepà ªte† (p.556, l.20-21). Renà © aperà §evoit que les Natchez, qui sont sans le christianisme, sont les â€Å"Heureux Sauvages† qui laissent â€Å"couler les jours sans les compter.† (p.550, l.25-27). Heureusement, puisque la religion nous a donnà © ce problà ¨me, elle nous donne aussi une solution. ...

The Definition of Ethnicity in Sociology

The Definition of Ethnicity in Sociology In sociology, ethnicity is a concept referring to a shared culture and a way of life. This can be reflected in language, religion, material culture such as clothing and cuisine, and cultural products such as music and art. Ethnicity is often a major source of social cohesion as well as social conflict. The world is home to thousands of different ethnic groups, from the Han Chinese- the largest ethnic group in the world- to the smallest indigenous groups, some of which include only a few dozen people. Almost all of these groups possess a shared history, language, religion, and culture, which provide group members with a common identity. Learned Behavior Ethnicity, unlike race, is not based on biological traits, except in the case of ethnic groups that recognize certain traits as requirements for membership. In other words, the cultural elements that define a particular ethnic group are taught, not inherited. This means that the boundaries between ethnic groups are, to some degree, fluid, allowing for individuals to move between groups. This can happen, for example, when a child from one ethnic group is adopted into another, or when an individual undergoes a religious conversion. It can also happen through the process of acculturation, whereby members of a native group are forced to adopt the culture and manners of a dominating host group. Ethnicity should not be confused with nationality, which refers to citizenship. While some countries are largely composed of a single ethnic group (Egypt, Finland, Germany, China), others are composed of many different groups (United States, Australia, Philippines, Panama). The rise of nation-states in Europe in the 1600s led to the creation of many countries that are still ethnically homogenous today (the population of Germany, for example, is 91.5 percent German). Countries that were founded as colonies, on the other hand, are more likely to be home to multiple ethnicities. Examples Different ethnic groups do not use the same criteria to define group membership. While one group may emphasize the importance of a shared language, another may emphasize the importance of a shared religious identity. For example, French Canadians are an ethnic group for whom language is paramount. It is what connects them to the French colonists who first settled Canada in the 1600s and what distinguishes them from English Canadians, Scottish Canadians, and Irish Canadians. Other aspects of culture, such as religion, are less significant when it comes to defining who is and is not French Canadian. Most French Canadians are Christians, but some are Catholic and others are Protestant. In contrast, religion is an essential part of ethnic identity for groups such as the Jews. Unlike French Canadians, Jews do not define themselves based on a single shared language. In fact, Jewish communities throughout the world have developed a variety of different languages, including Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), Judeo-Arabic, and Judeo-Aramaic (not to mention the many Jews who speak English, French, German, or any other of the worlds many languages). Because ethnic groups are self-defined, it is important to remember that no single aspect of group identity (language, religion, etc.) can be used to sort people into one group or another. Flashpop / Getty Images Race vs. Ethnicity Unlike ethnicity, race is based on physical traits that are inherited, such as skin color and facial features. Racial categories are broader than ethnic categories. Today, for example, the U.S. Census divides people into five racial categories: white, black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native,  Asian, and  Native Hawaiian  or Other Pacific Islander. Modern scientists regard race as a social construct, and racial categories, like ethnic categories, have changed over time. What Is My Ethnicity? Because ethnicity is more of a cultural practice than a science, you probably grew up understanding your own ethnicity in a way that tests will never be able to measure. The food you ate, the traditions you practiced, and the language(s) you spoke are all essential aspects of your ethnic identity. If you are interested in learning more about your exact ancestry, you can do so using a variety of DNA testing services. DNA Testing for Ethnicity DNA testing- available through services such as 23andMe, MyHeritage, and LivingDNA- allows people to explore their genealogy using their genetic information. Examining DNA can reveal information about a persons ancestry and ethnic background. While the principles of DNA testing are sound, the private companies that offer this service through home-testing kits have been criticized for their methodologies. Sheldon Krimsky, a scientist at Tufts University, says that these companies don’t share their data, and their methods are not validated by an independent group of scientists. Since each company uses a different database of genetic information, Krimsky says the tests can only give an indication of probabilities: The results are in no way definitive; instead each company uses common genetic variations as the basis for saying the  The popularity of DNA testing for ancestry has also generated concerns about data privacy.

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 33

English - Essay Example This included food chemical flavoring, working conditions of beef industry and production of chicken and cattle. This section also takes a look on the dangers of meat consumption and the global interest of fast food in America as a cultural export (Schlosser 12). The assignment requires selection of one topic in the book explained above and its examination. In addition to that, the paper will craft an argument that will convince the readers to change the way they think, do things, or behavior as explained in the selected topic. In order to accomplish the requirements of the assignment, the paper is based on one topic â€Å"what we eat†. Fast food in America has become one of the most factors that drive the economy. At least over the last three decades, the American has been infiltrated by fast food. The fast food industry first began with the small quantity of fast food in the State of California. The influence of the industry has spread to every part of America and to a bigger extent all over the world. The industry is fulfilling the wants of its customers by processing a wide range of food stuffs with a purpose of reaching its market. The industry has taken a good distributing strategy where the food is being distributed in cafeterias, in school, bus stages and restaurants. The nation is known to spend more on fast food than what is spent in a combination of magazines, videos, newspapers, books and movies. According to Schlosser (2001), the fast food industry has a hygiene issue. One may find a person in the construction work just taking the packet of fast food without even washing their hands. People take the exercise of buying fast food as routine without any issue. However, fast food has a revolutionary force in the United States. The food is booth metaphor and a commodity to drive the economy of America. The influence of what people eat or do not is due to

Construction contract Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction contract - Assignment Example Engineers are opting for NEC because it is more flexible and can suit the whole construction industry. It is also highly adaptable, provides a range of options for risk allocation. Compared to other construction contract forms, it is the simplest using understandable language where the roots of many disputes have been left out. The use of flow charts also makes it more clear and easy to use. In this paper, the core clauses of NEC and FIDIC are compared with particular emphasis to the core risks and insurance. NEC assigns risks cover according to contemporary principles. Nevertheless unlike FICID, it defines the contractors’ risks in reference to those risks not listed under the employers’ risks. Under NEC conditions, the responsibility of care of the contractor goes beyond the completion of a contract. In the clause 80.1of NEC 3, the employers risks are articulated. They are categorized into six broad groups which include: one, risks involving the site or works and the legal and general liabilities and defaults that may arise from his design. In cases of risks that may crop up from the employer design fault can be insured against through a professional indemnity policy. If it is the employer own design or covered by NEC professional service contract where an outside contractor is involved. In dealing with unexpected situation, NEC has a range of provisions offering compensation for the events or occurrences that are at the employer’s risk. This goes a long way in assisting the project manager and contractor to man the construction projects without being obscured by these events. In the sub-clause 60.1 provision for variations are made where the contractor may request for extension of time for completion and even addition of payment. In such cases, the contractor only articulates his desire for time extension or rising of payment in a quotation. In sub-clause 61.6, affirms that in instances where the results of compensation of an event are

Home Inspection Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Home Inspection Case Study - Assignment Example This created a market opportunity to the sellers and filling it one had to do it in a manner that the consumers’ needs, preferences and wants are attended to their satisfaction. Furthermore Lack of professionalism was a problem to the industry because no one viewed any of the inspections firms to being very qualified or professional as argued Ramesh (59). With this the market opportunity availed itself to Doug for him to fill the gap thus come with a solution to the problem through his services and product. Additionally there was the need to deliver on any promise made to prospective customers. These two aspired to attain their mission and objective of their business in that they would offer the best services to the consumers both at a professional level and technical approach to the satisfaction of their customers. They also wanted their business to accomplish the needs and want of the customers that coming up with a brand name that the buyers associate with easy and simple to identify with. Doug and Mary wished that their consumers would have a good perception on their service where professionalism and trustworthy is an essential matter that is always put into consideration to appoint of them doing research on how other inspection firms do their work and Doug enrolling for an 8 week course on home inspection to acquire skills thus make him professional ascertain to the industry thus boasting professionalism problem in the business. There are two targeted audience in this case study, first the primary audience who are the real estate agents who will actual need the service as first hand customers due the functional and emotional need they have for the services. The functional need is the purpose of the service in this case is what Doug and Mary has to offer them in terms of services which must be tangible and visible while the emotional need is the intangibles need, where the customers can actually trust and

The Apollo Group Case Study Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Apollo Group Case Study Analysis - Essay Example The University of Phoenix Company has grown over time as a for-profit university. The university has the adult working population being its main target other than the high school leavers who enroll in the traditional classroom educations. In addition, the University seeks to give affordable and quality online education to the adult population who are reachable through intensive marketing strategies of recruiters. However, their marketing strategies are against the federal laws and therefore, the university has to adopt different marketing and education strategies to maintain profitability. The key issues that face the University of Phoenix include technological advancement and traditional college expansion weakness. The University of Phoenix needs to upgrade its technology for quality and effective e-learning among its students. Technology would mean that the company must incur extra costs that are potentially huge, and thus may affect its profitability. The sophisticated virtual college platform has a negative potential on the profitability of the company, since its total cost will increase while revenue remains constant. Moreover, the need for expansion of the traditional classroom education will also imply that the university will have to incur extra classroom setup costs. Online learning faces the challenge of massive student dropouts and lack of quality in the online education sector. The company has therefore undertaken to provide quality instructor contact with a small number of students per instructor. The company also faces the problem of retaining students and changing its marketing strategies to be consistent with the federal law. Primarily, federal law prohibits the marketing strategy of the University of Phoenix, where high pressure recruitment strategies were against the federal regulations.  

Advertising and promoting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Advertising and promoting - Essay Example Marketing techniques are of very great importance in the promotion of various products at the local as well as in the international spheres. The mode of marketing and the medium used to market these products often play a key role in determining the number of people reached by these advertisements. However, the cost of airing certain advertisements in certain media is also a factor to be considered in this case. Moorthy (1988) argues that the type of medium chosen should therefore be that which can be accessed by most people as well as cheap in terms of the funds required to air an advertisement for a given period of time as compared with other media options. Some media house cover only limited areas and are not therefore suitable for an advertisement that requires a large number of people to reach (Moorthy, 1988). Depending on the type of promotion one wants to make and the target population, the choice of a media house is of prime importance to this task. For an international promot ion, the channel that is viewed by the international community should be the better option. On the contrary, a local promotion expected to reach just a few selected population should make use of a local channel that reaches most people in the region targeted. This paper will look at the choice of various media channels in carrying out marketing promotions over the others depending on the type of promotion to be made and the number and location of target population Marketing Communications (Advertising & Promotion: Media) As has been mentioned earlier, the choice of a media channel to be used in carrying out any type of promotion really matters a lot as far as the cost, location and target population is concerned. To illustrate this, I will use the choice of making promotions for a major launch of a new environmentally friendly, ‘greener’ car from a renowned vehicle manufacturing company in the world, the Toyota Company. Here the choice of the channel may be very difficu lt given the large number of the target population to be reached by these advertisements. Being an international promotion therefore, the channel hat is to be used in this case should be that which is common among most people across the globe. For this reason, my choice for this particular advertisement is preferably the current leading world news broadcasting television, The BBC Channel. Given her long standing existence as a world news broadcasting channel, the BBC channel has gained world wide fame as a reliable news house across the world. It therefore has the largest number of viewers across the globe giving the company a good number of people to reach with the news (Heard, 2004). The Toyota Company is known to have had a long history in car manufacturing in the world history. The company’s products are consumed by a large number of buyers in all the continents of the world. In order to reach her widely scattered myriad of customers and the available amount of money she has planned to se for airing the adverts, 50 million pounds, the company needs to select the channel that has a large area of coverage too and which is actually popular among the world populations. Using the BBC news channel therefore would be the best option in this case. Even though making advertisements on this channel may prove quite expensive, the amount of money the company has channeled towards this is certainly enough to accomplish the task and realize the target the end of the day. However, n most of the third world and developing countries, only a few homesteads will bin a position to afford the expensive gargets for transmitting the BBC news and so will be potentially left out. Besides, most people do not speak English as their first language while others do not understand English at all and therefore may not be catered for during the promotion since BBC uses only English as a medium for communication. For small scale businesses for instance a small scale restaurant which wants to re- open her

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Proposal - Essay Example It will involve making employees appreciate each other and understand the importance of facing one another to solve their problems. Instead of blaming one another, they would be expected to speak openly to one another and air their grievances. The management is going to be given the mandate to make decisions on behalf of the junior employees in order for the employees to work towards one goal. This is because letting every person decide on which actions to take within the organization would bring inconsistency and disorganization. The new organizational structure would lay down procedures for shifting an employee from one department to another, and not just being told to report to another department because of a minor mistake they conducted in the roles they were employed to discharge. Additionally, the organization should strive to motivate its employees. This is going to be conducted by giving them promotions when they deserve, offering them bonuses and allowances for additional jo b done or any work that is exemplarily executed. Improving the conflict within the organization is estimated to run for six months. This timing is reasonable since it caters for any unseen development. The project can commence after a week of your approval of this proposal, so long as it is by mid-January. 1. Advisory: Serving as an adviser to the organization entails meeting with the team responsible for solving the conflict problem within the organization. The roles in this interaction include drawing up plans to be implemented, coming up with ideas to solve the conflicts, as well as facilitating the entire process. We will meet constantly, and I may also be accessed by email or phone should it deem necessary. This involvement would last for the first ninety days of the project. 2. Consultative: Apart from discharging all the duties in the first option, I would work in tandem with the selected