Monday, September 30, 2019

Aspects of Human Nature in “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad Essay

Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness encompasses many themes and concepts dealing with the very nature of humanity and its complexity. This novel is set up in two different locations, the Thames River and the Congo River. Conrad uses these two rivers to represent the different cultures that clash in this novel, which are the â€Å"civilized† and the â€Å"savages†. While exploring these two different worlds Conrad exposes the human nature at its core through the characters in this novel proving that not everything is straightforward and is at it seems. The Thames River located in Southern England represents the advanced European world. In this novel the Europeans regarded themselves as civilized and cultured. On the other hand, Conrad embeds numerous dark intense imageries to describe this â€Å"enlightened† culture such as violent, death, brooding gloom, and more. While the Congo River represents the uncivilized native inhabitants that are described as â€Å"utter savagery† (Conrad, 1990, p. 4), but the nature that surrounds the Congo is described as mysterious, glittering, and precious. The contrast of these locations and representations reveals different aspects of human nature. One un-admirable quality of human nature that is shown is pride. The European characters in this novel had the mentality that they were superior to the natives. Because of their superior status they felt that European Imperialism and the stations set up were meant for â€Å"humanizing, improving, instructing† (Conrad, 1990, p. 29) the uncivilized savages. Instead these civilized European men â€Å"Christianizing† and trying to conform the natives to their standards they have succumb to the darkness within the jungle displaying their true nature. Another aspect of human nature shown by the ironic descriptions of the â€Å"civilized† and â€Å"uncivilized† locations is man’s destructive nature. There were numerous events in this novel that portrayed man’s destructive nature due to ulterior motives. An example that destructive behaviors are apart of human nature is when Kurtz raids countless tribes for ivory for the very purpose of gaining wealth and power. Another example of man’s destructive nature is when numbers of â€Å"pilgrims used to turn out in a body [hippopotamus] and empty every rifle they could lay hands on at him. Some even had sat up o’nights for him. † (Conrad, 1990, p. 25). These men waited for and wasted shots just to kill an old and innocent creature not for survival purposes, but for amusement. Conrad enforces the concept of mans destructive nature in the beginning of the novel when he is describing the â€Å"civilized† world. An example on page one Conrad describes the scenery of this â€Å"superior† civilization as â€Å"The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless†¦ † Later on in the novel Marlow reads Kurtz pamphlet and is led to believe that Kurtz is not another greedy, self – serving, and power crazed individual like the many characters he has met up with on his journey, but that Kurtz shares the same beliefs that he does. Marlow’s belief that the purpose of European Imperialism in Africa was to improve the culture and to benefit them equally rather than cause chaos for their own personal gain. Marlow’s excitement to meet Kurtz based off his pamphlet and how well everyone speaks of him is an example of how not everything is straightforward. Kurtz wrote his pamphlet in a way that intrigued Marlow and convinced him that they shared the same beliefs, but when Marlow finally met Kurtz he realized that Kurtz is ill physically and mentally. Trickery and inconsistency is embedded within human nature. As much as one would like to believe that humans are consistent and honest, that is not true and apparent in this novel. The main character is not exempt from human tendencies of inconsistency. Earlier on in the novel Marlow states, â€Å"I hate, detest, and can’t bear a lie,† (Conrad, 1990, p. 23). On the other hand at the end of the book he lies to Kurt’s intended to give her sense of peace and saves her from more pain and grief. Though his reasoning is not selfish he still went against his own beliefs and proves inconsistency. Throughout this entire novel Conrad introduces several European characters that portrayed so many non – admirable qualities such as greed, arrogance, envy, vengeance, sloth, and much more. Yet they are considered the â€Å"civilized† ones. Ironically the cannibals and the other natives in this novel show more admirable qualities such as loyalty, hard work, obedient, strong will, and most importantly restraint. While the civilized men were plotting against one another thinking only of themselves the natives displayed much more honorable character. For example, the native tribes that pledged their loyalty to Kurtz were obedient and remained loyal. They would accompany him on expeditions and kill on his command. Another example of honorable qualities portrayed by these â€Å"uncivilized savages† was restraint. The cannibals that assisted Marlow on his journey had been starving for months and never made a move to attack their fellow crew- members. These â€Å"heathens† displayed true character in this situation because â€Å"It takes a man all his inborn strength to fight hunger properly. It’s really easier to face bereavement, dishonor, and the perdition of one’s soul – than this prolonged hunger †¦ no earthly reason for any kind of scruple. Restraint! †¦ the fact facing me – the dazzling fact. † (Conrad, 1990, p. 38). Through the novel â€Å"Heart of Darkness† Conrad portrays and exposes human nature at its best and at its worst. Conrad embeds irony throughout the entire novel to show that not everything is as it seems and that when involving humans there are contradictions. The main point that Conrad is conveying to his reader is that technological advances do not make a culture superior or civilized, but rather the moral code that they live by. There is not one culture superior to the other. Also that each human being is responsible for their own civil or savage behaviors. What makes one civilized is based off of what they do when no one else is around and how they react to any given situation good or terrible. This novel served as a warning from Conrad of man’s true darkness and the â€Å"human secrets that baffle probability†. (Conrad, 1990, p. 37). One is not civilized based on where they grew up, but their reactions to the world they live in. To be civilized is to act with morality, but to be a savage is to embrace the heart of darkness.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

New York Yankees Essay

Ever since they became an official organization in 1903, the New York Yankees have established themselves as one of the world’s top sport organizations. As a Major League Baseball team, they have historically achieved the ultimate goal of winning the World Series and have gained fans and profit in the process. With thirty-one different managers, the Yankees have won a total of twenty-six World Series and have built a fan base across the globe (â€Å"New†, 2008). Nowadays, the organization even makes yearly revenue close to 300 million dollars (Cohen, 2007). I chose this organization because I believe that their structure and management style is the definition of success. I will apply most of the methods and concepts from the book and from class to the Yankees, and I will discuss why I consider them to be one of the world’s greatest sport organizations today. First, when analyzing the New York Yankees from a managerial perspective, it is important to consider the structure and management style of the organization. For example, the New York Yankees have three levels of managers: the owner or executive manager who monitors the business environment (George Steinbrenner), the general manager or middle manager who negotiates and controls player transactions (Brian Cashman), and the field manager or first-line supervisor who supervises individuals within the organization (Joe Girardi). For them to be successful, all of these parts need to work together and form a systems-based organization. In this open system, where everything is â€Å"relatively open to the influences of the environment in which it lives† (Chelladurai, 2005), Steinbrenner is able to react to the goals, structures, and processes of the organization, as well as employers, customers, and so forth. Even though the Yankees did not make the playoffs this year, it is easy to see how the system is successful. All of the managers perform certain tasks, some of which include planning, organizing, leading, and evaluating. Each of these levels do these things for different time frames. When discussing the roles of the Yankee managers, it is important to note that all of them have been successful. Brian Cashman has a large decisional role because he has to make the correct decisions for the fans to be content and the team to win. Back when the Yankees won several consecutive championships in the ‘90s, Joe Torre (field manager) was a leader of the team with excellent human skills. He was able to interact with his players in a way that allowed them to perform at or above their potential, and he also had an incredible amount of knowledge for the types of players he needed to succeed. The owner and general manager had good technical and conceptual skills because it was important that they plan, evaluate, and organize the formation of a successful organization. They had to evaluate the existing organization, plan what players to trade for, and organize the business matters. I know that the organization’s main goal is to win national championships, but they also want to be effective and efficient in doing so. When the owner George Steinbrenner goes out and gets all-star caliber players to win the American League East division and the World Series, he has to pay a lot of money in order to attract them to his team. In terms of being a successful leader, it is obvious that George Steinbrenner â€Å"exerts influence in a way that achieves the organization’s goals by enhancing the productivity and satisfaction of the work force† (Chelladurai, 2005) because he is trying to achieve his goals by getting the best players in the league and making his team more productive. It has been known that George Steinbrenner spends the most money on his players in the league, so the efficiency of the team is minimized even though they have the largest fan base out of any organization. The effectiveness, however, in drawing the support of fans, emotionally and economically, is maximized, since the people want to see the best teams with the best athletes play. In 2004, â€Å"by the completion of the season, which saw Joe Torre at its helm for his ninth season, the New York Yankees had set a new team record for largest team attendance thanks to 3,775,292 loyal fans who attended home games at Yankee Stadium† (â€Å"New†, 2008). You can see here how popular the organization has become, and I can only imagine how much more money it can make in the future. In conclusion, I have analyzed an organization that I felt would help me understand the concepts and methods that are associated with sport management. Based on the structure and personnel of the New York Yankees baseball club now and in the past, I classify it as being one of the world’s most successful organizations. This statement can only be judged by the results that have accompanied the Yankees ever since its inception, twenty-six championships and a world-wide fan base.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Evaluate the key theories of learning in schools

Theories of larning find their roots in the kingdom of kid development, and, as such the two footings are frequently interchangeable. It is appropriate to specify the term development ; kid development is defined by the Inter-American Development Bank ( referenced in Arthur & A ; Cremin, 2010 ) as â€Å" a many-sided, built-in, and continual procedure of alteration in which kids become able to manage of all time more complex degrees of traveling, believing, feeling and associating to others † , instead â€Å" Child development refers to the biological and psychological alterations that occur in human existences between construct and the terminal of adolescence, as the single advancements from dependence to increasing liberty † ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.selfgrowth.com/articles/definition_child_development.html ) . Many definitions of kid development describe the procedure of kid development as the patterned advance from dependance to autonomy and foreground th e value of experience in this respect. However, as it is hard to specify their effects/value many definitions do non account for the impact of topographic point, clip and cultural and societal influence upon both the likeliness for development and the degree of development which can be achieved. These are of import factors impacting larning which can non be overlooked. As will go clear, larning is non ( and should non be ) restricted to childhood – acquisition is invariably available through all of our experiences. Learning is nevertheless, more rapid and receives significantly more focal point at the earlier phases of life due to the demand to quickly develop cognitive, societal and emotional accomplishments which form portion of the turning personality of the kid. It is of import to observe nevertheless, that cause and consequence are ill-defined. For illustration it could besides be personality ( at any phase of its development ) which affects the environments and state of affairss to which the kid chooses to expose themselves and later the content and quality of the acquisition available. There are a figure of theories which aim to explicate this procedure of kid development, how they begin and continue to larn, and explicate the grounds for developmental differences between kids. These theories have over clip experienced their ain development with go oning research and are frequently influential upon what is determined as best pattern for learning to ease maximum kid development ( Q10 ) . In other words, the ways in which kids develop straight affect teaching method of both single instructors and the ethos adopted by the school ( Q22 ) . The competence of the instructor to present learning which caters for single developmental demands affects development through acquisition and later may bring forth the demand for alteration of teaching method ( dependent upon the level/success of learning ) . It is hence the duty of the instructor to supervise the advancement and effectivity of their instruction for each kid, particularly to supply each kid with the ability to aptly place chances for acquisition and the manner ( s ) in which they can outdo derive the maximum benefit from each of these chances. This clearly demonstrates the cyclical nature of development and the demand for all parties to be committed to the acquisition procedure. This is important as developmental advancement made at the early phases of life are influential manner beyond childhood ; the experiences which bring about larning are really likely to determine grownup experience, grownup personality/tendencies/preferences and success as defined by the footings of Every Child Matters policy ( to be healthy, to remain safe, enjoy and achieve, do a positive part and accomplish economic wellbeing ) . This instruction must get down at an early phase through parental influence ( Q5 ) – as all experiences can hold a good impact upon larning – and go on through the early phases where drama is constructive, and onwards during the entireness of the formal schooling period. It has been identified by assorted research workers ( e.g. Piaget 1951 ; Smilansky, 1968 & A ; Power, 2000 ) that there are different types of drama which are valuable as the earliest signifier of larning through experimentation and regulation testing, these are: Locomotor or physical-activity drama including exercising and rough and tumble drama. Play with objects. Fantasy and socio-dramatic drama. Language drama. Friedrich Froebel ( 1906 ) besides recognised the value of drama ; â€Å" Play, genuinely recognized and justly fostered, unites the shooting life of the kid attentively with the mature life of experiences of the grownup and therefore Fosters the one through the other. † ( referred to in Smith, P. K. , Cowie, H. & A ; Blades, M. 2003, p. 229 ) Sing this attack, development can be sought by the kid and nurtured by counsel from grownups including instructors. This procedure is enhanced by the proviso of the appropriate stuffs and larning environments as shaped by the instructor. It is indispensable for all acquisition that linguistic communication, both spoken and observed ( organic structure ) are used suitably to ease larning – without linguistic communication we can non go through on the cognition and experience required for growing through counsel. Conversely it is clear that linguistic communication is non necessary for self-experimentation, although it would assist the scholar to discourse their observations following the experimentation. With this in head, it is necessary for kids to be exposed to many manners and degrees of linguistic communication ability to larn from one another, particularly in happening an alternate if one party finds communicating hard. Thus the instructor should promote communicating and Foster co-operation throughout larning activities. In an inclusive environment, successful employment of this technique will let all kids to maximize their possible under the counsel of a robust, flexible and rich teaching method. A figure of the cardinal points provided by a figure of cardinal theoreticians who have influenced acquisition are discussed below ; Jean Piaget ( 1951 ) focused on how the kid comes to understand their universe by detecting kids ‘s idea processes, elicited during open-ended conversation with them. The success of this method is clearly dependent upon the research worker ‘s ability to inquire appropriate inquiries. Piaget suggested that kids progress through 4 age-related phases of thought by proving the logic applied to their intelligence, get downing with pattern drama, through symbolic drama ( fantasy/pretend drama ) , to games with regulations. The kid possesses a figure of sets of mental operations which can be applied to objects, thoughts and constructs known as ‘schemas ‘ . The scheme ( consciousness of an entity ) can be tested and adapted where appropriate over clip, through ‘assimilation ‘ and ‘accommodation ‘ . Piaget indicated that the kid is innately able to organize bing scheme with one another to set about assorted activities at one time, or use more than one scheme to work out a job. In other words, larning influences the attack to farther acquisition. By absorbing new cognition into bing scheme, the kid ‘s cognition and scheme are enhanced, but may be falsely. With farther centripetal stimulation, new information can be accommodated into bing scheme, or into a new scheme where the kid recognises a defect in their logical thinking. The unconditioned want for equilibrium between consolidating mental constructions ( assimilation ) and growing through the impact of cognition on bing scheme ( version ) gives the scholar a thirst for larning. This thirst reaches its extremum when the experience pushes but does non over-stretch the capacity to procedure and either assimilate or suit the new information. However, Piaget ‘s research methods have been questioned ; his attack was flexible to the demands of the single kid under observation and hence through this non-standardised method it is non possible to bring forth replicable quantitative informations. Furthermore, Piaget ‘s theory has been criticised as it places a heavy accent upon the kid ‘s failures instead than successes sing their scheme. Although these issues exist, Piaget ‘s theory is influential today. His theory high spots the demand to accommodate learning to the demands of the kid as an active, instead than inactive, scholar. In this manner the instructor should make an environment and applied scientist state of affairss which allow the kid to prove and theorize. By extension, the instructor should be interested in the logical thinking which generates the kid ‘s replies, instead than the reply itself. This allows the instructor to supply content appropriate for and to convey maximal benefit to each single kid. As highlighted by Piaget it is besides cardinal to supply chances for societal interaction to develop a point of view which is less egoistic, see others ‘ and their sentiments and develop vocabulary needed to discourse issues. From my experience it is clear that pupils battle to bring forth narratives as they have non experienced abstract thoughts based in phantasy and do non possess a vocabulary which is broad plenty. As such, parents should be encouraged to read to their kid to develop these accomplishments and as suggested trial what they are hearing instead than merely listen ( this relates to Q30, Q4 and Q5 ) . The instructor should guarantee that their planning provides many chances for kids to read, experience and develop inventive accomplishments ( this relates to Q1 ) . Like Piaget, Lev Vygotsky ( 1933 ) viewed the kid as an active builder of cognition and apprehension, but was more interested in how cognition is passed from coevals to coevals and by effect how civilization affects beliefs which are held by the kid. Through societal interaction with more experient others the kid can develop the tools and cognition they need to go active members of the current society and as such are a merchandise of their cultural influences including linguistic communication, art, music and symbols developed by the bing society. In this manner acquisition is informative in nature. Like Piaget, Vygotsky believed that drama was a valuable method of larning and ‘the taking beginning of development in the preschool old ages ‘ ( Smith, P K & A ; Cowie, H. & A ; Blades, M. ( 2003 ) p 231 ) . Through play the kid can be liberated from the restraints of their environment and are able to prove the universe in an fanciful state of affairs. Cardinal to Vygotksy ‘s theory was the zone of proximal development ( ZPD ) defined as the difference between what a kid can make with aid and what he or she can make without counsel. Clearly, this gives the kid a degree of possible based on the quality of direction they receive from more experient equals and/or grownups. However, Vygotsky ‘s theory ne'er indicated how the more experient instructor influenced the passage through the ZPD to accomplish their possible. In this manner the instructor is responsible for placing the appropriate clip and method for intercession to help in traveling the scholar from what they can make with aid to what they can make entirely. This construct, known as staging, following Bruner ‘s extension of Vygotsky ‘s theory continues to be used today. The intercession gives the kid a construction within which they become able to explicate significance. Current pattern in school caters for larning in this manner by delegating some clip for mixed-ability group activities ; those more able are stretched by the activity they are presented with and are able to transport those who are less able through the assorted phases of idea needed to work out the job. From my observations this gives assurance to both parties and an involvement in future acquisition. Howard Gardner ( 1983 ) identified three methods/types of learning/learner as below. These classs portion principles with the theories noted above. A Ocular scholar prefers to see something and be able to read it. This type of scholar achieves best when given hand-outs and sees shows which demonstrate the acquisition content. An Auditory scholar prefers to speak about the issue and listen. This type of scholar is likely to happen it most good to larn from a talk and during treatment. A Kinaesthetic scholar prefers to larn by making and touching things. This type of scholar is best suited by an activity which includes a physical activity to prove the erudite theory such as a scientific discipline experiment. This can be demonstrated utilizing an analogy sing one ‘s attack to constructing flat-pack-furniture ; there are three common attacks, ( I ) you read all the instructions and look into you have all the pieces before you commence constructing ( ocular scholar ) , ( two ) you ignore the instructions wholly and merely finish the physique by test and mistake ( kinesthetic ) or ( three ) you have to construct the point with person so that one can discourse the following step/find it good to state what you are making aloud if you are entirely ( Auditory ) . During childhood, the kid tends to larn best utilizing a individual acquisition manner. With age and experience, the kid tends to derive the capacity to larn in many ways because of the ability to accommodate to new challenges and environments. Alternatively, this ability is possibly the merchandise of an enhanced apprehension sing ways to derive information via another acquisition manner. By going an effectual scholar the kid can go more flexible, adaptable and derive the information they need to accomplish the acquisition ends in more ways than one. Similarly it becomes possible for the kid to follow a figure of schemes which can be used to work out jobs. When be aftering for the class-room it is of import to do certain that there are chances for all types of scholar to be able to larn in their optimal manner and achieve their possible ( Relates to Q23 ) . It is indispensable to guarantee that everyone is concentrating on the undertaking and is hence able to take in the information ( Relates to Q10 ) . Changing the activities to accommodate auditory, ocular and kinesthetic scholars besides breaks the lesson into subdivisions, forestalling loss of attending, as kids appear to fight to concentrate for longer than 10 proceedingss. Honey and Mumford ( 2000 ) besides propose a figure of scholar types based on a figure of larning stages through which an person may go through ( widening the research and theory of Kolb ) . They postulate that different people prefer different methods of larning dependent upon the current state of affairs and environment. The individual moves within the rhythm of ; Experiencing a stimulation Reflecting on the object/the experience Pulling decisions and analysis Testing theory Based on the kid ‘s observations the rhythm may be completed and larning takes topographic point, or the rhythm is repeated until understanding is gained. The types of scholar identified correlative with these phases: the ‘Activist ‘ prefers making and sing the ‘Reflector ‘ observes and reflects the ‘Theorist ‘ wants to understand the implicit in grounds, construct and relationships and, the ‘Pragmatist ‘ likes to â€Å" hold a spell † attempt things to see if they work. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm ) Honey and Mumford devised a questionnaire which allows the person to place their acquisition manner and hence the most effectual manner for them to maximize their learning potency. This method of class is reliant upon the respondent candidly replying the questionnaire with their penchants instead than replying harmonizing to what they believe will bring forth the consequence they would prefer. Equally, the questionnaire as a quantitative step may supply a consequence which is inconclusive i.e. the acquisition manner returned is a mixture of more than one manner. It is of import nevertheless, to recognize the value this can hold in the schoolroom ; by being able to place the acquisition manners and per centums of each, the instructor can be after harmonizing to single and the corporate bulk demands ( Relates to Q22 ) . Abraham Maslow proposed the Hierarchy of Need which included five degrees of demand which humans must fulfill consecutive to let larning to happen. These include: 1. Biological and Physiological demands – air, nutrient, drink, shelter, heat, slumber, etc. 2. Safety needs – protection from elements, security, order, jurisprudence, bounds, stableness, etc. 3. Belongingness and Love needs – work group, household, fondness, relationships, etc. 4. Esteem needs – self-pride, accomplishment, command, independency, position, laterality, prestigiousness, managerial duty, etc. 5. Self-Actualization needs – gaining personal potency and self-realization, seeking personal growing and extremum experiences by developing an apprehension of morality credence of facts and developing job work outing accomplishments for illustration. ( Cited in Powers, 2005 ) Maslow indicated that by fulfilling one demand another higher demand is recognised. Through this desire, development becomes possible and possible for development is merely restricted by the person ‘s motive to see state of affairss from which they can derive accomplishments and or cognition. In this manner acquisition is continual one time the basic physiological demands described by degrees one to four ( lack incentives ) have been satisfied to a degree satisfactory for the kid, they are able to satisfy their incentives for growing and seek chances or cognition to make so. For illustration, it is non possible to actuate a kid to accomplish their acquisition mark ( flat 4 ) when they ‘re holding jobs with their parents ( flat 3 ) . Equally, a kid would happen it hard to work in a group ( flat 3 ) when they ‘re holding to travel house ( flat 2 ) . This demonstrates the value of PHSE and SEAL programmes I have seen delivered ; if a kid is unable to cover with their emotions and joint their feelings, they are non free to larn. By understanding their emotions and those of others and how to act consequently allows development chances for all kids. To help this procedure the instructor must make an environment in which the kid feels physically and emotionally safe to ease effectual development ( Relates to Q31 ) . John West-Burnham proposes another holistic position on the procedure of larning as a developmental procedure. As antecedently noted a figure of degrees are offered, but here in footings of the degree of larning which can be derived from the presented information i.e. acquisition can be shallow ( â€Å" what † ) , deep ( â€Å" how † ) or profound ( â€Å" why † ) . Shallow acquisition allows the kid to develop a bank of cognition through memorization and reproduction of facts usually delivered by the instructor, whilst deep acquisition affords the kid an apprehension of the significance and hence impact of the delivered content. Deep scholars are able to absorb cognition and reflect on it and their method of larning. The instructor must prosecute in treatment with the scholar to guarantee that the decision drawn ( and understanding ) is right e.g. can the kid explain, justify and contextualise facts. Profound larning allows the kid to get down the development of a sense of ego as a alone entity capable of self-influence as a growing mechanism ( similarity to Maslow ‘s theory of self-actualization can be drawn here ) . Profound larning gives perceptual experience of possible for accomplishment and constructive rating of success and failure. In this respect the instructor should learn about morality and strive to develop an unmeasurable deg ree of assurance, delivered in a manner which serves to supply maximal benefit for each kid. As the young person of today experiences a broad cultural and societal influence it is necessary to learn accomplishments beyond shoal acquisition which allow the grownup ( as a merchandise of their childhood experience ) to be adaptable and antiphonal to a broad figure of people with a broad figure of beliefs i.e. as the consensus of social sentiment widens, kids need to develop a greater degree of complexness of idea which allows them to be flexible to the beliefs and behaviors of others as a merchandise of their civilization ( Relates to Q18 ) . For this ground, it is appropriate to promote inclusion in our schools, where instructors inspire the value of others as a function theoretical account ( Towards to Q2 ) . As highlighted above, larning is continual and cyclical. Existing cognition, the environment including societal and cultural contexts and the beliefs of others are to a great extent influential on larning. Whilst genetic sciences ( nature ) may pre-dispose us to larning in a peculiar manner and may specify our capacity for acquisition, larning can non take topographic point outside of the environmental context ( raising ) . As the theories discussed above concur, larning takes topographic point during assorted phases – usually age-related – which can non be accurately depicted as they vary from one individual to another. Furthermore whilst the theoreticians do non agree on how others ( grownups and equals ) influence the acquisition procedure, they agree of their engagement and the benefit of collaborative working as a tool for societal development ( Relates to Q6 ) . A rounded instruction with many societal and cultural facets develops a rounded immature person who is capable of accomplishing both their personal ends and working as a valuable member of society, where that society becomes capable of accomplishing the corporate end ( s ) .

Friday, September 27, 2019

The importance of information to organisations Essay

The importance of information to organisations - Essay Example e package designed to engage and entertain its customers such as the the Starbucks Entertainment division which is engaged in promoting and marketing of popular books, music and films. It’s outlets spread worldwide are equally popular in local as well as international markets. Owing to the ongoing environmental crisis and the heightened awareness of global warming, the company contributes its share by adopting environmental friendly measures. Starbucks was ranked at #17 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as one of the Top 25 Green Power Partners for the purchase of renewable energy2. The company strives to establish itself as a market leader by promoting business practices which would assist them in engendering social, environmental and economic assistance for communities where they operate. It centers its efforts in offering excellent work environment for its employees, making positive contribution to its communities, establishing long term and cordial working relations with the coffee farmers and taking stringent measures in reducing their environmental footprints4. Starbucks Entertainment comprises of a selection of finest quality music, books and films aimed at offering maximum ease and satisfaction to its customers and has several strategic alliances with some of the major players in the entertainment industry and has teamed with Apple iTunes which offers exclusive soundtracks which can be downloaded from the site. Strategic decisions involve the choice of alternatives which has the potential of having a significant impact on the company’s success in the long term. Tactical decisions on the other hand involve decision making in the day to day process that are required to reach the ultimate strategic goals of the organization. Operational decisions involve decision making in the routine decisions that affect the functioning of the organization such as planning, production sales, staffing, adjusting production rates, as well as controlling the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The complexities involved in the Sentencing Phase Research Paper

The complexities involved in the Sentencing Phase - Research Paper Example The Moral Dilemma a. Secularism vs. Religious Belief b. Violent & Non-violent Offences c. Love Research Paper: Abstract The teachings of Jesus Christ on non-violence, love for one’s neighbor, and forgiveness of sins pose a moral dilemma particularly for judges who are required to pass sentence on criminals convicted of crimes, as society may demand legal punishment for criminal offences but the Bible counsels one to forgive those who trespass against moral standards. Research Paper: There is a general misconception popularly that Christians are associated with deeply conservative political values and support public policies such as â€Å"tough on crime† campaigns, tougher sentencing laws for criminals, and even foreign wars in American politics. It is difficult in many ways to understand how Christians became associated with these political ideas because practically they would seem to conflict directly with the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus counseled the practice of non-violence, love, and forgiveness to all his disciples. In considering what it means to be Christian, there are undoubtedly as many varieties of faith as there are individuals, for God and faith are very personal. From the Bible, it can be understood that to be â€Å"Christian† is to be an actual disciple of the living Christ, who taught as it is recorded in the New Testament and whose teachings have been preserved for over 2000 years by the Church. Despite apparent differences between the various sects such as Catholic, Protestant, and so forth, all Christians can be said to be direct disciples of the living Christ, even in today’s modern world, because Jesus is timeless and ever-present as God’s love. Yet, one must recognize a difference between Christianity as a creed and being a disciple of the living Christ, for Jesus counseled to his followers to leave everything in this world and follow him. The criminal justice system today is surely no different than the Roman court of justice that sentenced Jesus to the cross, sadly as it may be, and despite the Bible being used in the courtroom to swear witnesses to truth, it cannot be said that the truth is actually being practiced there. For example, it is well established that there is a different tone and content to the New Testament that is not heard in the Old Testament prophets, and this comes from the voice of Jesus preaching the power of love. For Jesus, love and God are identical. If one practices love, or feels love naturally for a person, animal, or other being, then the first and foremost feeling that is experienced is the wish never to harm that being. In daily life, people can clearly identify their feelings of love because they would always wish the best for those people that they love and want to protect them. Thus, when one feels so much love for another person that they would do anything for them, even give their life to save them, then that is approaching th e love that Jesus speaks of as Agape in the Bible. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi were both inspired by Jesus’ teachings on Agape to build their entire philosophy of non-violence on this basis. In doing so, they are following directly in the footsteps of Jesus, because Christ as a prophet Himself based his ministry on Agape and the power of forgiveness. The legal justice system is also known as the criminal-industrial complex, a term that relates to President Eisenhower’s farewell address which warned of the dangers of militarism

Outsourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Outsourcing - Essay Example This paper shall begin by defining outsourcing and then describing the different forms of outsourcing. Next it shall outline why organizations opt to outsource and how they select what to or not to outsource. The paper shall then dwell on the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing from two perspectives: from the point of view of a company and from the point of view of our country, the United States of America. 2.0. Definition of outsourcing Outsourcing has been defined differently by different authors. Overby (1) defines it as the farming out of services to a third party and Lee (323) as the process of turning over part or all of an organization’s functions to external service provider(s). Everett (1) defines outsourcing is a leveraged business model that allows flexible use of the most appropriate resources for a particular project whereas Strassman (51) views it from a completely different angle and defines outsourcing as the distribution of labor and knowledge through specialization. Nevertheless, all these authors concur that outsourcing is deployed for purpose of gaining economic, technological and strategic benefits. Often, people confuse outsourcing with offshoring, which should not be the case. Offshoring, as we shall see in the other sections of this paper is a subset of outsourcing. 3.0. Types of outsourcing There are several types of outsourcing depending on the classification system used. Knowing the classification system and type of outsourcing vendor aides the organization in devising rules of engagement, deliverables and service level agreements. 3.1. Think 180 outsourcing classification The first form of classification system that we... The paper throws light on outsourcing. Overby defines it as the farming out of services to a third party and Lee as the process of turning over part or all of an organization’s functions to external service provider(s). Everett defines outsourcing is a leveraged business model that allows flexible use of the most appropriate resources for a particular project whereas Strassman views it from a completely different angle and defines outsourcing as the distribution of labor and knowledge through specialization. Nevertheless, all these authors concur that outsourcing is deployed for purpose of gaining economic, technological and strategic benefits. Often, people confuse outsourcing with offshoring, which should not be the case. Offshoring, as we shall see in the other sections of this paper is a subset of outsourcing. There are several types of outsourcing depending on the classification system used. Knowing the classification system and type of outsourcing vendor aides the organi zation in devising rules of engagement, deliverables and service level agreements. The first form of classification system that we shall look at has been developed by a firm called Think180. The former looks at the level to which the outsourced function is integrated with company operations, and whether the vendor participates in the meetings and decisions of the business while the latter looks at the entity that receives the results of the outsourced function.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Eating Habits In Relation to Political, Social, and Economical Essay - 161

Eating Habits In Relation to Political, Social, and Economical Environment - Essay Example Social factors dictate the preference for cereals in both pictures. The respective societies from which the two families live hold cereals in higher regard than another foodstuff. Consequently, both families would naturally want to stock up on more cereals than anything else. On the other hand, environmental and economic factors set the two families apart in dieting. Generally, the first family has less food, especially greens, compared to the second family. Harsh weather has led to inadequate food production for the first family while the second family enjoys abundance due to favorable weather for agricultural production (Kennedy et al p134). Secondly, the backgrounds of the pictures suggest that the first family is less endowed with resources compared to the second family. The second family seems to be residing in a fairly posh neighborhood while the first family lives in desolation. In conclusion, economic, political, environmental and social factors dictate the eating habits of people. A harsh environment and weak economy subject the first family to a state of near deprivation. The second family has plenty due to favorable weather and economic factors.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Can Slavery ever be justified on any set of moral principles Essay

Can Slavery ever be justified on any set of moral principles - Essay Example The moral theory Aristotle used to justify slavery is an ancient species of virtue ethics, which says natural slaves are slaves because their souls are incomplete, lacking certain qualities, such as the ability to think properly, and so they needed to have masters to tell them what to do. Clearly, thus, by looking into history and seeing Aristotle’s words (and the similar sentiments of his teacher Plato in Gorgias and his disciple St. Thomas Aquinas in Summa Contra Gentiles), one sees slavery can easily be justified by moral arguments. However, what is at issue is whether any of these arguments are good, and whether they actually reveal something wrong with the underlying theory used to justify slavery; this seems to be the case with a number of modern normative theories, including but not limited to standard versions of utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and natural rights theory. Utilitarianism, a theory of morality and economics pioneered by the intellectuals J.S. Mill and Jeremy Bentham in the 19th century, adheres to a principle stating simply, â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number†. As the theory is described in academia, according to this greatest pleasure principle, there are two ways in which the theory could be used to justify institutional slavery. First, if the moral theorist is simply looking at what is best for the most people, a micro-majority of 51% could justify the enslavement of the other group, the macro-minority, of 49% on the basis that it is maximizing the good of the greatest number of people. Additionally, utilitarianism does not recognize, except indirectly, â€Å"how the sum of satisfaction is distributed among individuals† (Rawls, 1971, p. 26). As a result, individual differences are not taken into account, and the theory gives no practical means of measuring what is, by some definition,

Monday, September 23, 2019

Team Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Team Reflection Paper - Essay Example During the ACC 544, Internal Control System, I was a member of team C. The purpose of this paper is to describe the interaction and learning experience that occurred during this course through the team learning mechanism. I have taken over 15 courses at the University of Phoenix online at the graduate level. Each of these courses had team assignments to be performed by a small group of students of 3-6 members. I believe that the university is doing a great job in their teaching methods because it is preparing us for the workplace of the future. Virtual teams are a hot trend in the managerial field due to the globalization movement and the fact that there are thousands of global corporations worldwide. â€Å"Managing a virtual team means managing the whole spectrum of communication strategies and project management techniques as well as human and social processes in ways that support the team. During the last six weeks I had the privilege to work with an outstanding team. It was a pl easurable experience working with a great group of professionals. Starting in week 1 team C always had great communication among the members. Communication in the workplace is an important variable that must be managed well by the leaders of an organization. Communication problems can lead to misunderstanding and conflict. Team C did not experience any of these symptoms. Whenever anyone was called upon to deliver data or information everyone responded promptly. As I mentioned earlier I have been a part of several work teams at the University of Phoenix. I believe that this team has been the most functional and productive team I have ever been in. The academic results prove my premise. Team C received a perfect grade of 25/25 on five projects the team completed. I’m a good student, but I do not have a 4.0 G.PA. Team C achieved perfection due to its hard work, commitment to excellence, cooperation, outstanding communication, and concise writing. I wished I would have had these teammates with me in all my previous courses. One of the best things about Team C was the lack of an ego. In other team I have worked on somebody always wants to be the team leader without getting approval from the other members. Team C did not have that problem. I believe that the leadership responsibilities were shared equally among the members. I loved the fact that the team member willingly divided the work parts without having anyone tell them to do things they did not want to do. Another great aspect about the team was the punctuality of the deliverables. At the University of Phoenix online the members of study teams depend on each other. If one member fails to deliver their work on time it creates a chain reaction that affects the quality of the work of the team. Team C cared about each other and respected the academic well being of the other members. The perfect grade the team was able to achieve in the five assignments will increase the chances of all the team members obtai ning a passing grade at the end of the course. I enjoyed working with this team because there was mutual respect among all the players on the team. The team was very organized throughout the entire course. This help the communication process because everyone always knew what they were supposed to do. I took initiative prior to week four and week five projects of creating an outline a few weeks before of how to separate the work in the team. This strategy worked well as everyone knew

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Alan Free

Alan Freed and the Payola Scandal Essay In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, during a time of shifting cultural identity, many Americans who held conservative views found themselves caught in a socio-cultural predicament. The social dynamic of urban communities had begun to change as more African-Americans moved from the Southern United States into the Northern and Western regions of the country. This diaspora meant better jobs and homes for African-Americans and ultimately translated into more spending power among this portion of the population. While many sectors were positively impacted by this increase in African American spending power, participants of exclusionary practices were destined to suffer. An example of this suffering was evident in the music industry where the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) had monopolized the music licensing industry until the Broadcast Music Incorporation was formed and began to provide affordable music licenses to those musicians previously excluded by ASCAP. This development signaled a â€Å"changing of the guard† and the ASCAP found that the change was ultimately not in their favor (Hood-Ancklewicz 3). The individuals who supported and encouraged the proliferation of this social revolution were labeled responsible for the growing lack of â€Å"social stability† and would be contended with under the guise of a quest for morals and justice. In 1959 the House Subcommittee launched an investigation into the existence of rigging in popular game shows and at the urging of ASCAP expanded that probe into the music industry. Given his nonconformist attitude, unapologetic support of rock n’ roll music, interracial dance parties and â€Å"frenzied† stage shows, Alan Freed became the most popular fatality of the payola scandal. Alan Freed was not the only person guilty of accepting â€Å"payola†, but he was among the most visibly linked to the promulgation of rock n’ roll. Alan Freed has been credited with being the first to popularize the title Rock n’Roll in relation to this particular music genre. Additionally, he was the first to encourage integration by hosting wildly successful interracial Rock n’ Roll stage shows with solely African American performers. Freed also made no attempt to control the pandemonium created by his exhilarating lineup of performers, which generally resulted in teens dancing in the aisles, screaming wildly at performers and storming venues for the opportunity to participate by any means necessary. The â€Å"firsts† associated with Freed helped to solidify his image as the Father of Rock n’ Roll and conversely sealed his fate as the scapegoat of the payola scandal. Mainly targeting radio stations and well known deejays and record executives, including Freed, the â€Å"clean cut† Dick Clark and, others linked to the popularization of rock n’ roll music. The payola investigations made radio executives across the nation nervous. Many of the stations began to enact measures to ensure that they would not be implicated in any wrong doing and as a result began to require that their disc jockeys sign disclosure statements, divest themselves of questionable outside interests and cooperate with investigators as necessary. Those disc jockeys that refused to do so were fired. Many deejays resigned some suggesting that payola was as much a part of the system as any other widely held production practice, while others simply confessed to accepting cash and other gifts in exchange for promoting records. Alan Freed refused to sign documents on the moral grounds that doing so would negatively impact his â€Å"reputation for integrity† as a result Freed was fired from the radio station (Segrave 110). Freed admitted that he had accepted valuable gifts but, he explained â€Å"not in front. If I’ve helped somebody, I’ll accept a nice gift but I wouldn’t take a dime to plug a record. I’d be a fool to; I’d be giving up control of my program† (Segrave 80). The end of the payola scandal dawned with Alan Freed disenfranchised from his livelihood. Freed was forced out of the concert promotion business, blacklisted, arrested, fined three hundred dollars and given a six month suspended sentence and though by modern standards this punishment may seem mild, compared to the punishment of other deejays it was among the most calculating and exacting punishments delivered. While some critics argue that the scandal did not end Freed’s career it is clear that â€Å"justice† was not doled out equally among all offenders (Palmer 136). Dick Clark, who was also investigated, was questioned about outside interests that he held with various publication houses, record presses, talent firms, etc. Clark minimized the number of investments reported to the committee, his employers supported his claims that he had divested those interests. Following the investigation it was learned that the claims of divestment were not only false but that Clark had also deflated the number reported to the subcommittee. Clark was ultimately exonerated and never seemed to be in any real danger of losing his livelihood, while Alan Freed was left destitute (Segrave 110). By many accounts Freed’s success in the music industry was instantaneous and was bolstered by the unwavering support of his interracial teen audience. In 1952 when Freed held the Moondog Coronation Ball an estimated 30,000 teens stormed the venue causing the event to be closed down by the local police department. Soon after this incident Freed took his stage shows on tour and was arrested and charged with inciting a riot after a similar occurrence in Boston. Freed moved from Ohio to New York where his success continue to grow exponentially (Palmer 23). Of note among Freed’s perceived â€Å"shortcomings† was the fact that all of Freed’s performers were African-American and even when â€Å"sanitized† versions of African-American songs were available Freed still preferred and continued to promote the original versions (Palmer 136-139). The image of rock n’ roll (leather jackets and sideburns) upset the sensibilities of larger society and as a result when the investigations into payola, a practice that had existed in various formats for years, became public knowledge and the House Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight had the support and the fuel necessary to effect change, Alan Freed became target number one. Rock n’ roll was shunned by the more conservative personalities in American society and as a result was blamed for many societal ills. Few expected the genre to last, disgusted by the lack of perceived merit in the rock n’ roll genre, many of the ASCAP members and conservative American public denied its â€Å"staying power†. In her1956 article for the Miami Herald, Phyllis Battelle quotes an unnamed source as saying â€Å"Perhaps the only hopeful thing about rock n’ roll is that it’s so bad. It cannot endure indefinitely† (Batelle 4C+). This sentiment comforted few Americans while others focused on the reasons why rock n’ roll was not a viable music form. Rock n’ roll on the other hand continued to reinvent itself, to influence and morph into different genres. The influence of rock n’ roll is heard clearly in other genres now and has become as intrinsic to the American cultural legacy as payola in the music industry. Though rock n’ roll waned for a short period of time it ultimately was revived by the British invasion which also revived the folk and RB genres (Hood-Anklwicz 4). Ironically the integrationist mentality that was once a part of rock n’ roll music faded in the early sixties undoubtedly influenced by the newly sanitized radio and broadcast environment, the loss of charismatic personalities such as Alan Freed and the stress of the continuously changing cultural dynamic in American society. Fears like those expressed in segregationist propaganda like the American Nationalist went unfounded as rock n’ roll eventually became racially segregated once more. Dick Clark’s clean cut presentation of rock n’ roll minus the tilting pelvises and gyrations, minus the dancing in the aisles and frenzied pandemonium, minus the leather jackets and sideburns was to become the popular music among whites while African American performers performed for largely African-American audiences (Palmer, 146). Many African American performers of the rock n’ roll era have credited Freed with the breaking of social barriers and have recognized his attempt to encourage integration among young Blacks and Whites. Before concluding that Alan Freed was ultimately made the example for being all things rock n’ roll, it is imperative to note that the practice of payola was never absent from the music industry, it â€Å"has never been and is not now illegal†. The 1960 law passed, did not make the practice illegal but made the failure to report payola illegal (Segrave,vii). While the concept of payola presents an ethical flaw in the system it is nonetheless a flaw that is as inherent to the music industry as is manipulation to the industry of politics. The great professor and historian, Lord Acton, is quoted as saying, â€Å"power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely†. This notion is evident on both ends of the rock n’ roll spectrum on one end Alan Freed was said to â€Å"be drunk with power† (Palmer 23), so much so that he failed to see the danger in overbooking venues, was charged with encouraging riotous behavior among teens and a general failure to realize the detriment that would come to his livelihood if he continued to challenge the prescribed social norms of the 1950’s. On the other end of the spectrum is the American government who continues to support censorship and participate in the creation of scapegoats when suitable to the larger political agenda. Overall, Alan Freed was a trendsetter who was perhaps â€Å"before his time† and thereby was punished accordingly for going against the grain. He lived as the champion of rock n’ roll firsts and died tormented by opportunities unrealized.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Traditional Views On Stranger Rape Criminology Essay

Traditional Views On Stranger Rape Criminology Essay I prefer to characterize rape simply as a form of torture. Like the torturer, the rapist is motivated by the urge to dominate, humiliate, and destroy his victim. Like a torturer, he does so by using the most intimate acts available to humans sexual ones. Helen Benedict, Virgin or Vamp, 1992 Rape is the act of forced, unwanted sexual assault. It can be a form of sexual harassment or sexual intercourse. This can be done by a stranger, an acquaintance, or a family member. Globally, rape is an occurring crime that victimizes not only women but also children and men too (Starman, 2009).In 1997, according to the Worldwide Sexual Assault Statistics there is a large percentage of sexual assault victims that are less than 15 years old (2005). In 2000, there was a report that in seven different countries, 60% of sexual assault victims know their attackers. In 2001, 1 out of 3 women worldwide has experienced rape or sexual assault (Worldwide Sexual Assault Statistics, 2005). Also, in an intensive study, it was found that in eight different countries, 24.7% experienced sexual violence in dating relationships (Worldwide Sexual Assault Statistics, 2005). Also, the Worldwide Sexual Assault Statistics reported that studies showed that 5-10 percent of men experience sexual assault in th eir childhood days (2005). These statistics imply that rape is a very serious crime. Even family members cannot be excused out of it. According to Susan Estrich, there are two types of rape: traditional rape described to be a violent rape committed by a stranger and non-traditional rape described to be a less violent rape committed by an acquaintance of the victim (qtd. by Shanahan, 1999). Estrich suggested that non-traditional rape requires a less severe punishment compared to the traditional rape (qtd. by Shanahan, 1999). However, this is an unfair line of thinking. Rape is a crime. It is not dependent on who did it and who the victim is. In this paper, the first part will discuss rape and its history. The second part will discuss about and compare the two types of rape: traditional rape and non-traditional rape. Emphasis will be given to the traditional stranger rape case. The third part will discuss the current penalties that are given to the rapists. Emphasis will also be giv en to the traditional stranger rape case. A thorough evaluation of the penalties and its implications will be discussed. The last part will discuss about how this traditional stranger view fails to fairly and accurately represent the true nature of rape as an offence. Rape first appeared on historical texts in the form of early religious texts. Rape is commonly denoted both as abduction and in a sexual sense. In Greek Mythology, some famous stories depicted rape of women and male rape. First is the rape of Europa by Zues, It was written that Europa, a Phoenician princess, was abducted by Zues and they had sexual contact and had children (The Abduction of Europa, 2010). Second, the rape of Ganymede by Zues, the story tells that Zeus fell in love with a Trojan prince named Ganymede. Zues abducted the boy and made him his lover. This myth was even used by Greek philosopher Plato to justify his sexual feelings toward his male pupils (Gibson, 2004). Both of these myths were not treated in negative terms. These rapes went out unpunished because these sexual relationships were starting to be a part of the Greek society. Lastly, the famous rape of Chrysippus by the prince of Thebes named Laios (Atsma, 2008). In the story, Chrysippus killed himself because of his violation (Hubbard, 2006). It was also the first time that one called it a crime, namely the crime of Laius (Carter, 2006). This term is used today as one pertaining to male rape. This is the first depiction of rape as a negative thing. In the early states, mothers were being trapped into a situation wherein they have to stay in limited areas of their homes and stay with other females. This is called gynarchy. Also, women and children were separated from the mens quarters. Thus, men use young boys for sexual intercourse preferably rather than their wives (Xenophon, cited in deMause, no date). Historians argue that in early states, matriarchy is the prevailing view. The state is governed by women. This is why at that time maternal incest was widely spread and common (deMause, n.d.). According to historians, child rape in early states is called love ,or pedophelia translated as love of children, or justifying it as an instance of gay rights that children are not minors (deMause, n.d.). Furthermore, the children are being blamed for being raped. Early scholars, especially Greek scholars believe that children are lonely and needing sex, seductive, and as routinely fellating older men [but] not abused despite ingesting their elders semen but ritually initiated into manhood. (Rousseau, 2007). Also, It was reported that in many early states, boys would be dressed as girls by their mothers and they will work as prostitutes to be raped by priests during religious rituals (Spencer, 1996). Men could pick up boys to be raped at any barbershop, in any boy brothel, at the exit of any of the Roman games (McMullen, 1990 cited by deMause, n.d.). Men regularly went into streets with scissors to make a hole in the trousers of the boy and a small pillow to put in the boys mouth if he should scream. (Schild, 1997). Furthermore, Physicians were reportedly expected to provide lubricants for the anal penetration of boys and also treat the rectal tears that results from being raped (deMause, n.d.). According to Plutarch, boys should think of rape not as a pleasure, but as a duty (Cantarella, 2002, cited by deMause, n.d.). Moreover, in ancient Babylon and Hebrew cultures, raped women are either thrown into the river o r are stoned to death in the cities (Brownmiller, cited by deMause, n.d.). It was also reported that in the early Roman Empire, the castration of boys was a big business used for raping by the aristocracy and by priests (Rousselle, 2009 cited by deMause, n.d.). In the time of the Nazis, rape was used as a political tool in war to produce fear torture, and social control in the states. Examples are the Serbian rape camps, comfort girls in Japan, use of inmates for prostitution in Nazi concentration camps in WWII, mass rapes of Bengali women during the Pakistani/Bengali war, rapes of school girls in Kenya, ass rapes of women by armed forces in Somalia and Guatemala (A History of Sexual Assault, 2009: p. 1). These are facts that are very overwhelming if one thinks of the freedom of people today. These myths, actions and beliefs are very brute and terrifying. In recent years, rape and other forms of sexual assault is associated with harm for a male perpetrator who is related to the female victim. This means that if the rape victim is married, the crime is against her husband; also, if the victim is unmarried, the crime is against her father. Women were treated as property of men. They had no rights in legal and social definitions of rape. It was only in the 60s that the women started to participate and given a chance to voice their opinions and beliefs womens movements (A History of Sexual Assault, 2009: p. 1).Today, rape is considered as a crime punishable by law. Although there are some countries are not very strict regarding their policies and laws such as in India or in Africa. Rape is defined as forced, unwanted sexual assault or sexual intercourse. Furthermore, it was argued that the reason behind the reformation and redefinition of rape, sexual assault, etc. was the feminist movements. Rape is about possession, power, and control (A History of Sexual Assault, 2009: p. 1). In the history of rape, several definitions and sanctions were very poor. Examples are: Rape was defined as forced sexual intercourse only, penile/vagina. If the victim does not acquire injuries, the case will not be prosecuted. All states do not acknowledge marital rape and date rape as serious rape cases. Males are only treated as suspects and cannot be victims, while females are victims only and not perpetrators. Only stranger rape was acknowledged and if no physical injuries or harm were sustained, it will not be acknowledged (A History of Sexual Assault, 2009: p. 2). Only in 2002 was there a big leap in the rape law definitions and sanctions. There are many different reasons behind these rapes. Study of why and where is the point of doing this criminal act will strengthen understanding about what rape is and why it is a crime. According to the GMU Sexual Assault Services (GMU-SAS), approximately 95 percent of reported rapes are committed by men. However, most men do not commit these kinds of crime (The Offender, 2009). GMU-SAS argued that there are many different factors that affect or boost the development of this deviant behavior. Some of these factors are: (One) the offender thinks of the victim as an object that can be manipulated and violated according to his will. (Two) The inability to empathize to other people had resulted from physical, sexual or emotional abuse from the past. According to a study, 70 percent of male sexual assault offenders were sexually and physically abused in their childhood (Lisak, 2002, cited in The Offender, 2009). (Three) The perpetrator believes that sex is equal to violence; that men sh ould be dominant and aggressive, and that women should protect themselves until they take that virtue with the use of force. (Four) The perpetrator strongly holds on the beliefs of dating ritual stereotypes. An example is that sex is a game. The more you have it, whether by force or not, the more points you have. (Five) The perpetrator accepts violence as an act of dealing with conflicts. (Six) Excessive drinking of alcohol may affect the violent attitude of some men (The Offender, 2009). These are just some of the causes that may affect the development of a sexual assault perpetrator. Rape has a wide variety of cases. Rape, in the simplest categorization, is divided into two fields. One, non-stranger rape and two, stranger rape. These are two entirely different stories. Non-traditional rape is defined to be rape wherein the perpetrator is an acquaintance, a friend, a neighbor or even a spouse (Acquaintance or Non-Stranger Rape, 2009). According to the GMU Sexual Assault Services (GMU-SAS), a non-stranger rape is not considered to be a true sexual assault (2009). Most of the time, society today tends to blame the victim for these types of rape. However, GMU-SAS argued that the no woman is exempt from being raped. Any woman can be raped. Also, rape is a very democratic form of violence. Furthermore, rape attacks are 80% wholly and partially planned (Acquaintance or Non-Stranger Rape, 2009: p. 1). Also, studies show that 60-80% of all sexual assaults were done by someone who knows the victims. Also, men can be sexually assaulted too. Most of the male rape victims wer e abused in their childhood or in their teens. Rape is not dependent on the weapon used, gender, virginity and other matters. Rape is about unwanted, forced actions toward a victim (Acquaintance or Non-Stranger Rape, 2009: p. 2). Marital rape is another form of a non-traditional rape. In 1984, marital rapes were not prosecuted in Virginia. It was only in 1986 that a reformation of the law allows prosecution of marital rapes. In recent studies, one out of seven women is being sexually assaulted by their husbands (Marital Rape, 2009).In other words, marriages are not an exemption when it comes to rape. Gang rape can be another form of a non-traditional rape if the sexual perpetrators are known or have a relationship to the victim. This happens when two or more offenders sexually assault a victim. GMU-SAS described gang rape as very different from the traditional acquaintance rape in the sense that men who engage in rapes like these are the ones who cannot commit an individual rape. Fu rthermore, it was said that gang rape is a less perverted type of rape that usually associates the thing as a rite of passage or a proof of masculinity (Helen, cited by GMU-SAS, 2009).These types of rape involve an acquaintance or an existing relationship. Stranger rapes are the crimes that involve total strangers as perpetrators. A report from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) show that stranger rape is increasing. More than half of all the rape victims are attacked by total complete strangers. The DRCC is alarmed and shocked because of this growing trend. Also, according to their statistics, out of the 51 percent of stranger rape victims, 38 percent said that they were also physically and psychologically abused (cited by Sherry, 2009). According to the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN), stranger rape has three major categories: Blitz sexual assault, Contact sexual assault, and Home invasion sexual assault. Blitz sexual assault is the type of sexual assault that happens rapidly and brutally. The perpetrator is a total stranger and this usually happens at night in public places. Contact sexual assault involves the sudden contact of a stranger perpetrator with the victim and tries to gain his confidence and trust before as saulting the victim. Usually, the perpetrators pick their victims from bars and restaurants; sexual coercion also is used for the initiation of sexual assault. Home invasion sexual assault is the situation wherein the stranger perpetrator breaks in the home of the victim and assaults the victim (Stranger Rape, 2009). Stranger rape is reported to happen in a lesser commonly and less possible to be repeated. Furthermore, it has been an argument that stranger rape is associated with violence and that non-stranger rapes have less violence when it comes to their nature (Shanahan, 1999). This is a rather unequal judgment on the true nature of rape as an offence. Rape is rape. Rape is a crime. It does not matter whether there was violence or less violence. It was further explained that a woman is raped whenever she has sex and feels violated (MacKinnon, cited by Shanahan, 1999). To further explain and evaluate the case of stranger rape, comparison of the harms and effects of both rapes will be discussed. There are many effects of being raped. These are very serious consequences that have lifetime effects on the victim. It was reported that stranger rape has far more complicated and devastating effects for the victim. Stranger rape often results in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases which include HIV and AIDS. Furthermore, violent stranger rape can cause bruises and cuts to the victim, also the absence of condoms that make a larger probability of sexually transmitted diseases (Best, 2005). Raped women are traumatized and stigmatized. In some cultures, different kinds of punishments are given to raped women. Raped women are either abandoned, divorced or be declared as unmarriageable (Best, 2005). Furthermore, many raped women become impregnated; contract sexually transmitted infections, and suffers gynecological injuries that require recons tructive surgery (Best, 2005). These consequences are far more devastating that one can ever imagined. The mental, emotional, physical and psychological tortures for these women are worst. The effects and harms of non-stranger rape are also comparable to the effects of stranger rape. It is not right to say that non-stranger rape is not violent. There is also violence in what they do. Research reports that non-stranger rape or acquaintance rape survivors suffer from depression, anxiety, complications in subsequent relationships, and difficulty of attaining maximum level of sexual satisfaction (Koss Dinero, cited by Curtis, 1997). Also, it is also argued that one of the most serious effects of stranger rape is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, rape and other sexual assaults is the most common cause of PTSD (McFarlane De Girolamo, in van der Kolk, McFarlane, Weisaeth cited by Curtis, 1997). Other effects are miscarriage, stillbirth, infertility, suicidal tendencies, and long-term sexual dysfunction. The effects and harms are just the same as with the stranger rape. There should be no distinction between stranger and non-stranger rape. They are both cri mes. The punishment and law for rape cases will be discussed to further the understanding of the stand and status of both stranger rape and non-stranger rape in representing the true nature of rape as an offence. The legal aspects and comparisons of the traditional sense for both cases is the most effective way in evaluating the extent of which both represents the nature of rape. The legal aspects of traditional rape has five major elements: penetration, force and resistance, non-consent, absence of a spousal relationship (the marital exemption), and a culpable state of mind (mens rea). Only four of the major elements are connected to stranger rape. (1) Sexual intercourse is a requirement for an act to be called rape. Penetration is the, even slightest, insertion of the penis into the vagina. It does not count as rape if the penetration is done with the use of object or the penetration is not done in the vagina. Furthermore, ejaculation is not required. This implies that traditional view of rape is gender-specific that only women can be raped. Today, modern views about rape towards penetration is that penetration is about violence and violation against the morale, physical integrity and sexual autonomy of a person man, woman or child. This means that penetration is forcible penetration of any object to any part of the body of the victim (Rape: Legal Aspects Forcible Rape: Elements of the Offense, n.d.). (2) To be qualified as a rape case, the perpetrator must have exerted force and that the victim has no consent about it. Traditionally, other cases wherein it is considered as forcible rape even without the physical compulsion, are those in which the woman was unconscious, was mentally incompetent, or gave her consent under certain false pretenses. Traditionally, a perpetrator who tricked a victim about false pretenses about marriage and the likes are not to be considered as rape. However, he may be trialed for seduction. Also, rape by submission must be justified by the application of force (Rape: Legal Aspects Forcible Rape: Elements of the Offense, n.d.). It was argued that the justification of force is not self-evident because most people think that sex without consent, even with or without force, is to be called rape (Rape: Legal Aspects Forcible Rape: Elements of the Offense, n.d.). This implies that you if the victim is not forced, there is no rape. That rape is traditionall y interpreted as an act of violence the more force, the more violent, the more credible the rape. Today, several states punish all cases of sexual intercourse without consent and treat force merely as a factor that aggravates the severity of the offense. But there are still people who believe that force is an essential element of rape (Rape: Legal Aspects Forcible Rape: Elements of the Offense, n.d.). (3) Non-consent is another issue of the traditional view of rape. A sexual assault is not considered as rape if the victim consented or did not resist. The act must be against his will. The major drawback of this element is that it tended to encourage a focus on the complainants state of mind, and evidence of her prior sexual experience was often used to insinuate that she wanted to have sex (or deserved whatever treatment she received). Furthermore, the meaning of consent is not clear. Some argued that answering no does not actually mean no. Such difficulties arise that is why, today, some laws provide the elimination of the element of unwillingness or non-consent (Rape: Legal Aspects Forcible Rape: Elements of the Offense, n.d.). (4) Mens Rea is another traditional view of rape. It means that the defendant has a culpable state of mind. This means that the perpetrator must have actual knowledge of what he has done and that he is in a proper state of mind. Furthermore, conviction should require actual awareness of wrongdoing. This implies that the conviction should require proof of criminal negligence (a gross departure from the level of care reasonably expected) and the penalty imposed should be lower than that applied to intentional misconduct. (Rape: Legal Aspects Forcible Rape: Elements of the Offense, n.d.). Clearly, from these traditional views on stranger rape, all of the four traditional elements: penetration, force and resistance, non-consent, and a culpable state of mind (mens rea) do not represent fairly and accurately the true nature of rape as an offence. It is an offence if the person is violated physically, emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. Again, Rape is rape. Rape is a crime. It does not matter who, what, where, when and how. Rape is about the destruction of ones sexual autonomy, of ones pride and dignity, of ones health.

Friday, September 20, 2019

External Environment of Baker Mckenzie

External Environment of Baker Mckenzie 1. External Environment of Global Legal Industry To analyze Baker McKenzie organization in order to provide its authorities with specific recommendation for the successful future management of the firm and its employees it is critical to evaluate the principal factors of External Environment of global legal industry that have implications for the management of people and organization. To design an elaborate plan and implement it successfully in the firm it is essential to be aware of the wide business environment in which firm operates and of how this environment is changing over time. PEST analysis is used to access Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors of the Global Legal Industry (see Appendix 1). In general, the legal market was highly segmented comprising a few prestigious law firms at the top and small practices, consisting sometimes of a single attorney at the bottom. As a result of the globalization pattern a lot of legal firms became more international. While entering new markets and opening offices in new areas such political factor as local licensing laws pushed the firms to employ local lateral hires. If we have a look at the global legal industry on firm-levels we can state that the structure of an average law firm was common: LAW FIRM Equity Partners Ownership stake in the firm Revenue generating Responsibility for attracting new clients Associates (law-degree) No ownership stake in the firm Everyday routine consultancy Opportunity to be promoted to Partner (depending on the performance and firm needs) Support Staff Paralegals assistance to lawyers (law degree is not required but possible) Personal Assistants assistance to all levels In USA and many other legal jurisdictions the system of regulations was quite strict and law firms were not allowed to generate capital though IPO (Initial Public Offering) and the firms lawyers were the only ones who could held an ownership stake. This was a way to protect the company in terms of possible conflicts of interests. By 2004 various industries had to face high turnover trend and legal industry was not an exception. Such social factor as a work-life balance tendency added a new criteria which were critical for potential employees while entering the company. In law firms associates were changing the employers more often than ever before due to various factors the main of which is disaffection of: Poor firms culture the main reason resulting into â€Å"long work hours, lack of meaningful assignments and unfriendly work environment†. Compensation system as a result of â€Å"war for talent† and the practice to attract and retain star attorneys from competing firms (â€Å"lateral hires†) there was a high spread between partner and associate rates (sometimes as much as 20:1). Promotion system firms expansion strategyaffected the timeline for reaching the status of equity partner which was extended and a second tier of partner termed â€Å"junior partner† was addedto prevent the growing number of equity partners. In many firms it was understood that high billables were a requirement for advancement but in reality it did not necessarily encourage efficiency and taking into account the global character of some law firms such practice ran the risk of superseding all other metrics when promotion decisions were being made. In the recent years the customers appetites to the quality of legal services have been changing significantly and the clients expectations have been rising all over the world. The legal market was saturated with the number of law firms with appropriate professional expertise but only a few of such firms could offer a †value-added† service. Thus, to have a competitive advantage in the industry and to make a client happy a law firm had to accelerate its efforts to reduces associates turnover by focusing on corporative culture and soft skills and emotional intelligence development in the organization reviewing the performance management systems, financial patterns as well as each firm is to pay appropriate attention to all aspects of the international character of business and personal development maintaining a good relation with clients to make them satisfied. 2. Internal Environment of Baker McKenzie Baker McKenzie was founded in Chicago in 1949 and from the very beginning has intended to be truly global. By 2004 it was the largest law firm in the world by headcount comprising about 9000 employees spread across 70 offices in 38 countries and being among the industry leaders in revenue. Regardless of the fact that the firm has a strong position in the legal industry there are some areas alarming that Baker McKenzie is to review its internal environment particularly focusing on attorneys retention, motivation and improving companys culture. Such concepts as firms strategy, structure and culture are to be analyzed. 2.1. Organizational Strategy For a long period of time the general strategy of Baker McKenzie was global expansion. Due to the increasing competitiveness in global legal market and bearing in mind the fact that some clients became more oriented on not expensive routing legal needs in the late 1990th the firm felt that some changes were required not to lose competitive advantage. Baker McKenzie came to conclusion that their initial strategy which included such learning program as professional management education for partners, key-client account program and four-point strategic plan, was not efficient and ambitious enough. Even though the firm did make impressive progress on many fronts a more sophisticated approach was needed to develop further. By 2004 a new strategy was developed the main objectives of which were as follows: To achieve market preeminence by building upon unparalleled international capabilities through: deeper penetration of major clients; growth of core practice areas; greater industry specialization; To develop the firm in a systematic way so each office is able to support multinational clients and global strategy and excel and prosper in its local market; To align the firms organizational, financial and management structures more effectively with its strategic objectives. Finally, Baker McKenzie realized that people were paramount to the firms successful future and in this updated strategy the focus was shifted from the expansion to peoples qualities prioritizing the HR management. To achieve a competitive advantage in the quality of legal services the following combination of HR and competitive strategies (Armstrong, 2000) were followed: Companys Strategy HR Strategy Resourcing HR Development Reward Achieve competitive advantage through quality Use sophisticated selection procedures to recruit people who are likely to deliver quality and high levels of customer service Encourage the development of a learning organization and support total quality and customer care initiatives with focused training Link rewards to quality performance and the achievement of high standards of customer service Achieve competitive advantage by employing people who are better than those employed by competitors Use sophisticated selection procedures based on rigorous analysis of the special capabilities required be the organization Develop organizational learning processes; encourage self-managed learning through the use of personal development plans as part of a performance management process Develop performance management processes that enable both financial and non-financial rewards to be related to competence and skills; ensure that pay levels are competitive One of the major improvements in HR strategy was the implementation of Associate Training Program (ATP) which allowed the associates to transfer for the period of a year to 18 months among any Baker McKenzie office in the world. The strategy was a success as it enhanced the lawyers experience by exposing them to different jurisdictions, laws and cross-border terms. Also it was a great tool to embed and develop the relationships across the firm. It is also important to mention the rewarding performance which was used in the firm. For many years Baker McKenzie used a compensation system of objective nature called â€Å"the formula† rewarding the following four criteria: â€Å"Work Credit† (personal productivity of a partner; â€Å"Client Credit† (partners ability to delegate and supervise work done not by partners); â€Å"Associate Profit† (work done by non-partners); Tenure with the firm (number of years as an equity partner). As a result of such strategy the partners were not focused on development tasks but principally on generating fees. Such compensation system was suitable in early years when the firm opened its first offices in different countries. However, such formula is not efficient today and Baker McKenzie was to review it bearing in mind the best interests of the business. In 2002 the firm adopted new rules that facilitated the evolution to discretionary compensation systems based on more subjective criteria. In spite of the fact that not all partners were satisfied with such method and it was hotly debated before being approved, the key implication of such approach is growing recognition within the firm that changes in the financial structure and compensation system were needed to advance the overall strategy. However, the updated compensation system involving such new subjective elements as development associates and demonstrating leadership used for the evaluation of partners meant that there could be risk for the partner to receive substantially less. To conclude it is to be emphasized that new strategy requires a well-developed framework for its successful implementation. 2.2. Organizational Structure As it was mentioned in the previous chapter the principal strategy of Baker McKenzie for a long time was global expansion with the local lateral hires which were more steeped in techniques and traditions of their regions law (only few offices were staffed from the main office)3. It resulted to decentralization and spread among continents (see Chart 1). As per Burns and Stalker (1961) Baker McKenzie could be defined as an Organic structure rather than Mechanistic and can be characterized by the following: High decentralization of authority; Tasks loosely defined; Horizontal communications; Greater individual authority; Flexible and adaptable. Chart 1. Baker McKenzie organization, 2004 The advantages offered in the decentralization are that it: + Increased responsiveness to the local circumstances; + Enables decisions closer to the operational level of work; + Improved level of personal customer service; + More in keeping with developments in flatter and more flexible structures. But there are also some negative aspects: The same lateral hires results in tough control over offices letting no interference; Firm becomes inert to new programs and changes or their implementation results are low; Low sociability and interaction between offices caused by rare meetings. 2.3. Organizational Culture A key weapon in the war for talent in the 21st century is going to be organizational culture. To analyze the culture of Baker McKenzie it is important to look at it from different perspectives and use various approaches. In general, Baker McKenzies culture was a strong one encompassing several core elements such as: Internationalism and multi-culturalism; Sense of friendship; Equality of employees; Strong sense of independence; Consensus-building based on multilateral mindset and highly consultative, transparent and respectful style; Attention to selection process of laterals. According to Goffee Jones (1996) Grid (see Chart 2) Baker McKenzie located in Mercenary area gravitating to Fragmented organization as of its numerous offices around the world which tend to be autonomous. That results in general low sociability of the employees. This can be supported by the fact that international interaction was quite poor, presented only by annual meetings for equity partners and some star lawyers. Solidarity is high due to result-oriented strategy (a lot of billable hours required to be rewarded by bonus) and high compensation for partners level only. Chart 2. Goffee and Jones (1996) Grid Organizational cultures and their associated structures typology of Charles Handy (1986) is another popular model to examine the firm. According to his classification Baker McKenzie is â€Å"the person culture cluster structure† which is described as structure where autonomous experts and professionals pursue their own interests. This type of culture is characterized by high autonomies of partners and associates where management hierarchies are not acceptable and the legal business is operated by mutual consent and influence based on expertise. Having noted that it could be stated that such culture is in balance with the decentralized structure mentioned in the previous chapter. Facing high turnover and â€Å"war for talent† Baker McKenzie has to pay more attention to its employees to shape a firm-friendly culture required not only for personal and professional development of the lawyers but such culture which could have an immediate positive effect on the successful future of the firm. 3. The Development Framework By 2000 Baker McKenzie recognized importance of retaining associates as every lawyer who left the firm within the first two years never provided the firm with even a partial return on investment in terms of training, development, and replacement costs. The developed HRM strategy was placed in jeopardy. To find the causes of high associates turnover KPDC lunched a survey lead by two outsourced HR specialists which educed the following gaps in performance management: No or poor feedback on associates performance were provided (no deep review, no examples are given). This circumstance was complicated by cultural obstacle as many of associates reported that â€Å"it is not the practice of their offices to conduct reviews or that is a new concept†; No guidelines explaining business and legal skills required for each career step were given to the associates. This resulted in low motivation and lack of self development; Development opportunities and training programs were not clearly explained or not explained at all to the lawyers. In April 2003 two industrial psychologists were invited to develop new framework to overcome these asperities and meet common performance expectation across different locations of the firm. It was the right choice as it is almost impossible to deal with the different cultures from the position of usual management. The following final Development Framework qualities were highlighted as the basic criteria: Personal Qualities (PQ); Key Performance Areas (KPAs) comprising Individual Activities Categories (IACs). By such framework associates have been rated on a scale of 1-3 for each component: 3 â€Å"exceeds expectations†; 2 â€Å"meets expectations†; 1 â€Å"falls short of expectations†. This highly segmented system of evaluation could satisfy everyone and could meet the needs of the multicultural firm. Also it represented an actual approach to talent management. In general, the talent management strategy of Baker McKenzie can be characterized by the following main aspects: Recruitment identifying and selecting right people to met the challenges of the firms strategic goals; Development personal and professional development of the employees; Career Management coaching and supporting the employees throughout their careers. Having analyzed the external and internal environments and the Development Framework it can be concluded the main tool for Baker McKenzie successful recruiting, developing and retaining the chosen talent and to win war for talent is to find a common language within international offices of the firm for discussing excellence in order to facilitate firm activities and find the best fit between a lawyer and Baker McKenzies operation and culture. 4. Recommendations Undoubtedly, the New Development Framework is a well-designed foundation ready to be implemented and now it fully depends on how much effort the Executive and KPD Committees will contribute to convince each partner of its implementation importance. Based on the analysis of the Baker McKenzies organization, culture and strategy, including New Development Framework aimed on successful recruiting, developing, and retaining the talent it is recommended to pay more attention to the following aspects: Recruitment and Selection Process Organizational performance depends considerably on the quality of its workers. It is required to continue generating a pool of skilled and qualified associates, which have some of the necessary attributes to enable a suitable candidate to be selected. Appropriate range of selection methods of evaluation which can be partly taken from the Development Framework (IACs and PQs) are to be applied to cover such gaps as lack of soft skills for the potential employees. This will facilitate the candidates to integrate into Baker McKenzies culture and to meet the expectations of the firm. It is worth recommending while selection and recruiting process to bear in mind the fact that firm is working on standardizing its processes on international level. It means that there should be given more attention to the ability of the candidate to be a good team member. Such characteristic feature of the human being can be measured by some psychological testing as well the firm could several steps of selection process one of which could be a simulation or role-playing within the number of candidates. Such simulation should be observed by a number of specialists and assessed accordingly. Also it can be added that due the nature of globalization the preference is to be given to those candidates who have international experience or willing to obtain it. Developing Competent Employees In spite of the fact that the firm is focused on the highly qualified attorneys recruitment we should not underestimate the role of work-based learning. This is particularly important for paralegals being loyal to the firm and associates whose target is to become partners. Such methods can be divided into following groups: Learning from another person consists of coaching and mentoring. Mentors provide two functions: 1) career advice and support, 2) psychological function. As we could see from the analysis of Baker McKenzies performance management the lack of career development advice was one of the main drawbacks in the firm. It is important to note that coaching does not come naturally to all managers and it requires a number of skills which can be developed by sending the responsible managers to special management courses; Learning from tasks consists of job rotation and delegation. This involves moving lawyers into different limitrophe groups (e.g. associates from the Major Project and Project Finance group may broaden their expertise by being placed into International Commercial or Corporate group, etc.) Delegation is also a way of developing of employee as it can offer new challenge and responsibilities. Retaining Associates As the final point Baker McKenzie have to be focused on staff retention as high turnover damages not only performance, service quality and financial side but also a corporate image. First of all, Motivation is directly expressed by how to make people contribute to organizational goals while satisfying their personal needs. A good balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is the key to success. In terms of extrinsic motivation can be applied such tangible rewards as: improved salary, the firm is to develop a more reasonable and balanced compensation system between partners and associates which can result to comfortable work-life balance; Perks like corporate transport or enhanced workplace. Performance Management is the other aspect which is extremely important for the firm to develop particularly in providing associates with: Constant and detailed feedback with clear explanations of their performance. Exposing their strengths and weaknesses; Guidelines explaining business and legal skills required for each career step. That will result in high loyalty and motivation as well. All these recommendations will result in successful Talent Management and firms prosperity in the future. Detailed Implementation Plan provided in Appendix 2. Also it is important to control and shape the implementation of current Development Framework. The future researches on the results of implementation have to be carried on as well. Bibliography Case study. Baker McKenzie (A): A New Framework for Talent Management. MPO lectures. Goffee, R. and Jones G. (1996). What holds the modern company together? Harvard business review, November-December. Mullins, Laurie J. (2005), Management and Organisational Behaviour. 7th ed. Pearson Education Limited, Essex, England. Green, Richard, (2003), Business Environment: An MBA Study Guide. University of Hull, Hull, UK. Palmer, Adrian and Hartely, Bob (2002), The Business Environment. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA. Graeme Martin (2006), Managing People and Organizations in Changing Contexts. Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK.