Urban Villagers by Herbert J Gans Essay Example For Students

Urban Villagers by Herbert J Gans Essay Bostons West End is the most well documented neighborhood destroyed by urban renewal, made famous initially by Herbert Ganss book, The Urban Villagers, 1962. Although approximately 63 percent of the families displaced by urban renewal were African-American or Hispanic, this Boston community was mainly inhabited by working class Italians. It was a little piece of Italy, with narrow winding streets alive with urban social life. Too crowded and unAmerican for the middle class tastes of City planners, it fell to the bulldozer in 1959 and was replaced by high rise, expensive apartment buildings. It is difficult for me to isolate the impact of *URBAN VILLAGERS*. Inmy experience it was but one contribution to growing criticism of urbanrenewal in the early 1960s and, with that, the physical orientation ofurban planning that urban renewal represented. Shortly after it waspublished I was both a writing my dissertation in urban geography atClark University and a project director in urban renewal, so Iwitnessed the impact in both urban renewal planning circles and in themore academic arena. We will write a custom essay on Urban Villagers by Herbert J Gans specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now It was part of the drum of criticism that led tothe 1966 Model Cities Act and the redefinition of urban renewal andrethinking of the field of urban planning.I think the impact of the *URBAN VILLAGERS* might best evaluated aspart of a creeping barrage of critical writing led off by Jacobs and*Death and Life . . . * in 1961. *Urban Villagers* was published in63 and Martin Anderson weighed in from the right in 64 with *The FederalBulldozer*. At the same time planners such as Paul Davidoff (Advocacyand Pluralism in Planning JAIP, 1965) were mounting a critique withinthe field of planning. (Jay Steins *Classic Readings in UrbanPlanning* 1995 includes some writing from this period. ) In 1965,The National Council of Mayors published *With Heritage So Rich* whichdocumented the destruction of historic buildings caused by urban renewaland served as the mandate for the National Historic Preservation Act of1966. Although not concerned with urban renewal directly, Blakes*Gods Own Junkyard* (1964) was a popular and graphically arrestingtreatment of the trashing of the built environment. My own memory isthat so much was being written that we were responding to the larger At the same time the Federal urban renewal program was trying to moveaway from the great emphasis on redevelopment by demolition with theinitiation of the Community Renewal Program (CRP) in 1959, which wasmore neighborhood and socially oriented. And the final element I willthrow in this stew is the Highway Act of 1962 which started themetropolitan transportation studies, the goal of which was to bring theinterstate system to cities. Many cities such as Hartford tried tocoordinate the urban interstate system with urban renewal; elsewherethe transportation planning of the state and the local urban renewalI would say, speaking from being in the trenches at that time, that the*Urban Villagers* did not have a big direct impact on urban renewal incities but, along with others, laid the groundwork for changingprograms and practice. Urban renewal was a juggernaut, and work such asGans and others may have intensified urban renewal as its adocates andsupporters sensed they had a limited time to get their work done. Thevalue of Gans book was that it moved some of Jacobs generalizationsinto a specific neighborhood and ethnic context that could be relatedto other areas. To those of us working in Massachusetts who knew thehistory of the BRA and the North End, it was a particularly scathingI hope this helps. .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 , .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .postImageUrl , .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 , .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:hover , .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:visited , .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:active { border:0!important; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:active , .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645 .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u04c047f584962b9c7ab56871fec99645:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: State Competition and Higher Education: A Race to Essay I would be very interested in what you find becauseI think the *Urban Villagers* has become as important for its symbolismProfessor of Urban Affairs and GeographyBibliography:me andu

David Pham Tran Essays (371 words) - Cinema Of The United States

David Pham Tran Essays (371 words) - Cinema Of The United States David Pham Tran AP Lit Oct 5th Summer Novel Reading - The Help by Kathryn Stockett Persuasive Paragraph: If you are trying to get woke, then you should definitely read this book. This book is a bit longer than four hundred pages but it is going to be worth your time. If you don't want to read the book, then the movie carries the same message just as breathtaking as the book. I'm not saying you should watch the movie instead of the book. I'm just trying to say that you should experience The Help one way or another. The Help brings some political aspects to readers due to its main take on African-Americans in the 60s. It also is a feel-good book because it gives readers a sense of justice being served in both meaningful and humorous ways. This book is a platform for minorities, especially African-Americans, to raise awareness about privilege and racism. The author didn't use many expansive and complex vocabularies, therefore, making the book very easy to read and understand. The reading level of this book is probably for 8th grade and up. You should read this book to expand your understan ding of inequality in American. How to Read Literature Like a Professor Paragraph: The Help by Kathryn Stockett is the perfect illustration of the five quest elements. The quester here is Skeeter, a Caucasian woman, trying to give oppressed African-American maids through her book. The second quest element could be when Skeeter sneak into the home where the maids gather. Skeeter sneaking into the home so she could interview the maids about their life for her book is the third element, the reason. The fourth element, challenges and obstacles, would be Hilly Brooks or the maids' refusal to be in the book at first. Hilly Brooks could be considered the main obstacle in the book because oppressors like her inflict fear upon the maids causing the to fear punishment for speaking against Caucasians. The final element is the real reason, the moral lesson, behind the journey. Skeeter learn that all these women have been suffering all their life and they have to keep it all to themselves. These women don't have a voice for themselves.

Chinese Women in late 19th century and early 20th century Essay

Chinese Women in late 19th century and early 20th century - Essay Example The subsequent changes during the late 19th century and early 20th century are perfectly elaborated by Kay Ann Johnson in her book Women, the Family and Peasant Revolution, where she has enlightened the various topics like the traditional Confucian marriage culture and the family crisis of 1920. Johnson talks about the pre revolutionary stage and post revolutionary stage and goes on explaining the role of women in terms of labor.1 She elaborates about the family crisis of 20th century and the family reform in order to acquire the proper family. But in order to get this task executed and to support the family reform, more over through the inspiration offered by Chinese communist Party during revolution. Women started working in various fields so that they can earn as well as save their earnings and thus help in increasing the socio economic status of the family through their contribution. As in once the females start working they will start earning wages and, the socio economic status or power dynamics within the family would automatically elevated to the next level. During the revolutionary period as mentioned above, revolutionary forces accosted a traditional family system which was already criticized, to resolve the issues related with the family reformation. But it was not easy for all the people to cope-up with the situation as the Confucian system was signifying the disintegration and thus was under pres sure. There were many factors causing the variations in family reformation including psychological, economical, intellectual powers which always characterized the downfall of dynasties. But for poor rural women of china the early 20th century crisis bought inexplicit effects for family reform. As a result of this crisis the women were forced to lose their traditional role in society. Thus an increase in poverty and migration was recorded. Hence the women were force to join any industry. In order to fight this family crisis, Chinese came up with an idea of implementing small cooperatives at all villages. The main aim of such cooperatives was to increase the women's active participation in the production so that they can support the economy. The most common tasks were related to handicraft and textile industry which included sewing, weaving and spinning. The reason behind selecting these tasks was that these were practiced traditionally in some parts at home earlier. But some handicra ft work was hampered in recent generations due to the introduction of more efficient, modern and foreign industry. But the women who had retained those handicraft skills were encouraged to provide training to other women in small groups. Hence many women got involved in household production. Moreover women got indulged in manufacturing uniforms, blankets, shoes and socks for red army. 2 Situation Forced Women Into Production One more major reason behind the Chinese women getting involved in production was that the young boys and men were recruited for the army by revolutionaries, moreover by Chinese Communist party. Johnson raised the question against the role of Chinese communist party in fighting for the rights of Chinese women. Johnson states that the Chinese communist party has fought actively in order to accomplish the changes that were vital for its continued survival such as the party encouraged

The expansion and settlement of the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

The expansion and settlement of the U.S - Essay Example However, this process of incorporation and inclusion of territories that had not previously been part of the United States was not something that came about on its own. Instead, it was encouraged by the government, by the press, and by individuals within the United States as something of a â€Å"manifest destiny†. As this confusing phrase implies, the destiny was that the United States was predisposed to conquer and occupy all of the territory between the Atlantic and Pacific, stretching all the way to Mexico in the South and all the way to Canada in the North. The primary rationale for this manifest destiny was that God had given the United States a unique opportunity and all of the lands that it was to occupy. Naturally, this particular rationale is reminiscent of the way in which the God of the Old Testament had given the land of Canaan to the Israelites as immutable; upon their exodus from Egypt. In terms of defense ability, this particular rationale is of course completel y and entirely indefensible. None of the individuals, whether members of the press, members of the government, where members of the individual society, has spoken with God and were able to definitively conclude that this is what you want. Furthermore, such a behavior trampled upon the rights of indigenous peoples and those that had otherwise laid claim to the regions that the United States slowly incorporated into the

Don't ask, don't tell, policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Don't ask, don't tell, policy - Essay Example One of the greatest arguments against this policy is in regard to what an individual’s sexual orientation has to do with serving in the United States military. Being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is not a physical anomaly or something mental or psychological that would prevent that person from performing their military duties to the best of their ability. It is a way of life, but not something that effects how a person lives or serves their country. As such, a person’s sexual orientation should not be considered when a person is trying to join the military to fight for the freedom of their people, a concept which is seen as almost hypocritical: people of the gay community are not free to be themselves when wanting to join the military, yet the purpose of the military is to continue to fight for the freedom of people that are still oppressed, which can be seen as the gay community in the eyes of the United States military. The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy is among one of the most discriminatory policies in existence in the United States. In a country that prides itself on openness, acceptance, and diversity, the military fails at displaying many of these concepts (Belkin & Bateman, 2003). Bluntly stated, the United States military sexually discriminates every time that an openly gay, lesbian or bisexual individual makes it know that they want to join the military, though this accusation is often denied and a nonsense excuse is made up as to why people open about their orientation should not be in the military. The most favorable of these excuses is the living arrangements, with the military being concerned about the comfort of its members should an openly gay person join their ranks and their close living quarters. It should be none of the military’s concern what the sexual beliefs of their members are, just as long as they are physically, mentally and emotionally

A Study On The Role Play Development Teaching Essay

A Study On The Role Play Development Teaching Essay Play is almost universally recognized as an integral factor in childrens learning and development. For example, Macintyre (2001, 4) quotes Isaacs 1933 description of play: Play is the crucial component in childrens development, and adds that everyone concerned with young children should recognise and value the different kinds of understanding developed through play (Macintyre 2001, 3-4). Although different play activities promote childrens in different ways, Keenan (2002) identifies a number of areas of development that are impacted or enhanced by play, including cognition, language and communication, social, and emotional. The recent Curriculum guidance for children from three through the reception year (Foundation Stage) ephasizes learning opportunities and experiences ; for example, the area of language and literacy was broadened to include communication and emphasized the importance of developing literacy through play and advocates play and exploration as a basis for literacy learning in the early years (Miller and Smith 2004, 122). Within the Early Years curriculum, role play is an excellent example of a play activity that promotes many areas of development. Before examining the ways role play promotes development in children, it is helpful to define both play and role play. Macintyre (2001, 3) defines play as activity that is enjoyable, gives pleasure, and undertaken by the player freely, that is, it can be abandoned at any time without blame. Play further has no preconceived outcome; the agenda can develop as play goes on (Macintyre 2001, 3). Additionally, play allows the player to develop skills which are important in non-play situations, such as development of social skills (Macintyre 2001, 3). Children around age three and four begin to enjoy imaginative role play in twos or small groups (OHagan and Smith 2004, 36). As a particular play activity, role play is a type of imaginative play, where children assume roles outside their real world place. Role play allows children to construct proximities between themselves and others in their lives. Piagets theory of development contends infants first engage in pretend play around eighteen months, acting out imaginary activities and using real objects to represent imagined objects, such as pretending a television remote is a telephone (Keenan 2002, 123). Children may participate in limited role play at this point if directed by an older person. However, cooperative role play, where children instigate their own roles and story line, are rarely undertaken by children before three years of age (Keenan 2002, 200). According to Vygotsky, children engage in pretend play roles beyond their current stage in life, such as taking on adult roles, such as a parent, teacher or doctor, or roles as adolescents or older children(Keenan 2002, 135). Through pretend play, children place themselves in a zone of proximal development, where they play at a level which is in advance of their real capabilities (Keenan 2002, 135) Cognitively, role play promotes development in several ways. First, it allows children practice in ordering their thoughts and develop understanding. Piaget believed that children were active agents of their own learning and that the major task for them was to develop an ability to organize experiences and learn from them in a way which enables them to make sense of the world (OHagan and Smith 2004, 10). Role play activities are the highest form of symbolic play, encompassing two types of cognitive operation which are necessary for conservation, namely reversibility and decentration (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). Children are able to freely leave the roles they take on, as indicated in the free participation concept introduced in the definition of play above. This reversibility indicates cognitively children are awareness that they can abandon their assumed role and return to reality at any time (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). The cognitive ability of decentration involves childrens understanding that the person in the role play scenario is really them, yet is also simultaneously the role undertaken (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). Cognitively, this means children must preserve the imaginary identity of toys or play materials despite the fact that they are perceptually and/or functionally inadequate (the issue being the conservation of identity) (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). In such pretend play, children learn that the objects they use can be separated from their normal referents, and that they can stand for other things (Keenan 2002, 135). This object will typically be similar in some way, such as size or shape, to the pretend object in the role play, causing the children to practice analogous thinking skills where they related an item not available to them to another available object (Keenan 2002, 135). The development of language and communication skills are recognized as closely linked to childrens thinking and conceptual development (OHagan and Smith 2004, 18). In addition to cognitive development, role play offers important development opportunities in the areas of language and communication. This can be intentional, such as when parents or other older players in the role play intentionally support vocabulary development by introducing names of things during the context of play (Keenan 2002, 154). However, the opportunity to talk and verbally interact with others in the role play further presents a powerful way of learning even when no intentional instruction occurs (OHagan and Smith 2004, 18). In role play, children learn to use language as a form of symbolic representation, and also communicate symbolically through dramatic play (OHagan and Smith 2004, 25). Such symbolic play encourages the development of language comprehension (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). Fantasy role play encourages explicit and expressive speech due to its symbolic nature. Role enactment and the use of various objects have different functions in play and in real life, therefore the child-player-must define these symbolic transformations verbally, so that they have a clear (recognisable) meaning and are comprehensible to his or her playmates (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). In this way role play promotes the communicative skills of its players. The symbolic elements of fantasy play, like role and object transformations, enable the child to use lexicographic meanings and explicit speech (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). Socially, role play typically involves several other children and/or adults. Keenan (2002) discusses Partens theory that such cooperative play is the most complex form of play, as it includes behaviours such as social pretend play where children take on pretend roles (Keenan 2002, 200). The children involved in the role play talk to one another as part of the play, developing their imaginative situations in a co-operative manner. Umek and Musek (2001, 56) report Smilanskys (1968) contention that role play activities promote the childs social development. When children use role enactment, they have to reach a consensus about the play theme, the course of events and the transformation of roles and play materials. This can only be achieved when individuals transcend their egocentrism and develop the ability to empathise (Umek and Musek 2001, 56). Children further build relationships with the other children or adults with whom they play. Although such relationships are often temporary, such play causes children to express a preference for certain friends and play regularly with them; during the Early Years period there is usually, but always, some preference for play with children of the same sex, but there is still a good deal of mixed play (OHagan and Smith 2004, 36). Role players share symbolic meanings with each other and assign imaginary roles in their pretend play, both providing opportunities for social development (Keenan 2002, 203). Co-operative pretend play also is usually based on the childrens understanding of the social rules of their culture (Keenan 2002, 135). Therefore, a child behaving badly in the role play will be punished by the child in the parent role. Vygotsky held that as such role play was an important context in which children learned about the social world (Keenan 2002, 135). Childrens play is constrained by the rules which guide behaviour in these roles, and, because of this, they learn about the social norms that are expected of people (Keenan 2002, 135). Role play can be an important component in childrens emotional development. Around eighteen months, the increase in language and symbolic thought allows some feelings to be expressed through imaginative play (OHagan and Smith 2004, 27). Prior to this childrens options were limited to physical displays such as crying, hitting, or facial expressions. This can promote childrens emotional development, as it allows them to learn to express their wants and needs, and become emotionally aware of the wants and needs of others. For example, role play can allow children to act out their fears, such as going to the doctor or being punished (OHagan and Smith 2004, 36). These fears might develop from an experience the child has had, such as having a painful injection at the doctors office, or a perceived fear, such as concern over anticipated punishment. Role play can also help chilren develop self-efficacy. Even young children have a strong desire to be right or successful, and will avoid areas where they expect to fail (Macintyre 2001, 4). However, if children can try things with no fear of failure they are more likely to stretch out and tackle things they might otherwise avoid (Macintyre 2001, 4). Since there is no defined end product, there is no fear or experience of failure. Children are empowered through the communication skills developed in role play, as they can express their feelings freely, can negotiate their wishes and needs and develop self-confidence and self-esteem (OHagan and Smith 2004, 18) This self-efficacy can both be encouraged in actions and in emotional expression; role play teaches children healthy and appropriate expressions of emotion. OHagan and Smith (2004, 38) studied groups of young children who viewed adults handling a situation, with each group seeing a different emotional response. One group viewed the adults as dealing with the issue by becoming angry and physically aggressive, and were later observed to emotionally deal with a similar situation in a similar manner, i.e. with anger and physical aggression. OHagan and Smith (2004, 36) contend this reinforces Banduras claim that children learn from models in their lives, particularly those they view as similar to themselves, who have a nurturing relationship with them, or who they perceive as powerful and competent (OHagan and Smith 2004, 39). Symbolic play, such as role play, should certainly form an important part of the preschool curriculum but preschool teachers should bear in mind that the quality of a childs play will be determined by general characteristics of development as well as by the play context (Umek and Musek 2001, 63). In the classroom, role play can be encouraged through the use of story and related play objects. For example, reading stories that include a kitchen and having a play kitchen available encourages children to first repeat the story through role play, then diverge and develop their own story lines. OHagan and Smith (2004, 58) present a typical classroom element, a home corner complete with dressing-up clothes and various objects for domestic play. Role play can be used for many learning purposes, such as to reinforce desired behaviour or assess childrens understanding of material. A teacher is trying to encourage sharing amongst her pupils. In this scenario, the teacher could role play with the children, demonstrating and reinforcing that sharing is a desireable activity. The activity could then be extended, with children being allowed to continue the play without teacher involvement, by later drawing pictures, and/or talking about the role play in a circle time or similar sharing opportunity. Back to: Example Essays Finally, role play can also enhance a teachers evaluation of childrens attainments, as the children will demonstrate their abilities in a number of areas during a typical role play activity. In practice, children can achieve higher levels of individual cognitive functions (conservation, one-to-one correspondence, decentration) in their symbolic play than they demonstrate when the same mental operations are tested and measured in formal, non-play, situations (Umek and Musek 2001, 64). As such, observations and assessment based on role play can be highly valuable in the classroom environment. REFERENCES Keenan, T. 2002. An Introduction to Child Development. London: Sage. Macintyre, C. Enhancing Learning Through Play. London: David Fulton. Miller, L. 2001. Shaping Early Childhood through the Literacy Curriculum. Early Years, 21(1): 107-116. Miller, L. and Smith, A.P. 2004. Practitioners beliefs and childrens experiences of literacy in four early years settings. Early Years, 24(2): 121-133. OHagan, M. and Smith, M. 2004. Early Years Child Care and Education: Key Issues. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall.

Online Travel Industry :: essays research papers

Online Travel Industry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Internet travel bookings have been very prosperous these past couple of years. During the first three months of 2005, Internet travel bookings grew about 20 percent in the United States from the year earlier. Companies like Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz are putting more emphasis on selling to corporations and expanding in foreign markets. Travel has become one of the Web’s most developed categories. According to comScore, â€Å"online leisure travel bookings reached about $51 billion last year, or 44 percent of all online sales. Roughly 30 percent of all travel bookings occur online, which is a far greater share than retailing stores.† Between 2001 and 2003, leisure travel bookings more than tripled,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  to $43 billion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the September 2001 attacks, the travel supplier industry had to take action in order to stay profitable. The industries tried desperately to reach consumers by offering discounted airfares and hotel prices, but the industry did not have enough money to support the advertising and marketing of these bargains and deals that they offered after the September attacks. The industry then turned to companies like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Priceline in order to advertise their bargains. These companies became great allies to the suppliers by selling hotel and airline bookings at hefty prices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to save even more money, the travel industry began to reduce the number of cut-rate rooms and airline seats they offered through travel agencies, while increasing efforts to attract customers directly to their Web sites, where they could sell their products commission-free.

British Gas Business Essay

A review of the British Gas Businesses current approach to collating, storing and using HR data within the organisation. Findings Below you will find an overview of some of the data that the HR function within British Gas Business collects. Within this report I will identify two reasons why British Gas Business needs to collect HR data, and the current methods in which we store the data. I will also briefly touch upon some key legislation which if compliant, will reduce any financial or legal risks to the organisation. Absence Performance – appraisals, Learning and Development (L&D) activity Employee Engagement results Equality/Diversity – To meet legal requirements Recruitment – Contractual information Employee Information â€Å"Accurate personnel records will help the organisation in many ways – increasing the efficiency of recruitment, training and development, and promotion. They can also provide the raw data to monitor equal opportunities issues and the legal requirements placed on all organisations† [ACAS: Online 30th November 2014]. One of the areas where there is need for collation of data is we are able to track volumes of employees currently being performance managed within the organisation to then further identify whether this is a behavioral or skill issue where further training is required. This then helps us to define our learning programmes moving forward and tailor the content around any shortfalls which may have been identified through Training Needs Analysis (TNA) within performance management. Another area that the HR function collates data for is for Absence. â€Å"This is one of the longest-running causes of serious concern to managers. Unapproved absence from work causes a multitude of problems to managers and involves the organisation in significant extra costs†. (Currie et al, 2010, p.293). All absence data within each business unit (and then business wide across British Gas) is centralised using the data base Absence Manager. This helps us to track against our performance and resourcing for people and establish  whether recruitment or redundancy plans would benefit the long term strategy of the organisation. The Human Resource function currently use an Information System (HRIS) which runs alongside our main billing system called SAP. Within SAP all Line managers have access to view employee information (direct reports only), process secondments or job role changes, and change manage details. The benefit of this is that the data is easily accessible and is consistent in line with any people movements within the business. Alongside this system there is also a requirement for some documentation to be stored manually. This is then kept for 6 years, regardless of whether that individual is still in employment with British Gas Business. This is beneficial for any documentation which requires employee signatures or verification. This could be disciplinary documentation to any learning that has taken place. Using the internal HRIS British Gas Business complies with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, which covers the security and confidentiality of the retention of data. We do this by ensuring that access to the HR online system is done only registered through authorised access and then a further password security check. British Gas Business also ensures that it keeps written documentation for no longer than 6 years in line with the Principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). Once documentation reaches this age we contract to a disposal company to safely dispose of all confidential waste. The HR function also complies with all Subject Access Requests (SAR’s) which is governed by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act). Customers are able to place requests in writing to access all information held about them or their business on the organisations systems. The customer pays a one of fee of ten pounds and they are then issued with the information within 40 days of their request. Key Findings British Gas Business is fully compliant with all key legislation in collecting and storing data within the organisation. I see no risk, financially or strategically from the methods we are currently using. Bibliography Web ACAS. (2014). Personnel Data. Available: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=717. Last accessed 30th November 2014. Books Currie, D (2010). Introduction to Human Resource Management. 2nd ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel Development. 293 Introduction – Activity 2 Analysis of absence data for the Customer Care function of British Gas Business from high level reported case volumes, to understanding the gender split of the absence recorded. Summary By analysing the data collated from our absence records, we can establish trends to enable the organisation to look to implement preventative measures to reduce overall long term absence levels. key findings Absence from the British Gas Business – Customer Care function is currently at its highest levels since 2010. The average number of days taken as absence within the short term sickness (STS) criteria (under 20 consecutive days), has increased from 4.6 to 5.5 days per employee per rolling 52 weeks. The increase in long term sickness (LTS) registered within the organisation has increased by 0.8% over the past 4 years. LTS cases for 2014 are split into the following reasons for absence and then subsequently by gender for all Stress (Work related) / Mental Illness reported absences. Of the 45 LTS stress (Work) related cases registered in 2014, 23 were for male employees. This shows us a change in trend from previous years. For the first time in over 4 years we can see the greater proportion of stress (Work) /mental illness related absences is now reported by the male employee population. conclusions In 2011 British Gas Business began its journey in implementing a new billing system. We can see a noticeable trend in the years following on from the  start of this journey, with the volume of work induced stress related absences reported within the function. Throughout the function we have also seen a high natural attrition in the leadership team in 2014. This means that we now have less experienced leadership population who are progressing our people through their long term sickness absences. Recommendations Identify potential learning gaps through Training Needs Analysis (TNS) – â€Å"Test and Play† drop in sessions for all employees – Full review of the learning documentation and the online learning environment Wellbeing events throughout the system change timeline to be ran throughout the function i.e. exercise programmes, healthy eating, fitness checks, stop smoking programmes. Engagement temperature checks amongst the employee population Team leader workshops in identifying stress and supporting employees Review the benefits package for the leadership population to reduce churn Validation of the process within the leadership teams from day 1 of absence registered, through the fruition of policy outcomes Wellbeing days across function for all levels to understand support tools references – Data British Gas Business – Absence Manager Data sample from 2010 – 2014. Accessed on the 17th November 2014. British Gas Business – HR Function – Team Leader Exit data – 2014. Accessed on the 19th November 2014.

Abudhabi essays

Abudhabi essays Largest of the seven component parts of the United Arab, Abu Dhabi has a history that stretches back many thousands of years. The first trace of Abu Dhabi dates back to the 16th century AD, when a book published by a traveling court jeweler from Venice mentioned a list of islands in the southern Arabian Gulf. To one of them he gave the name Sirbeniast or Bani Yas, evidence that the Bani Yas confederation of tribes, led for the last 250 years by the family of President his highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and must already have achieved a degree of prominence in the region. The Bani Yas themselves first appeared in history first appeared in history in the early 17th century, when they are reported to have been involved in around 1633 in a major battle between the coast and Liwa with an advancing army from Oman. Historical records trace the origins of what was to become the emirate back at least as far as the late 17th or early 18th century to the reign of somewhat misty figure named Nahyan. He was succeeded by a son, Isa, and by the middle of the century, his son, Dhiyab bin Isa, and become the Sheikh of the Bani Yas, with his main base in the liwa oasis, deep in the desert. To Sheikh Dhiyab goes the credit of establishing the present-day Abu Dhabi, said to have been founded in 1761. A tribal legend tells the tale of a party once hunters from Liwa who visisted the coast, and saw the tracks of a gazelle leading out across the sabkha, salt flats. Following the trail, they found it had come to a narrow inlet of the sea, which it had then crossed, to an island just offshore. Their pursuit continued, and, following the tracks through a thick sea mist, they came upon a gazelle, the discovery of water on an offshore island was of more importance. Returning to Liwa, the hunters reported their find to sheikh Dhiyab. Recognizing its significance, he ordered that a settlement be established on the island, which nam...

Orbitals essays

Orbitals essays Moving Object has wave like characteristics Particles really do have wave-like properties, it just took a while for us to notice them. It wasn't discovered until 1925 that electrons do have wave characteristics. An American physicist, Clinton Davisson, was working with Lester Germer at Bell Labs reflecting electrons. An apparatus containing a nickel target was damaged, breaking the vacuum and ruining the prepared sample of nickel. Davisson and Germer heated the nickel to use it again, unintentionally fusing it into large crystals. When electrons were scattered off these crystals, diffraction patterns were observed, demonstrating that electrons have wave characteristics. We treat a light wave as a ray of light if the wavelength of the light is smaller than the size of objects that it encounters. If the wavelength is about the same size or larger than objects it encounters, we must acknowledge the wave properties of the light. An electron of course is a particle. We know its mass, charge, and some real-world effects that demonstrate the particular nature of an electron. Diffraction is fundamentally a wave property. Even if we could explain diffraction in terms of particles, the explanation in terms of waves is the simplest one- that's what it means to say that the electrons behave as waves. Quantum Number The quantum number indicates how far the orbital is from the nucleus. Electrons are farther away for higher values of n. By Coulombs law we know that electrons, which are closer to the positively charged nucleus, are more powerfully attracted and thus have lower potential energies. Electrons of orbitals with higher values of n, being farther away from the nucleus, have greater potential energies. In a given atom, all the atomic orbitals with the same n are known as a shell. n can take on integer values of 1 or higher (ex. 1, 2, 3, etc.).The Quantum numb...

Energy Conservation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Energy Conservation - Research Paper Example The need for finding alternative resources of energy has become key driver of change for promoting sustainable development within and outside the business paradigms. The alternative resources of energy and energy conservation have become need of the hour that needs to be addressed within the lifestyle pattern of contemporary society at large. Resources for energy The various resources of energy are primarily electricity, solar, hydro energy processes, oil and gases, wood etc. The myriad forms of energy resources have been indiscriminately used by the people at large, including household and business units. Shove (2003) explicitly says that energy consumption is intangibly driven by convenience, habit and social norms. The usage only becomes visible when one is forced to pay for it through regular bills like, electricity bills, water bills, oil etc. Energy produced by various means is using natural resources like water, air and forest resources as their key inputs. The oil and gases u sed within transportation, industrial production of energy etc have become important ingredients that need to be considered within the wider scope of long term usage. Energy consumption and impact on environment sustainability The limited natural resources like water, fresh air and land are being used with scarce regard to it as future legacy for our children. The essential paradigm of consumption must become major concern for the users who must develop action plan for sustainable strategy for efficient use of energy in various formats like electricity, solar, oil and gas etc. Deforestation and migration of population has dramatically changed the dynamics of growth. It has not only adversely impacted the environment but scholars have also asserted that that extreme weather conditions and natural calamities are much greater when they occur in regions having poor infrastructure, huge populations etc. (Pielke et al., 2003). Factors that promote energy conservation and preservation It h as become important that one is able to constructively contribute towards environmental conservations and social issues which have considerable impact on the sustainable development. The consumption pattern plays significant part in the energy conservation process not only within household but also in industrial contexts. The following are few strategies that promote energy conservation: Behavioral strategy based on information and motivation Dissemination of relevant information greatly empowers the society and helps inculcate habit of energy conservation within the daily routine of the people. Many scholars also believe that increasing prices of energy like electricity, oil and gases etc may become major motivators for efficient use of the same (Jackson, 2005; Geller, Winett, and Everett, 1982; Cook and Berrenberg, 1981). Social norms and constraints The socially constructed norms and institutional designs of social interaction models are mostly defined by the lifestyle, convenien ce and historical contexts of consumption pattern (Shove, 2003; Sanne, 2002). The various appliances and gizmos that technology has developed for improving and facilitating the living standard of the masses are key linkages that dictate the energy consumption in the contemporary times. Waste management Effective waste management is one of the most crucial paradigms of energy conserv

What Is The Level Of Agricultural Protectionism In The Developed World Essay

What Is The Level Of Agricultural Protectionism In The Developed World And Why Does It Occur - Essay Example Avoiding too much importing will protect the countries, especially developed, to lose the balance of trade as well as local businesses in their country. It protects its countries local industries to decline. According to Hussein Haeri, 'Agricultural protectionism' in the European Union takes many guises, such as "domestic support policies, import barriers, and export subsidies,3" to name a few measures. In fact, the European Common Agricultural Policy accounts for almost half of the European Union's budget. This results in significant distortions in both European and international agricultural markets. (Haeri, 2001) In the event of educating the poorer countries with regards to the benefits of 'free trade' the EU adopts and formulated policies, which restrain the trading of agricultural products freely or at a lower tariff. While the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer, some rich countries are hiding in disguises. Agricultural protectionism occurs because when tariff levels are low, the productivity of the farms of the developed countries will be low. It is not difficult to see why price supports for dairy, sugar, peanuts, tobacco, and other U.S. farm products have led to protectionist policies. In recent years, for example, domestic prices of U.S. dairy products frequently have been two to three times world prices. The case of sugar, for which domestic price in mid-1986 was about four times world price, is even more dramatic. Without rigid import controls, consumers would undermine domestic price support programs by substituting lower priced imports for price-supported products including sugar, butter, cheese, and peanuts. (Pasour, n.d) 2.b) What form does it take and effect does it have. Agricultural protectionism comes in discreet forms. They over ride in domestic support policies, import barriers, and export subsidies. The effects of agricultural protectionism are: Farmers and other workers are not permitted to do their activities such as farming, etc. It is their field and because of agricultural protectionism, they are not allowed to do their job of which they are most productive. If farmers and other workers can't do their forte, they cannot gain enough income and benefits, thus they became poor. Billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies are paid to U.S, European and Japanese farmers which depress world prices and make it tougher for our farmers to earn a decent return for their hard work," Mr Vaile said. (Vaile, 2005) The high global cost of goods deprives the poor ones to buy enough for their living. Commercialize agricultural goods that are not usually good for the health. Flooding of their (developing countries) domestic market (import surges) with products sold on the world market at less than their cost of production. (n.d) Displacement of local trading capacity which was intended to, and in some circumstances initially did, fill the void left following the deregulation of local markets and associated dismantling of parastatals. (n.d) Worsen the global poverty by imposing high import tariffs for small or developing countries, so instead of pulling up those developing countries, many of which have dived down to poverty due to these factors. Increased tradeproblems, tensions and job losses. For sugar, the deterioration of economic conditions which initially curtailed imports into major Asian markets has also led to a substantial drop in imports into the Russian. (FAO, n.d) Tight supplies in the vegetable oil market, particularly emanating from a drought-induced contraction in palm oil availability from major Asian producing countries, boosted prices, while oilmeal prices suffered from a decline in the demand for animal feeds in crisis-affected regions, accentuated by abundant supplies of