Corporate Cultures and Their Impact on Recruitment and Retention Essay

Corporate Cultures and Their Impact on Recruitment and Retention - Essay Example The study suggests that global companies are realizing the importance and need to invest in the human ‘capital’. They can no longer take people for granted and sit back. Global economy is expanding, business opportunities growing but the available workforce steadily reducing. A culturally strong organization succeeds in attracting and retaining the top talent and can expect to climb the ladder of success. By the close of the twentieth century, business houses came to accept that people, not cash, buildings, or equipments differentiate one company from another. Corporate culture is moving into the limelight and proving to be an untapped asset for employees and businesses alike. Researches have shown that at the time of economic turndown the companies having strong and adaptive cultures are better able to handle the financial crisis than those with weak and poorly defined cultures. The right combination of people and culture can mean the difference between the financial su ccess and failure. As technology advances corporate culture will assume an even bigger role especially in the IT sector as competition increases. Organizations today recognize the need to attract the right brains to thrive in the competitive market and retain the employees. The norms of an organization are transmitted from generation to generation and are responsible for its financial success, which is the ultimate goal of any business organization. Understanding and assessing the company culture at every stage is vital.

Speech Act Theory

Speech Act Theory Introduction Speech act theory is a technical term in linguistics and the philosophy of language. The contemporary use of the term goes back to J. L. Austins doctrine of locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. It is developed by the great philosopher J.L Austin in the 1930s and set forth in a series of lectures, which he gave at Harvard in1955. These were subsequently developed in 1962 as How to Do Things With Words. He founded the modern study of speech acts. The approach has been greatly developed since by the philosopher J.R.Searle (Austins pupil). The central insight of the speech act theory which is attributed to Austin, Searle and other philosophers is that speech is action and language is used to perform things not only to describe a state of affairs. Moreover, Austin pointed out that many utterances do not communicate information, but are equivalent to actions. When someone says, I apologize. , I promise , or I name this ship. the utterance immediately conveys a new psychological or social reality. Many scholars identify speech acts with illocutionary acts, rather than locutionary or perlocutionary acts. As with the notion of illocutionary acts, there are different opinions on the nature of speech acts. The extension of speech acts is commonly taken to include such acts as promising, ordering, greeting, warning, inviting someone and congratulating. Definition of speech act with elaboration A speech act is an act that a speaker performs when making an utterance. To Jennifer Spenader, speech act theory is: A theory where the effect of an utterance is analyzed in relationship  to the speaker and listeners behaviour. Speech act theory can also help us examine utterances from  the perspective of their function, rather than their form. Austin pointed out that when people use language, they are performing a kind of action. He called these actions speech acts. Traditionally, philosophers have distinguished between actions and speaking on the basis that speaking about something is quite dissimilar from doing it. Austin challenged this by demonstrating that utterances can be regarded as events in a similar way to other actions. The below lists are samples of speech acts which Austin reckoned that this sort of list could be extended further. Statement I live in Edinburg for five years Order Pay this bill immediately Question Where are you from? Prohibition No right turn Greeting Hello Invitation Help yourself Felicitation Happy new year (grudging) apology I hereby apologize as required by the magistrate (Griffiths, 2006:148) We can say that each utterance on the right is based on single sentence and the sentence is the level of language. Here, the language is used to accomplish actions as Austin stated. The above sentences are not used just to say things, that is to say describe states of affairs, but rather actively to do things. Further, one cannot assess such utterances as true or false. Moreover, most speech acts are not so official but they rely on the speaker using an utterance to signal his/her intension to achieve some action and the hearer inferring that action from the utterance. One can say that speech act cannot only be done in speaking but also in writing. The clue is the example number (7) in which it would be equally appropriate printed in a card or spoken. As a matter of fact, there are purposes behind any utterance. Consider these examples A-Somebody has broken my leg. In the above sentence, the following purpose appears The first one is to describe things which are not the basic purpose and the second purpose is to complain which is the basic purpose as it doesnt describe things. B-I love you. The purpose here is to please or to assure somebody. C-Watch out, the gun is loaded. The purpose is to warn someone. D-She is a fool. The purpose is to insult or to ease. Thus, the gist idea of speech act theory is to do acts (things) and not simply to describe because description is not the important function of language. Dichotomies (constative and performative) Many writers, in their books, define the dichotomy constative (descriptive) and performative clearly. Riemer in his books Introducing Semantics that an utterance is constative if it describes or states facts about a situation. Whereas performative is one which does not describe or state any facts, but which itself constitutes the performing of an action. The following pair of examples serve the above point A-I promise to visit tomorrow. B-She promised to visit tomorrow. In the first example, you promise to visit but if you dont visit it, the person you said it can complain that you broke your promise. Sentences which perform actions are known as performatives while other sentences are called constatives. Although constatives perform actions. The example (b) serves this point which performs the action of reporting her promise. Thus, the difference between the two (constatives and performatives) may not be as significant as the idea that all sentences can be used to perform actions of various sorts. Broadly speaking, all utterances are performative in the sense of constituting a form of action rather than a matter of saying something about the world. Ultimately, a single utterance can have both aspects constatives and performative elements; they are all sayings and doings simultaneously. Typical examples of performative verbs are ask, beg, beseech, command, congratulate, deny, deplore, declare, implore and warn. Only certain forms of the verb count as performing the speech act, mainly first person simple present active and third person present passive. Furthermore, a performative verb in a performative use can typically be accompanied by hereby. See the following A-I hereby declare the bridge open. B-I hereby command you to surrender. While in the below instances using hereby is not possible with non-performative verbs speaking. A-I hereby persuade you to accompany me. B-I hereby tell the truth. As we said earlier, the performative use of performative verbs is extremely restricted grammatically. They must be first person simple present active and third person present passive. Consider, first, active uses I hereby promise to pay you next week. Not: I herby promised you pay him the following week. Similar contrasts are possible with passive uses Passengers are hereby requested not to smoke. Not: Passengers were hereby requested not to smoke. You are hereby warned to leave immediately. Not: They will be hereby warned to leave immediately. Characteristics of Performative verbs The sense of the verb is always present. The subject is always first person (singular,plural) Since performative verbs are not descriptions but actions they are not subject to truth-value. In performative sentences the illocutionary act is explicit. Performative verbs like (affirm, allege, assert, forecast, predict, announce, insist, order, state, name, declare, bet, agree). For testing whether a verb is performative we can insert the word (hereby). The book entitled semantics and pragmatics by Dr. Misbah Mahmood gives extra examples about the distinguishing between performatives and constatives. Performatives Constatives I promise I will be there. I will be there. I warn you, the gun is loaded. The gun is loaded. I thank you. I am very grateful. I order you to read. You must read. I request you to send me the book. Send me the book. I apologize. I am sorry. Are Performatives truth-evaluable? Verschueren, in his book, entitled Understanding Pragmatics states that Austin drew a distinction between constative and performative utterances. In this dichotomy, constatives are utterances in which something is said which can be evaluated along a dimension of truth. Performatives, on the other hand, are utterances in which something is done which cannot be said to be true or false but which can be evaluated along a dimension of felicity. According to Austins account, it is an essential characteristic of performative utterances that they are neither true nor false, that is, not truth-evaluable, instead when something is wrong with them then they are felicitous (happy) or infelicitous (unhappy). The uttering of a performative is the doing of a certain kind of action , the performance would not normally be described as just saying or describing something. For example, when Tom says I promise to do the dishes in an appropriate context he does not just describe what he is doing; rather, in making the utterance he performs the promise; since promising is an illocutionary act, the utterance is thus a performative utterance. If Tom utters the sentence without the intention to keep the promise, the sentence is not false: it is rather unhappy, or infelicitous. In the absence of any such flaw, on the other hand, the utterance is to be assessed as happy or felicitous, rather than as true. What Leech states is that Constative utterances could be evaluated in traditional terms of truth and falsehood, performatives were neither true nor false: instead they were to be regarded as felicitous or non felicitous. (Leech,1983:176) By felicity and infelicity, as Yule points out, they can only be as appropriate that is the performance of a speech act to be recognized as intended or inappropriate that is if the speaker is not a specific person in a special context. Briefly, felicity and infelicity are not subject to truth-value. A sentence like I pronounce you man and wife, the performance, here, will be infelicitous on condition that the speaker is not properly qualified. Regarding felicity condition (happiness condition), it can be grouped under three headings: preparatory conditions, sincerity conditions, and essential conditions. Types of Felicity Conditions There are normally conditions which must be fulfilled before a speech act can be said to have been properly performed. These are usually called felicity conditions or happiness conditions. 1-Preparatory Conditions The preparatory conditions for a promise and warning are unlike. When I promise to do something, two conditions appear: first, the event will not occur by itself, and second, the event will have a beneficial effect. But when I utter a warning, it is not clear that the hearer knows the event will happen whilst the speaker does think the event will occur, and the event will not have a beneficial effect. 2-Sincerity Conditions They require the speaker to be sincere. When one promises to do something must genuinely intend to do it; someone congratulating somebody else must feel pleasure at that persons good luck. 3-Essential Conditions By the act of uttering a promise, an obligation created to carry out the action as promised. In other words, the utterance changes my state from non-obligation to obligation. When speaker A warns speaker B, speaker A changes his state from non-informing of a bad future event to informing. Aspects of Speech Acts Austin found great difficulty in drawing a completely clear distinction between performatives and constatives; he came to the conclusion that to state something is to perform an illocutionary act, which renders all constatives as performatives; Austin proposed that in uttering a sentence speaker is involved in three different acts. In other words, he isolates three basic senses in which in saying something one is doing something, and thus, three kinds of acts that are simultaneously performed. 1-Locutionary act. Lots of writers define locutionary act. One of them is Levinson in the book Pragmatics. Locutionary act is the utterance of a sentence with determinate sense and reference. (Levinson,1983:236) Another definition is by Finch. It refers simply to the act of saying something that makes sense in the language; in other words, that follows the grammatical rules of language. (Finch,2000:180) The last definition said by Cruse, in his book, Meaning in Language in which Austin explained as follows: the utterance of certain noises.. certain words in a certain construction, and the utterance of them with a certain sense and a certain reference. (Cruse,2000:331) From the above definition, we conclude that locutionary act is related to the inherent meaning of the lexical item and it is the province of semantics. It is the act of expressing the basic, literal meanings of the words chosen. Besides, performing the act of saying something that makes sense in the language; in other words, that follows the grammatical rules of language. For more elaboration, see the below instances For example, Tom is outside the room. In this sentence both words (Tom and the room) have meaning and we should know what the words (Tom and the room) refer to. In uttering the words, You will get your hands blown off, a speaker performs the locutionary act of stating that the hearer will get his hands blown off. Suppose speaker A says to hearer B There is a bear sneaking up behind you! (Fasold,2006:162) Speaker A utters the word there and refers to the addressee with the word you. 2-Illocutionary act Cruse, in his book, entitled A Glossry of Semantics and Pragmatics defined that illocutionary act is an act performed by a speaker in saying something (with an appropriate intention and in an appropriate context), rather than by virtue of having produced a particular effect by saying something (Cruse,2006:167) According to Finch illocutionary act is one which is performed through the medium of language: stating, warning, wishing, promising and so on. Context can be seen in the definition and this leads to remind us the province of pragmatics. If we come to talk about intention, which is also found in defining illocution, we can regard that the intention is to inform, complain, thank, apologize, threaten, etc. Consider the below instances Father: I will turn out your light. Here, the intention of father is to threaten her son. It is duty of pragmatics since the idea of threatening doesnt relate to meaning but the context. In the sentence like, There is a lion behind you, suppose that A is a speaker and B is a hearer. At the illocutionary level, A asserts a fact (that there is a lion behind B) and warns B that he/she is in danger. The speaker has the illocutionary force of warning. In short, context in which the sentence is uttered is crucial in interpreting the illocutionary force of a speech act. If someone says: I order you to leave now, the intention is ordering by virtue of having uttered the words, whether or not the addressee acts in the desired way. 3-Prelocutionary act Concerning prelocutionary Levinson states the bringing about of effects on the audience by means of uttering the sentence, such effects being special to the circumstances of utterance. While Fasold points that prelocutionary is an action which goes beyond communication such as annoying, frightening, or tricking. The contrasts between illocutionary and prelocutionary lies by lists of verbs Illocutionary: report, request, suggest, announce, predict, order, propose, reprimand, promise, thank, express, congratulate, admit, ask Prelocutionary: persuade, deceive, encourage, irritate, frighten, amuse, inspire, distract, impress, encourage embarrass. Briefly, prelocutionary is the act of producing an effect in the hearer by means of the utterance. It is outside the province of semantics and pragmatics, because it involves many other aspects of the situations. It is not always intended by speaker, is not under his control, and is not evident until after the utterance is made. The speaker tries to carry out a prelocutionary act for example to shock, to amuse, and to annoy somebody. The following examples serve the above point A-You will get your hands blown off. The above sentence might be to prevent the hearer from playing with a lighter and a stick of dynamite, to frighten the hearer. B-John is inside the hall. The prelocutionary act for the above sentence is perhaps to disappoint, shock or annoy. To explicate more about the three types of speech acts, we take instances to apply the three acts. A-There is a wasp in your left ear. The first act: we know speaker and listener. (reference) The second act: the intention is the act of warning. The third act: The hearer is panic (afraid). The hearer may scream and scratch his ears. Panic is not intended but the speaker tries to make the hearer panic. B-Someone says Good night late at night in forest. The first act: speaker and listener. (reference) The second act: leave-taking, there is greeting purpose behind saying good bye. The third act: to horrify or to frighten. C-Father: I will turn out your light. The first act: I refers to father, your refers to sons light, having meaning and reference. The second act: to intend the act of threatening The third act: to frighten the son to sleep. The father tries to frighten his son. It is not under the control of the speaker and it may not be intended of the speaker that he wants to frighten his son. Types of Illocutionary Acts Implicit and explicit illocutionary force Implicit performatives are those which dont have performative verbs. For example when one says I will turn off your light, it is implicit since there is no performative verb and besides, the force doesnt relate to the meaning of the words. Another example Be aware of the dog means that I warn you to beware of the dog. Whereas explicit performatives are those which have performative verbs, that is, a verb which names the action being performed. For example when I say I warn you that.., it is explicit as I am not describing or stating the existence of any independent fact; I am, instead performing an act (act of warning). Speech Act Classifications Searle (1976) has set up the following classification of illocutionary speech acts that one can perform in speaking. David Crystal in his book, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, sheds light on five basic types. 1-Representatives: the speaker is committed, in varying degrees, to the truth of proposition. For instance, affirm, believe, conclude, deny, and report. The following examples illustrate the point. A-The earth is flat. B-Chomsky didnt write about peanuts. C-It was a warm sunny day. In all the above instances, the speaker represents the world as he/she believes it is. 2-Directives: the speaker tries to get the hearer to do something. For example request, challenge, insist, command, advise, and suggest. A-Could you open the door, please? B-I suggest you take a taxi. C-Dont go too far. The above-mentioned examples illustrate that the speaker tries to make the world fit the words through the hearer. 3-Commissives: the speaker is committed, in varying degrees, to a certain course of action. For example, promise, oath, refuse, pledge, threat, guarantee, vow, and swear. The instances, which shown below, point out that the speaker undertakes to make the world adapt the words through the speaker. A-I will be back. B-We will not do that. 4-Expressives: the speaker expresses an attitude about a state of affairs. For instance, congratulate, excuse, thanking, deplore, apologize, welcome, and thank. A-Congratulations! B-I am really sorry. The sentences indicate the speaker makes words fit the world of feeling. 5-Declaratives: the speaker alters the external status or condition of an object or situation solely by making the utterance. For example, resign, sack, appoint, name, christen, sentence (in court), bid (at auction), declaring war, pronouncing someone husband and wife. The below instances clarifies more about what we said. A-Priest: I now pronounce you husband and wife. B-Referee: You are out. One can say that the speaker changes the world via words. Direct and Indirect Speech Acts It is obvious that we have three structural forms (declarative, interrogative, imperative) and the three general communicative functions (statement, question, command/order) respectively. The table below clarifies more about what we pointed out. Whenever there is a direct relationship between a structure and a function, we have a direct speech act. Furthermore, there is a match between sentence meaning and speaker meaning, that is to say, the form of the utterance coincides with what a speaker is intending to convey. But in case of having indirect relationship between the two which mentioned before we have indirect speech act. Therefore, when a declarative used to make a statement it is functioning as a direct speech act, but when it used to make a request it is functioning as an indirect speech act. Consider the following instances A-It is hot. B-I hereby tell you about weather. C-I hereby request of you that you open the door. It is clear that the sentence A is a declarative, the sentence B used as statement so, it is direct speech act but the last sentence C used as command therefore; it is indirect speech act. A speech act can be indirect where one illocutionary act is performed by another. Well-known examples are requests which are superficially question. We expect actions rather than answer. A-Can you pass the sault? B-Would you mind if I opened the door? So, the above mentioned sentences superficially are interrogative and they are direct speech act but if we look at them deeply they become request and in this case they are indirect speech act. It is quite true to say that different structures used to attain the same function. The examples below show that the speaker wants the addressee not to stand in front of the TV. A-Move out of the way! B-Do you have to stand in front of the TV? C-You are standing in front of the TV. D-Youd make a better door than a window. The basic function of all the utterances is a command. The first instance is direct speech act because its structure is imperative. Whilst the rest of the sentences are indirect speech acts because the interrogative structure is not used only as question and also the declarative structures are not used only as statement. Conclusion Needless to say, that conclusion shows the product of any turn paper, research and etc. In this turn paper, a formal account of speech acts provided. Throughout reading it, I infer that we can extend what a speaker means by his/her words. Thus, utterances are not uniquely used to describe states of affairs but rather they convey speakers intention to the addressee. Speech act comprises the notion of speaker meaning since through it the intentions of the speaker can be felt or found it. Also, I conclude that speech act is one of the helpful factors for decoding those words that uttered by a speaker. It is obvious that there is communication in speech act between speaker and hearer and this communication conveys not only linguistic meanings but also expressing attitudes, and understanding is a matter of recognizing the attitudes being expressed. Another conclusion which is not to be forgotten is that if a sentence is interrogative, the same sentence could be regarded as request if we look at it deeply. The sentence Could you sign the papers, please? is our evidence. So, this case only occurred in speech act, one is direct and the other is indirect and the sentence has two functions question and request.

Essay --

CHAPTER 2 CAUSES OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE BURDEN ON THE POOR Lack of awareness has made mental illnesses appear mystical. Some people suffer from mental disorders since birth(mental retardation) while some develop the disorders overtime(mental illness).Mental illnesses result from complex interactions between the mind, body and environment. Factors like long-term and acute stress, biological factors such as genetics, chemistry and hormones, use of alcohol, drugs and other substances, cognitive patterns such as constant negative thoughts and low self-esteem, social factors such as isolation, financial problems, family breakdown or violence are the scientific causes of a mental illness. (http://www.mentalhealth-matters.com.au/resources/ID1367819089.pdf) But rural people in India in general and tribal populations in particular, have their own beliefs and practices regarding health. Some tribal groups still believe that a disease is always caused by hostile spirits or by the breach of some taboo. They therefore seek remedies through magico-religious practices. (Current health scenario in rural India, Ashok Vikhe patil, K.V.Somasundaram and R.C. Goyal) This is an inevitable consequence of the barriers in seeking timely and effective treatment for mental illness in rural India: unavailability of mental health services, low level of literacy, socio- cultural barriers, superstition stemming from traditional and religious beliefs, stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. About 75% of health infrastructure, medical professionals and other health resources are localised in urban areas where 27% of the population live. The poor penetration and the basic nature of rural health is also attributed to lack of health litera... ...urden increasing to 15% by Disability Adjusted Life Year( DALY) * (Mental health services in rural India : challenges and prospects by Anant Kumar) Mental illness constitutes nearly one sixth of all health-related disorders. With the population on a rise, altering values, life-style, unemployment and frequent instability in incomes, lack of social support and increasing insecurity, it is predicted that there would be substantial increase in the number of people suffering from mental illness in both urban and rural areas. In order to get rid of the vicious cycle of poverty feeding into mental illness, there is a need to think of mental health as a development priority instead of just a concern of public health and human rights. †¢ * DALY – it is a measure of overall disease burden, expressed as the numbers of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.

Avian Influenza in the Media

The article that I chose to discuss is entitled â€Å"Avian Flu: Is the Government Ready for an Epidemic?† and was published on the ABC News website on September 15, 2005. The journalists name was not published. The article opens with the lines â€Å"It could kill a billion people worldwide, make ghost towns out of parts of major cities, and there is not enough medicine to fight it. It is called the avian flu.† Throughout the rest of the article, the journalist goes on about the horrors that could occur if avian flu were to mutate so that it was able to be transferred from human to human, and not just from bird to human as is now the case. The journalist quotes Dr. Irwin Redlener, the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness as saying â€Å"The tipping point, the place where it becomes something of an immediate concern, is where that virus changes, we call it mutates, to something that is able to go from human to human,† and then states that scientists around the world are now working around the clock as they wait for that tipping point. However, at no time does he inform the reader that all viruses mutate naturally over and over again, and that the chance of the H5N1 strain, mutating into a strain that could pass from human to human is in no way an eventuality, or even a likely outcome. He just takes quotes from various scientists around the world who are expressing a worry about what could happen in the event that H5N1 were to mutate, and uses them to imply that this is a very likely possibility. The journalist also likens an Avian Flu pandemic to Hurricane Katrina, an event that was at the foremost of people’s minds when the article was published and uses purposefully disturbing imagery that has been shown on TV about Hurricane Katrina, such as people dying in the airports and the utter helplessness of the Superbowl, to cause people to panic and worry that bird flu is likely to devastate the country at any second in order to bring to light the Government’s unpreparedness for an outbreak. He then goes on to discuss what he calls an â€Å"inadequate stockpile of medicine† and blames the Government for not having stockpiled enough Tamiflu, which he equates to a miracle drug which will stop H5N1 in its tracks. However, while he is happy to imply, in the beginning of the article, that the H5N1 virus is likely to mutate at any time, he conveniently ignores this when he talks about Tamiflu, and nowhere does he state that while this drug can help people who have contracted bird flu, it is only useful to the current strain of the virus and if it mutates, which he assures us it will, there is no guarantee that it will be of any use to those infected. I feel that these are unforgivable exaggerations of the disease and its dangers and that the journalist was simply interested in sensationalism and causing a public outcry and panic. Expert opinions on the dangers of the H5N1 virus are currently very varied and divided and a lot is still unknown about the disease, but at no time does this article bring that to light. Laura Chang, of the New York Times said it best when she said that journalists shouldn’t â€Å"write articles that might feed a sense of panic, such as telling people to stock up on Tamiflu, or dramatizing how a pandemic would spread through a particular city. Sometimes silence is the best journalism.† Website: http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Investigation/Story?id=1130392&page=1 MRSA in the media This article on MRSA, or the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, was published in the British newspaper, the Sunday Metro, under the headline â€Å"Strain of superbug ‘may be new HIV.'† The article opens with â€Å"A deadly new drug-resistant strain of the superbug MRSA could spread rapidly through the gay community, experts have warned.† It then goes on to equate MRSA to the HI virus when it says: The infection is already moving through parts of San Francisco in the same way as HIV and Aids did in the early 1980s. The bug, which can lead to a deadly flesh-eating form of pneumonia, is 13 times more prevalent among the city's gay men than other people. However, at no time does the article explain what MRSA is or that it is not in fact, anything like HIV or AIDS. MRSA is in fact caused by a bacterium, already a vast difference from the virus that causes aids, that is responsible for difficult-to-treat infections in humans. The organism can also be further classified into either Community-Associated MRSA or Hospital-Associated MRSA depending on the circumstances in which the patient acquired the disease. The article goes on to focus on one strain of the disease, a strain known as the USA300 strain and the journalist notes that â€Å"the USA300 bug, is not caught in hospitals but spreads through a community, often by casual contact† which is true, as it is a community-associated strain of MRSA that is spread by skin to skin contact. However, the journalist then goes on to suggest that this strain, which is as a particularly antibiotic resistant epidemic that is responsible for rapidly progressive, fatal diseases, is only likely to affect the gay community. However this is not the case and as MRSA is not a sexually transmitted disease there is no way it could only affect only the gay community. The USA300 strain is passed on by skin-to-skin contact and therefore cannot be liked to HIV which is transmitted only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected individual. While practicing homosexuals are at risk of being affected by the USA300 strain, the disease has also been reported by people in athletic teams, correctional facilities, military recruits and newborn nurseries. I believe this article is simply an example of sensationalism in the media. It does not focus on any of the facts, and makes purposefully sweeping and false statements about MRSA and its similarity to HIV, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The two are nothing like each other, one caused by a bacteria and one by a virus. One transmitted sexually and the other just by touching someone that has been infected. It was written simply to get people to by the newspaper, and should be ignored. Website: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=83921;in_page_id=34;expand=true

Family Approach Research Paper Essay

Abstract This research paper will in detail find influences donating to the degeneration of African American marriages, increase of African American divorces, and how structural family therapy can impact it. Structural Family Therapy was developed by Salvador Minuchin and his associates in the 1960s due to the growing curiosity in alternative ways of hypothesizing suffering and familial dilemmas. Structural family therapy is reinforced by an undoubtedly expressed model of family functioning, and has been developed and used reliably in counseling sessions for children and their families (Ginginch & Worthington, 2007, 343). Also, this report will examine what can be done to change this disturbing status amongst African American families. Monetary, emotional, and cognitive stability are a few of the common reasons and profits of marriage. Studies have discovered that marital couples in contrast to unattached couples are better-off, healthier, less stressed, and tend to live well into their mid-80s (Pindgerhughes, 2002, p. 269). Thus, there are numerous welfares of being married; it could be assumed that matrimony would be a shared objective for most citizens regardless of race. However, studies have publicized a radical deterioration of marriages inside the African American families alongside an increase in separations. African Americans are the least expected to wed, when they wed, they complete this task later in life, spending a smaller amount of time wedded than White Americans, and are more likely to become divorced. Keywords: African American, Marriages, Structural Family Therapy, Minuchin Family Approach Research Paper African American Marriages There is a strong importance for research of the state of African American and marriage because there have been major changes from past African Americans’ marriages relating to this major decline. According to the National Center on African American Marriage and Parenting’s (NCAAMP) Marriage Index, in 1970, 70.3% of African Americans were wedded and those ratios steadily fallen about 61% in 1982, 51.2% in 1992, 38.9% in 2003, and  41.7% in 2010. The rate is declining so noticeably that marriage has been referred to as an â€Å"alternative life† for African Americans (Dixon, 2009). The NCAAMP’s marriage index exposed the proportions of wedded Americans which comprises 77.8% in 1970, 70.1% in 1980, 59.3% in 1990, 62% in 2000, and 59.7% in 2008. An assumption can be drawn from the above Marriage index reports that there is certainly an important variance between all married Americans and married African Americans along with a change in rates of matrimony fr om 1980 to modern periods. Additionally, the declining rates of marriage, African Americans seem to be at greater hazard for matrimonial instability (Dixon, 2009, p. 30). Many of these influences are related to high male imprisonment, low sew ratio, poverty, uncertainty toward marriage and premarital sex. Rendering to research, there are numerous dynamics affecting the decline in marriages and rise of divorces among African Americans. These influences can be characterized as organizational, ethnic, individual, and interactive. Organizational issues as economic and demographic are most commonly focused on during the course of history. The extreme sex ratios between African American males and females have emotional impact on the African American nuptial rates (Rowe, 2007, p. 19). In 2003 there were an estimated 1.8 million more African American females in the population than males (U.S. Census, 2005 & Pinderhuges, 2002, 269). Another donating feature is the high confinement and mortality rate of African American males (Hill, 2006, p. 421). African American males make up about seven percent of the populace but over fifty-one percent of the prison population (DuCille, 2009, p. 605). Furthermore, the desire to marry women of different races and choosing homosexual lifestyles contribute to the African American marriage rates. Another major issue that makes African American males less desirable for marriage is their struggles of the workforce. The joblessness rate among African American males has been consistently twice that of White American men from the time of the 1930s (Holland, 2009, p. 113). Research has also discovered that companies show negative opinions of African American men comprising that they are indolent, unreliable, deceitful, contain little work ethic, drag their feet, have deprived verbal skill and many others characteristics. Consequently, these men do not have the capability to deliver for their families also make African American men postpone marriage and also become regarded as less  wanted to espouse by the female population. The second sort of factor studied is ethnical. There has been shifting cultural trends disturbing African American marriage. The sexual revolt, gay and lesbian efforts, and activist movement are activities that distress wedding rates. Forty years ago, sex without marriage was not acceptable, but now it is a communal standard of culture. The feminist movement allowed women to obtain advanced positions in the labor force declining their dependence on males, triggering them not to marry or endure unhappy marriages. And, unconventional lifestyles were presented through the gay and lesbian population (LaTaillade, 2006, p. 327). Moreover, living together (cohabitation) is a cumulative behavior particularly within the African American community. Historically, living with a partner before marriage was unacceptable, but is now widespread among African Americans and many other races. In contemporary times, individuals are determining on gaining independence before becoming married (Dixon, 2009, p. 31). The mass media industries and the way relationships are depicted on television and through music contribute to the marriage decline. Because of the support of extended family networks, divorce may seem less detrimental, making it more of an option when marriages are faced with challenges among African Americans (Hill, 2006, p. 439). Individual factors are tided in by considering individuals’ desire to marry, features they look for in spouses and what makes them commit to a relationship. For an individual to get marry the desire to be married has to be present. One study found that when compared to White American men, African American men, anticipate less improvement from marriage in their sex lives and personal friendships and these account for most of the difference in the desire to marry (Holland, 2009, 107). The mate desired characteristics and expectation of marriage and whether it is realistic plays a major role in marriage. Similar to other cultures, African Americans generally believe in the husband being superior economically, educationally and acts as the provider of the family. Unfortunately for African American women, when compared to African American men, they are more likely to attend college and to marry someone below their educational and professional status. This pattern of education continues as two-thirds of African American college graduates are women (Hill, 2006, p. 423). The desire to commit is another donating factor in related to marriage. Recent studies  have revealed the beliefs of African American males having the incapacity to pledge to an eternal relationship. Lastly, as stated above separation rates are greater amongst African Americans than another culture. The features cited directly above are funding to these separation rates as well as African American not having the means to allow them to uphold vigorous long-lasting relationships. Studies have also displayed that the African American population is less expected to pursue marriage therapy adding to the state of African American divorce rate currently. Structural Family Therapy Structural family therapy (SFT) is a counseling technique of therapy developed by Salvador Minuchin which addresses problems in functioning inside a family. Structural Family Therapists attempt to pass in, or â€Å"connect†, the family in therapy in order to understand the boundaries and rules which oversees its effectiveness, record the associations between family members or amongst subsystems of the family, and eventually interrupt dysfunctional relations within the household, triggering it to become stable into healthier arrangements. Minuchin states that dysfunction does not rest in the singular identification, but within the entire family system. Minuchin’s tactic is originated on the interrelationship of the entire, and the foundation that individuals cannot be detached from the whole. Therefore, Minuchin assumed that a change in the conduct of one household member will necessitate a consistent transformation in the behavior of other family member. Duplicate roles can affect the ability for a mother to parenting effectively. For example, a mother attempting to a both a parent and a friend or a father that was forced to raise his younger siblings (Rowe, 2007, p, 23). Structural therapists view the facilitation of structural variations in the dysfunctional family as the main objective, supposing that individual behavioral modifications as well as lessening of altercations will follow as the framework for the family’s communication changes (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2013, p. 329). The structural family model expresses families as systems and subsystems, roles and rules (flexible and adaptable to changes), boundaries, power, and hierarchy. Minuchin defines a functional family as one unit with clear boundaries between individuals and subsystems, promotes growth, and prevents  interruption. The primary objective when utilizing Minuchin’s model is assisting the family to change its structure or its organization. For instance, he stated that establishing a structure in which members and subsystems are clearly differentiated from one another and hierarchically integrated. Minuchin and other structuralists perceive standard family life as always altering and as a result endlessly creating adjustments to altering circumstances. What distinguishes functional from dysfunctional families is the flexibility in functional families to change or modify its structure to adjust to changing life cycle stages or to adjust to role changes or situational crises. The clarity of boundaries between subsystems within the family, and an effectively functioning spousal subsystem, help ensure stability despite changing conditions (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2013, p. 472). Due to a recent mounting body of empirical evidence, studies continue to verify the value of structural family therapy. This method it was widely evaluated during the 1980s by radical novelists and during the 1990s by those interested in the allegations of a social constructionist point of view. Structural family therapy continues to progress in response to experiments built from within the systemic field, and as part of integrative practice and multisystem approaches, with practitioners ever mindful of the need for regular feedback from family members themselves (Rowe, 2007, p. 21). By 1965, Minuchin had become director of the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, originally in the heart of the African American ghetto, where he focused on intervention techniques with low- income families (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2013, p. 130). The structural approach to therapy has been critiqued and has withstand various experiments from disbelievers; nevertheless, it has withstood throughout the years. Personal Integration The trial of integrating Christian and non-Christian clients fluctuates between different counselors. When clients unambiguously expressed a want for Christian counseling, for example, if a client initiates a prayer within a counseling session. The Bible frequently assists clients to absorb; the implementation of scriptures can inspire progression within the session. Between sessions homework examining particular biblical themes likewise inspire development. For instance, our Worthington text states that the use  of interventions make change sensible, and thus increases hope. Such interventions can involve physical manipulations, behavioral actions or interactions or making physical products (such as reports, written lists or tapes) that are completed and verbally processed. Worthington (2005) also stated that any theory of marital counseling can be used along with the counselor’s favorite techniques. The requirements of integration are increased hope and willpower, fit within the strategic framework, and make change sensible to clients (p. 262). I believe that the frequency of use of scriptures should be guided by the consumer’s articulated openness. Although traditionally I am trained as a counselor not to reference spirituality or religion unless it is first stated by the client, I believe that many consumers who are not currently attending church would be reassured when I fling open that door. After which they can be provided the opportunity to walk through the door, lock it, or leave it partly open to be entered once ready. If my clients were to inquire for details on my beliefs, I would openly speak about my spiritual journey but also specify that I still have a ways to go. Conversely, this does not take the practice of preaching on my individual Christian principles, or persisting them to trust what I have faith in. In addition, I could look for openings to propose the matter of religiousness and faith in an overall sense as a portion of my holistic approach; I would like to reassure my clienteles to discover the notion that stability in emotional and mental remedies are not exclusively associated with the rectifying of a particular issue; rather, comprehensiveness in therapeutic healing must integrate the multiple magnitudes of the client. With this instruction and initial outline, it would be up to my client to make the decision to discover how their faith and current behavior are correlated to the complications that have been facing and how their spiritual philosophies influence their mental and physical healing. Studies proposes, that it is highly probable that counselors greatly misjudge â€Å"the sum of consumers that are experiencing faith-based problems due to† consumers â€Å"frequently misguided norms that religious concerns were not suitable for conversation† in conditions that were not plainly defined as Christian therapeutic settings (Worthington Jr, 2005, p. 262). Spiritual Genograms In this course, I began to understand how past generational beliefs can still impact my current viewpoint with assumptions and predisposition. As a result, I believe that it would be important for my clients to understand their spiritual journey on both a personal and generational level. During this course, we complete a genogram in order to observe certain behavioral and health patterns; however, I would like to integrate spiritual â€Å"family trees† into my counseling sessions. Spiritual histories, spiritual lifemaps, spiritual genograms, spiritual ecomaps, and spiritual ecograms are five harmonizing assessment approaches that have recently been developed to highlight different aspects of clients’ spiritual lives. Spirituality can be agreed as the client’s connection with (their) God, and religious beliefs can been understood as flowing from spirituality, the open expression of the spiritual bond in specific views, approaches, and principles that have been est ablished in a community with other individuals who hold similar experiences of transcendence (Hodges, 2005). Consequently, spirituality and religion are similar yet present differences. Therapists must understand that a single assessment approach is not ideal for all consumers and circumstances. The assessment tools examined in this article was purposefully designed to highlight different aspects of clients’ spiritual worldview. In a counseling session, these assessment methods can become a useful resource to providers that require assistance with clients handling with challenging issues. These interventions can be used as coping strategies since the user can visibly see their peer support networks on paper. Spiritual assessments are beneficial for clients that have misplaced their connection with God; spiritual ecograms permits the user to see where their spiritual journey is currently and where it used to be. For example, it may benefit clients with major depressive symptoms to recognize support organizations such as professional group memberships, church, and household. An alternative intervention to complete this task would be spiritual ecomaps. Counselors geared with this assessment, can assist their clients survey their previous and existing domestic and faith-based support systems. Subsequently, some assessment approaches will be implemented more effectively in some situations but preferably these assessments are seamless for clients that have gone astray. Various assessments can be used to meet the needs of the client; however, certain assessments may be more operative  with some clients than others. Consequently, the therapist must primarily evaluate the clients’ needs and what they wish to gain from counseling. This will support the therapist in selecting a suitable spiritual intervention approach. If I am offered a client that desires to change to a diverse faith but it religiously disorganized, I would implement spiritual genograms. This intervention would aid counselors to view if the clients’ preceding descendants all practiced the same religion. Accordingly, I could determine that the client has an admiration for customs which is producing the spiritual misperception. A consumer may want to change to a different spiritual belief system but does not want to insult their families; this approach can be paired with spiritual ecograms; letting them to evaluate their previous and current rapport with God. After assessing their support systems and their spiritual journey, the client could productively create the judgment on whether to alter their religion or not; the therapist should not make this choice for them. In my opinion, couples should undergo marriage education and counseling before being able to marry. My marriage and family counseling session would contain the data of African American marriages since couples need to have insight on the problem in order to prevent from being a part of the problem. Hence, unions would gain awareness on the low marriage and high divorce rates within the African American community. Thereafter, perhaps these marriages would fight harder for their marriages and maintaining their families. Conclusion In conclusion, couples receiving education on the state of African Americans marriage and divorce along with counseling prepare them with the utensils required to maintain a healthy marriage. I believe that any union seeking assistance would profit with these counseling technique both prior and during the course of marriage. Additionally, I also have faith that this these methods can produce an upsurge in couples getting and/or staying married and a reduction in the shockingly elevated rates of African American divorces. References Berenson, S.K. (2011). Should Cohabitation Matter in Family Law?. Journal of Law & Studies, 13(2), 289-328. Burton, L.M., Winn, D., Stevenson, H., & Clark, S. (2004). Working with African American Clients: Considering the â€Å"Homeplace† in Marriage and Family Therapy Practices. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 30(4), 397-410. Clarkwest, A. (2006). Premarital Characteristics, Selection into Marriage, and African American Marital Disruption. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 37(3), 361-380. Dixon, P. (2009). Marriage Among African Americans: What Does the Research Reveal?. Journal of African American Studies, 13(1), 29-46. DuCille, A. (2009). Marriage, Family, & Other â€Å"Peculiar Institutions† in African American Literary History. American Literary History, 21(3), 604-617. Gingrich, F., & Worthington Jr, E. L. (2007). Supervision and the integration of faith into clinical practice: Research considerations. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 26(4), 342-355. Goldenberg, H., & Goldenberg, I. (2013). Family therapy: An overview (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brookes/Cole. Hill, S. A.(2006). Marriage Among African American Women: A Gender Perspective. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 37(3), 421-440. Hodge, D. R. (2005). Developing a Spiritual Assessment Toolbox: A Discussion of the Strengths and Limitations of Five Different Assessment Methods. Health & Social Work, 30(4), 314-323. Holland, R. (2009). Perceptions of Mate Selection for Marriage Among African American, College- Educated, Single Mothers. Journal of Counseling & Development, 87(2), 170-178. Kostenberger, A. J., & Johns, D. W. (2004). God, marriage, and family: Rebuilding the biblical foundation. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. ISBN: 9781581345803. Leslie, L. A., & Letiecq, B.L. (2004). Marital Quality of African American and White Partners in Interracial Couples. Personal Relationships, 11(4), 559-574. Marsh, K., Darity Jr., W.A., Cohen, P. N., Casper, L.M., & Salters, D. (2007). The Emerging Black Middle Class: Single and Living Alone. Social Forces, 86(2), 735-762. Martin, T. L., & Bielawski, D. M. (2011). What is the African American’s Experience Following Imago Education?. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 51(2), 216-228. Mc. Clain, C. (2011). Family Stories: Black/ White Marriage During the 1960s. Western Journal of Black Studies, 35(1), 9-21. Pinderhughes, E. B. (2002). African American Marriage in the 20th Century. Family Process, 41(2), 269. Rowe, D. M. (2007). Marriage and Fathering: Raising Our Children Within the Context of Family and Community. Black Scholar, 37(2), 18-22. Worthington, E. (2005). Hope focused marriage counseling: A guide to brief therapy. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

Harlem Renassance essays

Harlem Renassance essays The Harlem Renaissance can easily be compared to The European Renaissance of that began in the 14th century. The European Renaissance included a series of literary and cultural movements in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. These movements began in Italy and eventually expanded into Germany, France, England, and other parts of Europe. Participants studied the great civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome and came to the conclusion that their own cultural achievements rivaled those of antiquity. Their thinking was also influenced by the concept of humanism, which emphasizes the worth of the individual. Renaissance humanists believed it was possible to improve human society through classical education. This education relied on teachings from ancient texts and emphasized a range of disciplines, including poetry, history, rhetoric (rules for writing influential prose or speeches), and moral philosophy. The word renaissance means "rebirth." The idea of rebirth originated in the belief that Europeans had rediscovered the superiority of Greek and Roman culture after many centuries of what they considered intellectual and cultural decline. The preceding era, which began with the collapse of the Roman Empire around the 5th century, became known as the Middle Ages to indicate its position between the classical and modern world. The Harlem Renaissance was an African American cultural movement of the 1920s and early 1930s that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Variously known as the New Negro movement, the New Negro Renaissance, and the Negro Renaissance, the movement emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918, blossomed in the mid- to late 1920s, and then faded in the mid-1930s. The Harlem Renaissance marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously and that African American literature and arts attracted significant attention from the nation at large. Alth...

An Intro to Teen Pregnancy in essays

An Intro to Teen Pregnancy in essays In my introduction I am going to answer the following questions: Is teenage pregnancy a problem If so, how big is the problem and how have other countries and communities tried to reduce it How does the national situation in Britain compare to that of other countries How has teenage pregnancy affected the community of Lewisham In this section I plan to take a detailed view of my community by using the statistics that have been given to me. Firstly, I am going to re-compile the statistics so that they are more readable and make for easier comparison. I plan to compare and contrast the data of different areas within my borough to identify trends and possible causes. I am also going to look at how the level of teenage pregnancy has changed over the last decade. From this data, I plan to make comparisons of different boroughs and then draw conclusions about the possible causes of teenage pregnancy in my borough. Factors That Influence the Rate of Teenage Pregnancy Economic - For this issue, I would like to focus on family income and the provision of sex education in schools. Moral and Social - I would like to discuss the change in our societys view on teenage pregnancy and single parents. I would also like to discuss the effect that peer pressure has on young people and to what extent it causes teenage pregnancy. Another important aspect in this area that I am going to discuss is the role that the media plays in changing social attitudes to various ways of living. Political - For this part, I am going to talk about the effectiveness that the governments policy has on reducing teenage pregnancy and also what other policies are being used throughout the world and what effect they have. I am also going to consider what the possible effects of introducing such policies will have on Lewisham and how they might work. I will be dealing with these sections separately, howe ...

Recognizing and Controlling a Tree Burl

Recognizing and Controlling a Tree Burl Little research has been done to confirm the cause (or causes) of burls. A burl could be caused by many environmental factors, but the biology of burls on trees is not well known. To be sure, burls and galls may serve as secondary infection avenues for insects and diseases, but as a rule, they do not appear to be harmful to most trees and maintain protective bark. Burl-Like Symptoms The tree trunk infections called burls look like bumps or warty growths, probably caused as a result of an environmental injury. Cambial growth is hyper-stimulated as a way for the tree to isolate and contain the injury. Almost all burl wood is covered by bark, even when underground. Often, a tree that has developed burl wood is still generally healthy. In fact, many trees with burl wood will go on to live for many years. Still, burl wood in vulnerable spots or with off-shooting growth can become so large and heavy that they create additional stress on a tree, and can cause the tree to break apart. Oak Tree Burl Bulges and Tree Health Even though not much is known about the cause of burls, it should be assumed that proper tree management that improves tree health can help reduce the occurrence of burls or make their presence less of a problem. Burls certainly should not be removed from the main stem of a living tree, since that would expose a large decay-producing wound or completely kill the tree. Burls can be removed if they are located on branches or limbs and proper pruning methods are used. Not All Burls Are Bad Burls can yield a peculiar wood that is prized for its beauty and sought-after by furniture makers, artists, and wood sculptors. There are a number of well-known types of burls. Quality burl wood often comes from redwood, walnut, buckeye, maple, baldcypress, teak, and other species. The famous birdseye maple superficially resembles the wood of a burl but is something else entirely. Burls Are a Valuable Wood Product Some tree burls can be valuable in the specialty wood market.  Cherry and ash trees are popular burl-producing species due to their remarkable grain. Oak trees, on the other hand, tend to mill out with defective rot and holes and are usually rejected by wood buyers. Depending on quality and size, walnut, redwood, and maples often yield quality burls, but most tree species can offer rare gems. If you have a large burl on a tree you might want to sell, measure its size and take photos from several angles. It would help to include a yardstick in the photo for perspective. The burl must be covered with sound bark and have no major rot. Its value is significantly higher with increased size. The best market for burls is among woodturners. Search for woodturners locally using the internet and the American Association of Woodturners.

Praise and Regular Monitoring of Knowledge to Test Individual Progress Essay

Praise and Regular Monitoring of Knowledge to Test Individual Progress in Learning English - Essay Example The key differences between the earliest and subsequent linguistic learning are apparent. First language learning is a natural process that allows children to acquire and extend the linguistic comprehension of their environment. However, second language learning is a deliberate pursuit, in which mature individuals partake for many reasons. Moreover, children who learn their first language have a natural advantage. For instance, these children acquire their first language using their intuition through a Language Acquisition Device (LAD). Variably, mature individuals have no second chance of learning a language in a natural manner.Consequently, learning the first language is part of a child’s cognitive maturity, which enables the youngster to acquire syntax in an unconscious manner. However, by the time an individual seeks to learn a succeeding language, the individual learns the syntax in a conscious manner. Instead, they have to embrace extra unnatural techniques in order to a cquire competence in their second language. In addition, the first language facilitates the ability of its learners to focus on advanced levels of grammaticality in second language learning. Therefore, subsequent language learners have the ability to manipulate their understanding of grammar using the competency of their first language.Consequently, the dissimilarity between the two languages emanates from the fact that there is more time spent on learning the foremost language because children learn through constant imitation. The learning of a second language takes a shorter time because, during that time, the mature individual has exemplary mastery skills. Moreover, in the first language learning, there is guaranteed access to native speakers. Consequently, these native speakers influence the quick mastery of the language. There is no guarantee of native speakers in the learning of the second language. According to Towel and Hawkins, first language learning has close links with a child’s genetic setup while the second language has no such ties (92).

The Joy Luck Club Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Joy Luck Club - Essay Example She was my mother. The aunties are looking at me as if I had become crazy right before their eyes†¦ And then it occurs to me. They are frightened. In me, they see their own daughters, just as ignorant, just as unmindful of all the truths and hopes they have brought to America. They see daughters who grow impatient when their mothers talk in Chinese†¦ who will bear grandchildren born without any connecting hope passed from generation to generation.† (Tan 40-41) This quote establishes Jing-mei as a representative of the younger generation, while at the same time feeling a deep sympathy for the older generation. She understands the American-born daughters who feel they have lost their touch with their Chinese identities and feel as if they do not know their mothers. She also recognizes the mothers’ fears that for their daughters old values have no more meaning, â€Å"that to these closed American-born minds â€Å"joy luck† is not a word, it does not existà ¢â‚¬  (Tan 41), that they belong to an Americanized way of life and that in this effort to provide them with the best opportunities in life, the mothers have unintentionally secluded them from their Chinese heritage. Jing-mei steps in her mother’s shoes for a weekly gathering, playing mahjong.

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL DYNAMICS Essay

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL DYNAMICS - Essay Example It is clear that performance of each company depends not only on hard work of its personnel, but also on the "human side" of the employees, i.e.: their competence, motivation, attitudes, communication and other variables. Most researchers admit that HRM is the core of company's general efficiency. In the present project I will analyze the paradigm of HRM in the context of organizational theories, describe the origin of modern HRM and analyze the practice and strategies of effective HRM on the analysis of IBM Corporation. Also the history of organization is obviously as old as the history of a civilization itself, the history of HRM is much younger. Emerging in 1960s, the paradigm of HRM relied, however, on previous researches and findings of organizational scientists. As Price (2000) believes, HRM "hasn't come out of nowhere" as throughout the whole XX century and even earlier both practitioners and scholars attempted to design the theories explaining human behavior at work and the ways to raise its effectiveness. The findings in the paradigms of group theory, leadership and management, communication and motivation helped development of modern HRM as a single paradigm The first tentative ideas of HRM date back to the early XX century. These ideas are associated with American schools of management, particularly with F. Taylor's "scientific management" and E. Mayo's "school of human relations". Frederick Taylor was the first who underlay business practice with significant theoretical findings. Taylor assumed that material side is not the major motivation of the employees. Instead, people need to be managed in order to work more effectively. Taylor suggested the policy of stick and carrot based on the principles of punishments for poor performance and appraisals for better working efficiency. Besides, Taylor was the first to identify the needs of the employees and hire nurse and psychologists to his company (Storey, 2001). Elton Mayo reconsidered Taylor's ideas significantly. During his longitudinal Hawthorne experiments Mayo found as well that salary is not the best motivation for people. Instead, he found out that people are sociable by their nature and they work effectively if they receive a positive feedback from administration. Other pivotal findings of Mayo were (i) people's need for communication, (ii) existence of informal groups and (iii) group moral (Gillespie et al, 1993). In 1930s the ideas of HRM were reconsidered by Kurt Lewin who developed own theories of group dynamic and leadership. Lewin was one of the first who explained psychology of groups, identified the reasons and motives of human behavior at work and suggested the ways of their effective management. Lewin's theory of leadership still remains a classic in modern HRM. Besides, Japanese school of management is based on Lewin's findings in a larger extent (Lewin, 1947). During 1950s the diverse human relations and human factors approaches were united into a broad organizational approach. This period was the heyday of organizational science as during this period major concepts that underlie modern HRM were developed. The most important of such theories is obviously Abraham Maslow's (1954) theory of motivation. Maslow's

Effects of tissue paper usage on the environment Research

Effects of tissue usage on the environment - Research Paper Example Effects of tissue paper usage on the environment There have been many advertisements encouraging people to continue using given brands of tissue papers mostly made from trees. Although the use of tissue papers is dominant in females, the United States uses about 50 pounds of tissue products per person annually. Tissues papers have variant effects on the environment. Since, most of the tissue paper use is at home, then, it is possible to regulate the amount of tissue paper that we consume. This paper will discuss the environmental impact of tissue paper and draw a conclusion from the discussion. The paper will then make a persuasive argument about the moral or ethical implications of our consumption. The argument will aim at convincing the rest to adopt our style of using tissue paper that is reducing the consumption and using the recycled. There are variant effects of tissue paper usage on the environment. The impact depends on the production, mode of use and method of disposal. Tissue paper usage destroys forests, wildlife habitat, aridity, and may lead to loss of biodiversity because of the huge number of trees used in the production. As such, deforestation has now become a major environmental concern because of the negative effects on the humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and earth's temperature. There are variant effects of tissue paper usage on the environment. The impact depends on the production, mode of use and method of disposal. Tissue paper usage destroys forests, wildlife habitat, aridity, and may lead to loss of biodiversity because of the huge number of trees used in the production. (European Commission Web). As such, deforestation has now become a major environmental concern because of the negative effects on the humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and earth's temperature (Secret life Web). The production of tissue papers uses a lot of energy in transportation and distribution. Tissue paper production uses a lot of water hence depleting the scarce water sources and pollutes the water sources via the emissions from the factory (Bajpai 53). The gas emissions directed to the air are pollutants containing carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and sulphur oxides, which cause global warming and acidification (European Commission Web). Acidification and global warming affects agricultu re significantly. The emissions to the air and water contain toxic chemicals and cancer- causing chemical that are all pollutants to the environment (simple ecology Web). Additionally, the chemicals used in production of paper and pulp can have negative effects on health and the environment. Toxic chlorine used in pulp breaching is an example of such chemicals (Yaffa Web). Tissue paper is a source of waste in the environment. Many people do not use recycled tissue papers. About one-third of household waste is paper and only one-half is recycled and used in the US (simple ecology Web). Hence, I observe that there are diverse effects of tissue paper usage on the environment. Most of these effects are negative and dire to humans, animals and the environment. Therefore, there is need to minimise the consumption of tissue paper, devise better disposal methods and venture in the usage of 100 % recycled tissue paper products. This guarantees a positive impact on the environment. If we redu ce the consumption of tissue paper from 50 pounds to 33 pounds per person annually and buy only 100% of recycled products we will significantly benefit the environment. We need to use only enough toilet paper, use sponges, cloth towels, and hand dryers in place of paper towels. We can also use cloth napkins at home and only one napkin at fast food outlets. Similarly, we can use a handkerchief in place of a facial tissue where necessary. When these reductions and improvising intertwine with purchase of 100% tissue papers, we can save many trees annually and reduce the water and energy consumption (Lianos Web). This is because tissue paper uses 40% less energy and

Aboriginal Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aboriginal Children - Essay Example This was characterized as the period of dispossession, physical ill treatment, social disruption, population decline, economic exploitation, codified discrimination and cultural devastation. (Gardiner- Garden, 1999). During the dispossession a law was implemented to remove the Aboriginal children (especially girls with light skins) from their parents. The removal was done to segregate the full bloods from the half castes. The children who were removed from their parents were given a cheap source of labour and facilitate the christianing of the indigenous population. The removal of a child from its parent is a violation of human right. Although the purpose of the European and the government is to give a better life for the children still it is not right to forcibly remove child from the custody of its aboriginal parents.The children which are forced to separate with their parents where taught with lies. They were being taught their culture are without value, their language are prohibi ted, they suffered physical harsh living conditions and experienced multiple institutional and/or foster placements. They think they were unwanted, rejected or that their parents were dead. Based on the reports, one in ten boys and just over one in ten girls allege they were sexually abused in children's institutions-and more abuse in foster placements. The effects and the trauma of the children will be brought to their next children and to their children's children. Reconciliation In January 1991 Robert Tickner, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, submitted a discussion paper entitled Aboriginal Reconciliation. The paper proposed the formation by legislation of a Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation to facilitate a process of reconciliation between Australia's indigenous and wider communities. In 1991 the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Bill 1991 was passed. Patrick Dodson chaired the council and was formally concluded in January 2001. The council's task is to consult widely to determine whether the process would be advanced by a formal document of reconciliation and if so a recommendation on the nature of such document will be forwarded. The diversity in contemporary Australian Aboriginal children is seen during the time of the 19th century wherein the light colored child where remove from its group to become slaves, work or have a better future to their foster parent. The black aboriginal child has its right to stay with their parent. The differences in their color during the time of dispossession play an important role in the aboriginal. It's a form of racism during their time. The main factors that contribute to the development of the identity of the Australian aboriginal are the increasing number of maltreatment, health problem and lack of education to most of the aboriginal. The children which are separated to their parent may have the opportunity to study but is also abuse and maltreated because of their origin. Health problem increases because of misinformation. Proper education is not given to them because of their location and culture. But due to its modern studies and updated information to the government the aboriginal where given proper attention to be able to developed their culture without destroying their beliefs. Task 2 There are several Australian child care centre strategies and resources that promote policies for the development of the aboriginal children. The policy that promotes positive attitudes towards Australian Aboriginal culture is the inclusion policy. This policy includes the inclusion of the aboriginal from the economic growth, citizenship and social capital. The aboriginal is now has the right to represent their group in any way. This policy

Generating Binary Phase Shift Keying Lab Report

Generating Binary Phase Shift Keying - Lab Report Example Normally, each of the phases is encoded equal bits. The demodulator is designed primarily for symbol-set to be used by the modulator. This modulator is used in determining the phase of the signal received mapping it back to the symbol that it represents. It, therefore, requires the receiver to compare the received signal phase to the reference signal. This system is termed as coherent. This paper explores an experimental set up in which an IQ modulator is used to generate the Binary Phase-shift keying while investigating the effect of phase shift on the residual carrier magnitude. Aims and objectives. A To appreciate the principle of phase shift keying and its relationship with the analogue phase modulation. B. To generate the two-level of phase shift keyed signal and investigate the spectrum and bandwidth associated with it. C. To investigate the demodulation of an FSK signal using the Residual carrier D. To understand the operation of the costals Loop circuit for phase demodulation E. To investigate the demodulation of 90 degree FSK signal using a costals Loop and using Schematic diagram of an IQ modulator connected to Residual carrier Equipment used and Practical configuration In this experiment, the list of apparatus that were used include the sine cosine generator, variable attenuator, multiplier, IQ modulator connected to a residual carrier, costal loop block diagram that has low pass filters and Limiters and the circuits that operate like comparators. The apparatus were configured as shown below. Schematic diagram of an IQ modulator connected to Residual carrier Schematic circuit of a double costal loop Procedure The frequency counter was opened and used to set the Function Generator Frequency to 15KHz .The phasescope main channel probe was then moved to the 1 carrier input. The phasescope was then opened and while using the Variable phase shift control associated with the Carrier Source, the IQ carrier phase difference was set to 90 degrees. The phase s cope main channel was moved to the phase modulator output monitor point 4 and set to constellation display mode. The signal Level Control was then used in adjusting the amplitude of modulation. This was followed by setting the X expand on the oscilloscope to observe the individual carrier cycles. The spectrum analyzer was opened and used to observe the phase scope. The signal Level Control was then used in adjusting the modulation. The modulation was increased to give a total shift towards 180 degrees, while adjusting the spectrum analyzer. Finally, with the shift at plus and minus 90 degrees, the oscilloscope display was observed and the instrumentation screen shots were captured. The diagram bellow shows the experimental set up Results The results for this experiment are presented below. - AC p-p set to 0.3v / frequency set at 15kHz. Instead of setting the phases at -90 and +90 degrees, in this experiment -45 and +45 degrees were used since the prior could not be achieved and it i s as shown below. Changing the amplitude of the modulation can vary the phase shift. Concentrating on the blue output (carrier) is switches the phase by 180 degrees The carrier and the sidebands as seen during this experiment. A total phase shift of near to 90 degrees (45 + 45) Spectrum analyser showing the carrier frequency and two sidebands. When the phase shift was put to 180 degrees the carrier frequency on the spectrum analyzer fails to be distinguishable. Second attempt This shows the oscilloscope with the

Aboriginal Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aboriginal Children - Essay Example This was characterized as the period of dispossession, physical ill treatment, social disruption, population decline, economic exploitation, codified discrimination and cultural devastation. (Gardiner- Garden, 1999). During the dispossession a law was implemented to remove the Aboriginal children (especially girls with light skins) from their parents. The removal was done to segregate the full bloods from the half castes. The children who were removed from their parents were given a cheap source of labour and facilitate the christianing of the indigenous population. The removal of a child from its parent is a violation of human right. Although the purpose of the European and the government is to give a better life for the children still it is not right to forcibly remove child from the custody of its aboriginal parents.The children which are forced to separate with their parents where taught with lies. They were being taught their culture are without value, their language are prohibi ted, they suffered physical harsh living conditions and experienced multiple institutional and/or foster placements. They think they were unwanted, rejected or that their parents were dead. Based on the reports, one in ten boys and just over one in ten girls allege they were sexually abused in children's institutions-and more abuse in foster placements. The effects and the trauma of the children will be brought to their next children and to their children's children. Reconciliation In January 1991 Robert Tickner, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, submitted a discussion paper entitled Aboriginal Reconciliation. The paper proposed the formation by legislation of a Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation to facilitate a process of reconciliation between Australia's indigenous and wider communities. In 1991 the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Bill 1991 was passed. Patrick Dodson chaired the council and was formally concluded in January 2001. The council's task is to consult widely to determine whether the process would be advanced by a formal document of reconciliation and if so a recommendation on the nature of such document will be forwarded. The diversity in contemporary Australian Aboriginal children is seen during the time of the 19th century wherein the light colored child where remove from its group to become slaves, work or have a better future to their foster parent. The black aboriginal child has its right to stay with their parent. The differences in their color during the time of dispossession play an important role in the aboriginal. It's a form of racism during their time. The main factors that contribute to the development of the identity of the Australian aboriginal are the increasing number of maltreatment, health problem and lack of education to most of the aboriginal. The children which are separated to their parent may have the opportunity to study but is also abuse and maltreated because of their origin. Health problem increases because of misinformation. Proper education is not given to them because of their location and culture. But due to its modern studies and updated information to the government the aboriginal where given proper attention to be able to developed their culture without destroying their beliefs. Task 2 There are several Australian child care centre strategies and resources that promote policies for the development of the aboriginal children. The policy that promotes positive attitudes towards Australian Aboriginal culture is the inclusion policy. This policy includes the inclusion of the aboriginal from the economic growth, citizenship and social capital. The aboriginal is now has the right to represent their group in any way. This policy

BUS LAW wk3 dq Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

BUS LAW wk3 dq - Assignment Example Rudy becomes irate and tells Marie she will be hearing from his attorney. Is there an enforceable contract in this situation? Identify and discuss the elements of a valid contract and predict whether Rudy can legally compel Marie to surrender the paint sprayer.   No, there was no enforceable contract since Marie and Rudy did not have a written agreement which transferred the paint sprayer to Rudy. An enforceable contract would require two important aspects that are associated with statue of frauds and concept of acceptance. Hence, in this case if one party only agreed to the contract without signing it, Rudy cannot legally compel Marie to give her paint sprayer. aâ‚ ¬? Felipe Underwood is a famous artist whose portraits are in demand nationwide. Doris Williams thinks it will give her prestige to own an Underwood portrait, so she pays Felipe $50,000 to paint her portrait from a photograph. Unknown to Doris, Felipe gives the photograph to Malina because he has accepted another com mission to paint the portrait of the president, and Malina completes the portrait. When Doris has a party to unveil her portrait, an art critic guest tells her that although the portrait is painted in the Underwood style, it is a fake. Dorisaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s attorney files suit against Felipe for breach of contract and for seeking specific performance.

A History Of The Gold Standard Economics Essay

A History Of The Gold Standard Economics Essay What is Gold Standard? The Gold Standard is a monetary system in which the standard unit of currency is a fixed weight of gold or freely convertible into gold at a fixed price. Under the Gold Standard system, paper money which circulates as a medium of exchange is convertible into gold on demand. The exchange rate between paper or fiat money and gold is fixed. Same thing happened to the rates of exchange between national currencies, it is fixed. The Gold Standard can be divided into two types: full Gold Standard and partial Gold Standard. A 100 percent reserve Gold Standard or full Gold Standard occurs when all circulating money can be represented by the appropriate amount of gold. Whilst in partial Gold Standard, circulating notes can be redeemed for their face value; it can be either higher than its actual value or lower. Why gold being selected as a reserve for most countries and even for today? Many nations hold the gold reserves in significant quantity in order to defense their currency and put a hedge against the US dollar. Some more, the weakness of the US dollar can be offset by strengthening the gold prices. Yet, compared to other precious metals or major competitors such as US dollar and real estate, none of them has the stability as the gold as well as its rarity and durability. Gold is also used as a store of value starting from the early monetary system since it is high value enough. It is high in utility and density, it is able to resist to corrosion, it is uniform, and it is divisible easily. As we know, banking began by depositing the gold into a bank and it could be transferred from one bank to another bank. Until today, gold remains to be the main financial asset for most of the central banks. By looking back at the past, before 2000 BC, the first metal that human being used as a currency in trade was silver. According to the history, we know that gold has been used as a mean of payment since long time ago. After 1500 years, the first coinage of pure gold was introduced. The adoption of Gold Standard was preceded after that. Yet, the fiat monetary system came and took over the Gold Standard system during the outbreak of World War I. This happened for most of the nations are due to the excessive public debt and the government is unable to repay all the debt in gold or silver. IMPORTANCE OF STUDY / RESEARCH IN GOLD STANDARD As a banking and finance student, we have to study and understand any history that regard to the field, included the topic of our assignment this time Gold Standard. This is because people live in present and they have to plan for and worry about the future. History is the study of past. It gives the information of the past in order to anticipate what is yet to come. Understanding history is important to develop the linkages to predict the future. Yet, history also provides us abundant of information about how the Gold Standard was formed and how it operated. Understanding the operations of the Gold Standard is difficult currently since it was collapsed and we cannot be exposed ourselves to it. The current data that we have is relied on what happened into the past. By using the historical materials, we can make our own analysis on the Gold Standard and understand its weaknesses and problems. Besides, the study of the Gold Standard can help us to understand the changes of the monetary system and how the financial world affects the global economies. From the historical information, we know when the adoption of the Gold Standard was and when the collapse of the Gold Standard was. Yet, we also know that the monetary system had been changed over time to time and which system was being created in order to take over the original system. For instance, Gold Standard was took over by Bretton Woods System and followed by Contemporary Monetary System. There is always a reason there for the changes made. This is because of the discovery of the shortages of the system. Once the deficiencies being located, the new system would be established. If there is still do not have any actions taken, it will affect the economies of the world since finance cannot be separated with the economy. In addition, as a financial student, we have to understand about the differences between fiat money and Gold Standard. From the project we done, we know that fiat money is money that no have intrinsic value and cannot be redeemed for any commodity. The paper currencies and coins that are available in markets nowadays are considered as fiat money and the strength of the economy of the issuing nation is the determinant used to determine the value of fiat money. Mostly, inflation will follow with the enormous issuing of fiat money. Whilst, The Gold Standard is a monetary system in which the standard unit of currency is a fixed weight of gold or freely convertible into gold at a fixed price. Under the Gold Standard system, paper money which circulates as a medium of exchange is convertible into gold on demand. The exchange rate between paper or fiat money and gold is fixed. PART II : THE GOLD STANTARD 2.1 HISTORY 2.1.1 History of Gold Standard The first nation that officially adopted the Gold Standard system is England (also called as Great Britain) in 1821. The list below is the dates of adoption of the Gold Standard system: 1821 England 1871 Germany 1873 Latin Monetary Union Belgium Italy Switzerland France 1875 Scandinavia(Monetary Union) Denmark Norway Sweden 1875 Netherlands 1876 France 1876 Spain 1879 Austria 1893 Russia 1897 Japan 1898 India 1900 United States During that century, there was a dramatic increase in global trade and production which brought enormous discoveries of gold. The discoveries aided the Gold Standard remain intact well on the following century. The emergence of the International Gold Standard is on 1871 since the Germany also started to use the system. By 1900, most of the developed countries were linked to the Gold Standard system, but surprise that the United States was the last nation to enter. This is because there was the present of a strong silver lobby that forbidden gold from being the sole monetary standard with the U.S. throughout the 19th century. The Gold Standard was at its pinnacle from 1871 till 1914. During the period, there were a near perfect ideal political contexts existed in the world. Governments tried to corporate nicely in order to make the Gold Standard system work, but the system was collapsed during the duration of the Great War in 1914. In 1925, it was reestablished. But due to the relative scarcity of gold, many countries adopted a gold-exchange standard, supplementing their gold reserves with currencies convertible into gold at a stable rate of exchange. Unfortunately, the gold-exchange standard was ended during the Great Depression. The United States had set a minimum dollar price for gold in order to aid for the restoration of international gold standard after World War II. In 1971, dwindling gold reserves and unfavorable balance of payments led the U.S. to abandon the Gold Standard system. 2.1.2 Timelines of Gold Standard 1717 The Kingdom of Great Britain went on to an unofficial Gold Standard. 1816 Gold was partially displacing silver as a standard. 1821 The Gold Standard was first out into operation in Great Britain. 1873 The Coinage Act of the United States Congress came into operation on 1st April and constituted the gold one-dollar piece as the sole unit of value. 1900 Gold Standard Act was established on 14 March 1900 and gold was the only standard for redeeming paper money. 1914 The abandonment of the Gold Standard by Russia. 1925 The return of the Gold Standard. 1971 The abandonment of the Gold Standard by the United States. 2.1.3 Timelines of Fiat Money 1690 There are three types of currency according to American History: Fiat money Certificates based on coin or bullion Bank notes (Fiat money is one type of currencies that being used during the time.) 1789 France was undergoing economic downturn and due to lack of money, fiat money being used. 1862 There was a paper currency that printed upon one side in green has been created with a promise to pay Greenbacks. 1878 An argument in favor of honest money and redeemable currency. 1896 Paper-based global economy has been collapsed. 1913 Establishment of Fed. Fiat money became the United States legal tender. The mercy of the fiat money system has led to the greatest debt bubble in world history. 1933 Inflation occurred. 2008 Under the fiat money system, money as debt. 2.1.4 History of Shifting Between Fiat Money and Gold Standard in U.S. As stated as below, there were a lot of shifting between a fiat money and gold standard had been made by the United States over the past 200 years which in order to avoid hyper-inflation. Hyperinflation occurs when the confidence in money had gone and it leads to no value in the money. As mentioned as earlier, the gold standard was over due to the reason of the government was unable to repay for the excessive of public debt in gold or silver that its countries owe. 1785-1861 Fixed Gold Standard : 76 years It was issued by American colonists for the Continent Congress in order to finance the Revolutionary War. It was produced by the United States Federal Government. It was authorized by the Act of March 3, 1849. 1862-1879 Floating Fiat Currency : 7 years The fiat money of the United States above is Greenbacks. It was created to pay for the enormous cost of the Civil War. It was the debt of the U.S. government which could be redeemable in gold at future without any specified date. It was circulated along with the Gold certificates. 1880-1914 Fixed Gold Standard: 34 years It was ended due to the financial needs of World War I. 1915-1925 Floating Fiat Currency : 10 years It was created to pay for World War I countries. There was insufficient of gold to support the paper currency. 1926-1931 Fixed Gold Standard : 5 years It was ended due to most of the nations tried to deposit their pounds and dollars for gold when the depression occurs. 1931-1945 Floating Fiat Currency : 14 years It was ended due to the outbreak of World War II. 1945-1968 Fixed Gold Standard : 26 years On 24 June 1968, a proclamation that Federal Reserve Silver Certificates could not be redeemed in silver was issued by President Johnson. 1971 Floating Fiat Currency : 5 months It was established by President Nixon on August 1971. 1971-1973 Fixed Dollar Standard : 2 years It was passed by the Smithsonian Agreement. 1973-today Fiat Currency : 37 years It was established by the Basel Accord. 2.1.5 Evolution of International Monetary Systems International Monetary System had been undergoing several stages of evolution which are stated as below: Bimetallism (before 1875) A double standard in the sense that both gold and silver were used as international means of payment. Some nations used the gold standard; some used the silver standard; and some used both. Both gold and silver were used as money and the gold or silver contents were the determinants used to determine the exchange rates among currencies. Classical Gold Standard (1875-1914) Most nations agreed that -Gold alone was assured of unrestricted coinage. -There would be two-way convertibility between gold and national currencies at a fixed ratio. -Gold could be freely exported or imported. Two countries relative gold contents were be the determinants used to determine the exchange rate between two countries currency. Highly stable exchange rates under the classical gold standard provided an environment that was conducive to international trade and investment. Misalignment of exchange rates and international imbalances of payment were automatically corrected by the price-specie-flow mechanism. Interwar Period (1915-1944) Exchange rates fluctuated as countries widely used predatory depreciations of their currencies as a means of gaining advantage in the world export market. Attempts were made to restore the gold standard, but participants lacked the political will to follow the rules of the game. The result for international trade and investment was profoundly detrimental. Bretton Woods System (1945-1971) Named for a 1944 meeting of 44 countries at New Hampshire. The purpose was to design a postwar international monetary system. The goal was exchange rate stability without the gold standard. The result was the creation of the IMF and the World Bank. The system was a dollar-based gold exchange standard. Flexible Exchange Rate System (1971-today) The system was declared acceptable to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) members. Central banks were allowed to intervene in the exchange rate markets. Gold was abandoned as an international reserve asset. Managed Float System (1973-today) 2.2 INTERNATIONAL GOLD STANDARD 2.2.1 Chronology of Gold and International Monetary System 1717 Master of the Mint, Sir Isaac Newton gave guinea statutory valuation of 21 shillings. Commence of the United Kingdom Gold Standard. 1797 Occurrence of Napoleonic Wars. Bank of England abandoned gold payments. 1816 Establishment of UK Coinage Act. 1844 Bank of England obliged to buy gold. 1870-1900 Except of China, most of the nation abandoned Bimetallic Standard and switched to Gold Standard. 1913 The United States system of reserve banks was established by Federal Reserve Act. At least 40% of notes were gold-backed. 1917 U.S. prohibited gold exports. 1919 UK went off Gold Standard. Establishment of London Gold Fixing. 1925 Return of Gold Standard in the United Kingdom. Establishment of UK Gold Standard Act. 1931 The United Kingdom abandoned Gold Standard. 1933 Suspend of the United States convertibility. Prohibition of exports, transactions, and holding of gold. 1934 Presidential Proclamation of making dollar convertible to gold again. 1936 Establishment of Tripartite Agreement (Countries involved: U.S., UK, and France) 1939 Close of London gold market due to the outbreak of war. 1944 Establishment of Gold Exchange Standard as a result of Bretton Woods Conference. 1945 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Articles of Agreement became effective. 1954 Reopen of London gold market after World War II. 1961 Establishment of Gold Pool (Members: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK and Federal Reserve Bank of New York) 1967 Buying of gold increased due to the devaluation of sterling. 1968 Close of London market. Abolishment of Gold Pool and establishment of 2-tier market. Establishment of Special Drawing Right (SDR). 1971 Suspend of U.S. convertibility to gold. Establishment of Smithsonian Agreement. 1972 Devaluation of the United States dollar. 1973 Suspend of dealing in foreign exchange markets by most of the central banks. Adoption of floating exchange rate regime. Abandonment of 2-tier gold market. 1975 Abolishment of restriction on citizen buying, selling or owning gold by U.S. First U.S. gold auction on January. Establishment of agreement between G10 countries and Switzerland on no attempt to peg the gold price. 1976 First gold auction by IMF on June. 1978 Disappear of formal role of gold in International Monetary System. 1979 Establishment of European Monetary System. Final U.S. gold auction on November. 1980 Last 45 IMF gold auctions on May. 1982 The United States Gold Commission reported to Congress. 1985 Establishment of Plaza Agreement on currencies. 1987 Establishment of Louvre Accord on currencies. 1992 Sign of treaty on European Union at Maastricht. 1998 Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain joined Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). 1999 Began of EMU. Announcement of Central Bank Gold Agreement (CBGA). 2004 Announcement of Second Central Bank Gold Agreement. 2.2.2 Gold Standard Went International *The picture above the gold and silver coins that available around the world during 19th century. From the chronology above, we know that most of the countries (except China) had abandoned their silver or bimetallic standard and went for a full gold standard between the years of 1871 to 1900. There is always a reason. German asked for war indemnity to be paid in gold by France right after the Franco-German War. German used this gold to finance a new gold standard in their home country. This had lead to an increase in the demand of gold and there was unload of tons of silver on the neighboring nations. Due to the fear towards silver inflation, the neighboring countries decided to follow German. The list below is the date of first gold standard: 1871 German 1873 Belgium 1873 Italy 1873 Switzerland 1874 Scandinavia 1875 Denmark 1875 Norway 1875 Sweden 1875 Holland 1876 France 1876 Spain 1879 Austria 1893 Russia 1898 India 1900 USA International Gold Standard existed when the following condition being fulfilled: Gold alone is assured of unrestricted coinage. There were two means of convertibility between gold and national currencies at a fixed ratio. Gold may be freely imported and exported.