Brazil Government free essay sample

Brazil entered the new millennium mired in economic difficulties. Macroeconomic conditions will have a great influence on political stability, what kinds of laws are passed, the ability of businesses to succeed, the pace at which new technology is used, the availability of jobs, and on incomes, poverty and crime. Brazil is a constitutional republic of federated states, the federal districts, and territories. This present constitution was proclaimed in October 1988, replacing a 1969 document. The states of Brazil have their own government with the powers in all matters not specifically reserved for the Brazilian government. The 1988 constitution abolished the national Security Law, which had been used to stifle political disagreement; outlaws torture. The National Security Law provided for various forms of popular voting, initiatives, and referendums; forbids virtually all forms of censorship; guarantees privacy rights and extends the right to strike to all workers. The military retains its power to intervene in the political system to preserve law and order. We will write a custom essay sample on Brazil Government or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Brazil has long been recognized for its large population, great natural resources, bold ideas and potential for growth. It has made progress in economic adjustment over the last several years, opening trade, reducing inflation, succeeding with privatization and garnering investor confidence. However, there have been concerns inside and outside of the country about government finances and especially public pensions, political stability and political will, vulnerability to international economic and financial developments and to the return of high inflation, relatively low investment in export industries, and the social and political consequences of income inequality. Several studies on Brazilian public opinion towards this countrys vulnerability and its domestic stability prove there is consensus that vulnerability is an impeding factor to the countrys aspiration to a more strategic place among the world powers. The Brazilian elite views the interests of their country and those of the U. S. as essentially incompatible. During the Expansion of 1600’s, Gold was discovered. Brazil’s other natural resources are bauxite, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, and timber. General Electric is among the many powerful transnational corporations and UE employers with factories in Brazil. Economy overview is possessing large nd well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors, Brazil’s economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41. billion IMF led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, Brazilian Central Bank announces that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998, and the country posted moderate GDP growth. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-2002 to less than 2% because of a slowdown in major markets and the hiking of interest rates by Central Bank to combat inflationary pressures. Poor economic conditions may lead to resistance to external cultural influences, while improvement may mean greater acceptance of practices associated with success in other nations and more interaction with cultures that differ in behavior or values. Economic recovery and growth may ease the difficulties of restructuring business and public affairs and opening markets to competition. It may lead to more trade and foreign investment, and a greater role for Brazil in the region and the world. Alternatively, crises may be the catalysts for change and adaptation to a changing world. The international debt crisis of the early l980s led multinational agencies, the governments of wealthy nations, and a growing number of poorer nations to adopt a reform agenda intended to restore economic stability, restart growth, reduce debt to manageable proportions, and restructure economies to reduce their vulnerability and improve prospects for sustained growth. This international reform agenda expanded dramatically in the course of the l980s and l990s. At the beginning of the debt crisis, attention focused on macro-economic stabilization measures. That initial task was quickly expanded to include structural changes regarded as essential to restore growth and reduce debt. John Williamsons 1989 summary of the Washington Consensus listed, in addition to fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate measures, reforms to reduce government intervention and permit markets to function more effectively, including trade and financial liberalization, increased receptivity to foreign direct investment, deregulation, and privatization. These structural changes mostly entailed dismantling government regulations and restrictions on private economic transactions. The closest the Consensus came to more complex institutional reforms was the rather tentative inclusion, as the very last item, of property rights protection. Williamson noted that this was intended to signal recognition that institutional features were also important determinants of growth. By l989 the World Bank was beginning to use a broader concept, creation of an enabling environment [for effective markets]. Williamson remarked that concept might be preferable, but it remained largely undefined. More than a decade later, at the beginning of the new century, the reform agenda has ballooned to include a broad array of institutional reforms, and to emphasize poverty reduction as well as growth and stability. Responsible macro-economic management and reduced state intervention in the economy remain crucial, but they are now viewed as far from sufficient for growth and poverty reduction. Reform of the state itself, including the civil service, the police, the system of justice, and reduced corruption are part of the essential enabling environment. Social sector reforms in pensions, health and education, as well as far-reaching changes in labor markets and industrial relations are also squarely on the expanded international agenda. These further reforms are much more demanding than the initial agenda: they require not merely the dismantling of regulations, tariffs, and subsidies but fundamental changes in the design and operations of core public functions and institutions. The Brazilian society is divided in those who approve Cardosos programs of stabilization and reforms, and those who favor a rather desarrollista (developmental) kind of policy. Those who blame the government and those who blame the opposition for the failure in adopting the reforms needed to avoid the financial crisis regionally, neighboring countries agreed upon Brazils high performance in industry, trade, new investments and competitiveness, but their evaluation of Brazils ability to guarantee economic and political stability were rather low. In contrast, the Brazilian public opinion proved much more confident concerning this matter. When the analysis of the public opinion takes into account structural factors, long-term policy results and a rather contemporary perception of competitiveness, it excludes short-term populist expectations, paternalistic and contradictory demand and any resentful mood concerning the international context and the globalized economy. The politics of economic reforms have been much analyzed over the past two decades. The question of what political capacities and institutional arrangements are key to effective reforms has been one major focus of attention. During the l970s and l980s there was an on-going debate between those who asserted that only authoritarian governments could sustain sufficient macro-economic discipline to manage economies effectively, and those who challenged that view. By the late l980s, it was quite clear that broad generalizations about types of regimes democracies versus authoritarian systems were far too crude to offer useful generalizations and explanations. A much narrower version of the old debate persisted, however, in the effort to determine whether effective economic reforms required considerable concentration of executive authority and power (within the framework of more or less democratic as well as authoritarian systems). Party leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (known universally as Lula), will stick to his recent promises of honoring outstanding contacts. Lula inherited an economy in shambles. Working people suffered as the former government carried out neoliberal policies, including privatization and cutbacks in social programs. Two million people are unemployed in Sao Paolo alone, the most industrialized region in Brazil, with 1. 5 million young people entering the labor force each year. Lula’s government decided to continue neoliberal monetary policies to reassure business and encourage investment. The results have helped regain economic stability: the value of bonds has increased from 38 to 90 percent of their face value, meaning that far less is spent on public debt. Banks lowered Brazil’s risk assessment. Credit lines are back and new lines of credit are open. But these results reflect decisions by the government to maintain high interest rates and prioritize growth over income distribution at least in the short run. At the time of the CUT congress, the new government’s most controversial proposal aimed at cutting retirement payments to higher-paid public employees, averting bankruptcy of the system and moving towards an equalization of public and private benefits. This is essentially a proposal from the old government. Default is inevitable, and should be undertaken by Lula as soon as possible, because delaying default simply increases Brazils liabilities. Brazils ratio of debt to gross domestic product, even after more than $100 billion of privatization proceeds, has doubled since Fernando Henrique Cardoso became president in 1994, from about 30 percent to 58 percent today – a figure that is climbing as the Brazilian real declines. Of this debt, approximately 20 percent is international (after the countrys foreign exchange reserves have been netted out), of which half is owed to the international financial institutions. In addition, a very large portion of Brazils debt is greatly increased in cost by economic turmoil. Forty percent of total debt is denominated in dollars, so increases as a percentage of GDP when the Brazilian real drops in value against the dollar. An additional 37 percent of debt is linked to the Selic overnight money market rate, so becomes very expensive when, as for most of the last 8 years, uncertainty raises domestic interest rates. A further 8 percent of Brazils total debt is inflation-linked, so has been a good deal for the country in the last eight years but could become very expensive if the country returns to hyperinflation. Brazils public debt over the 1994-2001 period was 16. 1 percent a year, and the projected real interest rate on Brazils public debt for 2002 is 21 percent. If interest rates remain at these levels, the debt will become unmanageable, rising above 100 percent of GDP in 2006-2009, and spiraling thereafter, if policy remains as at present. Brazils balance of payments would also be a problem, because public debt is 4 times the level of the countrys export earnings. The governments economic policy in 1994-2002 has followed IMF recommendations closely, and been fairly restrictive, with the primary budget surplus (before interest payments) in the range of 3 percent to 4 percent of GDP, although in Cardosos first term, 1994-98, budgetary policy was less tight, with only a small primary surplus. The first popularly elected president in Brazil in 30 years, Fernando Collor de Mello took office on March 15, 1990. In September 1992, Collor was impeached by the lower house of the Brazilian legislature on charges of corruption. In December 1992, Collor resigned as president of Brazil, and the Brazilian Senate convicted him of the corruption charges. There needs to be a change in Brazilians’ elite mentality of entitlement and privilege in detriment of the nation’s general good. This mentality was inherited from colonial times. Brazilian society is very corrupt and stratified. Each class defends very specific and sometimes conflicting interests, dismissing what is best for the country as a whole. This will take time to change and until it does, the country won’t live up to its potential. Brazil will only have a bright future when its basic needs such as health and education and issues such as social inequality and wealth concentration are dealt with in a continuous and serious manner. In Brazil, the role of government is much more intrusive than in the United States. This is not only a matter of taxation, but also in legal organization and in the regulatory role. In small and medium businesses, this aspect is less evident. In large-scale foreign investment situations, a close personal official relationship is fundamental. Lobbying by large corporations and trade groups is even more aggressive than in U. S. Government contracts are often awarded according to relationships and connections rather than pure technical or financial merit. This is a result of the paternalistic, nepotistic culture that has existed for hundreds of years. Brazil has one of the most complex systems of tax law in the world, which consequently makes Brazilian goods more expensive because companies pay more taxes than in other countries. Brazils overall tax burden is equivalent to 30% of the countrys gross domestic product, while neighboring countries such as Chile and Argentine have a tax burden equivalent to 15% and 20% of gross domestic product respectively. Experts say that due to the high tax rates, tax evasion is estimated to be 30% of the total revenue. The Brazilian government is seeking a constitutional change that would simplify the countrys tax system and so make Brazilian goods more competitive internationally. Pedro Parente, executive secretary at the Finance Ministry said the government plans to propose a constitutional amendment to eliminate taxes on industrialized products, a state value-added tax, a city tax on services and two types of social contributions. It place of all that, the government would like to impose a nationwide value-added tax, state and city consumer taxes and an excise tax on a select list of products as well as remove value-added taxes on goods for export. To change the tax system, the government must amend the constitution, which requires approval by two- fifths of both lower and upper houses of Congress in two voting rounds. New president DA SILVA, who took office January 1, 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and continuing the fight against inflation. Tax revenues were indexed to inflation but many government expenditures were not. Salaries were frozen; basic goods were only chilled down a bit. Government spending far exceeded income, so inflation worked as a mechanism to hide the sins of the federal government. For most of the latter half of the 20th century, inflation has been a way of life for the Brazilians. Basically this was a tax imposed on the poor, allowing government to spend freely. It has been for more than four decades a primary source of public sector financing. In short, different kinds of reforms pose quite different political challenges, for reasons intrinsic to the character of the reforms themselves. The fact that late-stage reform agendas concentrate on complex institutional reforms helps to explain why the pace of reform in most countries almost always slows substantially after initial stages. To move beyond the broadest generalizations regarding the politics of economic reform and the capacities required to promote them, the concept of reform itself must be taken apart. Different kinds of reforms pose quite different political challenges. Even the different phases of any specific reform entail different political tasks and demand different tactics and capacities. Discussions of the politics of reform often fail to recognize these variations. Many economists used to B and some still do B talk about political will on the part of top-level leaders as the necessary and sufficient requirement for effective reform. Some of the metaphorical language used in discussions of reform convey a similar message: bite the bullet, just do it. That implicit image of the reform process may roughly describe a single-shot devaluation decision. But it is clearly very misleading for more complex measures. Recognizing the varied character and political challenges of different reforms, and the tendency for complex institutional changes to be late and slow are first steps toward understanding why some kinds of reforms move faster than others, and why the pace of reforms tend to slow down almost everywhere. At the far end of the spectrum are systemic reforms in the major social services, primarily education and health care finance and delivery. Multiple models are available, influenced by very different national and regional traditions and histories. More important, there is only limited consensus among technical specialists regarding basic principles of reform. Experts argue bitterly over the merits of, say, single-payer health care systems or charter schools. They agree only very partially on the principles that should guide the degree and design of privatization or decentralization. Therefore, public debate regarding the design and priorities of reform tends to be diffuse and inconclusive. Even after initial agreement is reached regarding social service reforms, implementing them is extremely complex. Executive agencies and legislatures at national, state, and local levels are usually involved. Reforms intended to increase efficiency and save money in the long-run may nonetheless have high up-front costs. Not only the Ministry of Finance but often sub-national financial authorities must concur. Many social sector reforms require years to implement. A great deal of detailed information is required to fine-tune design of successive steps. Much of that information is not available without new arrangements to gather it. All of these complications are reinforced by the fact that, even where there is widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo, postponing action does not carry obvious and prompt risks. The varied character of different reforms availability or absence of a consensus model or clear parameters for debate, timetable, number and variety of actors, information requirements, apparent costs of delay shape the political challenges. If many actors must co-operate to put a reform into effect, any one of them can weaken or stop the reform. In other words, there are many potential veto actors. Decisions taken by the executive run high risks of being blocked in the legislature or sabotaged in the course of implementation. Moreover, the large number of actors increases transaction and enforcement costs. If implementation takes many years, there are many potential veto opportunities. The length of time required to get most complex institutional reforms up and running also means that the benefits of the reforms may not become apparent for some time. Therefore it may be hard to mobilize pro-reform coalitions to counter opposition from vested interests, which are likely to resist from the outset. Information requirements also affect the course of reform. Lack of information may stall action; new information may alter perceptions and reopen debates. Complex institutional reforms are the result of an extended process, not an event. The process is subject to stops and starts; issues regarded as closed may be re-opened and steps already taken may need to be repeated. The process is not linear, but iterative. The varied characteristics of different kinds of reforms also suggests why reforms in some sectors have made much more progress than others, in cross-national perspective. For example, far-reaching pension reforms have been adopted in many more countries, in and beyond Latin America, than have introduced similarly basic changes in education or health care systems. In conclusion, I believe that International Widgets will find that Brazil would be a great place to open shop (do new business). Brazil’s future is largely in it’s own hands. With there constitutional tax reform there are many changes which in turn will enhance social rights such a job stability, foreign and national capital enterprise, and several other areas pertaining to basic human rights. Brazil risks serious setbacks and instability if it fails to proceed with reform. Inflation, government spending and foreign investment has remained stable. There was general agreement on the need for policy changes. International pressures will help Brazil to make difficult but necessary choices. There was strong agreement that Brazil would benefit from becoming more international in its business relationships. Nearly all believed Brazil needed to expand its export industries. However, three out of four felt that Brazil was highly vulnerable to international economic and financial disruptions. Doing more to deal with social issues now is important to maintain stability so growth can proceed. Brazil’s economy will soon recover from its recession. -Brazilians believed that Brazil’s economy will be more stable in the future and so do I. Brazil will continue to have to strike a difficult balance between budget cutting and other policies to promote economic growth and addressing social issues. Domestic stability, in a context of vulnerability to external shocks resulting from globalized factors, is distinctively credited to political, economic and demographic processes whose outcomes can only be expected to occur in the long run. A transition towards a more pragmatic, pedestrian view of politics and politicians is emerging and a highly demanding electorate should be expected to voice new interests and needs.

Understanding Chemical Evolution

Understanding Chemical Evolution The term chemical evolution can be used in many different ways depending on the context of the words. If you are speaking to an astronomer, then it could be a discussion about how new elements are formed during supernovas. Chemists may believe chemical evolution pertains to how oxygen or hydrogen gases evolve out of some types of chemical reactions. In evolutionary biology, on the other hand, the term chemical evolution most often is used to describe the hypothesis that organic building blocks of life were created when inorganic molecules came together. Sometimes called abiogenesis, chemical evolution could be how life started on Earth. The Earths environment when it was first formed was very different than it is now. The Earth was somewhat hostile to life and so the creation of life on Earth did not come for billions of years after the Earth was first formed. Because of its ideal distance from the sun, the Earth is the only planet in our solar system that is capable of having liquid water in the orbits the planets are in now. This was the first step in chemical evolution to create life on Earth. The early Earth also did not have an atmosphere surrounding it to block ultraviolet rays which can be deadly to the cells that make up all life. Eventually, scientists believe a primitive atmosphere full of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and perhaps some methane and ammonia, but no oxygen. This became important later in the evolution of life on Earth as photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms used these substances to create energy. So just how did abiogenesis or chemical evolution happen? No one is completely certain, but there are many hypotheses. It is true that the only way new atoms of non-synthetic elements can be made are through the supernovas of extremely large stars. All other atoms of elements are recycled through various biogeochemical cycles. So either the elements were already on Earth when it was formed (presumably from the collection of space dust around an iron core), or they came to Earth via the continuous meteor strikes that were common before the protective atmosphere was formed. Once the inorganic elements were on Earth, most hypotheses agree that the chemical evolution of the organic building blocks of life began in the oceans. The majority of Earth is covered by the oceans. It is not a stretch to think that the inorganic molecules that would undergo chemical evolution would be floating around in the oceans. The question remains just how these chemicals evolved to become organic building blocks of life. This is where the different hypotheses branch off from each other. One of the more popular hypotheses says that the organic molecules were created by chance as the inorganic elements collided and bonded in the oceans. However, this is always met with resistance because statistically the chance of this happening is very small. Others have tried to recreate the conditions of early Earth and make organic molecules. One such experiment, commonly called the Primordial Soup experiment, was successful in creating the organic molecules out of inorganic elements in a lab setting. However, as we learn more about the ancient Earth, we have found out that not all of the molecules they used were actually around during that time. The search continues to learn more about chemical evolution and how it could have begun life on Earth. New discoveries are made on a regular basis that help scientists understand what was available and how things may have happened in this process. Hopefully one day scientists will be able to pinpoint how chemical evolution happened and a clearer picture of how life began on Earth will emerge.

Innoviting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Innoviting - Essay Example and task; good organizational skills; ability to communicate tasks and expected results effectively; ability to negotiate various administrative and regulatory processes; good delegation skills. I will to develop some skills that will ensure that I have brought superior performance in any line of duty that I am given. This will assure my competence in all aspect. The first one is to develop my management and leadership skills; this will ensure that I set priorities, delegate, motivate and develop my subordinate, and coach them to become top performers as well as communicate objectives and goals. It will be also essential that I develop proper and effective communication skills; this will always make me to get my point across, enhance that I have a compelling presentation to support my goals; it will also ensure that I inspire others to achieve better results and demonstrate emotional intelligence. The other skill that will develop is collaboration skills, this will guarantee that I value and celebrate differences, I build rapport, I am capable of forming alliances and negotiating effectively. Critical thinking will be very useful; anything that involves innovation will requ ire a critical thinking and logic skills. This will ensure that I solve a problem logically, research options, avoid biases and focus on meaningful date to draw the right the right conclusion. The skill assessment exercise is very useful as it makes made me acquire the skills that are beyond the skill one learns in college, university or any formal learning institution. The skill assessment exercise enabled me to gain better understanding of my strengths and weakness. I was also able to be really excited about my joy and the tasks related to the job description this made me to very motivate from all aspects in relation to challenges and benefits. It is through the exercise that examined my values and interests; I determined how my talents and skills can be best used to make use of my role in

Individual Report on Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Individual Report on Management - Essay Example It includes development of abilities and skills, building up of education and management, improving of self awareness and standard of life, and realization of aspirations. The concept of personal development is not limited to individual level but it also refers to the organizational level in terms of improvement in system, equipment, technology, method, practices and appraisal considerations in organization to support the personal development plan at individual level. A middle level manager needs to recognize his / her current and future role in Tesco Inc. Primarily the purpose of personal development plan is to assist the individuals to achieve their targets more effectively. A personal development plan offers several options to manager to improve his career and management style. Tesco is an international firm and mid-level managers effectively contribute at functional level. Therefore, PDP enables the Tesco’s mid level managers to list a variety of goals and steps for their development with respect to the analysis of their strengths and weaknesses and identifies the areas they need to emphasize with additional knowledge and better understanding. Tesco management can get short and long term aspirations to catch their strategic goals and have evidence regarding the progression towards the set target. Through PDP, Tesco management not only can improve their existing operations but it also facilitates them to review their existing and future plans. 1.2 Management Style In fact a management style is an overall application of leadership which the managers have to perform in terms of their role and tasks in Tesco. The handling of routine work and particular contingencies depends on the managerial styles. Lewin et al (1939) suggested a continuum theory of leadership that identified three basic styles which are used as management styles by managers at their level. Management styles vary from manager to manager in all organizations. Same is the case in Tesco. Th ere are some autocrat managers in Tesco who have little trust in group members and believe that money is the only reward that will motivate workers. At the other end of the continuum is the laissez-faire managers who have little or no self-confidence in their managerial role, they set no goals for the employees, and minimize the communication and interaction. Autocrat Democrat Laissez-faire Benevolent Autocrat (Fig. 1) The democratic management style can be the most effective and productive style for Tesco. The style encourages the subordinates by providing an opportunity to share their views in decision making process. Democratic style explains the reasons to the group for decisions when necessary and objectively communicates criticism and praise to subordinates. This in turn motivates the employees and feel them importance in organizational structure.

Wiiliam Grimes Dough a la mode Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wiiliam Grimes Dough a la mode - Essay Example expense accounts and tax write-offs for company meals could be manipulated and massaged to present a situation in which the diner is able to reward his/her guests and himself/herself with a delicious meal while seeking to write this luxury off on an expense report (Grimes 1). Such a practice is becoming more and more common in the current business setting as individuals seek to maximize their own happiness/utility while on business trips while all the time reneging on the expenses through various â€Å"imaginative† accounting procedures that either help to shift the burden of payment onto the company they are employed by or even ultimately to the taxpayer via a tax write off at the end of the year. In this way, the author’s work can be understood to present a topic of responsibility. Even though the author himself does not feel guilty for spending large amounts of money on the food that he samples, he realizes the reason is because it is his job to do so. However, with individuals that are merely attempting to game the system and get something for nothing, the situation is altogether different. Grimes, William. "FOOD; Dough A La Mode." The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 June 2004. Web. 06 Nov. 2012.

Human Resources Planning Exemple Business Essay

Human Resources Planning Exemple Business Essay Since individuals are requested to work together within organisations and corporations, the needs for organisations to create a human resources management department to manage their human capital became ineluctably necessary. From the past until nowadays, human resources management use its classical administrative function which is human resources planning to achieve its goal. Various authors and schools have different definitions of human resource planning. Vetter (1967) defined human resource planning as a process by which management determines how the organization should move from its current manpower position to its desired position. Through planning, managers strive to have the right number and the right kind of people, at the right places, at the right time, doing things which results in both the organization and the individual receiving maximum long-run benefits. (p.15). More recently, Shaun Tyson (2006) agreed that in practice, HR planning is concerned with the demand and supply of labour and problems arising from the process of reconciling these factors. Any system has to be based on analyses of demand and supply and the plans and decisions which follow these analyses (p.110). In fact, employees are companies essential asset, so the changes in the global economy, the changes in social, political, technological as well as environmental factors requ ired human resource planning to be dealt carefully in organisations or companies if they want to ensure their business competitive advantage as well as if they want to achieve their organisations goals. Human resource management thus plays an important role within each business to achieve its goals, straightforward, its clear that it is necessary for small or large companies to have a strong and clear understanding of what is human resource planning and how does it contribute in achieving an organisations goals? About IBM International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) also known as big blue is a multinational computer technology and consulting corporation based in New York, USA. The company founded in 1911 manufactures and sells computer hardware, software, infrastructure services, hosting services and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM offers a broad range of middleware for collaboration, predictive analytics, software development and the worlds most advanced servers and supercomputers. Utilizing its business consulting, technology and RD expertise, IB helps clients around the world become smarter as the planet becomes more digitally interconnected. That includes working with organizations and governments to build systems that improve traffic congestion, food safety, the availability of clean water, and health and safety populations. IBM has pioneered the corporate operating model for 21st century changing from a classic multinational to a global i ntegrated company with a highly skilled global workforce managed by a common set of values. (LinkedIn 2011) IBM is the world largest information technology employer with more than 400000 employees including engineers and consultants serving about 170 countries in the world. Since 2003, IBM corporation main values are: dedication to every clients success, innovation that matters, for our company and for the world, trust and personal responsibility in all relationships In our work, we will underline how IBM Corporation define human resource planning and how does it helps the company to meet its strategic goals. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLANNING As recruitment and selection planning of employees are highly correlated with each organisations human resource planning, it is relevant to know that human resource managers are those who organise and are responsible for the work of employees and thus set up the relationships between employees within their organisations key of their performance. Managers use human resource planning to fulfil their obligations within their organisation. In the next paragraph, we will underline the importance of human resource planning before getting in the recruitment and selection step, to better understand how IBM Corporation proceeds for its recruitment strategies. Human resource planning, essential function of human resource management is not always implemented by many organisations, because critics believe that is mostly a matter of common sense than a complex equation to deal with by organisations planners. It shows that, the main purpose of human resource planning is not totally understood. Its known that companies are using their material, financial and human resources to generate revenues or profits. We also know that investing in a business is always attached with a risk; therefore planning the use of resources is how managers target to reduce this risk, achieve their goals and make profit for the company survival. But all the companies will always plan for their financial and material resources either long or short term plans because of the uncertainty environment of each business. Why planning for the most essential resource (human resource) still a matter of discussion? IBM Corporation leader in innovation invest huge amount of money more than $6 billion a year in its RD unit to improve companys performance. The companys RD department is associated with some universities in USA and Europe. Therefore, IBM using the results of many studies and research improve its core management and corporates goals. Today with changing nature of public sector workforce, IBM emphasise its workforce planning to meet the companys human capital requirement. Workforce planning tells an organization what types of skills are needed to get the job done. In doing so, workforce planning should drive all human capital strategies. Workforce planning is about aligning an organizations human capital-its people-with its business plan to achieve its mission. It helps ensure that the organization has the right people with the right skills in the right job at the right time. Workforce planning tells an organization what types of skills are needed to get the job done. In doing so, wor kforce planning should drive all human capital strategies. Workforce planning is about aligning an organizations human capital-its people-with its business plan to achieve its mission. It helps ensure that the organization has the right people with the right skills in the right job at the right time. (Ann Cotten, 2007. P4) Therefore, IBM uses the seven-step workforce planning model as a framework. The seven-step workforce planning has been set-up mainly by public sector organisations particularly in USA. The Seven-Step workforce planning is to: 1- Define the organisations strategic direction 2- Scan the internal and external environments 3- Model the current workforce 4- Assess future workforce needs and project future workforce supply 5- Identify gaps and develop gap-closing strategies 6- Implement gap-closing strategies 7- Evaluate the effectiveness of gap-closing strategies and revise strategies as needed In fact human resource planning should be a process and also and outcome, because of the unpredictable changes in both external and internal environment. It is not have to be a fixed system, it has to remain dynamic. Each company should adapt the component of human resource planning model according to its one circumstance, there is not a model of human resource planning enable to fit all companies at the same times. From these definitions one might get the impression that workforce planning is a rigid system that must be implemented agency-wide in order to do it right and reap the benefits. While many organizations follow a systematic approach, there is no one size- fits-all workforce planning program. (Ann. Cotton, 2007, p13). A good human resource planning allows managers to measure recruitment and selection, employees retention, training and development and manage employees performance. Recruitment and selection planning Recruitment can be defined as a process of identifying and hiring the best qualified individual ( from within or outside of an organisation) for a given vacancy, in a most timely and cost effective manner. Experts believe that recruitment is a very sensitive and important part of human resource management function within an organisation because its business survival relies on its employees. Organizations recruit their triumphs and disasters, their creativity, sustainability, and growth. (Shaun Tyson, 2006) Recruitment main stages can be shaped as: Identify and define the requirements for organisation Main tools used here are Job descriptions and job specifications. Two important models are mostly used by companies or organisations. The seven point plan and the fivefold grading system. The seven-point plan (Rodger, 1973) Physical health Attainments: skills knowledge Intelligence: specifics abilities Special aptitudes Interests: personal interests Disposition: self-reliance, drive, initiative Circumstances: personal circumstances as commitment, mobility. The seven-point plan model underlines both emotional intelligence as well as Intellectual quotient (IQ). The Fivefold grading system (Munro Fraser, 1966) Can be described by: Impact on others: appearance Qualification: work experience Innate abilities: aptitude to learn Motivation Adjustment: relationships with others The Fivefold grading system underlines Intellectual quotient (IQ) Attract potential employees Select and employ the appropriate people from the job applicants These are the main stages involved in the recruitment and selection procedures which is a continuous process, as internal or external factors can affect the business at any time, managers should be able to take and appropriate decision to tackle issues or opportunities occurring like: staff resignation or retirement, changes in business itself (market penetration or new market entrance), changes in business location or promotion. Therefore, recruitment is a dynamic process. Main factors describing recruitment and selection procedures can be summarise as follow: Characteristic of the job, Characteristics of applicants Characteristics of recruiters Recruiting policies. Let us focus in recruiting policies that creates an environment in which each business will operate. Organisations policies lead the business direction and main vision. All corporations should comply with laws regulations and procedures. Legal rules and requirements can be different from one country to another, but the market globalisation tends to promotes similar rules for each corporation all over the world. The laws relating to discrimination in employment are generally accepted worldwide. Shaun Tyson, 2006 clarify the importance of laws in recruitment policies: The legal framework covers racial, gender, religious, age and disability discrimination, as well as rules regarding ex-offenders, and references among other areas. This affects choices of recruitment methods, advertisements and the processes used. IBM recruitment policies are well known, since its creation, the company underlines is willing to promote respect for individual. The managers give more importance to their peop le than to companys products. Tom Watson IBMs founder said in 1957 there are many things I would like IBM to be known for, but no matter how big we become, I want this company to be known as the company which has the greatest respect for the individual. The value place on IBM employees was codified in one of their three fundamental principles (mentioned in our introduction). In 1926, IBMs founder, Thomas J. Watson, told employees that: They say a man is known for the company he keeps. We say in our business that a company is known by he men it keeps. IBM corporate implemented also implemented programs policies and practices to respect its employees. For example its open door policy, the Speak! up program, comprehensive employees opinions surveys and so one. By doing that, IBM acquires and retains quality people need for its businesss success. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES In todays increasing competition in the market, companies are looking to increase their benefits, their productivity and also to boost their employees performance. Training and development programs are tools use by most of the companies to reach their target and enhance their corporates culture. Although some companies dont give such importance to training and development matter because for them it is better to invest to acquire material asset than to improve their workforce skill. IBM always focus on its employees improvement even its recruitment policy focus on qualified workforce, they still need to implement its training programs. IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, said there is no saturation point in education. The benefits of training programs can be resuming as: Increased productivity and performance improvement Reduced server loads and bandwidth costs Stricter adherence to corporate policies Improved customer satisfaction Increased employee morale and retention Increased revenue The reason why most of companies dont apply training and development program is that they assume that the cost of this function doesnt worth enough to be taken on board within their organisation. In the opposite way, Gartner, 2007 said Untrained or poorly trained users will cost significantly more to support than well-trained workers. Untrained traveling workers who spend a significant portion of their time away from the office, and who often have networking questions from multiple remote locations, are generally more expensive to support, regardless of the types of devices theyre using. But in fact, the last changes operate among workforce shows that training can affects employees retention in a company. American Society for Training Development demonstrates in 2003 that 41% of employees at companies with inadequate training programs plan to leave within a year versus 12% of employees at companies who provide excellent training and professional development programs. The main value of training and development planning can also be defines as follow: Revenues generation. The more a company invest in its training programs, the higher its revenues are. Productivity and performance improvement. Skills and knowledge are ineluctably the essential keys factors in business survival. Cost reduction. Companies can save huge amount of money in labour cost just by improving their employees skills. Collateral saving. Companies that employ training programs would have a benefits form their product, but they may also see a unintended savings. It is now sure that training and development programs and companies success is highly correlated. By providing more tools to its employees and using also training and development as a factor of decision-making can lead a company to achieve easily its corporates goals, retains its employees and maintains its competitive advantage among its competitors. STAFF MOTIVATION AND APPRAISAL PLAN The possibility for a business to growth depends on the quality human resources within the organisation. How a company can rewards its employees after their performance. First of all, we know that to reward employees most of the organisation use money as a value for their rewarding system. To set up a reward system, managers always evaluate their employees. Job as reward system should be clear and fair for each employee. Talking about job evaluation, Shaun Tyson, 2006 said Job evaluation is a term used in a general way for a number of techniques that are in different forms. These techniques entail analysing and assessing the content of jobs so that they may be classified in an order relating to one another and to the marketplace. To have a fairly base, job evaluation need to have common features as far as possible to avoid inequalities among rewarding systems, it is necessary to set up at least general framework that fits in these different evaluation techniques. Common features of evaluation techniques are the following: Job evaluation is concerned with differences in the work itself, not in differences that are found between people. Reference is made to the content of the job, i.e. what the work consists of, what is being done, what skills are deployed and the actions that are performed. This is normally discovered by job analysis. There are predetermined criteria, or factors, against which each job is measured. These may be descriptions of the whole job, or of its component parts. The practice of involving those who are to be subject to the job evaluation at an early stage helps to ensure both accuracy in job analysis and a commitment to the job evaluation scheme. The outcome of a job evaluation should be wage and salary scales covering the range of evaluated jobs. All systems need regular review and updating, and have to be flexible enough to be of use for different kinds of work, so that new jobs can be accommodated. In fact many purposes are use to estimate employees salaries. It also correlated with government regulation laws and rules. We are not going to dig deeper in that area. One of the most important that companies need to take on board is looking their employees as individuals. The social aspect of each individual is dominated by its own expectations and needs. Ignoring this aspect of human, could leads sometimes in a failure of rewarding employees within a company. Wage and promotion are not the only ways to reward employees, many organisations as IBM introduce in their corporate goals a strong culture of rewarding that make employees feel safe and secure and then improve their performance, their commitment and a strong willing to stay in the company as employees. IBM chairman Thomas J. Watson, Jr. 1970 said Money and title alone are not enough to satisfy the kinds of people that make IBM great. What counts most of all is knowledge that individual contributions are recognized and valued. We all want to receive that sort of recognition and we must all be quick to give it, too. I believe youll find, in most cases that you give thoughtful care to your people, they can take care of the problems. That is the perfect illustration of what sort of organisation is IBM. They put individuals first and then the success comes easily after making IBM the most successful IT Company in which every scientist or employee would like to work and perform well since the last decade. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS In our work, weve tried to demonstrate the importance of recruitment and selection, training and development policies, motivation and appraisal of labour in the achievement of corporates goals. Human resource capital is obviously the main important asset of each organisation. Although experts believe that managing human resource is mostly a matter of common sense, the changing environment, the actual need of economic market trend, the increasing competition among businesses might lead each organisation to think efficiently to find how to use this asset to achieve its corporates goals and make profit from its business. Managing wisely its human capital is the key success of many corporations as IBM. In 1969, IBM chairman Thomas J. Watson, Jr. wrote to his management team: Our basic belief is respect for the individual, for his rights and dignity. It follows from this principle that IBM should: help each employee to develop his potential and make the best use of his abilities; pay and promote on merit; and maintain two-way communications between manager and employee, with an opportunity for a fair hearing and equitable settlement of disagreements. Human resource planning is therefore a powerful tool for each organisation to create a useful link between its labour and its corporates goals, without this link, a company can easily runs out of its business. The main recommendation to all the companies willing to improve their performance is to use IBM corporate as a model if the want to survive in the present market that is highly competitive.

Anxiety Disorder Essay -- Psychology, Phobia, Agoraphobia

Among many psychological disorders, anxiety disorders are the most predominant in the United States. According to Antony (2011), anxiety disorders affect nearly 28.8 percent of the population. An extreme and unrealistic anxiety is the most common symptom that characterizes all the psychological conditions within the category of anxiety disorders. The category includes specific phobia, agoraphobia, social phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This paper examines obsessive-compulsive disorder discussing the major etymological explanations of anxiety disorders in general, specifically describing the condition, and discussing actual treatments for the disorder. Anxiety played an important role in the psychoanalytic theory, and, as a result, psychoanalytic interpretation is important to understand anxiety disorders. In the psychoanalytic interpretation, anxiety is defined an intense sensation of endangerment and an unconscious mechanism produced by unconscious conflicts. According to Wolman and Stricker (1994), it can be understood as a symptom that is the cause and effect of itself and a product of past experience, psychological mechanisms, and psychic contents like persecutory anxiety or separation anxiety. For Freud, nervous anxiety was produced by sexual frustration and repressed sexual drives, or libido. In his theory, sexual frustration creates a biochemical imbalance that results in anxiety. However, this idea does not have support on the empirical basis because there is not a biochemical process that correlates with Freud’s theory. In addition, on the psychological basis, sexually abstinent people do not always experience ext reme anxiety (Wolma... ..., and pharmacological treatment would be better in the case of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this sense, the patients would be encouraged to examine their beliefs or assumptions that create their compulsions. The etymological explanations of anxiety disorders represent the bases for the creation of any treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, while they increase our knowledge about the condition. Since diagnose is extremely related with the severity of the symptoms, the correct treatment approach is also related with the state of the condition. Future research is needed to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the causes and elements that contributed to the condition’s occurrence. In conclusion since every treatment has its limitation, a combination of different treatment is the best methodology to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Management Portfolio Essay

This portfolio task invites you to think holistically about the strengths you are developing and how these strengths might be applied, represented, and offered in service to your aspirations in the career field. You will demonstrate the competencies you have studied to comprehend and explain your personal strengths and present evidence of these strengths in a positive light for potential employers. Task: A. Write an essay (suggested length of 1–2 pages) in which you do the following: 1. Evaluate your top five strengths in relation to your chosen career. 2. Provide examples from your personal life, work, or school activities that support your evaluation. B. Write a career outlook report (suggested length of 1–2 pages) in which you summarize a specific career field that interests you. 1. Provide information such as salary range, employment outlook, types of positions available, and education required. C. Write an essay (suggested length of 3–5 pages) in which you reflect on how your education and past work and life experiences have prepared you for your future in the workplace. D. Provide your resume (no more than 3 pages). Note: Make sure the resume contains no grammatical or spelling errors and that it is formatted to be correctly viewed electronically and when printed. E. Provide five exhibits to include in your professional portfolio. Examples may include the following: †¢ Executive summary from your capstone (no more than 1–2 pages) †¢ Any artifact from your work experience if it applies directly to information that a potential employer would be interested in seeing (e.g., awards, certificates, letters of commendation, performance evaluations, other evidence of outstanding work performance) †¢ Any artifact from your university experience if it applies directly to information that a potential employer would be interested in seeing (e.g., transcripts, score reports, certificates, awards) †¢ Description of a work product †¢ Projects or assignments completed to meet requirements in the major F. If you choose to use outside sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format. Note: Please save word-processing documents as *.rtf (Rich Text Format) or *.pdf (Portable Document Format) files. Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the attached Rubric Terms.

Command of Evidence 3 Key SAT Writing Strategies

Command of Evidence 3 Key SAT Writing Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Questions that fall under the umbrella of the Command of Evidence SAT subscore appear on both the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT.This article will focus exclusively on Command of Evidence questions in the Writing section, including examples from practice tests, answer explanations, and test-taking tips that are specific to these types of questions.Head over to this article instead if you're looking for a detailed discussion of Command of Evidence questions in the Reading section. What Are Command of Evidence Questions? What Do They Test? Command of Evidence is one of the new subscores on the SAT.There are 18 total Command of Evidence questions on the test (Reading and Writing together), eight of which will appear on the Writing section.Your raw score out of 18 will be translated into a final subscore out of 15. Command of Evidence questions on the Writing section ask you to improve the ways passages develop information and ideas.You might choose an answer that sharpens an argumentative claim or adds a relevant supporting detail.The three types of Command of Evidence questions that exist in the Writing section are the following (names of categories were provided by me, not the College Board): Type 1: Setting the Stage - Choose the right piece of evidence to include in the passage to set up the information the author presents later. Type 2: Logical Additions - Decide whether the author should add a given sentence to the passage strengthen the argument (and why or why not) or choose the best sentence to add out of four possibilities. Type 3: Data Descriptions - Choose the best way to phrase the passage so that it accurately reflects the data provided. In the next section, I’ll take you through example questions from each of these categories so you can see exactly how to answer them on the test. Examples of Command of Evidence Questions on Writing In this section, I'll provide real examples and answer explanations for all three categories of Command of Evidence questions. Type 1: Setting the Stage Here’s an example of the first type of question. You’re asked to choose the phrase that most effectively introduces information in the passage: We have to decide whether the information flows well with the current phrasing or if â€Å"leading the way† should be replaced with one of the other three phrases to make things clearer.Choice B, â€Å"being cleaned and restored,† doesn’t quite fit because it relates to the information before that sentence, not the information that follows in the rest of the paragraph.It’s also superfluous because the author already stated that artists have been cleaning and restoring the murals. It can be inferred that â€Å"America Tropical† is included in this. Choice C, â€Å"at risk of destruction,† is also incorrect because the rest of the paragraph mentions nothing about the mural being at risk of destruction.It’s just talking about the mural's new status as a tourist attraction.This is an irrelevant answer based on the evidence. Choice D, â€Å"awaiting its moment of appreciation,† almost fits, but it’s still wrong.The mural isn’t AWAITING its moment of appreciation based on the last two sentences. It’s already being appreciated as a major tourist attraction. Choice A, NO CHANGE, is the only answer that makes sense.The paragraph goes on to support the claim that the mural is â€Å"leading the way† by discussing its status as the first restored mural to become a prominent tourist destination and inspiration for cultural preservation. Final Answer: A Another dope painting by Siqueiros (El Museo Nacional de Arte,used under CC by 2.0) Type 2: Logical Additions For this question type, you have to decide whether the author should include a sentence in the passage to reinforce his or her point OR decide which sentence out would make the most sense in the passage.I’ll give two question examples in this case because there are two different formats that you’ll see for this type of question.Here’s the first one (using the same part of the passage that we looked at in the last subsection): This question requires a little more context to find the right answer.First, read the passage with the suggested sentence inserted to get a sense of whether or not it should be included (I’ll wait).When you add the sentence, it feels like an inappropriate interruption that diverts attention from the main focus of the paragraph. It seems repetitive given that we already know the mural is considered a "powerful work."This narrows our options down to the two â€Å"no† answers, C and D. Is the information in the sentence already given earlier in the passage? Looking back, you can see that it was (this question comes from new SAT sample practice test four if you want to read the whole passage), so C is a possibility.What about D? Well, if the information was in the passage at one point, then the claim IS supported by the passage, so D has to be wrong. Final Answer: C Here’s another example of the same type of question formatted slightly differently: This time, we have to pick the best sentence out of four choices to insert into the paragraph.As it says in the question, we're looking for the sentence that best supports the author’s claim that there’s nothing wrong with nonorganic food. Choice A has nothing to do with the author’s point, and, in fact, could serve as part of a counterargument (organic foods are more tightly regulated, so they’re safer for consumers!).We can rule out this one. Choice B could also be a part of a counterargument - organic food is regulated to eliminate artificial ingredients! That's not helping the author’s case.Get rid of choice B too. Choice C makes sense because it explains how the already small risks associated with ingesting pesticides can easily be eliminated just by washing or peeling nonorganic fruits and vegetables before eating them.This takes the author’s argument further and reinforces the main point of the paragraph. Choice D is incorrect because it’s talking about the widespread use of pesticides,and the author is looking to deemphasize the impact of pesticide use.This answer can be eliminated, and we’re left with Choice C! Final Answer: C Organic food successfully tapped into the flourishing market of suburbanites trying to one-up each other based on ultimately meaningless lifestyle choices. Type 3: Data Descriptions The final type of evidence question on the Writing section will ask you to look at data and make sure it lines up with the information in the passage.Here’s an example: This question is simple if you read carefully, but it’s easy to get confused if you’re rushing.I actually read the passage incorrectly at first and thought the answer key had made a mistake! This question is careless mistake central. Let’s look at the choices.In the original version of the passage, the descriptions of where each term is used do not correspond to the information on the map.The passage says that â€Å"soda† is the term most commonly used in the middle and western regions of the US while the map shows that â€Å"pop† is most common in these regions.The first term in the passage should be â€Å"pop† if all the other information is kept the same, so the answer is either B or C.The original passage goes on to say that â€Å"pop† is most common in southern states, which we know to be false.According to the map, it’s actually â€Å"coke.†The only answer that starts with â€Å"pop† and â€Å"coke† is choice C, so that’s the one we want! Final Answer: C What do you call this stuff? If you answered "fizz juice," you'll never belong anywhere. Tips for Answering Command of Evidence Questions on SAT Writing Here are a few key Command of Evidence tips for when you come across these types of questions in the Writing section. Tip #1: Plug in the Answer If you’re given several different options for the appropriate phrase to insert, start reading one or two sentences before the question number shows up in the paragraph.Read through that part of the paragraph in its modified form, and then continue reading for a sentence or two afterward to see if it really makes sense in the flow of the passage (and based on the facts presented in the paragraph). Command of evidence questions never take place in a vacuum, so it’s critical to read the surrounding text to make sure you have the right answer.Plugging in the potential answer and reading it through carefully is the best way to assess the viability of your choice. Tip #2: Find Direct Support The whole point of these questions is to test your ability to pick out answers that make the most sense based on the information in the passage.For every choice you make, you should be able to find part of the passage (or figure) that directly supports your answer.This is a good way to double-check that you didn’t make any unfounded assumptions (or reading mistakes) to arrive at your answer. Tip #3: Read Carefully The Writing section requires strict attention to detail, so try not to rush, and double-check your answers by reading them over again in the context of the passage.Pay attention to the tone and flow of the passage as a whole.There are a few questions where you’ll need to refer to evidence earlier in the passage to confirm your answers, like the question we did in the Logical Additions category. The sentence didn’t make sense because it repeated information that was already stated earlier in the passage. Working methodically on these questions will prevent you from missing out on details or switching parts of the question around by accident.If you come across a data interpretation question, you should be completely sure of what the graph or chart is telling you before answering the question.Some of the SAT's data representations are more nuanced than you might expect. You must become one with the data. It's the only way. Conclusion Command of Evidence is a subscore category on the SAT that spans across the Reading and Writing sections. Command of Evidence questions show up in the Writing section of the SAT in several different forms. The three varieties I've identified are: Setting the Stage (questions that ask you to choose the best phrase to insert to make information flow logically) Logical Additions (questions where you have to decide whether it makes sense to add something to the passage or not) Data Descriptions (questions that refer to charts or graphs and ask you to ensure that the information in the passage matches up with the data provided) A few tips for answering these types of questions are: Tip #1: Plug in the Answer Tip #2: Find Direct Support Tip #3: Read the Passage Carefully For Command of Evidence questions, finding the right answer is all about attention to detail and strong reading comprehension skills. Be sure to practice reading passages and paying attention to context so you can make the correct choices based on the evidence at hand. What's Next? If you're looking for more ways to improve your performance, check out our list of five key strategies that will help you excel on the Writing section. You can also use this article to review the most important grammar rules for the SAT Writing section. Speaking of writing, are you taking the SAT with the essay section? Learn more about how to get an awesome essay score. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. 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Haasts Eagle (Harpagornis) Facts and Figures

Haasts Eagle (Harpagornis) Facts and Figures   Name: Haasts Eagle; also known as Harpagornis (Greek for grapnel bird); pronounced HARP-ah-GORE-niss Habitat: Skies of New Zealand Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-500 years ago) Size and Weight: About six foot wingspan and 30 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; grasping talons About Haasts Eagle (Harpagornis) Wherever there were large, flightless prehistoric birds, you can be sure there were also predatory raptors like eagles or vultures on the lookout for an easy lunch. Thats the role Haasts Eagle (also known as Harpagornis or the Giant Eagle) played in Pleistocene New Zealand, where it swooped down and carried off giant moas like Dinornis and Emeus  -   not full-grown adults, but juveniles and newly hatched chicks. As befitting the size of its prey, Haasts Eagle was the biggest eagle that ever lived, but not by all that much - adults only weighed about 30 pounds, compared to 20 or 25 pounds for the largest eagles alive today. We cant know for sure, but extrapolating from the behavior of modern eagles, Harpagornis may have had a distinctive hunting style - swooping down on its prey at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, seizing the unfortunate animal by the pelvis with one of its talons, and delivering a killing blow to the head with the other talon before (or even while) taking flight. Unfortunately, because it relied so heavily on Giant Moas for its sustenance, Haasts Eagle was doomed when these slow, gentle, flightless birds were hunted to extinction by the first human settlers of New Zealand, going extinct itself shortly afterward.

Character analysis on the character Mrs. Mallard in the story of an Essay

Character analysis on the character Mrs. Mallard in the story of an hour by kate chopin - Essay Example It suggests that Mrs. Mallard was feeling restricted and limited by the demands of marriage and that the death of her husband was giving her hope of regaining her independence and individuality. This could be the reason why the narrator describes that Mrs. Mallard has â€Å"slender hands†, â€Å"dull eyes† and eminent â€Å"physical exhaustion†. In fact, the narrator’s account of Mrs. Mallard’s physical exhaustion is analogous of a ghost haunting her body and soul. This shows that the bounds of marriage have been taking a toll on Mrs. Mallard (Chopin 11). Mrs. Mallard is integrated into her society’s tradition. It is clear that the people in her society mourn the departure of their loved one. Richard, Mallard’s friend â€Å"leaves the office† and joins Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, in consoling and comforting Mrs. Mallard. Her sorrow is manifest and when she feels overcome by a feeling of elation, she locks herself upstairs. This is probably because she is ashamed of such a feeling and the fear to be construed as one who rejoices in the pain of others. However, locking herself upstairs was also meant to give Mrs. Mallard space to indulge the feeling of freedom away from the eyes of others (Chopin 13). There is symbolism in the excerpt where Mrs. Mallard locks herself upstairs. The narrator paints Mrs. Mallard as a goddess of victory that could be an allusion to the mythical goddess of Athena. If at all this was the narrator’s intended allusion, there is an irony in it. This is because goddess Athena was believed to be the defender of her family but Mrs. Mallard is instead experiencing freedom after her husband’s death. As a goddess though, she gets the authority and the power to order people especially when she authoritatively tells Josephine, â€Å"go away†, when she knocked at her door. The room she locks herself in comes out as her court of majesty wherein she

Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Regular Classes Research Proposal

Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Regular Classes - Research Proposal Example Numerous benefits of the inclusive approach of the government are being advocated that firmly supports the endeavor of government. Correspondingly, it is strongly argued that inclusion approach is closely related to the aspect of social justice and equity. Next, it is also critically argued that with the inclusion approach disable students will be offered with an opportunity to acquire similar attention to that of normal students as well as with the prospect to grow and develop a positive attitude and behavior (ARACY, 2013; Konza, 2008). At the same time, the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classes is anticipated to ensure that these students are provided with all the basic amenities where they are offered with equal opportunity to enhance their skills and intelligence. Such benefits are argued to change the perception of the people towards the individual with a disability that would ultimately aid in eliminating the social stigma associated with these disabled students. Additionally, it is claimed that the inclusion model will not only provide the students with disability with the opportunity to improve their level of skills and competency but it is also postulated that the model will have profound and positive impact on teachers where they will be able to test their level of skills and ability to provide education to both the normal children as well as the children with disabilities (ARACY, 2013; Konza, 2008). This is indeed argued to serve as an opportunity for professional development for the t eachers in Australia. The report of ARACY (2013) incorporated several existing problems in education for the disabled student in Australia prior to the development of the inclusion model. Notably, each of the territories in Australia has been argued to have different approaches towards educating the students with a disability as well as different methods claimed to use to assess the growth and development of the students with disabilities in school. In addition, the school curriculum for the students with a disability is also contended to differ from region to region.