Meetings Or Teams Influence Collaborative Working And...

meetings or teams influence collaborative working and cohesiveness during decision making and conflict resolution. In order for the researcher to determine what variables are associated with increased collaboration and efficiency, primary data, secondary data, and exploratory studies should be used to develop an appropriate research question. Collaboration and efficiency are both desired characteristics within life and in the workplace. According to Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) â€Å"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.† God teaches us to use our individual gifts to work together as one. The purpose of this essay was to determine what research might be included in the multi-month study to determine the future of the Lewisburg RD†¦show more content†¦According to Cooper and Schindler (2014), â€Å"qualitative research includes an array of interpretive techniques which seek to describe, decode, translate, and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the frequency, of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world.† Tracy (2010) describes eight criteria for the research – worthy topic, rich rigor, sincerity, credibility, resonance, significant contribution, ethics, and meaningful coherence. The author describes each of the criteria for qualitative resear ch in the journal article as follows: a worthy topic is relevant, timely, significant, and interesting; rich vigor uses sufficient theoretical constructs, data and time in the field, samples, and data collection and analysis processes; sincerity is characterized by self-reflexivity about subject values and transparency about the methods and challenges; credibility is marked by thick description, concrete detail, explication of knowledge, and showing rather than telling; resonance of the research tends to influence readers; significant contribution of the research provides theoretical, practical data that is useful; the ethical criteria for research considers specific situational and culturally ethics; and meaningful coherence

Why was the recovery of the Weimar Republic from 1924 to 1929 not actually a great success Free Essays

There were many ways in which there were problems and the recovery was not really all it seemed to be, historian R. Bessel put it nicely, saying that à ¢Weimarà ¢s à ¢golden yearsà ¢ rested on shaky foundationsà ¢. Firstly, although there were economic advances there were still problems. We will write a custom essay sample on Why was the recovery of the Weimar Republic from 1924 to 1929 not actually a great success? or any similar topic only for you Order Now There was more inequality in society and some groups benefited a lot more than others. Big businesses and landowners gained a lot during this time but peasant farmers, who started overproducing, and some sections of the middle class, e.g. small shop keepers, lost out. Moreover, unemployment rose from 4% in 1923 to 8.2% in 1929. This left some people feeling that the government was not doing enough for them. On the other hand, some employers said that welfare benefits for the poor should be cut as taxes were too high. Another big underlying problem with this economic recovery was that it was largely as a result of the Dawes Plan i.e. a loan from America. This over-reliance on foreign aid is very dangerous and risky because if something suddenly goes wrong and America called in its loans it could have disastrous effects on Germany. The politics of Germany was still not in a great state either. In this period the chancellor changed 4 times and no single party ever got a majority. This caused an unstable government and one that could not make quick decisive decisions as each party had its own view. The parties only managed to stay in coalition because of the actions of their leaders. In fact, Gustav Stolper a DDP Reichstag member said that à ¢There are no government parties, only opposition parties.à ¢ Another political problem was that a considerable amount of votes were still going to parties who were opposed to the Republic such as the Communist party, DNVP (German National Peopleà ¢s Party) and the Nazià ¢s e.g. in 1928, 23% of the MPs elected were from either the Communists of Nazis. In this period the Nazis also managed to set themselves up as a respectable party and Hitler was still working hard to gain support. Stresemannà ¢s foreign policy and his attempts to form friendlier relations made some Germans, especially the Nationalists, see him as weak because he was not standing up for Germanyà ¢s rights while How to cite Why was the recovery of the Weimar Republic from 1924 to 1929 not actually a great success?, Papers

Industrial Conflict at Qantas Industrial Relations

Question: Discuss about theIndustrial Conflict at Qantas for Industrial Relations. Answer: Introduction Anyone who is deriving an earning with the help of any work gets engaged with an organisation and with the management of the concern. Such work management falls under Industrial Relations practice. For the overall performance of an organization, the quality of relationship of employees and transformations of industrial relations are need to be working hand in hand. The quality of employees also depend on their employment terms and conditions. This affects their work life and their abilities for enjoyment in their lives outside workplace. Today be it debates regarding the nations policies or about strategic decision making of a company, everywhere equity and efficiency are the minutes of the conversations. In Australian workplaces a great deal of research has been going on in resolving workplace disputes (Gramberg,2006). A workplace dispute can also be termed as an industrial dispute. It is a situation where employers and employees disagree over wages or working conditions. As a resul t of such dispute production often gets a hit or a slowdown where one has to take up an action also termed as an industrial action (Mules, 2013). In this paper we will discuss a case study of an Industrial dispute in of the worlds ten top most airline flagship brand, the Qantas or the Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services. The airlines fly to all the continents and is Australia's primary legacy air carrier. The airlines is in operation over 90 years and today is the nations iconic symbol (Bamber, 2012). Case Study: Qantas An industrial dispute occurred in between the Qantas Ltd and the trade unions named : a) TWU or the Transport Workers Union, b) AIPA or the Australian and International Pilots Association and the c) ALAEA or the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association. This dispute started during the mid 2010 and continued through year 2011 into year 2012 (Forsyth Steward, 2013) The FWA or the Fair Work Australia jurisdiction gave an order for the termination or suspension action under the five situations given in the Fair Work Act 2009 discussed in the April issue of the EMployment Law Bulletin.It is discussed that the FWA has used up their power in making 18 decisions till now and it examples the various aspets of the FWA in matte related to education, skills, jobs and workplace or industrial relations. Industrial relations has always been highly relevant in the aviation industry. The airline industry has been a great study so far with ample cases of disputes in their operations, human resource and industrial disputes. The Background In the year 2011, dated 29th of October a media press release was made by the Qantas stating that the company is going to be under a lock out situation from 31st October 2011, 8.00 pm affecting licensed engineers, staff. Baggage handling staff and international and AUstralian pilots. It was stated that the fights which were already in the air will finish their rounds but no new departures will be made anywhere by the organisation in the world. Such a lockout was mentioned to be continuing until the three above mentioned unions do not drop their impractical extreme demands. Such demands were not possible for the company to be agreed upon. Such an action was a response to the demands made by all the three unions AIPA, TWU and the ALAEA under the Fair Work Act. Some of these demands were work bans, some stoppages proposed by the TWO, a one hour stoppage proposed by the ALAEA and in flight announcement bans proposed by the AIPA. Two trade unions TWU and ALAEA made the tactic of notifying Qantas about its pending stoppage. Once flights were cancelled they rearranged it and cancelled such stoppages.The cost of undergoing this tactic was $68millions and every week the company was undergoing a loss of $15 million revenue. Over 7,000 passengers were affected due to the 600 flights which were cancelled. Dispute Right from the beginning while making agreements with these three unions, Qantas has cleared it that job security claims of the unions will not be entertained. For Qantas, such claims where a threat for the management in the running of their business. The management saw it as a fit which is a managerial prerogative. This is a concept which is prevalent for long in the Australian industrial law where acknowledgement is given to the permitted reach of unions regulatory interference into business decisions. In April 2011 the CEO of the air carrier already discussed the unions extreme bargains and demands. The company also articulated its positions in various national newspapers and advertisements. For these three unions their tactics increased and became big enough to revolve around the protected industrial action of the Fair Work Act. The Fair Work Act, pt 3-3,states that employees who have representatives to make bargains can organize and make negotiations for making new agreements with the enterprise. If any statutory protection is absent then industrial actions taken will be considered as unlawful under the common law. There is limitations to undergo strikes or get engaged in any other forms of industrial actions like going slow or work bans. All these require procedural requirements where there can be actions proposed and approved by majority of the employees in favour of such actions. Protected industrial actions like lockouts can also be taken by employers as a response to any actions taken by employees. Reasons for Dispute Global aviation industry is characterised by three primary trends below the surface. These are consolidations and fights for survivals experienced by legacy air carriers, low cost value added sector enhancement and shift of the global dominating country to Asia and Middle East from USA and Europe.Such underlying trends give rise to labour costs in pay rates and productivity on the services provided. Here the situation and circumstance shape up the options for industrial relations. The costs of getting it wrong is really high and even Bankruptcy many times. Aviation companies generally have low margins, low returns, are labour intensive and are in the middle of huge competition. All these require high amount of investments.For such a business controlling costs. Wages and efficient management of industrial relations are central aspects of their day to day operations. Companies like the Qantas goes through difficult industrial relations policies due to this reason (Bussell,2010).Reasons of dispute can be outlines in primary three areas:- Enhancement demand for wages Work conditions and Influence of policies of the management on wages and security of jobs (Orsag. 2011) Employer and Union Perspectives In response to the demands of the trade unions Qantas made strategic plans and proposal to change the business operations for improving efficiency and reducing costs. Here global outsourcing was a major proposal which was causing around 2800 full time employments but saving $300 yearly. The union was concerned about the security of their jobs (Gostencnik , 2011). They were also concerned that low paying pilots and less trained staff can ca use safety issues to the carrier. Hence they made extreme bargains. Findings The FWA or Fair Wage Act decides to publish the reasons behind their judgement of the lockout rather than giving direct orders. Although such decisions will not have a big value in the future but references can help brands in the future. A conclusion was made that all the three trade unions along with their protection actions was not threatening enough which can pose a damage to the industry and tourism (McCrystal, 2011). As per the FWA the issue must have been tackled in a balanced manner. The lockout made by Qantas in fact affected passengers and cargo services. Hence their decision for suspending it was pursuant (Fanner,2011). Conclusion With such a termination the company was able to fetch protracted reasonings and negotiations. This was a trigger for agreement arbitrations (Tuck,2011). Now since this even the ALAEA and Qantas are into agreements treated as taking consent based on workplace regulations in front of the Full Bench. As speculated not much bargaining goals remain for the ALAEA.Today bargaining in employment sector is one of the primary methods how terms and conditions are secured inbetween employers and employees (Bray,2013). Using protected industrial acts under law is the only way employees can safeguard their interests and rights. References Bamber, B. 2012. Current Airline Disputes at Qantas in Australia: Contrasting Perspectives. New York Times [online]. P20. Available at: https://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/lwp/htup/2012/presentations/HTUP%20QF0112gb%202send2EB.pdf Bray, M. 2013. From the Arbitration System to the Fair Work Act: The Changing Approach in Australia to Voice and Representation at Work. Retrieved from: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/press/journals/law-review/issues/alr_34_1_ch2.pdf Bussel, S. 2010. Turbulent Times A Practitioners Perspective Of Industrial Relations in Aviation. In: Laffer Lecture, University of Sydney. p15. Forsyth, A. and Steward, A. 2013. Of Kamikazes and Mad Men: The Fallout from the Qantas Industrial Dispute.Melbourne University. Available at:https://law.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/1700128/36_3_1.pdf Fanner., S. 2011. Enough is enoughImmediate Govt Intervention needed on Qantas dispute. Retrieved from https://aha.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/MR-Qantas-strikes-291011.pdf Gramberg, B. 2006. Managing Workplace Conflict: Alternative Dispute Resolution in Australia.Federation Press, 236. Gostencnik., V. 2011. 6 key leSSonS For employerS From the QANTAS diSpute. Retrieved from https://www.corrs.com.au/assets/thinking/downloads/InBriefWRLessonsfromQantasNov11.pdf McCrystal ., S. 2011. Why Fair Work Australia terminated the Qantas industrial action Mules, R. 2013. Workplace Disputes:The Qantas Disputes And The Toll/Coles Dispute. Busidate, Vol. 21(4), p. 2. Orsag.,T. 2011. Qantas unions battle job cuts and outsourcing. Retrievde from https://www.solidarity.net.au/mag/back/2011/40/qantas-unions-battle-job-cuts-and-outsourcing/ Smith., G. 2012. The Qantas dispute: employer's lockout, ministerial intervention and Fair Work Australia decision. Retrieved from https://www.claytonutz.com/knowledge/2012/may/the-qantas-dispute-employer-s-lockout-ministerial-intervention-and-fair-work-australia-s-decision Tuck., J. 2011. Six key lessons for employers from the Qantas dispute. Retrieved from;https://www.corrs.com.au/publications/corrs-in-brief/six-key-lessons-employers-qantas-dispute/

The Persuit of Happiness in Ernest Hemngways “a Clean, Well-Lighted Place” Essay Example

The Persuit of Happiness in Ernest Hemngways â€Å"a Clean, Well-Lighted Place† Essay People need happiness in their life. We can say that our goal in our life is happiness. A lot of people are seeking for happiness, but they usually don’t understand what happiness is. In this paper, we are going to find the answer of what happiness is and how can we get the happiness itself. The Happiness and How to Get It Firstly, we have to answer our fundamental question, what the happiness is. Jeremy Dean gives a good quote that â€Å"Happiness is satisfaction with life as a whole. † But sometimes we can’t understand what our satisfaction is. Many people assume that their satisfaction is money. Let’s we look at this poem, is the truly happiness money? Money Is Not Everything Money can buy a house but not a home. Money can buy a bed but not sleep. Money can buy a clock but not time. Money can buy a book but not knowledge. Money can buy food but not appetite. Money can buy position but not respect. Money can buy blood but not life. Money can buy medicine ut not health. Money can buy sex but not love. Money can buy insurance but not safety. Ask yourself, can money really buy the happiness? This poem tells us that money could buy many things in the world, except happiness. As the story tells us, the old man was drawn as a rich-man, but he still couldn’t find the truly happiness in his life because for him the happiness isn’t wealth. In fact, many people around him thought that he had what human need, â€Å"Money†. For somebody that hasn’t found the happiness, he will try to find it until he really finds it in many ways. We will write a custom essay sample on The Persuit of Happiness in Ernest Hemngways â€Å"a Clean, Well-Lighted Place† specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Persuit of Happiness in Ernest Hemngways â€Å"a Clean, Well-Lighted Place† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Persuit of Happiness in Ernest Hemngways â€Å"a Clean, Well-Lighted Place† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The true happiness is a mental state where we feel meaningful for somebody else, feel comfortable with what we have, and we feel no worried in life. The old man in â€Å"Clean, Well Lighted Place† is described that he has plenty of money, but he is desperate and till suicides. It proves that we can’t find the happiness just with a plenty of money. If we can’t find happiness in money, then how can we get the true happiness? According to the Harniet Meyerson’s definition: â€Å"Happiness comes only from appreciating what you right now. And you can even be happy by appreciating your troubles because they are helping to build your character. †¢ Appreciate what you right now to reach happiness We are grateful for what we have, we do and we get in our life. Not only grateful for big things we receive but also the details things we get in our life. Rhonda Britten, author of Fearless Loving (Dutton, 2003) and founder of the Fearless Living Institute, an organization in Boulder, Colo. She says that details are worth it. Saying simple thing in details, such as, instead of saying, Im grateful for lemonade, say Im grateful for the icy glass of sweet lemonade that soothed my parched throat this afternoon. Doing this thing trains you to pay close attention so youre less likely to miss the little things that create positive feelings. Happiness is in the nuances, Britten says. Youll tap a limitless source of joy if you notice the nuances and relish them. Another habit that will lead you to true happiness: being generous. The Buddha said that if we understood the power of generosity to create happiness, we would never sit down to a meal by ourselves, Cope says. For example, it might cross your mind that a lonely friend would love an invitation to dinner, an elderly aunt might appreciate a phone call, or a co-worker could use a cup of tea. You might normally quash the thought with excuses: You dont have time, you dont want to spend the money, it might be awkward. But the next time you have one of these thoughts, practice going with it, Cope says. The act of giving creates happiness in both the giver and the receiver, and those good feelings can linger a long time, he says. You cant be happy if you talk to yourself in negative ways. The things you tell yourself do have an impact on your mood and on your body, Zoglio says. Negative thoughts trigger the release of the stress chemicals that make you feel worse. And many of us have a tape of harsh criticism running endlessly in our heads. Make a list of these happy moments for at least a week. Next, she says, inventory your abilities. Write down every skill you use at work or at home, and break each one into its smallest components. For example, dont write I know how to be a receptionist. Instead, write I make nervous visitors feel comfortable, I have a nice phone voice, or I know how to juggle many tasks at once. When youre finished making the list, spend the next days quiet time studying them. Pick out a few of your strong suits and happy moments, and pledge to repeat them as often as you can. Organizing your life around your gifts gives you a sense of purpose. Happy people know why they got up this morn ing, Baker says. Those steps are some of several ways you can use to make you appreciate what you are right now. By appreciating what you are right now, you reach happiness in your life. Happiness means feeling of being fulfilled and satisfied according to Jeremy Dean’s â€Å"Happiness is satisfaction with life as a whole. † CONCLUSION Happiness is feeling of fulfilled and satisfied of your life. Do appreciate what you are right now can make you reach happiness. Make your self feel of being fulfilled and satisfied of your life can make you happy. So, if you want to reach happiness, make sure that you appreciate what you are right now.

Corporate Governance in Malaysia Essays

Corporate Governance in Malaysia Essays Corporate Governance in Malaysia Paper Corporate Governance in Malaysia Paper Corporate Governance is a concept in which it has been existence for decades; although not in the exact form that it has come to be understood today (Anandarajah, 2001). The term corporate governance was introduced in Malaysia in 1997 during the Asian Financial Crisis. It also drew the public’s attention on the weaknesses of the Malaysian corporate governance practice (Nor Azizah Zainal Abidin, 2007). Besides that, the downfall of Sime Bank, the Bumiputera Malaysian Finance (BMF) scandal, the irregularities in Renong Berhad, the Perwaja fiasco and the internal management problem faced by Malaysian Airline System (MAS) forced government to enhance corporate governance regulations (Norwani, Mohamad, Chek, 2011). The High Level Finance Committee Report 1999 on Corporate Governance in Malaysia defined corporate governance as the â€Å"process and structure used to direct and manage the business and affairs of the company towards enhancing business prosperity and corporate accountability with the ultimate objective of realizing long term shareholder value, whilst taking into account the interest of other stakeholders. † (Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance, 2012). The code that governs the corporate governance in Malaysia is called the Malaysia Code of Corporate Governance (MCCG). This code was recently revised in March 2012 and it is known as the MCCG2012. Besides providing relevant information to investors, this code also aims to encourage transparency management of companies, to enable investors to guide the direction of the company (Nor Azizah Zainal Abidin, 2007). The MCCG 2007 was revised with the aim to enhance the directors’ duty to the companies. With the revised MCCG 2012, there are still many issues arising from corporate governance. However, to some extent there are improvements in some area of the corporate governance. The revised MCCG 2012 contained a few improvements in the recommendation. This Code now establishes clear roles and responsibilities where ethical standard should be formalized through the code of conduct by the board to ensure its compliance. Through the company’s code of conduct, it mandates the board to formulate system of compliance and ethical standards. Besides, it also includes ensuring that the company’s strategies promote sustainability. There are many improvements made under reinforcement of independence. 3. 1 mandate boards to undertake an annual independent director assessment. For an individual to serve as an independent director, 3. 2 mandate a cumulative term to nine years. Under 3. 3, justification and shareholder’s approval is needed if the board retains as an independent director. And lastly MCCG 2012 recommends that a majority of independent directors must be in the board and the board chairman is not an independent director. These were not in the MCCG 2007. The most important improvement under the MCCG 2012 is to ensure timely and high quality disclosure. Under this the board should make certain the appropriate disclosure procedure and policies of the company. Also, for effective dissemination of information, board should encourage the company to leverage on information technology. This is to promote better use of technology. Furthermore, with the existing recommendation, MCCG 2012 also state that the board should also encourage pool voting in order for strengthening the relationship f the company and shareholder. This imposes duty to inform the shareholders of their right to demand a poll vote by the general meeting chairman. The concern here is whether the revised MCCG have enhanced the corporate governance of the companies in Malaysia. This code calls for voluntary compliance, coupled with the requirement in the listing rules of KLSE which make mandates disclosure of the extent of compliance with the best practice sets out in the Code, while allowing for some flexibility in its implementation by companies. The aim here is to provide necessary information and encourage disclosure to investors who entrusted their funds to companies, so that they can monitor the way it is being run (Finance Committee on Corporate Governance, 1999). This Code has somehow reduced the number of financial scandal but definitely not completely clear it off. There are many scenarios that company collapsing due to financial scandal as what was initiated by the BMF (Bank Bumiputera Finance) scandal. The law governing director’s duty consist of various forms of law. These duties have been observed also contain a plurality of legal fields such as company law and employment law (Hee, 2003). Section 132(1) of the Companies Act 1965 requires a director to use reasonable diligence and to act honestly in the discharge of his duties. The duty to act in the best interest of the company as a whole also from common law covers the collective interest of both existing and prospective shareholders. It is suggested that the common law fiduciary duty to avoid conflicts of interest should be codified to allow directors to be clear about their obligations in conflict situations. KLSE listing Requirements stipulates that public listed companies must got at least two independent directors. Individuals who are expressly excluded from being eligible to act as independent directors include major shareholders, professional advisers or relatives of an executive director or major shareholder of the listed company (Hee, 2003). This provides a better equilibrium of powers between directors and independent directors. The auditor actually provides a check on the information aspect of the governance system rather than having a direct corporate governance responsibility. As widely recognized, the duties of the audit committees have been related to internal audit financial reporting and external auditor. The importance of an audit committee in the framework of corporate accountability is where audit committees are expected to act as the guardian of investors’ interests and corporate accountability suggested by the wide adoption of audit committee (Saidin, 2007). The main duties are to inspect and form an opinion as to whether the financial statements have been drawn up in accordance with the financial reporting standards of Malaysia and the Companies Act 1965; to obtain reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatements; and to examine and form an opinion whether the financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Company as of the financial year end and of its financial performance and cash flows of the year end (Yycadvisors, 2012). The pertinent issue in corporate governance is due to mismanagement, director’s duty not well performed, abusing the minority projection / shareholders and not having meetings often to update what is going on. Management or board should practice the commonly accepted principles of corporate governance such as independence, accountability, roles and responsibilities, integrity and ethical behavior, and transparency. A company’s board should have a number of independent directors. They should be individual with no connection with the company other than a seat in the board. Also, selected independent directors should meet the â€Å"independence† test under the regulatory rules and also to serve with independence of minds. This process of selecting independent directors is likely to maintain their independent mindedness (Rahman Salim, 2010). To create a system that holds decision makers accountable while according proper respect to their authority over corporation is a challenging thing for corporate governance. The market, shareholder voting, and civil and criminal liability is the regular accountability mechanism. In theory, to create incentives for deterring self-dealing and other forms of misconduct and for responsible decision making these mechanisms work together. However, in reality, these contain flaws that allow individuals to occasionally exercise an irrational discretion when making decisions that will affect many others. The impact can be distressing for investors, employees, and the economy when the governance system fails (Jones, 2010). Given the control of publicly held companies, management should be accountable to its board of directors. The board, in turn, should be accountable to the shareholders and other stakeholders. The principle of accountability can be enhanced by many ways, such as enforcing rules and laws, protecting shareholders’ rights, imposing duties on officers and ensuring the scrutiny of the company’s financial statements by independent auditors (Rahman Salim, 2010). To provide creditors, depositors and shareholders creditable assurance that they will abstain from fraud activities, financial transparency would be an important mechanism. Timely and accurate disclosure should be made regarding all materials matter concerning the corporation is one way to ensure excellent corporate governance. The voluntary items disclosed in the annual reports, the time of the information to be released and quantity of information influenced by the board of directors. In disclosing all the relevant information in the financial reporting, the BOD will be transparent when they are independent and examine their responsibility to be accountable to the shareholders. To ensure the quality of the financial reporting process is one of the main functions corporate governance play. Financial reporting should be prepared with integrity which relies on corporate governance. Dependency of the integrity of financial reporting is highly on the performance and conduct of individual involved. What lead the company to reporting failure is when the corporate governance fails where most of them manipulated their financial statement to meet the performance expectation. Research also has found that there is a connection between weaknesses in corporate governance with bad financial quality, fraudulent financial statement weak internal control and earnings manipulations (Norwani, Mohamad, Chek, 2011). Problems that arise in companies in Malaysia regarding corporate governance have to do with the political interference to certain extent. State/government can be said as the â€Å"real† company controller compared to law/policy regulated under corporate governance. For example, the famous corporate governance failure in Malaysia the scandal of Perwaja Steel Sdn. Bhd.. Perwaja, a company owned by the government in collaboration with a Japanese company, Nippon Steel Corporation that was established by HICOM Bhd. in 1982, to fulfill the government’s mission in implementing the heavy industrial policy (Nor Azizah Zainal Abidin, 2007). This can be seen as an example where the state, as a shareholder in the company, has direct interest to it. Fraud and corruption can easily happen with the existence of this relationship. Due to the misconduct of directorship the corporate governance of Perwaja collapsed. Perwaja faced with corruption and mismanagement in tender and contract awarding. Furthermore, doubtful trading transactions and payments were carried out to non existing companies (Netto, 2004). There are one sided contracts between Perwaja and both local and foreign companies plus with erroneous records and many of millions ringgit were unauthorized (Norwani, Mohamad, Chek, 2011). This shows the failure of corporate governance in Perwaja Steel Sdn. Bhd.. However, with fresh funds being injected by the government today, Perwaja is still in business (Netto, 2004). In other case, like the Malaysian Airlines System Bhd. (MAS) faced with internal management problems. Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, the largest shareholder in MAS who held both Chief Executive Officer plus with chairman position, entered into unprofitable business activities whereby he had over expansion the flight destination, has caused the occurrence of governance failure (Norwani, Mohamad, Chek, 2011). The new management under Tajuddin Ramli had already cause MAS to suffered huge debts, prior to the Asian Financial Crisis. This had put MAS at risk during the crisis as all their transaction were done is UD dollars (Nor Azizah Zainal Abidin, 2007). Due to the veto power of the government in MAS’s management the decision on airlines destinations were subjected to government’s decision and approval. To comply with Malaysian foreign policy, MAS had to oblige and extend its services, where at that time, not popular destinations or less concentrated areas were decided by the government. This decision contributed lower return to MAS. From this point of view, we can see that the government/political involvement in business have a huge influence in the management of the company. Besides another reason of governance failure of MAS was due to increased in capital expenditure caused by many orders on planes from 1998 to 2001. It was simply a mismatch between earnings and expenditure in the financial reporting, whereby earnings were is ringgit while the latter was in US dollar. MAS ended up paying a higher cost than what was originally ordered for. MAS was then repurchased for more than double of the market price. The question here was before the government’s buyback, why an audit was not conducted which would have a very important bearing on the proper price of the government buyout. An international case study example would be the Satyam Linggam scandal, the biggest corporate scam in India has come to the most respected businessman. Satyam founder resigned as its chairman after admitting to cooking up the account book. The CEO was responsible for the board accounting improprieties that reported a large amount of cash holding that does not exist and overstating the company’s profit and revenue. With a successful effort on the part of investor’s in order to prevent an effort by the minority shareholding promoters to use the firm’s cash reserves to buy two companies owned by them, the scandal all came to know. Consequently, this failed the attempt of expansion on Satyam’s part, which in turn led to a collapse in company’s stock prices, followed by a shocking confession from Raju. History has played a part in the development of corporate governance in India. The first code for corporate governance was published in 1988, but by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) entitled desirable Corporate Governance. Unlike codes in some other countries, the CII code did not make statements of principle but addressed specific business issues in India. The code called for â€Å"professionally competent, independent non-executive directors† to make up the board. None should hold more than ten listed company. The code also called for audit committees. A year later 1999 a government committee released India’s National Code on Corporate Governance (Ticker, 2009). Reflecting international standards, the code had the approval by the SEBI and incorporated into stock exchange rules. The government issued guidelines on corporate governance in central public sector enterprises in 2007, covering the composition of the boards, audit committees, accounting standards and risk management (Ticker, 2009). However, corruption remains entrenched in India, not at least in the government administration. The Ministry of Company Affairs and the Securities and Exchange Board need more competent staff experience in corporate governance matters. But rapid economic growth and potential in India suggest that the next few years will see significant changes in both attitude and practice (Ticker, 2009). The failure in corporate governance forced rules and regulations to be enacted (Norwani, Mohamad, Chek, 2011). Recent corporate scandals and the near-collapse of the global ? nancial system all demonstrate the importance of maintaining an effective corporate governance regime (Jones, 2010). With the revised MCCG 2012, duties of all the board of directors are clearly stated, and this will serve as guidance and should improve the corporate governance of the company.

10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Bad Pets

10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Bad Pets It seems that everyone these days is keeping dinosaurs as pets, what with supermodels tugging tiny Microraptors on leashes and pro football players adopting full-grown Utahraptors as team mascots. But before you fill out the paperwork at your local dinosaur shelter, here are some things you may want to consider. (Dont agree? See 10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Good Pets.) 1. Pet dinosaurs are expensive to feed. If you dont happen to have a Cycad Hut or Ginkgo Emporium in your neighborhood, you might find it difficult to scrounge up sufficient vegetable grub for your pet Apatosaurus (and your neighbors probably wont appreciate him eating the tops of their shrubs). And do you know how many cute, fuzzy mice, rabbits and Labrador Retrievers the average Deinonychus goes through every day? 2. Its virtually impossible to teach a dinosaur tricks. Believe me, its easier to train your cat to clean your windows than to teach the average dinosaur to sit, fetch or heel. Your pet Ankylosaurus will probably just sit there on the floor and stare at you dolefully, while your teenaged Spinosaurus eats the drapes from the top down. (With a little persistence, though, you might be able to teach a purebred Troodon to roll over.) 3. Dinosaurs create a lot of poop. Unless you live smack in the middle of a turnip farm, you may have a hard time disposing of the hundreds of pounds of poop the average Triceratops generates every day. Flushing it down the toilet isnt an option, and neither is using it for insulation in your attic. Some pet owners have experimented with creating kiln-dried dinosaur-poop furniture, with mixed results. 4. No veterinarian will want to de-claw your dinosaur. For liability reasons, most municipalities require you to trim the claws of any raptors, tyrannosaurs or allosaurs residing in your household. Good luck getting a vet to do thisand, if you do miraculously find someone willing to take on this task, even better luck stuffing your Gigantoraptor into your Honda Odyseey  and shlepping it to the clinic. 5. Your pet dinosaur will want to sleep in your bed. In the wild, dinosaurs are accustomed to hunkering down in rotting foliage, urine-soaked sand dunes and ash pits strewn with rotting carcasses. Thats why the average Styracosaurus will insist not only on sharing your mattress, but layering on every freshly washed duvet cover in the house and using your pillows as antler cozies. 6. Dinosaurs arent very good with children... As much as kids love dinosaurs, its unfair to expect the average Ceratosaurus to reciprocate that affection, especially since a well-fed five-year-old can supply a weeks worth of calories. Teenagers will have a slightly easier time of it; in any case, theyll put up more of a fight before being swallowed head-first. 7. ...or with other dinosaurs, for that matter. So youre looking forward to hauling your pet Majungatholus over the local dinosaur park and meeting that cute chick with the Archaeopteryx  popping out of her handbag. Well, bad news: the only thing dinosaurs hate more than children is other dinosaurs. Take your pet to the dog run instead, then sit back and watch the fun. 8. Dinosaur pet-sitters are hard to come by. Isnt it cute when your neighbors eight-year-old daughter drops by to pet your kitty, feed it kibble and scoop out the litterbox? Well, she might think twice about doing the same for your pet Therizinosaurus, especially given the mysterious disappearance of the last six pet-sitters you hired to do the job. 9. Most cities have very strict dinosaur leash laws. Unless you live in Seattle (for some reason, Seattle is very liberal about these kinds of things) you cant just saddle up your pet Centrosaurus and take it out onto the sidewalk. Flout the rules, and your municipalitys animal-control squad will gladly tug your pal over to the nearest dinosaur shelter, assuming they arent eaten first. 10. Pet dinosaurs take up a lot of room. As a general rule of thumb, the American Purebred Dinosaur Association (APDA) recommends at least 10 square feet of living space per pound of dinosaur. Thats not much of a problem for a 25-pound Dilophosaurus puppy, but it could be a deal breaker if you plan to adopt a full-grown Argentinosaurus, which will require its own aircraft hangar.

Peer Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Peer Review - Essay Example This is memorable because it brings out the abandoned work of civil society and the need to hold government accountable for social justice. The fact that the writer ends with a word of advice, asking that the tribal governments be allowed voices to speak gives a perfect sense of completion and that completion is that the needed freedoms have seen not been granted and that it is time to grant them to those who deserve them. Even though it is an important part of article writing to be making references to previous articles, especially when they are written by the same author, it is very important that once such reference is made some details will be given to the part of the article that is being referred to so that those who might never have access to such articles can understand what is being said but this was lacking here. The most memorable part of the essay is where revelation is made of how the people believed in human sacrifices in those days. This is memorable because it really teaches about societal evolution and the changes that has accompanied out social lifestyle over the years. Perhaps, they are things we do that will not be done 500 years to come. The ending of the story is very sudden because the writer suddenly gives factual reason to the source of the bones, which were found and served as topical issue at the beginning of the essay without giving indication of how this conclusion was arrived. In future works, the writer should be more detailed and structure the essay well be give it a solid conclusion that will not make readers wonder how come such definition claims as the source of the bones were established. The maker of the call for a Native American to take the highest position at the Supreme Court refuses to give justifiable reasons why the position has never been held by Native Americans. It would have served a lot of good and brought clarity if the reasons were given. It is memorable and refreshing to

Should Gay Marriage Be Legal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should Gay Marriage Be Legal - Essay Example Having a different sexual orientation does not make homosexuals outcasts and they have every right to exercise their freedom even if the freedom means marrying the same gender. Gay marriages do not pose any sort of threat to the states or the society so it is not at all correct to assume it as a social vice. The issue should be looked at with an open mind and in a broader perspective. Gays would not change their sexual orientation if the gay marriages are not legalized. However legalization would allow them to enjoy the same rights as the others without the fear of humiliation or disgrace from the general public. They would enjoy the same respect and recognition from the community which is gained by the straight couples. Previously the laws defined in a country were according to the religion that was being followed there with little regard for the minorities. However we now live in an era where laws are constituted keeping in mind the public interest and sanctity of their rights. Therefore if the states are advocates of freedom then this freedom should also be extended towards gays since they are equal members of the society. The opinion of the states should be taken into account but it should only be under the discretion of the government whether to allow or disallow legalization of gay marriages because leaving it onto the states would only promote discord and disunity. Not granting equal rights to the gay community is another example of discrimination that has tainted the human history for so many years. The argument that is proposed by its opponents is of immorality and that the gay couples can live together privately without marrying but this attitude only tends to force them into social isolation. It also forces the gay couple to explain their relationship continuously to the general public which makes them feel embarrassed, stopping them from active social

Ireland based on Dermot Bolger’s Family Essay Example for Free

Ireland based on Dermot Bolger’s Family Essay In The Family on Paradise Pier by Dermot Bolger, some interesting themes are brought to light about Ireland and the interactions of people living there. This is one work that tells the overarching story of Irish history from a cultural perspective and from a highly personalized point of view. Starting with the trials and tribulations of one particular family, Bolger uses this placeholder to delve into issues surrounding all of Ireland at that time. The Goold Verschoyle family, and more specifically the children, act as a clear representation of an entire class of Irish people growing up in the early twentieth century. Bolger paints the picture of an Ireland where people were often forced to struggle and where people experienced challenges as they attempted to make transitions. He paints a portrait of Ireland as a place that was fluid and dynamic, always changing with the times. Because of that, the people in Ireland had a hard time finding their place between the two World Wars and beyond. The political climate was such that people were forced to adapt quickly, and the socioeconomic conditions were such that even people with inherent advantages went through some struggles as a result of their heritage. It could be said that the Ireland in this Bolger work is a complicated and confusing place, and it is one where children are forced to constantly reconsider their goals, dreams, and aspirations. The author does his very best to frame the struggles of an entire generation through the experiences of one family, which might not be a complete portrait, but it is quite obviously representative of an entire sector of the population in question. One important theme to consider in this work is how Ireland changed over time. The author uses to young children in the story to show how expectations and how experiences changed as Ireland was brought into the war. In the beginning, Ireland was a place where children felt safe and they felt as if opportunity was on the horizon. The portrait of Ireland was a positive one at that point in time, though it would most certainly change as the story went along. The book, the author writes of young Eva, â€Å"Eva thought it was glorious to wake up with this sense of expectation. The entire day would be spent outdoors, with their family chattering away on the back of Mr. Ffrench’s aeroplane cart as Eva dangled her legs over the swaying side and held down her wide-brimmed hat with one hand in the breeze. Sure no other bliss to equal this† (Bolger, 2006). In this, one can see that Ireland was a land of opportunity in the early going. Children felt as if they had the world at their feet, with different chances abounding. It is certainly worth noting that these children grew up in a privileged home, but that does not change the fact that Ireland offered them something. It was a place where life could not get any better, and where the entire family had time to worry about leisure. As the story goes along, Bolger traces the development of Ireland, as it goes from being a place where children can play and enjoy themselves to being a place where fear is rampant. This all has to do with the war and the political transitions taking place in the country in the early twentieth century. As the work continues along, the children grow up, and that allows the author to take on some more serious themes. While the early part of the book is spent describing how lovely it is to grow up in Ireland at that time, the next portion of the book describes the children as they struggle to fit in with the changing political landscape. Additionally, it shows Ireland as a place where rigid rules dictate a host of different things. These rules dictate, specifically, how things are passed down and what role the oldest son will take as he grows older. This is something that was important in Irish society, and it is something that weighed heavy on the mind of Art. As with many items in this work, Bolger uses that character as a representative for his generation at large, tracing their collective struggle through his somewhat common experiences. The author writes, â€Å"All the house cats belonged to Father. Mother’s pleasure arose from holding any baby in her arms. Eva was the only baby she ever rejected, just for a brief moment after Eva was born. ‘Take her away’, she had ordered the nurse because – having already borne one daughter – she was convinced that she had been carrying that all-important son and heir† (Bolger, 2006). This shows not only the importance of the first born son in Irish tradition, but also the struggle that may have been felt by young women in Ireland at the time. Bolger paints a portrait of Ireland that is not exactly favorable toward women. Though it may have been a fine place to grow up for young Eva in the beginning, the society was most certainly slanted toward men and satisfying their desires. The fathers wanted and needed sons to carry on their bloodlines, which put a tremendous amount of pressure on the family dynamic, and causes some internal strife for daughters in Irish society at that time. Whether this is a clear and complete picture of Irish society is a debate all in itself, but this is the representation that Bolger puts into play with his words. One thing that that author is sure to touch on is the relationship of politics in the changing Irish society. Young men were almost forced to have a political opinion, and they were required to juggle this political activism with their own family responsibilities. Because the role of the first-born son was so important in Irish society, boys born into that role had certain expectations placed upon them. They were to be responsible, mature, and they were to make the best possible decisions. Family and society at large put these tremendous pressures on them, and boys were constantly pulled from their own thoughts to consider those things that the family held dear. In a society where the political landscape was constantly changing, this created an interesting dynamic for young boys. The author specifically uses the situation of Art to bring this point to light. He is one who is getting caught up the communist movement, taking to its nuances and trying to get more involved. Still, he does not quite understand how to balance his newfound political activism with the type of responsibilities and burdens that are placed on his shoulders by the family. The author writes of this, â€Å"All night Art had been arguing with university friends about Italian politics in Fletcher’s rooms near Blackfriars. Fletcher was not of like mind to the others: he saw nothing wrong in truckloads of Il Duce’s fascists storming into Milan to end the communist-led strike there with the black-shirted thugs tearing down the Bolshevik flags hanging from the town hall. Fletcher could not understand why Art took such matters so seriously† (Bolger, 2006). Art was caught up in the political movement and it put pressure on the entire family dynamic. As he became more of a free thinker, he began to question many aspects of Irish society. This inner dialogue provides the author with the perfect opportunity to expand out his thoughts on Irish society at large. This expansion goes into the â€Å"unchangeable† nature of life in Ireland. Though things all around the children were changing, with wars and political movements and new technologies, the children themselves had no ability to change their stars, at least according to the author. This is because of how the author paints Ireland as a society highly steeped in tradition. Things were set in stone years before, which meant that children essentially had their lives mapped out on the basis of random chance, and not on the basis of what they were capable of accomplishing. The first-born son is a perfect example of this, as he is to inherit all of the wealth built up by the family, while his siblings were left to fight for the scraps. This is something that Art had to grapple with, as he could not wrap his mind around why he had gotten so lucky in this regard. He saw this as a twisted society, and it was certainly not the portrait painted by a naive young girl in the early part of the book. As things changed in Irish society and the children grew, they came to find that perhaps their opportunities were more limited than they had originally figured. By no fault of their own, they were shoehorned into one particular life path, while first-born sons were able to enjoy the spoils of their fortunate timing. The author writes of this, â€Å"Yet the more he studied politics the more he realized that he was like them. All that distinguished him from his siblings was a fluke of birth, a throw of the dice yielding him absolute access to wealth while the others were left to scramble for minor bequests. Past generations had ensured that this was a chalice he could not refuse. Short of dying, Art had no means of breaking that cycle of indenture† (Bolger, 2006). What is interesting about this take is that the author actually paints it as a struggle for the person receiving the fortuitous treatment. This paints a portrait of Ireland as a society where even people who have the advantages are forced to feel trapped. Even though Art had everything that he could have asked for in order to make a success of his life, he still felt as if his life had little freedom. Perhaps that is why he associated so well with the communist movement, as it was something that seemed familiar to him over the long haul. It is important that the author painted the family as being happy and loving in the beginning, as it allows him to paint a stark contrast in the end. He represents the family as being torn apart by all of the environmental changes taking place in Ireland and in larger Europe during the years surrounding the World War. The author writes, â€Å"The Goold Vershoyle children were born into a respected freethinking Protestant family in a Manor House alive with laughter, debate and fascinating guests. But the world of picnics and childish infatuations is soon under threat as political changes within Ireland and the whole world encroach upon their private paradise† (Bolger, 2006). As the story goes on to describe, the family dynamic all about Ireland was being nearly destroyed by boys who felt the need to become politically active. As Art got deeper and deeper into the throws of communism, his family gained resentment, and the happy home was torn into something ugly. It was a place where people were once again being restricted, this time by the expectations that society so diligently placed on young men who were to inherit their family’s possessions. The author has Cousin George indicate in the book, â€Å"The family’s reputation was being indelibly eroded by Art’s willful madness in embracing communism, which he considered to be a cancer gradually infecting them all. Such lunacy might be all right for pagans like the Ffrenches, but his uncle was always too soft in allowing inflammatory discussions at the table† (Bolger, 2006). The need for discussion that burned within a newly active political generation was boiling over, causing tension and breeding strife that might not have been there in the beginning. In this, the author paints the portrait of an Ireland full of differing viewpoints, even within households. It was a place where people were forced to take sides, even if that was not a natural act for them. As things changed, the movement swept up everyone, so much so that it became a part of daily life for even the most respected families in the country. There are a number of representations of Ireland that are presented in this work, most of them dealing with the changing political landscape and the idea of opportunity. The author paints a portrait of Ireland that includes much inner-strife and he shows that it is a place where the goals and dreams of children are replaced by the realities of growing up. With communism thrown into the mix as an extra detractor from the family dynamic, he represents Ireland as a place that is highly splintered, with different viewpoints attempting to climb on top of one another for position and leverage. Works Cited Bolger, Dermot. â€Å"The Family on Paradise Pier†. 1 May 2006. HarperPerennial Purblishing.

Ephedrine: The Weight Loss Wonder Drug? Essay -- Health Diet Papers

Ephedrine: The Weight Loss Wonder Drug An increasing number of people are using products to enhance their diets. A recent estimate indicates, â€Å"Americans are spending some $6 billion annually on nutritional supplements, and the market is growing by 20% every year† (Zahn, 1997). Of these supplements, the increase in herbal remedy use is most dramatic. Zahn holds that the increase can be attributed to the widely held belief that herbal substances are healthy and harmless because of their natural origins (1997). Unfortunately, research on these supplements, herbal or otherwise, has not transmitted to the public as quickly as the diet enhancers themselves. The phenomenon leaves many consumers misguided by skewed advertising and uninformed about the potential risks involved in ingesting these seemingly harmless, over the counter substances. The following is an attempt to look at one particular herbal supplement, Ma-Huang (active ingredient, ephedrine), more critically. THE CLAIMS: What is MaHuang? MaHuang is an herbal supplement found in products such as Metabolife and SoBeTrim, which claim to stimulate weight loss. It is available in the form of a pill, a powder, or a liquid and is often used in combination with other drugs such as caffeine and aspirin. In addition to being used in weight loss supplements, MaHuang is also promoted as â€Å"natural ecstasy† (Theoharides, 1997) and is often abused under this guise. MaHuang as â€Å"herbal ecstasy† is also called ultimate X-phoria or Cloud 9 (Zahn, 1997). What does Ma-Huang (Ephedrine) claim to do? Produces euphoria ! (White, et al 1997) & (Zahn, 1997) Enchances energy levels ! (Zahn, 1997) http:/... ...tp://www.gethuge.net/xen3.htm Bruno, A., Nolte, K.B., and Chapin, J. (1997). Stroke associated with ephedrine use. Neurology, 43, 1313-1316. Carek and Dickerson (1999). Current Concepts in the Pharmachological Management of Obesity. Drugs, 57(6), 883-904. Kreiger, D.R., Daly, P.A., Dulloo, A.G., Ransil, B.J., Young, J.B., Landsberg, L. (1990). Ephedrine, Caffeine and Aspirin Promote Weight Loss in Obese Subjects. Trans Associations of American Physicians, 103, 307-12. Theoharides, T.C. (1997). Sudden Death of a Healthy College Student Related to Ephedrine Toxicity from a Ma Huang – Containing Drink. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 17(5), 437-8. Zahn, K.A., Raymond, L. L., Purssell, R.A. (1997). Cardiovascular Toxicity after ingestion of Herbal Ecstacy. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 17(2), 289-291.

CTV Newsnet Case Analysis

Chapter 3 CTV Newsnet [pic] 1. Abstract In January 2000, the CTV Newsnet was confronted with a threat to its reputation and growth. A tape with offensive remarks made by the News broadcaster Avery Haines’ were aired mistakenly, and it aroused great public indignation. By means of OB analysis, we found that Haines’ dispositional characteristics such as low emotional stability and lack of conscientiousness, heavy workplace stress, and different attribution processes conducted by the anchor, her coworkers and the audience may all be causes of that crisis.Therefore, we suggest that CTV Newsnet could deal with its reputation crisis and prevent the similar technical and behavioural mistakes in the future as the following: 1) communicating effectively with the viewers about the company’s value and attitude toward this incident, 2) setting up positive reinforcers and punishment rules to encourage desirable behaviour and eliminate undesirable behaviour, 3) holding periodi cal seminar to strengthen employees’ awareness of work ethics, 4) doing job redesign to verify job tasks and reduce working pressure, and 5) providing proper training programs to improve employees’ cognitive abilities and professional skills. Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2 2. Introduction 4 3. Case Analysis 4 3. 1 Personality 4 3. 2 Stress 5 3. 3 Actor-observer Effect7 4. Solutions8 4. 1 Operant Learning Theory8 4. 2 Coping with Stress 9 4. 3 Attribution Theory 10 5. Conclusion 11 6. Bibliography12 7. Appendices13 2. Introduction The news channel, CTV Newsnet, had been playing important role in practicing the CTV Inc. ’s philosophy which emphasizes the social commitment, such as caring about farming issues. However, in January, 2000, CTV Newsnet had faced a severe challenge to maintain its reputation.This incident started with the CTV Newsnet anchor Avery Haines, who had stuttered and flubbed while recording a report introduction on farmer issues. In order to c over her own embarrassment and ease the tension for other co-workers in the studio, she made a private self-deprecating joke which included inappropriate remarks about various minorities. Of course, they retaped this part, but later that day, a CTV technician mistakenly aired the wrong tape which included the error and the offensive comment to the public. Soon after, mountains of criticism and suspicions about CTV’s professionalism and integrity flooded into the company. The happening of this fatal mistake indeed had adverse impacts on the company’s reputation as well as its further expansion plan.Thus, the purpose of our report is to decrease the possibility of making small but fatal mistakes among employees and to improve their sense of responsibility. 3. Casa Analysis 3. 1 Personality and the Big Five Personality can be described as the individual’s personal style to deal with the world. For Haines, there is a whole mixture of features that describe her perso nality. When hiring Haines as a â€Å"Hostess† for CTV, Kowalski, the CTV News senior vice-president and general manager was applying one of the key concepts of OB: the fit concept (textbook P41). Indeed, Kowalski felt immediately that Haines is the right person to fit in the fast-paced and demanding milieu of TV. Kowalski was impressed by her personal and professional qualifications.At the professional level, Haines had won many awards, shown a high level of performance, and earned wide popularity. At the personal level, and according to the five-factor model of personality, Haines showed her openness (she was creative and eager to move forward from radio to television), agreeableness (she humbly accepted criticism and advice, and completely committed to the job) and extraversion (she was interested in everything and had quickly gained the support and affection from her co-workers) (Ng, et al. , 2005). However, her lack of emotional stability (self-confidence) and consciousn ess (responsibility) didn’t appear to Kowalski until the fatal errors occurred.In fact, Haines’ self-depreciating joke to cover her embarrassment and hide her vulnerability and awkwardness is a display of the lack of confidence and consideration of the consequences. According to the intereactionist approach, organizational behaviour is a function of both dispositions and the situation (George, 1992). Indeed, Haines was facing a weak situation where there are loosely defined roles and few rules, so it’s hard to define appropriate behaviour (Adler & Weiss, 1988). As a result, personality tends to have most impact in weak situations, which was the case of Haines behaviour. 3. 2 Stress It was a very long day in CTV, they were preparing for a show talking about the farmers’ story which attracted growing attention all over Canada, and Haines due to being stressed made her famous mistake.Stress can be defined as a psychological reaction to the demands inherent i n a stressor that has the potential to make a person feel tense or anxious (McGrath, 1970). In our case, the viewers of the broadcasting on the farmers’ issue were the potential stressors to Haines, whereas Haines was also the potential stressor to her co-workers. Haines’ personality which was discussed earlier can mainly determine the extent to which the potential stressor becomes a real stressor, and it also determines how she reacted to stress behaviourally, psychologically, and physiologically. This can explain why Haines can be a potential stressor who exerted in turn stress on the work environment in which employees actions were affected and the wrong tape mistake was made.In terms of Locus of control (which is a set of beliefs about whether one’s behaviour is controlled by mainly internal or external forces), Haines reacted in this way since she was an external person. This type of people are more likely to feel anxious in the face of potential stressors (Ng, et al. , 2006), and that’s the case of Haines when she made her famous mistake; she was stressed and started making jokes to overcome her mistake, unlike if she was an internal person (which internal factors determine her personality) she would have confronted her stressors. Furthermore, Haines suffered from managerial and executive stress, since she had a work overload on the day of the incident.Also, Haines has a heavy responsibility and her work carried considerate significance to CTV’s philosophy which addresses social commitment; thus, not only she was under great pressure but also her co-workers, which increased the possibility of the occurrence of the tape mistake. Finally, other general stress factors such as work-family conflict, Job insecurity, and role ambiguity might affect the level of stress among CTV employees and led to the problem in the workplace. 3. 3 Actor-observer Effect According to Attribution theory, people’s behavior can be attribut ed to dispositional and situational causes though they are not always accurate. When people are forming attribution to explain others’ behavior, biases and errors are hard to avoid.Thus, in the CTV Newsnet case, Haines and her colleagues in the studio did not perceive her joking as a big problem  ; on the other hand, viewers were more likely to attribute her comments to her real disposition. The fact that viewers and her co-workers had different perceptions of Haines’s joking reflected the actor-observe effect in attributing process (Watson, 1982).. In this case, Haines tended to attribute her making joke to some external factors. They may include her extreme tiredness with the heavy workload, the attempt to ease the embarrassment, and the certainty of a second recording. This is because Haines as an â€Å"actor† is more sensitive than â€Å"observers† (the audience) of the pros and cons that the environment offered (Textbook, p83).Moreover, she knew ex actly her own thoughts and intentions which is to get herself and her co-workers relaxed. In general, people know better anout how and why their behavior varies by situations, while the observers tend to guess. In terms of the perspectives of Haines’ co-workers, they would also attribute Haines’ behavior to the external causes because they understood Haines’ motivation and thoughts in that specific situation, and they also know her personality well. They usually saw Haines as a talented, reliable and unbiased person. Thus, coworkers might perceive her making improper joke as an accident due to the low consistency and high distinctiveness of her this behaviour (Medcof, 1990).As the observer of Haines’s behaviour, CTV viewers had high possibility to commit the fundamental attribution error through overemphasizing dispositional causes and ignoring the possible environmental factors that may incur her joke making (Jones, 1979). Because viewers lacked the know ledge about the constraints, private thoughts, feelings, and intentions regarding Haines’s behaviour, they intuitively assumed that the anchor’s making discriminatory remarks reflected her real thoughts. Hence, they inevitablly felt horrified and annoyed. 4. Solutions: 4. 1 Operant Learning theory What happened to the CTV Newsnet indicated two main problems that threatened the maintenance of its reputation and integrity, less professional broadcasting and inferior technical error. Both behavioural mistakes should be eliminated for the sake of the entire company.According to the operant learning theory, two approaches could help CTV newsnet to improve their operationing effectiveness. One approach is to use appropriate positive and negative reinforcement to stimulate desired behaviour. The other is to use extinction and punishment to stop undesired behaviour (Textbook P49-55). In order to avoid such basic technical misconduct on the short-term basis, the CTV managers co uld adopt positive reinforcement by establishing periodical employee recognition programs. They include offerring financial rewards quarterly or annually to error-free employees and employees who made significant progress in their work.Moreover, a long-term training and development program can be conducted for technicians to learn how to operate the broadcasting equipment properly and efficiently as well as to adopt new technologies and upgrade their professional knowledge. To minimize the similar mishap made by Haines, CTV should create clear communication channel between company and employees to encourage a more direct feedback. It will give help the organization find out their employees’ personal or work-related difficulties so that their performance can be enhanced (Peterson & Luthans, 2006). If employees’ problems were incurred by too much workload, managers should consider hiring extra staff or enhancing the efficiency of management to cut the workload for employ ees.If making mistake was due to the lack of job interest and enthusiasm, the company could offer employees the opportunity to rotate among different positions or grand employees more controling power over their tasks to raise their sense of involvement. Meanwhile, through the negative reinforcement, the upper management may also monitor employees’ job performance and behaviour. Building up a more strict set of operational rules helps prohibit undesirable behaviours in the studio. Any breach of the rules could lead to disciplinary actions such as a verbal warning, a written warning or an ultimate dismissal. Employees’ attemppt to eliminate these unpleasant outcomes (warning and dismissal) can motivate them to obey the rules (textbook, p50).Although punishment might cause unwanted impacts on employees’ working enthusiasm, it is a effective way to prohibit seriously adverse behaviour sometimes. It also serves as a sound warning for other potential mistake-makers a nd a necessary compromise for easing the public anger. In CTV case, Haines should be fired for her unprofessional behaviour though unintentional since it already incurred a huge wave of public irritation. The technician who played the wrong tape should also be punished for his or her carelessness. However, using punishment should always be careful. 4. 2 Coping with stress In order to reduce and overcome the stress which could occur in the work place now and in future, CTV should start implementing concrete actions.For example, doing job redesign that changes the job depth and breadth can rebuild the job tasks with more diversity and authority. CTV could socially support its employees by planning events and activities which can improve the employee’s social life. The human resource department could establish a family friendly policy for the employees, which will allow the staff to balance better between their job duties and family responsibilities (Grant & Parker, 2009). Final ly CTV could also introduce stress management programs and work balance programs to allow its employees to arrange their time and tasks effectively with a wisely designed working schedule. . 3 Attribution theory Concerning the above analysis, some work-related attitudes among employees in CTV Inc. should be modified or reinforced. Since attitudes can be modified through persuasively changing people’s beliefs and values (Textbook, p120), holding seminars and developing training programs can indeed help improve the work-related attitudes of CTV workers. First, employees should improve their awareness of the limitation of viewers’ knowledge about the journalists’ or broadcasters’ personal conditions. Interactive activities involving CTV employees and CTV viewers can be conducted to help them establish better mutual understanding.Then, mangers can hold discussion panels to reinforce the belief that working in CTV requires rigorous work ethics and extensive se nse of responsibility, especially as journalists and broadcasters. And through these trainings, the employees will be encouraged to ponder internal factors for their own behavior and be more aware that their self-perceived minor mistakes could be fatal to the further growth of their company. Besides, CTV Newsnet should enhancee its employees’ personal skills to maintain its professionalism and reliability. According to the concepts of job performance, individual job performance is heavily affected by his or her general cognitive ability, which refers to intelligence (Textbook, P149).Training programs can be conducted to refine speaking skills of the anchors so that they can be more careful and thoughtful about wording when broadcasting the public information. Moreover, periodical seminars can be held to retain employees’ proper consciousness of political, religious and ethnic issues and to enrich their storage of the relevant knowledge. 5. Conclusion About decade ago, CTV Newsnet anchor Avery Haines’ offensive remarks were aired mistakenly and caused great controversies in the public. The management was facing a severe challenge: the news station’s reputation and growth were threatened. Through OB analysis we have found that certain traits of Haine’s personality, i. e. low level of emotional stableness and ack of conscientiousness, workplace stress from too much workload and pressure, as well as different attribution processes conducted by the anchor, her coworkers and the audience may all causes contributing to the problem. CTV Newsnet could deal with its reputation crisis and avoid these technical and behavioural errors in the future by taking the right steps: communicating effectively with the audience about the company’s value and attitude toward this incident, setting up positive reinforcers and punishment rules to encourage desirable behaviour and eliminate undesirable behaviour, doing job redesign to clarify rol es and reduce workload, and providing proper training programs to improve employees’ cognitive abilities and awareness of work ethics. Bibliography 1. Adler, S. , & Weiss, H. M. (1988).Recent developments in the study of personality and organizational behaviour. In C. L. Cooper & I. Robertson (Eds. ), International review of industrial and organizational psychology. New York: Wiley. 2. George, 1992; Weiss, H. M. , & Adler, S. (1984). Personality and organizational behaviour. In B. M. Staw & L. L. Cummings (Eds. ), Research in organizational behaviour (Vol. 6, 1-50). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. 3. Grant, A. M. , & Parker, S. K. (2009). Redesigning work design theories: The rise of relational and proactive perspectives. Academy of Management Annal, 3, 317-375. 4. Jones, E. E. (1979). The rocky road from acts to dispositions. American Psychologist, 34, 107-117; Ross, L. (1977).The intuitive psychologist and his shortcomings: Distortions in the attribution process. Advances in Expe rimental Social Psychology, 10, 173-220. 5. McGrath, J. E. (1970). A conceptual formulation for research on stress. In J. E. McGrath(Ed. ), Social and psychological factors in stress. New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston. 6. Medcof, J. W. (1990). PEAT: An integrative model of attribution processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 23, 111-209. 7. Ng, T. W. H. , Eby, L. T. , Sorensen, K. L. , & Feldma, D. C. (2005). Predictors of objective and subjective career success: A meta-analysis. Personal Psychology,58, 367-408. 8. Ng, T. W. H. , Sorensen, K. L. ,&Eby, L. T. (2006).Locus of control at work: A meta-analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27, 1057-1087. 9. Parasuraman, S. & Alutto, J. A. (1981). An examination of the organization antecedents of stressors at work. Academy of Management Journal, 24, 48-67. 10. Peterson, S. J. ,& Luthans, F. (2006). The impact of financial and nonfinancial incentives on business-unit outcomes over time. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 156-165. 11. Saks. A. M. , Gary. J. (2011). Organizational Behaviour. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. 8th edition. (textbook) 12. Watson, D. (1982). The actor and the observer: How are their perceptions of causality divergent? Psychological Bulletin, 92, 682-700.

Literary Theme A Worn Path Essay

In â€Å"A Worn Path†, the theme though out the story is about a strong undying love an old woman has for her grandchild. According to Clugston 2010, the theme in a story is associated with an idea that lies behind the story. Every story narrows a broad underlying idea, shapes it in a unique way, and makes the underlying idea concrete. That’s how theme is created. In other words, the theme in a story is a representation of the idea behind the story. While a hard journey for an old woman, a grandmother’s undying love shows the depths she was willing to go to take care of her grandchild. When you love someone, there is no journey too far or too hard when that person is in need. The old woman took that journey to get the medicine needed to help the child. Although the medicine did not helping the child in the past, this woman had hopes that maybe, this time it would, and was willing to go to any length to find out. When it comes to a one’s child or in this case a grandchild, there are no lengths one would not go to make them healthy and happy. Though the story does not tell us where the mother of this child was, it does indicate that the child was depending on his grandmother to help him, and it also seems as though the child was all old Phoenix had, and she did not want to loose him. Any one who has children would do almost anything to protect that child, even if it meant walking miles through the deep woods in the blazing sun to make sure you did everything possible to make that child feel better. This story is about the sacrificial love this grandmother had for her grandson who was sick from swallowing lye and the only way to make his throat feel better was for this old woman to walk miles through treacherous woods to get medicine for him that may or may not work. The story is told in the â€Å"Third–person point of view which occurs when the speaker is not a participant in the story. It has two forms: omniscient point of view and objective point of viewâ€Å" (Clugston 2010, ch 5. 2). This can be seen in the narrator telling the story about an old Negro woman named Phoenix, making a journey to the Dr. ’s office, for her grandson’s medicine. The story is told from a limited omniscient point of view observed here: â€Å"On she went. The woods were deep and still. The sun made the pine needles almost too bright to look at, up where the wind rocked. The cones dropped as light as feathers. Down in the hollow was the mourning dove– it was not too late for him† (Clugston 2010, ch 6. 3). The point of view affects the narrative theme by the narrator telling what was going on in the old woman’s mind and showing the determination and the deep love she had for her grandson to enable her to brave the harsh elements of the sun and the woods to complete her mission. The point of view gives the reader more insight as to what was going on beyond what was being said, what old Phoenix was thinking. The story also had a lot of symbolism in it and Clugston 2010, tells us that a symbol is something that has a literal identity but also stands for something else—something that is widely understood and has been developed over a long period of time or by common agreement. This second identity (or referent) is always abstract in nature. Some of the symbolism in this story starts off with the old woman’s name, Phoenix, and according to Clugston 2010, a phoenix is a mythical creature that rises from its own ashes, â€Å"Her name was Phoenix Jackson† (Clugston 2010, ch 6. 3). The narrator giving the month of December which is winter, symbolizing death, stagnation and sleep, and considering the old woman’s age, showing that even after such a long journey, she temporarily forgot what she had traveled so far for. The narrator also tells how Phoenix is feeling during a certain point in the journey, â€Å"Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far† (Clugston 2010 ch 6. ), with chains symbolizing a struggle. The oak trees that are spoken about, symbolized strength and wisdom, of which the old woman exhibited both of these traits, â€Å"Now down through oaks† (Clugston 2010 ch 6. 3), â€Å"She passed through the old cotton and went into a field of dead corn† (Clugston 2010 ch 6. 3), as well as the buzzard, also symbols of death. She also drank â€Å"water which symbolizes source of life and regeneration† as noted, â€Å"In a ravine she went where a spring was silently flowing through a hollow log. â€Å"Old Phoenix bent and drank† (Clugston 2010 ch 6. 3). In the end Phoenix did get the medicine and was so happy when she left the Dr. ’s office, she decided to buy the child a little toy from the nickel she found on the ground and the nickel the nurse had given her. She decided to buy her grandson a pinwheel, knowing this was something that would make him happy. The narrator made me feel that the journey home was a much lighter on Phoenix than the one going to the Dr. ’s office, not only because she had the medicine and she accomplished her mission, but also that fact that she was able to come back with a gift for the child, also showing her love for him. Indeed, while a hard journey for an old woman, a grandmother’s selfless undying love shows the depths she was willing to go to show it. When you love someone, there is no journey too far or too hard when the one you love is in need. Though the medicine was not helping the child, this woman had hopes that maybe this time it would, and would go to any length to find out. When it comes to your children or this case a grandchild, there are no lengths you would not go to make them healthy and happy.

Aas 237 Final Study Guide Essay examples

Aas 237 Final Study Guide Essay examples Aas 237 Final Study Guide Essay examples AAS 237 10/25/12 * Issue 9: Should Laws Prohibiting Marijuana Use Be Relaxed? -Alcohol, cocaine, narcotics, etc. are water soluble in the system for 72-96 hours -Marijuana is fat soluble Neuronsthe specialized cells that conduct electrical impulse in the C.N.S. (Central Nervous System) Cell membranes for neuronsPhospholipids (fat soluble) Normal Cell Membrane Smoking marijuana, Cell Membrane _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________ ___ ___ ____ ______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ ____ ___________ ____ _ __ * Issue (no #): Are Psychotherapeutic Drugs Effective For Treating Mental Illness? Yes Most Impaired Psychosis (4 meanings) Psychosis 1. The most severe form of mental illness. | 2. It affects mood, thinking, + perceptions. Neurosis 3. It interferes with normal human interactions | 4. It’s a break from reality. Personality Disorder | Normal Least Impaired Diagram of Psychosis ___________________________________________ | | Organic/Genetic Predisposed Alzheimer | Chronic Organic Nonorganic (Substance Induced) (Genetic Predisposed) Something impacts the CNS from PTSD, Schizophrenia, Bipolar, outside biochemical changes the neuron chemistry + Schizoaffective. or structural change. TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) + Dementia Reactive Chronic Reactive Chronic (short term) (long term) * Local gov’t will legalize drugs. Federal gov’t will not, because of its impact on society (for ex. China opium dens) * All types of Hallucinations are Organic (see, hear, taste, smell, touch). Only auditory (hearing) Hallucinations are Nonorganic. AAS 237 11/01/12 Perceptions- 2ndary Systems of psychosis (psychotic only) * Hallucinations: Sensory perceptions with no external stimuli. Delusions: Unrealistic Belief _________________________________________________________________________________ * Transient Psychosis: Temporary/based on the level of chemical(s) in your body. * People with substance dependents + mental illness (Physical Illness?) have a co-occurring disorder (Dual Diagnosis). Thinking: Schizophrenia (neg. type) is a thinking disorder (primarily) * Primary Symptoms: 1. Looseness of Association (subject to subject) 2. Flat/Inappropriate affect (the mood that accompanies the subject/sad, happy, and mad) 3. Disorganize Thinking (no sentences, just one word after another) 4. Word Salad (tossing words up) * Neologism: your own language. * Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD/Nonorganic) anxiety

A Hardbound God in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

A Hardbound God in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit A woman climbs into the pulpit and begins to preach. Her words are persuasive and moving, and many believe that she speaks from the Spirit. She is a woman of faith who longs to fulfill her mother’s desire for her to become a missionary. She is smart and she is pious. And according to her congregation, she is an abomination. This gifted preacher is Jeanette, the protagonist in Jeanette Winterson’s â€Å"quirky, unconventional, and often comic† novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Merriam-Webster 1207). As was Winterson herself, the book’s protagonist is raised in a climate of religious fanaticism. Her family’s DEEDS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT tablecloth is only one indication of its unswerving devotion to biblical fundamentalism. But just as the word Bible means not â€Å"a book,† but â€Å"a collection of books,† so Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is not a story but a collection of stories. Ranging from the wry to the fanciful, these related anecdotes tell the tale not only of Jeanette’s life, but also a tale about storytelling itself. Through the postmodern use of story frames, Winterson both constructs and deconstructs her own narrative, and in doing so, she builds Jeanette an escape hatch from the snares of religious zealotry. Oranges is a book brimming with religious symbolism. Most obviously, the chapters are built on a biblical armature, each named for a book of the Bible. In the first chapter, Genesis, Jeanette tells of her Messiah-style birth: Her mother, not wanting to conceive a child in the typical fashion, â€Å"followed a star until it came to settle above an orphanage, and in that place was a crib, and in that crib, a child. A child with too much hair† (Winterson 10). But there the symbolism only begins. Jeanette says that her mother â€Å"took the child away for seven days and seven nights† (Winterson 10). The phrase echoes a biblical passage—â€Å"So they sat down with [Job] upon the ground for seven days and seven nights† (Job 2:13)—and includes the symbolic number seven, the number of â€Å"completion and perfection† (Ferguson 154). The mystical nature of the number is of ancient origin (Sahibzada) and also occurs elsewhere in the novel, as when Past or Finch ask the young Jeanette how old she is and she replies, â€Å"Seven† (Winterson 11). â€Å"Ah, seven,† he says. â€Å"How blessed, the seven days of creation, the seven-branched candlestick, the seven seals† (Winterson 11). But also how cursed, he thunders, because â€Å"the demon can return SEVENFOLD† (Winterson 12). And indeed it does return sevenfold, according to the pastor, when Jeanette is revealed for the second time to be a lesbian (Winterson 131). At the same moment, â€Å"seven ripe oranges† appear on the windowsill (Winterson 131). Seven is also, incidentally, the number of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, of the deadly sins, and of the cardinal virtues. Some of the novel’s biblical allusions are more direct, like the amusing reference to Elsie’s three mice in a fiery cage as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Winterson 31)—three figures from the book of Daniel—and the same reference to name to the sorcerer’s three ravens (Winterson 145). But some of the book’s biblical allusions are more subtle: â€Å"And so, being sensible, the collector of curios will surround himself with dead things, and think about the past when it lived and moved and had being† (Winterson 95). The reference is to Acts: â€Å"For in him we live, and move, and have our being† (Acts 17:28). This weaving of religious words and symbols into her novel is no doubt a byproduct of Winterson’s evangelical upbringing. Her parents belonged to the Pentecostal denomination, one that believes that the Bible is literally true in all things—that it is â€Å"inerrant† (United Pentecostal Church International). In declaring the Bible inerrant, the church makes it a substitute for God—a form of idolatry called â€Å"bibliolatry† (Gomes 36). As John Shelby Spong says in his book Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, this is a comforting belief: Those whose religious security is rooted in a literal Bible do not want that security disturbed. They are not happy when facts challenge their biblical understanding or when nuances in the text are introduced or when they are forced to deal with either contradictions or changing insights. The Bible, as they understand it, shares in the permanence and certainty of God, convinces them that they are right, and jus tifies the enormous fear and even negativity that lie so close to the surface in fundamentalistic religion. For biblical literalists, there is always an enemy to be defeated in mortal combat† (Spong 3). When Jeanette’s lesbian love affair with Melanie comes to light at church, Jeanette becomes an adversary in this mortal combat. Even as recently as 1977, the Pentecostal Church declared that it disapproved of â€Å"liberal groups within Christianity who are accepting ‘the so-called gay-rights movement as a legitimate lifestyle† and condemned homosexuality as â€Å"vile, unnatural, unseemly and an abomination in the sight of God† (ReligiousTolerance.org). The denomination’s words here are taken from Paul’s epistle to the Romans (Romans 1:26-27). Peter Gomes, the chaplain at Harvard College, explains views like this one in terms of fear. Fear is â€Å"at the heart of homophobia, as it was at the heart of racism,† and religion is â€Å"a moral fig leaf that [covers] naked prejudice† (Gomes 166). Gomes adds that â€Å"no credible case against homosexuality or homosexuals can be made from the Bible unless one chooses to read scriptur e in a way that simply sustains the existing prejudice against homosexuality and homosexuals. The combination of ignorance and prejudice under the guise of morality makes the religious community, and its abuse of scripture in this regard, itself morally culpable† (Gomes 147). Jeanette’s congregation responds to news of her ongoing homosexuality by rethinking her role in the church overall and prohibiting her from having â€Å"influential contact† with the other parishioners (Winterson 134). Here again, they use the Bible to support an existing prejudice: â€Å"The real problem, it seemed, was going against the teaching of St. Paul, and allowing women power in the church† (Winterson 133). The Bible does say, after all, that â€Å"it is shameful for a woman to speak in church† (1 Corinthians 14:35). Jeanette’s mother is no doubt thinking of this verse and others like it when she stands up in church and says that â€Å"the message belonged to the men† (Winterson 133). It would seem to be an occasion of moral clarity, one that would appeal to Jeanette’s mother, who â€Å"had never heard of mixed feelings. There were friends and there were enemies† (Winterson 3). And Jeanette had become the enemy. Convinced that it is possible to love another woman and God at the same time, Jeanette ultimately responds by leaving the congregation and setting out on her own. But Jeanette the character is also Jeanette the author: Winterson’s book is largely autobiographical. The author Jeanette writes a book that questions the very act of storytelling. Its postmodern conceit includes frames not only from her own life but also from the Arthurian legend and other apocryphal tales. By including these fanciful elements in her narrative, Winterson deconstructs the storytelling process and shows the hazard of believing in the inerrancy of any book. Her approach is not unlike that of Toni Morrison’s in The Bluest Eye. Morrison deconstructs the traditional â€Å"Dick and Jane† children’s story to show that it simply doesn’t apply to African-Americans (Morrison). But Winterson’s deconstruction effort extends to the Bible itself. As Spong says, â€Å"We need to be reminded that even in this modern world with its technological genius, there is still no such thing as ‘objective’ history† (Spong 37). By writing a postmodern book on a biblical armature, Winterson seems to say that the Bible itself is open to interpretation. Like her life story, the Bible is a narrative that should not be taken too literally. In doing so, Winterson exposes the gray areas of which her mother seems to be so fearful. â€Å"A major function of fundamentalist religion is to bolster deeply insecure and fearful people,† Spong says (Spong 5). But despite her ongoing religious fervor, Jeanette’s mother appears to have softened her position on her daughter’s lesbianism when Jeanette returns home at the end of the story. And Jeanette might well be grateful that being a lesbian has caused her to reexamine the fundamentalist faith she inherited from her mother: By running afoul of her Church’s Christian teaching, she rejects judgment over charity, and in the process becomes more Christian herself. A stanza from an old hymn captures this progressive notion: New occasions teach new duties, Time makes ancient good uncouth; They must upward still and onward Who would keep abreast of truth. James Russell Lowell, 1845 As Oranges comes to a close, the biblical naming of the book’s chapters is at its most poignant. Consider the familiar â€Å"Song of Ruth†: Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God† (Ruth 1:16) This text, sung at so many heterosexual weddings, is a biblical song that—although few realize it—is sung by one woman to another woman. No longer wanting to pursue a traditional heterosexual marriage, Ruth says these words and persuades Naomi that they should be together. In calling this final chapter Ruth, Winterson sheds new light on the notion of biblical literalism. Jeanette’s mother had hoped her daughter would become a missionary, and so she does—a missionary for understanding. WORKS CITED Gomes, Peter J. The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart. New York: Wiliam Morrow and Company, Inc., 1996. Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Wester, Inc., 1995. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Plume, 1994. ReligiousTolerance.org. â€Å"Homosexuality and the Pentecostal Movement.† www.religioustolerance.org/hom_upci.htm. Accessed May 8, 2003. Sahibzada, Mahnaz. â€Å"The Symbolism of the Number Seven in Islamic Culture and Rituals.† www.wadsworth.com/religion_d/special_features/ symbols/islamic.html. Accessed May 8, 2003. Spong, John Shelby. Rescuing the Bible From Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1991. United Pentecostal Church International. www.upci.org. Accessed May 8, 2003.