Development of a Business Plan to Establish a Private Jet Charter Essay

Development of a Business Plan to Establish a Private Jet Charter - Essay Example The adoption of the hub and spoke system by commercial airlines requires most passengers to transit through one of some 70 large airports, adding to the total travel time for most passengers. Most major airline hubs are large and have air traffic congestion and connection times of over 2 hours are needed to provide for potential delays in the incoming flight and the transfer time including additional security screening. An additional issue with the hub and spoke system is the increased probability of mishandled baggage. Due to restrictions on the nature of carry-on bags, many business travelers need to check in tools, instruments and such material and if these do not make the transfer, the business trip itself may become abortive (Copley, 2012). There are over 5000 public use airports in the US that can be accessed by private air charter planes. The reduced travel time due to point-to-point connection, the convenience of flexible departure and turnaround times, the possibility of using flying time for work and the reducing cost differential between commercial plane tickets and air charter rates ( especially when a team of people are travelling together) is driving the growth of the air charter industry. There are over 2,000 registered private air charter companies in the US operating over 15,000 business aircraft with total revenues of over $ 12 billion a year. The overwhelming majority of these planes seat 4 to 8 passengers and have a maximum range of 1,000 miles. Private air charter companies transport between 1 and 1.5 million a year and these aircraft log over 18 billion revenue passenger miles. Contrary to the general impression, only some 3% of these are owned by large corporations (NBAA Fact Book, 2012). Most business aircraft are operated by small entrepreneurs and are typically operations with 1 -2 aircraft. The

The Removal of the Compulsory Retirement Age Essay Example for Free

The Removal of the Compulsory Retirement Age Essay However, our superannuation system is in a transition phase, and some the details of the changes are contained in the table below: Age regulations and qualifications governing superannuation and social security systems 55| Age to which superannuation entitlements are compulsorily preserved. From age 55, preserved superannuation becomes available upon retirement. For people aged 55 to 60 years, Regulations under the  Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993  (SIS regulations) define retirement as permanent withdrawal from the workforce. A phased increase in the superannuation preservation age to 60 is to begin in 2015 and will affect people born after 30 June 1960. By 2025, people born after June 1964 will be subject to a preservation age of 60 years. | | People aged 55 years and over can access a range of social security pensions and benefits depending on their circumstances, e. g. Disability Support Pension, Newstart Allowance, Carer Pension and Widow Allowance. From September 1997, superannuation assets of those aged 55 and over were taken into account under the income and assets tests after 9 months on income support (pending legislation). 60| Under SIS Regulations, after age 60, retirement may be taken to have occurred upon cessation of a period of gainful employment even if the person intends to re-enter gainful employment. Current qualifying age for Mature Age Allowance. | 61| Womens current qualifying age for age pension. The age pension age for women is being slowly increased to 65 over the next 17 years (reaching 65 years in July 2013). | 65| Mens qualifying age for age pension. | 70| From 1 July 1997 people were allowed to continue to contribute to a regulated superannuation fund up to age 70, provided they are gainfully employed for at least 10 hours per week over the year. | http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_is_the_workplace_compulsory_retirement_age_Australia http://www. alrc. gov. au/publications/2-recruitment-and-employment-law/compulsory-retirement Most people retire at 55 years or over. According to the  Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average age Australians intend to retire is 63 for men and 61 for women. Compulsory retirement at 65 was made unlawful in South Australia in 1993. It is against the law to dismiss staff because of their age unless there is an occupational reason to be a certain age. Most staff cant be forced to retire because of age except: * judges and magistrates must retire at 70 * Australian Defence Force personnel must retire at 65. The average retirement age is likely to increase as we have an ageing population. More workers will move into retirement age and fewer will enter the labour market. As a result, there will be a shortage of workers. Governments and many employers are already trying to encourage workers to stay on longer by offering assistance to older staff and options like  phased retirement. You can retain your staff past retirement age by offering  phased retirement or flexible working conditions. http://www. eoc. sa. gov. au/eo-business/employers/staffing/dismissing-retrenching-and-retiring-staff/retiring-staff/when-do-staf The likelihood of being retired increased with age. For those aged 45-49 years, just 5% were retired, compared to 16% of 55-59 year olds, 68% of 65-69 year olds and 87% of those aged 70 years and over. In 2010-11, 63% of men aged 45 years and over were in the labour force, 33% had retired, and 3% were not in the labour force but had not yet retired. In contrast, 50% of women aged 45 years and over were in the labour force, 39% had retired and the remaining 5% were not in the labour force but had not yet retired. The average age at retirement from the labour force for people aged 45 years and over in 2010-11 was 53. years (57. 9 years for men and 49. 6 years for women). Of the 1. 4 million men who had retired from the labour force: 27% had retired aged less than 55 years; 53% had retired aged 55-64 years; and 20% had retired aged 65 years and over. The 1. 8 million women who had retired from the labour force had retired on average at a younger age than men. The ages at which women retirees had retired from the labour force were as foll ows: 57% had retired aged less than 55 years; 35% had retired aged 55-64 years; and % had retired aged 65 years and over. Of the 2. 2 million retired people who had worked in the last 20 years, 94% had held a full-time job at some stage. For nearly three-quarters (72%) of those who held a full-time job, their last job held prior to retirement was full-time. The remainder worked part-time before retiring. http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[emailprotected] nsf/Latestproducts/6238. 0Main%20Features1July%202010%20to%20June%202011? opendocument;amp;tabname=Summary;amp;prodno=6238. 0;amp;issue=July%202010%20to%20June%202011;amp;num=;amp;view= ttp://jobsearch. about. com/b/2013/03/08/too-old-to-get-hired. htm In advanced and developing economies, ageing populations and low birth rates are emphasising the need for retaining and sustaining competent older workers. This paper examines human resource and governmental policy and practice implications from the contradictory accounts directed tow ards those workers aged over 44 years, who are usually classi? ed as ‘older workers’. It focuses on a key and paradoxical impediment in the workforce retention of these workers. Using Australia as a case study, this paper argues that policies and practices to retain and sustain workers aged 45 or more need to de-emphasise the term ‘older workers’ and reconsider how human resource management and government policies, as well as practices by workers themselves, might pursue longer and more productive working lives for employees aged over 45. It seeks to elaborate the paradox of the (under)valuing of older workers’ contributions and provides direction for retaining and supporting the ongoing employability of these workers. It concludes by proposing that government, industry bodies and sector councils that seek to change employer attitudes will likely require a dual process comprising both engagement with older workers and a balanced appraisal of their worth. Alone, subsidies and/or mandation may well serve to entrench age bias without measures to redress that bias through a systematic appraisal of their current and potential contributions. In addition, to support this transformation of bias and sustain their employability, older workers will likely need to exercise greater agency in their work and learning. Quite consistently across international and national surveys, a pattern emerges of employers and managers holding older workers in low esteem which appears quite entrenched. Indeed, managers’ assessments of older workers are consistently negative, seemingly irrespective of appraisals of their actual performance (Rosen and Jerdee 1988). The evidence from studies across Europe and North America commonly report that employers are far more likely to fund the training of the young and well educated, rather than older workers (Brunello 2001; Brunello and Medio 2001; Giraud 2002). Truly, some northern European countries adopt more positive attitudes towards and claim a strong sense of obligation to older workers as exercised through a set of national policies and practices (Bishop 1997; Smith and Billett 2003). Yet, it is noteworthy that elsewhere the ways in which employers distribute and fund developmental opportunities for their employees, is resistant to legislated (Giraud 2002) and mandated measures (Bishop 1997). Instead, the privileging of youth (and perhaps never more so than when they become a scarce commodity within ageing populations) is that which shapes employers’ decisionmaking about the distribution of sponsored workplace-based opportunities for learning. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1251This suggests that government intervention by pressing or subsidising employers to employ older workers will not be suf? cient, unless the attitude of employers can in some way be transformed. Australian studies of attitudes towards older workers report similar ? ndings to those reported elsewhere. One study concluded that ‘regardless of the perceived more positive qualities of older workers , employers appear to prefer to recruit employees in the younger age groups for most employee categories’ with ‘minimal interest in recruiting anyone over 45 years for any job and no preference for anyone 56 years or older’ (Steinberg, Donald, Najman and Skerman 1996, p. 157). Despite the increasing recognition of the looming labour shortage at that time and following it, such attitudes appear to have been slow to change. Yet, such attitudes are quite potent. Taylor and Walker (1998, p. 44) concluded that ‘workplace perceptions about older workers (and different groups of older workers) may directly in? uence not only their prospects for gaining employment but also their prospects for development and advancement within an organisation’. A 2003 guide by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) identi? ed numerous ‘readily accepted negative stereot ypes of mature-age workers’, including their lacking motivation and enthusiasm, being close-minded, more susceptible to injury and illness, having outdated skills, less capable, unwilling to take on new training or challenges, risk averse and having less potential for development (p. 2). Yet, the issues raised by the BCA (2003) pose dif? culties in generalising about employer attitudes and practices. In a telephone survey of some 1000 enterprises in the business services sector, which included computer, legal, accounting and employment services, Bittman, Flick and Rice (2001) found no clear pattern of negative attitudes towards employing older workers. They claimed (p. vii) that ‘despite [employers’] reputation for favouring younger, risk-taking innovators, the study revealed a preference for a diverse workforce of intelligent, reliable, team workers with industry rather than computing experience’. However, Gringart, Helmes and Speelman (2005) claim the methodology used in that study did not allow respondents to systematically stereotype workers on the basis of age. Moreover, the business service sector may well be one of those better disposed to employing and supporting older workers than many others, as its work may be more age tolerant than others. Across a range of industries, a survey of 8000 Australian employers found the most proactive recruitment for mature age workers was in the ? ance sector (47% of ? rms), compared with only 32% in information technologies and 24% in telecommunications (Deare 2006). This kind of difference indicates that employer attitudes are not uniform in their application or intensity, across industry sectors. For instance, in their 2001 study, Gringart and Helmes found that older female jobseekers were discriminated against more than males. Yet, 4 years later, the researchers (Gringart et al. 2005) found no signi? cant gender difference. They concluded rather baldly that the sample of 128 ‘hiring decision makers’ in businesses of up to 50 employees was generally unlikely to hire older workers. These studies indicate that employer attitude is central not only to recruiting and retaining older workers, but also in advancing support for maintaining their employability through opportunities to further develop and apply more widely the knowledge they have learnt. Indeed, Howell, Buttigieg and Webber (2006, p. ) concluded that senior management’s support for diversity and effective utilisation of older workers as part of the retail workforce resulted in age-positive practices by those managers who supervise older workers. Nonetheless, in its own way, this kind of endorsement indicates, ? rstly, the importance of attitudes being premised on the basis of informed accounts of performance and not age bias and, secondly, that these attitudes can change. 1252 S. Billett et al. Such change in attitudes would n eed to be broadly applied across decision-making in businesses. For instance, the BCA (2003, p. 8) claimed that voluntary retirement is often seen as a workforce management tool, but that such policies are often based on age alone, and that consideration is not given to the employees’ skill and experience pro? les. The depth and pervasiveness of the employer discrimination against older workers are illustrated further in the BCA’s (2003, p. 11) ? ndings which suggest that recruitment agencies may actually practise ‘ageism’ when shortlisting applicants for their clients, a claim denied by the agencies (Hovenden 2004). Certainly, some of these agencies promote mature age employment through their websites. One of them commissioned a report on the implications of the ageing population in the Australian workforce that described ageism as ‘a particularly insidious form of discrimination’ (Jorgensen 2004, p. 13). Recommending that employers needed to confront their own prejudices, Jorgensen also suggested (p. 13) that ‘policy approaches that deal with ageism also need to be carefully framed so as not to stigmatise older workers, isolate younger workers or impose obligations on older workers who simply do not have the health or desire to continue in full time or part time employment’. It follows from here that in the current social and ? nancial environments, speci? c and targeted policies and sustained initiatives are likely to be required to change attitudes about older workers’ occupational capacities and employability across their working lives. However, these initiatives will need to overcome a range of societal and workplace barriers for the maximum retention of and full utilisation of these workers’ capacities. Key barriers here include a societal preference of privileging youth over age across countries with advanced industrial economies. This preference manifests itself in workplace practices of not only favouring the employment of younger workers, but also directing far more resources towards their development than older workers, among other groups (Brunello 2001; Brunello and Medio 2001). These preferences seem powerful and enduring. Even evidence suggesting that older workers are as capable as other workers and have the very attributes employers claim to value, seemingly fail to change management’s views, i. e. f those who employ and make decisions about workers’ advancement and access to development opportunities. Some might argue that this preference will change as older workers become an increasingly common element of the workforce and a necessity for employers. Countering such a claim is the prospect that a scarcity of younger people may well lead to greater enterprise competition for and sponsorship of younger and well-educated workers and more intense resourcing of these workers and away from o lder workers. Moreover, despite the growing presence of older workers in the Australian workforce over the last 20 years, little appears to have changed in terms of employer preference or workplace responses to their growing participation. Salient here is the comparison of older workers with women workers. Despite their increasing participation in the workforce, women workers across a range of national workforces have struggled to secure worthwhile work conditions, despite legislative arrangements associated with equal opportunity (Cavanagh 2008). Therefore, unless signi? ant changes occur in both the attitudes towards and Australian employers’ practices, older workers may well increasingly struggle to secure worthwhile work, and opportunities for the development and advancement required to retain them in socially and economically vital work and improve their effectiveness in that work. Indeed, there are potentially strong negative consequences here. Consequences of negative employer attitu des and practices There are both personal and societal costs of employer attitudes and practices that discriminate unreasonably against older workers. These costs include the limits in range of The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1253employment options for these workers and dif? culties becoming employed. Indeed, a consequence of policies designed to promote a deregulated and ? exible labour market is the growing distinction between ‘core sector jobs’ (‘good’ jobs that require high skills, offer decent wages and provide bene? ts such as support for training and development) and ‘peripheral sector jobs’ (‘dead end’ jobs that require few skills, offer poor wages and few bene? s, as well as little in the way of job security) (Kossen and Pedersen 2008, p. 5). Given such a bifurcation, the great risk is that older workers will be seen as only being employable in the peripheral sectors. This may well be particularly true for the range of options that are available for many older workers. Challenging the notion of meritocracy in the labour market, Kossen and Pedersen ( 2008, p. 6) cite research indicating that older workers who have been excluded from employment ‘experience far greater dif? culty in rejoining the core orkforce’. The point here is that older workers may have greater dif? culty securing worthwhile work when they re-enter the workforce. Indeed, the negative attitudes that older workers experience may well contribute to the widespread ‘culture’ of early retirement in Australia (Encel 2003) in which workforce participation by those over 55 is considerably lower than in many other OECD countries (ABS 2007) as these workers fail to ? nd meaningful employment, and withdraw from the labour market. A recruiting agency (Adage, n. d. 1) concluded that mature age workers are more likely to ‘experience the compounding effect of being out of the workforce resulting in being seen as less employable’. Another agency reported that nearly three-quarters of 2000 baby boomers surveyed believed that it is nearly i mpossible to get a job after age 45 (Brinsden 2007). The studies cited above, along with a range of other research ? ndings (see OECD 2006a, 2006b; Syed 2006; Kossen and Pedersen 2008) con? rm that age prejudice is alive and well in Australian workplaces, and likely play out most heavily on those who are currently out of employment. Consequently, a priority for policy is to ? nd ways of supporting unemployed older workers’ re-employment, and in worthwhile work, and ? nding ways of praising their worth that can transform the attitudes of their employers. Yet, others suggest that factors other than age alone play key roles in decision-making, particularly that such decisions are based on a business case, not on ageism. In an Equal Opportunity Commission seminar, Ranzijn (2005, p. 1) argued that ‘in general, age discrimination is not a function of a negative attitude towards older workers, but based on an implicit cost/bene? analysis’. The OECD (2006a, 2006b, p. 10) also noted that a dif? culty for employers with older workers is ‘wages and non-wage labour costs that rise more steeply with age than productivity’ and also that there are ‘shorter expected pay-back periods on investments in the training of older workers as well as their lower average educational attainmentâ€℠¢. Perhaps, because of such imperatives, Encel (2003, p. 4) warned that age discrimination is ‘commonly covert and evasive and easily masked’. Similarly, Bittman et al. (2001, p. 6) reported to an Australian House of Representatives inquiry into older workers’ unemployment that the latter were consistently advised that they were ‘over quali? ed for lower positions and under quali? ed for higher positions’. Whatever the reasons advanced by employers for not retaining or employing mature age workers, Ranzijn (2005, p. 8) pointed out that the changing demographics of the workforce will inevitably mean that employers will have to resort to older workers in order to maintain productivity, a point also made by the OECD (2006b) based on a multi-nation survey. However, such a pragmatic and expedient premise may not be the best one to proceed with. Despite becoming increasingly essential for the production of goods and services, older workers will continue to be seen as ‘last resort workers’: at the bottom of employers’ preferred kind of workers (Quintrell 2000). Employees categorised in this way will often be a low priority for employer-sponsored development opportunities and support in the 1254 S. Billett et al. workplace (Billett and Smith 2003) of the kinds required to retain them and further develop their capacities. Hence, even if the government supports the re-employment of older workers, it is likely that within the workplaces the opportunities are still likely to be shaped by a cultural preference where youth is championed and privileged, and where age is seen as a natural decline (Giddens 1997). Therefore, older workers cannot be con? dent of being afforded the kinds of employer support required to maintain their workplace competence and successfully negotiate work transitions. Moreover, given the privileging of youth, it is unlikely that older workers will make demands for employer-funded training, lest they reinforce the sentiment of being a liability. Analogously, Church (2004) refers to disabled workers who have particular needs for support, yet are strategic and cautious in their demands for workplace support, including that from their co-workers, lest they be seen as liabilities in cost-conscious work environments. Nevertheless, the widely held view among employers that older workers are less able and in? xible, and offer limited return on developmental opportunities is questioned by data arising from informants with direct experience of these workers. McIntosh (2001), for instance, notes that enterprises actually employing older workers value their contributions in quite distinct ways: survey responses of nearly 400 American employers and human resource development managers characterised older workers as: (a) being ? exible and open to change, (b) ha ving up-to-date skills, (c) interested in learning new tasks and (d) willing to take on challenging tasks. Furthermore, 68% of the respondents concluded that training older workers costs less or the same as training their younger counterparts; 57% reported that age does not affect the amount of time required to train an employee (14% disagreed) and 49% believed that older workers grasp new concepts as well as younger workers (18% disagreed). In all, this survey portrays older workers as ideal employees, which confounds the sentiment behind practices that distribute employer-funded support away from these workers. The exercise of this sentiment may also re? ect the contradictory and confusing discourse that many older workers experience and try to understand in the workplace: they are essential to maintain the production of goods and services, yet discriminated against in terms of the opportunities afforded them. Despite the suggestion in the survey reported by McIntosh (2001), few studies effectively describe the reaction and role of older workers to the changing nature of work processes. Indeed, McNair, Flynn, Owen, Humphreys and Wood? ld (2004) claim their surveys indicate that most workers reported not being given assistance to negotiate new work roles and new work as their work life transforms. Hence, this reinforces not only the lack of support, but also the need for and apparent success of these workers being able to independently develop their capacities. Consequently, policies and practices by government, industry bodies and industry sector interests may have to interweave both suppor t for older workers’ re-employment or continuing employment, with processes that also attempt to transform the views and perspectives of employers. Yet, sitting in here also is the need to develop and support these workers’ capacities to be agentic learners, i. e. in line with their own interests and intentions (Billett and vanWoerkom 2006). Direct subsidies may well indeed reinforce the perspective that positions older workers as being de? cient and worthy of societally incurred subsidies, and places employers as being only able to employ and promote the interests of these workers when such subsidies are available. It would then seem that policies and practices are needed to both engage employers with older workers and promote their worth to employers in a way which incrementally in? ences their decision-making. It is these kinds of engagement and development that will be required to both overcome and transform well-entrenched preferences. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1255All of the above points to the importance of identifying what has to be done to effectively retain older workers and develop their employability. Added here is the prospect that the fewer available younger workers will be in high demand and, as such, are unlikely to select low-status occupations such as aged care. Hence, and as noted, a key consideration for approaches to improving policy and practice for older workers is shifting employer attitudes towards a more positive accounting of the capabilities and potentialities of these workers. Policy reform is needed to respond to engage and inform to secure such a shift. Therefore, it is helpful to identify what has been done to bring about such changes, policy wise. References Adage (n. d), ‘Why Adage Targets Mature Professionals,’ www. adage. com. au Ainsworth, S. (2001), ‘The Discursive Construction of the Older Worker Identity: A Re? ction on Process and Methods,’ Tamara: The Journal of Critical Postmodern Science, 1, 4, 29–46. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004), ‘Paid Work: Mature Age Workers,’ Australian Social Trends, series, catalogue no. 4102. 0, June 15, Canberra, ABS. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007), ‘Skilling Mature Age Australians for Work,’ Year Book Australia, ca talogue no. 1301. 0, February 7, Canberra, ABS. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008), ‘Population Projections – a Tool for Examining Population Ageing,’ Australian Social Trends series, catalogue no. 4102. 0, June 15, Canberra, ABS. Australian National Training Authority (2004), Increasing the Vocational Education and Training Participation and Achievement of Older Workers: Ideas for Action, Brisbane: ANTA. Billett, S. (2010), Promoting and Supporting Lifelong Employability for Singapore’s Workers Aged 45 and Over, Singapore: Institute for Adult Learning. Billett, S. , and Smith, A. (2003), ‘Compliance, Engagement and Commitment: Increasing Employer Expenditure in Training,’ Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 53, 3, 251–269. Billett, S. , and vanWoerkom, M. (2006), ‘Older Workers and Learning Through Work: The Need for Agency and Critical Re? ction,’ in Promoting Lifelong Learning for Older Workers – an International Overview, eds. T. Tikkanen and B. Nyhan, Cedefop Reference Series 65. Luxembourg: EUR-OP, pp. 177–189. Bishop, J. H. (1997), ‘What We know About Employer Provided Training: A Review of the Literature,’ Research in Labour E conomics, 16, 19–87. Bittman, M. , Flick, M. , and Rice, J. (2001), ‘The Recruitment of Older Australian Workers: A Survey of Employers in a High Growth Industry,’ UNSW, Report for Department of Family and Community Services, Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney. Brinsden, C. 2007), ‘Mature-age Workers Pessimistic Over Future,’ The Australian, 9 July, online. Brunello, G. (2001), ‘On the Complementarity Between Education and Training in Europe,’ IZA discussion paper 309, Forschungsinstituit zur Zukunft der Arbeit- IZA, Institute for the Study of Labour, Zurich. Brunello, G. , and Medio, A. (2001), ‘An Explanation of International Differences in Education and Workplace Training,’ European Economic Review, 45, 2, 307–322. Business Council of Australia (2003), Age Can Work: A Business Guide for Supporting Older Workers, Melbourne: BCA. Cavanagh, J. (2008), ‘Women Auxiliary Workers’ Learning and Discovering â€Å"Self† Through Work,’ in Emerging Perspectives of Learning Through Work, eds. S. Billett, C. Harties and A. Etela? pelto, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishing, BV, pp. 67–82. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1259Church, K. (2004), ‘Dancing Lessons: A Choreography of Disability in Corporate Culture,’ Paper presented at the WALL Annual Meeting, Toronto. Colebatch, T. (2009), ‘Retirement by 70 a Fading Hope for Many,’ The Age, 25 February, online. Deare, S. (2006), ‘IT and Telecomms Inactive on Mature Workers,’ ZDNet Australia. www. zdnet. com. au/news/business/soa/IT-and-telecomms-inactive-on-mature-workers/0,139023166, 139251015,00. htm Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2008), ‘Outcome 8: Workforce Participation,’ DEEWR Budget Statements – Outcomes and Performance. www. deewr. gov. au/ deewr/Publications/Budget Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (2005), Workforce Tomorrow, Canberra: DEWR. Dymock, D. , Billett, S. , Martin, G. , and Johnson, G. 2009), ‘Retaining and Sustaining the Competence of Older Workers: An Australian Perspective,’ Paper presented at the conference, Lifelong learning revisited: What next? June 24–26, Stirling University, Scotland. Encel, S. (2003), ‘Age Can Work: The Case for Older Australians Staying in the Workforce,’ A report to the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Business Council of A ustralia, Sydney. Giddens, A. (1997), Sociology (3rd ed. ), Cambridge: Polity Press. Giraud, O. (2002), â€Å"Firms† Further Training Practices and Social Exclusion: Can Industrial Relations Systems Provide Greater Equality? Theoretical and Empirical Evidence from Germany and France,’ in Education, Training and Employment Dynamics: Transitional Labour Markets in the European Union, eds. K. Schoman and P. J. Connell, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 300–303. Gringart, E. , Helmes, E. , and Speelman, C. (2005), ‘Exploring Attitudes Toward Older Workers Among Australian Employers: An Empirical Study,’ Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 17, 3, 85–103. Hovenden, D. (2004), ‘Fishy Memories on Ageing Workforce Crisis,’ Human Resources Magazine. www. humanresourcesmagazine. com. au/articles/15/0c019a15. asp Howell, S. Buttigieg, D. , and Webber, W. (2006), ‘Management Attitudes to Older Workers in the Retail Sector,’ Monash Business Review, 2, 3, 1–10. Jorgensen, B. (2004), The Ageing Population: Implications for the Australian Workforce, Sydney: Hudson Global Resources and Human Capital Solutions. Kossen, C. , and Pedersen, C. (2008), ‘Older Workers in Australia: The Myths, the Realities and the Battle over Workforce â€Å"Flexibility†,’ Journal of Management and Organization, 14, 1, 73–84. McIntosh, B. (2001),An Employer’s Guide to Older Workers: How to Win Them Back and Convince Them to Stay. ww. doleta. gov/Seniors/other_docs/EmplGuide. pdf McNair, S. , Flynn, M. , Owen, L. , Humphreys, C. , and Wood? eld, S. (2004),Changing Work in Later Life: A Study of Job Transitions, London: University of Surrey, Centre for Research into the Older Workforce. Naegele, G. , and Walker, A. (2006), A Guide to Good Practice in Age Management, Dublin: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Naughtin, G. (2008), ‘Social Inclusion and Older People,’ in Social Inclusion Down Under: Symposium Proceedings, Brotherhood of St. Laurence. www. sl. org. au/naughtin_symposium_ paper_26Jun08. pdf Neville, I. (2008), ‘The Australian Labour Market: Challenges and Resp onses,’ Seminar presentation, Canberra, Labour Supply and Skills Branch, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. www. gemspl. com. au/bipartite2008/Proceedings/ Ivan%20Neville%20Presp. pdf NSW Labor (2008), ‘Supporting Older Workers,’ 9 July, NSW Labor. www. nswalp. com/blog/358/ supporting-older-workers Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2006a), ‘Live Longer, Work Longer: A Synthesis Report,’ Summary. Paris: OECD. www. oecd. org/els/employment/olderworkers. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2006b), Live Longer, Work Longer: A Synthesis Report, Paris: OECD. Price, R. , and Colley, L. (2007), ‘Assessing HR Strategies for Retaining an Aging Workforce,’ in 15th International Employment Relations Association Conference: Working Lives, Working Choices, July, 9–13, Canterbury, England. Queensland Government (2008), Experience Pays Pack, Brisbane: Department of Employment and Industrial Relations. 260 S. Billett et al. Quintrell, M. (2000), ‘Older and Wiser; or Just at the End of the Line? ’ Westminster Studies in Education, 23, 19–31. Ranzijn, R. (2005), ‘Discrimination Against the Older Worker: Psychology and Economics,’ Paper presented at seminar, ‘Of Working Age,’ May, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Sydney. Rolland, L. (2007), ‘Ageing and Work in 2030: In or Out of Our Hands? ’ Paper prepared for forum, ‘Ageing 2030 – Creating the future,’ Sydney, NSW Government. Rosen, B. , and Jerdee, T. H. 1988), ‘Managing Older Workers’ Careers,’Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 6, 37–74. Smith, A. , and Billett, S. (2003), Enhancing Employers’ Expenditure on Training, Adelaide: National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Steinberg, M. , Donald, K. , Najman, J. , and Skerman, H. (1996), ‘Attitudes of Employees and Employers Towards Older Workers in a Climate of Anti-Discrimination,’Australian Journal on Ageing, 15, 4, 154–158. Syed, J. (2006), ‘Older Workers in Australia: A Policy Perspective,’ Journal of Economic and Social Policy, 1, 11, 21–43. Taylor, P. , and Walker, A. (1998), ‘Employers and Older Workers: Attitudes and Employment Practices,’ Ageing and society, 18, 641–658. The Treasury (2010), ‘Australia to 2050: Future Challenges,’ (Intergenerational Report), Canberra, Australian Government. Tikkanen, T. (1997, May), ‘Consequences of Unemployment on Professional Competency,’ Paper presented at the Nordic Conference on Adult Education, Trondheim, Norway. Tikkanen, T. , Lahn, L. , Ward, P. , and Lyng, K. (2002), Working Life Changes and Training of Older Workers, Trondheim: Vox. an Dijk, T. A. (2008), Discourse and Power, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Victorian Government (2005), ‘The Ageing Workforce,’ The State of Working Victoria Project, Information Paper No. 4, Melbourne. Weller, S. (2007), ‘Discrimination, Labour Markets and the Labour Market Prospects of Older Workers: What Can a Legal Case Teach Us? ’ Work, Employment and Society, 21, 417â⠂¬â€œ437. Wooden, M. , VandenHeuvel, A. , and Cully, M. (2001), Barriers to Training for Older Workers and Possible Policy Solutions, Adelaide: DETYA/NILS, Flinders University The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 22, No. 6, March 2011, 1248–1261 Employees. Theyre the one thing that businesses everywhere have a need for. And not just employees, but employees who are honest, responsible, dependable, loyal, focused, organized and mature. Is this too much to ask? U. S. employers spends millions of man hours each year placing ads, prescreening and interviewing candidates, and hiring and training workers, only to find that many of the employees they hire work for them for just a ew months only to decide they dont want to just be a clerk anymore or feel something betters come along as they work their way up the corporate ladder. So where can businesses find a dependable, steady workforce that has no plans to move up and out? A workforce dedicated to the job at hand and that takes pride in its work? Who will cost them less to hire, train and maintain? The answer? Older workers. Below are twelve reasons why hiring older workers can he lp you maintain a reliable, dedicated workforce and provide a significant cost savings for both the short and long term. . Dedicated  workers produce higher quality work, which can result in a significant cost savings for you. Stories abound of highly committed older workers finding others potentially costly mistakes regarding everything from misspelling of client names to pricing errors and accounting mistakes. 2. Punctuality  seems to be a given for older workers. Most of them look forward to going to work each day, so theyre likely to arrive on time and be ready to work. 3. Honesty  is common among older workers, whose values as a group include personal integrity and a devotion to the truth. 4. Detail-oriented, focused and attentive  workers add an intangible value that rubs off on all employees and can save your business thousands of dollars. One business owner I know once told me that one of his older workers saved his company more than $50,000 on one large mailing job. The 75-year-old clerical worker recognized that all the ZIP codes were off by one digit. Neither the owners mailing house nor his degreed and highly paid marketing manager had noticed it. 5. Good listeners  make great employees because theyre easier to trainolder employees only have to be told once what to do. 6. Pride in a job well done  has become an increasingly rare commodity among younger employees. Younger workers want to put in their time at work and leave, while older employees are more willingly to stay later to get a job done because of their sense of pride in the final product. 7. Organizational skills  among older workers mean employers who hire them are less likely to be a part of this startling statistic: More than a million man hours are lost each year simply due to workplace disorganization. 8. Efficiency and the confidence  to share their recommendations and ideas make older workers ideal employees. Their years of experience in the workplace give them a superior understanding of how jobs can be done more efficiently, which saves companies money. Their confidence, built up through the years, means they wont hesitate to share their ideas with management. 9. Maturity  comes from years of life and work experience and makes for workers who get less rattled when problems occur. 10. Setting an example  for other employees is an intangible value many business owners appreciate. Older workers make excellent mentors and role models, which makes training other employees less difficult. 11. Communication skillsknowing when and how to communicateevolve through years of experience. Older workers understand workplace politics and know how to diplomatically convey their ideas to the boss. 12. Reduced labor costs  are a huge benefit when hiring older workers. Most already have insurance plans from prior employers or have an additional source of income and are willing to take a little less to get the job they want. They understand that working for a company can be about much more than just collecting a paycheck. Any business owner whos hesitant to hire an older worker should consider these twelve benefits. Older workers unique skills and valuesand the potential savings to your company in time and moneymake hiring them a simple matter of rethinking the costs of high turnover in a more youthful workforce vs. the benefits of experience and mature standards older workers bring to the mix. You simply do not have the time or resources to deal with high employee turnover. The next time you need to make a hiring decision, you should seriously consider older workers: Their contribution to your company could positively impact your bottom line for years to come. Stephen Bastien isa business consultant and an expert on leadership and managing employees. Hes the author of  Yes, One Person Can Make a Difference  and  Born to Be. Having started several successful businesses, his current venture, Bastien Financial Publications, provides businesses with the latest developments on fast-growing and distressed companies nationwide through his daily newsletters. Visit his site  for more information on his financial publications, books or consulting services. Read more:  http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/167500#ixzz2QXXcMEQO

The Diana Phenomenon Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Diana Phenomenon The sudden death of Diana Princess of Wales at the end of August 1997 sparked off a massive display of emotion in the world, especially in Britain. The event provided the opportunity for the expression of what appeared to be a short-term and superficial, but undoubtedly sincere, manner by a large number of people. â€Å"An emotion felt throughout the countryside was that many people saw themselves in some way connected to this public figure and able to grieve for her as if she were an acquaintance.† (Lambert 54) However, there remained clear borderlines between what the public, who thought they knew her, and the immediate family who did. The Princess’s funeral brought together a gathering of the powerful (English royalty) and the beautiful (Hollywood’s finest), and the poor. More than a million mourners crowded the streets of London to toss flowers upon her casket. Even as it was happening before their eyes, no one could believe it was real. In the days and weeks that followed her death, everyone was trying to figure out what she had meant and why the world was responding to her death with such grief. Was it her flaws, her failures, her struggles with her weight and her self-esteem, and her refusal to be inhibited by them? Was it her good works and the way she touched the common people, the handicapped, drug addicts, and lepers. Could it have been the way she broke away from her failing marriage and reinvented herself as a single mother but still the â€Å"Queen...

Hamlet Obituaries Essay

Hamlet peacefully passed away on March 18, 1585. He was born, and raised, in Denmark. He was born on March 19, 1555. Hamlet is survived by his one and only true friend Horatio. Hamlet was loved by his mother, Gertrude, a lot. Sadly She passed away minutes before he had. Hamlet had many hobbies, which included, fencing, forging letters, hanging out with his friend, and talking to ghosts. He studied in Germany. Hamlets funeral will be on March 22, 1547 at 9:00 pm. Ophelia passed away by drowning on March 13, 1585. She was born, and raised in Denmark. She was born on October 21, 1561. Ophelia is survived by her brother, Laertes and her close friend, Hamlet. Ophelia was loved by Polonius, Laertes and Hamlet. Sadly, her father rejected Hamlet so she could never love him. Ophelia never really had any hobbies, but she had a mad love for flowers because they always soothed her like nobody else. She also played the guitar. Ophelia’s funeral will be held on March 15, 1547 at 6:00 pm. Claudius passed away minutes before Hamlet on March 18, 1585. He was born, and raised, in Denmark. He was born July 3, 1534. Claudius is survived by Ophelia and Gertrude. Claudius was loved by the one and only Gertrude because Hamlet knew that he killed Hamlet Sr. Claudius cheated his was to the throne. Claudius also never really had any hobbies, but what he did like when he was younger was fencing and reading, but other than that, he just took care of Denmark. Claudius’s funeral will be held on March 24, 1547 at 7:00 pm. Gertrude had also passed away minutes before Hamlet on March 18, 1585. She was born on January 23, 1537. Gertrude was born, and raised, in Demark. Gertrude is survived by the one and only Hamlet, and also Claudius. She knows that Hamlet told her that Claudius killed Hamlet Sr. Gertrude, like Ophelia and Claudius, never really had any hobbies, except for helping manage Denmark with Claudius because he can’t do it alone. Gertrude’s funeral will be held on March 23, 1547 at 6:30 pm

Beer Wars Case Study Essay

Introduction The market dynamics of the Australian beer market is given in the case study. The beer market in Australia is extensive due to high consumption by Australians. In the early 1800’s, there existed numerous independent breweries. Due to excise laws and better transport systems large breweries started acquiring smaller ones, and through widespread inorganic growth, by 1985 the industry became dominated by two corporate conglomerates, Elders IXL(CUB) and Bond Corporation. Both used aggressive marketing strategies for increasing market share. Top highlighted reasons for beer consumption were mixing with others, relaxing, allowing social drinking and enhancing appetite and the concept of beer being equal to ‘liquid food’. Women in general did not like the beer taste and contributed to only about 12% of the total sales volume, whereas 37% of the 54% adult drinking population admitted to be regular drinkers. Only 10% were ‘ocker boozers’ who contributed to 60% of the volume. Hotels/pubs and retail outlet routes formed the bulk of the sales. Standard beer was the most consumed at 70% followed by light beer at 24%. Males across all age groups equally represented beer consumption with little higher consumption in the 31-40 age group. The marketers strongly believed in the ‘beer image’ having a strong influence on beer brand preference. So the marketers started projecting the alcohol content by way of which they used to segment variants in different ways each brand being targeted at a specific segment. Several different brand imageries have been created. Lastly the several brands and variants that had been created with the hope of creating market share seemed to have fallen flat. A failed attempt in the same direction in the form of Swan Gold trying to entice consumption by women also failed. Problem: Due to increased competition, there was a flux of introducing new products continuously, which put in peril the older products of cannibalisation. The major objectives that the beer companies had were †¢Increase market share by acquiring customers †¢Maintenance of existing customers by ensuring no cannibalisation †¢product positioning and launch strategies for the newer brands and phasing out older brands Solution: Increase the beer market, instead of just market share The consumption of beer has been steadily increasing over the years (from around 5% in 1900 to 12% in 2000). But also around the same time, the consumption of Coffee and other milk based drinks had been exponentially increasing (from around negligible % in 1900 to around 20% in 2000). Therefore instead of eating into each others’ market share, the industry should try to increase consumption of Beer among the non-Beer drinkers and hence increase the whole pie. Encourage successful brands and terminate lagging brands Instead of keeping a huge number of brands which is leading to cannibalisation, the brands which are doing well must be encouraged and marketed well, on the other hand those that are not bringing in much profits should be discontinued. This would simplify marketing and would make it focused. Phase in brands tailored for women The exhibits show that women prefer non beer alcohol, in part due to the image of beer as a male bonding drink. Thus certain brands of beer that can be positioned as less bitter, and more female oriented can be launched. The marketing and advertising of these brands should be done in such a way that the women are targeted. Increase light beer Brands offering light beers and beers with less alcohol would serve two purposes. They would attract customers who do not drink, and also are better served in restaurants according to the exhibits given. Launching beer brands over considerable spans of time 2 versions of Power’s were launched in the same month (February 1991) while Forex Gold and Forex Light Bitter from Lion Nathan were launched with only a month separating them. Because of this no single brand is properly marketed and does not get the time to build itself in the minds of consumers. This also leads to cannibalisation.

Annotated Bibliography on the Connection of Money and Happiness

Annotated Bibliography on the Connection of Money and Happiness Annotated Bibliography on the Connection of Money and Happiness Brock, Henry. (1997). Your Complete Guide to Money Happiness. Legacy Publishing (NV); First Edition edition. This book is basically a collective thought on what money is and its connection to human happiness. More than just a collection of theories and opinions from different other writers and other critics of the said thought; this reading is more on utilizing the facts that are able to contribute to the different issues that relate monetary ownership to the possible happiness that human individuals are feeling (54). The author Henry Brock is one of the most trusted individuals when it comes to discussion human behavior as it is intertwined with the capability of one to own certain properties and how these particular properties bring in a certain sort of satisfaction that identifies a humans capability of experiencing the real sense of happiness (76). Believably, there are different issues that are concerned especially when it comes to human behavior. According to Brock, this partic ular identification of human behavior towards material possessions practically makes a definite sense as to what intensified understanding of the connection that is making humans see money as a source of happiness or satisfaction in some way. Dunleavey, MP. (2007). Money Can Buy Happiness: How to Spend to Get the Life You Want. Broadway Publishing Edition. Is it true that money can buy happiness? This is the primary question that Dunleavey intends to impose on this reading. It could be noticed that there are different options of understanding presented especially when it comes to proving or disproving if money is rather able to provide proper sense of seeing how monetary possessions actually affect the happiness that humans are feeling towards their possessions (56). Believably though, instead of putting whether or not money is a source of true human happiness, it could be observed that the author further opted to mandate on how money could be practically used properly to be able to provide real happiness. He further opted to present possible ways that could be used to actually mandate the proper use of money that is not excessive and not dependent on over use of material possessions (88). It could not be denied that mate rial possessions provide happiness; however being less able to control the want of acquiring them provides more problems than that of the satisfaction that they are supposed to give to their owners. Due to this, the author himself reiterates on the need to see things in balance to be able to feel the real meaning of what happiness is all about. Frank, Robert. (2010). Luxury Fever: Money and Happiness in an Era of Excess. Princeton University Press. Through this reading, Robert frank was able to point out that todays society is buried deep on the impulse of wanting something. It could be observed that somehow there are different issues that are considered when it comes to the issues of handling the possibilities of being entangled when it comes to the balance that people proposes on their view with regards their needs and their want of the said properties. Practically, the want of having the luxury of life has taken over the clear vision that humans have over their needs and the practical vision that they have when it comes to the things that they simply want out of life. There are different measures of consideration that are best able to manipulate that the thinking of the people towards the different material wants and needs that they intended to have as part of their personal properties. Truthfully, it could be noticed th at through examining the society, the author was able to bring out the fact that social pressure affects that perception of humans when it comes to their understanding on how much important money really is. Hooper, David. (2007). Guide for Living: Law of Attraction - How to Attract Money, Love, and Happiness. Princeton University. The connection of satisfaction with money is of course one of the most important matters that are best able to help humans get the satisfaction that they want out of their lives. According to the author of this writing, it could be noticed that the different options of learning about the elements of satisfaction basically gets into proper position especially when it comes to mandating how human individuals need to behave with their needs and their desires. Needeleman, Jacob. (1998). Money, Money, Money: The Search for Wealth and the Pursuit of Happiness. House Publishing. Every now and then, it could be noticed that marketing presents happiness in a form of people owning properties and having what they want when they want it. Believably, it could be observed that through the years marketing has imposed on using the weaknesses of humans in terms of getting their interest in making a good sense of getting the profit that they want out of the most important markets that they ought to serve. Apparently, it could be noticed that this approach of pursuance have been best effective in providing the marketing industry he attention that they need from the market that they are targeting. In short, it has been better proven that humans have this particular perception over ownership that basically makes it easier for them to feel happiness once they get the material things that they have in possession. Rauley, Laura. (2007). Money and Happiness: A Guide to Living the Good Life. Wiley Publishing. Living the good life has usually been involved in becoming much contented with what one already has in his life. It could not be denied that somehow, with the many things that the world offers today, being contented is not such an easy task to do neither it is an easy choice to make. The social pressure is just deeply intense that most individuals are already less able to make particular decisions that could set them into settling for simple things. Through this reading, Rauley is able to find better ways as to how much contentment should be viewed by humans. She further noted that somehow, humans ought to better material possessions in a much balanced way that could practically allow them of seeing the real benefits that these particular ownerships could bring them. Truthfully, it could not be denied that even though humans are presented with too much, they still have the choice to settle only for what they basically need.

What the Hell Is It all About Essay Example

What the Hell Is It all About Essay Example What the Hell Is It all About Essay What the Hell Is It all About Essay What the Hell Does it all Mean? Humans differ from any other species on the earth. Our superior brain gives us a tremendous reasoning capacity that probes the depths of human existence. This intellect is closely intertwined with our spirituality, our immaterial part that seeks answers from something beyond ourselves. Throughout the history of human existence, God worked to reveal himself to and develop a relationship with his people, the pinnacle of his creation. The Old Testament chronicles the story of Gods people, the Israelites. God chose these people to reveal himself to all nations. The Bible chronicles this story as well as writings that came out of this time period. A section of these writings is known as Wisdom Literature from which comes the book of Ecclesiastes. Many have debated the value of including Ecclesiastes in the canon because of its apparent godlessness. Nonetheless, after evaluating the book, Peter Kreeft in his book Three Philosophies of Life, calls Ecclesiastes the great of all books of philosophy (15). The content, logic, and personality of Ecclesiastes verifies this claim. First of all we need to define philosophy. Often, Just the word conjures up mages of old, robed men stroking their flowing white beards and contemplating deep questions. We also may think of universities where professors and students hold seminars and debates. Most nonintellectuals probably cringe at the mention of the word because of these very images. Even the various dictionaries strongly associate philosophy with the academic world. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines philosophy as the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, esp. hen considered as an academic discipline. The etymology also onnotes philosophy as a lofty intellectual term; the word originates from the Greek word philosophia which means the love of wisdom. One definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, however, reveals a deeper, more personal meaning of philosophy by defining it as the most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group. Whether we realize it or not, we all live out of our individual philosophy. Our beliefs shape our decisions, goals, and perceptions. Thus, philosophy is not Just for the intellectual. It also involves the common man because t some point everybody needs to answer lifes ultimate question of meaning. Of course, philosophy is also an academic discipline, and we need to reckon with this when dubbing Ecclesiastes as the greatest philosophy book ever written. Critics often dismiss Ecclesiastes as the senile ramblings of an old man, presumably King Solomon. The author does not use a strict form to present his ideas, a highly-valued discipline in the formal study of philosophy. Because of this, he often seems to ramble and at times even changes his mind. Instead of presenting his thoughts with lean, objective methodology, he involves much emotion. All these objections contain some legitimate points, yet we need to consider the basic qualities for great philosophy. Is the greatness and brilliance of a philosophy essentially measured by the form in which it is presented? Is the clean and articulate method of logic really the best? However necessary and good, the emphasis on form in modern philosophy has shifted our focus away from the actual content of the question. Perhaps this overemphasis on torm came as a way ot avoiding the reality ot the burning question that demands an answerthe question of meaning. Without orthodox form or tact, Solomon faces this ultimate question of human existence with gut-wrenching honesty. This is philosophy that reckons with reality. This is great philosophy. Ecclesiastes presents the world and our human existence as essentially meaningless. As the earth spins and revolves in the midst of a vast, swirling cosmos for who knows how many years, we are born. Throughout out our several decades of existence, we experience some pleasure and enjoy life at times, but typically we feel more pain than enjoyment. Even our enjoyment eventually becomes toilsome. Everything that we see tends toward a state of disorder. We desire the pleasure of life and resist the pain, but after several brief years, the law of entropy wreaks havoc on our physical bodies and we die. Why? What is the point? The hopelessness of this situation demands an honest answer. Solomon presents his argument for meaninglessness in a very logical form, contrary to the claims of many critics. The form is less explicit than most and very different than the rigid form developed by the Greeks and used by modern philosophers. The author writes disjointedly at times, but this very isjointedness in form brilliantly presents his argument for the meaninglessness of life. As Kreeft said, The books rambling is deliberate, for this form perfectly expresses its content, its message: that life rambles to nowhere. Its form is one with its content: the test of great poetry (24). We often credit the Greeks for developing the form of proper argumentation. Although Solomon existed long before the Greeks, he used the same basic form to develop his devastating, yet perfectly logical conclusion about the ultimate meaninglessness of life. At the core of all logic ies a syllogism that makes two statements and draws a conclusion. Kreeft presents the following syllogism: All toil is under the sun. And all under the sun is vanity. Therefore, all toil is vanity. (35) Before making these statements about toil and vanity, Solomon experimented with each in a logical way and recorded his findings in the book (Kreeft 37). First of all he experimented with wisdom, but soon discovered that wisdom only raises more questions than what it can answer. Wisdom did not satisfy because it explained nothing. It merely affirmed that everything was in fact meaningless. Meaning cannot be found in studying meaningless things. By denying spiritual reality and reducing humans to purely physical pieces of matter, existentialism confirms this truth. Knowledge, because it stems from purely physical aspects, is no longer trustworthy. Solomon acknowledged this futility after his experiment with wisdom. After wisdom Solomon experimented with hedonism, the unabashed pursuit of pleasure. Many modern, naturalistic philosophies that deny the existence of God advocate this approach towards finding meaning. Since no eternal meaning exists, people seek mmediate pleasure. Some spend all their lives pursuing riches and fame. Others turn to drugs or sex for their thrills. Solomon recorded his experimentation with pleasure and concluded that pleasure is essentially meaningless. Pleasure always requires increased dosages, and many people die completely unsatisfied. Living for the moment simply avoids the terrifying question of death. King Solomon gained enormous power that most men and women only dream about. As monarch at the apex ot Israels reign ne controlled trade which accumulated great riches tor him and the kingdom. Because of his political status he could marry virtually any woman that he desired. Solomon had complete control over his pleasure. Kreeft states that power is broader than pleasure because it includes power over pleasure (41). Solomon experienced this complete power, but still he lamented the meaninglessness of life. After selfishly pursuing pleasure for himself in search of meaning, Solomon gave up and turned to philanthropy thinking that sharing his goods would bring his life a sense of worth. Solomon soon realized, though, that sharing his meaningless things simply spread meaninglessness to other people. Many modern celebrities and businesspeople try this method of finding purpose. By giving millions to good causes they think their lives will have meaning. The postmodern generation seek meaningful Jobs instead of merely well-paying Jobs. Though these attempts are good in many respects, they remain incomplete. By addressing the quest for meaning in a short-term sense the ultimate question remains neglected. Finally, Solomon experimented with religion. He acknowledged that God existed and that God created the world and its people. However, even this acknowledgment failed to satisfy his quest for purpose. At one point Solomon even acknowledged that God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, but in a gloomy conclusion he stated that God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them (Holy Bible. Ecc. 6. 2). Solomon came very close to the truth here, but he failed to see an accurate picture of God. Instead of seeing God as the answer to his question, he merely saw God as a impersonal force. He then concluded that living in such a state is also completely Solomons horrifying conclusion logically shows that life in itself is vain. ssentially meaningless. We live for unknown causes. Finally we simply live to survive, but nature cares nothing for this desire and snuffs out our lives after a few years. Why even struggle for survival if existence is painful anyw?ay? No rational answer exists. For some reason, however, human nature recoils in response to this bleak assessment of existence. We were meant for much more. The ultimate beauty and greatness of Ecclesiastes as compared to other philosophy books comes from its depiction of a personal struggle. All the questions of philosophy eventually need to become personal. This personalizing of the questions grounds them in reality. It is easy for philosophy to get carried away with lofty hypothesizing and argumentation without ever becoming personal. By dealing with the questions on purely academic levels, we can avoid the shocking reality of the answers. Solomons honesty with the question of meaning shows his sincere desire for an answer. Unlike many modern philosophers Solomon refused to accept the easy answers presented by much of popular philosophy. He refused to ignore the question because he knew the effects of neglecting it. Much of popular philosophy attempts to answer the problem imply by ignoring it. Problem? What problem? Psychologists inform us that we are basically good and that all we need is self-actualization to overcome our destructive behaviors and ideas. We then force ourselves to think positively and delude ourselves into thinking that life depends solely on our outlook. Finally even this fails, so we fill our lives with noise and cheap entertainment, effectively drowning out the question that requires an answer. By doing this we seek an answer before recognizing the problem, and there is nothing more meaningless than an answer without its question (Kreeft 19). Taken to its logical conclusion, a life void of meaning results in a life void of sanity. The question presented by Ecclesiastes is the greatest question that man can and should ask. Ecclesiastes accurately portrays the life of man without God. Like many popular philosophies, Ecclesiastes assumes the absence of personal God. Unlike most other godless philosophers, however, the author honestly sees the implications of accepting this meaninglessness. He sees the truth and shudders. Even though the book ends with the question of meaning seemingly unresolved, the author vividly sees his need for God. He distinctly sees God by seeing the stark outline of the darkness that the face of Jesus fills (Kreeft 51). Despite its godless content, Ecclesiastes speaks pure, unadulterated truthobJective truth that divinely reveals God in its godlessness. As Kreeft says, It is divine revelation precisely in being the absence of divine revelation (23). Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2013. Kreeft, Peter. Three Philosophies of Life. San Fransico: Ignatius, 1989. Philosophy. Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary. 2013. Merriam-Webster Online. 20 November 2008 . Philosophy. New Oxford American Dictionary. 2nd ed. 2001.

Oasis Theory and the Origins of Agriculture

Oasis Theory and the Origins of Agriculture The Oasis Theory (known variously as the Propinquity Theory or Desiccation Theory) is a core concept in archaeology, referring to one of the main hypotheses about the origins of agriculture: that people started to domesticate plants and animals because they were forced to, because of climate change. The fact that people changed from hunting and gathering to farming as a subsistence method has never seemed like a logical choice. To archaeologists and anthropologists, hunting and gathering in a universe of limited population and plentiful resources is less demanding work than plowing, and certainly more flexible. Agriculture requires cooperation, and living in settlements reaps social impacts, like diseases, ranking, social inequality, and division of labor. Most European and American social scientists in the first half of the 20th century simply didnt believe that human beings were naturally inventive or inclined to change their ways of life unless compelled to do so. Nevertheless, at the end of the last Ice Age, people did reinvent their method of living. What Do Oases Have to Do With the Origins of Agriculture? The Oasis Theory was defined by Australian-born archaeologist Vere Gordon Childe [1892-1957], in his 1928 book, The Most Ancient Near East. Childe was writing decades before the invention of radiocarbon dating and a half-century before the serious collection of the vast amount of climatic information that we have today had begun. He argued that at the end of the Pleistocene, North Africa and the Near East experienced a period of desiccation, a period of an increased occurrence of drought, with higher temperatures and decreased precipitation. That aridity, he argued, drove both people and animals to congregate at oases and river valleys; that propinquity created both population growth and a closer familiarity with plants and animals. Communities developed and were pushed out of the fertile zones, living on the edges of the oases where they were forced to learn how to raise crops and animals in places that were not ideal. Childe was not the first scholar to suggest that cultural change can be driven by environmental changethat was American geologist Raphael Pumpelly [1837-1923] who suggested in 1905 that central Asian cities collapsed because of desiccation. But during the first half of the 20th century, the available evidence suggested that farming appeared first on the dry plains of Mesopotamia with the Sumerians, and the most popular theory for that adoption was environmental change. Modifying the Oasis Theory Generations of scholars beginning in the 1950s with Robert Braidwood, in the 1960s with Lewis Binford, and in the 1980s with Ofer Bar-Yosef, built, dismantled, rebuilt, and refined the environmental hypothesis. And along the way, dating technologies and the ability to identify evidence and timing of past climate change blossomed. Since then, oxygen-isotope variations have allowed scholars to develop detailed reconstructions of the environmental past, and a vastly improved picture of past climate change has been developed. Maher, Banning, and Chazen recently compiled comparative data on radiocarbon dates on cultural developments in the Near East and radiocarbon dates on climatic events during that period. They noted there is substantial and growing evidence that the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture was a very long and variable process, lasting thousands of years in some places and with some crops. Further, the physical effects of climate change also were and are variable across the region: some regions were severely impacted, others less so. Maher and colleagues concluded that climate change alone cannot have been the sole trigger for specific shifts in technological and cultural change. They add that that doesnt disqualify climatic instability as providing the context for the long transition from mobile hunter-gatherer to sedentary agricultural societies in the Near East, but rather that the process was simply far more complex than the Oasis theory can sustain. Childes Theories To be fair, though, throughout his career, Childe didnt simply attribute cultural change to environmental change: he said that you had to include significant elements of social change as drivers as well. Archaeologist Bruce Trigger put it this way, restating Ruth Tringhams comprehensive review of a handful of Childe biographies: Childe viewed every society as containing within itself both progressive and conservative tendencies which are linked by dynamic unity as well as by persistent antagonism. The latter provides the energy that in the long run brings about irreversible social change. Hence every society contains within itself the seeds for the destruction of its present state and the creation of a new social order. Sources Braidwood RJ. 1957. Jericho and its Setting in Near Eastern History. Antiquity 31(122):73-81.Braidwood RJ, Çambel H, Lawrence B, Redman CL, and Stewart RB. 1974. Beginnings of Village-Farming Communities in Southeastern Turkey1972. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 71(2):568-572.Childe VG. 1969. New Light on the Most Ancient East. London: Norton Company.Childe VG. 1928. The Most Ancient Near East. London: Norton Company.Maher LA, Banning EB, and Chazan M. 2011. Oasis or Mirage? Assessing the Role of Abrupt Climate Change in the Prehistory of the Southern Levant. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 21(01):1-30.Trigger BG. 1984. Childe and Soviet Archaeology. Australian Archaeology 18:1-16.Tringham R. 1983. V. Gordon Childe 25 Years After: His Relevance for the Archaeology of the Eighties. Journal of Field Archaeology 10(1):85-100.Verhoeven M. 2011. The Birth of a Concept and the Origins of the Neolithic: A History of Prehistoric Farmers in the Near East. Palà ©orient oasis37(1):75-87. Weisdorf JL. 2005. From Foraging To Farming: Explaining The Neolithic Revolution. Journal of Economic Surveys 19(4):561-586.Wright HE. 1970. Environmental Changes and the Origin of Agriculture in the near East. BioScience 20(4):210-217.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Human Resource Management - Essay Example There is no clear distinction between human resource management and personnel management. The two are used interchangeably by different authors hence the need to draw a line between the two and determine which of the approaches to management of human resources is more effective. This prompts the need to evaluate personnel management and the evolution of human resources management and the functions performed through the two approaches. Personnel Management According to Bach and Sisson (2000: 10), as early as 1945 personnel management was in existence and used to be â€Å"an administrative function concerned with operational matters of the organization†. The personnel managers were entrusted with such functions as; recruiting and selecting new employees, staff appraisal, reward management, negotiating contracts with trade unions, and handling training programmes for employees among other operational issues. Trade unions were widespread and worked in liaison with personnel manage rs to ensure fair work conditions and practices through negotiation of employment contracts. These contracts were the guiding principles of employee behaviour and were strictly observed. The management of human resources was solely the role of personnel specialists through formalised personnel policies such as job description, job evaluation systems and bureaucratic controls. Personnel management was geared towards satisfying shareholder interests of maximising revenue hence bonuses and rewards were major motivation for employees. Evolution of Human Resource Management With growth of industries, there was a lot of competition among organizations hence a new method of managing workforce was required for competitive advantage. The need was also prompted by growth in business education, rapid expansion of business studies courses and MBA which acted as source of information regarding a new management technique referred as human resource management. The HRM involved aligning operational functions of personnel managers with organizational goals (Koster, 2002). The approach was strategic in nature as opposed to personnel management which involved crisis management. High commitment of workforce began to be emphasized and was achieved through worker involvement and participation in management activities such as decision making. HRM introduced teamwork in organizations for better results and devolution of responsibilities to line managers although some resisted due to lack of management skills. Some personnel managers were not willing to give up their operational roles to line managers. Due to complexity and nature of their work the managers are accepting to delegate their roles so as to concentrate on other duties such as offering consultancy services to line managers as well as senior management. Kumar & Mittal (2001) acknowledges the fact that personnel management was about getting better results with collaboration of people hence employees were supposed to make con tribution for business purposes. The HRM on the other hand is

Jewish Funeral Anthropological Research Paper Essay

Jewish Funeral Anthropological Research Paper - Essay Example For them, since we are all created in the image of God, life should be all about infinite value, â€Å"regardless of its duration of quality†. Anything that expedites the death of a person or shortens a human life is absolutely a violation to this duty1. The other end in a Jewish life continuum is that of death. As they safeguard life with supreme care, they also take death with valuable commitment in maintaining their duty of sanctity even in this difficult time. Death in a Jewish community is embraced with intricate ceremonies lasting for a period of time. The seemingly simplistic process of Christian death and its acceptance remarkably differs from the extremely complex process by which this community responds to the same social experience. Contrary to Christian communities’ ritual regarding death, Jewish communities give surety that rituals be carried out in accordance to Judaism religious beliefs which is always to set an example of holiness and ethical behavior to the world. Thus, whether in life or in death, the presence of a community epitomizing the Jewish â€Å"covenant relationship† with God is of prime importance. To honor the dead (kvod hamet), it must be buried at a shortest time possible regardless if a family member is not present to attend its burial. Anything that prolongs the physical body to remain above ground is considered â€Å"disrespectful and undignified† and â€Å"humiliation of the dead† (Khara, 2009). Moreover, it is necessary that the dead person must never be left alone from the moment he is considered dead until the time he is completely buried. Doing so is an apparent gesture of rendering utmost respect for the departed (mitzvah). From the moment a Jew dies, a synagogue will make the necessary arrangement for the whole ritual process. When a community is well organized, the services of a sacred burial society or Chevra Kaddisha are acquired in preparation for the burial of the body. It is a rule that in the

Risk management in Toyota Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Risk management in Toyota - Essay Example The quality of the Toyota cars, introduction of premium brands like Lexus in tune with the tastes and fashions prevailing in the American markets, its collaboration with the leading player General Motors subsequently, entrenched the brand ‘Toyota’ firmly into the USA. The success story of Toyota could be summed up from one of its slogans in the 1980s â€Å"Who could ask for anything more†. The product profile of the company has undergone changes to include larger and luxurious vehicles. The corruption charges leveled against the UJF Bank, one of the largest shareholders of Toyota with Toyota’s Chairman as a director was a setback to the company’s diversification strategy into financial services. Also, the over concentration in the already developed American and European markets over the period of time could strategically affect its leadership position in the global market in future. The financial risk is related predominantly to the issue of capital structure and leverage, but the business risk largely dependent upon the economic conditions, and the study of risk management in relation to a company like Toyota needs to focus on the macro economic factors. This paper seeks to analyze risk management perspective of the company in relation to the prevailing global economic conditions, its strategic outlook to changes in the environmental factors globally and other internal factors related to risk management. Currents status and evaluation of risk management The international economy has undergone drastic changes in the recent years consequent upon the stupendous growth of emerging economies, especially the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, China and India) countries and the credit squeeze in the aftermath of subprime crises in the developed nations. However, it is pertinent to note that the emerging economies have not been affected by the subprime crisis, as these countries have been insulated from the world economy by virtue of the continuin g regulations in these countries, especially in the financial services sectors, and their exposure to international banking system has been very limited. A cursory glance of US Vehicle Sales from 1984 to 2010 from Penton Media (2011), as given in Appendix I and II, which more or less coincides with Toyota’s establishment in the USA reveals the growth (or lack of growth) over the period of time. Competition The market for Toyota is very competitive. For example, Toyota’s competitors Suzuki of Japan and Hyundai of South Korea have well established facilities for manufacturing, marketing and servicing in India. The local manufacturer Tata Motors has aggressively priced its small car Nano around INR 100,000 which works out to just US$ 2400 approximately. Volume is going to be the name of the game in the emerging economies like India, China and Brazil. Jie, R. (2010) reports: â€Å"China has overtaken the United States and Japan to become the world's largest car manufactur ing country in 2009.† While Toyota was concentrating more and more on developed markets, its competitors have made inroads into the emerging markets, where Toyota is lagging behind the local as well as the international players. Realizing the potential in the small car segment in India, Chevrolet has introduced the model ‘Spark’ at INR 279,000 which works out to US$ 6200 approximately since ‘value for money’ or pricing is a crucial factor in influencing the consumers’

(Organizational Behaviour) You are asked to write an essay focusing on

(Organizational Behaviour) You are asked to write an focusing on ONE of the themes explored in the course. In support, you should make reference to at least two of the exhibits reproduced below - Essay Example This paper intends to deal with the issue of post bureaucratic organizations and the concern of flexibility with them. This new form is defined as a hybrid form of organizational structure and offers â€Å"insight into the intrinsic difficulties involved in the refurbishment of large complex organizations† (Josserand, Teo & Clegg, 2006, pp. 54-55). The form of post-bureaucratic organization has grown significant in the recent years (Erickson et al, 2009, p. 144). This term had been devised in the 1980’s (Corporate Planning and Strategic Human Resources Management, n.d). The structure of a post-bureaucratic organization exceeds the traditional bureaucratic organizations in the sense that in these newer structures facilitate the handling a vast range of conditions. Post bureaucratic organization allows a â€Å"flexible and self-(re-)fashioning enactments of work and self† (Iedema, 2003, p. 53). The â€Å"elements of an organic structure† (Josserand, Teo & Clegg, 2006, pp. 54-55) are combined with more internalized as well as indirect forms of control. Post bureaucracy is no t entirely achievable in its pure form. Some organizations adopt a post-bureaucratic rhetoric as well as maintain the traditional structural hierarchies. But it often creates â€Å"tensions between post-bureaucratic aspirations and traditional work practices† (Iedema, 2003, p. 2). Enhancement of the transparency of work is one of the key goals of the post-bureaucratic organization. This is to be achieved through â€Å"knowledging, communication and interaction† (Iedema, 2003, p. 193). It is aimed at changing the practices that lead to the maintenance of preset benchmarks, standards and other meta-discursive constructs. This calls for proper communications within and among teams and verticals. This increases the credibility of the organizations and improves the level of efficacy of

Teamwork Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teamwork Experience - Essay Example We developed a clear insight into the project in the first meeting and decided to analyze the case from our individual’s perspectives the results of which were discussed in the second meeting. The proceedings of the meeting were recorded by my partner and each of us received a copy. Though effective results were achieved due to the well organized meetings the teamwork did have its share of miscommunications. A meeting was cancelled as one of us failed to check the email informing the date and time of the meeting and conflicts arose due to our differential views about the case. For instance, my understanding of the case was that all the possible communication problems needs to be identified while my partner was for discovering only one particular communication problem and finding a solution. A compromise was achieved after various viewpoints and arguments were discussed. It was decided to list all the potential problems and to consult with the professor for a final decision. Our team work did suffer slightly due to this misinterpretation of our team goals. It was also decided that my partner would present the communication problems while I would focus on the possible solutions and the implementation plan of the case study. I conclude that it was a very effective teamwork and a good learning experience where tasks were distributed equally amongst us. The teamwork experience was enlightening and I am very sure that this would help me to act professionally whenever I am confronted with a similar situation in the

Latinos films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Latinos films - Essay Example The Latino community has been faced with numerous problems ranging from labor problems to social problems. This can be rooted to the fact that the community is considered as a minority race in the United States alongside other races like the African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans among other minority races. Like others races which had these kinds of problems, there are some movies which have been produced to highlight the problems of the Latino community in the United States. This paper will look into some of these movies and highlight the problems that have been highlighted in these movies. One of the movies that have been produced to highlight the plight of the Latino community is movie titled, 'The Fight in the Fields.' The Fight in the Fields is a Latino documentary movie produced, directed, and written by Rick Tejada-Flores and Ray Telles. The documentary covers the eventful life of Cesar Chavez in his epic struggle. The documentary movie is based on newsreel, archival footage, and interviews with California Governor Jerry Brown, Dolores Huerta, and Cesar Chavez family members including his brother, sister, son and daughter. Cesar Chavez and the farmworkers' struggle is a presentation of the Independent Television Services (ITVS) and are produced by Paradigm Productions (The Fight in the Fields, 16th May). The two hour documentary covers the first successful organizing drive of farm workers in the United States. It first premiered in 1997 in the Sundance Film Festival and was aired across the United States on PBS from 97 through 2000. It was also aired in the Sundance Channel in 2001 and 2002. The main focus of the documentary is on Cesar Chavez's dramatic attempts to unionize farm workers. The documentary covers the following areas of Cesar Chavez life: His earlier years. His adolescent life as a farm worker His young years as a community organizer His relationship and eventual marriage to Helen. Helen Chavez was instrumental in the movement since she supported her husband to focus his energy to the movement. The dramatic events that Cesar Chavez was involved in during his time in the movement. This helped the cause of the movement since it attracted the attention of the press. The non violent strikes attracted the attention of the public. This was a plus to their cause because it put pressure on farm owners and the government. His three hundred mile march. His friendship with Robert Kennedy Cesar Chavez and the farm workers major barrier was the Bracero Program which brought thousands of Mexican contract workers to work in the United States. The movie shows how Cesar Chavez unionized farm workers who led non violent strikes. Up to date migrant workers continue to face numerous problems. There are an estimated three and half million immigrants in the United States who are predominantly Latino (78%). They move their permanent residence so as to seek employment mainly in agricultural farms. Their kind of employment is usually of short durations and demand regular 'migration'. Almost fifty percent of migrant farm workers have less than ninth grade education. They face the problem of language barrier because they speak little or no English. Majority of farm workers live under the poverty level and very few receive worker's compensation or social security. Such benefits are hard to

Teamwork Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teamwork Experience - Essay Example We developed a clear insight into the project in the first meeting and decided to analyze the case from our individual’s perspectives the results of which were discussed in the second meeting. The proceedings of the meeting were recorded by my partner and each of us received a copy. Though effective results were achieved due to the well organized meetings the teamwork did have its share of miscommunications. A meeting was cancelled as one of us failed to check the email informing the date and time of the meeting and conflicts arose due to our differential views about the case. For instance, my understanding of the case was that all the possible communication problems needs to be identified while my partner was for discovering only one particular communication problem and finding a solution. A compromise was achieved after various viewpoints and arguments were discussed. It was decided to list all the potential problems and to consult with the professor for a final decision. Our team work did suffer slightly due to this misinterpretation of our team goals. It was also decided that my partner would present the communication problems while I would focus on the possible solutions and the implementation plan of the case study. I conclude that it was a very effective teamwork and a good learning experience where tasks were distributed equally amongst us. The teamwork experience was enlightening and I am very sure that this would help me to act professionally whenever I am confronted with a similar situation in the

Discussion About The Sex Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Discussion About The Sex Industry - Essay Example Criminalization of prostitution renders the women and girls who engage in the practice vulnerable. Legalizing prostitution would make it easier for prostitutes to report criminal acts against them- especially being sexually assaulted. Prostitutes seek assistance from pimps to make up for contractual and legal help, which is denied them; pimps protect them from their customers and police. Majority of prostitutes are constantly faced with the high threat of rape and violence. One research findings indicate that on average, a prostitute is raped an average of 31 times annually. Since prostitution is a criminal offense subject to arrest and prosecution, hardly any prostitute reports such violations perpetrated to them, and even when they do the authorities fail to take them seriously or to follow up and act on the case urgently and professionally as they would with other women not engaged in prostitution. For instance, reports indicate that only four percent of women prostitutes who are violated or assaulted ever report the crime. Legalization of prostitution would get rid of the pimps and others, such as clients and purveyors, who exploit and violate those in the prostitution enterprise.Legalization of prostitution would conversely mean government regulation, taxation and a number of laws to regulate the profession. Many prostitutes would not be supportive of this. Without the government control, most prostitutes enjoy a great deal of independence; a prospect that would be taken away by the legalization of prostitution.... Legalizing prostitution would make it easier for prostitutes to report criminal acts against them- especially being sexually assaulted. Prostitutes seek assistance from pimps to make up for contractual and legal help, which are denied them; pimps protect them from their customers and police. Majority of prostitutes are constantly faced with high threat of rape and violence. For instance, one research findings indicate that on average, a prostitute is raped an average of 31 times annually (Spector 17). Since prostitution is a criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution, hardly any prostitute reports such violations perpetrated to them, and even when they do the authorities fail to take the seriously or to follow up and act on the case urgently and professionally as they would with other women not engaged in prostitution. For instance, reports indicate that only four percent of women prostitutes who are violated or assaulted ever report the crime (Spector 21). Legalization of pr ostitution would get rid of the pimps and others, such as clients and purveyors, who exploit and violate those in the prostitutionenterprise. Legalization of prostitution would conversely mean government regulation, taxation and a number of laws to regulate the profession. Many prostitutes would not be supportive of this. Without the government control, most prostitutes enjoy a great deal of independence; a prospect that would be taken away by legalization of prostitution.Legalization would mean fixed working areas- the so-called red-light districts, registration as prostitutes, taxes and other levies charged by the government or various authorities such as local municipalities. The registration could expose the woman and

Top 5 Environmental Issues Essay Example for Free

Top 5 Environmental Issues Essay 1. Population Explosion Whether we like to admit it or not, our very own rapidly multiplying presence on this planet is the biggest environmental problem there is, and it’s getting bigger by the minute. We voraciously consume resources, pollute the air and water, tear down natural habitats, introduce species into areas where they don’t belong and destroy ecosystems to the point of causing millions of species to become endangered and, all too often, go extinct. It took nearly all of human history – from the first days of man on earth until the early 1800’s – to reach a global population of 1 billion. In just 200 years, we’ve managed to reach 6.5 billion. That means the population has grown more since 1950 than in the previous four million years. We’re adding roughly 74 million people to the planet every year, a scary figure that will probably continue to increase. All of those mouths will need to be fed. All of those bodies will need clean water and a place to sleep. All of the new communities created to house those people will continue to encroach upon the natural world. 2. CO2 Levels in the Atmosphere Greenhouse gas emissions caused by our modern way of life – vehicles, power plants, factories, giant livestock farms – will bring devastating climate change within decades if they stay at today’s levels. Average temperatures could increase by as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century if emissions continue to rise, a figure that would easily make the world virtually uninhabitable for humans. A global temperature rise of just 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit would cause a catastrophic domino effect, bringing weather extremes that would result in food and water shortages and destructive floods. The most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change represents â€Å"the final nail in the coffin† of climate change denial, representing the most authoritative picture to date that global warming is caused by human activity. According to the panel, we must make a swift and significant switch to clean, efficient and renewable energy technolog ies in order to prevent the worst-case scenario. 3. Polar Sea Ice Loss Polar sea ice is melting at an unprecedented rate, and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. It’s perhaps the most dramatic, startling visual evidence of global warming, and it’s got scientists rushing to figure out just how big of an effect the melting is going to have on the rest of the world. British researchers said that the thickness of sea ice in the Arctic decreased dramatically last winter for the first time since records began in the early 1990s. The research showed a significant loss in thickness on the northern ice cap after the record loss of ice during the summer of 2007. Scientific American warns that â€Å"human fingerprints have been detected† on both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Antarctica had previously appeared to be the only continent on the planet where humanity’s impact on climate change hadn’t been observed. The collapse of the Larsen B and Wilkins ice shelves in the Antarctic Peninsula shows just how fast th e region is warming. 4. Destruction of the Rain Forest ‘Saving the rain forest’ has been at the forefront of the environmental movement for decades, yet here we are facing huge losses in the Amazon all the same. You might have thought that, with all the attention the rain forest has gotten, it wouldn’t need so much saving anymore – but unfortunately, global warming and deforestation mean that half of the Amazon rain forest will likely be destroyed or severely damaged by 2030. The World Wildlife Fund concluded this summer that agriculture, drought, fire, logging and livestock ranching will cause major damage to 55 percent of the Amazon rain forest in the next 22 years. Another 4 percent will see damage due to reduced rainfall, courtesy of global warming. These factors will destroy up to 80 percent of the rain forest’s wildlife. Losing 60 percent of the rain forest would accelerate global warming and affect rainfall in places as far away as India. Massive destruction to the rain forest would have a domino effect on the rest of the world. The WWF says that the ‘point of no return’, from which recovery will be impossible, is only 15 to 25 years away. 5. Mammal Extinction One in four mammals is threatened with extinction. That’s 25%, a huge number that will totally change the ecology of every corner of the earth. We could see thousands of species die out in our lifetime, and the rate of habitat loss and hunting in crucial areas like Southeast Asia, Central Africa and Central and South America is growing so rapidly, these animals barely have a chance. If you think the extinction of an animal like the beautiful Iberian Lynx is no big deal, and wouldn’t have that much of an effect on the planet, think again. Not only would we be losing – mostly due to our own disregard for our surroundings – so much of the awe-inspiring diversity of nature, mass extinctions like this would cause a serious imbalance in the world’s food chain. When a predator disappears, the prey will multiply. When prey dies out, the predator will see its ranks decrease as well. Many people fail to realize just how interconnected all species on this plan et really are.