Leading Equality and Diversity Essay Example for Free

Leading Equality and Diversity Essay Be able to understand the commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity 1. 1 – Evaluate the organisation’s commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity Equality and diversity means that every service user has their individual needs comprehensively addressed. He or she will be treated equally and without discrimination. This is regardless of the individual’s ethnic background, language, culture, faith, gender, age, sexual orientation or any other aspect that could result in their being discriminated against purely because they have such characteristics. Ashley Care LLP is firmly committed to diversity in all areas of our work. We believe that we have much to learn and profit from diverse cultures, experiences and perspectives, and that diversity will make our organisation more effective in meeting the needs of all our stakeholders. We believe that equality and diversity within our organisation contributes to our objectives and we are especially conscious of the fact that effective partnership relationships require a shared commitment to equality of opportunity and valuing and managing diversity. Our Equality and Diversity Policy helps to ensure that there is no unjustified discrimination in the recruitment, retention, training and development of staff on the basis of gender including transgender, marital status, sexual identity, religion and belief, political opinion, race, work pattern, age, disability or HIV/AIDS status, socio-economic background, spent convictions, on the basis of having or not having dependants, or any other irrelevant grounds. Our Policy is an integral way on which we handle our recruitment procedures to ensure a fair and approachable image of our organisation. Ashley Care LLP have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Policy and its purpose is to ensure that its service is fully committed to these principles and values and to communicate this commitment to all stakeholders. The policy should always be referred to wherever differences of view based on lack of understanding or prejudice about diversity, equality and inclusion are evident. Equality, diversity and inclusion means that every service user has their individual needs comprehensively addressed he or she will be treated equally and without discrimination. This is regardless of the individual’s ethnic background, language, culture, faith, gender, age, sexual orientation or any other aspect that could result in their being discriminated against purely because they have such characteristics. 1. 2Discuss how behaviour, actions and words of all members of the organisation support the commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity At Ashley Care LLP we are committed to working together to build a community founded on equality of opportunity a social care community which celebrates the rich diversity of our service users and staff populations. Discriminatory behaviour has no place in our community and will not be tolerated. Within a spirit of respecting difference, our equality and diversity policies promise equal treatment and opportunity for all regardless of gender, sexuality, race, colour, disability, religion, age, and ethnicity or nationality. We call on all members of our company to make a personal commitment to these aims. Our Partners of the Company will ensure that its own actions promote equality and diversity. Through their words and behaviours, Partners will aim to provide genuine equality of opportunity regardless of gender, sexuality, race, colour, disability, religion, age, and ethnic or national origin. In considering its own composition and filling vacancies, the Partners will seek to ensure that its membership embraces the widest possible variety of backgrounds and views, consistent with the need to maintain a Partnership with the skills and experience necessary to carry out its responsibilities. Ashley Care LLP expresses its commitment to equality and diversity by: a. especting service users’ ethnic, cultural and religious practices and making practical provision for them to be observed b. reassuring its service uses that their diverse backgrounds enhance the quality of experience of the service c. accepting service users as individuals, not as cases or stereotypes d. involving service users to express their individuality and to follow their preferred lifestyle, also helping them to celebrate events, anniversaries or festivals which are important to them as individuals e. howing positive leadership and having management and human resources practices that actively demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity principles f. developing an ethos throughout Ashley Care LLP that reflects these values and principles g. expecting all staff to work to equality and diversity principles and policies and to behave at all times in non-discriminatory ways h. providing, training, supervision and support to enable staff to do this i. aving a code of conduct that makes any form of discriminatory behaviour unacceptable; this is applicable to both staff and service users and is rigorously observed and monitored accordingly. Partners will devote time to the development of their own knowledge, understanding and practices to promote and achieve equality and respect for diversity and will see such development as one test of their effectiveness. The achievement of genuine equality of opportunity is at the heart of our mission as a provider of higher education. We aim to build a learning community which exhibits the diverse range of skills and experience which cannot be found within any single group of students or staff. In pursuing this aim, we want our community to value and to be at ease with its own diversity and to reflect the needs of the wider community within which we operate. Although we accept all of our responsibilities under current legislation, we aim to reach beyond the strict confines of the law to provide equality of opportunity for all. We will continue to formulate and implement policies to that end. Every member of our company has a moral and legal responsibility to promote equal treatment within that community and to respect its diversity. Overall responsibility for working with our community in support of these aims lies with the Senior Partner, closely supported by the other Partners. The HR amp; Workforce Development Manager is responsible for matters relating to equality of opportunity in employment, for developing policies which meet legislation and best practice, for monitoring the impact of these policies on different minority groups, and for providing relevant employment statistics. All staff and service users are responsible for ensuring that their actions are carried out in accordance with this policy. They may be held personally to account should their actions fall sort of the requirements of this policy in any way. We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We wish to see people from all groups in our society represented at all levels of employment, to ensure that no available talent is overlooked and to provide role models for our staff members. 1. 3Identify organisational and personal responsibilities and liabilities under equality legislation and codes of practice The Equality Act became law in October 2010. It replaces previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) and ensures consistency in what we needed to do to make our workplace a fair environment and to comply with the law. â€Å"This was, primarily , the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and three major statutory instruments protecting discrimination in employment on grounds of religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. † en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Equality_Act_2010 The public sector Equality Duty (section 149 of the Act) came into force on 5 April 2011. The Equality Duty applies to public bodies and others carrying out public functions. It supports good decision-making by ensuring public bodies consider how different people will be affected by their activities, helping them to deliver policies and services which are efficient and effecti ve; accessible to all; and which meet different peoples needs. The Equality Duty is supported by specific duties, set out in regulations which came into force on 10 September 2011. The specific duties require public bodies to publish relevant, proportionate information demonstrating their compliance with the Equality Duty; and to set themselves specific, measurable equality objectives. The Equality Act covers the same groups that were protected by existing equality legislation age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity it extends some protections to some of the groups not previously covered, and also strengthens particular aspects of equality law. The Equality Act is a mixture of rights and responsibilities that have: * Stayed the same for example, direct discrimination still occurs when someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic * Changed for example, employees will now be able to complain of harassment even if it is not directed at them, if they can demonstrate that it creates an offensive environment for them * Been extended for example, associative discrimination (direct discrimination against someone because they associate with another person who possesses a protected characteristic) will cover age, disability, gender reassignment and sex as well as race, religion and belief and sexual orientation Been introduced for the first time for example, the concept of discrimination arising from disability, which occurs if a disabled person is treated unfavourably because of something arising in consequence of their disability. As a result, I needed to review and change most of our policies and practices. 2. Be able to understand the application of equality of opportunity and diversity 2. 1 – Describe the organisation’s equality and diversity policies and how these are communicated within the workplace To ensure equality and diversity is no longer viewed as something only affecting minority groups, any issues need to be viewed not as issues, but as something to be explored and celebrated. Staff could be personally affected by stereotyping, prejudice and/or discrimination when attending work, which could lead to non attendance or non achievement. As a manager I need to ensure all my staff value one another and that the basic rights they are entitled to, for example to learn in a comfortable and safe environment are met. The Pre-Employment Induction to Ashley Care LLP include details of all policies and procedures, including equality and diversity, which are brought to the attention of the staff members during their initial interview and during the induction session. Having a policy is not enough, Ashley Care LLP also have a working group to ensure that the policies are promoted, monitored and regularly reviewed. Policies are also communicated to all staff through the following mechanisms: * Staff handbook * Contract of Employment * Application Form * Team meetings * Staff meetings Ashley Care LLP fully supports all principles of equality and diversity, and opposes any unfair or unlawful discrimination on the grounds of ability, age, colour, culture, disability, domestic circumstances, employment status, ethnic origin, gender, learning difficulties, marital status / civil partnership, nationality, political conviction, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and/or social background. Ashley Care LLP aims to ensure that equality and diversity is promoted among all staff and service users and that unfair or unlawful discrimination, whether direct or indirect, is eliminated to promote a climate of equality and respect. All staff can expect to work in an environment free from harassment and bullying. † Taken from Ashley Care LLP’s policy on Equality and Diversity 2. 2 – Assess the application of the organisation’s commitment to equality of opportunity and dive rsity The evidence that Ashley Care LLP have collected over the years clearly demonstrate our commitment to equality and diversity. The application form states that â€Å"Ashley Care LLP is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all work seekers and shall adhere to our policy at all times. We review all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. † Our policy states that â€Å"Equality and diversity means that every service user has their individual needs comprehensively addressed. He or she will be treated equally and without discrimination. This is regardless of the individual’s ethnic background, language, culture, faith, gender, age, sexual orientation or any other aspect that could result in their being discriminated against purely because they have such characteristics. † Within our policy we also state that â€Å"Ashley Care LLP expresses its commitment to equality and diversity by: a. respecting service users’ ethnic, cultural and religious practices and making practical provision for them to be observed b. reassuring its service uses that their diverse backgrounds enhance the quality of experience of the service c. accepting service users as individuals, not as cases or stereotypes d. nvolving service users to express their individuality and to follow their preferred lifestyle, also helping them to celebrate events, anniversaries or festivals which are important to them as individuals e. showing positive leadership and having management and human resources practices that actively demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity principles f. developing an ethos throughout Ashley Care LLP that reflects these values and principles g. expecting all staff to work to equality and diversity principles and policies and to behave at all times in non-discriminatory ways h. providing, training, supervision and support to enable staff to do this i. aving a code of conduct that makes any form of discriminatory behaviour unacceptable; this is applicable to both staff and service users and is rigorously observed and monitored accordingly. † 2. 3 – Review the diversity of the workforce against the local and/or national population and identify areas for review. Diversity is about valuing and respecting the differences in the workforce, regardless of ability and/or circumstances or any other individual characteristics they may have. If you have more than one member in your workforce you will experience diversity. I am also different from my workforce in many ways, and they are different from one another, therefore they are entitled to be treated with respect, wi th their differences taken into consideration. Combined together, equality and diversity drive an organisation to comply with anti-discrimination legislation as well as emphasising the positive benefits of diversity such as drawing on a wider pool of talent, positively motivating all employees and meeting the needs of a wider customer base. Differences should be acknowledged, celebrated and embraced, to ensure all employees feel included in the process to be followed, and that the working environment is suitable for all. Examples of these differences are: * ability| * disability – physical or mental| * age| * domestic circumstances| * belief| * educational background| * colour| * employment status| * class| * ethnic origin| clothing worn| * experience| * confidence| * gender| * culture| * intelligence| * language, accent, dialect| * race| * learning difficulties| * religion| * marital status / civil partnership| * sexual orientation| * nationality| * social class or identity| * occupation| * talent| * parental status| * tr adition| * physical characteristics| * transgender| * political conviction| * wealth| Promoting diversity in the workforce is about attracting and retaining the best people, regardless of what group they belong to. â€Å"There is considerable evidence to show that inclusive organisations benefit from diversity through: enhanced competitiveness, attracting and retaining more competent employees, who understand the needs of their workforce and respect differences; * improved performance and outcomes, creating a working environment in which everyone is encouraged to perform to their maximum potential; * improved customer services, being able to reflect and meet the diverse needs of the workforce and; * improved staff relations, which reduced the risk of costly tribunals by complying with anti-discriminatory legislation. † www. lluk. org. uk/3167. htm As a manager working within the Health ;amp; Social Care Sector, I agree with the above statement, particularly creating a working environment in which everyone is encouraged to perform to their maximum potential. An inclusive organisation will ensure that their workforce are not excluded for any reason, either directly or indirectly, from part aking in a chosen programme. All the workforce will bring with them valuable skills, knowledge and experiences, I try to incorporate these within any training sessions and treat everyone as an individual. I am always positive and proactive where equality and diversity are concerned, even if my opinions differ from those of my workforce. I have to challenge my own values and beliefs. However, as a professional, I am first and foremost a manager, and my personal opinions must not interfere with the employment process. I must also be careful not to indulge the minority to the detriment of the majority. 3. Be able to understand the needs of others in relation to equality of opportunity and diversity 3. 1 – Explain the requirement to understand individual’s needs, feeling and motivations and to take an interest in their concerns The fundamental reason for promoting equality is to meet the needs of the workforce. Individuals are at the heart of the company and meeting their needs requires an active approach to equality of opportunity at all stages of their employment. It is about the removal of social and economic barriers to participation. Good equal opportunities ensure that all employees: * are respected and not discriminated against; * become aware of equality and inclusion; * benefit from high quality opportunities * work in an environment that supports their development. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) look to employers and learning organisations they fund to help promote equality of opportunity, widen participation and improve performance. They recommend the following. â€Å"Explicit references: equality of opportunity should be promoted and discrimination tacked so that all employees achieve their potential, * guidance and support should be sensitive to quality of opportunity, * organisations should have effective measures to eliminate oppressive behaviour, including all forms of harassment, * companies should be socially inclusive, ensuring equality of access and opportunities for workforces, * managers should use materials and methods that promote equality of opportunity, * there should be explicit aims, values and strategies promoting equality for all that are reflected in the organisation’s work. Implicit references: staff should have access to relevant, effective support on personal issues, * staff should understand their rights and responsibilities, * resources and accommodation should allow all staff to participate fully, * organisations should promote good working relationships, * programmes should be responsive to local circumstances, * the organisation’s values should be fully understood by staff, including sub contractors and work placement organisations, * the performance of different groups of staff should be used to guide programme development. As a manager I need to take positive steps to promote a culture of equality and diversity in everything that I do that may affect the employment process. 3. 2 – Evaluate the impact of showing respect to others, recognising their value and upholding their rights An example of showing respect to others, recognising their value and upholding their rights could be: An employee has declared to me during this Common Induction Standards training that he is transgender and wants to know which toilet facilities he can use. He has not asked this information remain confidential. This declaration by the employee means that my whole organisation is deemed to know under the Equality Act 2010, and will need to make reasonable adjustments so that the employee has access to toilet facilities he is comfortable with. I may suggest that the employee can use the disabled toilet which is accessed by both males and females. If I am unable to respond to the employee’s needs, he may feel that under the Gender Reassignment Regulations (1999) his needs have not been given the same consideration as those of male and female gender. Some employees may not want to may not want to complete the section on the application form (pre 2008), which required them to disclose details such as a disability, ethnic origin, date of birth etc. Although it was not compulsory, the information often helped our organisation support the workforce, as well as collect data for purposes such as funding and statistics to inform policies. 3. 3 – Describe the need for integrity, fairness and consistency in dealings with individuals When considering forms of harassment, it is important to bear in mind that different people have different cultural and social perceptions as to what they consider to be hostile or degrading. If possible, deliver sessions with your workforce to try to address these perceptions or assumptions. During the recruitment and selection process, I often ask the interviewers what they understand by equality and diversity and how they ensure it in their interviewing. Very often the response is that they would treat everyone the same. However, diversity, fairness and equality are about treating others as they would wish to be treated, rather than making assumptions on their behalf. The workforce is all different and therefore have different needs and different degrees of need which will lead to equal outcomes at the end of their training. Language has a fundamental role to play in treating people fairly. Words you use should give a clear message to all the workforce that myself and my organisation value diversity and respect individual differences. Carefully examining the language I use and the way I use it will help ensure that I treat my workforce as individuals and not merely as members of staff. Communication is not just about words, however, and I also should ensure that my tone of voice, demeanour and body language convey the same message of inclusiveness. An example may be: Gemma has been asked to plan, design and deliver a four week Job Skills programme as part of a Support and Achieve Programme for Lone Parents. The clients are referred to the programme from JobCentrePlus and the aim of the project is for the one parents to return to work. The very title of this project typecasts these clients into a particular group. They are immediately identified as lone or single parents. Gemma therefore suggests the title be changed. Reports from the media project an image of lone parents as predominately young mothers or fathers with children living on their own and claiming state benefits. There are many diverse people who find themselves as lone parents due to different circumstances, for example, widows, windowers or divorcees. The title of a programme can therefore affect who will apply for it, in this example it is positive discrimination in favour of lone parents. However, the content will be based around returning to work and could easily be adapted to suit others, and the mix of workers will help promote inclusion and equality. 3. 4 – Outline a process for dealing with others whose behaviours, words or actions do not support a commitment to equality of opportunity or diversity When an inspection is planned, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses the provider’s annual self-assessment report, along with other information such as data on achievement and development plans. Inspection reports include judgements on self-assessment and the self-assessment report. During the inspection the self-assessment report will continue to provide CQC inspectors with crucial evidence to support judgements about the Essential Standards of Quality and Safety’s main aspects, the contributory grades for equality and diversity, safeguarding and the provider’s capacity to improve. Inspectors will use the report to assess risk, monitor standards and plan for inspection. Where subject areas are to be inspected, the report will help the lead inspector select the areas to inspect. Findings during the inspection will be compared with those in the self-assessment report, and a conclusion reached on the accuracy of those judgements. Judgements on the accuracy and use made of the self-assessment report contribute to the grade awarded for the provider’s capacity to make and sustain improvements. A provider that is judged to be outstanding in this area will have a self-assessment report that is highly accurate. The process of self-assessment will be comprehensive and inclusive. It will be used very effectively to secure sustained improvements in all aspects of the provider’s work. A provider that is judged to be good in this area will have a self-assessment report that is largely accurate. The process will be thorough and used well to secure improvements in most aspects of the provider’s work. A provider that is judged to be satisfactory in this area will use self-assessment well to identify most of the provider’s strengths and weaknesses and bring about improvements. A provider judged to be inadequate in this area may be one where quality improvement and self-assessment do not lead to demonstrable improvements. After inspection you must review and update your plans to take account of the inspection findings. Providers are required to set out clearly what actions are needed and to link this explicitly to the inspection findings within two months of the publication of the inspection report.

Video Games A Curse Or A Blessing Psychology Essay

Video Games A Curse Or A Blessing Psychology Essay Nowadays, video games are more advanced than they ever were. Fascinating story lines, and more complex levels than before, these video games become more and more sought after by todays youth. It has become easier to purchase and access games with mature ratings (M) by underage children and teenagers. Parents would argue that video games corrupt the minds of the teens, and it could lead them to develop a violent personality that can make them become aggressive and commit crimes. And since we are all aware about the parenthood protective instinct, their concerns are understandable. Incidents like the school shooting like the one that happened in Colorado thirteen years ago, child aggression, and the decrease in school work are said to be the effect of video gaming. Of course, it is not for all the video games that exist but games like Doom, Madworld, and Gears of War are some of the games that are blamed. Parents state that more than a thousand of scientific reviews and studies conclude that the exposure to media violence and violent video gaming increases the aggressive behavior of youths. In a paper that was written by Rachel Ray called Violent Video Games, she strongly supports the idea that aggressive video games hold some strong effect on the young boy practicing that act. She begins her article by referring to the shootings in Kentucky, Paducah, Colorado, and Columbine. She states that in those cases, the teenagers who were responsible for those shootings were addicted to Doom. Furthermore, she said that there is correlation between youth and teens behaviors and violent video games are undeniable. Ray also stated: I personally believe that aggressive video games have an effect on young adults, and in turn can cause them to commit crimes. (Ray, 2006) Another research suggested that when performing violent acts in video games may contribute in teenagers aggression than just watching violent scenes on movies and TV shows. According to this view, the more teens act violently while playing game, the more likely they will perform violent acts in their real life (Cesarone, 1994).   In the majority of video games, females are the ones who are depicted to be victims. Video Games such as, Grand Theft Auto promote and talks about theft, prostitution, and violent behavior.   This game encourages males to behave in a wrong way if they want to move along the levels of the game. Furthermore, research has found that males tend to play video games more than women which may produce factor of such aggressiveness in video games.   It is known that acting out such violence as opposed to just viewing it will cause the young boy to become more familiar acting violently without any consequence. Moreover, to explore the question about how playing video games my change the brain, Dr. Vincent Matthews and some of his colleagues at Indiana University who have studied media violence looked at what happen in the brain of twenty eight students who were randomly chosen to play either a non-violent or a first-person shooter games (violent video game) every day at an intervals of a week. At the beginning of this study, researchers used Functional magnetic resonance imaging scan for the brain in order to understand its activity when the study participants who are all young adult men, while playing the lab based task either involving non-emotional or emotional contents. The participants were scanned over and over again while repeating the same tasks, after one week of playing the two opposite types of video games (Park, 2011). Researchers found out that the participants who practiced the violent video games showed less activity in the areas about emotions, inhibition, and attention in the brain. Mathews stated: Behavioral studies shown an increase in aggressive behavior after violent games, and what we show is the physiological explanation for what the behavioral studies are showing (Park, 2011). We are showing that there are changes in the brain function that are likely related to that behavior. One task that the participants completed while being under the scan appraised their response to non-violent vs. violent words. The participants were presented with non-violent words such as walk, run, and talk and violent words such as harm, hit, shoot, and kill (Park, 2011). Therefore, Dr. Mathews came with a conclusion that the changes that happens to the brain while playing violent video games dont appear to be permanent; however, documenting that the brain changes when playing the violent games even if it is for just few hours a day for a whole week., and this can be a significant proof on how young players can be affected when playing these kinds of games.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Personally speaking I love playing violent video games, because when I do so I forget about all my daily problems and I release all the frustration I assembled during the day by shooting zombies or damaging cars and buildings. The major problem that we had when we wanted to play those games was the approval of our parents because no one of any age wants someone to breathe down you neck or looking over your shoulder in order to observe what you are doing. For centuries, parents have that protective instinct for their children and want to protect from anything aggressive or violent. For instance, even in sports, it exist violence to some degree. For example, the American football the coach tells his players almost every day to rip the opponent player heads off. The fact remains that violence is all around us and violent computer games simply provide teens and young boys with a new high level to entertain themselves. Almost every year, the bestselling video games in US are the one which are most violent. When I was 13 years old I enjoyed playing violent Video Games with my older brother, and thankfully our parents allowed us to play any game we chose. Our parents decision to let us play whatever we want was not random because when I asked my mother why she allowed us to play those kind of games she told me that she knew that her and my father raised us well to make our own right decisions and she was sure that we will never practice what we experienced in those video game in real life. In 2011, the best seller game was Call of Duty, and for those who are familiar with video games that game is one of the most violent. I understand that parents cant stop worrying about the influence of those games on their children. Though, it is possible that young players will be more prone to imitate violence they see, it is important to keep in mind that the most aggressive video games are rated mature for a specific reason. Reasonable and well raised children wont start walking around and shooting people, robbing old women, or stealing cars. Violence is just a single small part of video games entertainment value. Olsen said in a New York Times article: teens can try out different identities, how it feels to be a hero, a trickster, a feared or scorned killer or someone of a different age or sexà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in a safe fantasy world of video games (Olsen, 2011). For teenagers, violent video games offer mature oriented adventures that go together with their age range better than th ose offered by non violent games for children. Violent games like Call of Duty allows for more interaction and control over the environment you are playing in and it is less structured than the ones we found in movies and TV shows. Through the use of violence, video games can significantly reduce stress by distracting young gamers from pressures of their daily lives. For example, college students who are stuck between school responsibilities, part times jobs, and household chores might find a button machine for violent games a solution to enjoyably release stress and frustrations. According to a study done by Texas AM professor Christopher Ferguson, violent and aggressive video games can be used as a therapeutic solution to combat anger and depression(Ferguson, 2007). Moreover, according a research that was published in Psychology of Violences in August 2011, the degree to which competitiveness young gamers reach while practicing their hobby is more likely than the degree of violence to cause aggression in those gamers personality((Paul J. C. , Adachi, 2011). Watching, practicing, and playing games that depict bloodshed are very therapeutic in a sense that violence on our screen helps us understand death. As the author of the book Killing Monsters Gerard Jones said: Why children need fantasy, super heroes, and make-believe violenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦through immersion in imaginary combat and identification with a violent protagonist, children engage the rage they stifledà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and become more capable of using it against lifes challenges.(Jones, 2008) Even though it seems like I am in a strong opposition on how my opponents view on seeing the video games as a curse for children and teenagers, I understand their concern and I believe that the best solution is for parents to monitor their children. That means that they should study their personality, see how they perceive those video games, and then decide based on their kids personality if they are capable of handling violent video games without switching their behavior from for what their children are allowed to do in their spare time. In the end, they are responsible to know what video games their children play and have the authority to regulate what video games their children play or how much time they are allowed to play video games. Aside from the video game rating system, there is information available about every video game in the internet, parents can Google the games name and read all the information about it. Parents need to observe and control violent video games for the ir children only if they think that it will affect their behavior and personality; However, if the parents raised their children well, they will not have anything to worry about because they will trust that they will not behave by the same the characters in those violent video games act. Therefore, when monitored by parents, violent video games will not make teens and children violent and aggressive, it will help them overcome stress and anxiety by providing them with entertainment inside their houses, and it will allow them to take out their daily frustration on fantasy characters instead of taking it out on real people.

What Is the Real Cost Of Employee Turnover Essay -- essays research pa

What Is the Real Cost Of Employee Turnover The employee turnover rate and the retention of skilled employees is a major problem businesses face. â€Å"Conservative estimates put the cost of replacing a lost employee at 25 percent of the annual compensation amount. For the typical full time employee who earns $38,481 and receives $50,025 in total compensation, the total cost of turnover would amount to $12,506 per employee.† This being the case employee turnover is a major cost and can significantly influence the bottom line so it should be avoided if possible. (Bliss) â€Å"Employee turnover is a critical cost driver for American business. The cost of recruiting and filling vacancies, lost productivity from vacant jobs, and the costs of training new employees increase operating costs, reduce output, and cut into profits.† (Orville 5-7) Estimates of the costs of employee turnover vary widely and depend on whether all cost elements are recognized. The three primary elements of turnover cost include: †¢ Staffing – sometimes called cost-per-hire include the costs of exit interviews, recruiting, job applications, screening applicants, relocation expenses and signing bonuses. †¢ Vacancy – While a position is vacant, the productivity of the former employee is lost and the productivity of the overall organization is reduced, as remaining workers have to cope with being short-handed. †¢ Training – No new employee starts work at 100 percent efficiency. The replacement employee’s time, other employee’s time and valuable resources must be expended to train each new employee and to facilitate the transitions. So how do employers retain employees? Many employers try gimmicks, games, and prizes. F. Leigh Branham, author of Keeping the People Who Keep You in Business offers the following advice for retaining employees: †¢ Don’t always hire the best, but hire the â€Å"best fit†. †¢ Have the insight to realize that no matter what the job not just anyone can do it well. †¢ Focus on matching the person’s strengths to the right challenge and the right role, not on improving weaknesses to the point that every employee is well rounded. †¢ Build a culture of trust by giving people free reign to ... ...er off in another company or if your company would be better, off without the employee you are facing a positive situation and the financial impact may be a small sacrifice. However, if the employee is a true asset to your company it may be worth your time to try to sway him or her to rethink their decision to leave. The true cost of employee turnover can only be determined by weighing all the facts and looking at how it impacts your organization. You need to look at all the factors, monetary as well as organizationally to determine if the outcome was negative or positive. Works Cited Bliss, William. â€Å"Cost of Employee Turnover.† The Adivsor. 11 Nov 2004 http://www.isquare.com/turnover.cfm. Branham, Leigh. Keeping the People Who Keep You in Business. : Amacom Books. Javitch, David. "How Much Turnover is OK?." 01 2003. Entrepreneur.com. Entrepreneur.com. 01 Dec. 2004 . McNally, Steven. "Turn Away Turnover." Security Services. September 2004: 16 - 19. Orville, Wilbur. â€Å"Calculating the Cost of Work/Life Turnover.† Workforce March 1997: 5-7 Unknown. "Employee Turnover - A Critical Human Resource Benchmark." hr Benchmarks December 2002: 20 – 23

Kierkegaard and P.M. Moller on Immortality :: Essays Papers

Kierkegaard and P.M. Moller on Immortality P.M. Moller and His Relation to S.A. Kierkegaard Although virtually unknown today outside of Danish philosophical circles, Moller (1794-1838) was, during his lifetime, esteemed as one of Denmark’s most loved poets, and beginning in 1831 he held the position of professor of philosophy at the University of Denmark. While at the university Moller taught Moral and Greek Philosophy, and his early philosophical position has been regarded as Hegelian. Kierkegaard began his university studies in 1830, and the young professor made a deep impression upon him. During 1834-36 two events occurred that transformed Moller’s philosophy and also influenced his relation to Kierkegaard. The first was the death of Moller’s wife in 1834, which caused him to question the adequacy of Hegel’s system. The second was the publication of some articles by Kierkegaard in 1836 in a journal called Copenhagen’s Flying Post. In these articles Kierkegaard attacked Orla Lehmann, the young leader of the liberal student movement. This attack pleased the conservative Moller, and the two developed a deep friendship. Despite the nineteen-year difference in their ages, the two shared similar views regarding Danish politics, a growing distrust of the Hegelian system, and a concern about the state of the Danish clergy. With the death of Moller in 1838, at the age of forty-four, Kierkegaard lost his nearest congenial friend, the person with whom, above all others, he could discuss freely his ideas and receive a sympathetic and intelligent respon se. After Moller’s death Kierkegaard cherished his memory and faithfully read his Posthumous Works when they were published in 1839-43. Kierkegaard also dedicated his book The Concept of Anxiety (1844) to Moller, with the following tribute: To the late Professor Poul Martin Moller The happy lover of Greek culture, the admirer of Homer, the confidant of Socrates, the interpreter of Aristotle, Denmark’s joy in â€Å"Joy over Denmark,† though â€Å"widely traveled† always â€Å"remembered in the Danish summer,† the object of my profound admiration, my profound loss, this work is dedicated. This dedication should illustrate, if not Kierkegaard’s indebtedness to Professor Moller, then at least his unyielding affection. Moller’s Reflections on Philosophical Systems and Personal Immortality The work by Moller that beyond all others influenced Kierkegaard was â€Å"Thoughts on the Possibility of Proofs of the Immortality of Human Beings With Reference to the Most Recent Literature on the Subject.† H.P. Rhode stresses that it was this work on immortality that was Moller’s most important contribution to philosophy in Denmark, and most notably for the young Kierkegaard, who was â€Å"notoriously occupied† with it.

Obtaining Start-Up Finance for a Business :: Papers

Obtaining Start-Up Finance for a Business This essay is an advise for Mr. Miyako on obtaining start-up finance for a business. Mr. Miyako wants to open a new Japanese restaurant. A suitable location has been selected in the suburban city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire of the United Kingdom, directly in opposite of the train station, with many bus stops in the vicinity. This place is near the Peak district, which is a nature reserve. In the weekends and in holidays the Peak district is visited by lots of people from the city of Sheffield and Manchester. At this moment there is no Japanese restaurant in surroundings of Sheffield. Estimated cash requirements In this paragraph the estimated cash requirements for the business is calculated. The calculations are based on a new inventory, Teppanyaki tables, a new kitchen and renovation cost of the interior. New inventory (tables, chairs, bar etc.) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 30.000,00 Teppanyaki tables (6 pieces) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 15.000,00 New kitchen à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 50.000,00 Renovation cost of the interior à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 100.000,00 ----------------------- Total à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 195.000,00 Possible sources of finance 10% of the required fund is available from Mr. Miyako's private family funds. 90% of the sum needs to be attracted from other sources. These sources are e.g.: a loan from a bank, a loan from a supplier (like the brewery) or an overdraft. Each of these sources will be described in detail. Loan from a bank A loan from a bank is an agreed amount of borrowed money that needs to be paid back in a fixed period of time with interest. To borrow money from a bank, a detailed business plan is needed. For start-up finance, the maximum loan is often not more than 50% of the required sum. Interest rates at the moment are 6-7 percent. Loan from a supplier Breweries are likely to supply loans to start-up entrepreneurs. In the loan contract the brewery can oblige Mr. Miyako to only use the beer and soft drinks supplied by the brewery. Loan can be in cash, but also

Stolpestad by William Lychack

Lychack, published in 2008, is about a policeman who gets called out at the end of his shift, to help a 9 year old boy with his suffering dog. Stolpestad is the main character in the story and the protagonist. He is not at all captivated by the task at hand, which I believe to be the antagonist of the story, but follows his orders and heads out to accomplish this odd task and shoots the dog.In the end he is confronted by the young boy and his father for not actually killing the dog. We are first greeted with a very explicit description of the day itself. â€Å"Sun never breaking through the clouds, clouds never breaking into rain – the odometer like a clock ticking all these bored little pent-up streets and mills and tenants away. † (Page 1, line 2-4) This description suggests that it is always like this, the town never changing, never moving on, constant and a duplicate of the day before, Just as the life of Stolpestad.Every street, every shop and home the same as they were in his childhood memories. He has always lived here, but his portrayal of he town bares little enthusiasm or fondness, almost suggesting a negative outlook on his life. The ambience of the setting continues on the same dull note, when the area in which the dog is located is presented. â€Å".. the grass and scrub weeds, the sumac, the old tires, empty bottles, paint cans, rusted car axel, refrigerator door.

Ancient Views of the Concept of Marriage and the Family Essay

There are several aspects that constitute social life. These aspects include family, religion, leisure, sexuality, intellectual and creativity. The aforementioned aspects are evident in the ancient literature. However, both the Western and the Eastern had different views regarding these social aspects. The paper discusses Western and Eastern views of social life and responsibilities in ancient literature. To narrow down the research, marriage and the family were chosen. Both Western and the Eastern writers had different views regarding various issues surrounding marriage and the family. Ancient literature dates back A.D 476, and it underwent a series of transformations until the 16th century. During ancient times, many, philosophers and writers used various forms of writing to pass their messages. These forms included poetry, narration and even writing on stones. The recorded ancient from Greek, Egypt, Persia, Europe and some parts of Asia shows significant similarities and differences. To understand the matter introduced, we can consider views from the Greece and Persia, and compare them with views from Asia and Egypt. In these countries, a lot was written regarding social life and responsibilities. We shall also consider several works by different authors to support the arguments presented. Similarities Both the Western and Eastern literature talked about marriage and the family and the roles of the parties involved. A good example is Homer’s Novel, Iliad, which have several scenes of love and romance. One of its themes is military glory over family life. According to the novel, family is depicted as an important institution between two people. Homer constantly forces the characters in his writings to put the interests of their loved ones. From the novel, it is clear that a complete marriage can only be possible between a man and a woman. In addition, the novel suggests that women had a role to take care of their children while men went out for war. This was the case in Eastern parts of the world. Israel writers such as Jim West emphasized on the role of women in the family. He suggests that women were seen as custodians of their families. The two writings show similar characteristics regarding men’s responsibilities. The Iliad by Homer suggests that men had a responsi bility to protect their families from any form of attacks. A close examination of these ancient works portrays men as muscular persons who were supposed to protect the interests of the societies. Moreover, the ancient literatures by Euripides from Greece suggest that both man and a woman must complement one another. The same is shown by Emily Teeter, an Eastern ancient writer. In his novel, Ancient Egyptian and Family Life, Teeter points out that men and women are equal parties in the marriage. However, the novel suggests that ancient women from Egypt had a role to attend markets while men carried out hard jobs, which were suitable for the survival of the family (Minchin 22). Both Western and Eastern ancient literature values ethics in family matters. The following are various examples in support of this claim. Western ancient writers such as Plato and Aristotle came up with several ethical frameworks which were supposed to guide the members of the family. Marriage and the family were highly valued by these two great writers. According to Plato’s writings, family members were supposed to be guided by ethics of virtues. The writer came up with four virtues which are prudence, duty of care, love, justice and integrity. Moreover Eastern writers from Egypt and Israel valued ethics. A good example is The Pyramid Texts of Egypt, which talks about the journey of the soul to the eternity. The Pyramid is considered as literature because it has some moral lessons. They taught couples to practice ethics whenever they deal with each other. The literature suggests that a marriage is a journey that ought to have follow ethics (Pearson 234). Differences There are several differences between the Eastern and Western views of the marriage and the family as depicted in the ancient literature. The first one is the structure of the family. Eastern literature suggests that families in the East by 14th century were dominated by the husband. Women are depicted as subjects to men. According to a journal article, Ancient Israelite Marriage Customs by Jim West, men in ancient Israel were given more powers, which were dictated by the society. This is quite different Western view of the same issue. According to Homer’s novel, The Oddesy, women in the Western world during the ancient times were almost equal to men. Homer uses a number of women to show their roles in the society. A good example is where he uses examples of Circe and Calypso who never entertained exploitation from their male counterparts. However, Homer presents a way in which women’s status was lowered. In the novel, there are examples of women who only existed to sat isfy men’s sexual desires. According to this ancient work, this ruined the institution of marriage. From this we get a very crucial difference between the Western and Eastern view of the family. While Homer suggests that prostitution could happen freely in the Western world, this was highly discouraged in Eastern Literature. In fact, any woman who was found guilty of the offence was stoned to death. Most of the ancient Eastern writings make a lot of references to the Bible. A good example is presented in the journal article mentioned above. According to Eastern culture, it was wrong for a woman to make love with another man, apart from her husband. Surprisingly, men were allowed to do so. This shows that women presented in Eastern literature had little control of their life. Everything they did was already stipulated by the society (McDemont 67). Another key difference in the two views is the attitudes towards abortion. This was a critical issue in marriage and the family. The Eastern view suggests that couples married to procreate and fill the earth. As already mentioned an above, this was another reference of the Holy Bible. Israelites were among the communities that valued life and children. Ancient Greeks and Romans accepted abortion. They were not much concerned to protect unborn children. Early philosophers argued that it took 40 -80 days for a fetus to be formed. According to Aristotle, an Ancient philosopher, couples could practice abortion before sense of life had begun. He however believed that female embryos developed slowly than male ones. With regards to the subject of abortion, things were stickier in Eastern parts. Eastern culture did not allow abortion to take course in the society. The Eastern view regarding abortion was that anyone who caused miscarriage, he or she had to pay a fine to the husband of the wom an. The literature suggests that fetus was a property and it needed to be safeguarded by all means. This suggests that everyone in the Eastern society had a responsibility to support human life (Pepe 45). From the above analysis, it can be noted that both the Eastern and Western views on family had similarities and differences. Ancient Eastern writers seem to have been influenced greatly by the Bible in their writing. On the other hand, Western writers were critical on a given subject matter, and they often differed in opinions. References McDermott, M. H. Novel and Romance: The Odyssey to Tom Jones. Diss. The New University of Ulster, 1975. Minchin, Elizabeth. â€Å"Homer and the resources of memory: some applications of cognitive theory to the Iliad and the Odyssey.† (2001). Pepe, L. â€Å"Abortion in ancient Greece.† XIX Symposion of Greek and Hellenistic Law. 2013. Pearson, Lionel. Popular ethics in ancient Greece. Stanford University Press, 1962. Source document