The Adventures if Sherlock Holmes Essay Example

The Adventures if Sherlock Holmes Essay Example The Adventures if Sherlock Holmes Essay The Adventures if Sherlock Holmes Essay The language used by Conan Doyle is quite specific. He uses a lot of similes to describe his villains such as his description of Dr Roylott gave him the resemblance to a fierce old bird of prey on page 185. How he describes all of the villains in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are very detailed and, I think, quite similar because for all of them he describes their clothes as much as their physical appearances. The language used is for the purpose of really getting the villains character across to the audience, to make them understand why the people in the book fear them or respect them. This is to make it so that when it comes to the end of the story with Holmess conclusion the audience arent confused as to how he got from one point to another. The physical appearances of the characters are very different as they vary from a scary old doctor to a young assistant. The appearances of the villains arent really stereotypes but do all contain a certain typical aspect of a villain. Dr Roylott in particular seems very sinister just because of how he is described, as marked with every evil passion on page 185. The way they behave is very different in each story, they are all very different characters but all have reasons to make you doubt them. Vincent Spaulding for instance is an obliging youth (page 33) and seems too good to be true and not overly suspicious; Colonel Lysander Stark and his insistence in not telling anyone anything and Dr Roylott who seems to be a bully and a bit strange and menacing. The language the villains use suit them perfectly, for example, Colonel Lysander Stark is a very suspicious person who has something of a German accent (page 206). The fact that he is from a different country just, in the readers eyes, makes him even more suspicious, whereas Vincent Spaulding is a very clever and obliging person who doesnt say very much but when he does speak, he is quite polite which draws attention away from him. Their personalities show us that, in their own different ways, they shouldnt be trusted, as they are all suspicious, even if it is only very slightly like in Vincent Spauldings case. The only suspicious thing he does is Then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit on page 33. Colonel Lysander Stark is very suspicious because he is very insistent on keeping everything a secret as he keeps telling Victor Hatherly on page 207 absolute secrecy is quite essential absolute secrecy All these stories and the villains in them are typical of the detective genre because they both keep the reader guessing until almost the very end at which time it keeps you guessing at how Holmes figured everything out. Another thing that keeps the reader interested is that they arent easy to figure out because of all the clues and all of the red herrings. There are a lot of these false leads in the stories such as in The Red Headed League the red herring is that the Red Headed League doesnt exist. Although they are typical of the detective genre, the stories and characters are still very different from each other which helps to hide the suspect when it comes to reading one story after another so that it is a surprise to find out who did it every time. The thing that is most typical of this genre is that nearly all of the characters in these stories, have a sidekick or and accomplice. The way the villains are described is designed to make the audience feel scared or fearful of the character as if they are an actual person you are meeting, not just a character out of a book. For instance the fact that one of the characters is foreign, makes the audience immediately feel wary and suspicious and they immediately mistrust him, which is how they are meant to feel towards that character. Some of the developments on the characters are there to trick the audience into believing something, for example, the audience are lead to believe that Vincent Spaulding is a smart assistant (page 33) whereas he is really called John Clay and is a murderer, thief, smasher and forger (Page 48). I think that Conan Doyles style of writing is very effective, as his stories were popular when they were first released and still are today. His style of writing is very clever in the way he has described his villains and how he has made the plot unfold. This style of writing is particularly good because he has written it from a different perspective, so that the reader wont work things out with Holmes like in most detective books. He has made his villains unfold very well, especially, I think, with Vincent Spaulding as he was the hardest to work out as he seemed to be a very quiet and helpful person, but this is all unravelled by Holmes in the end. I think using a different narrator to the main character was effective because the reader is looking at this through Dr Watsons eyes, the mystery remains right up until the very end at which point everything is explained to us. Not looking at things through Holmess eyes also makes it so that the audience also falls for all the red herrings Conan Doyle liberally places throughout his stories. This makes the story more exciting as the reader can keep guessing at who did it and it wont be spoilt by the narrator keep saying whats going to happen next. I think that if any of the stories were too long they would be less interesting and wouldnt hold the readers attention for very long. As the stories are short they constantly have something new or exciting happening because all the clues and things dont have to be drawn out to last longer. There is a lot of tension in these stories that is only supposed to last a little while as the story comes to an end and the reader finds out how Holmes figured it out. I think that if the stories were much longer than they are now then the tension wouldnt really be noticed and after a while which would make the end a lot less spectacular. By the end of the stories the villains are always found out and they are usually caught. I think that the moral of the story is that the villains in the stories always get their comeuppance. For example, in The Engineers Thumb Colonel Lysander Stark gets away, but the person hes working with looses his house and they have to move to a different country where no-one will recognise them. Also in The Speckled Band Dr Roylott kills someone with a swamp adder which then turns on him and he died within ten seconds of being bitten. This shows that criminals never get away with it and the heros of the story always find them out. I think that Victorians enjoyed Conan Doyles detective stories so much because, I imagine, it made them feel safer as in those times there were people like Jack the Ripper on the loose and the fact that the criminals were, more often than not, caught in these stories, it helped Victorians believe that there was justice after all, because, lets face it, the police werent very good at their jobs and so couldnt give people the security they needed. The fact that the crimes in these books were common ones only made them even better as it showed that there are ways of solving crimes. I think that these were also fairly popular because there couldnt have been very many detective stories around at that time.

The Ultimate SAT Math Prep Guide Tips, Formulas, and Practice

The Ultimate SAT Math Prep Guide Tips, Formulas, and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It's entirely possible to train for the SAT Math section. The more you understand how it works, the better you'll perform on test day. Here, we'll give you absolutely everything you'll need to know to master SAT Math. This is the best, most comprehensive guide forSAT math prepavailable.We've scoured all the resources we could find and put them together for your convenience. If you are dedicated to doing your best on the SAT and are ready to commit your time and energy to improving your Math score, this is the guide for you. (And best of all, it's entirely free!) This guide will serve as a directory for all the SAT Math articles and guides we've written. We'll start by going through the SAT Math section at the high level and giving you access to free practice tests and problems. After, we'll dive into the larger SAT tips you'll need for the test before finally getting into individual math topics you should know. With that said, it's a good idea to go through each guide we've linked roughly in order,at least for the first time. You can thencome back to any of the guides you need in order to give yourself a refresher. So let's dive in! High-Level SAT Math Section Overview Now that you've (presumably) decided to study forthe SAT Math section, let's talk big picture. These guides will lay the foundation for your SAT studies and give you an idea of how the Math section works as a whole as well as how to master it at the high level. What’s Tested on the SAT Math Section? Topics and Practice The New SAT Math: What's Changing? The first step to understanding how to master the SAT Math section is to learnexactly what you'll betested on. After all, you wouldn't want to waste your time studying a topic that will never show up on the test! So take a look at what this section covers and focus your studies there. What Is the SAT No Calculator Section? 5 Tips to Do Well SAT Math has two subsections:a No Calculator part (on which you may not use a calculator) and a Calculator part (for which you may use a calculator). This guide introduces the format of the No Calculator section, the various skills it tests, what the questions look like, and tips for doing well. Heart of Algebra: Key Strategies for SAT Math 3 Key Strategies for SAT Passport to Advanced Math Problem Solving and Data Analysis: Key SAT Math Concepts The SAT Math section consists of three major topic areas: Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Problem Solving and Data Analysis. These guides go over in detail the different content areas on the section as well as the types of math questions you'll get and how to approach them. Expert Guide to SAT Grid-Ins: 5 Key Tips Not all questions on the Math section are multiple choice- you'll also have 13 student-produced response questions (commonly known as grid-ins). For these, you must fill in your own answer. Get the low-down on what these questions look like and when to expect them on test day. How to Improve Low SAT Math Scores: 9 Strategies This guide will take you through the grading structure of the SAT Math section and show you just how you can use it to your own advantage. Ifyou've already taken a practice test and are currently scoring below 600 on Math, learn what you'll need to do and how you can boost your score to get you to where you want to be. How to Get 800 on SAT Math, by a Perfect Scorer For those of you who are already doing well onthe Math section but who are aiming for perfection, this is the guide for you. Written by a perfect scorer, our guide will help you take your scores to the very top. FreeSAT Tests and SAT Math Practice Problems Mastering the SAT is a combination of arming yourself with knowledge of the test and taking time to practice with real practice tests and problems. In this section, we've linkedthe best free SAT Math materials you can find online and use in your studies. Complete Official SAT Practice Tests, Free Links If you haven't yet taken a full-length practice test, set aside some time to sit down and take one of these free, real SAT tests. Doing this will give you a starting point to work with and will show you how your Math score fits into the larger picture of your overall SAT score. The Best SAT Math Practice Tests and Questions This article goes over the very best (official) SAT Math tests and practice questions you can get for free online. We also give you a handful of tips on how to use these resources most effectively. Complete List of FREE SAT Math Practice Problems Beyond full SATs, there are many math SAT problems available online. We have linked them all here and offer tips you'll need to know in order to master them. The 13 Hardest SAT Math Questions Ever From all the real SAT Math problems available, we've compiled the 13 hardest questions (for both the No Calculator and Calculator sections) along with answer explanations. Take a look if you're ready to test yourself against the most difficult problems the SAT Math section has to offer. SAT Math Tips and Tools So far, you've learned what the SAT Math section looks like, taken a look at the high-level strategies for earning and improving your Math score, and discovered the best sources for SAT Math practice problems. Now,let's look at the specific skills and tools you'll need to successfully tackle the SAT Math section. The 28 Critical SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know One of the most important requirements for mastering SAT Math is having a solid understanding of the key formulas and knowing how to apply them. We'll show you what math formulas you'll need to remember, what formulas you'll be given on the test, and what formulas you can get away with not knowing. How to Get the Most Out of SAT Practice Math Questions You alreadyhave access to SAT Math practice problems, soit's a good idea to learn how to best use them to effectivelyraise your score. We show you how to do just that in this guide. 7 Most Common SAT Math Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Everyone makes mistakes- but there are ways you can avoid making them on SAT Math. In this guide, we introduce the most common mistakes students make and go over exactly how to fix your approach so you can avoid careless errors. Calculators on the SAT: Tips From Experts A good (and approved) calculator on the SAT Math section is indispensable. Learn which calculators are allowed on the test, and get the inside knowledge of which calculators the SAT experts prefer. How to Stop Running Out of Time on SAT Math Running out of time on the Math section? You're not alone! We'll take you through the steps you'll need to overcome this common problem, reachyour best score, and beat the clock. SAT Math Topics Guides Now that you've got a solid grasp of the most important high-level SAT Math strategies, it's time to take a look at each and every SAT math topic. We've written several informational and strategy guides for every topic on SAT Math and offer practice problems with detailed answer explanations. Strategies for Multiple Types of SAT Math Problems Many SAT Math problems can be solved in multiple ways, and there are two different strategies that can apply to many math problems on the test. Understanding these strategies allows you to answer questions on math topics you're wary of- even topics you don't understand much at all! Plugging in Answers: A Critical SAT Math Strategy Instead of actually solving the math problem, you can use the structure of the test against itself by plugging in answer choices one at a time and seeing which one yields the correct answer. Learn how to do this here! Plugging in Numbers: A Critical SAT Math Strategy For complex algebra problems, nothing beats working with real numbers instead of variables. In this guide, we'll show you exactly how to do this on the SAT Math section. Individual SAT Math Guides Now, let's look at each math topic on the SAT by subject. Numbers Integers (basic) Integers (advanced) Fractions, ratios, and proportions Statistics (mean, median, and mode) Probability Sequences Algebra Single variable equations Systems of equations Functions Word problems Coordinate Geometry Points Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Plane and Solid Geometry Lines and angles Circles Triangles Polygons Solid Geometry Trigonometry The Takeaways: Studying Effectively for SAT Math There's a lot of information here, so take your time with it and balance your studies over a period of several months, if possible. The SAT Math section is complicated and there is a lot to study and understand if you want to do really well on it. But always take to heart that it ispossible for you to do well on SAT Math. It takes dedication and discipline, but mastering the Math section iscompletely doable. Taking the time to work through these guides is a great first step! What’s Next? Need help with other SAT sections? Then check outour ultimate guides to SAT Reading,Writing, and the Essay. If you're still feeling overwhelmed, it might be a good idea to work with a prep program. Our PrepScholar SAT program learns your strengths and weaknesses to tailor your study materials and lessons to the areas where you need it most. We also show you how to balance out your time over the course of your SAT prep so you can get the most for every hour you study. And if you're still procrastinating on your SAT studies,take a look at how you can overcome it and get your focus back. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Introduction to microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduction to microeconomics - Essay Example Buyers have to wait in queues and this situation also does not guarantee that whether they will get the product when their number comes. Sellers of a product can also provide the goods and services to their favorite clients which violates the procedure of efficient markets (Ceiling price regulation). Price Ceiling phenomenon reflects that government intervention does not necessarily means that market will operate efficiently and effectively. Price ceiling is a tool through which government intervenes however it has been observed that intervention is not beneficial in the long run. Economists are of the opinion that output generated through free market economy is the best possible outcome for the welfare of buyers and sellers in the market. Although general public might feel that they are getting goods and services at the lower prices therefore it is better for them but they should also recognize that they are not going to get the product every time they will go to buy it. Price Ceiling creates severe shortage in the economy therefore it should be noted that government intervention is not the solution to the rising prices or inflation in the long

Oil and Gas Extraction Accident Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oil and Gas Extraction Accident - Essay Example Moreover, numerous permits have been granted for assessment of mineral resources in the territorial waters allowing energy companies and international fisheries to move their activities into increasingly deeper waters. However, such activities increase the possibilities of accidents and disasters that can cause far-reaching impacts on sea ecosystems (Hsing,  Fu,  Larcom,  Berlet,  Shank,  2013). Thus, on April 2010 in the northern Gulf of Mexico, there emerged an accident that released four million barrels of oil from Deepwater Horizon drilling rig to the Gulf of Mexico through the next month of the same year. While oil on the surface was removed by different cleanup operations, over thirty percent of the hydrocarbons were drowned in deep-sea plumes. As a result, the Deepwater Horizon blowout actually caused two incidents. First, the oil spill on surface influenced the deepwater plume with chronic subsurface effects and second, mid-water plankton and a variety of mid-water species, as well as the shores to which the oil spill came, were seriously damaged (Montagna PA, Baguley JG, Cooksey C, Hartwell I, Hyde LJ, et al. (2013). On April 20, 2010, the crew of the Deepwater Horizon was preparing to temporary abandon BP’s â€Å"Macondo† discovery. The well had reached a depth. The final string of production had been put in the hole and cemented in place. Mud had been lost to the reservoir while drilling the bottom portion of the well. It is difficult to create a good cement seal between the casing and the formation and it is impossible to provide the efficiency of the cement seal without running a cement- bond log. The cement contained a nitrogen additive to make it lighter.   Gas from the reservoir may have further diluted the viscosity of the cement. The workers waited  for the cement to dry  he crew began displacing the drilling mud in the wellbore and riser with sea water.

Observing Toddlers Essay Example for Free

Observing Toddlers Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are a number of places where toddlers could be observed unobtrusively—at the park, the playground, the mall, and the daycare center. For the purpose of this study, however, I chose to go to the park and observe parents and their toddlers play together. This way, I could easily observe unobtrusively as people would think I was simply there to write or to write down my thoughts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another benefit that the park has to offer is the lack of formal structures and relationships such as those found at daycare centers. At the park, parents and toddlers could interact easily and in a relax manner. That way, the true nature of the relationship between the parents and the toddlers will be easily observed and analyzed and the understanding of the interactions between parents and children will be better understood. This paper then seeks to look at such a relationship by presenting direct observations from families and toddlers that visit the park in our community. I had a small notebook with me and it is where I wrote down my observations, as well as the communication that went on between the parents and the children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The toddlers that I observed were approximately between 16 to 30 months old and appeared to be pampered by care by their parents. One the toddlers belong to an Asian-American racial stock while the other one to an American family. Although the parents brought strollers with them, the toddlers were walking and occasionally carried by their parents. Both of the families of the toddlers seem to belong to the middle class. Notably, the second toddler belongs to a mother without a father. Although the author could not exactly know whether she is a single parent or not, at least based on the observation at the park, the mother does not have any other company in visiting the park.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both toddlers appear to be enamored with their surroundings. They do notice the colors in the park and usually exclaim in delight when they see a butterfly or a bird. Apparently, they are already starting to recognize some of the features of the environment and their understanding of what they are is already being formed in the minds of the young kids. Toddler 1 The first toddler I observed is male. He displayed curiosity in his surroundings. While they were walking in the park, to the way where the family will sit down for an afternoon snack, the toddler was picking up sticks and leaves on the ground. He raised them to his eyes and offered them to his parents. The mother accepted the offer from the toddler and said that it was a leaf. She explained further that the leaf grows on the branch, which the toddler dutifully picked up and offered to her mother again. When the mother pronounced â€Å"leaf† and â€Å"branch†, the toddler also spoke up and attempted to pronounce the same words. A child is very much curious and interested in his surroundings. As part of his cognitive development, he notices the shapes, colors, and different sensations and wonders he encounter in his world. Even at such a young age, he is also being initiated into the process of socialization where he learns the views of his parents and of the larger society where he is located (Turner, 1991). The child, according to Piaget’s theory actively uses his senses to explore his environment and learn about them. Through the use of his senses, he is able to discern relationships among the actions he take and the behavior of the objects that he is viewing (Turner, 1991). Both the component of nature and nurture are at work in this seemingly simple process that the child is going through. He uses his eyes, his ears, his nose, and his whole body to discover the world and learn how it works. His efforts, because they are yet insufficient, are supplemented by his parents, more particularly by his mother, who tells him the names of objects and how they are being referred to in the world. Through the explanation of the mother about the nature of the relationship between leaves and branches, the child is then able to look at the relationship of different objects in his environment albeit in an incomplete fashion. The explanation of the mother regarding the relationship of leaves and branches may not be sufficient for the child to understand the relationship because most of the knowledge of a child advances through his actions and his interpretation about the consequences of the actions he make (Franz White, 1985). Notably, the toddler was now engaging in eye-to-eye contact with his parents and occasionally asks them for what he wants. His father brought out a ball that the toddler apparently loved playing with. The father and the child started playing with the ball—they played catch, and sometimes they would race together to get the ball first. The toddler was delighted with such play with his father. Although this is the case, the child would also look at his mother and he asked her to come and join them. This is consistent with the theory of Erikson, which holds that the child’s relationship with his mother is perhaps the most important one during this stage of development (Franz White, 1985). The child continued to play with the ball and when he saw other children in the park, he also went to them and offered to play the ball with them. Apparently, toddler one has good socialization skills to the point that he can mingle with other kids even when his parents are around. This points to the good relationship that the child is enjoying with his parents. Both his parents encouraged him to play with other children and watched him with other kids. True enough, when the child has strong relationships with his parents, he tends to be more socially responsive and socially amiable. In accordance with Psychosocial theorists, the child is displaying good emotional and social skills because his own relationship with his parents are also good and secure. Otherwise, he might become a recluse and refuse the company of people (Charlesworth, 2003). When Toddler one was playing ball with another child, there was an instance in which the other child managed to grab the ball more quickly than toddler one, so what he did was to forcibly claim the ball from his playmate and withheld it from the latter. Through this, the other child looked as if he was about to cry. It is at this moment that the mother of Toddler one intervened. The mother reasoned out firmly with the toddler in regards to sharing toys so that others would also learn how to share. The tone of the mother appeared to be negotiating instead of imposing. This display of authority on the part of the mother is remarkable and shows the secure connection between her and the child (Charlesworth, 2003). Toddler Two When I felt that I have sufficiently observed toddler one, I decided to turn my attention to another toddler playing with a dog not very far from the first toddler. The only companion of the toddler in the park is his mother and their Labrador. I had the impression, although this is difficult to verify, that the mother was a single parent. The mother was silently looking after her child who was playing with the Labrador. Apart from the toy truck and the Frisbee that the child had, there were no other toys that the mother had for the child. The mother appeared to be preoccupied with her own thoughts. When toddler was not busy with his toy truck, he would play with the Frisbee and the dogs with the strength and the capability that he has. The dog seems to act as a guard to the toddler. He does not socialize with other kids very much and he appears content to play by himself. The toddler, it seems is spending most of the time by himself. Although at first glance, this may seem to be a display of autonomy, yet in closer examination of the child, he does not enjoy the benefits that interaction with other kids and with his parent brings. These circumstances will therefore bring forth negative consequences in the development of the social skills of the child and he might find it difficult to relate with other people when he grows up (Keenan, 2002). When the child attempts to play farther from his mother, the latter would come after him and tell him not to move around too much. The mother actually uses her authority over the child to forbid him from going somewhere else. Apparently, the mother wants to keep the child in her sight most of the time. This kind of attitude might breed negative feelings in the child and will contribute to the insecurity of their relationship. Since the relationship of the child with his mother is of utmost importance (Charlesworth, 2003), then his cognitive, emotional and social development will suffer as a consequence. The child also develops a kind of mistrust in the outside world and he will not view the outside world as a safe place. Instead, he might develop the attitude that he always needs his mother to look after him. Erikson warned against this over-protectiveness of parents as it prohibits children to explore and become curious of their environment. Hence, instead of developing self-confidence and self-esteem, toddler two will instead feel shame and doubt (Franz White, 1985). Toddler two cried when his mother forbade him to wander into the park. When the child cried, the mother responded by being firmer and she almost shouted to toddler two to stop. Instead of stopping, however, toddler cried even louder and displayed tantrums. At this time, the mother punished toddler two by spanking him three times. After several minutes, toddler two stopped crying and remained where he was instead. This display of authority may become inimical to the overall development of the child over the long run as the initiative and the natural curiosity of the child will be dampened and what he will remember most will be the fear associated with the parent’s discipline (Charlesworth, 2003). Toddler two recovered from the spanking after several minutes by turning his attention to the dog and his Frisbee. By distracting himself, he forgot about the incident and started to enjoy himself again. His mother, however, still issued a warning for him â€Å"not to move out of her sight.† According to Erikson, if the urge of the child to explore is removed, then the result would be a lower level of self-esteem on the part of the child (Franz White, 1985). Toddler two is very much attached to her mother, however, he is not sufficiently developing autonomy. Through the reprimands and the stern warnings of his mother, he becomes dependent on his mother and unable to explore his environment and his surroundings. Over the course of time as he discovers the world further, he may not have sufficient curiosity and initiative to move away from the familiar and instead, he would keep in sight of whoever is looking after him. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Observing the two toddlers was a good experience for me. It was as if the concepts and theories discussed by Piaget and Erikson were coming to life. Indeed the role of the parents is very crucial in ensuring that a child receives the appropriate socialization and training even while he is young. The strength of the attachment of a child with his parents is very important for him to develop the necessary skills for socialization and in relating with others in his environment. If the relationship of a child with his parents is good as demonstrated by the first toddler I observed, then the child will greatly benefit from it. If, however, the nature of the relationship borders on the dysfunctional, then the socialization skills of the child will be negatively affected. As he grows up, he will have struggles in relating with different kinds of people in his environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By observing toddlers, numerous lessons can be gleaned and the nature of the relationship between child and parents will be assessed. Accordingly, intervention strategies could be arrived at so that the child will not suffer needlessly. Furthermore, parents, and everyone dealing with children, should be sensitive to the different levels of development of the child as demonstrated by Piaget and Erikson. By doing so, perhaps the manner of bringing up of children will be better and over the long run, the society will become a better one because of the good rearing of the children. Reference Charlesworth, R. (2003). Understanding Child Development: For Adults Who Work With Young Children. New York: Thomson Delmar Learning. Franz, C. E. White, K. M. (1985). Individuation and attachment in personality development: Extending Eriksons theory. Journal of Personality, 53 (2), 224-256. Keenan, T. (2002). An Introduction to Child Development. London: Sage Publications. Turner, P. J. (1991). Relations between Attachment, Gender, and Behavior with Peers in Preschool. Child Development, 62 (6), 1475-1488.

Comparing Functionalist and Traditional Marxist Perspectives on Crime E

There are many theories on why crime exists as well has who is committing the crimes and the underlying reasons behind it The two main perspectives being Traditional Marxist and Functionalist both with different views they share very little in common, however they do agree that society shapes the individual and not the individual that shapes society. What is meant by that is that we are all products of our upbringings and learn through socialisation what our beliefs are, what we agree on personally and often shared beliefs and the understanding of what is 'the norm; through our primary interaction with others beginning at home and continuing onto schooling and work. Our beliefs aren't always set in stone and can change through time and growth and the interaction with others once outside the family domain. There are many explanations beginning with Durkheim who was a functionalist, there is Merton who doesn't totally agree with Durkheim but adopted his theory on 'Anomie' and made it his own. In addition there is Hirschi whose theories mirrored that of Durkheim's and before concluding, Marxist view on crime will be looked at. The Functionalist view on crime and society is likening it to the human body to explain it functions. The body has it organs whereas society has it institutions. Functionalists have an interest in the functions of crime, hence the name and are interested in how crime contributes to society as a whole. There is a belief that society is based on consensus or agreement of shared beliefs and values of what is considered to be 'the norm', the views hare then passed on through socialisation. Share values and beliefs o... ... be deviant within a corporate structure although should it occur it is highly unlikely the public would be made aware of it. However the question of mental state of an individual hasn't even been raised by any of the sociologists to explain why a person may offend. Merton seemed to make a lot of sense but there seemed to be something missing in his explanations on why crime exists why some commit and others don't, perhaps the reality is there is no definite answer on why it exists. BIBLOGRAPHY Durkheim, E (1985/1987) Suicide: A Study in Sociology, London: Routledge Erikson, K J. (1966) Wayward Puritans, New York: Wiley Hirschi, T. (1969) Causes of delinquency, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press Merton, R. (1938) Social Structure and Anomie, American Sociological Review, Vol 3, 672-683

Divergent by Veronica Roth Response To Text Essay Essay

The novel â€Å"Divergent† written by author Veronica Roth is a thrilling story about the love and sacrifice of two teenagers (Tris and Four) living in dystopian America. This novel follows the hardship of citizens living in a community where everyone must be separated into groups called factions. The members of each faction must live their lives according to the value of their faction, whether it be Bravery for Dauntless, selflessness for Abnegation, knowledge for Erudite, honesty for Amity or peace for Candor. When each faction member turns 16 they must choose a faction they wish to live the rest of their lives in, whether they choose to remain in the faction of their birth or join a completely different faction is up to them. I found this novel to be very rich in important ideas or themes that can be closely linked to today’s world. Themes, such as love and sacrifice or separation of the social classes. In this book I find it interesting how author Veronica Roth has managed to include today’s ways of social separations into this novel and emphasizes it to a point that shows all the â€Å"flaws† that there are in the way in which today’s society judges and separates everyone into different rankings on the social ladder. The book shows that even though each faction is supposed to be equal to one another there is always one faction that believes they are better than the rest because they believe their way is the â€Å"right† way of life. The Erudite faction believes that knowledge is power and because they have more knowledge than everyone else that they are superior. The feeling  of superiority becomes more than just a feeling for the character Jeanine Mathews, head of the Erudite faction. She believes that because of their knowledge that they must rule the factions and remove those who she feels are â€Å"not worthy† for her new way of life. This aspect of the book greatly reminds me of Hitler and how he was aiming to achieve one master race. Hitler believed that the Jews were inferior and were considered less than human therefore he did not want them to be a part of his â€Å"master race.† Jeanine Mathews thought that the Abnegation faction was not worthy enough to be a part of her plan for a new community and way of life therefore she launched an attack on the Abnegation. Throughout history you see many leaders, groups, races and religions trying to take the metaphorical throne of superiority and try to live above the rest of society. I believe that all of this is caused by one thing, separation. In today’s society no one is equal and we are all being discriminated against by each other. It is through our judgemental ways that we continue to stay separated. Even now if you look at the wars in countries such as Iraq, it is the separation of different religious beliefs that is causing many deaths. It became clear to me that, author Veronica Roth has similar views on seperation. I felt like this after reading her quote where she talks about the effects the separation of the factions had on some of the characters, â€Å"Because it forced people to become narrower, twisted versions of themselves, and they ripped each other apart.† This quote really does sums up what I believe the separation of the factions did to the character Jeanine Mathews . I think that this novel really depicts the theme of separation and the problems it causes in a strong way that really sends a message of equality to the reader. This theme is not only prominent in this novel; the theme of separation plays a large part in other novels such as â€Å"The Hunger Games† trilogy written by Susanne Collins. In â€Å"The Hunger Games†, much like in â€Å"Divergent†, everyone is separated into 12 different districts with one district (The Capitol) ruling over the others. I believe that the idea of equality and how badly we need it is summarised by this quote from Joss Whedon, an American actor and director. â€Å"Equality is not a concept. It’s not something we should be striving for. It’s a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women.† This quote points out that the human race will not be able to progress through life if  we keep separating ourselves, discriminating others and putting ourselves in different groups. I feel that â€Å"Divergent† has really shown this in a way that really connects to the readers. I have found that, author Veronica Roth, has really developed her characters throughout the plot of her book. She also shows the effects that one character can have on another and how other characters can influence the character development of another. It was the character Four that has really given me a sense of this development. At the beginning of this novel Four was portrayed as having a hard â€Å"exterior† and not having much emotion. It is not until the character Tris becomes a part of Four’s life, does he start to develop into a more affectionate character. As Tris and Four’s relationship grows into something more than student and instructor, you can see Four becoming softer and really starting to show his emotional side. Four has been living in the Dauntless faction since he left his birth faction (Abnegation) two years ago. In the Dauntless faction the transfers from Abnegation are bullied just because they came from the faction that is least well off. Because Tris has also come from Abnegation that Four feels sympathy for her in the sense that he has had to go through the same â€Å"bullying.† Four feels that he can relate to her because of this and I think that it is this that really kicks off their relationship and is why Tris and Four become such a strong pairing. By Four finally being able to relate to someone, he feels that he can open up to Tris and â€Å"lower his walls.† This really shows how the character Tris has had an impact on Four and how Tris has developed Four into a â€Å"two dimensional† character by bringing out his softer sides. This change in Four is not only noted by the readers but even by some of the characters in the book. This is told when the character â€Å"Christina† says to Four â€Å"The person you became with her is worth being.† This q uote really shows that it was Tris that has changed Four and that this change is a positive one. The idea that a person can influence a change in another is not just something that happens in books but in reality too. It doesn’t always have to be a person that you know that can influence a change in someone’s life. It is quite often that, celebrities or other public figures that can influence a change. For example, when I was going through a tough time in my life, it wasn’t family members or friends  that helped me through it but the supportive words of celebrities I look up too. Again it was all about connecting with someone who you can relate to. In my case it was my favourite musician. This musician had been through similar things and I felt as if they understood, even though we had not met, let alone even spoken to each other. This also shows what a big influence media has on people of today’s society. The media’s opinion and views on how people should live their life are everywhere; in magazines, television shows and on social media and are hard to be ignored. So it is not only people that can influence a change in someone’s life but other things su ch as media. To conclude, â€Å"Divergent† is an exciting novel that is rich in themes and will keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. The theme of separation showed many links to today’s society and even to events in history, as well as pointing out many problems that occur with separation in our society. Veronica Roth has not only given a huge amount of depth to her themes in this novel, but has been able to develop her characters throughout the story, morphing them from what you would call a â€Å"one dimensional† character into a â€Å"two dimensional† character. A character, with more than one side to them. This novel has really made me think that how, as an individual, can I not take part in this separation. Whether it is separation of social classes, religious groups or even the separation of people through lifestyle, I believe that everyone should be viewed as equal and not be discriminated against. This novel has also shown me (through the character development of Four and how the character Tris influenced this development ) that people or other things that we find we can relate to or care about, can play a large role and influence some of the personal choices we make as well as influence how we grow as people. Veronica Roth has written this novel in a way that really gets the reader thinking about the themes and/or main ideas as well show important links in these themes and ideas that can relate to the outside world.

Lidl : Surveillance Case Study

As long as there has been employment, employees have been monitored (Nebeker & Tatum, 1993). However as the progress of technology becomes more rapid and equipment for monitoring is available to all, surveillance in the workplace has become a more alarming issue and the boundaries of what is necessary and what is an invasion of privacy are very vague. A case study presented for scrutiny is that of the ‘German supermarket chain Lidl accused of snooping on staff’.Many employers appoint surveillance within the workplace for a variety of reasons such as safety, prevention of theft or misuse and performance checks. The issues identified within this article are that of whether the monitoring that was carried out was necessary or whether it breaches privacy rights and has a negative effect on the employee. Although this is the main issue highlighted in the article, there are many underlying problems within Lidl as an employer and an organization; which will be presented and scr utinized in this essay.The media source of the article is The Guardian which presents the occurring matters in a very negative light. However, the merging topics I will be using to provide impartial insight and further analysis into the subjects at hand are that of: stress at work, ethics and organizational culture. As mentioned above, to further understand the article and the issues within it, it is useful to explore it through focus of stress at work.Cartwright and Cooper (1997, page 4) discuss the more modern concept of stress as â€Å"a person’s response to a disturbance† whereas Perrewe and Crandall (1995, page 5) say that â€Å"a transaction between the person and the environment is stressful only when it is evaluated by the person as a harm, threat or challenge to that persons well-being†. Intrinsic to job Role in organization Relationships at work Career Organizational Structure Non-work factors Individual Individual symptoms -blood pressure up -Depressi on -Excessive drinking -Irritability -Chest PainsOrganizational symptoms -High absenteeism -High staff turnover -Industrial relations problems -Poor quality work Figure 1 – Dynamics of work stress – Cartwright and Copper The model below portrays the different sources of stress an individual may acquire and the effects that these can have both on the individual and the organization they are a part of. In relation to the Lidl case-study the factors that are intrinsic to the job include that of working conditions that arise from surveillance, such as close monitoring and restrictions (appendix 1).Nebeker and Tatum (1993) carried out experiments to investigate the effects of computer monitoring on productivity, work quality, satisfaction and stress. They found that there were no significant negative effects of computer monitoring on the individuals. This would suggest that the surveillance that occurred in Lidl would not be part of the intrinsic factors to cause stress to the employees, if there was any.However a criticism of their study was that it was in an experimental setting and it can be argued that it is the intention behind the surveillance and the consequence of it in the workplace (that was absent in the experiments) that has negative effects on employees. Although stress may not occur from the surveillance itself, it can from the issues that arise from it such as inspection of employee’s coats and handbags when leaving the store (appendix 1. 1).In a real work setting the over-stimulation from managerial work can cause stress to the employee where as within manual work, it is the factors of under-stimulation such as boring, repetitive work and lack of control or autonomy that are the source of stress (Bosma et al; cited by Wilson 2004). This interlinks with the section of Organizational Structure in figure 1 â€Å"Just being a part of an organization can present threats to a person’s sense of freedom and autonomy† (Cart wright and Cooper, 1997, page 20) which is what seems to be happening in Lidl as a consequence of the surveillance and the culture of the organization.As this is one of the things that is monitored via the cameras and then such action being taken as (in the extreme) a ‘worker being forbidden to go to the toilet during working hours’ creates a sense of restriction for the employees. The employees are faced with a very controlled environment leading to them being stripped of control and their actions being dictated and monitored by managerial staff. The words of a former employee ‘when one needs the money, one lets many things pass’ (appendix 1. ) show she views the disturbances caused to her as harm and therefore Lidl could be a potential source of stress. The culture of discouraging creativity and initiative (see appendix 1. 1) that Lidl creates results as a further lack of control for the employee and no sense of belonging. As can be seen from paragraph on e in appendix 1 Lidl didn’t just monitor the employees but held personal information about their love lives and finances.Also women having to wear a headband if on their period to be allowed to go to the toilet can increase stress as they may not want private information such as this revealed to the public. The way each individual copes with this will be different and according to the Cooper-Cummings framework (cited in Cartwright and Cooper 1997) if there is failure to cope there is an occurrence of continued stress. Referring back to figure 1, Cartwright and Cooper (1997) argue that non-work factors are one of the sources of stress. The supporting source (appendix 1. ) states that ‘there are almost only women workers at Lidl’ which means that there is a high possibility that they have dual needs of work and domestic responsibilities and therefore are more exposed to the likeliness of stress (Ginn and Sandell, 1997; Wheeler and Lyon, 1992; cited by Wilson 2004) Especially as many Lidl employees are ‘divorced, single parents’ it means that the domestic burden is even greater so they may be experiencing vast amounts of stress from a non-work source as well as intrinsic (figure1) to the job at Lidl.This burden could then be even further intensified by the ‘20 percent lower wages’ (appendix 1. 1) the employees receive. This acts as both an intrinsic factor as it lowers employee job satisfaction and moral; as well as adds stress from the non-work aspect due to having low finances and the employees not being able to support their families. Refer to a quote from one of the employees ‘when one needs money, one lets many things pass’.This fear of job loss from employees can further add to the non-work sources of stress as â€Å"tensions of the job are not left behind and soon affect the family† (Cooper and Cartwright, Managing workplace stress, page 21). Cartwright and Cooper’s model (figure 1) i ncludes long hours as part of the intrinsic factors as they â€Å"appear to take a toll on employee health† (Cartwright and Cooper 2007, page 15). Lidl workers are ‘pressed to work additional hours’ (appendix 1. 1) which will therefore cause stress to the employees and further more adding to it, they are made to do so ‘without pay’.Supporting that extra hours cause stress and stress related illness is a study carried out by Russek and Zohman (1958) (cited by Cartwright and Cooper, 1997) where they found that 25percent of young coronary patients had been working two jobs, and an additional 40percent worked for more than 60 hours a week. If the employees of Lidl are experiencing stress, which from the analysis seems probable, this could have negative connotations for both the individuals and the organization (figure 1). Referring back to the definition of stress, if the employees of Lidl view the occurrences as damaging to themselves they will experien ce stress.However even though the potentially ultimate reason that Lidl is inflicting the stress upon the employee is to stay ahead in the market place, these ‘competition approaches’ (appendix 1. 1) could result in decreased efficiency from the employees due to the depreciation of their health (figure 1, individual symptoms) and therefore the opposite of the desired effect for Lidl (figure1, organizational symptoms). This brings us to think about whether Lidl as an organization incorporate morality within their strategies or just work towards the goal of profitability for the company.In order to informatively analyse this it is necessary to look at it from the perspective of business ethics. As Parker (1998) describes, the categories of ethics fall into descriptive and prescriptive. Whereas descriptive ethics merely explains what people actually do, perspective goes into theorizing what people should do. Within this essay, a combination of the two will be used in conju nction with relevant theories to attempt to prove Lidl as an ethical or unethical organization and to question whether the surveillance carried out is moral.However, as Chryssides and Kaler (1999) discuss, due to the subjective nature of this topic, arriving at conclusions about â€Å"moral rights and wrongs in business† is done â€Å"with difficulty† (page 14). Therefore they argue that the possible solutions should be put to the test of â€Å"agreement with the evidence† presented, â€Å"internal coherence† and â€Å"compatibility with out more general system of belief† (page 15). With the issue at the surface of the case-study being that of surveillance, it is wise to differentiate this in terms of ethics. There are a number of theories that can aid this conclusion.As described by Parker (1998) those that are of a deontological nature place emphasis on the rules and principles that guide actions; where as those that are teleological evaluate act ions depending on the end result and the utility or disutility created. If we analyse the case-study from a teleological perspective the positive utility is created because of the progression of the organizations efficiency due to the monitoring. Murray (1997) mentions business ethics being a contradiction in words because if the business is being ethical* then they are not working to their full efficiency.This is supported by Aiello and Svec’s (1993) research, who found that job performance on simple tasks improved with the presence of another person. However, because the surveillance is imposed onto the employers we have to look at the utility or rather disutility that is caused to them. As is explained above, this is significant as the consequences from the surveillance are that of control and create stress on the individuals. However, if the security has improved due to the monitoring this will create a utility due to the safety improvement; therefore making it difficult to judge whether the action of surveillance is ethical in this case.To fully be able to interpret it however, we have to look at it through the perspective of deontological theories. As Marx T. (1998) argues the ethics of monitoring should be reviewed according to the means, the context and conditions of data collection and the uses. Relating to the collection of data within the case-study, there were details of the employees’ ‘love lives, personal finances and menstrual cycles’ (appendix 1) therefore making that aspect a breach of privacy and unethical.Ballinger (2002) found that advance notice of monitoring reduces the invasion of privacy perceptions so the fact that Lidl conducted it without the employees knowing causes further breach of privacy rights within the employee’s minds. However, even if they had been given advance notice, according to deontological theories it wouldn’t make it ethical as it is only perception that it is moral. Looking into the means and uses of it, such as to control the employees and forbidding them to go to the toilet (appendix 1), makes it seem unethical.The different aspects of the two theories draw us to an ethical dilemma of surveillance, as in the words of Sewell and  Barker 2004 it ‘is useful but harmful; welcome but offensive; a necessary evil but an evil necessity’ (page 1). Especially looking at the Lidl case it makes us question who is monitoring the monitor and ensuring that the surveillance isn’t exploited? Further conclusions about ethics can be drawn after the following section. However, as Chryssides and Kaler (1999) explain, any conclusion drawn on the topic of ethics cannot be proven definitely right or definitely wrong.Both the stress caused to the employees, and the ethical aspects of Lidl’s actions can be argued to be brought on by the culture of the organization. Robbins (1998, page 595) defines the concept of culture as â€Å"a system of share d meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations. This is a set of characteristics that the organization values. † It is possible to, through knowing about the culture of Lidl’s organizations have a better insight into whether the surveillance that was carried out was for reasons that Lidl stated, or to control the workers.This then gives better insight into whether the employees did experience the stress outlined above, and whether the organization is unethical. As it was with ethics, it is difficult to fully analyse and understand an organization’s culture. This is depicted through Grint’s (1995) analysis stating that â€Å"culture is like a black hole: the closer you get to it the less light is thrown upon the topic† (cited by Wilson, 2004, page 180). However, there are theories and models that allow us to get better insight into it. The most recognised is that of Edgar Schein who forms a unctionalist view to put forward a model (figure 2) which because of the clear demarcation of the three levels makes it easier to relate to real life organizations such as Lidl. Underlying assumptions Human behaviour, relationship to environment Values Artefacts Training, practices, behaviour Conscious Level Core of the culture Unconscious Level Implied rather than stated openly but shared and understood 1 2 3 Observable and tangible Figure 2 – Model for Cultural Analysis – Schein 1982 It is Schein’s (1985) argument that by analysing the artefacts we are able to gain superficial understanding of the organization.These are easily discerned but can be hard to decipher unless the individuals are asked about what they mean. Within relation to the case-study they would involve things such as having mostly part-time, women workers and the dress. In an attempt to analyse this, we can say that due to there being a uniform in Lidl, where everyone has to wear exactly the same dress apart fro m the manager they are trying to make it almost robotic. This will become more apparent with analysis of further two levels of Schein’s model, but in isolation of these, this dress code isn’t of a significant nature.The level below is that of espoused values and Schein (1985) argues that these may be tapped into through the construction of questionnaire surveys of culture. These involve conscious strategies and goals of the firm. However, a criticism of this is that the outcome of the survey may not be fully reliable due to experimenter bias, so we have to be careful that we are not getting false values. For example, Lidl wouldn’t openly admit that their goal was just to achieve lower prices and that they didn’t care about employees.This could however be implied through Lidl’s ‘aversion against publicity’ and having low wages to compensate for the low prices (appendix 1. 1). The third, and arguably most important level, is the underlyi ng assumptions (figure 2). These are difficult to discern as they exist mostly at an unconscious level. As Wilson (2004) explains, the unconscious forms our norms like standards of behaviour, our values and beliefs. Mary Hatch (1993) argues that the different elements of Schein’s model need to be made less central so that the relationships linking them become more focal.Due to them interlinking, it allows us to view the dynamics of the organization as a whole. Applying this to the case-study we can see that due to the strict hierarchies and methods of punishment if mistakes are made (appendix 1. 1) the assumptions in Lidl are that the highest managers have to be listened to and that the individuals are discouraged from forming own opinions. The artefacts and values of the organization seem to suggest that that there is an underlying assumption of mechanization, and that things in Lidl have to be done exactly the way that they were ‘trained’ to do.This analysis sh ows that Lidl has many characteristics of a bureaucratic organization**. Schein’s model is criticised by researchers such as Collins (1998; cited by Wilson 2004) for not being open to change and organizations. They should be subject to change as the employees attempt to bend the rules. This does not seem to happen in Lidl due to fear of the employees losing their jobs (described earlier), the strict managers and the surveillance in place. Even though Schwarz is no longer in charge of the organization the culture he instilled into it seems to be still applicable.This is portrayed through appendix 1. 1 as ‘workers tell about how his presence in stores can still be felt, unchanged’. As a consequence of this, the management still remains buearocratic. However this does not mean that the culture is not open to change, just that it has not occurred. This then leads us to question whether these basic assumptions are actually there within the employees’ unconsciou s values. As mentioned above, it seems that the culture of Lidl tried to be imposed by Schwarz as appendix 1. concludes that in Lidl, ‘management by pressure and fear is the approach to handling human resources’. â€Å"The ideal employees are those who have internalized the organization’s goals and values and no longer require rigid control† (Wilson 2004, page 181). Analysing this quote, because of the tight control installed within Lidl through the ‘extensive espionage’ (appendix 1) it is implied that the employees do not have the culture of the organization within their underlying assumptions and therefore still need to be regulated.It can thus be argued that the reason Lidl spied on its employees was to find out detailed information to see whether they were the right people to keep on and to be able to control in order to fulfil the goals and values of the organization. This is supported by appendix 1. 1 stating that the new leader ‘h olds the company in tight reins, on behalf of Dieter Schwarz’. As one of the employees in the supporting article says that when ‘one needs the money, one lets many things pass’ therefore strengthening the argument above. However, looking into the idea about Fordism (Dick P. Ellis S. 2006) where the labour force is unskilled and the actions carried out by employees standardized we can relate it to the case-study. Although the situation in Lidl isn’t exactly the same as it is not a production line, there are similarities in that the tasks are simple and can be controlled easily. This is why it may not be necessary for the employees working on the shop floor to buy into the culture of the organization in order for it to be carried through and the goals achieved. However, in Lidl, even the managers are held on ‘tights reins’ (appendix 1. ) with very few given some freedom. The power of the company is also centralized therefore portraying underlyin g assumptions (figure 2) of questioning trust, credibility and faith in competence. As a consequence of the analysis of the culture of Lidl, we are able to make further conclusions within the ethics aspect of the essay. From the basic assumptions of the organization that, below the higher management level everything is to be tightly controlled and no room left for mistakes (which in turn means the employees have to do everything according to the rules and ot develop own ideas or ways of carrying out tasks), it is now much more evident that the reason behind the monitoring was a form of control over employees and not ‘to establish possible abnormal behaviour’. This brings us closer to drawing the conclusion that the surveillance was unethical and that Lidl as a company have very few ethical considerations with their managerial actions. It also means that the culture aspect of the organization will cause further stress to the employees and therefore presenting Lidl as a v ery unmoral organization.As is portrayed from all the presented evidence, the actions carried out and strategies implemented lack in ethical consideration. Looking at sources of surveillance within media, the consistently negative language choice reflects that the attitude towards surveillance in general is that it is a breach of privacy. Especially in the case of Lidl, who do not seem to care about the human aspect of their employees and appear to just be worried about profits, the surveillance carried out was unnecessary and seemingly not for the reasons that the firm puts forward.Through this issue, and others highlighted in the article it seems that there are many underlying issues within Lidl that need to be addressed and perhaps a form of culture change needs to occur whilst the organization amends its values and goals. Appendix 1 German supermarket chain Lidl accused of snooping on staff * Kate Connolly in Berlin * The Guardian, Thursday March 27 2008 Lidl was accused of reco rding how many times staff went to the toilet, as well as intimate details of their personal lives.Photograph: Graham Turner The German discount supermarket chain Lidl has been accused of spying on its employees, including recording how many times they went to the toilet as well as details about their love lives, personal finances and menstrual cycles. An investigation by the German news magazine Stern uncovered an extensive espionage system in its shops across Germany. It obtained hundreds of pages of documents gathered by detectives allegedly employed by the chain to find out about its staff.The surveillance took place via mini-video cameras installed by detectives. The official reason given to store managers was to reduce shoplifting. Critics have accused Lidl of using â€Å"Stasi methods†, referring to the secret police of the former communist East German state who kept track of the most banal and intimate details of hundreds of thousands of citizens' lives. The detective s' records include details of precisely where employees had tattoos as well as information about their friends. â€Å"Her circle of friends consists mainly of drug addicts,† reads one record.The detectives also had the task of identifying which employees appeared to be â€Å"incapable† or â€Å"introverted and naive†. While most incidents seem to have occurred in Germany, the most shocking one allegedly occurred at a Lidl store in the Czech Republic, where a female worker was forbidden to go to the toilet during working hours. An internal memorandum, which is now the centre of a court case in the republic, allegedly advised staff that â€Å"female workers who have their periods may go to the toilet now and again, but to enjoy this privilege they should wear a visible headband†.Recording how a German employee identified as Frau M spent her break, one report read: â€Å"Frau M wanted to make a call with her mobile phone at 14. 05 †¦ She received the r ecorded message that she only had 85 cents left on her prepaid mobile. She managed to reach a friend with whom she would like to cook this evening, but on condition that her wage had been paid into her bank, because she would otherwise not have enough money to go shopping. † A Hamburg labour lawyer, Klaus Muller-Knapp, said the transcripts were â€Å"scandalous to the highest degree† and breached laws on freedom of expression.Human rights groups and trade unions pledged to take up the case. While denying any knowledge of the Czech case, Lidl, which has more than 7,500 stores in 24 countries, including Britain, confirmed that surveillance had taken place in Germany. It said the purpose was â€Å"not to monitor staff, but to establish possible abnormal behaviour†. It added that in retrospect the company distanced itself from the transcripts. â€Å"The references and observations are not in keeping †¦ with our understanding of how people should treat each othe r. † Source: http://www. uardian. co. uk/world/2008/mar/27/germany. supermarkets Appendix 1. 1 – Supporting information on Lidl UNI Commerce Jan Furstenborg 1 March 2004 The Schwarz Group (Lidl) There are few retailers that can match the Schwarz Group’s fast and aggressive expansion on the European markets. The German retailer was number 25 in world rankings in 2002 with estimated sales of 21,6491 Billion USD. The Schwarz Group’s discounter chain Lidl sold for an estimated 15. 92 Billion Euro in 2002. Lidl’s sales in 2003 are estimated to reach 203 Billion Euro (22 Bill USD).As a comparison, the closest competitor and world leader among the hard discounters – Aldi, which consists of Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud – ranked number 11 with estimated sales of 33,7134 Billion USD. Lidl Through an aggressive price policy, Lidl tries to take market shares particularly from its main competitor Aldi. Spectacular special offers give the impression of pa rticularly low prices, but normally they are applied only for short periods of time. Both competitors and consumer representatives have criticised the company for this approach, which they consider to be misleading and unserious marketing.In Spain, the consumers’ organisation OCU reacted sharply when Lidl used its name in advertising, telling that they had been found by OCU to have the lowest prices. OCU called this â€Å"intolerable conduct†. 20 Suppliers are under hard pressure when Lidl is pushing prices down. â€Å"Whereas the deeply catholic Aldi-brothers become unpleasant only when there are quality problems, but otherwise are fair with their suppliers, the Lidl buyers exert enormous pressure†, writes Managermagazin. 23 As Lidl is a very large buyer, few suppliers can afford to tell them off.Longer shop opening hours than Aldi is another of Lidl’s German competition approaches. When the Aldi stores close at 14. 00, Lidl keeps its doors open until 20 . 00. Managermagazin says that this is made possible by the 20 per cent lower wages that Lidl is paying. The total amount of working hours that are allocated to a Lidl store are tied to turnover, which means that cashiers can be pressed to work additional hours without pay. Employment conditions and labour relations in Lidl in Germany In Lidl, management by pressure and fear is the approach to handling human resources.Hierarchies are strict, and creativity and initiative are discouraged. Management demands permanent availability from the personnel, and when someone gets ill, he or she can expect a home visit by a supervisor. „For years she had stood out with all of this, the humiliations by customers, the constant lack of confidenceâ€Å", writes Suddeutsche Zeitung about a discussion with a former Lidl cashier, who worked ten years for the company. „When one was ill, one had to visit the district supervisor. After work, in her store, coats, handbags and cars were inspe cted. Then I came always without a coat or handbag, I was afraid that they would put something into themâ€Å", the ex-worker said: „One had to be on the job 15 minutes before the working time began. On Fridays, one did often not yet know when one should work on Monday. â€Å" As a punishment, one could be placed for weeks in a store which was 80 kilometres away, the woman said. The cash machines are used to control the workers. There are almost only women workers at Lidl, most of them part-timers, many divorced, single parents, from the former GDR. â€Å"Then nobody protests.When one needs the money, one lets many things pass†, says the former Lidl worker, who was interviewed by Suddeutsche Zeitung on the conditions of strict anonymity. Looking at her hands she says to the newspaper: â€Å"I know from what Dieter Schwarz has become so rich†. A typical Lidl store in Germany employs between 10 and 12 staff. The cashiers, who often work part time, are paid accord ing to tariffs. Their wages are on average 20 per cent lower than in Aldi, where the workers have additional wage benefits in addition to the basic minimum.Not surprisingly, like Wal-Mart, Lidl goes to great lengths to keep trade unions out. When ver. di tries to establish works councils, management moves fast to destroy these attempts. Workers are scared up by management – â€Å"and we can only protect shop stewards† says ver. di representative Christian Paulowitsch from Stuttgart to Suddeutsche Zeitung. In 2002, ver. di worked particularly hard to organise in Lidl. To make it impossible for the union to establish Works Councils (Gesamtbetriebsrat), management grouped the stores into more than 400 ‘independent’ companies.When the workers in seven Lidl stores in a region of Germany were invited to a meeting to set up an election committee for the works council election, nobody came. The workers had been invited by the company on the same day to an internal training session. Instead, managers and regional supervisors sat as a threatening panel in the meeting room. â€Å"The message was clear†, says ver. di’s regional secretary in Hamm, Norbert Glassman. â€Å"Who comes, will be shaved away†. When union representatives have tried to make Dieter Schwarz himself to intervene, he has let them be told that he has pulled back from operative management.A ver. di representative said to Suddeutsche Zeitung that strictly legally he is out, but â€Å"as before, he is the godfather. † Christian Paulowitsch says: â€Å"He has never yet dirtied his fingers† â€Å"Schwarz gave over the management of his empire simultaneously to two chief executives, but still workers tell about how his presence in the stores can still be felt, unchanged: In many warehouses and many stores, he has already showed up unexpectedly, to look after his rights. SOURCE: http://www. union-network. org Bibliography Aiello, J. R. , & Svec, C. M. (1993). Computer monitoring of work performance: Extending the social facilitation framework to electronic presence†, Journal of Applied Social Psychology Ballinger, G. A. (2002) â€Å"Privacy and procedural justice reactions to internet monitoring under different job roles and task deviance conditions: a field experiment†, Purdue University, found in: Organizational Behaviour/Organizational Theory Track Cartwright, S. Cooper, C. L. (1997) Managing Workplace Stress, London and Newbury Park, Sage Publications Chryssides, G. D. , Kaler, J. H. (1999) Introduction to Business Ethics, London, International Thompson Business PressCrandall, R. Perrewe, P. L (1995) Occupational Stress, Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis Dick, P. Ellis, S. (2006) Introduction to Organizational Behaviour, Maidenhead, McGraw Hill Education Nebeker, D. M. and Tatum, B. C. (1993) â€Å"The effects of computer monitoring, standards and rewards on work performance, job satisfaction and stress†, Journal of Applied Social Psychology Hatch, M. J. (1993) â€Å"The dynamics of organizational culture†, Academy of Management Review Marx, G. T. (1998) â€Å"Ethics for the new surveillance†, The Information Society Murray, D. (1997) Ethics in Organizations, London, Kogan Page: Coopers and LybrandParker, M. (1998) Ethics and organizations, London, Sage Robbins, S. (1998) Organisational Behaviour: Concepts, Controversies and Applications, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Sewell G. Barker J. R. (2004) â€Å"Neither good, nor bad, but dangerous: Surveillance as an ethical paradox†, Ethics and Information Technology Somers, M. J (2004) â€Å"Ethical Codes of Conduct and Organizational Context: A Study of the Relationship between Codes of Conduct, Employee Behaviour and Organizational Values†, Journal of Business Ethics Wilson F. M. (2004) Organizational Behaviour and Work, Oxford, Oxford University Press

Alternate vs. Alternative

Alternate vs. Alternative Alternate vs. Alternative Alternate vs. Alternative By Maeve Maddox One of my favorite DWT commenters took me to task for my use of alternate instead of alternative in this passage: in modern English writing, kn is an alternate spelling for the sound /n/, and igh is an alternate spelling of the long i sound I value his comments, so I have examined his criticism carefully, including the quotation from a previous DWT post that seems to support his belief that neither British nor American usage permits the use of alternate in the way I have used it: There was also a note about the difference between the use of â€Å"alternate† and â€Å"alternative† in American and British English – anyone writing for both markets should be very well aware of this distinction – it’s a very important linguistic distinction and is not to be ignored. Hugh Ashton The note Ashton refers to is from the New Oxford American Dictionary entry he consulted when his mother objected to his use of â€Å"three alternatives.† His original purpose was to find out if a person could speak of more than two alternatives. According to his mother and other traditionalists, one can speak of only two alternatives. According to the NOAD, however, speaking of more than two alternatives is â€Å"normal in modern standard English.† Ashton mentions â€Å"the difference between the use of ‘alternate’ and ‘alternative’ in American and British English,† and urges freelancers writing for both markets to be aware of the distinction. I do not think that he is saying that British usage and American usage do not differ. But even if he is saying that, I have to disagree. For one thing, American speakers use alternate as a noun meaning â€Å"a person designated to replace another in the event the other person is unable to fulfill his duties.† British usage does not use alternate as a noun. It is an easy step from using alternate as a noun meaning â€Å"a substitute,† to using alternate as an adjective meaning â€Å"substitute,† or â€Å"alternative,† as in alternate juror or alternate route. The following examples will illustrate that alternate used in this sense is common in standard American English: To avoid having to retry a case when a juror is excused before the end of trial (for example, because of illness), the court may seat a few extra or alternate jurors to hear the trial and be available to replace any juror who is excused. Regular and alternate jurors sit together during the trial. Some judges do not tell jurors which ones are the alternates until the jury is ready to deliberate. State law limits how many alternate jurors the court may seat. Oregonlaws.org/. The Alternate Route program is a non-traditional teacher preparation program State of New Jersey Department of Education Alternate plans allow landowners to apply for more site specific management flexibility than the standard Forest Practices Rules allow. State of Washington Natural Resources site. U.S. speakers save alternative for such things as alternative medicine and alternative rock. They also use the adjective alternate in the sense of every other. For example, parking might be allowed in a certain area on alternate days. Meetings might be held on alternate Mondays. British grammarians recognize the fact that American speakers do not use alternate in exactly the same way as British speakers do: In American English, alternate is widely used as an adjective in the sense of alternativeand as a noun to mean ‘a deputy or substitute’. Penguin Writer’s Manual, p. 56. For an American writer, to refer to â€Å"an alternate spelling† is no more erroneous than to write honor for honour. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesProved vs. ProvenPreposition Review #1: Chance of vs. Chance for

Cuándo un Divorcio Afecta la Residencia

Cundo un Divorcio Afecta la Residencia Una de las formas ms rpidas y frecuentes de obtener la  tarjeta de residencia permanente  es mediante el matrimonio, bien sea celebrado en Estados Unidos o en otro paà ­s. Pero  ¿quà © sucede con la green card si la relacià ³n termina en divorcio? Es importante resaltar que la residencia solo se ver afectada si el beneficiario obtuvo su estatus migratorio exclusivamente por matrimonio. Si la persona llegà ³ a Estados Unidos con una visa de trabajo, se casà ³ posteriormente con un ciudadano americano y luego se divorcià ³, su estatus migratorio no est en peligro. Estos son los dos casos en los que el divorcio afecta la residencia del cà ³nyuge beneficiario: Si el divorcio sucede antes de que se reciba la green card: entre la entrega de papeles a la oficina de USCIS y la obtencià ³n de la tarjeta de residencia pueden pasar entre seis y doce meses. Si el divorcio sucede antes de que se reciba la tarjeta, el beneficiario pierde todos los derechos. Si el divorcio sucede por maltrato o violencia de parte del ciudadano americano, el no-residente tiene opciones para quedarse legalmente (esta là ­nea 1-800-799-7233 puede ser de gran ayuda).Si el divorcio sucede cuando la residencia es temporal: si la residencia se obtuvo de manera temporal (dos aà ±os) porque los papeles se presentaron antes de los dos aà ±os de casados, el beneficiario pierde los beneficios migratorios. Quienes recibieron la residencia permanente y piden el divorcio al poco tiempo de recibida la green card deben saber que: Un futuro proceso de naturalizacià ³n (ciudadanà ­a) puede verse afectado dado que el matrimonio podrà ­a parecer no legitimo.Un futuro proceso de renovacià ³n de la residencia puede generar preguntas acerca de la naturaleza del matrimonio y las causas del divorcio.Los procesos de inmigracià ³n en todos los puertos pueden generar preguntas acerca de la naturaleza del matrimonio y las causas del divorcio.Un futuro matrimonio entre el beneficiario de la green card y otro inmigrante no tiene beneficios de residencia por cinco aà ±os. Quienes obtengan su residencia por matrimonio, se divorcien, y se casen nuevamente, debern esperar cinco aà ±os desde que obtuvieron su green card para pedir beneficios para su nuevo esposo/a. Quienes patrocinaron a su cà ³nyuge inmigrante deben saber que: Al firmar el affidavit of support estn comprometidos durante aà ±os a la manutencià ³n econà ³mica de su pareja, asà ­ està ©n legalmente divorciados.  ¿Quà © Hacer Antes de Divorciarse? Antes de hacer el papeleo de divorcio es importante asesorarse de un abogado de inmigracià ³n, sobretodo en los casos en los que no existen pruebas documentales que sirvan para apoyar el carcter del matrimonio (propiedades o cuentas de banco conjuntas, viajes, hijos en comà ºn, fotos, facturas). Este artà ­culo es informativo y no pretende ser asesorà ­a legal.

The Way Immigration has effected the United States economy Research Paper

The Way Immigration has effected the United States economy - Research Paper Example Scholars have been trying to identify whether immigration has a negative impact on the employment of native workers or whether it takes up an important economic role. This essay argues that immigration has indeed negatively affected the wage rate and unemployment opportunities of U.S.-born or native workers. In order to fulfill the essay’s objective, several important themes are taken into account. The first theme is about the historical development of the U.S. immigration policy. This historical analysis will demonstrate how the dramatic increase in immigration, spurred by changes in the immigration policy of the country, eventually affected the employment opportunities and earnings of native workers. The second theme is about the immigration debate. In order to understand the precise nature of the impact of immigration on the labor market, it is important to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments of pro- and anti-immigration groups. The third theme tackles co ncrete proofs that the economic benefits of immigrations have been negligible. The last theme focuses on the rise in the unemployment rates of least skilled and unskilled native workers due to immigration. Historical Background The dramatic growth in immigration recently may be due partly to modifications in the immigration policy of the United States. The Immigration Act of 1965 was a decisive moment in the historical development of the immigration policy of the country. The clearest impact of the changes brought about by that policy has been a dramatic growth in the population of foreign-born individuals. These immigrants are younger than the U.S.-born individuals and are comprised of more males than females (Briggs 1996, 372). Moreover, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (1995), immigrants made up 10.8% of the total number of workers in 1994 (Briggs 1996, 372). Another issue is that immigrants are significantly concentrated in few urban areas. However, these labor markets are one of the biggest in the United States, which considerably adds to the impact of their concentration. In 1994, these five urban areas were Washington, D.C., Chicago, Miami, New York, and Los Angeles. Together, they comprised 51% of all immigrants in 1994 (Briggs 1996, 372-373). Thus, the effect of immigration on the labor market is considerably larger than is shown by population data. Immigration has intensified the competition in the low-skilled labor market. Recently, the number of unskilled occupations has failed to keep up with the growth of the unskilled labor force. With regard to skilled occupations, immigration can be temporarily advantageous as a way of supplying capable workers where short supplies of eligible local workers are present. However, the permanent goal should be that these jobs should be occupied by nationals or native residents (Cornelius 2004, 39). In 1989, the Commission on Workforce Quality and Labor Market Efficiency already informed the U.S. Secretar y of Labor: â€Å"by using immigration to relieve shortages, we may miss the opportunity to draw additional U.S. workers into the economic mainstream† (U.S. Department of Labor et al. 1989, 32).