Human Resource †Escape to the Wild Free Essays

FINDINGS 1. 4 HR Activities Employee Relations When good employee relations are in place they can help to maintain a happy and motivated workforce. This function will be responsible for putting company policies and procedures in place regarding grievance/discipline, recruitment and selection, employee welfare, training and development, absence management/reporting and negotiating terms and conditions. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource – Escape to the Wild or any similar topic only for you Order Now Doing this will minimise conflict, ensure staff are treated fairly and creates rules that everyone is aware of. At Escape to the Wild there are no policies and procedures in place, there are inconsistencies in terms and conditions, inconsistencies in matters relating to recruitment and selection practises and staff are also overworked. Putting good employee relations in place will minimise/avoid all of these problems within the company. Recruitment and Selection Having a proficient recruitment and selection function within a company can help to select the right people for the job. To implement this the company should look to analyse what jobs need to be filled, what the job description should be, what qualifications the candidates should posses and an idea of the characteristics of the individual. Once this has been decided then the search for staff can begin, this can be done by looking to fill the position internally, use a recruitment agency or by advertising the position. Once all successful applicants have been chosen then appointments should be scheduled for interview and possible aptitude testing. A candidate will then be selected and any references or qualifications should be checked. Letters should be sent out to unsuccessful candidates an offer of employment letter to the successful candidate. Any qualifications and references should also be checked. At Escape to the Wild there are no recruitment and selection processes in place and this has caused problems as there is not enough staff, managers are currently responsible for recruitment so taking up time that could be spent on doing their job and by putting a proper recruitment and selection function in place it will alleviate this problem. Training and Development By making sure employees are properly trained and developed means a company will continue to thrive and make profits. Properly trained staff will improve their attitude and knowledge and help staff meet and perform given tasks properly, by doing this it will help motivate them to undertake higher-grade tasks. When putting this into place the company should be looking at what skills an employee already has, what skills they will require in the future and how to implement the training i. e. if it can be carried out by someone already proficient in the task within the company or if the training will have to be outsourced. An evaluation of the training will have to be done to see if it has been cost effective and whether the training possibly needs modifying. At Escape to the Wild they are having problems with the training being mostly ad hoc which means staff are leaving the company. If a proper training and development system was in place then this would minimise this. Pay and Reward To help motivate and retain good staff an appropriate pay and reward structure should be in place. Rewards should be meaningful and vary with the performance. To implement this a pay structure should be set up against job roles, administration of salaries be done, employee benefits should be implemented i. e. company canteen, creche facilities, free health care. Short-term and long-term incentives should be in place i. e. performance related pay rises each year, extra holidays after so many years service, option to join company pension scheme after so many years. At Escape to the Wild salary administration is outsourced, the Finance Director is having to deal with implementing salary increases. Implementing this function will stop these problems. 2. Diagram of recommended HR Department . Roles of HR Department HR Director The role of the Human Resource Director guides and manages the overall provision of HR services. The HR department and staff members are advocates for both the company and the people who work in the company and the HR Director will make sure this is being achieved. They will implement policies and programs for the whole c ompany, be responsible for performance management and improvement systems, organisational planning and development, policy development and documentation, employee relations, compensation and benefits administration, employee safety, welfare and health. The HR Director will report to the Board of Directors. Recruitment Selection Officer The Recruitment and Selection Officer is responsible for delivering all operations of recruiting throughout the company. The need to keep up-to-date with recruitment practises and are responsible for making sure the company employ the best possible candidates. Their objectives should be to develop and execute recruitment plans, implement new recruiting ideas, create job descriptions, construct and implement good recruiting and interviewing techniques, fill positions efficiently, keep up-to-date with managers regarding recruitment effectiveness. They will also look to make sure proper induction procedures are in place for when new recruits join the company. They will report to the HR Director. Administrator to the Recruitment Selection Officer They will maintain records of all applicant and interviewing information. Will assist in reference checking, writing letters of rejection, prepare and send offers of employment, deal with enquiries, keep up-to-date with media advertising costs and perform other duties as required. They will report to the Recruitment Selection Officer. Training Development Officer The Training Development Officer will be responsible for conducting and supervising training and development programs for employees. They will look to seek measures in which to improve employee skills and look to prepare them for jobs within the company requiring greater skill, possibly for people that may be retiring. They will liaise with Line Managers to see what levels of skills employees already have and agree what they are looking to achieve from them. If technological changes are taking place then they will need to make sure employees get the proper training for any new programs/systems. They will need to evaluate training effectiveness and implement any changes if the outcome has not been affective. They are reportable to the HR Director Generalist Officer The Human Resource Generalist Officer manages the day-to-day operations of the HR Team. They will deal with the administration of policies, procedures and programs. They assist in advising managers about any Human Resource issues. They will be concerned with the Health Safety of the workforce and the development of the workforce. This role will be responsible for staff records and any discipline and grievance issues. They will prepare and analyse reports that are necessary to carry out the functions of the department and company, prepare reports for management and they will assist in the implementation of the performance management system (PDP’s). They will report to the HR Director. Administrator for Generalist Officer and Training Development Officer They will assist the Generalist Officer in all administration duties involved in their position. If any policies require changing, then once implemented they will have new documents printed for distribution. Keeping up-to-date administration of employee records will be essential. They will report to the Generalist Officer. The Administrator will be responsible for organisation of training, contacting outsourced companies for times, dates, costing information and then book as required. They will need to inform employees of any training taking place and deal with follow-up paperwork getting employees to evaluate what they learnt from the course to give to the Training Development Officer. If internal training is being carried out then they will look to find out availability of space where training can be carried out and again book relevant dates, times. They will be responsible for making sure paperwork for any employee training is kept up-to-date in employee files. They are reportable to the Training Development Officer. 4. Line Managers responsibilities The Human Resource responsibilities that will be carried out by the Line Managers will be to conduct Performance Development Plan/Appraisal interviews with the staff in their team. The managers have direct contact with their team so will know them better and it also lets the employee feel more at ease. They will evaluate the team in terms of what training needs they require and discuss with the Training Development Officer, again as they work with their team on a day-to-day basis they have a better knowledge of what their team requires. They will approve holidays and submit paperwork to the Generalist Administrator to keep staff records up-to-date, along with any absenteeism, this means they can control when staff will be off so that there is no loss of productivity due to too many people being off at the same time. They will hold regular meetings with their team regarding any issues/concerns they may have and have regular meetings with all HR Advisors to report any issues/concerns. This helps to maintain good communication between employees and the company. 5. The Psychological Contract In any company there is a Psychological Contract, this is the mutual beliefs, perceptions and informal obligations between the employer and the employee. It is different from the formal written contract which only identifies mutual duties and responsibilities in a generalized form. Implementing a good psychological contract by introducing a HR Team within Escape to the Wild will be of benefit to the employees as at the moment there is lack of trust within the company as jobs like training and development are not being carried out correctly, there is not enough staff so employees are overworked and not being appropriately compensated. There are no clear policies and procedures so staff don’t know what they are supposed to be doing and are feeling let down. Implementing good practises and communication will help motivate them. How to cite Human Resource – Escape to the Wild, Papers

Building the atomic bomb Essay Example For Students

Building the atomic bomb Essay The impact of the advances in physics between 1900 and 1938 could have never been predicted at the time of their discovery. The discoveries being made would change not only the world of physics, but also the world as a whole. Because developments were being made in the fields of fission, atoms, and atomic energy, government officials now had to take into consideration the possibility of atomic warfare when making related to international policy. The first of the major world powers to realize the military use of the discoveries in physics was Germany. Soon after, the United States and Britain would begin organizing research teams in the field of fission and nuclear warfare. The fates of these research projects were constantly in question. The decision by Germany, the United States, and Britain to continue research would be influenced by many factors including the progress of other countries research, each countrys confidence in their ability to complete the atomic bomb, and each countrys confidence in the inability of other countries to produce the atomic bomb. The discovery of fission, in December of 19381, would begin the worlds quest to unleash the power of the atom and formulate a way to utilize that power for atomic warfare. This discovery, made in Germany, gave the Germans a head start on the extensive research still to be done in order to produce an atomic bomb. This advantage would soon prove to be short lived. While this discovery overwhelmed the physics world with amazement, it also caused great concern among many physicists and government officials because of the implications in atomic warfare it held. This fear would become the most basic reason for the United States and Britain to pursue atomic research, particularly for military use. Germany was unaware of not only the pressure they were exuding, in the form of fear, on other countries, but also the research that was beginning out of this fear. Germanys ignorance of this research allowed the German research project to continue at the same rate and escape feeling pressure from other countries2. Without pressure from other countries Germany had a false sense of security, which allowed the urgent need to begin research to be ignored. For many years the best physicists and scientists studied and trained in Germany, because of its unrivalled reputation as the best location for scientific education and training available3. After completing their education many scientists chose to remain in Germany doing research or teaching. Prior to 1933 this would have provided Germany with an invaluable resource of information and ideas, but the increasing anti-Semitic attitude in Germany forced many scientists to flee the country. Among the refugees escaping Hitlers anti-Semitism were some of the most crucial contributors to the development of the atomic bomb, such as Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard4. Leo Slizard fled from Germany on March 31, 19335, at which time he went to Britain where he conceived his neuron chain reaction. Slizard continued his research at Oxford in Britain until 1938 at which time he moved to New York City in anticipation and fear of the outbreak of World War II6. Upon moving to New York Slizard and Eugene Wigner began work on plans to avert attainment of an atomic bomb by Germany. In 1939 Slizard and Wigner approached Einstein to help warn the US of the threat posed by Germany. Slizard drafted Einsteins letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressing their fear and knowledge of the German Uranium project7. The letter to Roosevelt was powerful enough to convince the US to organize their research on the atomic bomb. While the research in the US was making constant progress, including Rudolf Peierls calculation of the critical mass in Dec. 1940, and Alfred Niers successful separations of natural uranium into U238 and U235 8, the Germans were facing a great deal of frustration. In 1941 Heisenberg reported negative results from his first experiments using a reactor, which caused him to conclude that heavy water must be used9. .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f , .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .postImageUrl , .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f , .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:hover , .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:visited , .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:active { border:0!important; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:active , .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf40e55726e13986d698eb85eb2147e6f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Teen Suicide Essay This premature conclusion would affect the progress and fate of the Uranium project. The next set back came in September of 1941 when the previously favored Clusius-Dickel isotope-separation method was abandoned due it becoming thought .

Elizabeth Smith articulating the actor Essay Example For Students

Elizabeth Smith: articulating the actor Essay George Bernard Shaw once wrote of Henry Higgins in Pygmalion, The reformer we need most today is an energetic phonetic enthusiast: that is why I have made such a one the hero of a popular play. Today, Shaws hero could easily be Elizabeth Smith. For more than 30 years, Smith, a vocal consultant and dialect coach, has been teaching actors across the country to speak clearly, project their voices, control their breathing and articulate the written word. It seems appropriate then that one of Smiths most recent projects was coaching Richard Chamberlain and Melissa Errico for their roles as Higgins and Eliza in the new Broadway production of My Fair Lady. Smith speaks modestly about what she does and insists the actors are the real heroes. But when renowned actor Brian Bedford, who worked with Smith more than 10 years ago gets on the phone and quickly slips into buh-duh-guh-dah, guh-duh-buh-dah, the vocal routine she taught him when he was playing Hamlet in Stratford, Conn., you know Smiths influence is far-reaching and vast, and you get a sense that shes helped mold a few flower girls into duchesses in her day. Liz is great, says Bedford. I worked with Lizs mentor, Clifford Turner, at the Royal Academy in London, and I actually thought Liz was better because she improved his training techniques. The sound Liz achieves is more natural and dynamic. Smith, who has instructed such actors as Kevin Kline, Kelly McGillis, Tom Hulce, Stacy Keach, Amy Irving and Dustin Hoffman, says the fascinating thing about voice is that there arent any blueprints. Everyone is different. There are nonetheless certain basic principles, and as Smith tries to explain them, she gets frustrated trying to put into words what is best conveyed one-on-one in the private time between a teacher and a student. I really hate talking about voice because it always sounds vague and mystical and part of it is mystical, she says. The mind and the heart and the spirit are very much involved in it. George Bernard Shaw once wrote of Henry Higgins in Pygmalion, The reformer we need most today is an energetic phonetic enthusiast: that is why I have made such a one the hero of a popular play. Today, Shaws hero could easily be Elizabeth Smith. For more than 30 years, Smith, a vocal consultant and dialect coach, has been teaching actors across the country to speak clearly, project their voices, control their breathing and articulate the written word. It seems appropriate then that one of Smiths most recent projects was coaching Richard Chamberlain and Melissa Errico for their roles as Higgins and Eliza in the new Broadway production of My Fair Lady. Smith speaks modestly about what she does and insists the actors are the real heroes. But when renowned actor Brian Bedford, who worked with Smith more than 10 years ago gets on the phone and quickly slips into buh-duh-guh-dah, guh-duh-buh-dah, the vocal routine she taught him when he was playing Hamlet in Stratford, Conn., you know Smiths influence is far-reaching and vast, and you get a sense that shes helped mold a few flower girls into duchesses in her day. Liz is great, says Bedford. I worked with Lizs mentor, Clifford Turner, at the Royal Academy in London, and I actually thought Liz was better because she improved his training techniques. The sound Liz achieves is more natural and dynamic. Smith, who has instructed such actors as Kevin Kline, Kelly McGillis, Tom Hulce, Stacy Keach, Amy Irving and Dustin Hoffman, says the fascinating thing about voice is that there arent any blueprints. Everyone is different. There are nonetheless certain basic principles, and as Smith tries to explain them, she gets frustrated trying to put into words what is best conveyed one-on-one in the private time between a teacher and a student. I really hate talking about voice because it always sounds vague and mystical and part of it is mystical, she says. The mind and the heart and the spirit are very much involved in it.

Critical Thinking Essay Example

Critical Thinking Essay Abrahem Helal University of Maryland University College DMBA 610 / Section 9045 / Individual Research Paper 1 Critical Thinking This paper, examination, report, or the section thereof for which I have indicated responsibility, is my own work. Any assistance I received in its preparation is acknowledged within the report or examination, in accordance with academic practice. For any data, ideas, words, diagrams, pictures, or other information from any source, quoted or not, I have cited the sources fully and completely in footnotes and bibliographical entries, as required. Furthermore, I certify that the material was prepared by me specifically for this class and has not been submitted, in whole or significant part, to any other class in this university or elsewhere, or used for any purpose other than satisfying the requirements of this class, except that I am allowed to submit this material to a professional publication, peer reviewed journal, or professional conference. In adding my name following the word Signature, I intend that this certification will have the same authority and authenticity as a document executed with my hand-written signature. SignatureAbrahem HelalDateFebruary 17, 2013 Table of Contents Introduction3 Step 1: What are the issue and conclusions? 3 Step 2: What are the reasons? 4 Step 3: What words or phrases are ambiguous? 5 Step 4: What are the value and descriptive assumptions and conflicts? 7 Step 5: Are there any fallacies in the reasoning? 8 Step 6: How good is the evidence? 9 Step 7: Are there any rival causes? 10 Step 8: A re the statistics deceptive? 11 Step 9: What significant information has been omitted? 2 Step 10: What reasonable conclusions are possible? 13 References14 Introduction The purpose of this paper is to apply each of the steps of the critical thinking model developed by (Browne Keeley, 2012) to assess the arguments presented in a memo prepared by Ms. Mary Ford (personal communication, January 30, 2012), hereafter referred to as â€Å"the memo†, who is the Director of the Amalgamated Public Employees Union (APEU) Local No. 121 to Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Thinking specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Thinking specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Thinking specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hector Fuentes, the President of APEU Local No. 121, contesting a memo drafted by New Mexico Governor Gloria Gainor (personal communication, October 20, 2011) informing the APEU Local No. 121 of the intent to outsource and privatize the New Mexico Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) information systems management function. Step 1: What are the issue and conclusions? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 2) Issue:In the memo the issue described is of a prescriptive nature. It is one that is â€Å"ethical or moral in nature and raises questions about what is right and wrong, desirable or undesirable, good or bad† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 20). Specifically the issue is should Governor Gainor proceed with the proposed outsourcing and privatization of the New Mexico DMV information systems management function which would potentially adversely affect state employees, 43 of whom are members of APEU Local No. 121. Conclusion:In the memo Ms. Ford concludes that the APEU Local No. 21 should rebut the Governor’s proposed privatization of the DMV information systems management function â€Å"as an unfair management practice† that will lead to APEU members losing their jobs in a manner which â€Å"violates the principles of the Pendleton Act of 1883 â€Å"which stipulates that government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and made it illegal to arbitrarily and capriciously fire or demote government employees† (Milestone Documents, n. d. ) Step 2: What are the reasons? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 3) According to Browne Keeley, â€Å"the worth of a conclusion cannot be determined until the reasons behind the opinion are identified. Reasons are explanations or rationales for why a conclusion should be believed† (Browne Keeley, 2012, pp. 29-30). In the memo Ms. Ford gives the following reasons to rationalize her conclusion. 1) The proposed outsourcing and privatization of the DMV information systems management function is â€Å"anti-American and an assault on APEU Local No. 121 members†. ) The proposed privatization will â€Å"set the stage for state government to decrease employee wages in the future† because foreign companies will vie for this privatization and accept wages lower than APEU Local 121 members. 3) Outsourcing public services to the private corporations is not good for the economy, leads to instability, and only serves to benefit corporations who are only concerned with turning a profit. â€Å"If corporate greed isn’t satisfied, the com panies will pull out leaving the public high and dry†. ) Outsourcing and privatization are the cause of the current recession and the proposed privatization will only exasperate unemployment in New Mexico. 5) Permitting the proposed privatization will result in the same thing happening in other departments leading to further disbursement of union members and diminished union strength. 6) The proposed privatization is nothing more than the Governor â€Å"attempting to demonstrate that management controls the union and to force out older experienced workers†. ) Privatization of public sector responsibilities will result in â€Å"the state losing control of its information systems and citizen data will be compromised†. 8) Outsourcing doesn’t save money, as the Governor has suggested. â€Å"Costs associated with overseeing third-party contractors adds 20% of hidden costs to the price of each outsourced government contract†. 9) Customer service will suff er as a result of outsourcing to foreign companies. â€Å"There will inevitably be communication and culture clash issues which will only further costs†. 0) Privatization and outsourcing violates the Pendleton Act of 1883 which was â€Å"established to protect government employees from illegal termination or demotion† (Wikipedia, n. d. , p. 1). Step 3: What words or phrases are ambiguous? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 4) According to Browne Keeley, â€Å"ambiguity refers to the existence of multiple possible meanings for a word or phrase† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 41). Ambiguity results whenever a word or a phrase can have more than one distinct and valid meaning and can usually be eliminated through extra information. In the memo there are several ambiguous words and phrases that require further explanation. 1) The Governor states that privatization will result in â€Å"approximately† $250,000. 00 per year in budgeted personnel costs. What does approximately mean? Is it plus or minus $5,000. 00, $10,000. 00, $50,000. 00? The word approximately does not give a clear picture of the projected savings. 2) The Governor promises union members will be offered â€Å"similar positions† in other departments as they arise through attrition. What does the Governor actually mean by similar positions? The word similar can be interpreted in many different ways and requires further clarification. 3) Ms. Ford states that privatization is an â€Å"assault† on our union and â€Å"anti-American†. Both assault and anti-American are easily interpreted in various ways depending on the reader. Assault can mean unlawful or violent act. Following the word assault up with anti-American gives it a little more clarity in the context of this memo, however anti-American can mean many different things as well. 4) Ms. Ford states that privatization will lead to â€Å"decreased† employee wages. While any decrease isn’t desirable, a slight / small decrease may be tolerable. As such the word decreased requires further clarification. 5) Ms. Ford states that she had lunch the other day with a â€Å"group† of union members and â€Å"everyone† was in agreement. What was the size of the group and who is everyone? Is everyone those that she went to lunch with and if so just how many people is that? Or is everyone all the members of APEU Local 121. Everyone is a vague term to describe a group of people and requires further clarification. 6) Ms. Ford states that New Mexico will â€Å"lose control† of information systems and data will be compromised. The phrase lose control has a loose interpretation. In many instances where public information is managed by private entities that information is solely the property of the government. Her use of the phrase lose control implies that the government will no longer have any claim or oversight to the public information being managed by the private companies. Step 4: What are the value and descriptive assumptions and conflicts? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 5) Assessing value and descriptive assumptions serves to identify hidden assumptions specified to justify a conclusion. Browne Keeley define a value assumption as â€Å"an implicit preference for one value over another in a particular context. Value assumptions are beliefs about how the world should be† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 59). Browne Keeley go on to define descriptive assumptions as â€Å"beliefs about the way the world was, is, or will be† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 65). In the context of the memo there are several value and descriptive assumptions. To begin with Ms. Ford states that that the proposed privatization is an assault on the union as well as anti-American. As a union member herself, Ms. Ford is partial to the union and has a clear interest in protecting union jobs. Her opinion is subjective and not a proven fact. It is an arguable assumption about the way the world is. In fact â€Å"the real issue is not so much public vs. private, it is monopoly vs. competition. A key issue in the trend towards privatization is the introduction of competition (e. g. , public-public competition, public-private competition, competition between public-private ventures, public-nonprofit competition) to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality and customer satisfaction† (Nightingale Pindus, 1997). Ms. Ford goes on to assert that based on her personal experience and those of her brother-in-law, who was downsized out of a job, this pattern of privatization, if not stopped, will continue and will further exasperate the existing recession. She goes on to allege that there will not be ample replacement jobs and that union members will be forced to accept lower wages due to increased competition. These are assumptions which demonstrate the way she believes the world will be. Step 5: Are there any fallacies in the reasoning? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 6) Browne Keeley define a fallacy â€Å"as a reasoning trick used as a mechanism for persuasion. It is an attack or insult used as an argument rather than directly addressing the reasoning in a comment† (Browne Keeley, 2012, pp. 74-75). In the context of the memo the most obvious fallacy is Ms. Ford emotionally referring to Governor Gainor as a bully, an ad hominem fallacy described by Browne Keeley as â€Å"against the man or against the person. It is attacking the messenger, in this case the Governor, instead of addressing the message. † (Browne keeley, 2012, pp. 75). Throughout the entire memo Ms. Ford uses glittering generality words such as â€Å"anti-American† and â€Å"instability† which are both vague and emotionally charged in attempt to gain support. The use of glittering generality words such as these do not support her argument and only serve as an attempt to exhort an emotional reaction by diverting attention from the issue. Other fallacies employed by Ms. Ford include the slippery slope fallacy. Ms. Ford declares that if the proposed privatization is allowed to happen then this pattern will continue on into other departments and will heighten an existing recession. This is an assertion on her part that the proposed privatization will â€Å"set off an uncontrollable chain of undesirable events† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 77). Finally, Ms. Ford concludes her argument with affirmatory statements such as â€Å"our members will lose their jobs to gain marginal efficiencies† and â€Å"violates the merit principle enshrined in the Pendleton Act of 1883†. These are arguments in which â€Å"the conclusion is assumed in the reasoning, or rather, begging the question fallacy† (Brown Keeley, 2012, p. 85). Step 6: How good is the evidence? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapters 7 8) Browne Keeley state that critical thinking requires evaluation of the evidence provided and in doing so one must ask what is the proof, where is the evidence and how reliable is it? In the memo Ms. Ford inserts the personal experience of her brother-in-law, who was downsized in a different state and remains unemployed, as proof the proposed privatization will result in the same for her and other APEU Local No. 121 union members. However she fails to provide any evidence of why her brother-in-law was downsized or the reasons for which he remains unemployed. She makes the hasty generalization that because this happened to her brother-in-law it will happen to the members of APEU Local No. 121 and continue on from there. Further Ms. Ford attempts to engage the Pendleton Act of 1883 as an argument against the proposed privatization stating that it is â€Å"unfair and in violation† of the act. However she omits any explanation of the Pendleton Act which stipulates that â€Å"government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit. It provided for selection of government employees through competitive examinations. It also made it unlawful to fire or demote covered employees for political reasons or to require them to give political service or payment† (Digital History, 2012). In no place does the Pendleton Act state that public service employees cannot be downsized or moved to other departments or positions in pursuit of increased efficiencies. Further, Ms. Ford asserts that the proposed outsourcing will be awarded to a foreign firm. She provides absolutely no evidence that this will happen and in fact makes a rash assumption that has no merit. Finally, Ms. Ford makes a final and concluding emotional plea to Union President Hector Fuentes stating that the proposed privatization is unjust and will result in the loss of jobs. In doing so she is attempting to persuade Mr. Fuentes to follow is heart and intuition. Step 7: Are there any rival causes? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 9) Browne Keeley define a rival cause as â€Å"a plausible alternative explanation that can explain why a certain outcome will or has occurred† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 128). In the context of the memo, Ms. Ford states that the proposed privatization will lead to union workers having to accept lower wages as â€Å"foreign agents will bid for the contract and accept lower wages than union members receive†. She continues on to declare that if this is not stopped it will lead to the same thing happening in other departments with the government continuing to both downsize union employees and drive down wages in the future. This is a post hoc fallacy in that she is assuming this will happen simply because of this single privatization proposal by Governor Gainor. Her statements are a casual oversimplification where she â€Å"relies on factors that are insufficient to substantiate her conclusions† (Browne keeley, 2012, p. 131). Ms. Ford goes on to say that the proposed privatization will lead to â€Å"communication and culture clash problems† resulting in diminished customer service. Again, this is a baseless casual oversimplification and lacks merit. Finally, Ms. Ford implores Mr. Fuentes â€Å"not to give in to the Governor’s proposal as the government will not respect APEU Local No. 121 power in future negotiations of any kind†. In doing so one must ask what her true objective is. Is it to protect union jobs or to maintain a fighting position with government? Step 8: Are the statistics deceptive? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 10) Browne Keeley state that â€Å"statistics can and often lie. They do not necessarily prove what they appear to prove. One must ask are the statistics deceptive† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 142)? In the context of the memo Ms. Ford gives two distinct figures and fails to provide any supporting evidence that they are indeed factual. First she states that â€Å"according to her brother-in-law, management uses the promise of rehire to gain union support for outsourcing and 80% of the time they don’t keep their promise†. This statistic was a figure she was given by her unemployed relative that was recently downsized and is likely an exaggerated figure that has not been scrutinized. She goes on to state that privatization â€Å"does not save money and that according to a recent Wall Street newspaper, the additional costs of overseeing third-party contractors adds 20% of hidden costs to the price of each government outsourcing contract†. Once again one must ask which â€Å"recent† Wall Street newspaper did this statistic come from and what other supporting sources are there to supplement this figure. Finally, Ms. Ford states that she went to lunch with a group of union members and that â€Å"everyone was in agreement†. In doing so she attempts to imply that the union as a whole is in agreement and will support the re-election of Mr. Fuentes. However, she fails to state the size of the group she had lunch with. A group can be as few as two people. Her failure to give specifics on the group diminishes from her alleging that all union members were in agreement. Step 9: What significant information has been omitted? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 11) Browne Keeley state that â€Å"significant omitted information is information that shapes the reasoning. Arguments often attempt to deceive and the arguer often will have different values, beliefs, and attitudes† (Browne Keeley, 2012, pp. 153-154). Omitted information can alter a conclusion and thus it is essential to recognize when relevant information has been omitted. In the context of the memo both Governor Gainor and Ms. Ford omit relevant information. Governor Gainor states that the proposed privatization will save the state approximately $250,000. 00 per year in budgeted annual personnel costs and that those who lose their positions as a result will be moved to other similar positions as vacancies arise through attrition. Governor Gainor fails to explain what the other similar positions are and how they will be filled as vacancies arise since the term attrition literally means a reduction in size. Her statement is conflicting and lacks meaningful information that could alter the conclusion. In making her argument Ms. Ford leaves out an array of relevant information in blaming outsourcing as the cause of the current recession. She provides absolutely no evidence to substantiate this clam and inserts the under detailed personal experience of her brother-in-law to establish her case. Further Ms. Ford includes several statistics in an attempt to make the case against privatization. First she states that according to her brother-in-law, 80% management does not keep their promise for rehire. Next she states that there are an additional 20% in hidden costs when outsourcing public service jobs. In presenting both statistics Ms. Ford fails to provide any supporting information to confirm these figures. Finally, Ms. Ford concluded her argument by stating the Governor should abandon the wasteful convention center project. At no point does she provide any reinforcing information to show the convention center project is indeed wasteful. Instead it appears to be a comment based on personal and biased opinion. Step 10: What reasonable conclusions are possible? (Browne Keeley, 2012, Chapter 12) Browne Keeley place significant emphasis on â€Å"qualifying conclusions by putting them into context† (Browne Keeley, 2012, p. 164). In other words it is important to understand the reasons to draw the conclusions. Having read and scrutinized the memo the following is a short list of conclusions that can be gleaned along with what can be drawn from supporting reasons: 1) The state of New Mexico could potentially save $250,000. 00 per year in budgeted personnel costs but will first need to work closely with APEU Local No. 121 members to give them a clear understanding of their future employment and compensation prospects. 2) There are hidden costs associated with outsourcing that need to be considered and may make privatization an unviable option. ) Outsourcing the information systems management function of the New Mexico DMV poses security risks that must be explored. These security risks and associated hidden costs of third party oversight may make privatization unpractical. 4) There are other public projects that can be looked at for state budgetary savings. However, APEU Local No. 121 members must realize that other projects likely employ other union members and cuts to those projects will affect unrelated employees. References Browne, M. N. , Keeley, S. M. (2012). Asking the right questions (10th ed. ). Pearson Education, Inc. Digital History. (2012). The pendleton act (1883). Retrieved from http://www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/disp_textbook. cfm? smtID=3psid=1098 Milestone Documents. (n. d. ). Pendleton civil service act. Retrieved from http://www. milestonedocuments. com/documents/view/pendleton-civil-service-act Nightingale, D. , Pindus, N. (1997). Privatization of public social services: a background paper. Retrieved from http://www. urban. org/publications/407023. html Wikipedia. (n. d. ). Pendleton civil reform act. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Pendleton_Civil_Service_Reform_Act Critical Thinking Essay Example Critical Thinking Essay Prerequisite: none Course Description: English languages skills for critical reading from different sources and media and effective writing on topics of students’ interests. Course Objectives: Students will be able to 1. analyze and synthesize information 2. write effectively Course Contents:No. f Lect. HoursSelf-Study 1. Introduction1. 5 2. Unit 1 Critical Reading4. 5 3. Unit 2 Bridge to Critical Thinking4. 5 4. Unit 3 Effective Writing7. 5 5. Unit 4 Weighing It Out9 6. Unit 5 Looking for a Reason9 7. Unit 6 Finding a Way Out9 8. Self-Study 90 Total45Course Evaluations: 1. Attendance10 % (Take off 1 point for each absence. Only 15 minutes-late is allowed, Otherwise 0. 5 point is deducted. ) 2. Writing (In-class writing)30 % 2. 1 In-Class Writing I : Summary 6 % . 2 In-Class Writing II : Is it the same? 8 % 2. 3 In-Class Writing III : It’s time to debate. 8 % 2. 4 In-Class Writing IV : It’s time to find the way out. 8 % 3. Midterm Exam30 % 4. Final Exam30 % Total 100 % Class Attendance Notice: No in-class writing make up unless a medical report from Maharaj Hospital is presented or the course coordinators of English 201 allows the make up. Students whose absence is 7 classes will not be allowed to go for the final examination.

Anti-social Behavior and Family Interaction Essay Example

Anti Anti-social Behavior and Family Interaction Paper Anti-social Behavior and Family Interaction Paper Anti-social behavioral patterns are sometimes associated not only with familial upbringing, but sometimes, such concept is also linked with biological intrinsic character (Siegel and Welsh, 2004 p.60). The theoretical frameworks of biological and social domain are primarily integrative and evidently in continuous progressive interactions along with other contributory domains, such as psychological, environmental, and intrinsic character ((Abbott, 2001 p.79; Vito et al., 2007 p.100). In terms of biological domain, the primary concept involves the physical morphology, and external-internal attributes of an individual. Such domain emphasizes on the characteristics present on the individual, which establish the unique capacity and traits that identifies the person’ intrinsic attributes. Social domain covers the integration of an individual with relationships, attachments, and commitments present in the societal functioning. In addition to social domain, the community is the prime environment and the fundamental constituents of this factor are the prime contributors that influence the individual’s social capacity (Abbott, 2001 p.79). By integrating the two proposed perspectives, the conceptual idea of biosocial theoretical framework forms as the integrative domain of both physical and communal attributes. Biosocial theory assumes that the probable cause of individual’s delinquency originates not only on the individual’s genetic make-up and personality traits. As for this theory, biological negates the concept that an individual initiating an anti-social behavior, which also requires environmental declaration or initiation, such as environmental stressors, familial or social strain, etc (Siegel, 2006 p.150). With the theory presented, anti-social behavior is justified to be innate and naturally present (Warren, 2000 p.132). The test measures implicated in the study is the validation and provision of support-based interlinking causalities that explains the theoretical contribution in anti-social behavior occurrences. With familial interaction and setting as the primary center, the possible occurrences are linked to such factors in order to explain the etiology of anti-social behavior. Scope and Limitation The study aims to integrate the theoretical framework and occurrence of anti-social behavior attributed through familial interaction. With the imposed primary goal, the study shall direct its overview in order to attest the probable links between the phenomena imposed and the theoretical theory covered, biosocial theory. The research shall utilize literature review that includes validated and well-supported previous research writings, which provides substantial backbone of the overall study discussion. With critical analysis and data interpretation of the data gathered, the study shall provide the overall conclusion that should satisfy the probabilities related to main goal of the research.

Should the United States pursue free-trade agreement Essay

Should the United States pursue free-trade agreement - Essay Example The benefits of the free trade agreements for the United States and other relevant arguments will be discussed further to support this statement. First of all, free-trade agreements (FTAs) provide the United States with greater opportunities to open up foreign markets to U.S exporters (Textbook, 41). Reduction of trade barriers and tariffs for export, diplomatic and national security, increased stability and transparency of both investment and trading environment, positive public relations with potential investors – are the main benefits the U.S. and its FTA partner country/countries will gain (Trade.gov, n.p.). As FTA’s involve smaller number of countries, the negotiation process is more flexible and has substantially greater chance for success than multilateral trade negotiations (Ewing-Chow, 264). Not only the United States will benefit from the new FTAs but also the other countries involved. Moreover, some experts believe that the other countries will be even in more beneficial position than the USA due to smaller sizes of their economies (Arnold, n.p.). Proponents of the multilateral trade agreements and trade liberalization might criticize this position, arguing that this will undermine the role of WTO and Doha Round multilateral trade liberalization agreement. Even though, the WTO has undertaken some efforts and initiatives for global trade liberalization and increased market openness, the final agreement has not been achieved. The Doha Development Agenda, launched in 2001 as the first round of global trade negotiations, has reached an impasse (Francois, van Meijl, van Tongeren, 350). One of the reasons of the series of launch-delays is the divide of the interests of the major players: developed and developing countries (Evenett, 143). With the increased global â€Å"weight† of such countries as China, and India, it might be very challenging to reach mutual agreement. Developing countries do not want to being taken advantage of by the developed

How the Treaty of Versailles Created More International Conflict after Research Paper

How the Treaty of Versailles Created More International Conflict after World War II than It Resolved - Research Paper Example The Treaty of Versailles failed to resolve the primary causes of World War I and created problems and conflicts across the globe after the completion of the treaty. Examining the meanings behind the treaty and the associations which were incorporated with the history which it carried then led to changes and alterations with the political regime of the time. Roots of Conflict The approach to the Treaty of Versailles began with the need for Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the USA to reach an agreement to end the war. The goal was to create an end to the war while establishing peace among the different regions. The roots of the conflict began when the U.S. Senate failed to ratify the Versailles treaty. This was established with Woodrow Wilson who had the power to amend the treaty and alter the considerations that were required in developing a different approach to secure the end of the war. The failure to take the responsibility was not only established from the US Senate but also ca me from conflicts that were based on internal debates. Isolationists and divisions between political parties were not interested in the issues which were conveyed through the treaty and did not believe there was the correct establishment or development. The failure then came from the lack of establishment of what the treaty could have established to bring peace to the different regions of Europe (Boemake et al, 1998). The conflicts which took place with the lack of establishing the Treaty of Versailles led to world conflicts. The complexities of those who did not follow or establish the treaty led to a mixed message to various countries about the ideologies of the treaty. Without the establishment of peace after the war, a cognitive illusion was established. This was based on the inability to understand why the treaty would not be supported by different regions of the world while the political conflicts reflected the complexities of the war instead of ending the problem. The global repercussions led to divisions among various countries as well as framing of various countries from the illusion that there was disagreement among those which were associated with the treaty. The inability to establish the system from the treaty and the disregard then led to further conflict, tension and devastation, eventually leading to the beginning of World War II (Bottom, 2003). Preliminary Issues The issues which were associated with the root problems were inclusive of the pressures which were developed across political arenas. There were sets of domestic pressures that were first established, all which were developed specifically because of problems and disagreements about the specific treaty. This was combined with civilians that began to reflect the disassociations with the government through civilian losses and communities were not able to create and establish peace outside of the main problems. This was combined with the destruction of World War I that came from the lack of agreement. The political tensions that were established developed pressures and alliances as well as ties. This furthered to form enemies among those that were a part of the various regions (Krause, 2001). The political and social tensions that were established led to disconnections and re-establishment with the earlier conflicts which occurred. The earlier treaties which were accepted and rejected had formatted personal enemies and opponents politically