Essay on The American Dream According to John Steinbeck

The American Dream John Steinbeck, author of many classic American novels, greatly influenced modern American literature. Steinbeck often referred to the Salinas Valley of California in his writing. He often referred to the settlers and the adversities they had faced during the migration to the Salinas Valley area. With novels such as Of Mice And Men and The Grapes Of Wrath, Steinbeck explained the harsh reality of the severe hardships the settlers faced to accomplish the American Dream. These novels share many similarities in regard to their themes. To understand Steinbecks work, we must first understand Steinbeck. John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His father was a treasurer for the county. Steinbecks mother†¦show more content†¦They crave the opportunity to work, land to call their own and being their own bosses by working off of that land. George and Lennie feel that they are different than other migrant workers because they have dreams and they rely on each other. Ge orge and Lennie find work on a farm bucking barley. On this farm they meet the laborers as well as other characters of this novel including Candy (an older laborer), Crooks (the black stable hand), the boss, Curley (a short man who happens to be the bosses son), Curleys wife (a lonely woman easily excited by the attention of men), Carlson (a ranchhand) and Slim (the local authority figure). The characters in this novel all seem to want to transform their lives and are not able to do so. Curleys wife, a failed actress, is living day to day hoping that she will be able to fulfill her lifelong dream of acting. Slim, has nothing to show for a lifetime of laboring. He, just like George and Lennie, had hoped and dreamed for many years to own a piece of land to call his own. He has to live with the realization that he will probably die laboring just as he has done for so many years before. Crooks, on the other hand, has more of a sociological issue to deal with. He dealt with constant rac ial issues preventing him from accomplishing the American Dream. He has struggled to be treated as a human being because he has been oppressed by the white workers for so many years. TheShow MoreRelated The American Dream According to John Steinbeck Essay934 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Steinbeck, author of many classic American novels, greatly influenced modern American literature. Steinbeck often referred to the Salinas Valley of California in his writing. He often referred to the settlers and the adversities they had faced during the migration to the Salinas Valley area. With novels such as Of Mice And Men and The Grapes Of Wrath, Steinbeck explained the harsh reality of the severe hardships the settlers faced to accomplish the American Dream. These novels share many similaritiesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Sphinx And Of Mice And Men 1493 Words   |  6 PagesSphinx destroying itself and Oedipus to later take the throne in the city the Sphinx was guarding. In many ways, the Sphinx is analogous to the American Dream where many people are devoured by it while a small quantity ever â€Å"solve the riddle† and achieve their American Dream. In the 1937 novelette, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck incorporates the American Dream in the setting of the Great Depression in Tyler’s Ranch , California . During the Great Depression, many workers went into an exodus from theRead MoreThe Futility Of Dreaming By John Steinbeck942 Words   |  4 Pagesnature is to move into the future. John Steinbeck s novella, Of Mice and Men explores this theme of futile desire through various relationships and character complexes. This fictional story begins by introducing two men with a relationship built from the very foundations of love. As the novel progresses, we begin questioning innate truths. Steinbeck uses his literary prowess to entwine us within a story of loneliness, loss and morality. The characters hopes and dreams, regardless of outcome, are aRead MoreJohn Ste inbeck s Of Mice And Men1429 Words   |  6 Pageshave dreamed on achieving the american dream but few have achieved it. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck writes a marvelous story about the hardship of achieving the unobtainable american dream. Steinbeck describes the elusive american dream in Of Mice and Men by comparing and contrasting the american dream with the characters in the novel. The american dream has many interpretations depending on who you ask. Some might say the american dream came from the declaration of independenceRead MoreIs It Really A Dream?933 Words   |  4 PagesIs It Really A Dream? The American Dream is defined as â€Å"a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S† (Dictionary.com). This so called â€Å"dream† is an idea that has distinguished both America and her people for centuries. For generations, the American Dream has powered hope for hard-working Americans to achieve a better life - to ful-fill this dream. But over time, the idea of this dream has been criticized. In The Great Gatsby and in Of MiceRead MoreThe American Dream : The American Dream?1106 Words   |  5 Pagesaverage, Americans work 43 hours per week out of a total of 120 hours, take out the recommended sleep time and we work 43 out of 80 total hours. Therefore we work more than half the time in our daily lives. The larger part of Americans believe in The American Dream. so employees believe in working excessively for the chance of being rich, having expensive objects and being successful. The problem The American Dream i s getting less and less possible each and everyday. The American Dream is centralRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1365 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Steinbeck was an author who never wrote without a purpose, though the purpose was not always the same, there was always one. In the novella, Of Mice and Men he wrote with a meaning that was close to his heart. Steinbeck wrote this novella in the middle of the Great Depression for the purpose of showing how this was affecting the citizens of the United States. He wrote Of Mice and Men in order to show how the Great Depression was the final straw in the destruction of the American Dream. InRead MoreForeshadowing In Of Mice And Men Analysis1257 Words   |  6 PagesHow does Steinbeck Use Foreshadowing in his Text? Foreshadowing is the way an author uses clues to show the reader what happens later in the book. In 1937 John Steinbeck published the American classic, â€Å"Of Mice and Men,† a short story that tells the tale of George and Lennie, two migrant workers during the Great Depression. George, a small quick man, and his companion, Lennie, an enormous man with the mind of a child. They begin work at a ranch and come across Crooks, Candy, Slim, Curley, Curley’sRead MoreInterpretations Of The American Dream1718 Words   |  7 PagesInterpretations of American Dream There exist kinds of interpretations and instructions along the very term ‘American Dream’ ranging from its definition, the different concepts of people about it and its ultimate aim to the doubts upon its realization. Alfonzo Reyas, a Mexican humanist, says that â€Å"America is a utopia†¦ it is the figure of human hope† (qtd. In Parrington Jr. Preface). James Truslow Adams, who was firstly coined the phrase in his 1931 book The Epic of America, however, defined it as a â€Å"dream of aRead MoreThe Significance of Dreams in of Mice and Men839 Words   |  4 PagesThe Significance of Dreams in Of Mice and Men A major motif of John Steinbeck s Of Mice and Men is the American dream and the drive to attain it. The life of a ranch hand is grim, yet the characters in the novel are still vulnerable to dreams of a better life. The dream of owning land, called the American dream by some, is what motivates George and Lennie in their work on the ranch. It is their friendship that sustains this dream and makes it possible. While the dreams are credible to the

Role and Functions of Hr Managers Free Essays

Role and functions of HR Managers Introduction The Human Resource Department deals with management of people within the organisation. There are a number of responsibilities that come with this title. First of all, the Department is responsible for hiring members of staff; this will involve attracting employees, keeping them in their positions and ensuring that they perform to expectation. We will write a custom essay sample on Role and Functions of Hr Managers or any similar topic only for you Order Now Besides, the Human Resource Department also clarifies and sets day to day goals for the organisation. It is responsible for organisation of people in the entire Company and plans for future ventures and objectives involving people in the Company. Handy, 1999) Research has shown that the human aspect of resources within an organisation contributes approximately eighty percent of the organisation’s value. This implies that if people are not managed properly, the organisation faces a serious chance of falling apart. The Human Resource Department’s main objective is to bring out the best in their employees and thus contribute to the success of the Company. These roles come with certain positive and negative aspects. However, the negative aspects can be minimised by improvements to their roles and functions. These issues shall be examined in detail in the subsequent sections of the essay with reference to case examples of businesses in current operation. Positive aspects of Roles and Functions of the Human Resource Department Recruitment of Employees This is one of the most fundamental roles of the HR department. This is because this function ensures that the Company under consideration selects the most skilful and competent person from a sea of applicants at that time. This function involves evaluation of ability and competency of potential employees in relation to what the Company needs. This role falls under the Staffing role of management. If this function is performed well, then the organisation will increase value consequently being on the right pathway to achieve its organisational and departmental goals and objectives. (Hyde, 2004) Effective recruitment can be done through a number of ways. First of all the Company can conduct educational and psychological measurements. This task will involve assessment of abilities, skills and character evaluation of applicants. Through psychometric evaluation, the Company can ensure that employees have the right attitude necessary to fit into the organisation. Another method Companies use to recruit members of staff is through interviews. Here, the Human Resource Department can ask applicants questions that evaluate their decision making abilities and how they would deal with certain situations if presented with them. The Department can also employ the use of written interviews where applicants answer questions addressing key issues in the organisation. Through these channels, the Department contributes towards organisational performance. An example of a Company that performs this role well is Tesco Ireland. The Company notifies the public about vacancies. It then posts a questionnaire online and interested parties fill it at that time. This is then evaluated and those who fall within their minimum requirements are invited for an interview. In the interview, applicants are asked a number of questions and those who did extremely well are further analysed and retained. Those who did moderately well are not immediately eliminated; instead, their interview questions are kept on file then these are reviewed after six months. By so doing, the Tesco Ireland makes sure that its employees are highly capable and that they will enrich the organisation. (Hyde, 2004) Improvement of Compensation Packages One of the major functions of the HR department is to motivate employees. This can be done through rewards especially for those who have done well. The HR department needs to evaluate performance of employees and those who have exceeded expectations should be compensated for their actions. Research has shown that rewarding employees for good performance is the number one incentive for keeping up this trend. These compensation packages can come in the following ways; – Holiday Offers – End of Year Bonuses – Equities – Awards – Salary Increments – Provision of Flexible Working Hours – Straight forward Promotion Schemes and Career Developments If the HR department includes these incentives, then it will ensure that employees are satisfied with the Company. It will also contribute towards good staff retention rates. This is especially crucial in increasing stability within the organisation. It also makes employees identify with the firm and instils a sense of loyalty. Handy, 1999) Planning in the Organisation The Human Resource Department is placed with the responsibility of ensuring that it plans adequately for all the organisation’s future engagements that will involve people. One important aspect of this is planning for employees in the organisation. It is important that the organisation ensures that all the employees under its wing are just enough to increase value to the organisation. The Department must ensure that staff members are not too many because if they exceed this amount, then the organisation stands too lose. It must plan adequately to ensure that staff members are not too few either, otherwise they will be overworking those who are already in place. Consequently, there will be poor motivation resulting from fatigue. The HR department is also bestowed with the responsibility of planning future organisational goal in relation to people or clarifying these same goals to staff members. This function of the department ensures that people in the organisation have a general direction which they are working towards. Organisations that have a clear direction are always more effective; those members of staff will be more result oriented rather than just working for the sake of it. The Department is also responsible for setting day to day objectives necessary for streamlining activities within the organisation and thus ensuring that work is not just done haphazardly. (Hyde, 2004) Negative Aspects of Functions and Roles of the Human Resource Department There are a number of problems that arise as the department goes about its activities Problems in Recruitment The department may sometimes be unable to adequately coordinate and incorporate all the employees needed in the Company’s operations. One such example is the NHS. In the year 2004, the organisation was found to be wanting in its human resource department’s functions. The Company was recruiting a large proportion of its employees; 40% from Asian and African countries. This means that the organisation was draining medical personnel from those needy countries and using them for themselves. (Katherine, 2002) Such a practice showed that the HR department had exercised bad judgement in ts staffing function. Instead, it could have used these foreign nurses as temporary measure and put in place a strategy to train local nurses such that it could stop depending on those poor countries for supply of nurses. Problems in Remuneration In the process of trying to motivate members of staff to perform better, the Human Resource may make deals that eventually cause problems. A case in p oint is the Home Depot. This Company has an employee Compensation policy that requires that one should be rewarded for the time they have served the Company. The Home Depot Company offers an end of year bonus, basic salary and grant on stock shares as an incentive for some of its employees The CEO of the Company Robert Nardelli lost his job in the year 2007. This was because the company has experienced a lot of losses under his leadership; its shares fell by eight percent in the stock exchange and he deserved to leave the Company. However, because the Human Resource Department had put in place a policy that requires all members of staff to be given the incentive mentioned above, he left with a lot of money. It was reported that he had with him about two hundred and ten million dollars. The Company had no way out of this payment because HR had already passed that policy and they were bound by the law. This goes to show that sometimes policies made by the HR department do not benefit the Company especially if the parties involved are considered as losses to the Company. (Michael, 2007) Problems in Planning Sometimes the HR Department can employ people who may not contribute towards organisational principles. A classic example is the Arthur Andersen Company that fell apart in the year 2002. This was an American Company that dealt with audits. It was initially very successful in its operations prior to that fateful year. But in the latter years of its operations, the Company was involved in two accounting scandals that tarnished its name and subsequently caused failure. The Company failed to plan well for the kind of employees it recruited. This was witnessed when one of its employees in the Legal Department called Nancy Temple was fined in the Court of law for non adherence to accounting laws. This problem could have been prevented if the HR department had evaluated this employee before hiring her and also evaluation should have been done during her performance. If HR had been extremely critical, then they would have realised that the employee did not adhere to Company principles and would therefore have terminated her employment. Beside this, the Arthur Andersen Human Resource department also failed in its communication function to employees. The department should have ensured that they constantly communicate to members of staff about the goals and objectives of the Company on a day to day basis. This would have made them very clear in the minds of employees and would have prevented the downfall of the Company. Strategies to Improve Human Resource Department’s  Ã‚   Value to the Organisation Training and Internships It is not necessarily a guarantee that a candidate who did well in the recruitment exercise is the best in performing an organisation’s functions. New employees need orientation into the Company’s functions and can also improve some inefficiency that these new employees may have in relation to their skills. This is the purpose of placing them on internships. (Norbert, 1967) Training is also essential for members of staff who have been working for the organisation for a long time. This is especially so in the wake of technological advancements, legal changes and changes in service delivery. It is important for an Organisation to keep up with industry trends otherwise it faces the danger of becoming obsolete; especially in the background of increasing competition. Training need not be restricted to improvement of skills; it can also involve improvement of attitudes. This is normally characterised by attendance of workshops and other forms of talks. Training also increases motivation of employees and gives them that extra boost of energy needed to get them through tough times in their jobs. All the above tasks are placed under the Department of Human Resource because it is the one that will asses when training is needed, who needs the training, where and by whom. This aspect is a sure to improve value of the HR Department in the organisation. An example of a company that adheres to this principle is Marks and Spencer retail chain outlet. The Company offers training for twelve moths. Here new employees are taught all that is necessary to meet organisational goals and objectives then they can start work when they are ready to do so. (Norbert, 1967) Making Better Use of Time The Human Resource is conferred with the responsibility of ensuring that all members of staff perform to their best ability. It could improve this area by facilitating better use of time in all departments within the organisation. Time is one of the most crucial yet intangible assets of the Company. The proper use of this resource could maximise production and achievement of organisational goals. (Harold, 2003) The Department can do this by planning activities to be carried out in the organisation. It can make schedules for the various activities that have to be done in the organisation and thus facilitate better flow of information. In addition to this, the Company can also ensure that all members of staff are held accountable for not performing a certain task. This is especially in regard to maintenance of the schedules. In so doing, human the Human Resource Department will be ensuring that employees do not simply report to work and that the time spent at work is directly proportional to output. Improving Organisational Culture The Human Resource Department can try to improve organisational culture through a three step procedure. The first step of the process is observation. In this step HR finds out what makes ups or what the company’s culture is like. HR should also be very intense on the organisational needs. Here, HR should realise that personal fulfilment works better and therefore should try to ensure that the change is relevant to every staff member. In this stage, HR should try to explain to all staff members or stakeholder the advantage of transforming the culture in the organisation. This should be made clear so that all can see the advantages at the individual level and not simply at the organizational level. Erica, 2006) Then HR should try to eliminate all inhibitions in staff member’s minds. It is possible that some may claim that they tried one or two strategies before and it did not succeed. This are what are called ‘cries of despair’ and HR should try its best to explain to staff members the need of changing the culture of the organisation. The next step is the analysis of various aspects. Here, there is collect ion of data needed in making certain that culture changes. This stage involves checking out the success features or the factors that can facilitate its success. There should be calibration of data collected. Staff members should be made to understand that there are no perfect situations for implementation of changes. The analysis should involve assessing whether the information is sensible or not. Whether data gathered will be helpful or not and if it is too little or too much. Staff members should be requested for data that will help change the culture. Of course when trying to bring in change HR Department should have perceived benefits, a deadline for execution and also the realised gains in relation to the change in culture. In this step, there should be reality checks which should be done often. There should also be continuous integration. Through this scheme HR Department should be able to change the culture in the organisation and add value to it. (Harold, 2003) Conclusion The Human Resource Management team’s main function is to manage people. There are positive and negative aspects of this function; first of all, the HR department enriches the organisation through recruitment procedures and an example an effective HR team in this area is Tesco Ireland. HR department also ensures that members of staff follow a general direction by frequently clarifying and reminding them of the organisation’s goals. Besides this, they are also responsible for organising incentives or compensation packages to motivate employees. All these functions contribute towards organisational effectiveness. However, there are some negative aspects of HR; it has to bear the burden of blame if an employee performs poorly like the Arthur Andersen Company. Besides this, some policies made by the department may be detrimental to the Company like in the Home Depot Company’s case. Improvements to their role can be done by arranging training for staff members, organising activities for the organisation and changing organisational culture. (Erica, 2006) How to cite Role and Functions of Hr Managers, Papers

The Causes and Effects of Child Labour free essay sample

Conflicts and Uncertainties are the main tribulations that are faced, when tackling Resource management. Therefore, their effects, and how Resource Management with reference to Water and Fishery Resources, is filled with conflicts and uncertainties, are the issues that carve the outline of this paper’s thesis â€Å"Resource Management is fraught with conflict and uncertainty. † Undeniably, Resource management has been, and is one of the greatest challenges that is faced today by humanity, which continues to largely menace the human ecology. Water allocation, which signifies the aim of deciding which supplier gets water and under what circumstances, is the most widespread technique governing water security (Mitchell, 2004). However in this, a strong Conflict of Interests occurs during allocation decisions. Such decisions are made, without a standard of normalized laws, among competing users for supplies. To solve this, a distinction must be made between water allocations that take place within sovereign jurisdictions and between sovereign jurisdictions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Causes and Effects of Child Labour or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An illustration for this can be drawn from a situation in which two neighboring countries, share a river. (Mitchell, 2004: 174) Subsequently, from my personal perception, when contaminated water happens to be allocated to a particular supplier, conflicts arise based on inequity and individual interests. Hence, in order to prevent and reduce conflicts in recent years, international trade agreements such as, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) have become vital to several countries. Mitchell, 2004: 175) Further, a scheme worth mentioning is that of the Remedial Action Plan (RAP), which was established in 1987 and the International Joint Commission (IJC) of 1909 (Mitchell, 2004: 183). The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 (Mitchell, 2004: 176), which was mentioned in the lecture, is a worthy citation, when suggesting effective and flourishing water security schemes. Water withdrawal is another major cause of conflict, over the obviousness of how water should be allocated. (Mi tchell, 2004: 173). Uncertainty is a co-existing effect on water security, especially with regards to climate change. Although the numerous crucial steps mentioned above are being, and have been taken by the government; yet their implementation still depends on several factors involving human behavior, interest, sincerity and effort. It is also seen that, in almost every step towards resource management, some type of conflict and uncertainty sprouts up, ascertaining the thesis. From a personal perspective, it is inferred that, in spite of resource management and security being fraught with conflicts and uncertainties, environmental preservation should not be mistaken as an unfeasible attempt. This can be further supported by the statement made by John McConnell, the founder of the International Earth Day, which succeeds in remarkably persuading us towards a new outlook, advancing environmental conservation, and a brimming sincerity for every individual to develop an instilling urge, towards a sustainable and more developed ecosystem: Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure.

Free Essays on Cause Of Slavery

Cause of Slavery Slavery was caused by economic factors of the English settlers in the late 17th century. Colonists continually tried to allure laborers to the colony. The head right system was to give the indentured servant, a method of becoming independent after a number of years of service. Slavery was caused by economic reasons. Colonists chiefly relied on Indentured Servitude, in order to facilitate their need for labor. The decreasing population combined with a need for a labor force, led colonists to believe that African slaves were the most efficient way to acquire a labor force that would satisfy their needs. Before the 1680's, Indentured Servitude was the primary source of labor in the newly developed colonies. After the 1680's, the population of the Indentured Servants decreased, exponentially. Their were a number of different reasons why the population of indentured servants had decreased. The indentured servants were running away from their temporary masters, to find a job where he could become more independent. Indentured servants were also dying of many diseases, which were caused by harsh conditions. The immigration of servants thus declined, because of the people in England being informed of the harsh treatment in the colonies. The society was where the land was easy to find, while the labor was most scarce. Indentured servitude was a form of labor that was declining, and the need for labor increased rapidly. In the 1600's, when John Rolfe founded tobacco, tobacco became the main source of income for most of the colonists. The economic prosperity of the colonies was primarily dependent on the amount of tobacco produced. The growing of tobacco needed a large amount of land, with a large stable work force. The increased demand for a large, stable work force combined with the availability of African slaves, led to the use of slavery in the colonies. During the late 17th century, the indentured servants ... Free Essays on Cause Of Slavery Free Essays on Cause Of Slavery Cause of Slavery Slavery was caused by economic factors of the English settlers in the late 17th century. Colonists continually tried to allure laborers to the colony. The head right system was to give the indentured servant, a method of becoming independent after a number of years of service. Slavery was caused by economic reasons. Colonists chiefly relied on Indentured Servitude, in order to facilitate their need for labor. The decreasing population combined with a need for a labor force, led colonists to believe that African slaves were the most efficient way to acquire a labor force that would satisfy their needs. Before the 1680's, Indentured Servitude was the primary source of labor in the newly developed colonies. After the 1680's, the population of the Indentured Servants decreased, exponentially. Their were a number of different reasons why the population of indentured servants had decreased. The indentured servants were running away from their temporary masters, to find a job where he could become more independent. Indentured servants were also dying of many diseases, which were caused by harsh conditions. The immigration of servants thus declined, because of the people in England being informed of the harsh treatment in the colonies. The society was where the land was easy to find, while the labor was most scarce. Indentured servitude was a form of labor that was declining, and the need for labor increased rapidly. In the 1600's, when John Rolfe founded tobacco, tobacco became the main source of income for most of the colonists. The economic prosperity of the colonies was primarily dependent on the amount of tobacco produced. The growing of tobacco needed a large amount of land, with a large stable work force. The increased demand for a large, stable work force combined with the availability of African slaves, led to the use of slavery in the colonies. During the late 17th century, the indentured servants ...

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, Father of Microbiology

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, Father of Microbiology Anton van Leeuwenhoek (October 24, 1632–August 30, 1723) invented the first practical microscopes and used them to become the first person to see and describe bacteria, among other microscopic discoveries.  Indeed, van Leeuwenhoeks work effectively refuted the doctrine of spontaneous generation, the theory that living organisms could spontaneously emerge from nonliving matter. His studies also led to the development of the sciences of bacteriology and protozoology. Fast Facts: Anton van Leeuwenhoek Known For:  Improvements to the microscope, discovery of bacteria, discovery of sperm, descriptions of all manner of microscopic cell structures (plant and animal), yeasts, molds, and moreAlso Known As: Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, Antony Van LeeuwenhoekBorn:  Oct. 24, 1632 in Delft, HollandDied:  Aug. 30, 1723 in in Delft, HollandEducation:  Only basic educationPublished Works:  Arcana naturÅ“ detecta, 1695, a collection of his letters sent to the Royal Society of London, translated into Latin for the scientific communityAwards:  Member of the Royal Society of LondonSpouse(s): Barbara de Mey (m.1654–1666),  Cornelia Swalmius (m. 1671–1694)Children: MariaNotable Quote:  My work...was not pursued in order to gain the praise I now enjoy, but chiefly from a craving after knowledge. Early Life   Leeuwenhoek was born in Holland on October 24, 1632, and as a teenager he became an apprentice at a linen drapers shop. Although it doesnt seem a likely start to a life of science, from here Leeuwenhoek was set on a path to inventing his microscope. At the shop,  magnifying glasses were used to count the threads and inspect the quality of cloth. He was inspired and taught himself new methods for grinding and polishing tiny lenses of great curvature, which gave magnifications up to 275x (275 times the subjects original size), the finest known at that time. Contemporaneous Microscopes People had been using magnifying lenses since the 12th century and convex and concave lenses for vision correction since the 1200s and 1300s. In 1590, Dutch lens grinders Hans and Zacharias Janssen constructed a microscope with two lenses in a tube; though it may not have been the first microscope, it was a very early model. Also credited with the invention of the microscope about the same time was Hans Lippershey, the inventor of the telescope. Their work led to others research and development on telescopes and the modern compound microscope, such as Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer whose invention was the first given the name microscope. The compound microscopes of Leeuwenhoeks time had issues with blurry figures and distortions and could magnify only up to 30 or 40 times. Leeuwenhoek Microscope Leeuwenhoeks work on his tiny lenses led to the building of his microscopes, considered the first practical ones. They bore little resemblance to todays microscopes, however; they were more like very high-powered magnifying glasses and used only one lens instead of two. Other scientists didnt adopt Leeuwenhoeks versions of microscopes because of the difficulty in learning to use them.  They were small (about 2 inches long) and were used by holding ones eye close to the tiny lens and looking at a sample suspended on a pin. Leeuwenhoek Discoveries With these microscopes, though, he made the microbiological discoveries for which he is famous. Leeuwenhoek was the first to see and describe bacteria (1674), yeast plants, the teeming life in a drop of water (such as algae), and the circulation of blood corpuscles in capillaries. The word bacteria didnt exist yet, so he called these microscopic living organisms animalcules. During his long life, he used his lenses to make pioneer studies on an extraordinary variety of things- living and nonliving- and reported his findings in more than 100 letters to the Royal Society of England and the French Academy. Leeuwenhoeks first report to the Royal Society in 1673 described bee mouthparts, a louse, and a fungus. He studied the structure of plant cells and crystals, and the structure of human cells such as blood, muscle, skin, teeth, and hair. He even scraped the plaque from between his teeth to observe the bacteria there, which, Leeuwenhoek discovered, died after drinking coffee. He was the first to describe sperm and postulated that conception occurred when a sperm joined with an ovum, though his thought was that the ovum just served to feed the sperm. At the time, there were various theories of how babies formed, so Leeuwenhoeks studies of sperm and ovum of various species caused an uproar in the scientific community. It would be around 200 years before scientists would agree on the process. Leeuwenhoeks View on His Work Like his contemporary  Robert Hooke, Leeuwenhoek made some of the most important discoveries of early microscopy. In one letter from 1716, he wrote, My work, which Ive done for a long time, was not pursued in order to gain the praise I now enjoy, but chiefly from a craving after knowledge, which I notice resides in me more than in most other men. And therewithal, whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people might be informed thereof. He did not editorialize on meanings of his observations and acknowledged he was not a scientist but merely an observer. Leeuwenhoek was not an artist either, but he worked with one on the drawings he submitted in his letters. Death Van Leeuwenhoek also contributed to science in one other way. In the final year of his life, he described the disease that took his life. Van Leeuwenhoek suffered from uncontrollable contractions of the diaphram, a condition now known as Van Leeuwenhoek disease. He died of the disease, also called diaphragmatic flutter, on August 30, 1723, in Delft. He is buried at the Oude Kerk (Old Church) in Delft. Legacy Some of Leeuwenhoeks discoveries could be verified at the time by other scientists, but some discoveries could not because his lenses were so superior to others microscopes and equipment. Some people had to come to him to see his work in person. Just 11 of Leeuwenhoeks 500 microscopes exist today. His instruments were made of gold and silver, and most were sold by his family after he died in 1723. Other scientists did not use his microscopes, as they were difficult to learn to use. Some improvements to the device occurred in the 1730s, but big improvements that led to todays compound microscopes didnt happen until the middle of the 19th century. Sources â€Å"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek.†Ã‚  Famous Biologists Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek Comments, famousbiologists.org.Cobb, M. An Amazing 10 Years: The Discovery of Egg and Sperm in the 17th Century. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 47 (Suppl. 4; 2012), 2–6, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.Lane, Nick. The Unseen World: Reflections on Leeuwenhoek (1677) ‘Concerning Little Animals.’  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 370 (1666) (April 19, 2015): 20140344.Samardhi, Himabindu Radford, Dorothy M. Fong, Kwun. (2010). Leeuwenhoeks disease: Diaphragmatic flutter in a cardiac patient. Cardiology in the Young. Cardiology in the Young. 20. 334 - 336.Van Leeuwenhoek, Anton. Letter of June 12, 1716, to the Royal Society, quoted by the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley.Vision Engineering. Later Developments.

Knowledge Management for Competitive Advantage Essay

Knowledge Management for Competitive Advantage - Essay Example In this regard, I will place myself as a report writing expert who will submit a report to the CEO of the firm as regards the analysis of their existing policies and how these should be structured and revamped to form an effective knowledge management system and culture within the organization. This is a fictitious company that has been built for structuring a competent knowledge management system. To start with, it has been assumed that this company has a poor knowledge management system. This information has been gathered from brief interviews with the CEO and other officials within the company. Based in the UK since 1998, this firm operates in the following two areas. -Business Transformation: this includes a class of services aimed at carrying out relevant research and applying the interpretation of the data emanating from the same in order to transform the company and render exponential growth to its operational effectiveness. -Systems and technology consultancy: this includes w orking with private as well as public companies and corporations to source and provide information regarding financial services, energy, government and public services, manufacturing and telecommunications, among many others, so as to promote the scope for strategic partnerships between the public and private corporations. IMC has grown from strength to strength in order to show sustainability. It now operates in countries like US, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe with an employee scale of over 1800 people.... ource and provide information regarding financial services, energy, government and public services, manufacturing and telecommunications, among many others, so as to promote the scope for strategic partnerships between the public and private corporations. Chapter 1.2: Knowledge Base - Operational Context IMC has grown from strength to strength in order to show sustainability. It now operates in countries like US, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe with an employee scale of over 1800 people. As far as the scope of knowledge management goes, this information has various dimensions in terms of factors that influence the scope and process of knowledge management. These factors are as follows: Source: Skyrme (1999)3 This diagram helps us focus on the contextual elements of knowledge management that may be applied to the case of IMC. These elements further help in codifying information through a focus on knowledge centres which helps in garnering intelligence throughout the organisation. Chapter 2: Role of Technology: Codifying Information According to the elements demonstrated in the above diagram, the operational context for knowledge management is one that follows a strategic approach. The guidelines for following the same within this particular organisation are as follows: (Payne, 1996) Converting localised efforts into more integrated efforts on the global front: for this, the company requires to coordinate the flow and transmission of information in a more fluid way so as to transform the local efforts into global one. Departmentalisation of efforts: there must be a series of departments that coordinate the knowledge management process and transmit the relevant knowledge to relevant parties. Categorisation of parties: this refers to the process of

Police Discretion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Police Discretion - Research Paper Example This is the soul essence of the report, the police officer and his judgment actions at the spot, in the field at a particular instance; a fact that differentiates a good officer from an average one. Definition Discretion can be described as a police officers’ will to act upon a certain situation or not and in what way. That is for example whether to stop a speeding motorist, book him or leave him with a gentle warning. The definition may be true but more often than not discretion is associated with use of force in the field. This discretion can be in either deciding to see force and if using so, how much and to what extent (Hunt 1985). Another school of thought preaches that the discretion of a police officer is with regard to the time spent on the situations coming across his desk or field when deployed. This can be explained by the example of a police officer helping a stranded motorist, using his duty time as a service duty, where as he could have avoided this situation (En gel 2007). Advantages The first and foremost benefit of handing over powers to a policeman in the field is the amount of time saved while taking a decision. Just imagine the hassle for a field person to refer to headquarters for each and every decision he has to take in the field. Therefore having discretion in his own hands, allows him to save time and act within the safe time region, where minimum damage is occurred to the law and order situation. Another positive that comes out from added discretion is primarily based upon the financial and physical resource distribution. In layman terms, the number of policemen, jails and courts are not enough for all the criminals to be given the same procedural approach. This will create havoc; hence the police discretion provides this advantage to the justice system (Goldstein 1977). If each and every discrepancy in the field or office needs a proper resolve, the men in the system will always be occupied with such minute stuff, making it very difficult for them to justify the call of duty for urgent pressing matters. Therefore a large force would be needed to do all this. So it can be easily said that saving resources is one of the largest benefit of putting authority in the hands of a police officer. (Engel 2007). Disadvantages The main problem associated with the above mentioned system is the lack of consistency as each officer has a separate way of perceiving the solution of the problem at hand which may result is disastrous situations. Behavioral patterns are very difficult to predict causing a massive dent in the police officer’s discretion supporters’ argument. This has seen to be the reason why there is an air of distrust on the officers on the part of the public which often leads to stand-offs between the two. Saying all this, the main problem is defined in all together another area. The most negative factor is the misuse of powers from the police. This often leads to violation of basic rights spec ially those which require body searches, property searches and protection against self-incrimination (Walker and Katz 2002). Forced Existence and Intelligent Use Questions are often raised about the whole authority into the individual hands system. The real and practical question being; that whether the police system can function without the discretion in the hands of a