Gate Gourmet Management

Executive Summary Gate Gourmet is the world’s leading company offering catering services to airline companies. In order to improve the efficiency of its business processes, the firm introduced a Scala system to help in integrating various processes in the supply chain. The firm also introduced e-gatematrix to help improve communication within the new system.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Gate Gourmet Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has helped the firm improve its supply chain and manage the demands of the clients. In order to make this new system effective, the management will need to ensure that its employees are adequately trained on how to use the new system. The firm will also need to help its suppliers upgrade their systems to be in line with its systems. Introduction Achieving operational success heavily depends on the approach taken in planning and control of inputs. This is clea rly demonstrated in the case study about Gate Gourmet. The firm is operating in a highly sensitive industry where changes are unpredictable. Despite this unpredictability of the market forces, the clients’ demands quality service within the right time and at the right quantity. Sometimes the firm is always forced to change its menu a few hours before the departure of a plane, and this requires an effective processing to ensure that the expectation of the client is met. Achieving success in such critical circumstances requires effective supply chain management, from the stage of acquisition of raw materials to the time of delivering the finished goods to the customers. It also requires an effective communication system that will enable various stakeholders involved in the production to coordinate their activities very closely. I n this study, the researcher will be interested in critically analysing how Gate Gourmet manages to meet its tight schedules using the systems and pro cesses in order to provide quality products to its customers at the expected time (Coyle Coyle 2009, p. 78). The research will also look at the communication strategies that make it possible for the firm to coordinate its operations within the supply chain. Discussion The case study about Gate Gourmet demonstrates a tight operational structure that the firm has to deal with in order to remain operational. At this stage, it will be necessary to determine the systems which enable efficient use of raw materials and the impact that this may have on the products of this firm, based on the transformation process (Bolstorff Rosenbaum 2012, p. 23). In order to analyse the systems, it is necessary to understand the transformation process relevant to this firm.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Figure 1: Transformation Process As shown in the diagram above, two main systems have bee n identified which help in transforming the input resources into output resources at Gate Gourmet. The two systems used in this process as per the information in the case study are scala and e-gatematrix. Scala is a comprehensive system that involves all the operational processes at Gate Gourmet in its supply chain, from the time of acquiring the raw materials to the stage where the final product is delivered to the customers. Managing this system to ensure that it functions effectively is one of the biggest challenges that the firm faces in its operations. Sometimes the firm is given a short notice on the major changes about the clients that should be served. The management of this firm introduced scala system to help ensure that the firm gets it right all the time in processes of meeting the dynamic demands of the customers. This system lays emphasis on three major factors. The first factor is the delivery of products at the right time. In the aviation industry, time is of critica l importance and when it is not properly observed, a firm may not sustain its operations in the market (Brockett Rezaee 2012, p. 94). The management must ensure that all the materials needed to serve the clients on board the planes are packed within the time provided. The second factor is the right place. Food industry is very sensitive. The employees of this firm are keen on having everything at the right when processing or serving meals to the clients. Once they have been served, all the wastes and utensils must be kept at the right place.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Gate Gourmet Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The third factor involves the right quantities. Overproduction of food would lead to wastage, which will be a loss both to the firm and the airline company. On the other hand, underproduction would lead to dissatisfaction of the customers, something that the management is keen to elimi nate. The e-gatematrix a web enabled system is used to support the scala system by providing the firm with the right information at the right time, and enhancing communication among different stakeholders in the supply chain. The sensitivity of the operations at this firm makes it necessary to have an effective communication system that will make it possible to understand various changes in terms of the flight or the number of clients on board a given flight. This information will not only make it possible to have the right quantity of products for the flight, but also helps the firm to know the time when their products will be needed. The system captures the scheduled data from both the clients and the suppliers of this firm (Sumner 2005, p. 60). It also helps in invoicing once a delivery is made. In such a highly taxing environment in which Gate Gourmet operates, trade-offs is unavoidable in order to achieve sustainability. The flexibility and dependability required at this firm m akes the process of production to be very costly. As Chary (2004, p. 78) notes, in order to have high quality products, it is necessary for the management to be prepared for higher costs. High cost of operation has a direct impact on the profitability of the firm (Gorman 2011, p. 567). This means that for the sake of being highly flexible and dependable in producing quality products in time, the firm will need to trade-off high profits that would be expected if the processes were simpler. The firm will be sacrificing high profits for efficiency, reliability and quality of its products and production process. The management of Gate Gourmet has invested a lot of resources in developing an integrated supply chain management at this firm. As Zack (2009, p. 50) observes, supply chain management is a critical aspect of management that involves managing inventory from the time they are acquired to the processing stage, and finally when they are delivered to the clients. The integrated syst em used by this firm in its supply chain management has a number of positive implications. According to Ulrich (2001, p. 45), one of the main benefits of having an integrated supply chain system is the accuracy in communication that is always achieved.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This makes it possible for the firm to adapt to the changes quickly which helps in avoiding unnecessary costs due to wastage. As noted in the case study, Gate Gourmet is a global firm operating in various locations around the world. Having a standardised approach of handling tasks, and a system that makes relevant information available for all the stakeholders makes its global operations simple and standardised. The chief executive officer will have an idea of how a customer in New York, Sidney, London, or Shanghai will be served while seated at his office in Zurich-Airport in Switzerland.  Integrating the system enhances flexibility and responsiveness at the firm (Tiwana 2000, p. 67). For instance, when the firm receives information about the reduction of the number of passengers, this information will reach all the individuals within the supply chain, including the supplies, as soon as it is received.  Similarly, when there is an increase in the number of people to be served, all these stakeholders will get the information in real time. The management has fine-tuned its systems so that all the stakeholders know what to do when they receive such short notices. This helps the firm to remain flexible and highly responsive (Thierauf Hoctor 2006, p. 32). The integration also helps to reduce or eliminate what Suresh and Mahesh (2006, p. 67) describe as the bullwhip effect. It helps ensure that changes in the consumer demand- that is very common in the market where Gate Gourmet operates- does not affect other stages in the supply chain negatively. As Dalkir (2011, p. 47) notes, the integration and standardisation helps improve the supply chain’s effectiveness and efficiency which in turn lowers the associated costs.  It is important to note that integrating of the supply chain comes with a number of negative impacts. One of the main negative impacts of such standardised systems, according to Oz (2004), is that it limits the number of suppliers for the firm. Gate Gourmet needs to have specific suppliers who can work under the policies specified in the system. This will means that the firm will be forced to identify the specific suppliers with the capacity to fit into this demanding system. The fact that sensitive information about flights will be revealed to so many people, this system may be considered a threat to the security of passengers on board different planes. A terrorist can easily get this information, especially from the suppliers who do not form part of this firm, and plan heinous acts. This system also reduces secrecy and confidentiality at the firm. The fact that information is made available to all the stakeholders in the value chain for quick response makes it easy for confidential information on the firm’s strategies to leak out. Maier (2004, p. 51) says that the integrated system will need a highly skilled workforce that will be able to maintain the database. It is clear that the nature of the market forc es demands an integrated supply chain management system. However, it has been observed that this poses fundamental problems to this firm when it comes to reaching out to the less advanced suppliers. In order to address this problem, the researcher proposed three levels that should be observed in order to bring these suppliers on board. At the management level, Gate Gourmet should develop a partnership with these suppliers to help them operate under the integrated system. In such partnerships, all the parties involved will benefit. At the technical level, it is recommended that the experts from Gate Gourmet should work closely with the suppliers to help them develop systems which will be compatible with this firm’s system. At human resource level, it will be necessary to organise trainings for the employees of the suppliers so that they can know how to manage their systems. From the case, it is clear that Gate Gourmet has developed an organisation-wide information system as a way of enhancing efficiency in its production process. Its enterprise resource planning is based on the principles which require it to maintain a steady flow of information with all the stakeholders in the supply chain. There are a number of challenges that Gate Gourmet may face in implementing this system. One of the main challenges is the fluctuations of demand which may come at the last minute, making it almost impossible to achieve ‘just-in-time’ delivery. This is so because sometimes the information comes when the meals are ready and with no time to make adjustments, and this makes it difficult to meet the demands of the clients. Achieving the objective of delivering the right quantity products because a near impossibility in such contexts (Handzic Zhou, 2005, p. 56). Reduced levels of customer satisfaction may jeopardise the sustainability of the firm because the clients may consider looking for alternatives in the market. Another challenge is that there may be n eed to re-fix the schedules in cases of flight delays. As McNabb (2006, p. 72) notes, flight delays are always unpredictable because in most of the cases they are influenced by the forces of nature. When using this system, it will force the firm re-plan its delivery process, and this may involve a whole new process of delivery because the meals that were ready will be discarded. When implementing the ERP system that Gate Gourmet has developed, a number of problems are expected to arise. It is necessary to find the ways of managing such problems as soon as they are detected in order to eliminate their negative impacts. One of the main problems that have already been detected is the issue of system integration. The main system that was developed to manage all the processes at this firm was the Scala. However, the management realised that this system could not support some operations, and this forced the firm to develop e-gatematrix in order to enhance communication. This problem shoul d be addressed by redesigning the Scala so that it can support data without the need for additional software. This will reduce the costs and time needed to manage the system. The second problem is in managing the complexity of the system. The management is finding it very challenging to its global operations using the Scala system because most of the employees do not clearly understand the concepts involved in this system. To address this problem, the management will need to organise training programs for the employees so that they can have a better understanding of this new system.  According to Leon (2008, p. 57), many organisations have realised that it is of great benefit to invest in the employees. In this case, the investment will be in the form of training on how they can use the new system effectively. This process may also involve managing resistance to change. During the training process, the employees will be taught to appreciate change whenever it is necessary. The res earch by Sugumaran (2002, p. 88) reveals that many organisations have been unable to implement change strategies because of the reluctance of the employees. To avoid such problems, it will be necessary to train the employees of this firm on the need for and how to embrace change. The information given in the case study clearly demonstrates that the organisation’s human tacit and implicit knowledge will be needed in the management of the new system. According to Gottschalk (2007, p. 133), tacit knowledge cannot be easily transferred to other people. On the other hand, implicit knowledge- though not written down- is procedural in nature and can easily be understood by the members of an organisation. At Gate Gourmet, tacit and implicit knowledge will be very valuable in the inventory management using the new system. The new system was introduced because of the challenges that the management faced in its supply chain. However, it has come out that using this system poses a number of challenges to the employees of this firm, and this means that both tacit and implicit knowledge will be very important at this stage (Thierauf 1999, p. 78). It is necessary to have specific examples where tacit and implicit knowledge will be necessary in the process of managing the inventory. According to Becerra and Sabherwal (2010, p. 45), using of some complex communication technologies in the current market does not only require experience, but also some form of talent. For instance, managing the database of this new system will require people with the experience and special skills in communication technology. At this point, tacit knowledge will be very important. Tacit knowledge will also be important in developing strategic plans on how to relate to the suppliers using the new system. A team of experts will be needed to draw a plan on how the Gate Gourmet will bring in new suppliers into the new system so that the scope of supplies for the firm is expanded. Implicit knowle dge will be very valuable in defining the procedures that should be taken in the production process. The employees should know all the procedures such as the amount of products expected from the suppliers, how to plan for the inventory once it is received from the suppliers, and the issues about storage. The employees will also need to know when it is appropriate to deliver the products to the clients once they are ready. When using implicit knowledge, the employees will know what is expected at various stages in the supply chain. This knowledge can be given out in terms of instructions. Conclusion and Recommendations Gate Gourmet is operating in a highly competitive environment. The firm offers catering services to the world’s leading airline companies across the world. This industry comes with a number of challenges that has affected the supply chain of this firm. As shown in the study above, one of the main challenges that Gate Gourmet is currently facing in its operation is the unpredictable demand for its products. The client may make an order for 240 passengers expected to be onboard 12-24 hours before the time of departure. Because of the unpredictable nature of the aviation industry, such an order can be cancelled in the eleventh hour. In other cases, the client may demand a reduction or an increase of the quantity of the products needed within an hour to the time when the flight is expected to take off. Meeting such taxing demands has forced Gate Gourmet to introduce Scala and e-gatematrix to improve efficiency and effectiveness of its supply chain. These new systems make it possible for the firm to share such sudden changes in demand to all the members of the supply chain so that immediate measures can be taken to address the issue. Although this has helped the firm to improve its efficiency, the following recommendations would further promote the operations of this firm in the challenging market. The management should introduce training prog rams for its employees so that they can understand how to use the new system. Gate Gourmet should help its suppliers develop systems which are compatible with its own system so as to expand the scope of supplies. The firm should help its suppliers understand the new communication concepts by involving their employees in trainings. List of References Becerra, I Sabherwal, R 2010, Knowledge management: Systems and processes, M.E. Sharpe, Armonk. Bolstorff, P Rosenbaum, R 2012, Supply chain excellence: A handbook for dramatic improvement using the SCOR model, American Management Association, New York. Brockett, A Rezaee, Z 2012, Corporate sustainability: Integrating performance and reporting, Wiley, Hoboken. Chary, S 2004, Production and Operations Management, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Coyle, J Coyle, J 2009, Supply chain management: A logistics perspective, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason. Dalkir, K 2011, Knowledge management in theory and practice, MIT Press Cambridge, Cambridge. Gorman, M 2011, Student Reactions to the Field Consulting Capstone Course in Operations Management, Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 41. no. 6, pp. 564-577. Gottschalk, P 2007, Knowledge management systems: Value shop creation, Idea Group Publishers, Hershey. Handzic, M Zhou, A 2005, The role of technology in knowledge management: an integrative approach, Chandos Publishing, London. Leon, A 2008, Enterprise resource planning, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Maier, R 2004, Knowledge management systems: Information and communication technologies for knowledge management; with 91 tabs, Springer, Berlin. McNabb, D 2006, The Technology and Processes Subsystems: Knowledge Management in the Public Sector, ME Sharpe, London. Oz, E 2004, Data and Knowledge Management: Management information system, Thomson, Boston. Sugumaran, V 2002, Intelligent support systems: Knowledge management, IRM Press, Hershey. Sumner, M 2005, Enterprise resource planning, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle R iver. Suresh, J Mahesh, K 2006, Knowledge management in practice: steps to maturity in knowledge management, Chandos Publishing, London. Thierauf, J 1999, Data storage useful in discovering knowledge: knowledge management systems for business, Quorum Books, Westport. Thierauf, R Hoctor, J 2006, Optimal knowledge management: Wisdom management systems concepts and applications, Idea Group Publishers, Hershey. Tiwana, A 2000, Aligning knowledge management and business strategy: the knowledge management toolkit, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. Ulrich, F 2001, Knowledge Management Systems: Essential Requirements and Generic Design Patterns, MELAB, Michigan. Zack, M 2009, Managing codified knowledge, Sloan management review, vol. 40. no. 4, pp. 45-58. This report on Gate Gourmet Management was written and submitted by user Houston Hendricks to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Integrity of Data and Analysis in Marketing Assignment

The Integrity of Data and Analysis in Marketing Assignment The Integrity of Data and Analysis in Marketing – Assignment Example The paper "The Integrity of Data and Analysis in Marketing " is a worthy example of an assignment on marketing.Marketers should be concerned about the integrity of data and analysis that is provided by the National Household survey. This is because the data is of low quality because Canadians are not willing to provide the surveys with the information required to assist the marketers; hence, leaving gaps on what the consumers really want from the marketers. The marketers should be confident using the Census-Plus projection provided by Environics Analytics. This is because it provides an extensive demographic and socioeconomic profile of the Canadian consumers including the DAs (Lamb 67). Additionally, Census Plus projection helps in understanding ethnic customers and diversity among ethnic segments. A private firm can completely replace the analysis and the data delivered by the StatsCan long-form census. Because it is no longer in use as another strategy has been created to establis h what the Canadians have to say about the market. The target experience has clearly indicated that before any company enters a market they should first understand the target profit and break-even analysis. This is because with a clear consideration of the two the company can decide whether the investment is long-term or short-term, as well as, how big they should invest. Target Canada in their Initial situational analysis missed understanding the importance of market sizing (Lamb 90). In that, they did not know what the consumers in Canada wanted, as well as, the sum of money they were willing to pay for the products. Target experience would have been different if they had an online experience because they could have related to the consumers and understood about the range of products they would buy. By so doing, they would have an easier way in segment and market penetration.

The Channel Tunnel Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Channel Tunnel Project - Essay Example The tunnel cost almost $16 billion which was more than twice of the initial cost estimates. The primary focus of the project was to ensure that safety, defence, security and environmental issues do not go unnoticed. The key finding of the assignment is that the entire channel tunnel project was inaccurately scheduled and thus led to all the issues. Therefore the most challenging task of the project was to complete it within the stipulated time frame. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Project Background 4 Project Management Issues 5 7 Discussion and Analysis 8 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction The channel tunnel project was carried out to create a link between France and England through underground tunnels. The channel tunnel also referred to as the Euro tunnel is basically a railway link between United Kingdom and France under the English Channel (7wonders, n.d.). The purpose of the report is to highlight on the areas such as backdrop of the project, the iss ues pertaining to the project and some of the risks which are associated with the project. In other words the report will try to illustrate the exact happenings about and will provide all the relevant details regarding management of the project. Apart from this the report will also highlight on some of issues pertaining to the operation management of the project. The issues will relate to the designing phase, approval phase and the manufacturing phase. However the dissertation will also try to analyse the case and based on which some propositions and recommendations will be also presented. The recommendation and the propositions will be strictly based on governance and management of the project. The report will try to minimize and solve the business management challenges and risks associated with the project. In order to do so some of the operation management tools and techniques such as work breakdown structure, risk management will be consulted. Project Background The project of c hannel tunnel was undertaken in order to link United Kingdom and France through Railways. The project was supposed to be carried out beneath the English Channel between Folkestone of United Kingdom and Calais of France (Construct my future, n.d.). In the context of its development process the project was simply divided into the design phase, manufacturing phase and testing phase. Eurotunnel was chosen as the organization to carry out the entire operation of developing the project. Eurotunnel has contracted the project to Transmachine Link (TML) that has again sub contracted other manufacturers for manufacturing the shuttle wagons. The core reason which has been cited for its outsourcing was the tight timescale factor and companies having to bear heavy liquidity damages. Therefore it minimizes the chances of penalty and risk gets shared. Now to initiate the project there were requirements of a large number of approvals from the Intergovernmental commission (IGC) in the context of des ign, construction and operational phase. Intergovernmental commission was established or recognized under the article 10 of the agreement for managing all the operational activities of the channel tunnel on behalf of the French and UK government (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee, 2011, p.20). The major focus of the project was on safety, security,

English Legal System and Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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There are two short written assignments for this lesson 2.1 Essay

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Overview and analysis of Leadership theories

Overview and analysis of Leadership theories Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better Harry S. Truman. Leadership has been defined in several ways. In its simplest form, leadership has been described by Susan Ward as the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Leadership, however, is a very complex subject, and encompasses such wide ranging disciplines like human psychology, man management, management of resources, communication skills, technical knowledge etc. A leader, therefore, is a person who has these skills and knows how to use them to motivate, guide and inspire the team to achieve his vision. For centuries, leadership has traditionally been associated with the military. In recent times, however, the importance of business leadership has become more and more evident. As a consequence of this paradigm shift, the old theories of leadership have given way to new ones, more aligned towards the business environment. Overview of Leadership Theories The concept of leadership has witnessed a gradual change from individual leadership to organisational leadership. A study of the evolution of leadership theories through the ages clearly highlights this point. The earliest studies on leadership were based largely on existing leaders, giving rise to the theory that leaders were born, not made. The dominance of the male gender, particularly in military leadership, gave rise to the Great Man theory, which suggested that born leaders would arise when the situation called for them. It is quite evident that in the modern sociological environment, this theory can be considered to be irrelevant. An offshoot of the Great Man theory was the Trait theory, which suggested that some people had certain inborn traits that qualified them to be good leaders. This theory suffers from similar drawbacks as the Great Man theory. Moreover, both these theories are applicable to individual, rather than organisational leadership. A quantum jump from the earlier theories came with the concept of the Behavioural theory of leadership. With this, the focus shifted to learning, rather than inheriting the art of leadership. The Participative Leadership theory evolved on the premise that better decisions could be made if the process involved several people instead of one person alone. On the other hand, according to the Situational Leadership theory, the leadership style would depend on situational factors. In the study of leadership in the context of modern business, the two most popular theories that have emerged are the Transactional theory and the Transformational theory. The transactional leaders work through a process of clear structures, and a system of rewards and punishments forms an integral part of the process. The Transformational theory is based on the leaders vision and his ability to get his subordinates to follow that vision by personally inspiring them and transforming them by enlarging their vision, motivating and providing intellectual development. Literature Review Studies on leadership have been carried out since time immemorial. In circa 500 BC, Sun Tzu described the five traits of a successful leader (Gagliardi, 1999). It is believed that his thoughts on leadership closely approximate the Situational Leadership theory of modern times. In 16th century AD, Niccolo Machiavelli put forth theories on how a prince should acquire and maintain his state. Other strategists of their times such as Lao Tzu and Confucius of China and Chanakya of India also taught leadership principles some of which are still relevant today. Since the turn of the twentieth century, when the action shifted from the battlefield to the boardroom, new leadership theories have been presented, existing ones have been revised, reviewed and reframed, and new leadership gurus have become household names. The Trait Theory. The Trait theory has been in existence since the early 20th Century. Various studies carried out by different researchers (Stogdill, 1948, 1974; Mann, 1959; Lord, DeVader and Allinger, 1986; Locke and Kirkpatrick, 1991) are in agreement that specific traits exist that distinguish leaders from non-leaders, but differences exist in the traits identified by them. However, it is evident that mere possession of these traits does not make a leader as a combination of personality and situation would determine the leadership qualities at any point of time. Moreover, the identifications of traits is a subjective issue, and their validity would remain debatable. The Behavioural or Style Approach. In the early 1950s, the focus of leadership theories shifted from traits to behaviours as many scholars felt that leader behaviour was more important than mental, physical or emotional traits. Two studies carried out by Ohio State University and the University of Michigan in the late 1940s and 1950s set out to validate this theory. Using a questionnaire on a sample population, the Ohio study concluded that there were two distinct aspects of leadership: initiating structure or task oriented behaviour; and consideration, or showing concern for subordinates. The Michigan study concluded that leadership behaviour could be either employee oriented, or production oriented. Both these studies indicate that there are certain universally applicable leadership behaviours, but there is no proper empirical evidence to support these. Moreover, these studies have not taken the effects of variable situations into consideration. Situational Leadership Theory. Based on Reddins 3-D Management Style theory and developed by Blanchard and Hersey (1969), this is one of the most widely used theories that has found widespread use in training and employee development and works on the premise that the situation will dictate the type of leadership. Depending upon the situation, the leadership style could either be directive or supportive. The leader will have to modify his style along with the variance in employee morale and skills. The figure below represents the correlation between the leadership style and the situation: The Situational leadership model places the onus of employee development on the leader. Because of its simplicity and ease of implementation, this is in wide use for training of leaders. It needs to be borne in mind that as the development of subordinates progresses, the leader himself also needs to develop and to adapt to the changing situation. Transformational Leadership. The term transformational leadership was first used by Downton (1973) but the concept was brought into prominence by James MacGregor Burns (1978). According to this theory, transformational leaders provide inspiration and motivate their subordinates to work towards a common objective. Burns divided leaders into two categories: the Transactional leaders who work on a system of rewards and punishments for the work done; and the Transformational leaders who make a connection with the followers to work towards the common goal. This theory was further developed by Bernard Bass (1985), who put forth the view that transformational leaders make their followers aware of the importance of the task and of their own needs for personal growth, while at the same time motivating them to place the organisational interests before their own. Further research has been carried out by Bass Avolio, 1990; Kunhert, 1994; and Avolio, 1999. Studies have demonstrated that transactional leaders had generally performed up to the expected standards, while transformational leaders have exceeded expectations (http://www.abolrous.com/hazem/leadershiptheories.pdf). Transformational leadership has been widely accepted by many organisations, but although they make an important contribution to the literature, but they should not be heralded as a revolutionary approach that makes all the earlier theories obsolete. (Yukl, 1999). Contemporary studies of various leaders and organisations indicate that for the successful implementation of organisational goals, there is a requirement of a mix of transformational leadership (at the top management level) and transactional leadership (at the implementation level). Notable amongst the research on this theory are the ones carried out by Bennis Nanus (1985) and Trichy DeVanna (1986, 1990), using similar methodologies of interviewing a large number of CEOs. Bennis Nanus came to the conclusion that the traits of transformational leaders can be described by four Is: Idealized Influence (leader becomes a role model) Inspirational Motivation (team spirit, motivate, and provide meaning and challenge). Intellectual Stimulation (creativity innovation) Individual Consideration (mentoring) Trichy DeVanna found that leaders bring about change by way of a three step process: Recognise the fact that there is a need for change Create a vision and design a plan based on this vision Institutionalize the change . http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/leadership/g/leadership.htm Ward, Susan: Leadership http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/theories/leadership_theories.htm Leadership Theories Bass, B. M. (1990). From transactional to transformational leadership: Learning to share the vision. Organizational Dynamics, (Winter): 19-31. Gagliardi, G., (2001) Sun Tzus art of war plus its amazing secrets: The keys to strategy. Clearbridge publishing. Seattle, WA. http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/leadership_situational.html Situational Leadership Leadership Theory and Practice, Peter G. Northouse, Third Edition Management of Organizational Behavior, Paul Hersey, Seventh Edition http://www.abolrous.com/hazem/leadershiptheories.pdf Leadership Summary European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 1999, 8 (1), 33-48: An Evaluative Essay on Current Conceptions of Effective Leadership, Gary Yukl http://business.nmsu.edu/~dboje/teaching/338/transformational_leadership.htm Transformational Leadership: David M. Boje (2000) http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/a/transformational.htm Transformational  Leadership: Kendra Cherry

Tension and Atmosphere in The Red Room by H.G.Wells, The Signalman by C

Tension and Atmosphere in "The Red Room" by H.G.Wells, "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens and "A Withered Arm" by Thomas Hardy To investigate tension and atmosphere, I have looked at three pre1900 pieces- 'The Red Room' H.G.Wells, 'The Signalman,' Charles Dickens, & 'A Withered Arm' Thomas Hardy. They use a variety of different techniques, each with their own individual style but achieving the same overall effect. They focus on setting, description of characters & use of language. The Red Room is a tale of a man on a quest to discover the truth about the legend of 'The Red Room' in Lorraine Castle, as the young man's fate unfolds the audience are led with him, they feel his fear, hear his thoughts and experience his terror. 'The Red Room' has such a mystery behind it, fear itself nearly leads him to his death. A tale that lacks warmth and everything about it instils terror. The title of the story has a suggestive air, the word red makes the audience think of blood, danger, and death, in 'The Signal Man,' red is also the main focus colour for the same reasons but this time in the form of the danger light in the mouth of the tunnel. H.G. Wells writes in the first person so the audience can follow what is happening and believe they are there, 'I have lived' The opening line sets the tone of the story, and the audience is filled with anticipation. The narrator is very confident, which is displayed almost immediately 'I can assure you, it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.' The audience is then effectively led into an early assumption that the narrator will be proved wrong, that there will be a ghost, and it will, most certainly frighten him. The setting is described in clues hidden thr... ...oy it more. Therefore this raises questions in the audiences mind, if only he had gone straight there, he may of saved the poor man's life, if only, he had believed him. Finally, that it now looked incredibly doubtful that it was coincidence what the signalman had 'imagined', the words, gesture and even the appearance of the train driver that had 'cut him down'. Pity is also a great factor in the conclusion; it makes the story have a more memorable and sad atmosphere. Finally the way that the narrator, whom had written the story after it had happened, finished of by giving the audience yet more to think about, reminding us of its obscurities, unbelievable coincidences and in turn reinforcing the mournful atmosphere. 'close at the mouth of the tunnel, I saw the appearance of a man, with his left sleeve across his eyes, passionately waving his right arm.'

Human Rights Violations Essay

Human rights are commonly understood as â€Å"inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being.†[1] Human rights are thus conceived as universal (applicable everywhere) and egalitarian (the same for everyone). These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national and international law. The doctrine of human rights in international practice, within international law, global and regional institutions, in the policies of states and in the activities of non-governmental organizations, has been a cornerstone of public policy around the world. The idea of human rights states, â€Å"if the public discourse of peacetime global society can be said to have a common moral language, it is that of human rights.† Despite this, the strong claims made by the doctrine of human rights continue to provoke considerable skepticism and debates about the content, nature and justifications of human rights to this day. Indeed, the question of what is meant by a â€Å"right† is itself controversial and the subject of continued philosophical debate. Many of the basic ideas that animated the human rights movement developed in the aftermath of the Second World War and the atrocities of The Holocaust, culminating in the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The ancient world did not possess the concept of universal human rights. Ancient societies had â€Å"elaborate systems of duties†¦ conceptions of justice, political legitimacy, and human flourishing that sought to realize human dignity, flourishing, or well-being entirely independent of human rights†. The modern concept of human rights developed during the early Modern period, alongside the European secularization of Judeo-Christian ethics. The true forerunner of human rights discourse was the concept of natural rights which appeared as part of the medieval Natural law tradition that became prominent during the Enlightenment with such philosophers as John Locke, Francis Hutcheson, and Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui, and featured prominently in the political discourse of the American Revolution and the French Revolution. From this foundation, the modern human rights arguments emerged over the latter half of the twentieth century. Gelling as social activism and political rhetoric in many nations put it high on the world agenda. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. History of concept The modern sense of human rights can be traced to Renaissance Europe and the Protestant Reformation, alongside the disappearance of the feudal authoritarianism and religious conservativism that dominated the Middle Ages. Human rights were defined as a result of European scholars attempting to form a â€Å"secularized version of Judeo-Christian ethics†. Although ideas of rights and liberty have existed in some form for much of human history, they do not resemble the modern conception of human rights. According to Jack Donnelly, in the ancient world, â€Å"traditional societies typically have had elaborate systems of duties†¦ conceptions of justice, political legitimacy, and human flourishing that sought to realize human dignity, flourishing, or well-being entirely independent of human rights. These institutions and practices are alternative to, rather than different formulations of, human rights†. The most commonly held view is that concept of human rights evolved i n the West, and that while earlier cultures had important ethical concepts, they generally lacked a concept of human rights. For example, McIntyre argues there is no word for â€Å"right† in any language before 1400. Medieval charters of liberty such as the English Magna Carta were not charters of human rights, rather they were the foundation and constituted a form of limited political and legal agreement to address specific political circumstances, in the case of Magna Carta later being recognised in the course of early modern debates about rights. One of the oldest records of human rights is the statute of Kalisz (1264), giving privileges to the Jewish minority in the Kingdom of Poland such as protection from discrimination and hate speech. The basis of most modern legal interpretations of human rights can be traced back to recent European history. The Twelve Articles (1525) are considered to be the first record of human rights in Europe. They were part of the peasants’ demands raised towards the Swabian League in the German Peasants’ War in Germany. The earliest conceptualization of human rights is credited to ideas about natural rights emanating from natural law. In particular, the issue of universal rights was introduced by the examination of the rights of indigenous peoples by Spanish clerics, such as Francisco de Vitoria and Bartolomà © de Las Casas. In the Valladolid debate, Juan Ginà ©s de Sepà ºlveda, who maintained an Aristotelian view of humanity as divided into classes of different worth, argued with Las Casas, who argued in favor of equal rights to freedom of slavery for all humans regardless of race or religion. In Britain in 1683, the English Bill of Rights (or â€Å"An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown†) and the Scottish Claim of Right each made illegal a range of oppressive governmental actions. Two major revolutions occurred during the 18th century, in the United States (1776) and in France (1789), leading to the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen respectively, both of which established certain legal rights. Additionally, the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 encoded into law a number of fundamental civil rights and civil freedoms. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen approved by the National Assembly of France, August 26, 1789. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —United States Declaration of Independence, 1776 These were followed by developments in philosophy of human rights by philosophers such as Thomas Paine, John Stuart Mill and G.W.F. Hegel during the 18th and 19th centuries. The term human rights probably came into use some time between Paine’s The Rights of Man and William Lloyd Garrison’s 1831 writings in The Liberator, in which he stated that he was trying to enlist his readers in â€Å"the great cause of human rights†. In the 19th century, human rights became a central concern over the issue of slavery. A number of reformers, such as William Wilberforce in Britain, worked towards the abolition of slavery. This was achieved in the British Empire by the Slave Trade Act 1807 and the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. In the United States, all the northern states had abolished the institution of slavery between 1777 and 1804, although southern states clung tightly to the â€Å"peculiar institution†. Conflict and debates over the expansion of slavery to new territories constituted one of the reasons for the southern states’ secession and the American Civil War. During the reconstruction period immediately following the war, several amendments to the United States Constitution were made. These included the 13th amendment, banning slavery, the 14th amendment, assuring full citizenship and civil rights to all people born in the United States, and the 15th amendment, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote. Many groups and movements have achieved profound social changes over the course of the 20th century in the name of human rights. In Europe and North America, labour unions brought about laws granting workers the right to strike, establishing minimum work conditions and forbidding or regulating child labor. The women’s rights movement succeeded in gaining for many women the right to vote. National liberation movements in many countries succeeded in driving out colonial powers. One of the most influential was Mahatma Gandhi’s movement to free his native India from British rule. Movements by long-oppressed racial and religious minorities succeeded in many parts of the world, among them the African American Civil Rights Movement, and more recent diverse identity politics movements, on behalf of women and minorities in the United States. The establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the 1864 Lieber Code and the first of the Geneva Conventions in 1864 laid the foundations of International humanitarian law, to be further developed following the two World Wars. The World Wars, and the huge losses of life and gross abuses of human rights that took place during them, were a driving force behind the development of modern human rights instruments. The League of Nations was established in 1919 at the negotiations over the Treaty of Versailles following the end of World War I. The League’s goals included disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation and diplomacy, and improving global welfare. Enshrined in its charter was a mandate to promote many of the rights later included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At the 1945 Yalta Conference, the Allied Powers agreed to create a new body to supplant the League’s role; this was to be the United Nations. The United Nations has played an important role in international human-rights law since its creation. Following the World Wars, the United Nations and its members developed much of the discourse and the bodies of law that now make up international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Philosophy The philosophy of human rights attempts to examine the underlying basis of the concept of human rights and critically looks at its content and justification. Several theoretical approaches have been advanced to explain how and why human rights have become a part of social expectations. One of the oldest Western philosophies of human rights is that they are a product of a natural law, stemming from different philosophical or religious grounds. Other theories hold that human rights codify moral behavior which is a human social product developed by a process of biological and social evolution (associated with Hume). Human rights are also described as a sociological pattern of rule setting (as in the sociological theory of law and the work of Weber). These approaches include the notion that individuals in a society accept rules from legitimate authority in exchange for security and economic advantage (as in Rawls) – a social contract. The two theories that dominate contemporary human rights discussion are the interest theory and the will theory. Interest theory argues that the principal function of human rights is to protect and promote certain essential human interests, while will theory attempts to establish the validity of human rights based on the unique human capacity for freedom. Non-governmental Organizations International non-governmental human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Service for Human Rights and FIDH monitor what they see as human rights issues around the world and promote their views on the subject. Human rights organizations have been said to â€Å"†translate complex international issues into activities to be undertaken by concerned citizens in their own community† Human rights organizations frequently engage in lobbying and advocacy in an effort to convince the United Nations, supranational bodies and national governments to adopt their policies on human rights. Many human-rights organizations have observer status at the various UN bodies tasked with protecting human rights. A new (in 2009) nongovernmental human-rights conference is the Oslo Freedom Forum, a gathering described by The Economist as â€Å"on its way to becoming a human-rights equivalent of the Davos economic forum.† The same article noted that human-rights advocates are more and more divided amongst themselves over how violations of human rights are to be defined, notably as regards the Middle East. There is criticism of human-rights organisations who use their status but allegedly move away from their stated goals. For example, Gerald M. Steinberg, an Israel-based academic, maintains that NGOs take advantage of a â€Å"halo effect† and are â€Å"given the status of impartial moral watchdogs† by governments and the media. Such critics claim that this may be seen at various governmental levels, including when human-rights groups testify before investigation committees. Human rights defenders Main article: Human rights defender A human rights defender is someone who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights. Human rights defenders are those men and women who act peacefully for the promotion and protection of those rights. Corporations Multinational companies play an increasingly large role in the world, and have been responsible for numerous human rights abuses. Although the legal and moral environment surrounding the actions of governments is reasonably well developed, that surrounding multinational companies is both controversial and ill-defined.[citation needed] Multinational companies’ primary responsibility is to their shareholders, not to those affected by their actions. Such companies may be larger than the economies of some of the states within which they operate, and can wield significant economic and political power. No international treaties exist to specifically cover the behavior of companies with regard to human rights, and national legislation is very variable. Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights on the right to food stated in a report in 2003: [T]he growing power of transnational corporations and their extension of power through privatization, deregulation and the rolling back of the State also mean that it is now time to develop binding legal norms that hold corporations to human rights standards and circumscribe potential abuses of their position of power. —Jean Ziegler In August 2003 the Human Rights Commission’s Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights produced draft Norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights. These were considered by the Human Rights Commission in 2004, but have no binding status on corporations and are not monitored. Human rights violations Human rights violations occur when actions by state (or non-state) actors abuse, ignore, or deny basic human rights (including civil, political, cultural, social, and economic rights). Furthermore, violations of human rights can occur when any state or non-state actor breaches any part of the UDHR treaty or other international human rights or humanitarian law. In regard to human rights violations of United Nations laws, Article 39 of the United Nations Charterdesignates the UN Security Council (or an appointed authority) as the only tribunal that may determine UN human rights violations. Human rights abuses are monitored by United Nations committees, national institutions and governments and by many independent non-governmental organizations, such as Amnesty International, International Federation of Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, World Organisation Against Torture, Freedom House, International Freedom of Expression Exchange and Anti-Slavery International. These organisations collect evidence and documentation of alleged human rights abuses and apply pressure to enforce human rights laws. Wars of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide, are breaches of International humanitarian law and represent the most serious of human rights violations. In efforts to eliminate violations of human rights, building awareness and protesting inhumane treatment has often led to calls for action and sometimes improved conditions. The UN Security Council has interceded with peace keeping forces, and other states and treaties (NATO) have intervened in situations to protect human rights. Substantive rights Right to life Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life. —Article 6.1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The right to life is the essential right that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being. The concept of a right to life is central to debates on the issues of abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, self defense andwar. According to many human rights activists, the death penalty violates this right. The United Nations has called on states retaining the death penalty to establish a moratorium on capital punishment with a view to its abolition. States which do not do so face considerable moral and political pressure. Freedom from torture Throughout history, torture has been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion. In addition to state-sponsored torture, individuals or groups may be motivated to inflict torture on others for similar reasons to those of a state; however, the motive for torture can also be for the sadistic gratification of the torturer, as in the Moors murders. Torture is prohibited under international law and the domestic laws of most countries in the 21st century. It is considered to be a violation of human rights, and is declared to be unacceptable by Article 5 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Signatories of the Third Geneva Convention and Fourth Geneva Convention officially agree not to torture prisoners in armed conflicts. Torture is also prohibited by the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which has been ratified by 147 states. National and international legal prohibitions on torture derive from a consensus that torture and similar ill-treatment are immoral, as well as impractical. Despite these international conventions, organizations that monitor abuses of human rights (e.g. Amnesty International, the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims) report widespread use condoned by states in many regions of the world. Amnesty International estimates that at least 81 world governments currently practice torture, some of them openly. Freedom from slavery Main article: slavery Freedom from slavery is an internationally recognized human right. Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Despite this, the number of slaves today is higher than at any point in history,[68] remaining as high as 12 million to 27 million, Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations. Human trafficking is primarily for prostituting women and children into sex industries. Groups such as the American Anti-Slavery Group, Anti-Slavery International, Free the Slaves, the Anti-Slavery Society, and the Norwegian Anti-Slavery Society continue to campaign to rid the world of slavery. Right to a fair trial Main article: Right to a fair trial Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him. The right to a fair trial has been defined in numerous regional and international human rights instruments. It is one of the most extensive human rights and all international human rights instruments enshrine it in more than one article. The right to a fair trial is one of the most litigated human rights and substantial case law has been established on the interpretation of this human right. Despite variations in wording and placement of the various fair trial rights, international human rights instrument define the right to a fair trial in broadly the same terms. The aim of the right is to ensure the proper administration of justice. As a minimum the right to fair trial includes the following fair trial rights in civil and criminal proceedings: the right to be heard by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal the right to a public hearing the right to be heard within a reasonable time the right to counsel the right to interpretation Freedom of speech Main article: Freedom of speech Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on libel, slander, obscenity, incitement to commit a crime, etc. The right to freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the ICCPR states that â€Å"[e]veryone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference† and â€Å"everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, eit her orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice†. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Main articles: Freedom of thought, Conscience, and Freedom of religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. —Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Freedom of thought, conscience and religion are closely related rights that protect the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to think and freely hold conscientious beliefs and to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any religion. The freedom to leave or discontinue membership in a religion or religious group—in religious terms called â€Å"apostasy†Ã¢â‚¬â€is also a fundamental part of religious freedom, covered by Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International organises campaigns to protect those arrested and or incarcerated as a prisoner of conscience because of their conscientious beliefs, particularly concerning intellectual, political and artistic freedom of expression and association. In legislation, a conscience clause is a provision in a statute that excuses a health professional from complying with the law (for example legalising surgical or pharmaceutical abortion) if it is incompatible with religious or conscientious beliefs. Rights debates Events and new possibilities can affect existing rights or require new ones. Advances of technology, medicine, and philosophy constantly challenge the status quo of human rights thinking. Future generations In 1997 UNESCO adopted the Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generation Towards the Future Generation. The Declaration opens with the words: Mindful of the will of the peoples, set out solemnly in the Charter of the United Nations, to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’ and to safeguard the values and principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and all other relevant instruments of international law. —Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generation Towards the Future Generation Article 1 of the declaration states â€Å"the present generations have the responsibility of ensuring that the needs and interests of present and future generations are fully safeguarded.† The preamble to the declaration states that â€Å"at this point in history, the very existence of humankind and its environment are threatened† and the declaration covers a variety of issues including protection of the e nvironment, the human genome, biodiversity, cultural heritage, peace, development, and education. The preamble recalls that the responsibilities of the present generations towards future generations has been referred to in various international instruments, including the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (UNESCO 1972), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (UN Conference on Environment and Development, 1992), the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (World Conference on Human Rights, 1993) and a number of UN General Assembly resolutions relating to the protection of the global climate for present and future generations adopted since 1990. Sexual orientation and gender identity See also: LGBT rights by country or territory Sexual orientation and gender identity rights relate to the expression of sexual orientation and gender identity based on the right to respect for private life and the right not to be discriminated against on the ground of â€Å"other status† as defined in various human rights conventions, such as article 17 and 26 in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 8 and article 14 in the European Convention on Human Rights. Through the way many because of their religious beliefs claim that they support human rights in general while denying that LGBT rights are human rights, LGBT rights stand prominent in the very defense of the universal principle of the human rights. If human rights are understood in a way that makes it possible to exclude the basic rights of certain groups only because of certain religious and cultural prejudices, we find that the principle of universality is taken right out of the human rights, and human rights are trans formed to a set of rules only reflecting certain historically values. Homosexuality is illegal in 76 countries[citation needed], and is punishable by execution in seven countries. The criminalization of private, consensual, adult sexual relations, especially in countries where corporal or capital punishment is involved, is one of the primary concerns of LGBT human rights advocates. Other issues include: government recognition of same-sex relationships, LGBT adoption, sexual orientation and military service, immigration equality, anti-discrimination laws, hate crime laws regarding violence against LGBT people,sodomy laws, anti-lesbianism laws, and equal age of consent for same-sex activity. A global charter for sexual orientation and gender identity rights has been proposed in the form of the ‘Yogyakarta Principles’, a set of 29 principles whose authors say they apply International Human Rights Law statutes and precedent to situations relevant to LGBT people’s experience. The principles were presented at a United Nations event in New York on November 7, 2007, co-sponsored by Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. The principles have been acknowledged with influencing the French proposed UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity, which focuses on ending violence, criminalization and capital punishment and does not include dialogue about same-sex marriage or right to start a family.[95][96] The proposal was supported by 67 of the then 192 member countries of the United Nations, including all EU member states and the United States. An alternative statement opposing the proposal was initiated by Syria and signed by 57 member nations, including all 27 nations of the Arab League as well as Iran and North Korea. Trade Although both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights emphasize the importance of a right to work, neither of these documents explicitly mention trade as a mechanism for ensuring this fundamental right. And yet trade plays a key role in providing jobs. Some experts argue that trade is inherent to human nature and that when governments inhibit international trade they directly inhibit the right to work and the other indirect benefits, like the right to education, that increased work and investment help accrue. Others have argued that the ability to trade does not affect everyone equally—often groups like the rural poor, indigenous groups and women are less likely to access the benefits of increased trade. On the other hand, others think that it is no longer primarily individuals but companies that trade, and therefore it cannot be guaranteed as a human right.[citation needed] Additionally, trying to fit too many concepts under the umbrella of what qualifies as a human right has the potential to dilute their importance. Finally, it is difficult to define a right to trade as either â€Å"fair† or â€Å"just† in that the current trade regime produces winners and losers but its reform is likely to produce (different) winners and losers. See also: The Recognition of Labour Standards within the World Trade Organisation and Investor state dispute settlement Water See also: Water politics and Right to water In November 2002, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights issued a non-binding comment affirming that access to water was a human right: the human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights. —United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights This principle was reaffirmed at the 3rd and 4th World Water Councils in 2003 and 2006. This marks a departure from the conclusions of the 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague in 2000, which stated that water was a commodity to be bought and sold, not a right. There are calls from many NGOs and politicians to enshrine access to water as a binding human right, and not as a commodity. According to the United Nations, nearly 900 million people lack access to clean water and more than 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. On July 28, 2010, the UN declared water and sanitation as human rights. By declaring safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right, the U.N. General Assembly made a step towards the Millennium Development Goal to ensure environmental sustainability, which in part aims to â€Å"halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation†. Reproductive rights Main article: reproductive rights Reproductive rights are rights relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organisation defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence. — World Health Organisation Reproductive rights were first established as a subset of human rights at the United Nations 1968 International Conference on Human Rights. The sixteenth article of the resulting Proclamation of Teheran states, â€Å"Parents have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and the spacing of their children.† Reproductive rights may include some or all of the following rights: the right to legal or safe abortion, the right to control one’s reproductive functions, the right to quality reproductive healthcare, and the right to education and access in order to make reproductive choices free from coercion, discrimination, and violence. Reproductive rights may also be understood to include education about contraception and sexually transmitted infections, and freedom from coerced sterilization and contraception, protection from gender-based practices such asfemale genital cutting (FGC) and male genital mutilation (MGM). Information and communication technologies Main articles: Right to Internet access and Digital rights In October 2009, Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications announced that every person in Finland would have the legal right to Internet access. Since July 2010, the government has legally obligated telecommunications companies to offer broadband Internet access to every permanent residence and office. The connection must be â€Å"reasonably priced† and have a downstream rate of at least 1 Mbit/s. In March 2010, the BBC, having commissioned an opinion poll, reported that â€Å"almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right.† The poll, conducted by the polling companyGlobeScan for the BBC World Service, collated the answers of 27,973 adult citizens across 26 countries to find that 79% of adults either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement: â€Å"access to the internet should be a fundamental right of all people†. Relationship with other topics Human rights and the environment There are two basic conceptions of environmental human rights in the current human rights system. The first is that the right to a healthy or adequate environment is itself a human right (as seen in both Article 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Article 11 of the San Salvador Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights). The second conception is the idea that environmental human rights can be derived from other human rights, usually – the right to life, the right to health, the right to private family life and the right to property (among many others). This second theory enjoys much more widespread use in human rights courts around the world, as those rights are contained in many human rights documents. The onset of various environmental issues, especially climate change, has created potential conflicts between different human rights. Human rights ultimately require a working ecosystem and healthy environment, but the granting of certain rights to individuals may damage these. Such as the conflict between right to decide number of offspring and the common need for a healthy environment, as noted in the tragedy of the commons. In the area of environmental rights, the responsibilities of multinational corporations, so far relatively unaddressed by human rights legislation, is of paramount consideration.[citation needed] Environmental Rights revolve largely around the idea of a right to a livable environment both for the present and the future generations. National security See also: National security and Anti-terrorism legislation With the exception of non-derogable human rights (international conventions class the right to life, the right to be free from slavery, the right to be free from torture and the right to be free from retroactive application of penal laws as non-derogable),[120] the UN recognises that human rights can be limited or even pushed aside during times of national emergency – although the emergency must be actual, affect the whole population and the threat must be to the very existence of the nation. The declaration of emergency must also be a last resort and a temporary measure. —United Nations. The Resource Rights that cannot be derogated for reasons of national security in any circumstances are known as peremptory norms or jus cogens. Such United Nations Charter obligations are binding on all states and cannot be modified by treaty. Examples of national security being used to justify human rights violations include the Japanese American internment during World War II, Stalin’s Great Purge, and the modern-day abuses of terror suspects rights by some countries, often in the name of the War on Terror.

Selecting the right tools to learn French

Selecting the right tools to learn French So you already asked I want to learn French, where do I start? and answered  fundamental questions on why you want to learn, and what your goal is - learning to pass test, learning to read French or learning to actually communicate in French. Now, you are ready to pick a learning method. There are so many French learning method available out there that it can be overwhelming. Here are my tips on selecting a French learning method which best suits YOUR needs and goals. Selecting the right method to learn French Its really worth spending some time researching and sorting through the ton of French material out there to find what is good for you. Look at the customer reviews, and also what experts recommend.Be smart and make sure you dont fall for paid advertising (like Google ads) or affiliate links (links to product which give  the referring site a percentage of the sale†¦ Many very popular  audio methods such as Rosetta Stone use this marketing technique†¦ It doesnt mean they are necessarily bad, but it means you cannot trust the rating they are getting because the person wrote the review to get the affiliate fee†¦).Doing your own research here is essential because at the end, you can only trust yourself!  Make sure you know what you are buying: a decent site should have samples, and plenty of VERIFIED customers reviews.Many methods offer a 100% money back guarantee or free trial - thats always a good thing.Ask and you shall receive - if the method you are interested in doesnt offer samples or free trial, contact them and ask them for some. If there is no customer support, in our days and age, its a ve ry bad sign... Look for the right method for your own needs I dont believe there is only one good method. But there is one best suited for each student. If you speak Spanish for example, the structure of French, the logic of the tenses is going to be quite easy for you. You need a method that will give you the facts, lists, but you wont need much grammatical explanations.   On the contrary, if you only speak English, chances are that you will say at one point French grammar is so difficult (and I am being extremely polite here†¦). So you need a method that truly explains grammar (both French and English, a method that doesnt assume you know what a direct object is, for example†¦) and then gives you plenty of practice. Learning with level appropriate tools Many people will tell you to read the newspapers, watch French movies, speak with your French friends. I personally disagree.   There are always exceptions of course, but in my experience (20 years teaching French to adults) for the majority of people, that is not how you should START to learn French. Its what you do when you are a confident French speaker, but not how you start.   Studying with something too difficult, speaking with people who cannot adapt their language to your present level may  destroy your emerging self confidence in French. You have to nurture this confidence, so that you can one day get over your - only natural - fear of actually speaking French with someone else. You must always feel you are progressing, not running into a wall.   Nurturing methods do exists, but finding them will require a little research and sorting from your part. For beginners/intermediate students of French, I personally recommend my own method - Moi Paris downloadable audiobooks. Otherwise, I really like what they did at Fluentz. In my opinion, whatever your level may be, learning French with audio is an absolute must.

Goverment Article Wallstreet essays

Goverment Article Wallstreet essays Government Article: A Hard-hit Wall Street Still Stumbling to Find Its Feet This article talks about the influence of September 11, 2001, and its anniversary, on the stock market and how its affecting or could affect the economy. These past 12 months have been hard on our country, from the attack on the World Trade Center and continuing with Enron and WorldCom leaving the business community weary and unsure of the future. This passiveness from Wall Street is a cause of great concern for our nation. Today, banks were open at their usual time. However, the stock market delayed its opening by 90 minutes. Many people who worked in the area, the World Trade Center, or knew people who did, returned to work on the anniversary feeling it was the right thing to do. This attitude has helped to encourage people to stay involved in financial trading during this turning point in the economy. Most firms were open, although their attendance level was lower than normal. Few firms decided to stay closed today, such as Cantor Fitzgerald, although their electronic tr ading service closed at 2 in the afternoon. The company lost 658 of its 970 employees at the World Trade Center. This article shows that our government had some amount of foresight into preparing for any disastrous events on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. On Tuesday a terror alert at level orange, the second highest of five levels, was issued. This security encouraged many people to attend work, which in turn helped our economy by promoting trade. Our economy is greatly dependent on Wall Street and the confidence of its investors. If much of that confidence can be supported by the government, then our current financial situation can be improved. ...

Summary of The Changing Demographics of America Essay

Summary of The Changing Demographics of America - Essay Example According to Kotkin this is as opposed to other developed countries such as Japan; South Korea, Europe and China whose population is estimated to decrease. The high young population is attributed by the high fertility and immigration rates. Most of the European countries are estimated to be authentic old-age homes as a high percentage of their populations will be 65 years and above (Kotkin, 2010). According to Kotkin, the high immigration rates and the high fertility rates of US have prompted some critics by environmentalists who are worried by additional 100 million people in the country by 2050. They are calling for national policies to control the high immigration and fertility rate. Colleen Heenam, an author and one of the environmental activists articulates that Americans who favour huge families don’t take responsibility for their prejudicial actions towards population growth which will lead to shortage of the limited resources. Peter Kareiva, a scientist had suggested that the best way to reduce carbon emissions is to give birth to no child (Kotkin, 2010). These critiques forgot to put into consideration that paucity of young people and low population in the country will pose a threat to the country’s labour productivity and be a scourge to the nation’s eudemonia (Kotkin,

The arctic melting of global warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The arctic melting of global warming - Essay Example If the ice melts, then the global temperature would increase because the earth would absorb more heat from the sun. This would then affect the weather patterns not only across the northern hemisphere but also globally. The ice that covers the Arctic region functions as a reflector where it reflects much of the sun’s heat back to space. This helps in cooling the planet and making it habitable and provides a sense of balance by driving atmospheric circulation. If the balance is affected by increase in temperatures at the Arctic region, then there could be devastating results that include cyclones and typhoons, which are responsible for mass deaths. Additionally, if the seas become warmer, they may endanger aquatic life and possibly lead to extinction of certain species. Since melting ice increases the volume of water in the oceans, the ocean level raises leading to a higher possibility of mass deaths mostly caused by Tsunamis if earthquakes strike the coastal regions. This then leads to the conclusion that the Arctic should be protected from melting because the repercussions could be far reaching in that the entire globe would be affected. This region can be protected through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the