Improving Organisational Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Improving Organisational Performance - Essay Example Performance management is considered to be one of the most regarded Human Resource (HR) functions in an organisation. In most of the organisations, the performances of the subordinates are measured either formally or informally. Effective communication regarding performance appraisal generally takes place once in a year or once in a quarter. Nevertheless, performance management is a continuous phenomenon (Armstrong, 2006). When the performance management is utilised in a proper way then the management gains numerous benefits. It has been noted that most of the United Kingdom based organisations operate periodic performance appraisal systems. However, it has been noted that most of the employees as well as managers are found to be discontent with the schemes utilised in the organisations (Keshav & Sharma, n.d.). Appraisals are incapable of motivating the employees in an organisation and it has been claimed by the respondents to an Industrial Society Survey that such appraisals do not have any positive impact upon the workforce. Therefore, it becomes significant for the organisations to monitor the way in which performance management is being practiced (Management Today, 1998). The main objective of the paper is to evaluate business cases for the use of performance management at Barclays Bank and Lloyds Bank. ... will also present the practical difficulties, challenges as well as implications identified by the use of the performance management in Barclays Bank and Lloyds Bank. The methods that the two banks can use in order to mitigate the difficulties related to the performance management will also be recognised in a detailed way in this paper. Finally, the study will attempt to find out the potential limitations or shortcomings related to the proposals provided to the banks. Business Case for Performance Management at Barclays Bank People tend to differ in terms of their abilities as well as aptitudes. There will be major disparities between the size and the value of the same work upon the same job done by two distinct people. Therefore, under such note, it can be assumed that the organisations need performance management so that they are capable of comprehending the abilities of the employees, proficiencies as well as their comparative worth for the organisation. Offering rating to the emp loyees in terms of their performance can be done with the assistance of performance appraisal. Barclays Bank tends to extend its assistance in terms of financial services in approximately 50 countries all over the globe (Barclays, 2012). Barclays Bank is considered to be one of the famous companies in the banking sector and thus it states that the way in which the employees tend to perform their operations has a direct influence upon the business performance. The team members working for the bank are well aware of the goals that they are supposed to attain. In order to manage the performance, the bank has designed numerous actions in which the employees participate. Coaching is recognised to be one of the actions where a crucial objective is to make the employees aware of their job

Political Culture of Russia Essay Example for Free

Political Culture of Russia Essay The nature of Russian political culture and by extension its politics has been shaped and molded over the previous centuries. While we can by no means attribute its entire political culture to a single event or time period, we also can’t point to a time period, say the Soviet time, and draw our perception of Russia’s political culture from that alone. That being said, the totalitarian nature of the Soviet State is by partial means attributable to Marxist-Leninist philosophies. The nature of Russian political culture was (and still is in many regards) authoritarian. Throughout Russia’s history there has been an authoritarian attitude in how the country should be ruled. The state was always there, the state was behind forced modernization policies from Peter the Great through Joseph Stalin, and today Vladimir Putin. Russia for the large part of its history been just as vast as it is today. The sheer size of it requires a centralized power to keep regional autonomy down. Every country that followed or still follows Marxist doctrine did (does) so with different flavors of Marxism, none of which are exactly and entirely what Karl envisioned. China and Russia were rivals in several policy areas throughout the 20th century. The same dichotomy can be seen between China and its smaller (communist) Southeastern Asian neighbors such as Cambodia and Vietnam. Communist countries were partially authoritarian because of Marxism. The nature of establishing and perpetuating a command economy demanded authoritarianism. While China has wiggled out of many of the responsibilities and pitfalls of running a command economy by establishing market-driven economic reform, it remains authoritarian. This illustrates that while the key components of Marxism are abandoned, the system and its actors continue to grasp to power as it seeks to adapt and integrate itself into the world system. This is counter to previous attempts to establish a parallel world system behind Soviet ideology. Bottom line: the only way a Communist system can take continued hold and root itself into the political system is through authoritarianism. Not to mention the guise under which many of the Soviet Republics were brought into the fold and behind the Iron Curtain. These weren’t spontaneous Communist Revolutions toppling several governments around the world; it was the Russian’s moving in after having kicked the Germans out and act ing marionette to their new puppets. If it were populist support that kept Communist governments in power around the world one would not see states efforts to cripple freedoms of the press, of assembly, and of religion. Current Communist governments fear a slippery slope, and perhaps rightfully so, where an inch of social freedom given would mimic Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms in the late 1980’s and lead to an eventual collapse. Russia’s Political culture is more authoritarian than a lot of countries around the world, but today it is a functioning quasi-democracy with authoritarian overtones. This goes to show that in the right circumstances, Russian’s can and will subject themselves to semi-authoritarian rule. Under other circumstances, such as the situation in the 1990’s that followed the collapse of the Soviet system, it’s a wonder that authoritarianism didn’t come back in force. Putin still governs with legitimacy at the front of his mind, and hasn’t suspended the constitution or ruled by decree. True democracy can and will eventually be realized, but realistically this is only possible through generational replacement and hard, slow change. The privatization process can be viewed with much rightful criticism, it didn’t take into account Russians lack of understanding of the West’s definition of ‘rational economic behavior’, nor did it find a happy middle ground between the two extremes of command economy and wild-west capitalism. What it did do was change the rules of the game being played. We can fault the broad shock therapy method for any number of shortcomings in the economic policy in the Russian arsenal, but it accomplished one incredibly more important goal. It changed the rules of the game. People who knew the rules (or knew which new rules were coming), mobsters, party officials, and Western interests, leapt upon the opportunity to make money hand over fist. This is still a vastly improved scenario as opposed to gradual economic reform, with the state greedily holding onto the â€Å"commanding heights† of the economy, and leaving the unprofitable sectors open for private investment and development. The large majority of the Russian people didn’t have a firm grasp on private property, or selling one of two cows to buy a bull, or how to ‘invest’ with these vouchers. The sharks ate them up in the incredibly free market. This is a point that was necessary for the facilitation o f real capitalism and eventually democracy in Russia. How does one instill in its population the concepts that go hand in hand with capitalism? My answer would be to force them to adapt to a changed environment. Gradual change would’ve perpetuated for a longer time the stagnation and poor cost-management of the Soviet period. An aggressive and immediate changing of the environment began the painful instilling of capitalist values into the populace and government. After the dust cleared and a new millennia unveiled, Vladimir Putin inherited a new Russia, with new problems, and an semi-regulated albeit capitalist system. I also reject the notion that a stake in a company translates to a certain level of commitment and productivity associated with it. I can think of just in my own history a number of bosses with a small level of commitment to the company, they weren’t there to operate or manage, they were there to own. That being said I’ve also experienced several hands-on owners, who corrected the techniques of severa l employees to their liking. My other inference comes from day-traders on the Stock Market. People with no vested interest in a company putting their money up because they think the stock will go up, not necessarily because they believe in the product. One doesn’t need a stake in a company to incentivize success within it, it sure helps, but it is not required and wouldn’t have made the Russian transition any less painful. The decades of propaganda had really affected some 10% of the population and they were the ones who fell off the cliff when the system changed. Russia in the 1990’s was bad, but it was nothing compared to the massive famines that led to the deaths of millions of Russians, or the Great Depression. Many Russian’s who bought into the Soviet ideology were left out in the cold, yet others found jobs, and others made easy money. 1991 was a turbulent time in Russia, the collapse of the system left countless questions unanswered about what the Russian state and its business sector would look like after the dust settled. I see absolutel y no way, no system, no path that could’ve mediated such a drastic change with minimal economic displacement and suffering. We could’ve lessened the blow with a Russian version of the Marshall Plan, but frankly that was much too much to expect from America. We were in a position of triumph after decades of struggle, and the prospect of the massive new markets had American businesspeople salivating. The Marshall plan also wouldn’t have worked as well as it did in Western Europe because the political and economic culture of Russia was very different from Western Europe. Saturating a country with cash and loans to build (or rebuild in the case of Western Europe) modern infrastructure was out of the question. Half the reasoning behind the Marshall Plan in the first place was to cultivate capitalism, and combat the spread of communism. What is to be gained from a US policy of propping up our old foe? This is especially true when there was so much money to be made via exploitation. Russia in the 1990’s was exactly was America desired it to be, complacent. The Russian mob played a major role in blocking true market reforms; they reveled in the post-collapse chaos and orchestrated the major piece of the Russian economy that is sti ll today conducted underground, and more importantly, free of tax revenue. While this percentage has decreased considerably, it still accounts for nearly a double digit hole in economic exchanges. Along with the mob, the Communist Party knew what was going to happen and planned accordingly. They snapped up the profitable sectors of the economy for pennies on the dollar and became fabulously wealthy. Both groups served as major obstacles in the path of real reform, and real democracy for Russia. The fact is that the reforms proposed were free-market in principle and not free-market in practice. Favors, subsidies, inside information, and possessing capital (not to mention the knowledge of how to use it) made for a grossly tilted economic playing field in Russia. Just like water, the money flowed down the tilt and into the hands of elites and future oligarchs, leaving real policy and progress for later leaders and generations to wrestle with. To quote Winston Churchill, â€Å"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.† Western style democracy is by no means the pinnacle of human achievement, it is however a necessary condition to providing the basis for equality of opportunity, rule of law, and political representation. That is not to say that there is no value in the Russian path, or that it is inherently wrong. Order just isn’t as valuable (according to the West) when one holds the aforementioned societal values. Order works for Russia, much better than it ever could’ve worked in the â€Å"Go west, young man† America that encompassed so much of the formation of our identity. Order keeps the barbarians out, order keeps the serfs from rebelling, order centralizes power in an Empire. Russia, without the concept of order built in like ours of liberty, would’ve faltered and fell from the world stage many times, of this I have no doubt.. The two biggest examples of Order trumping Liberty (in Russia) I can imagine are the invasions of Napoleon and Hitler. In the former and the latter, slash and burn tactics were employed. Hell, Moscow was a husk in the dead of winter when Napoleon got there, and I have no doubt that similarly drastic measures would’ve been taken to preserve the Soviet state. People throughout the best land in Russia, burned their property, poisoned their livestock, poisoned their water, destroyed everything of use, and fled. The enormous sense of communal responsibility and togetherness that these behaviors exhibit illustrate that Order worked and may continue to work for Russians, in the same manner that Liberty worked for Americans. I could never imagine American’s destroying everything in the face of invasion and retreating. That’s sacrilegious in this country; luckily we didn’t have quite as aggressive neighbors as Russia had. The Russian political system must meet several criteria I believe before it is widely accepted as completely legitimate. First off, centrist parties crafted by United Russia have to dissipate. They’re there to fracture opposition support, and nullify the voices of the overriding political currents that sway governments to control of one party or another. Representative politics works best when it represents the electorate, if there are pressures to decrease opposition support via backhanded ways, then that is where one sees wide-spread dissent. United Russia may have the backing of a majority of the Russian citizenry, for now, but by treating the opposition as the problem rather than part of the solution, Putin and by extension United Russia is alienating many mainstream voters on the left and right. Their reaction is to then become more extreme and problemati c because they’re being talked down to. When legitimate political parties and beliefs aren’t represented, parties and organizations that hold them have nothing to lose by taking up much more extremist views. If they felt that United Russia would play ball, they wouldn’t be taking the positions that they have taken. They would come to the table with more of a pragmatist view and plan of compromise. The military’s role in the democratization of Russia needs to be minimal. I am of the belief that a Roman-style coup utilizing the military is a very real albeit remote possibility. Civilians need to be the head of their equivalent to the Department of Defense, and ending discrimination in the armed services is a must for minorities in Russia to truly feel that they have a say and a stake in the country as it moves forwards. Divided government demands compromise, and it is yet to be seen whether Russia is ready to grapple with and deal with people who don’t agree with you. As of this point, the answer has been to silence them, or to shuffle them into a centrist party like sheep, or to run up the tally of people who think like you. For Russia to move past the post-Soviet period it must start engaging opposition, utilize independent parties, and stop fighting the opposition. This is very possible, just not at a breakneck pace. Russia’s value of Liberty will inevitably keep the country moving towards a more representative and legitimate democracy, but its value of Order will make sure that it is a slow and deliberate process.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. The story is told through the eyes of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, who is the age of six in the beginning of the tale. She tells the story in sequential order for the period of three summers. Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch She narrates the story describing her life between the ages of six and nine.   She is a tomboy and well educated, mainly due to her father, and she has an optimistic view of the world and people around her. She lives with her widowed father, older brother and their black cook. Atticus Finch Scout’s father is a lawyer in Maycomb and is descended from a well-respected local family. He has had to raise his children alone and has instilled in them a strong sense of morality and fair play.   During the 1930’s there were great problems between the races, and he was one of the few committed to attaining equality for both blacks and whites.   He agrees to defend a local black man charged with rape which exposing himself and his family to anger from the white community. Jeremy Atticus ‘Jem’ Finch Scout’s brother is four years her senior, but is her constant playmate at the beginning of the story.   Towards the end of the tale he moves into adolescence and is shaken badly by the evil and injustice, which he witnesses during the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson A black sharecropper who is accused of rape of a white woman, a member of the Ewell clan. Calpurnia The old family cook of the Finch family, she is a stern disciplinarian and provides a link between the white world of the children and her own black community. Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley A recluse who has never set foot outside his house for fifteen years who becomes a source of intrigue for the children, adding fuel to their fertile imaginations. The Characters seem very real to me . The situations and lessons learn in the book ,seem as if I was there myself. Also the framing of the black man, shows the racism that I've read about in other books. Also what I've experienced myself before. The main conflicts of the story involve Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Boo has been shut away from the world by his father and then later his brother through an incident which occurred fifteen years earlier when he stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. The story is told through the eyes of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, who is the age of six in the beginning of the tale. She tells the story in sequential order for the period of three summers. Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch She narrates the story describing her life between the ages of six and nine.   She is a tomboy and well educated, mainly due to her father, and she has an optimistic view of the world and people around her. She lives with her widowed father, older brother and their black cook. Atticus Finch Scout’s father is a lawyer in Maycomb and is descended from a well-respected local family. He has had to raise his children alone and has instilled in them a strong sense of morality and fair play.   During the 1930’s there were great problems between the races, and he was one of the few committed to attaining equality for both blacks and whites.   He agrees to defend a local black man charged with rape which exposing himself and his family to anger from the white community. Jeremy Atticus ‘Jem’ Finch Scout’s brother is four years her senior, but is her constant playmate at the beginning of the story.   Towards the end of the tale he moves into adolescence and is shaken badly by the evil and injustice, which he witnesses during the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson A black sharecropper who is accused of rape of a white woman, a member of the Ewell clan. Calpurnia The old family cook of the Finch family, she is a stern disciplinarian and provides a link between the white world of the children and her own black community. Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley A recluse who has never set foot outside his house for fifteen years who becomes a source of intrigue for the children, adding fuel to their fertile imaginations. The Characters seem very real to me . The situations and lessons learn in the book ,seem as if I was there myself. Also the framing of the black man, shows the racism that I've read about in other books. Also what I've experienced myself before. The main conflicts of the story involve Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Boo has been shut away from the world by his father and then later his brother through an incident which occurred fifteen years earlier when he stabbed his father with a pair of scissors.

Ending School Shootings

Justin Bizarro Mrs. Nye English 1301 14 November 2012 Stopping the Tragedy of School Shootings Every single day, millions of kids across the country wake up, get ready for the day, and head to school. The parents of these children trust the school with many things; a safe bus ride, a productive environment, and most importantly, keeping their kids safe throughout the day. School districts take pride in this, and on a normal basis, things will go smoothly. Despite all of their efforts, though, one of the most serious and saddening problems that affects schools today is the occurrence of school shootings.Since 1980, there have been over 50 deadly shootings in the United States that occurred on school campuses. There have been many actions taken to prevent these terrible acts, but because they are so unpredictable, shootings still occur. There are many more things we can do to prevent school shootings, horrible events that do not need to occur, and to help those who suffer from thoughts of violence. Shootings have been a problem for hundreds of years. Beginning in 1927, individuals have been driven to intense measures and have taken it out on classmates, teachers, or even random victims.Unfortunately, almost every single incident involving school shootings could have been avoided if people would have taken precautions and said something. Dr. Fred Bemak, a professor at George Mason University, feels that situations can be dodged if we just talk to one another. â€Å"This is a very individualistic society, and we need to work more toward becoming a collective one. We need to work in groups to help foster tolerance and acceptance for others† (Orr 92). One of the most saddening things is the fact that often times, the attacker is a victim driven to these extremes.There are many different things that can be pointed to as the cause of school shootings, including mental disorders and family trouble, but perhaps the largest contributor is bullying. â€Å"One-third of U. S. students have experienced bullying, either as a target or the perpetrator, and 8 percent of those reported bullying or being bullied at least once a week† (Orr 25). We constantly hear the media telling us about how serious of a problem bullying in schools is, but even the news underestimates how bad it is.According to a study produced by Secret Service after the Columbine shooting, one of the most famous deadly school shootings ever, bullying is a leading cause in driving someone to a breaking point. â€Å"Many attackers felt bullied, persecuted, or injured by others prior to the attack† (Threat Assessment). Bullying is something that will never entirely go away, but there is not nearly enough being done to put an end to it. If this problem were taken out of the equation, hundreds of lives could have been saved.More programs need to be put into place that make people aware of this impending problem, and schools need to be more firm about putting their foot dow n against bullying when it occurs. In turn, the chances of a victim lashing out will be hugely diminished. In this day and age, firearms are much too easy to acquire. There are laws that say you must be a certain age to purchase a gun, and laws that make the punishments clear for supplying a minor with a weapon, but kids across the country find ways to get them illegally with ease. In the eyes of gun-control advocates, the correlation between violence and a growing supply of guns is clear: the greater availability of guns leads to more gun-related deaths† (Gun Control). Guns are a great thing for many reasons, and in the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution, every American has the right to possess a gun, but in the wrong hands they can have deadly consequences. They also become all the more dangerous when someone driven to the breaking point owns one, and lashes out. Shootings can be entirely spontaneous and throwing a deadly weapon into the picture makes them all the scarier. Gu n-control advocates add that the mere existence of a gun in a home raises a family's risk of harm significantly. A 1993 study by criminologist Arthur Kellerman, for example, concluded that the presence of a gun in the home actually triples the risk that someone in the home will be killed† (Gun Control). By reducing the access to firearms, the school shootings will be directly effected in a positive way. Students aren’t the only people who start school shootings. There are countless stories of former students and adults coming onto school campuses and shooting them up.One of the leading questions is how did they get on to the campuses so easily? â€Å"Backers stress that the chief reason for imposing mandatory-ID policies is to improve the safety of students in school buildings and around campus. By requiring students to carry IDs, trespassers can be detected more easily, they say† (Student ID Cards). Generally, when someone wants to enter a school campus during t he school day, they have a specific purpose for going there. Assuming someone wanting to access a school is up to no good would be wrong, but it goes back to the old saying, â€Å"better safe than sorry†.ID’ing people coming and going from schools would definitely not be a hindrance to anyone, and if it could prevent deadly attacks from happening, what would the harm be? â€Å"More than three-quarters of school shooters had a history of suicidal thoughts, threats, gestures, or attempts. Most of these students were known to have been severely depressed or desperate at some point before their attacks† (Threat Assessment). Approximately 1 in 4 people in the United States suffer or have suffered from depression at some point in their lives. To really comprehend this, an understanding of the meaning depression is crucial.Dictionary. com defines depression as â€Å"a mental disorder characterized by extreme gloom, feelings of inadequacy, and inability to concentrateà ¢â‚¬ . Depression is a serious mental-health issue, and it takes a strong toll on its victims. Thankfully, modern medicine is advanced enough that we can now treat people with this truly awful condition, helping their personal lives along with preventing possible dangerous situations stemming from this disorder. By beginning to identify these individuals, we can help them by getting them medical attention and counseling to assist them in their troubles.Many victims think that there is no hope for them, or anyone else they know, so they take drastic measures. No situation needs to ever be escalated to the point of violence, and if these victims can be helped soon enough, we could prevent shootings everywhere. After a school shooting occurs, there is often a common feeling of sorrow, a tense atmosphere, and a sense of confusion, and rightfully so, considering that people have been hurt or killed. The way that the school and teachers cope with the aftermath is a crucial step in healin g. Beyond just dealing with the physical injuries and/or deaths, there will be students who are emotionally or mentally traumatized by the entire incident† (Orr 150). These students have just seen things that no one should ever have see, and people that they knew on a daily basis were either involved or affected. At this stage, teachers have a right to take action, and there is more that can be done. Counseling is a very good solution for these students. Talking about how they are feeling is proven to help the healing process, and it can help spot students who may be having the same thoughts as the shooter, but have hidden them. Schools may decide to have prepared crisis teams on hand to help students with their various reactions, which may include anything from suicide to paralyzing grief to insomnia to paranoia† (Orr 150). This is just another way that future violent events can be prevented, and a difference can be made in schools across America. School shootings have been a problem in our country for too long. As we continue to grow as a nation, we must remember all of those victims of shootings- not just those people who have passed away, but the families of those people as well.The easy thing to do is to condescendingly look at all of the hurt and pain, destruction and havoc caused by school shootings, but instead of turning into pessimists. We should be optimistic about the good things going on to defend against these attacks. A wise man once pointed out, â€Å"Rome wasn’t built in a day†. While we learn in our knowledge of techniques for ending this problem, we need to be patient and realize that when tragedies do occur, we can turn them into valuable learning experiences.By putting a stop to bullying, being more careful with gun laws, and helping those who suffer from depression, we can prevent school shootings. Let’s band together, take a stand, and act to save lives across the country. Works Cited â€Å"Key Findings from the ‘Threat Assessment' Guide for Schools. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 11 May 2007. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. Orr, Tamra. â€Å"Violence In Our Schools: Halls of Hope, Halls of Fear. † Danbury: Scholastic, 2003. Print. â€Å"School Safety. Issues & Controversies On File: Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 15 Feb. 2005. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. â€Å"School Safety: Statistical Update. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 2 Nov. 2006. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Student ID Cards. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services. 17 Dec. 2004. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Update: Gun Control. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 29 May 1998. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. Ending School Shootings Justin Bizarro Mrs. Nye English 1301 14 November 2012 Stopping the Tragedy of School Shootings Every single day, millions of kids across the country wake up, get ready for the day, and head to school. The parents of these children trust the school with many things; a safe bus ride, a productive environment, and most importantly, keeping their kids safe throughout the day. School districts take pride in this, and on a normal basis, things will go smoothly. Despite all of their efforts, though, one of the most serious and saddening problems that affects schools today is the occurrence of school shootings.Since 1980, there have been over 50 deadly shootings in the United States that occurred on school campuses. There have been many actions taken to prevent these terrible acts, but because they are so unpredictable, shootings still occur. There are many more things we can do to prevent school shootings, horrible events that do not need to occur, and to help those who suffer from thoughts of violence. Shootings have been a problem for hundreds of years. Beginning in 1927, individuals have been driven to intense measures and have taken it out on classmates, teachers, or even random victims.Unfortunately, almost every single incident involving school shootings could have been avoided if people would have taken precautions and said something. Dr. Fred Bemak, a professor at George Mason University, feels that situations can be dodged if we just talk to one another. â€Å"This is a very individualistic society, and we need to work more toward becoming a collective one. We need to work in groups to help foster tolerance and acceptance for others† (Orr 92). One of the most saddening things is the fact that often times, the attacker is a victim driven to these extremes.There are many different things that can be pointed to as the cause of school shootings, including mental disorders and family trouble, but perhaps the largest contributor is bullying. â€Å"One-third of U. S. students have experienced bullying, either as a target or the perpetrator, and 8 percent of those reported bullying or being bullied at least once a week† (Orr 25). We constantly hear the media telling us about how serious of a problem bullying in schools is, but even the news underestimates how bad it is.According to a study produced by Secret Service after the Columbine shooting, one of the most famous deadly school shootings ever, bullying is a leading cause in driving someone to a breaking point. â€Å"Many attackers felt bullied, persecuted, or injured by others prior to the attack† (Threat Assessment). Bullying is something that will never entirely go away, but there is not nearly enough being done to put an end to it. If this problem were taken out of the equation, hundreds of lives could have been saved.More programs need to be put into place that make people aware of this impending problem, and schools need to be more firm about putting their foot dow n against bullying when it occurs. In turn, the chances of a victim lashing out will be hugely diminished. In this day and age, firearms are much too easy to acquire. There are laws that say you must be a certain age to purchase a gun, and laws that make the punishments clear for supplying a minor with a weapon, but kids across the country find ways to get them illegally with ease. In the eyes of gun-control advocates, the correlation between violence and a growing supply of guns is clear: the greater availability of guns leads to more gun-related deaths† (Gun Control). Guns are a great thing for many reasons, and in the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution, every American has the right to possess a gun, but in the wrong hands they can have deadly consequences. They also become all the more dangerous when someone driven to the breaking point owns one, and lashes out. Shootings can be entirely spontaneous and throwing a deadly weapon into the picture makes them all the scarier. Gu n-control advocates add that the mere existence of a gun in a home raises a family's risk of harm significantly. A 1993 study by criminologist Arthur Kellerman, for example, concluded that the presence of a gun in the home actually triples the risk that someone in the home will be killed† (Gun Control). By reducing the access to firearms, the school shootings will be directly effected in a positive way. Students aren’t the only people who start school shootings. There are countless stories of former students and adults coming onto school campuses and shooting them up.One of the leading questions is how did they get on to the campuses so easily? â€Å"Backers stress that the chief reason for imposing mandatory-ID policies is to improve the safety of students in school buildings and around campus. By requiring students to carry IDs, trespassers can be detected more easily, they say† (Student ID Cards). Generally, when someone wants to enter a school campus during t he school day, they have a specific purpose for going there. Assuming someone wanting to access a school is up to no good would be wrong, but it goes back to the old saying, â€Å"better safe than sorry†.ID’ing people coming and going from schools would definitely not be a hindrance to anyone, and if it could prevent deadly attacks from happening, what would the harm be? â€Å"More than three-quarters of school shooters had a history of suicidal thoughts, threats, gestures, or attempts. Most of these students were known to have been severely depressed or desperate at some point before their attacks† (Threat Assessment). Approximately 1 in 4 people in the United States suffer or have suffered from depression at some point in their lives. To really comprehend this, an understanding of the meaning depression is crucial.Dictionary. com defines depression as â€Å"a mental disorder characterized by extreme gloom, feelings of inadequacy, and inability to concentrateà ¢â‚¬ . Depression is a serious mental-health issue, and it takes a strong toll on its victims. Thankfully, modern medicine is advanced enough that we can now treat people with this truly awful condition, helping their personal lives along with preventing possible dangerous situations stemming from this disorder. By beginning to identify these individuals, we can help them by getting them medical attention and counseling to assist them in their troubles.Many victims think that there is no hope for them, or anyone else they know, so they take drastic measures. No situation needs to ever be escalated to the point of violence, and if these victims can be helped soon enough, we could prevent shootings everywhere. After a school shooting occurs, there is often a common feeling of sorrow, a tense atmosphere, and a sense of confusion, and rightfully so, considering that people have been hurt or killed. The way that the school and teachers cope with the aftermath is a crucial step in healin g. Beyond just dealing with the physical injuries and/or deaths, there will be students who are emotionally or mentally traumatized by the entire incident† (Orr 150). These students have just seen things that no one should ever have see, and people that they knew on a daily basis were either involved or affected. At this stage, teachers have a right to take action, and there is more that can be done. Counseling is a very good solution for these students. Talking about how they are feeling is proven to help the healing process, and it can help spot students who may be having the same thoughts as the shooter, but have hidden them. Schools may decide to have prepared crisis teams on hand to help students with their various reactions, which may include anything from suicide to paralyzing grief to insomnia to paranoia† (Orr 150). This is just another way that future violent events can be prevented, and a difference can be made in schools across America. School shootings have been a problem in our country for too long. As we continue to grow as a nation, we must remember all of those victims of shootings- not just those people who have passed away, but the families of those people as well.The easy thing to do is to condescendingly look at all of the hurt and pain, destruction and havoc caused by school shootings, but instead of turning into pessimists. We should be optimistic about the good things going on to defend against these attacks. A wise man once pointed out, â€Å"Rome wasn’t built in a day†. While we learn in our knowledge of techniques for ending this problem, we need to be patient and realize that when tragedies do occur, we can turn them into valuable learning experiences.By putting a stop to bullying, being more careful with gun laws, and helping those who suffer from depression, we can prevent school shootings. Let’s band together, take a stand, and act to save lives across the country. Works Cited â€Å"Key Findings from the ‘Threat Assessment' Guide for Schools. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 11 May 2007. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. Orr, Tamra. â€Å"Violence In Our Schools: Halls of Hope, Halls of Fear. † Danbury: Scholastic, 2003. Print. â€Å"School Safety. Issues & Controversies On File: Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 15 Feb. 2005. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. â€Å"School Safety: Statistical Update. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 2 Nov. 2006. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Student ID Cards. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services. 17 Dec. 2004. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Update: Gun Control. † Issues ; Controversies On File: Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 29 May 1998. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.

Advantages of living in big cities

Advantages of living in big cities better transport facilities:shanghai has an extensive public transport system, largely based on buses, trolley buses, taxis, and a rapidly expanding metro system. There are 12 metro lines and 303 stations,with an operating route length of 468 kilometres (291 m'), making the system the second longest in the world. On 16 October 2013, with the extension of Line 11 into Kunshan, Jiangsu province, Shanghai Metro became the first rapid transit system in China to connect two provincial-level administrative ivisions.There are plans to further connect the Shanghai Metro with the metro systems of Suzhou and Wuxi. more Job opportunities : Firstly, the industrialization has given a lot of new Jobs such as services, advertising and marketing. As a consequence, opportunities to work in those brand new fields are widely suggested to everyone. Afterward, multinational companies have been coming to cooperate and set up economic relationships with the country. Facto ries and branches are opened in the city as a result. This has led to appealing offers of large number of Jobs for many dwellers.Thus, It's much easier to find a well paid Job or any Job for despered. better quality of education :schools are incomparable with those in a smal towns. Fudan University, Jiao Tong University, shanghai newyork university Descent medical care and hospitals: when you have an emergency or a serious disease in a big city you can easy find any hospital near a place you live and take a short time to get there. meet more people:Cities have a large population and plenty of people to ommunicate with, often from several nationalities.To meet people from different parts of the world, you may not need to go any farther than the local grocery store or park. the myriad life of the metropolis :easy access to cinemas ,theaters, museums for those who like culture. For fussys, shops on every corner,lots of pubs and restaurants to choose. Places to go and things to do in a city are not hard to find. Dating and nightlife are abundant in cities; plenty of clubs and social gatherings give ou a better chance of meeting friends or that special someone.If you get home from work late and have no time to cook, a restaurant is sure to be close to home. If you are too tired to go out, it is as simple as a phone call to have the food delivered quickly to your door. When you are in the mood for a good movie or concert, there are usually several to choose from within a short driving distance. If you want to shop, the local mall has many stores in one place. Plenty of schools exist close to home for children. By Julieyuyixian Advantages of Living in Big Cities Shanghai has an extensive public transport system, largely based on buses, trolley buses, taxis, and a rapidly expanding metro system. There are 12 metro lines and 303 stations,with an operating route length of 468 kilometres (291 mi), making the system the second longest in the world. On 16 October 2013, with the extension of Line 11 into Kunshan, Jiangsu province, Shanghai Metro became the first rapid transit system in China to connect two provincial-level administrative divisions.There are plans to further connect the Shanghai Metro with the metro systems of Suzhou and Wuxi. more job opportunities : Firstly, the industrialization has given a lot of new jobs such as services, advertising and marketing. As a consequence, opportunities to work in those brand new fields are widely suggested to everyone. Afterward, multinational companies have been coming to cooperate and set up economic relationships with the country. Factories and branches are opened in the city as a result. This has led to appealing offers of large number of jobs for many dwellers.Thus, It’s much easier to find a well paid job or any job for despered. better quality of education: schools are incomparable with those in a smal towns. Fudan University, Jiao Tong University, shanghai newyork university Descent medical care and hospitals: when you have an emergency or a serious disease in a big city you can easy find any hospital near a place you live and take a short time to get there. meet more people:Cities have a large population and plenty of people to communicate with, often from several nationalities.To meet people from different parts of the world, you may not need to go any farther than the local grocery store or park. the myriad life of the metropolis :easy access to cinemas ,theaters, museums for those who like culture. For fussys, shops on every corner,lots of pubs and restaurants to choose. Places to go and things to do in a city are not hard to find. Dating and nightlife are ab undant in cities; plenty of clubs and social gatherings give you a better chance of meeting friends or that special someone.If you get home from work late and have no time to cook, a restaurant is sure to be close to home. If you are too tired to go out, it is as simple as a phone call to have the food delivered quickly to your door. When you are in the mood for a good movie or concert, there are usually several to choose from within a short driving distance. If you want to shop, the local mall has many stores in one place. Plenty of schools exist close to home for children.

Challenges Of Internet Banking And Personal Information Information Technology Essay Essays

Challenges Of Internet Banking And Personal Information Information Technology Essay Essays Challenges Of Internet Banking And Personal Information Information Technology Essay Essay Challenges Of Internet Banking And Personal Information Information Technology Essay Essay 2007 ) . From the above account, digital certifications provides designation of the user on entree to the site without usernames and watchwords, grounds of the minutess made and it can besides interchange encrypted paperss and electronic mails between two or more transacting parties, this saves clip and attempt of both the administration and client. By following this engineering, the hazard of unwanted revelation of personal information will be reduced. Customers besides play a large function in cut downing the hazard of unwanted revelation of their personal information ; therefore they should take duty for the client side of the cyberspace deal. In order to maintain their personal information secure, clients should do usage of anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall security package. CRITICAL EVALUATION AND SYNTHESIS OF THE ABOVE AND SUMMARY OF THE LESSONS THAT CAN BE LEARNT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND HOW TO BE AWARE OF THE RISKS AND LESSONS FOR ORGANISATIONS DEALING WITH PERSONAL INFORMATION. Due to the society s dependence on Information Systems, the challenges of protecting personal information are increasing and really upseting. Information Systems is non merely of import in the cyberspace banking society but it is indispensable in about every facet of life: administrations, persons, authoritiess all invest in security direction mechanisms in order to heighten information security. As Information Systems are meeting, there go chances for greater harm. Presently there are several 1000000s of cyberspace banking users worldwide, some of them which are non to the full cognizant of the dangers of non protecting personal information. Educating incognizant persons is a large measure towards cut downing the challenges of protecting personal information. Administrations could take enterprises such as making web sites, information kits, pictures, and cusps to alarm clients about the demand to procure their personal information. For illustration, the Information Commissioner s Of fice ( ICO ) in UK has a personal information toolkit to inform persons on how to protect and utilize their personal information ( ico, ) , Canada besides has a Consumer Measures Committee which developed an ID larceny information kit that informs administrations on how to cut down the hazard of unwanted revelation of their clients information ( Acoca, 2008 ) . The following are lessons that can be learnt for persons to cut down and be cognizant of this hazard: Be Vigilant persons should mind of people who contact them out of the blue to demand personal information or bank inside informations, they may claim to be from a known and legitimate administration such as fiscal establishments, local council or even the jurisprudence enforcement bureaus. Pay Attention to Billing Cycles Persons should reach creditors if their measures arrive tardily. A losing measures may intend a cyber condemnable have stolen your bank inside informations and changed your charge reference. Check Credit Report Persons should on a regular basis look into their recognition study to do certain no 1 has illicitly obtained recognition in their name. Use anti malware plans on computing machines: Persons should guarantee they have antivirus, anti spyware, firewall, and on a regular basis update them. Administrations that deal with personal information should take necessary steps in cut downing the challenges of protecting personal information such as: Informing employees about the hazard and challenges of protecting personal information by making a set of guidelines refering the storage, processing and sharing of personal information, both online and offline. Destroying by tear uping unwanted paperss and information. Guaranting that old computing machines are formatted before being disposed. A regular cheque on spouses, sellers and clients individuality, authenticating solutions are offered by several bureaus to verify the individualities to guarantee that they exist and are who they claim they are. Registering with Companies House and subscribing up to their, PROOF and Monitor services, this will forestall cyber felons from altering personal information of clients and employees. Decision This paper has provided a selective overview of step and techniques that can observe, prevent and cut down the challenges of protecting personal information. It has besides described how persons and the populace should be cognizant of the lifting issue,

Frock Rock Essays - African-American Music, Music, Free Essays

Frock Rock Essays - African-American Music, Music, Free Essays Frock Rock FROCK ROCK is a Melbourne-based jazz ensemble focusing on original compositions and improvisation. The group promotes a high standard of performance and professionalism gained through the years of experience and learning of its individual members. All of its members have studied music and improvisation at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). Two of the members in FROCK have returned to lecture there, while the remaining members are educators at tertiary and secondary school level around the state of Victoria. The VCA brings together the finest musicians in Australia, both as teachers and students, and is representitive of the ethnic culture in Australia. It is from this cross-cultural melting pot that the ensemble has been born. Drawing on a wide range of influences, and using a typical jazz instrumentation, the group creates a sound that combines styles in the jazz music of the new and the old and sets a trend for the future. Traditional acoustic instruments meet their modern electric counterparts, classical European folk forms get a modern jazz treatment, A unique sound experience. Band Members Craig Beard Vibraphone, Marimba Tuned and untuned percussion Craig has been a performer and educator for fifteen years. He studied with Dave Samuels and has recorded for the ABC with Doug de Vries and Edward York. Craig teaches at the VCA and aT Box Hill TAFE. He performs regularly as a sideman with people such as Joe Camillieri and the New Guinea Bharatam Dance Troupe. Craig writes a column for the national magazine DRUMSCENE. Anthony Schulz Piano Accordian and piano For the past thirteen years Anthony has performed as an accordianist and pianist throughout Australia. He has worked in all genres from folk to funk and back to jazz. Anthony teaches at the VCA and is a full-time lecturer at Box Hill TAFE. Adam Starr Guitar and vocals Adam studied improvisation at the VCA, graduating with Anthony in 1995. A prolific composer, he plays in many different groups for which his music is the centrepiece. Adam is the MD of pop band BURST, top covers band JACOBS DREAM, and is active in soundtrack and television composition. He teaches contemporary and classical guitar. Simon Starr Acoustic Bass Since completing his studies at the VCA in 1993, Simon has worked constantly as a freelance musician and in ensembles of his owns, which feature his compositions. He augmented his studies in New York, learning from Dave Holland, which has held him in good stead for his gigs with such jazz identities as James Morrison, renowned American jazz educator Mark Levine, Barney McAll and Tony Gould. One of the rising stars of the Australian music scene. Dave is in high demand as a first-call session player, theatre pit musician and jazz ensemble member. Dave is the youngest drummer to have an international endorsement with Premier drums and Zildjian cymbals (USA) and plays their equipment on 'In Melbourne Tonight' (channel 9), and with stars such as Randy Crawford, Venetta Fields, Alan Zavod, Kerrie Biddel, Christine Sullivan, Jane Rutter and the MSO, Don Burrows and Tony Gould.