The Potential Worries of Individual Visit Scheme

Recently, Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) has become a controversial topic in Hong Kong. Online forums, newspapers and magazines are weighing the pros and cons of the scheme every day. Undoubtedly, it boosts the Hong Kong tourism. However, it has led to several drawbacks to Hong Kong in resource allocation, culture differentiation and livelihood. To commence with, for resource allocation, IVS greatly makes the distribution of resources in Hong Kong become chaotic.After the implementation of IVS, more and more Mainland visitors go to Hong Kong and cause disorder of resources in medical services, local products and housing prices. According to delivery statistics of non-local pregnant women from Hong Kong Hospital Authority, the number of non-eligible persons admitted via Accident and Emergency Department increases from 796 in 2010 to 888 in 2012 January to September, which means the workload of front-line medical consultants is increasing.Since the supply of medical consultants has been in shortage already, the medical services in Hong Kong are not enough and in severe burden to afford. In addition, many local newspapers like Mingpao and Appledaily report that a number of Mainland tourists spend lots of money purchasing daily products during their visit. For example, in Sheung Shui, Mainland parallel traders make use of IVS and â€Å"One Issuance Multiple Entries Visa† to buy tins of milk powder, tissues and wines, which led to the deficiency of daily supplies in North District.In other words, citizens in North District cannot enjoy the use of local products as the resource allocation is inadequate. Aside from local products, resource allotment of housing is also troublesome. Based on a study conducted by Hong Kong Research Association, it reveals that with 1080 interviewees, 84 per cent of them think that through IVS, Mainland people in Hong Kong have raised the cost of building. It explains that buildings built by either the Government or property develop ment companies cannot ease the housing problem for local citizens, which, however, benefits people from Mainland.This shows that the resources are not used by the local, but by Mainlanders including tourists in IVS. Secondly, implementing IVS increases conflicts between Hongkongers and Mainlanders due to cultural difference. For example, Mainland parents allow their children to foul everywhere. Netizens in many Internet forums like hkgolden discussed such incidents. They commented this behavior critically and caused conflicts between people in Hong Kong and Mainland due to different cultural levels.Besides, in April, to attract Mainland visitors and become more customer-friendly, agnes b. in Tseung Kwan O, whose news was reported by SCMP, used simplified Chinese words instead of traditional words in its menus. Treating that as an invasion of Hong Kong culture, Hong Kong citizens were furious of seeing the simplified Chinese words appearing in Hong Kong and tried to boycott it. Moreo ver, in January, SCMP reported that there was a rally over ‘photo ban' about retailer Dolce & Gabbana, which was a human rights and cultural unfairness between Mainlanders and Hong Kong people.These incidents have further worsened the relationship between Mainland tourists through IVS and local citizens because of cultural differentiation. Apart from consequences caused by culture difference, IVS produces various living problems to local citizens which make disturbance to their living. Some politicians may think that IVS can improve the Hong Kong economy and hence increase the living standards of local citizens, especially the underprivileged. It is, however, a wrong prediction. Scholar Francis T.Lui (2009) accounts for this statement: Hong Kong should pay for the consequence of IVS. For example, the European and American brands, milk powder and other products are not made in Hong Kong, so that Hong Kong can be assigned limited profits. For the Mainland visitors going shopping in Hong Kong, it also increases rents and prices of goods, which deteriorates the living standards of the local people. Furthermore, the owner of â€Å"Subculture† Pang Chi Ming adds his opinion about the consequences that IVS has brought: The consuming ability of Mainland visitors makes Hong Kong lose her local style.For example, shops in Mongkok are occupied by pharmacies, jewelry stores, electronics stores and cosmetics shops which welcome Mainland tourists. It also makes local citizens lose a place for recreational use. Increased crimes also lower the lifestyle in Hong Kong. According to the Hong Kong Police crime figures of Comparison of 2012 and 2011 Crime Situation, from January to October in 2012, the total number of crimes committed by Mainland visitors increases 9. 7% compared with the same period in 2011.In the past, such criminals were mostly illegal immigrants, but now they do not take risks to go to Hong Kong illegally. They can go to Hong Kong by IVS, then com mit crimes and cause troubles to our living. Such results and shocking statistics have deprived Hongkongers of the way of life. To conclude, IVS causes different disadvantages to Hong Kong in allocating resources, cultural relationship with China and the living standards. It is hoped that the Hong Kong Government should and must pay attention to and deal with these potential worries for the sake of the plight of local people.

Banana Plantations in Central America

The â€Å"banana republic† is a familiar term. What is less known is how literally the term applied during the early 20th century in many regions of Central America. The United Fruit Company, an American concern, was formed in 1899 when several banana companies merged. Since banana is a crop best grown in Central American climates, the company acquired ever greater amounts of land there. The company soon became the largest employer in Central America. Its presence and political influence there affected the lives of the native peoples in ways that remain controversial to this day.The large peasant class of Central America was the most profoundly affected. Life Before, and during, United Fruit The European domination of Central America during the 18th and 19th centuries resulted in a highly stratified social structure. The traditional social order of the Mayans and Aztecs reinforced that structure. There was a very large peasant class, some of whom came there as slaves. The aver age peasant struggled to get by, often being forced to work for whatever large foreign company had moved into their area. Many of these peasants were descendants of the powerful Indian cultures that had been there thousands of years prior.Others brought a West African influence to the region, with their unique methods of worship, dance and music. The peasants of Central America are part of a rich and dynamic culture. They are anything but unskilled. For example, they are known for their ability to make beautiful, colorful clothing. This was first noted by the conquistadores and remains a skill to this day. It was the Indians who discovered a use for the cacao, the basis of chocolate. They created a sort chocolate drink that became widely popular. It was later modified to suit European and American tastes.The diet of the peasants often consisted foods such as beans, maize, frijoles, chili and beef. Exports from Central America to the rest of the world rose sharply during the mid-1800 's. In response to the demand, farmers cultivated a variety of crops including rubber trees, cacao, sugar and fruit. The main cash crop was something else, however. According to Peter Bakewell in A History of Latin America: But most prominent by far in this line of agricultural goods was coffee, which was the leading export, c. 1913, of no fewer than seven countries. (2004) Farmers, at first, were in business alone.In most cases, however, their land was swallowed up by large corporate concerns. As these corporations became more prominent repressive, pro-corporate regimes were installed. Since the 1970’s the trend has reversed itself. Small, individual farms are becoming more and more common. A regional movement has emerged to promote self-survival through small farming. Guatemalans are using traditional stories, parables and humorous anecdotes to spread agricultural knowledge to their Mexican neighbors. They also share proud peasant virtues such as the love of farming, family and community.These virtues have been shared by peasants in Central America for hundreds of years. Still, life was difficult. Most peasants have to take second or third jobs. Farmers may do additional day labor on other farms. Some do not own land and work as a field hand wherever the work is available. Prior to the 1944 socialist revolution in Guatemalan wealth was concentrated among an elite few: †¦just 2. 2 percent of the population owned over 70 percent of the country’s land. Only 10 percent of the land was available for 90 percent of the population, most of whom were Indians. (Landmeier, 1997).This concentration of land in the hands of a powerful few made it easy for companies to come in and acquire large amounts of land. These companies often left large tracts of land uncultivated. The peasants could have used this land to grow a variety of crops; instead they were often forced to take jobs at the company, on the company’s terms. The Growth of the Corporate Plantation Cheap labor, available land and favorable climatic and political conditions drew large multi-national corporations to Central America in the late 1800’s. The lives of the small peasant farmers would be altered dramatically.The United Fruit Company became the most prominent example of a foreign company influencing a sovereign government and the lives of its citizens. The United Fruit Company began operations at a time when there was little restraint on businesses. Huge monopolies, such as Standard Oil, were allowed to develop and dominate markets. The labor movement in The United States was still in its infancy, although it had won a few concessions from business and the government. For a company such as United Fruit, which employed thousands in foreign countries, there was little oversight.The large peasant population in Central America was merely seen as â€Å"cheap labor† for the huge company. United Fruit made â€Å"quid pro quo† deals with foreig n politicians to gain land and other concessions from those governments. The company had government assistance in putting down strikes, some of which involved more than 100,000 workers. In Colombia, the army fired into a large crowd of peasant strikers, killing dozens. Accusations arose that the army was essentially under the direction of The United Fruit Company. The Good and the BadNot all of the effects of the banana plantations were negative. United Fruit built much needed infrastructure in countries such as Guatemala and Honduras. Rail lines and schools were built and postal service was improved. Jobs at United Fruit typically paid more than other jobs in the areas where they were located. In later years, employees received medical care and free education. At the same time, jobs at banana plantations were often temporary. Working conditions were difficult, if not dangerous. Field workers were exposed to potentially harmful pesticides and other chemicals.The rail lines served as another monopoly for a company like United Fruit, so they pressured governments not to build highways. The United Fruit Company gained undue influence over the lives of ordinary citizens through corrupt politicians. The most famous example arose in 1975, shortly before the company reorganized. Reports came to light that United Fruit was paying a $2. 5 million dollar bribe to the President of Honduras in exchange for tax breaks. The Honduran President was later removed by a military coup. The banana company also had influence within the American government.It encouraged the government to intervene to stop socialist movements in Central America. In 1954, the Central Intelligence Agency took covert action to undermine a Guatemalan regime they feared would align with the Soviet Union. The regime had planned to buy back the large amounts of unused land owned by United Fruit and distribute it to peasants. It is this image of unrestrained American capitalism and exploitation that has driv en a number of Central American countries toward socialist regimes. In Central America, United Fruit is now broken into many subsidiaries. Much of the banana crop is received from independent farms.For Central American peasants the legacy of United Fruit is likely to be more bad than good. They feel they have been exploited and their traditional way of life nearly destroyed. The influence of the company over regional politics meant that the lower classes had little representation in the government. That has changed somewhat, but the problem of poverty remains. Today the working classes soldier on, doing what they must to maintain their rich culture. Sources Bakewell, Peter. A History of Latin America (2nd ed. ). Oxford, U. K. : Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Chomsky, Aviva.West Indian Workers and the United Fruit Company in Costa Rica, 1870-1940. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1996. Draper, Thomas (ed. ). Democracy and Dictatorship in Latin America. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1981. Keen, Benjamin (ed. ). Latin American Civilization: history and society, 1492 to the present. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1991. Landmeier, Peter. â€Å"Banana Republic: The United Fruit Company† 1997. Retrieved 17 Nov. 2006: < http://www. mayaparadise. com/ufc1e. htm >. United Fruit Historical Society. â€Å"Chronology† [web site] 2006. Retrieved 11/17/2006 < http://www. unitedfruit. org/chron. htm >.

Beowulf Paper

This old Chinese Proverb has stood the test of time and is true today as it was in the 1 100's. Like the rest of us, Beowulf endured a Journey. Although filled with much more peril and hardships than the average adult, Beowulf ultimately reached his destination. This begs the question, which is more important†¦ the Journey, or the destination? Having a healthy focus on both the Journey and the destination allows one to reach the desired goal ith the same enthusiasm as you started.Lines 690-693 illustrates how Beowulf focused on the Journey of acquiring riches and essentially wasted his life when he, while grasping for his last breath, told Wiglaf â€Å"l sold my life for this treasure, and I sold it well. Take what I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people, help them; my time is gone† (47). During his heroic life, Beowulf was, by todays standards, ‘The Man. ‘ Every individual with a fear looked up to this great leader, as he traveled from kingdom to kingdom destroying e vil. As inspiring as this as, he lacked the one key factor to being truly successful-a goal.Having a goal, or destination, is as important as the Journey itself. Giving yourself closure to the whole purpose of your actions will leave you with a feeling of success and a reason for your hard work. Beowulf lacked this, and led a life of blind deeds. Although helpful to his followers, he died a truly unhappy man, as inferred from the previous quote. Beowulf needed to have a set goal; a life he envisioned living after he was done kicking butt. This gives purpose and a drive behind everything he did. Instead, he lived an awe- inspiring Journey, but never set a destination to make him truly happy.There is a plus side to his mistake, though. We can take what has been learned the hard way by our friend Beowulf and apply this to our own lives. Nothing can beat the feeling of success. It doesn't matter if the scale dropped a couple numbers, or that pesky center dot is finally demolished in the shooting range. The feeling of accomplishing the set goals cannot be overlooked. Now, that may seem easy, but the amount of effort and practice required to reach that success is as mportant as the feeling itself.This is the Journey versus destination taken out of context. In order for the scale to drop (the destination), one must put in lasting effort to get where they want to go (the Journey). More than often, one loses focus on either one of these aspects. This is the cause of failed goals. The importance of balancing focus is difficult, but required for true success. Beowulf stresses the importance of both in lines 365-368: â€Å"He leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyone's answer; the heaving water covered him over.For hours he sank through the waves; At last he saw the mud of the bottom† (38). Now, say Beowulf Jumped into the lake, and halfway through he became so focused on swimming at his best he gets to the destination, and forgets why he is there. Hrothgar a nd the Danes would not be pleased! Alternatively, what if he focused too much on destroying Grendel and his mother that he swims in the wrong direction? Again, it would not end well for the poor Danes. The importance of one's healthy focus is not to be taken lightly. urney, there are many dangers that wait; lurking, ready to destroy all hopes of success. If one was to focus completely on the Journey, they start to lose a sense of who they are. Losing sight of the goal and the purpose behind the goal becomes all too evident. Friends may be lost, because all attention is on the here and now. Likewise, focusing on the destination is Just as dangerous. One loses sight of what is necessary to accomplish the goal; too caught up in what awaits them in the future.Many fall unsuspected to these traps, and are forced to restart and replan. This is most clearly seen in lines 12-18 when Hrothgar thinks he has reached his destination. Then Hrothgar, taking the throne, led the Danes to such glory that comrades and kinsmen swore by his word, and young men swelled his armies, and he thought of greatness and resolved to build a hall that would hold his mighty band and reach higher toward heaven than anything that had ever been known to the sons of man. † (27) Hrothgar thinks he has finished his Journey and reached his destination.Little does he know, Grendel is about to demolish everything he has worked for and ause him to replan everything; including his destination. Finding a healthy balance between the destination and the Journey is crucial to being truly successful in any area of life. It takes great experience to find this, and many have failed. Once this balance is acquired, though, it is more rewarding than anything else, because unity and closure is provided to years of hard work and dedication. The next time New Year's comes around, think of what is needed to finally win against the seemingly unbeatable resolution. Beowulf Paper In the poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf is the ultimate hero who places himself at great risks to perform multiple acts of courage. Beowulf is the typical heroic story of good verse evil. He has great amounts of physical strength in which he uses to put his life on the line for the entire kingdom. Beowulf’s pursuit moves him from Geatland to Denmark on a quest to help Hrothgar’s kingdom that had been plagued of attacks by an evil monster named Grendel. He also goes on to defeat Grendel’s mother and battles a fire-breathing dragon. Eradicating Grendel and Grendel’s mother bring Justice and peace to the Scandinavian society, while Beowulf receives much fame. The story goes on to define his pursuit of fame through his three main battles, moving from a warrior perspective, to one of a king. Beowulf’s quest brings him to change his responsibilities. The ideals of a once young warrior develop into a more experienced man that comes to rule the community of Geatland. A warrior trying to establish himself in the world ultimately has a goal striving for fame. One seeks fame through bravery in the face of danger, having much strength, despising death, and boasting about their accomplishments (SparkNotes Editors). Beowulf searched for individual fame and glory for his entire life. His pursuit to become a hero was strong enough to take on the evils of the world. He was able to achieve individual fame upon hearing of Hrothgar’s troubles with Grendel. He set sail to gain personal fame and to help the community of Heorot. The people of Hrothgar’s land found Beowulf to be a hero for he was about to rid them of their enemy. But Unferth thinks differently and challenges Beowulf’s stating â€Å"no matter therefore, how you may have fared in every bout and battle until now, this time you’ll be worsted; no one has ever outlasted an entire night against Grendel† (37). Unferth challenges Beowulf’s heroic character. Unferth bitterly attacks Beowulf, which clearly reveals Unferth’s jealously towards him. Unferth feels below Beowulf. He cannot protect his own land because he is afraid of Grendel. Unferth will not be a warrior who obtains fame nor will he be a heroic warrior. No one will remember Unferth as a great legend; rather he falls into a category of one who is bitter (SparkNotes Editors). This goes to show that the quest for fame can lead to harm. In Unferth’s case, the quest for fame led to pride, which involved a desire to be great no matter what. Beowulf desired to be great but his desire for fame was associated with the desire to bring strength and power to one’s people. Beowulf connected fame with generosity and community while Unferth mixed pride up with greed and selfishness, for he wanted to succeed. Beowulf ultimately succeeds in killing Grendel and Grendel’s mother in two heroic battles in which he used his bare hand strength to defeat the two monsters. Beowulf is ultimately a great example of what a hero is. A hero will always fight to win a battle, but does so in a fair manner. Beowulf, for example does not use a sword in the midst of the battle between Grendel and he. â€Å"He began to remove his iron breast-mail, took off the helmet and handed his attendant the patterned sword, a smith’s masterpiece, ordering him to keep the equipment guarded. And before he bedded down, Beowulf, the prince of goodness, proudly asserted: ‘when it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel. So it won’t be a cutting edge I’ll wield. He has no idea of the arts of war, of shield or sword-play, although he does possess a wild strength. No weapons, therefore for either night; unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares’† (47). Instead he uses his very own strength, courage, and ability to kill the enemy. Beowulf is so strong, courageous, faithful and loyal that it can be questioned whether he is truly man or myth. He posse’s hero like strength that is superior to the normal human man. He truly did do whatever he needed to save and protect the people (Beowulf Papers). Death was not a fear that crossed his mind for he was not afraid of it! A hero is one who is not seen very often and there are only a few great heroes that come about in time (Beowulf Papers). They are a step above the average. A hero brought peace to situations that were before seen as impossible and bring joy to many people. A task such as defeating Grendel’s mom’s grip in battle, is one that only a hero could perform for it was impossible for others (SparkNotes Editors). What others deem impossible, a hero makes possible (Beowulf Papers)! Beowulf can ultimately be defined as a hero. Can the reward of fame for being a brave warrior only be achieved through worldly success? It seems that this is true but Hrothgar tries to advice Beowulf of eternal rewards. â€Å"O flower of warriors, beware of the trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but I fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away†(121). Hrothgar become a father figure to the young Beowulf. He does not want to see Beowulf give way to pride. This piece of advice is jarring with the culture of boasts and reputation that other parts of the poem emphasize (SparkNotes Editors). Life is also brief and he should look towards those rewards that may be eternal rather than the reward of fame. This passage portrays a fragile outlook on Beowulf’s delicate life that can be taken away at any time and the fact that his youth will indeed fade quickly (SparkNotes Editors). He may not only be stabbed which will wound, but he will also lose his youth as time goes on. Beowulf needs to focus on honor, nobility, and leadership, not just on his physical skill and strength (SparkNotes Editors). Beowulf had no fear, and desired personal praise, while Hrothgar had much to lose and valued protecting his people. Each of these two roles filled two different sets of shoes, and each character acted as society expected. With that said, over the course of the poem Beowulf does grow from a courageous warrior to a wise leader. Hrothgar’s speeches emphasized stability and security for his people and this was shown through him building the mead hall for the people to gather. He also demonstrates loyal service to his warriors by giving them lavish gifts and much praise. Beowulf transitions from a young warrior into the King of the Geats and he does exemplify much of the characteristics and values of Hrothgar. At the end of the story though, after fifty years of serving his people, Beowulf encounters a battle with a dragon and this battle conflicts with his warrior and king duties for he was a king and the state needed him. Beowulf, old and tired, defeats the dragon that was frightening all the people, but he does lose his life, leaving the Geats open for attack. Was this the wrong act? It is hard to decipher between the two roles for they were conflicting and the tension between the two was inevitable. Even near death, Beowulf did wish for a lighthouse that be built so people could find there way back from sea showing his never ending concern for the Geats. Beowulf was not afraid of death and before any battle he made a wish that his assets be given to the people. In life or death, Beowulf will be glorified. Epic battles, terrifying monsters, extraordinary strength, and great leadership; these characteristics and encounters are what make up the epic hero that is Beowulf (Definition Of Hero On The Web). The heroism exemplified by Beowulf is defined by many different qualities. A hero is again defined by his willing to put himself at great risk for the greater good. The monsters that invaded the Heorot land were all outsiders that existed beyond the boundaries of human realms. Beowulf was forced to kill the two beasts in order to restore order because Grendel and his mother had infringed upon human society. Fame was a theme touched based on throughout the poem. Fame was part of Beowulf’s quest, but Hrothgar left an impression on Beowulf’s values. He reminded him that his fame and strength are not always going to be available to him. His life is fragile and he could not only be killed, but his youth clock is ticking. Beowulf is painted as a perfect hero in the form of the protagonist in the poem. The poem consists of three central conflicts, which include Grendel’s rage of Heorot Hal, Grendel’s mother becoming vengeful because of her sons death, and the dragon’s rage over Geatland. The difference between a good warrior and a good king was also a theme in which was observed through the poem. What others deem impossible, Beowulf made possible! References Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: a New Verse Translation. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2000. Print. SparkNotes Editors. â€Å"SparkNote on Beowulf. † SparkNotes. com. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. Web 22 Apr. 2010. Definition Of Hero On The Web. Google Search. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. Paradine, Gerald. â€Å"Hero Paper. † Beowulf Papers. Web. 19 Apr.

Defining Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Defining Law - Essay Example Undoubtedly, to be of use, most rules or systems of rules require a method of enforcement, whether the method be remedial in nature, such as a civil judgment, or a penal sanction imposed in a criminal matter. John Austin, a proponent of the social fact thesis of legal positivism, contends that the primary distinguishing feature of a legal system is whether its rules can be enforced (1995). Austin argues that a rule of law in society is legally valid if and only if that rule is commanded by the society's sovereign and is backed up with the threat of sanction, or enforcement (1995). As such, it is Austin's position that the essential element of a law is whether someone has the ability to sanction its noncompliance. Austin's position seems tenable. Indeed, without enforcement, laws have no effect. To ensure compliance, and in the absence of any moral obligation to obey a law, an absence which we must presume, a law must impose a consequence for a violation. Even the rules that govern the application of law, such as rules of procedure, require some sort of sanction for a breach. A prominent philosopher of law, H.L.A. Hart, has suggested that Austin's position on enforcement is clear when applied to those laws that restrict our behavior, but is inapplicable to the set of rules that grant us the power to create rights and obligations, such as contracts and wills (1994). Even those rules, however, are "enforced" through sanction, to wit, the threat of litigation and the possibility of voiding, for example, a created document should it contain a flaw. And the essence of such litigation, indeed the very root of its existence, is that law is subject to interpretation. Ronald Dworkin, a pillar of modern legal philosophy, believes that adjudication is and should be interpretive (1982). According to Dworkin, judges should look to the "political structure of their community" when deciding hard cases by, first, ensuring that their interpretation is in accordance with the community's existing legal practices, and, second, that the interpretation is presented in the best moral light (1982). As such, Dworkin posits that a law is specifically characterized by its language, the facts to which the law must be applied, and the best moral application of that law given the social practices of a particular community. The idea that law is a set of rules subject to interpretation was also recognized by the legal realist movement. Inspired by John Chipman Gray and Oliver Wendall Holmes, and reaching its analytical peak in the 1920s and 1930s, legal realism contradicted legal formalism by asserting that judicial decision making is guided far more frequently by the political and moral insights of the judge rather than by legal rules (Himma, 2006). Legal formalism embraced the concept that a judge's decision, or holding, would always logically follow from the legal rule being applied to a particular set of facts, leaving little or no room for interpretation (Himma, 2006). The realist model asserts the opposite extreme, claiming that (1) any matters worth litigating are thereby divisive enough to require interpretation of the applicable rules, (2) judges make new law in exercising discretion when deciding legal disputes, and (3) when deciding

Short Academic Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Short Academic Report - Essay Example In the present case study, a food processing organisation is undergoing change. The major objective of the change is to enhance the overall efficiency level of employees working in the organisation. The report will analyse the current and anticipated problems and provide solutions for an effective change management process. Introduction The process of transforming an enterprise or a business into the next advanced phase of operation from the current functional phase is known as organization change (Harigopal, 2006). It involves various changes. These can be a change in the overall processes of the firm, company ownership, and transfer of teams and employees and modification or up gradation of the functional practices. Thus, the task of implementing change, especially in case of organizational transformation can be very difficult and cumbersome. Solutions Answer 1 In the present case, the organization is going through a change. The non-salaried employees will undergo change in order t o upgrade their skills and work knowledge. This will require exhaustive training sessions, workshops and pressure among the employees as well as employer. Naturally, there will be barriers to change. During change in a workplace, various types of barriers to change occur. Few of the barriers or obstacles at workplace change, which can occur, can be categorized into organizational and individual barriers, explained below; No involvement of company employees in workplace change management In order to successfully complete the process of workplace change, the management will have to look what employees think of the process. One of the major and serious barriers to organizational change occurs when employees are not involved in the change process. Unclear procedures and processes regarding goals Before implementation of any workplace change, the goals and objective of these changes should be clear in the mind of the top management. The procedures and processes should be clearly defined and proper documentation is required for any references in future. It has been seen that in most of the cases, the management is not aware for the exact objective of workplace change (Beer, M. and Nohria, N., 2000). Since these workplace change order comes from headquarters or another location, these are merely followed as orders without giving sufficient attention to the minute details and criticality of the process. Unclear procedures and processes can also be one of the primary barriers. Inefficient leadership strategies Ineffective and inefficient leadership is another barrier to successful workplace change. In order to manage and implement the change, effective leadership is extremely important for the company as well as its employees (Chen et al., 2013). In the present case it was found out that there was resistance to change even from few of the managers and executives. This has occurred as many of the managers thought that employees undergoing training and development progra ms might take up their positions in future. Increase in competition and loss of power and authority were other reasons expected to increase resistance among managers. Ineffective employee communication Any kind of workplace change should be properly communicated with the employees. Advance notification of workplace change helps the employees to make up their mind and be more acceptable to change. Ineffective

Assessing a Company Welness Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assessing a Company Welness Plan - Essay Example The management should strive to capture the demographic information of all the employees including their medical history and wellness needs. The management should also incorporate the needs of the employee spouses and dependants in the wellness plans in order to attract full participation of all the employees. Cost shifting and reducing the employee benefits in order to provide the wellness programs may attract a lot of resistance from the employees Company wellness plan Introduction Employers are now expected to create safe working environments, improve the employee health and implement programs which reduce the medical costs as well as increase the employee work efficiency (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012). Employers are also expected to meet the workplace health regulations set by the local and State regulatory authorities hence the company wellness plans can be customized to meet these needs. The company wellness plan should include wellness facility planning, health and producti vity plans, executive health programs, employee health improvement plans, on-site health care and worker’s compensation management (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012). ... Customized Company wellness programs are beneficial to the organization and cost effective to the employer (Bray, 2009). Company wellness plans have numerous benefits to both the employers and the employee. The plans result to increased productivity, less absenteeism and reduced disability claims (Bray, 2009). Health promotion in the wellness plan gives the employees a sense of ownership of the program hence they can work together to improve the safety standards in the organization (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012). Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of respiratory related diseases hence implementing tobacco cessation programs in the wellness plan can help the company retain most of its skilled employers and reduce the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees. Companies benefit greatly from prevention of violence in the workplace and diversity education since the wellness plans result in economic savings (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012). Obesity and toba cco provoke indirect hazards related to health care hence the company can improve the welfare of the employees by addressing these health challenges. The Company wellness program develops a Company culture of shared beliefs and norms where employees know that they are expected to exhibit a particular healthy behavior and lifestyle (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012). Companies face numerous challenges in implementing the wellness plans. The main challenge is the availability of demographic data of the employees. Companies’ employees comprise different age groups each with unique health needs (Bray, 2009). The company may face challenges in obtaining the disease history of the employees since such information is

Western liberal democracy. The evolution of liberal democracy Thesis

Western liberal democracy. The evolution of liberal democracy - Thesis Example Liberal democracy,otherwise called constitutional democracy,is the most dominant form of democracies in the contemporary world and the phrase 'Liberal Democracy' is a frequently used to describe Western democratic political systems including the United States,Britain,New Zealand,Canada,Australia,and other nations. To define a liberal democracy, it is "a form of representative democracy where elected representatives that hold the decision power are moderated by a constitution that emphasizes protecting individual liberties and the rights of minorities in society, such as freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, the right to private property and privacy, as well as equality before the law and due process under the rule of law, and many more." 1As against the distinction with the Communist People's Republics or the 'Popular Democracies' of the Cold War period, constitutional democracies in the modern period are differentiated from the direct democracies and participatory dem ocracies. The various constitutional forms of liberal democracies include republics, as in the case of the US, India, and France, and constitutional monarchy, such as the UK and Spain. This paper deals with Western liberal democracy in two sections: the evolution of liberal democracy and the nature of liberal democracy.Liberal democracy has its origins in the Age of Enlightenment in Europe in the 18th century at a time when monarchy was the practice of the time. The Western liberal democracy has emerged from the unique history of European civilisation and it has grown to become one of the most important forms of democratic government in the contemporary world. Today, one prevalent question concerning the Western liberal democracy is whether it can be served from its Western historical context and universalised for all nations of the world. The evolution of Western liberal democracy needs to be realised as the result of influential movements in the Europe, including the French Revolu tion and the English Revolution, based on the theoretical and philosophical thoughts such as liberty, equality etc. The American story of the evolution of liberal democracy is not different. "In part enlightened by European theoretical works, in part influenced by the European history, and in part responding to new life in American colonies, Madison, Hamilton and Jefferson, among others, conceived a federal republic, creating a new version of democracy which is elegant in theory but miserly in fact. It is elegant in the way it structures a durable government. It is miserly in the way it embraces the realities of the eighteenth century America, excluding a vast majority of people from the democratic process. Initially confined to one race and one gender, the base of American democracy has gradually expanded." 2 Thus, the American liberal democracy mixes reality with vision and today it has become the epitome of Western liberal democracy. Today, the eighteenth century liberalism which was based on property has been transformed o a new liberalism which is established on formal equality and liberty. . The Western liberal democracy in the contemporary world demonstrates that civil and political rights of the people can go hand in hand with higher standards of living. "In light of these achievements, liberal democracy is touted as the ideal form of government for all the peoples of the world. Any other system, including any other notion of democracy, is seen as a lesser construct, an inferior design, a recipe for social and economic backwardness." 3 Analysing the chief components in the origin and development of the Western liberal democracy, it is essential to relate to some essential sources of it. Any political ideology has a historical life, growth and development and the ideology of the Western liberal democracy is not different. Thus, it is important to have the background knowledge about the Greek heritage of democracy and the contributions of Christian theology and Roman