Arrow Electronics must tackle several issues in regards to its performance appraisal system for its non-sales employees. The performance appraisal problems that Arrow faces are similar to many companies in today’s business environment. Steve Kaufman, CEO, understands and stresses the importance of human resource management at Arrow; usually the first hurdle an organization must clear before delving into the specific problems associated with performance management. Kaufman has concluded that the performance appraisal system needs further adjustment in order to meet his needs. To do so, Kaufman must first identify the problems associated with the current performance appraisal system to develop solutions.
The objective of any performance appraisal (PA) system is to identify core competencies, set goals and standards to measure, maintain and improve job performance for short-term and long-term results for both the employee and the organization. Arrow will utilize the information obtained from the PA process for administrative reasons such as identifying those who deserve promotions and/or salary increases, those who should be trained as future stars of the organization, and those who should be let go. The information will be used for developmental reasons to identify career goals, problem areas, and the actions to improve skills. The PA information is also used for strategic reasons to communicate organizational goals, to align employee behaviors to those goals. Finally, this information will be used for research/evaluation purposes to analyze other human capital management practices in the organization such as recruitment practices and training.
Most of the time, the individual/employee goals differ greatly from those of the organization/manager when participating in an evaluation process. The conflicts that arise between managers and their employees contribute to the ambivalence that managers and employees have when involved in the performance appraisal system. Kaufman believes that those efforts have been unsuccessful due to his managers’ inabilities to accurately differentiate between employees when determining high versus low performers. This is demonstrated by the managers’ failure to utilize more of the rating range when evaluating subordinates. The managers tend to evaluate all employees as average performers and are reluctant to provide constructive criticism to employees. When a majority of the employees are evaluated as average, senior management is unable to determine how employees are ranked within the organization. The problem can be associated not only with the inherent conflicts between managers and subordinates, but also the fact that many of Kaufman’s managers are promoted without proper managerial training. Therefore, the less seasoned managers may not have learned the skills necessary to manage others, to objectively evaluate the employees they supervise, or to coach/mentor their subordinates.
Kaufman has also come across several biases in the PA system that stem from manager favoritism and lack of uniformity in the evaluation process. Annually disparate individual performance ratings are also witnessed. For example some employee ratings change from year to year dependent upon a number of factors including if a new manager evaluating the employee, or that employee being courted by a competitor that year. Kaufman noticed that there was disparity among the overall branches as well. Some managers evaluated on a more stringent basis than others, often leading to more successful branches having lower performance ratings than less successful branches. Favoritism is another example found at Arrow. Some managers gave employees that worked closely with them higher ratings than those that did not.
There are also many concerns regarding the actual performance appraisal form itself. Issues of particular concern include: the appraisal function is only performed once a year; performance competencies are not clearly aligned with the companies goals; the form appears to be trait based and subjective; employees receive their rating from their immediate boss (who may not be involved with the employee on day to day basis); the form uses the same criteria to address all jobs (very generic and shallow); the form at times does not take into account all aspects of an employees job functions; employees have not been allowed to give feed back on criterion; and there is not an evaluation system in place to identify whether the form and performance appraisal system as a whole are effective. Managers were also concerned that Kaufman was setting a percentage amount on how many employees should be in each rating category and was demanding that each person receive a rating of at least a two on at least one of the seven criteria for evaluation.
Arrow has grown significantly, changed its organizational focus, and acquired several companies since its inception. Senior management at Arrow must rely on the validity of the performance appraisals in determining who to keep on board when integrating new companies into the fold. To meet these goals, Arrow must reanalyze its existing PA system in order to build a more effective PA system. Arrow must begin by determining the purpose of the performance appraisal. The purposes of the PA at Arrow are to provide an accurate uniform system for performance, identify areas for improvement, identify those who should be promoted or those who have the greatest future potential, and to develop existing teams into better, more dynamic groups of people.
After determining the purpose of the PA system, the next step is to conduct a needs assessment for the organization, including position appraisals (i.e. job analysis), and individual/person analysis (these analyses can be captured by employee surveys, interviews, and focus groups). This will provide the feedback and information necessary to developing the measurements and content of the performance appraisal form. When determining the measurements and content, Arrow should determine the dimensions to be appraised, while using objective criteria based on standards set for performance utilizing the job analysis and/or judgmental criteria based on knowledge, skills, abilities and other criteria(KSAO’s – provided in job analysis), behaviors and performance. The recommended solution is a mix of both to fully assess all aspects of an individual or team performance.
In addition to the content, one must consider the rating format, or method that needs to be adopted for the appraisal form. There are several types of rating formats, however, the most preferred format for Arrow is the Behavior Observation Scale (BOS), which incorporates very specific job activities and goals. The BOS is also easy to put together, provides specific feedback to rate the employee, and provides a positive forum for evaluation process. Raters need to be aware there is a tendency to make trait-based judgments with this format. The BOS format is simple to use and understand, is strongly associated with tasks performed, and includes parallel stimulus/response, (S-R) tracking measures. The expected result is that the scores on the stimulus scale will be the same as on the response scale, and will produce the behavior desired by the Arrow executive team.
There are several factors Arrow should keep in mind when developing the content of the performance appraisal form that could impose different biases upon the rating process. Some biases already exist in the current PA environment at Arrow such as: leniency tendency; giving high ratings regardless of actual performance; central tendency; giving middle of road ratings; and affect tendency; rating others according to the rater’s feelings towards that employee. There are several other biases to be aware of: severity tendency; halo/horns; stereotyping; primacy/recency effects; and fundamental attribution error.
Properly developing a rater and ratee training program is essential to the PA system as well. The training will provide the raters with the understanding of how to avoid or respond to bias situations, while provide the ratees with information and expectations of what they will experience throughout the process. The raters and ratees should also be trained to understand the observations made and how to keep a diary of daily activities. The program should also incorporate frame of reference training to avoid making inferences or assumptive statements about the behavior of the ratee. When inferences versus behaviors are indicated in the PA, the ratee can become defensive, negating the desired effects of the PA system.
Defining the raters and the ratees and determining if the ratees’ performance assessments will be based on individual or team performance should be determined as part of the development of the rater program. An important determination in defining the raters is deciding who is in the best position to observe the ratee and provide feedback about the ratee’s performance. Arrow should incorporate multiple sources of feedback, such as 360degree feedback, with observation appraisals from a variety of people (at least 3) who interact with the employee on a regular basis. The raters should only rate the performance criteria that are actually observed in their interactions with the ratee. This feedback can come from the ratee’s supervisors, peers, subordinates, clients and self-assessment. For 360degree feedback to be successful the organization must be prepared, therefore management buy-in is key as resources and time are critical to the process.
A useful tool for the rater to use in the interview process is an appraisal checklist (see appendix A). The appraisal checklist is essential in making sure that the rater follows guidelines and covers all items to be addressed in the interview.
The performance appraisal should be implemented so that it occurs at least every six months, and if possible, on a quarterly basis with a strong emphasis on two-way communication. In actuality, PA management is a continual exercise. When there are no surprises to either party, supervisors can cultivate desired behaviors on a daily basis. A consistent evaluation process is key in recognizing the success and validity of the system, as well as providing a method to incorporate suggestions received in a feedback retrieval process. Arrow should assess the value of the PA system by polling the raters and ratees to determine its accuracy, usefulness.
Finally, the PA plan should be incorporated within all human resource functions and management areas, such as employee training and selection processes. Training is an important function of a successful human resource management practice. As mentioned previously, there is a need for a management training program (external to the PA system training functions) that would facilitate a smoother transition for the young employees promoted to management positions. This will alleviate some of the issues raised by employees such as managers not knowing how to manage the employees they supervise.
Job analysis is an integral function in both the selection process and a solid PA system. It is important to strongly define the KSAO’s, core competencies, and job functions in order to hire and then cultivate the caliber of employees that are needed at Arrow. Incorporating the selection process, training, and performance appraisal functions into a database that can be accessed through the human resource information system is essential to providing a uniform system of checks and balances between these functions, thereby allowing Arrow to meet its goal toward developing a better workforce.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Animal Research: For the Good of All Mankind
Animals play an amazing role in our lives. Whether they are assisting in search and rescue operations, working with law enforcement to solve crimes, or being our companion and friend, animals make our world healthier, happier and safer. Animals have also assisted in virtually every major medical advancement in the last century-for both human and animal health. From vaccinations and organ transplantation to bypass surgery and joint replacement, practically every present day protocol for the prevention, treatment, cure and control of disease is based on knowledge attained through animal research. Many of these medical findings were so profound, millions of healthy people are living proof of those results. Doctors and researchers overwhelming agree, based on the history of medical achievements, and the lack of dependable alternatives, the use of animals in medical research is both beneficial and necessary for the welfare of both humans and animals.
People of all ages continue to benefit from the medical discoveries using animals in research laboratories. This same research is also beneficial to the lives of animals. Pets, livestock, and animals in zoos live longer, more comfortable, and healthier as a result of animal research. Veterinarians can now treat diseases that once killed millions of animals every year. Vaccines for rabies, distemper and feline leukemia are all available because of animal research. History has shown that medical knowledge developed through animal research has saved countless lives, improved human and animal health, and has alleviated pain and suffering. Over the past one hundred years, more than sixty of the Nobel Prizes awarded for medicine were given for discoveries and advances where animals played an important part. Scientists and doctors who were awarded these prizes represented some of the best scientific minds and are responsible for some of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history. Only a few decades ago, people were dying, becoming paralyzed and crippled from diseases like smallpox, polio and diphtheria. The early 1900's produced two significant discoveries, Emil Adolf Von Behring’s development of a diphtheria antiserum and Ivan Pavlov’s findings on animal responses to various stimuli. Before the vaccination for diphtheria was developed, the disease was widespread, serious and often fatal. As many as 1 in 10 people, mostly children, became infected and many died. Equally as important were Pavlov’s findings on behavior through stimulation using dogs. These findings helped to understand human behavior and has had an enormous influence on western behavioral psychology. The discovery of insulin, from the successful use of laboratory animals, made it possible for millions of people with diabetes to liver longer, more productive lives. In 1954, doctors developed the culture that lead to a vaccine for polio. Doctor Albert Sabin later developed the oral polio vaccine. In a letter Doctor Sabin wrote he stated, “My own experience of over 60 years in biomedical research amply demonstrated that without the use of animals and human beings, it would have been impossible to acquire the important knowledge needed to prevent much suffering and premature death not only among humans but also among animals” (2). Penicillin was the first antibiotic that was successfully used in treating bacterial infections. Before its development, many people suffered and died of infections that are no longer considered dangerous. For example, just hurting yourself on a nail could eventually lead to death. Although it is true, penicillin was first discovered by Alexander Fleming in a petri dish, animal experiments paved the way for its clinical use.
Today, there are many important studies taking place in animal laboratories. Research to find cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS tops the list. Millions of people die of cancer related deaths every year. Medical breakthroughs, such as chemotherapy and cancerous sell reduction, have been the result of research on laboratory rats specifically bred for testing. Scientists are already testing a vaccine that slows the progress of Alzheimer’s in human patients and people with AIDS are receiving new drugs, first tested on animals, and living longer, more productive lives. Animal research will one day let us speak of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS and many other diseases as diseases of the past.
Knowing that research animals are treated responsibly and humanely strengthen our understanding, so does separating the facts from the myths. Animal activists against animal research often take statements out of context and misrepresent historical developments to suggest that animal research was not essential to a particular, significant discovery. The following are examples of historical myths and the real facts behind the myths: The first myth is that dogs, cats, and monkeys are used more than any other animal in medical research. The fact is, practically all research animals are rodents-mice and rats-bred for this purpose. Dogs, cats, and other primates account for less than one percent of the total. Another myth, commonly misstated by animal activists, is the notion that research animals are kept in pain. Not true. A leading scientist at the Foundation for Biomedical Research states, “The vast majority of biomedical research does not result in significant pain or distress to research animals”(Hansen 4). Furthermore, The USDA Annual Report revealed that “sixty three percent of all research procedures with animals involved no more than slight or momentary pain or distress” (2). Another myth that animal activists want the public to believe is there are no laws or government regulations to protect research animals and scientist can do “anything they want” to laboratory animals. The truth is, the USDA has set extensive regulations for the care of animals in research. A federal law, the Animal Welfare Act, has set standards for the care and treatment of laboratory animals, including housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation, and veterinary care. Facilities must also register with and be inspected by the Animal and Planet Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal Welfare Act also requires that each institution establish a committee which is responsible for evaluating animal programs. The committee has the power to stop any research if it believes USDA standards are not being met. Another popular myth is the belief computer models and cell cultures can replace animal testing. While medical and scientific advances achieved through animal research are often supplemented by the knowledge taken through non-animal methods, such as, computer models, in vitro research, and clinical observation, these alternative methods serve only as adjuncts to basic animal research. It is true, most of the animal rights myths are clearly based on a misunderstanding of biomedical science, but some seem to be based on deliberate and cleverly constructed misinformation. Dedicated people work in research facilities. Daily animal care is not a glamorous job. The caretaker’s pay, also far from glamourous, does not keep people in the business and maintaining a compassionate outlook while caring for animals whose lives will be taken has its emotional toll. So what are the rewards? They begin with the sense of purpose and knowing that you play a key part in their well-being, and knowing that the research can contribute to advances in medical care for people and animals.
Many believe that all animal lovers support the animal rights movement. This assumption is based on a misunderstanding of the difference of animal welfare and animal rights. The American Veterinary Medical Association defines animal welfare as, “A humane responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well-being, from proper housing and nutrition to preventative care, treatment of disease, and when necessary, humane euthanasia”(1). Not only do scientists recognize their moral obligations toward laboratory animals, they also know the importance of maintaining healthy animals. Animals that are not kept healthy result in bad research data. One research doctor states, “Scientists, veterinarians, physicians, surgeons and others who do research in animal laboratories are as much concerned about the care of animals as anyone can be. Their respect for the dignity of life and compassion for the sick and disabled, in fact, is what motivated them to search for ways of relieving the pain and suffering caused by diseases”(Barbour 3). In contrast to animal welfare supporters, animal rights activists believe that animals should have the same rights as humans. Michael W. Fox, former vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, put it this way, “The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration”(1) Wow! I’m sure glad I’m not Mr. Fox’s child.
Another activist, definitely not in the running for mother of the year, is Ingrid Newkirk, President and co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,(PETA). Ms. Newkirk has been quoted as saying, “Animal liberationists do not separate out the human animal, so there is no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights. A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. They are all mammals” (1). Mammals yes, but hardly equal when talking about the importance of saving lives. It is difficult to support anyone that tries to make their point with such ridiculous claims. Many animal activists oppose animal research in any form, for any purpose, no matter how many human and animal lives might be saved. Although animal activists portray themselves as kind and compassionate, many in the movement sponsor and perpetrate illegal and violent activity-and these criminal acts are becoming more violent and more frequent. One chilling statistic was noted in recent years, “activists have stalked and assaulted members of the research community, harassed and threatened their families, broken into and destroyed labs, homes and vehicles, all in the name of animal rights” (Lewis 1).
History has shown us the medical wonders that have been achieved in laboratories with the help of animals, still, many believe there are reliable alternatives to using animals. Scientists, doctors, and medical researchers continue to search for alternatives to using animals in laboratories. Today, the concept of “The Three R’s”, refinement, reduction, and replacement as the first step leading to animal testing alternatives. Refinement refers to the modification of any procedure done to an animal in a laboratory from the time it is born until it is dead. These modifications should minimize any pain or distress. Reduction simply means doing anything that will reduce the number of animals being used in research. Using more of an animal and avoiding redundant experiments is all part of the reduction method. Replacement is achieved by taking experiments that do not need a living animal and using information based research, computer systems, human studies, cell tissue and organ culture. Even with the advancement in computer technology, there is no complete alternative to animal research. There is still an essential need to test drugs, medical devices and other promising treatments on animals before they are tested on humans because computer applications cannot give the same results as a living specimen.
Those who seek to end animal research, because they either reject it’s validity or because they believe the life of a rat is equal in importance to the life of a human, cannot dismiss the important medical findings achieved over the past century. The countless lives that have been saved because dedicated scientists continue to look for cures for cancer, AIDS and many other devastating diseases still plaguing this earth, cannot, and must not, be forgotten. Until these diseases are talked about as a “thing of the past”, and until more reliable alternatives are established, animal research must continue-for the good of all Mankind.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
People of all ages continue to benefit from the medical discoveries using animals in research laboratories. This same research is also beneficial to the lives of animals. Pets, livestock, and animals in zoos live longer, more comfortable, and healthier as a result of animal research. Veterinarians can now treat diseases that once killed millions of animals every year. Vaccines for rabies, distemper and feline leukemia are all available because of animal research. History has shown that medical knowledge developed through animal research has saved countless lives, improved human and animal health, and has alleviated pain and suffering. Over the past one hundred years, more than sixty of the Nobel Prizes awarded for medicine were given for discoveries and advances where animals played an important part. Scientists and doctors who were awarded these prizes represented some of the best scientific minds and are responsible for some of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history. Only a few decades ago, people were dying, becoming paralyzed and crippled from diseases like smallpox, polio and diphtheria. The early 1900's produced two significant discoveries, Emil Adolf Von Behring’s development of a diphtheria antiserum and Ivan Pavlov’s findings on animal responses to various stimuli. Before the vaccination for diphtheria was developed, the disease was widespread, serious and often fatal. As many as 1 in 10 people, mostly children, became infected and many died. Equally as important were Pavlov’s findings on behavior through stimulation using dogs. These findings helped to understand human behavior and has had an enormous influence on western behavioral psychology. The discovery of insulin, from the successful use of laboratory animals, made it possible for millions of people with diabetes to liver longer, more productive lives. In 1954, doctors developed the culture that lead to a vaccine for polio. Doctor Albert Sabin later developed the oral polio vaccine. In a letter Doctor Sabin wrote he stated, “My own experience of over 60 years in biomedical research amply demonstrated that without the use of animals and human beings, it would have been impossible to acquire the important knowledge needed to prevent much suffering and premature death not only among humans but also among animals” (2). Penicillin was the first antibiotic that was successfully used in treating bacterial infections. Before its development, many people suffered and died of infections that are no longer considered dangerous. For example, just hurting yourself on a nail could eventually lead to death. Although it is true, penicillin was first discovered by Alexander Fleming in a petri dish, animal experiments paved the way for its clinical use.
Today, there are many important studies taking place in animal laboratories. Research to find cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS tops the list. Millions of people die of cancer related deaths every year. Medical breakthroughs, such as chemotherapy and cancerous sell reduction, have been the result of research on laboratory rats specifically bred for testing. Scientists are already testing a vaccine that slows the progress of Alzheimer’s in human patients and people with AIDS are receiving new drugs, first tested on animals, and living longer, more productive lives. Animal research will one day let us speak of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS and many other diseases as diseases of the past.
Knowing that research animals are treated responsibly and humanely strengthen our understanding, so does separating the facts from the myths. Animal activists against animal research often take statements out of context and misrepresent historical developments to suggest that animal research was not essential to a particular, significant discovery. The following are examples of historical myths and the real facts behind the myths: The first myth is that dogs, cats, and monkeys are used more than any other animal in medical research. The fact is, practically all research animals are rodents-mice and rats-bred for this purpose. Dogs, cats, and other primates account for less than one percent of the total. Another myth, commonly misstated by animal activists, is the notion that research animals are kept in pain. Not true. A leading scientist at the Foundation for Biomedical Research states, “The vast majority of biomedical research does not result in significant pain or distress to research animals”(Hansen 4). Furthermore, The USDA Annual Report revealed that “sixty three percent of all research procedures with animals involved no more than slight or momentary pain or distress” (2). Another myth that animal activists want the public to believe is there are no laws or government regulations to protect research animals and scientist can do “anything they want” to laboratory animals. The truth is, the USDA has set extensive regulations for the care of animals in research. A federal law, the Animal Welfare Act, has set standards for the care and treatment of laboratory animals, including housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation, and veterinary care. Facilities must also register with and be inspected by the Animal and Planet Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal Welfare Act also requires that each institution establish a committee which is responsible for evaluating animal programs. The committee has the power to stop any research if it believes USDA standards are not being met. Another popular myth is the belief computer models and cell cultures can replace animal testing. While medical and scientific advances achieved through animal research are often supplemented by the knowledge taken through non-animal methods, such as, computer models, in vitro research, and clinical observation, these alternative methods serve only as adjuncts to basic animal research. It is true, most of the animal rights myths are clearly based on a misunderstanding of biomedical science, but some seem to be based on deliberate and cleverly constructed misinformation. Dedicated people work in research facilities. Daily animal care is not a glamorous job. The caretaker’s pay, also far from glamourous, does not keep people in the business and maintaining a compassionate outlook while caring for animals whose lives will be taken has its emotional toll. So what are the rewards? They begin with the sense of purpose and knowing that you play a key part in their well-being, and knowing that the research can contribute to advances in medical care for people and animals.
Many believe that all animal lovers support the animal rights movement. This assumption is based on a misunderstanding of the difference of animal welfare and animal rights. The American Veterinary Medical Association defines animal welfare as, “A humane responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well-being, from proper housing and nutrition to preventative care, treatment of disease, and when necessary, humane euthanasia”(1). Not only do scientists recognize their moral obligations toward laboratory animals, they also know the importance of maintaining healthy animals. Animals that are not kept healthy result in bad research data. One research doctor states, “Scientists, veterinarians, physicians, surgeons and others who do research in animal laboratories are as much concerned about the care of animals as anyone can be. Their respect for the dignity of life and compassion for the sick and disabled, in fact, is what motivated them to search for ways of relieving the pain and suffering caused by diseases”(Barbour 3). In contrast to animal welfare supporters, animal rights activists believe that animals should have the same rights as humans. Michael W. Fox, former vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, put it this way, “The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration”(1) Wow! I’m sure glad I’m not Mr. Fox’s child.
Another activist, definitely not in the running for mother of the year, is Ingrid Newkirk, President and co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,(PETA). Ms. Newkirk has been quoted as saying, “Animal liberationists do not separate out the human animal, so there is no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights. A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. They are all mammals” (1). Mammals yes, but hardly equal when talking about the importance of saving lives. It is difficult to support anyone that tries to make their point with such ridiculous claims. Many animal activists oppose animal research in any form, for any purpose, no matter how many human and animal lives might be saved. Although animal activists portray themselves as kind and compassionate, many in the movement sponsor and perpetrate illegal and violent activity-and these criminal acts are becoming more violent and more frequent. One chilling statistic was noted in recent years, “activists have stalked and assaulted members of the research community, harassed and threatened their families, broken into and destroyed labs, homes and vehicles, all in the name of animal rights” (Lewis 1).
History has shown us the medical wonders that have been achieved in laboratories with the help of animals, still, many believe there are reliable alternatives to using animals. Scientists, doctors, and medical researchers continue to search for alternatives to using animals in laboratories. Today, the concept of “The Three R’s”, refinement, reduction, and replacement as the first step leading to animal testing alternatives. Refinement refers to the modification of any procedure done to an animal in a laboratory from the time it is born until it is dead. These modifications should minimize any pain or distress. Reduction simply means doing anything that will reduce the number of animals being used in research. Using more of an animal and avoiding redundant experiments is all part of the reduction method. Replacement is achieved by taking experiments that do not need a living animal and using information based research, computer systems, human studies, cell tissue and organ culture. Even with the advancement in computer technology, there is no complete alternative to animal research. There is still an essential need to test drugs, medical devices and other promising treatments on animals before they are tested on humans because computer applications cannot give the same results as a living specimen.
Those who seek to end animal research, because they either reject it’s validity or because they believe the life of a rat is equal in importance to the life of a human, cannot dismiss the important medical findings achieved over the past century. The countless lives that have been saved because dedicated scientists continue to look for cures for cancer, AIDS and many other devastating diseases still plaguing this earth, cannot, and must not, be forgotten. Until these diseases are talked about as a “thing of the past”, and until more reliable alternatives are established, animal research must continue-for the good of all Mankind.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Gospel Analysis
The synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all speak about the death of Jesus and have similar renditions of what actually occurred. Reading each gospel as a whole text and comparing the differences may lead to different interpretations than just comparing the details about the death of Jesus. The following analysis will compare only the writings about the death of Jesus, which have quite distinct differences from one another. In comparing these three gospel stories, the differences between them seem to suggest that each writer had a different audience. Each story seems to focus on different aspects of the humanity or divinity of Jesus, with different approaches being necessary to apply to each audience. This analysis will assume that the gospel of Mark was written first, or the point of departure. Assuming that Mark is the point of departure is necessary to apply the argument that Mark wrote his gospel to apply to all audiences, more of a general synopsis of events, whereas the gospel of Matthew speaks to the followers of Christ and LukeТs gospel speaks to non-believers, possibly even non-Jews and Romans.
The gospel of Mark contains six versus about the death of Jesus, which is the middle position, as far as size, between the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The size of the story is an interesting point of comparison. As previously stated, it seems that Mark's rendition of Jesus' death is a general synopsis of events. By writing the original gospel, Matthew and Luke would have to either add or subtract context which is pertinent to their audience. Mark's writings portray Jesus' humanity and divinity. The other gospels focus more attention to Jesus' divinity or humanity. One example of this is Mark 15 v.38, which states: "the curtain temple was torn in two, from top to bottom". This verse is positioned after the death of Jesus. Verse 39 states, "when the centurion facing him saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, СTruly this man is the son of God!". These examples demonstrate a notion of Jesus' divinity. However, Mark does not elaborate on these details as Matthew does. Mark's focus hinges on presenting situations which speak of Jesus' divinity, while not elaborating the facts to hide his humanity. It seems as though Mark wanted to present the facts at hand and let the audience interpret the meanings. Verse 37 states, "Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last". The wording "breathing his last" personifies Jesus' humanity. The story according to Matthew uses different language to showcase a more divine Jesus. Once again establishing the point that Mark was written first and the later gospels added or subtracted details which they felt were pertinent to the accurate representation of Jesus to their particular audiences.
The second point of analysis will be with the gospel of Matthew. Matthew's and Luke's gospel both follow Mark's chronology, but Matthew adds the most to what was originally written in Mark. The gospel of Matthew contains nine verses on the death of Jesus, which is the most out of the three synoptic gospels. The first four verses of Matthew are almost a direct copy of the gospel of Mark. The version written by Matthew takes on its own identity in verse 50, which states, "And Jesus cried up again in a loud voice and yielded up his spirit." The difference from Mark's gospel ("Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last") and Matthew's may seem insignificant. However, the statement "yielded up his spirit" insinuates Jesus in control of his own spirit. Unlike most people who just die, Jesus seems to will it so, hence showcasing divinity. This is one of the examples in the gospel of Matthew which shows a divine Jesus. All three gospel stories mention the curtain of the temple tearing in two. However, the gospel of Matthew encompasses much more than the other two gospels: "the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many". All the italicized words represent additional text that only appears in the gospel of Matthew. The death of Jesus, in this gospel, causes many supernatural events to occur. Luke and Mark contain no text relating to these occurrences. Matthew focuses on the supernatural occurrences to portray the divinity of Jesus.
What audience is Matthew speaking to with his gospel? It is apparent that Matthew focused on the divinity of Jesus. The additional text added, in comparison with Mark, clearly incorporates Jesus as a "supernatural". Matthew incorporates awe in his writing, which leads to the assumption that Matthew is writing to believers in Christ and his teachings. Followers of Christ that view Jesus as the Messiah can relate to the gospel of Matthew because his gospel reinforces the divine in Jesus. Focusing on the supernatural occurrences during Jesus' death gives the followers of Jesus more proof that Jesus of Nazareth truly was divine.
In contrast to Matthew's divine interpretations of Jesus is Luke's gospel version of the death of Jesus. Luke sums up the death of Jesus in four versus, possibly five versus if an earlier verse is considered, which involves details of the death of Jesus. The gospel of Luke is by far the least amount written about the event. The first point of variation is Luke's placement of the temple curtain being torn in two. Luke places this detail early in his version. The other two gospels position this event after Jesus' death. Luke positions this event during the death of Jesus. The other two gospels insinuate that the curtain was torn as a result of Jesus' death, whereas the gospel of Luke incorporates the detail, but does not depict a cause-and-effect occurrence. Luke simply references the event. Luke is pulling the story away from the supernatural occurrences. This version does not deny any supernatural activity; it is just not focused on.
Another difference between Luke's version and the gospels of Matthew and Mark is the quotations of Jesus on the cross. Luke states: "Then Jesus cried with a loud voice, said, "Father into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last". These words depict Jesus speaking to "Father", which the two other gospels do not reference. Jesus speaking to his Father implies a Jesus that is connected to the divine, but also shows deference to a higher power, which connects to Jesus' humanity.
One final analysis on the gospel of Luke is verse 47-48; УNow when the centurion saw what had taken place he praised God, and said, Сcertainly this man was innocent!" And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, retuned home beating their breast." The key word in this verse is innocent. The other gospels quote the centurion stating; "this man is the son of God". Claiming Jesus' innocence speaks to non-followers of Christ. The statement focuses on Jesus' humanity, not his divinity, as does the rest of Luke's version. An audience that was non-Jewish or even Roman could relate better with a story that referenced Jesus' divinity, but focused on his humanity.
In conclusion it is apparent that the synoptic gospels stories share many similarities, but also have quite explicit differences that may be easily overlooked or misinterpreted if not read carefully. Evaluating a writer's audience is very beneficial in helping to interpret text. Different focuses are applied for more effect with particular audiences. Failure to realize this can lead to drastic misinterpretations, which in the matter of religion can be very dangerous. I certainly have never noticed such a dramatic difference in each gospel version before. Trying to determine each writers audience really helped me to zero in on why each writer added or omitted different events. I must mention once again that these interpretations are just on the stories of Jesus' death. Had each gospel been compared in full could lead to extremely different interpretations.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
The gospel of Mark contains six versus about the death of Jesus, which is the middle position, as far as size, between the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The size of the story is an interesting point of comparison. As previously stated, it seems that Mark's rendition of Jesus' death is a general synopsis of events. By writing the original gospel, Matthew and Luke would have to either add or subtract context which is pertinent to their audience. Mark's writings portray Jesus' humanity and divinity. The other gospels focus more attention to Jesus' divinity or humanity. One example of this is Mark 15 v.38, which states: "the curtain temple was torn in two, from top to bottom". This verse is positioned after the death of Jesus. Verse 39 states, "when the centurion facing him saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, СTruly this man is the son of God!". These examples demonstrate a notion of Jesus' divinity. However, Mark does not elaborate on these details as Matthew does. Mark's focus hinges on presenting situations which speak of Jesus' divinity, while not elaborating the facts to hide his humanity. It seems as though Mark wanted to present the facts at hand and let the audience interpret the meanings. Verse 37 states, "Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last". The wording "breathing his last" personifies Jesus' humanity. The story according to Matthew uses different language to showcase a more divine Jesus. Once again establishing the point that Mark was written first and the later gospels added or subtracted details which they felt were pertinent to the accurate representation of Jesus to their particular audiences.
The second point of analysis will be with the gospel of Matthew. Matthew's and Luke's gospel both follow Mark's chronology, but Matthew adds the most to what was originally written in Mark. The gospel of Matthew contains nine verses on the death of Jesus, which is the most out of the three synoptic gospels. The first four verses of Matthew are almost a direct copy of the gospel of Mark. The version written by Matthew takes on its own identity in verse 50, which states, "And Jesus cried up again in a loud voice and yielded up his spirit." The difference from Mark's gospel ("Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last") and Matthew's may seem insignificant. However, the statement "yielded up his spirit" insinuates Jesus in control of his own spirit. Unlike most people who just die, Jesus seems to will it so, hence showcasing divinity. This is one of the examples in the gospel of Matthew which shows a divine Jesus. All three gospel stories mention the curtain of the temple tearing in two. However, the gospel of Matthew encompasses much more than the other two gospels: "the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many". All the italicized words represent additional text that only appears in the gospel of Matthew. The death of Jesus, in this gospel, causes many supernatural events to occur. Luke and Mark contain no text relating to these occurrences. Matthew focuses on the supernatural occurrences to portray the divinity of Jesus.
What audience is Matthew speaking to with his gospel? It is apparent that Matthew focused on the divinity of Jesus. The additional text added, in comparison with Mark, clearly incorporates Jesus as a "supernatural". Matthew incorporates awe in his writing, which leads to the assumption that Matthew is writing to believers in Christ and his teachings. Followers of Christ that view Jesus as the Messiah can relate to the gospel of Matthew because his gospel reinforces the divine in Jesus. Focusing on the supernatural occurrences during Jesus' death gives the followers of Jesus more proof that Jesus of Nazareth truly was divine.
In contrast to Matthew's divine interpretations of Jesus is Luke's gospel version of the death of Jesus. Luke sums up the death of Jesus in four versus, possibly five versus if an earlier verse is considered, which involves details of the death of Jesus. The gospel of Luke is by far the least amount written about the event. The first point of variation is Luke's placement of the temple curtain being torn in two. Luke places this detail early in his version. The other two gospels position this event after Jesus' death. Luke positions this event during the death of Jesus. The other two gospels insinuate that the curtain was torn as a result of Jesus' death, whereas the gospel of Luke incorporates the detail, but does not depict a cause-and-effect occurrence. Luke simply references the event. Luke is pulling the story away from the supernatural occurrences. This version does not deny any supernatural activity; it is just not focused on.
Another difference between Luke's version and the gospels of Matthew and Mark is the quotations of Jesus on the cross. Luke states: "Then Jesus cried with a loud voice, said, "Father into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last". These words depict Jesus speaking to "Father", which the two other gospels do not reference. Jesus speaking to his Father implies a Jesus that is connected to the divine, but also shows deference to a higher power, which connects to Jesus' humanity.
One final analysis on the gospel of Luke is verse 47-48; УNow when the centurion saw what had taken place he praised God, and said, Сcertainly this man was innocent!" And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, retuned home beating their breast." The key word in this verse is innocent. The other gospels quote the centurion stating; "this man is the son of God". Claiming Jesus' innocence speaks to non-followers of Christ. The statement focuses on Jesus' humanity, not his divinity, as does the rest of Luke's version. An audience that was non-Jewish or even Roman could relate better with a story that referenced Jesus' divinity, but focused on his humanity.
In conclusion it is apparent that the synoptic gospels stories share many similarities, but also have quite explicit differences that may be easily overlooked or misinterpreted if not read carefully. Evaluating a writer's audience is very beneficial in helping to interpret text. Different focuses are applied for more effect with particular audiences. Failure to realize this can lead to drastic misinterpretations, which in the matter of religion can be very dangerous. I certainly have never noticed such a dramatic difference in each gospel version before. Trying to determine each writers audience really helped me to zero in on why each writer added or omitted different events. I must mention once again that these interpretations are just on the stories of Jesus' death. Had each gospel been compared in full could lead to extremely different interpretations.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
College Term Papers
There are hundreds of problems in college life of each student. College education is a rather hard thing. If you want to be a decent college student you should know a lot of rules you have to follow to be a success. Are you good at writing college term papers assigned by your professor or teacher in college? To be a good student means to have great writing skills to be able to prepare A+ college term papers during mid term exams.
College term paper writing is getting more and more popular among students and their professors in colleges and universities of the US, Canada and Australia. This academic activity gives a great opportunity to check up students’ knowledge in their major or discipline, also, it can help students with recognizing weak points and gaps in the subject. A lot of college students have got poor writing skills, not enough to write a good term paper assigned in college. For this reason they turn to the Internet trying to find some help in writing college papers. They can read a lot of free guidelines and tips on how to prepare a great college term paper and how to be successful in writing college term papers. Some websites offer free unlimited access to term paper databases from which you can easily download different college term paper examples and sample college term papers at no cost – but you should remember all these college papers are 100% plagiarized.
If you are ready to pay for writing your college term paper online – you can buy a custom college term paper written by professional writers and experts. Custom college term paper writing is considered to be your best term paper helper regarding academic writing, especially if you are in a hurry or pressed by time in college.
Such term paper writing services can save your student life if you need your college paper to be submitted in 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 28 or 48 hours. Ordering custom written college term papers from professional writing companies – be sure you contact really professional term paper writing company which will provide you with a high-quality custom product. Do you need your college paper formatted in APA, MLA, Turabian/Chicago or Harvard style? Are you in search of professional term paper writers for writing A+ college term papers? Are you afraid of cheating/fraudulent writing services?
Don’t waste your time on contacting unknown custom writing agencies. Feel free to contact our custom term paper writing service which produces premium quality customized college term papers at a cheap cost. We employ only the best freelance academic writers who know how to help college students with writing their mid term papers. Since 2005, our custom term paper writing company has already assisted more than 9000 students who contacted us to help them write college term papers for money in such disciplines as English language, Business, Marketing, Sociology, History, Management, Law, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Philosophy, Literature, IT, Technology, Computer science, Political science, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Media studies, Engineering, Arts, Music and Sports. Even now a lot of them still order custom term papers from us.
We can guarantee you 100% custom college term papers written from scratch, on-time delivery, superior quality, money back in case if you are dissatisfied with your custom work and 24/7 online customer support which you can consult in any time you need.
Forget about such annoying questions like: "How to write my college term paper overnight with someone's help?", "Who can help do my college term paper with excellence?", “Whom can I pay to prepare my college term paper at an affordable cost?". Contact our custom term paper writing company which will supply you with premium quality original college term papers for sale. You can rely upon our Ph.D., Master's and MBA writers who are 24/7 available online to provide you with quality term paper writing assistance.
Order a CUSTOM COLLEGE TERM PAPER RIGHT NOW and forget about college troubles.
College term paper writing is getting more and more popular among students and their professors in colleges and universities of the US, Canada and Australia. This academic activity gives a great opportunity to check up students’ knowledge in their major or discipline, also, it can help students with recognizing weak points and gaps in the subject. A lot of college students have got poor writing skills, not enough to write a good term paper assigned in college. For this reason they turn to the Internet trying to find some help in writing college papers. They can read a lot of free guidelines and tips on how to prepare a great college term paper and how to be successful in writing college term papers. Some websites offer free unlimited access to term paper databases from which you can easily download different college term paper examples and sample college term papers at no cost – but you should remember all these college papers are 100% plagiarized.
If you are ready to pay for writing your college term paper online – you can buy a custom college term paper written by professional writers and experts. Custom college term paper writing is considered to be your best term paper helper regarding academic writing, especially if you are in a hurry or pressed by time in college.
Such term paper writing services can save your student life if you need your college paper to be submitted in 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 28 or 48 hours. Ordering custom written college term papers from professional writing companies – be sure you contact really professional term paper writing company which will provide you with a high-quality custom product. Do you need your college paper formatted in APA, MLA, Turabian/Chicago or Harvard style? Are you in search of professional term paper writers for writing A+ college term papers? Are you afraid of cheating/fraudulent writing services?
Don’t waste your time on contacting unknown custom writing agencies. Feel free to contact our custom term paper writing service which produces premium quality customized college term papers at a cheap cost. We employ only the best freelance academic writers who know how to help college students with writing their mid term papers. Since 2005, our custom term paper writing company has already assisted more than 9000 students who contacted us to help them write college term papers for money in such disciplines as English language, Business, Marketing, Sociology, History, Management, Law, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Philosophy, Literature, IT, Technology, Computer science, Political science, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Media studies, Engineering, Arts, Music and Sports. Even now a lot of them still order custom term papers from us.
We can guarantee you 100% custom college term papers written from scratch, on-time delivery, superior quality, money back in case if you are dissatisfied with your custom work and 24/7 online customer support which you can consult in any time you need.
Forget about such annoying questions like: "How to write my college term paper overnight with someone's help?", "Who can help do my college term paper with excellence?", “Whom can I pay to prepare my college term paper at an affordable cost?". Contact our custom term paper writing company which will supply you with premium quality original college term papers for sale. You can rely upon our Ph.D., Master's and MBA writers who are 24/7 available online to provide you with quality term paper writing assistance.
Order a CUSTOM COLLEGE TERM PAPER RIGHT NOW and forget about college troubles.
NAFTA
As Reyna Elizabeth Montere states in Work and Health, Women at Risk "Revealing the Hidden Health Burden of Women Workers, "Mexican women are making a significant contribution to the national economy, but their quality of life has not enjoyed a corresponding improvement."The North American Free Trade Agreements Export-Processing Zones (EPZs) are filled with false promises and benefits. Although providing work for Mexico's numerous unemployed, the accord harms female workers on social, mental and physical grounds. That these factories are heralded as a forward movement for females is intensely ironic in its undermining of these factors. The provisions of NAFTA leave this to the Mexican governmentТs responsibility, as American and Canadian employers are legally unresponsible for the harms incurred. Moreover, were they to want to take action, it is often impossible under the terms of the agreement.
The accord heavily undermines traditional cultural gender roles without offering an opportunity for women to explore or establish a new communal identity. The idea of "machismo" in Mexican society emphasizes male dominance in the economic sector and restricts females to domestic labor. Female factory employees cite economic difficulties first and "machismo" second when asked what their concerns were regarding their employment.ii Women are also often hired based on traits generally associated with femininity. The initial draw of females as an employment base came as a result of their "docility" and "dexterity."Leslie Salzinger notes that "Gender and class positions are discursively linked."She elaborates later that, in accord with the stereotypes women are hired on, "To reframe the work as menТs work would be to define it as underpaid."Additionally men simply do not want their wives to work.iv Half of Mexican women are still homemakers. But even for those who have gotten jobs, the role of housewife is still their burden to bear. Even though they have been granted freedom of employment, the expectations that are placed upon them in the home haven't changed at all. "Gender roles simply were not considered in the NAFTA agreement. The growing needs for women to seek employment outside the home in order to support their families is a modern trend and NAFTA does not protect against the exploitation women suffer from foreign firms within EPZs.vi The heralding of these agreements as forward movement for Mexican females is ideologically sound at best. As long as women continue to work under conditions that further images of them as docile and submissive, EPZs offer little to them.
In addition to the reinforcement of gender roles that maquiladoras create is a prevalence of sexual harassment. Leslie Salzinger notes that this occurs both from fellow male employees and employers. Among workers there is heavy flirtation, though she carefully notes that women are pursued based on their appearances and docility, while men exclusively pursue. "On its production floor, male supervisors direct objectivized and sexualized young women apparently preconstituted in the home for use on the line," she writes in regard to the relationship between supervisors and female employees. The dichotomy women face is clearly illustrated when we examine the differences between being a good worker and engaging in the gendered social interactions that accompany the rampant sexual harassment in maquiladoras.iii It is argued by Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson that the "only way women can gain access to positions of power and decision making is to have recognition of their sexual identity and its place in the real world and for there to be a change in the structure of power. "Until this happens, the sexual harassment in maquiladoras and reliance on gendered roles will continue to hinder women's advancement.
The number of females employed in Mexico nearly doubled between 1970 and 1993. "But the growing rates of employment for females are a double edged sword. It is reported in a recent study that 40 percent of Mexican females are unpaid or paid under minimum wage while 60 percent have no social security.vi Within maquiladoras, management positions are held nearly exclusively by males, while women, who are generally undereducated, accept lower wages. Additionally women receive lower level positions even when compared with men of similar educational background. Men also receive, on average, two-thirds more training than women. "Even jobs procured are rarely long-term sources of employment. Maquiladora jobs on average only last three years. Low pay and hazardous working conditions are attributed to this,vii in addition to the lack of compensation for long term work and seniority. "Because women are recruited heavily in rural areas their educational levels are especially low and they are increasingly unaware of their own rights as employees.vi Even among the jobs available, Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson note a trend towards "masculinization of positions traditionally held by women in the workforce, "referring to a move towards computer skills in plant work. "Thus women achieve not even a significant financial benefit from maquiladora work to perhaps compensate for the compromises they are forced to grant as a result of their sex.
Unions are also often simply not an option to workers or not beneficial when they are allowed. "Unionization has been an uphill battle for Mexican workers, with government controlled unions often representing management interests and ignoring labor rights,"Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson explain. Unions that are formed often have little presence in employees" day-to-day lives or are unknown to workers."Alejandro Hope, an employee of Mexico City based Grupo Economistas Asociados states unabashedly that Уwomen tend to unionize less, "as to why they are preferred for maquiladora work.iv Maquiladora workers state that they have "little faith that NAFTA will either raise wages or improve working and living conditions, as its supporters have promised. "NAFTA imposes no sanctions on a nation for refusing the right to unionize and thus, Mexico has no source of deterrence on the issue."
We cannot, however, dismiss this obvious disregard to Mexico's status as a developing nation. As Altha J. Cravey expands in his article The politics of reproduction: Households in the Mexican industrial transition, "The regulatory role of the state, which had nurtured domestic industrial capitalists and industrial workers in the old factory regime [central Mexico], has been completely revamped in favor of transnational capital accumulation. Social policy complements industrial policy in providing transnational corporations (TNCs) with a dependent and quiescent work force in the new industrial regions [EPZs]."
He furthers this by stating that employees in Mexico's older industrial zones, primarily located in central Mexico, expect social benefits within their communities."Mexico is obviously able to recognize the importance of these benefits and chooses not to in order not to compromise their relationships with the Transnational Corporations that have investments there. The United States and Canada have little ability to exercise control over the issue either. The provisions of the NAFTA agreement only require that a government follow its own labor laws. If a nation fails to follow its own rules a commission is established and sanctions may be enforced. The Mexican government simply doesn't admit that they are failing to follow their own legal provisions, and thus leaves NAFTA partners are virtually powerless. "That NAFTAs labor accords are undermined by the corruption of the Mexican government is, to some degree, out of Canadian and U.S. control.
Maquiladoras strike an issue with females much closer to their identities than job opportunities however. Pregnant women are often fired, married women are discouraged from applying and physical harm to their reproductive abilities is often incurred through their work in EPZs. Many factories require applicants to take pregnancy tests before receiving employment so that companies do not have to provide benefits that are required for maternal leaves. Additionally women are questioned regarding their sexual activity and birth control use.ii Workers employed by Zenith Electronics Corporation are hired based on their marital status (single women are almost exclusively hired) and must pass pregnancy tests to receive employment. "In 1998 the Mexican government publicly flounced the US department of LaborТs review of the legitimacy of mandated pregnancy screenings. The Department of Labor had concluded that such tests did, in fact, violate laws and should be discontinued. Mexico's labor ministry replied that requiring pregnancy tests was not in fact illegal as Mexican labor laws only applied to those already hired, not those who are candidates for employment."
If women do become pregnant and are not fired, their child often suffers health defects from lack of health care, long hours on the job and what are often harmful chemicals with which their mothers work. One plant, of approximately 200 workers, reported 4 anencephalic births and between 8 to 10 miscarriages during the period of April thru June. "Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson cite a study done in 1990 which concluded that the birth weights of the children of women in Nogales maquiladoras as being lower than "internationally accepted standards and lower than those of infants born to women working in the service and commercial sectors in that city. "Additionally women working within maquiladoras often suffer from menstrual irregularities and miscarriages.vi Luisa Cabal, a coordinator for the Latin American Program at the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy summarizes the importance of the issue when she states that, УReproductive autonomy continues to be systematically violated. WomenТs bodies are still the war zone in which societal discrimination and the subordination of women are explicitly manifested."
Mexican women's are also often unable to form solid nuclear families within Maquiladora-based towns. In addition to being discriminated against on their marital status, they are often so underpaid that forming a family is economically out of the question. Most employees who inhabit squatter communities live with mixed generations and extended family in an attempt to make ends meets. "When women have already established families, childcare often becomes an issue. The government and EPZ employers do not provide childcare for employees. "22% of job turnover is estimated to be a result of childcare issues. Women often lock their children in their shanties while they work, or, in some extreme cases, have left their children at orphanages as a solution."
Reyna Montere identifies the numerous problems of maquiladora workers as "childcare, housework, domestic violence, poverty and sexual harassment "and further clarifies that, though this causes high mental stress and harm, the issue simply isn't regarded in view of the economic benefits Mexico achieves in return for their labor.i The Mexican government's blatant eagerness to cater to the United States and Canada's industries is paralleled in scope by their disregard for their citizens. Their defaulting of their contractual obligations with their citizens is especially harmful to the high percentages of females employed within the maquiladora industries. By allowing the reproductive and gender identities of their female population to be repeatedly undermined, they tacitly consent to the moral obligation that accompanies this. Although heralded as a liberating step for females, the prevalence of gender discrimination keeps any benefits of NAFTA few and far between for Mexico.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
The accord heavily undermines traditional cultural gender roles without offering an opportunity for women to explore or establish a new communal identity. The idea of "machismo" in Mexican society emphasizes male dominance in the economic sector and restricts females to domestic labor. Female factory employees cite economic difficulties first and "machismo" second when asked what their concerns were regarding their employment.ii Women are also often hired based on traits generally associated with femininity. The initial draw of females as an employment base came as a result of their "docility" and "dexterity."Leslie Salzinger notes that "Gender and class positions are discursively linked."She elaborates later that, in accord with the stereotypes women are hired on, "To reframe the work as menТs work would be to define it as underpaid."Additionally men simply do not want their wives to work.iv Half of Mexican women are still homemakers. But even for those who have gotten jobs, the role of housewife is still their burden to bear. Even though they have been granted freedom of employment, the expectations that are placed upon them in the home haven't changed at all. "Gender roles simply were not considered in the NAFTA agreement. The growing needs for women to seek employment outside the home in order to support their families is a modern trend and NAFTA does not protect against the exploitation women suffer from foreign firms within EPZs.vi The heralding of these agreements as forward movement for Mexican females is ideologically sound at best. As long as women continue to work under conditions that further images of them as docile and submissive, EPZs offer little to them.
In addition to the reinforcement of gender roles that maquiladoras create is a prevalence of sexual harassment. Leslie Salzinger notes that this occurs both from fellow male employees and employers. Among workers there is heavy flirtation, though she carefully notes that women are pursued based on their appearances and docility, while men exclusively pursue. "On its production floor, male supervisors direct objectivized and sexualized young women apparently preconstituted in the home for use on the line," she writes in regard to the relationship between supervisors and female employees. The dichotomy women face is clearly illustrated when we examine the differences between being a good worker and engaging in the gendered social interactions that accompany the rampant sexual harassment in maquiladoras.iii It is argued by Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson that the "only way women can gain access to positions of power and decision making is to have recognition of their sexual identity and its place in the real world and for there to be a change in the structure of power. "Until this happens, the sexual harassment in maquiladoras and reliance on gendered roles will continue to hinder women's advancement.
The number of females employed in Mexico nearly doubled between 1970 and 1993. "But the growing rates of employment for females are a double edged sword. It is reported in a recent study that 40 percent of Mexican females are unpaid or paid under minimum wage while 60 percent have no social security.vi Within maquiladoras, management positions are held nearly exclusively by males, while women, who are generally undereducated, accept lower wages. Additionally women receive lower level positions even when compared with men of similar educational background. Men also receive, on average, two-thirds more training than women. "Even jobs procured are rarely long-term sources of employment. Maquiladora jobs on average only last three years. Low pay and hazardous working conditions are attributed to this,vii in addition to the lack of compensation for long term work and seniority. "Because women are recruited heavily in rural areas their educational levels are especially low and they are increasingly unaware of their own rights as employees.vi Even among the jobs available, Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson note a trend towards "masculinization of positions traditionally held by women in the workforce, "referring to a move towards computer skills in plant work. "Thus women achieve not even a significant financial benefit from maquiladora work to perhaps compensate for the compromises they are forced to grant as a result of their sex.
Unions are also often simply not an option to workers or not beneficial when they are allowed. "Unionization has been an uphill battle for Mexican workers, with government controlled unions often representing management interests and ignoring labor rights,"Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson explain. Unions that are formed often have little presence in employees" day-to-day lives or are unknown to workers."Alejandro Hope, an employee of Mexico City based Grupo Economistas Asociados states unabashedly that Уwomen tend to unionize less, "as to why they are preferred for maquiladora work.iv Maquiladora workers state that they have "little faith that NAFTA will either raise wages or improve working and living conditions, as its supporters have promised. "NAFTA imposes no sanctions on a nation for refusing the right to unionize and thus, Mexico has no source of deterrence on the issue."
We cannot, however, dismiss this obvious disregard to Mexico's status as a developing nation. As Altha J. Cravey expands in his article The politics of reproduction: Households in the Mexican industrial transition, "The regulatory role of the state, which had nurtured domestic industrial capitalists and industrial workers in the old factory regime [central Mexico], has been completely revamped in favor of transnational capital accumulation. Social policy complements industrial policy in providing transnational corporations (TNCs) with a dependent and quiescent work force in the new industrial regions [EPZs]."
He furthers this by stating that employees in Mexico's older industrial zones, primarily located in central Mexico, expect social benefits within their communities."Mexico is obviously able to recognize the importance of these benefits and chooses not to in order not to compromise their relationships with the Transnational Corporations that have investments there. The United States and Canada have little ability to exercise control over the issue either. The provisions of the NAFTA agreement only require that a government follow its own labor laws. If a nation fails to follow its own rules a commission is established and sanctions may be enforced. The Mexican government simply doesn't admit that they are failing to follow their own legal provisions, and thus leaves NAFTA partners are virtually powerless. "That NAFTAs labor accords are undermined by the corruption of the Mexican government is, to some degree, out of Canadian and U.S. control.
Maquiladoras strike an issue with females much closer to their identities than job opportunities however. Pregnant women are often fired, married women are discouraged from applying and physical harm to their reproductive abilities is often incurred through their work in EPZs. Many factories require applicants to take pregnancy tests before receiving employment so that companies do not have to provide benefits that are required for maternal leaves. Additionally women are questioned regarding their sexual activity and birth control use.ii Workers employed by Zenith Electronics Corporation are hired based on their marital status (single women are almost exclusively hired) and must pass pregnancy tests to receive employment. "In 1998 the Mexican government publicly flounced the US department of LaborТs review of the legitimacy of mandated pregnancy screenings. The Department of Labor had concluded that such tests did, in fact, violate laws and should be discontinued. Mexico's labor ministry replied that requiring pregnancy tests was not in fact illegal as Mexican labor laws only applied to those already hired, not those who are candidates for employment."
If women do become pregnant and are not fired, their child often suffers health defects from lack of health care, long hours on the job and what are often harmful chemicals with which their mothers work. One plant, of approximately 200 workers, reported 4 anencephalic births and between 8 to 10 miscarriages during the period of April thru June. "Ann Nauman and Mireille Hutchinson cite a study done in 1990 which concluded that the birth weights of the children of women in Nogales maquiladoras as being lower than "internationally accepted standards and lower than those of infants born to women working in the service and commercial sectors in that city. "Additionally women working within maquiladoras often suffer from menstrual irregularities and miscarriages.vi Luisa Cabal, a coordinator for the Latin American Program at the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy summarizes the importance of the issue when she states that, УReproductive autonomy continues to be systematically violated. WomenТs bodies are still the war zone in which societal discrimination and the subordination of women are explicitly manifested."
Mexican women's are also often unable to form solid nuclear families within Maquiladora-based towns. In addition to being discriminated against on their marital status, they are often so underpaid that forming a family is economically out of the question. Most employees who inhabit squatter communities live with mixed generations and extended family in an attempt to make ends meets. "When women have already established families, childcare often becomes an issue. The government and EPZ employers do not provide childcare for employees. "22% of job turnover is estimated to be a result of childcare issues. Women often lock their children in their shanties while they work, or, in some extreme cases, have left their children at orphanages as a solution."
Reyna Montere identifies the numerous problems of maquiladora workers as "childcare, housework, domestic violence, poverty and sexual harassment "and further clarifies that, though this causes high mental stress and harm, the issue simply isn't regarded in view of the economic benefits Mexico achieves in return for their labor.i The Mexican government's blatant eagerness to cater to the United States and Canada's industries is paralleled in scope by their disregard for their citizens. Their defaulting of their contractual obligations with their citizens is especially harmful to the high percentages of females employed within the maquiladora industries. By allowing the reproductive and gender identities of their female population to be repeatedly undermined, they tacitly consent to the moral obligation that accompanies this. Although heralded as a liberating step for females, the prevalence of gender discrimination keeps any benefits of NAFTA few and far between for Mexico.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Multiculturalism
Multicutural education has been a growing debate within school systems for many years. This has been a problem because their are so many students with diverse backgrounds are coming to school expecting to see some of their own culture being brought in the curriculum. The debate is that when students of different cultures come to school and do not relate well with the traditional curriculum they don't do well in that school. They end up being called "culturally disadvantage". When middle class white students are not doing well, it is often thought that there is a problem with the teaching method. This problem undermines the confidence of diverse groups. Teachers and society assume that the only thing wrong with diverse children is the environment that they live in. The problem rest with the school systems. They need to put different cultures within the schools curriculum.
The word "multiculturalism" is define as being, "a general desire or need for students to have something in the curriculum that relates to their own ethnic traits, if these exists, or to those of their parents ancestors". Culture is define in a way where "a particular group is categorized reality in terms of language, beliefs, values, customs, kinship patterns, skills , and dietary customs". This means that culture with itтАЩs different practices, and beliefs help diverse people make sense of the world. Culture and our whole outlook of the world are put together by our attitudes, values, opinions, and concepts. Also affect on how we think, make decisions, behave, and define events. For people to understand people from other cultures they need to understand their attitudes, values, and beliefs, and where they come from. They need to understand how racism and oppression effects them and how they cope with it. The education system has a responsibility to recognize and respect diversity because it's not going away.
The goal of multi cultural education is to teach students different cultural backgrounds so they can function in a diverse, cultural world, which is reality. The debate over multiculturalism is how to define the content and practices, along with what groups would benefit from it. Some researchers view multi cultural education as "specifically addressing bilingual, bicultural education, race and ethnicity". Multi cultural education shouldn't be categorized to fit one group, mostly the more oppressed or the most talked about minorities. Multi cultural education should be for all diverse and oppressed groups. The problem is that most teachers are not familiar with different cultures, so it starts with teachers. They need to be educated themselves. All the teachers not just the white one's need to be taught different cultural. A lot of teachers don't even know their own background. When the teachers are caught up with their education, then a multi cultural curriculum and can be created, which won't be easy. It requires sensitivity, respect, understanding and acceptance for ethnic social and cultural diversity. It also requires "an understanding that variations in learning experiences have an effect on a students achievement and performance outcomes". Students should benefit from this, to where it boost their self-esteem and academic and personal achievements. This program should be used to minimize stereotypes and prejudices, understanding one's attitudes in order to understand where that person is coming from.
Some states are already starting a multi cultural education program, such as New York. Teachers reported teaching materials on minorities and women. Others dealt with the Holocaust. "A survey of in-service workshops completed by New York State teachers in 1990-91 showed that far more had taken workshops on African History, black studies, ethnic studies, multi cultural education, and cultural diversity than of American and European History". As I said before it starts with the teachers education. How are they suppose to teach a multi cultural education program if they donтАЩt know anything about other cultural. You learn about Euro- American history starting in the 4th or 5th grade till your finish with school all together. The most you learn about other cultural, mostly deals with slavery, war , and protesting, which are all important no doubt, but it doesn't explain everything.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
The word "multiculturalism" is define as being, "a general desire or need for students to have something in the curriculum that relates to their own ethnic traits, if these exists, or to those of their parents ancestors". Culture is define in a way where "a particular group is categorized reality in terms of language, beliefs, values, customs, kinship patterns, skills , and dietary customs". This means that culture with itтАЩs different practices, and beliefs help diverse people make sense of the world. Culture and our whole outlook of the world are put together by our attitudes, values, opinions, and concepts. Also affect on how we think, make decisions, behave, and define events. For people to understand people from other cultures they need to understand their attitudes, values, and beliefs, and where they come from. They need to understand how racism and oppression effects them and how they cope with it. The education system has a responsibility to recognize and respect diversity because it's not going away.
The goal of multi cultural education is to teach students different cultural backgrounds so they can function in a diverse, cultural world, which is reality. The debate over multiculturalism is how to define the content and practices, along with what groups would benefit from it. Some researchers view multi cultural education as "specifically addressing bilingual, bicultural education, race and ethnicity". Multi cultural education shouldn't be categorized to fit one group, mostly the more oppressed or the most talked about minorities. Multi cultural education should be for all diverse and oppressed groups. The problem is that most teachers are not familiar with different cultures, so it starts with teachers. They need to be educated themselves. All the teachers not just the white one's need to be taught different cultural. A lot of teachers don't even know their own background. When the teachers are caught up with their education, then a multi cultural curriculum and can be created, which won't be easy. It requires sensitivity, respect, understanding and acceptance for ethnic social and cultural diversity. It also requires "an understanding that variations in learning experiences have an effect on a students achievement and performance outcomes". Students should benefit from this, to where it boost their self-esteem and academic and personal achievements. This program should be used to minimize stereotypes and prejudices, understanding one's attitudes in order to understand where that person is coming from.
Some states are already starting a multi cultural education program, such as New York. Teachers reported teaching materials on minorities and women. Others dealt with the Holocaust. "A survey of in-service workshops completed by New York State teachers in 1990-91 showed that far more had taken workshops on African History, black studies, ethnic studies, multi cultural education, and cultural diversity than of American and European History". As I said before it starts with the teachers education. How are they suppose to teach a multi cultural education program if they donтАЩt know anything about other cultural. You learn about Euro- American history starting in the 4th or 5th grade till your finish with school all together. The most you learn about other cultural, mostly deals with slavery, war , and protesting, which are all important no doubt, but it doesn't explain everything.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Marx vs Locke
In Estranged Labour, Karl Marx sets fourth his conception of human nature as a species being. According to Marx, human beings are universal beings because of their ability to live in any environment by changing and preparing their surroundings. Marx differentiates human beings from animals in that animals produce only when doing so is necessary to their survival. Moreover, they produce only in ways that are fixed by their nature. However, human beings can produce many kinds of goods and in many different ways. According to Marx, human beings are unlike animals in that they engage in "free, conscious" productive activity. Their productive activity itself is a product of their will and they can make choices about what and how to produce. Therefore, "man is capable of producing according to the standards of every species and of applying to each object its inherent standard; hence, man also produces in accordance with the laws of beauty."
All four possessions from which we are alienated are related, in one way or another, to our productive activity. As beings who must be productive, human beings must interact with nature and other human beings to make things and effect changes in the world around them. This seems to be the central feature of human life for Marx. Thus to be alienated from our species being is to be distanced from our fundamental nature as productive beings.
Within a capitalist society, work is done for someone else and the worker lacks autonomy. Therefore, human beings are alienated from their species being. They derive no personal satisfaction from their work, in which they must engage to acquire the things they need. Work is not a source of self-fulfillment because it is non-rewarding and non-creative. People do not think of themselves as free, conscious, social producers but rather as being bound by the necessity to do unpleasant work that brings them into conflict with other people. Alienation from species being, then, is essentially misunderstanding the basic nature of human beings.
Essential to Marx’s account of human nature is the notion that people are not lazy – the notion that people enjoy work that challenges and encourages them to produce better products more efficiently. Unfortunately, the predominate worldview that portrays people as lazy slobs who would not work if food, shelter, education, health care, etc. were the guaranteed rights of all people comes to the surface in discussion after discussion of The Communist Manifesto. A worldview perpetuated to divide those lucky enough to find low paying dead end jobs from those not so lucky. However, according to Marx, Luck has nothing to do with it – those who are advantaged in the relations of production will always frame things in a way that perpetuates that advantage.
Marx regards an objective and universal conscious activity as the main ontological character of human being, a species being. Each man represents other men, i.e. each man as an individual contains mankind in his human essence. For Marx, every organism has internal relations with other existence through its objective activity. However, while the objective activity of animal is essentially limited, that of a human being as a conscious species being has universality, which reaches, to the whole world. Man produces not only his purpose and his enjoyment but also those of the whole world including his own species and other species. Marx considers that this universality of man leads us to be a free being.
Unlike Locke, Marx does not incorporate a necessity of God in his theory of human nature. Marx takes a materialist conception which begins with the proposition that "the production of the means to support human life ... is the basis of all social structure". Therefore, an individual's equality in relation to others is compliant in relation to the social relationship, which they are in.
Locke’s theory of the state of nature is that human beings are born in “A state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons . . .” and “A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another.” Locke believes that because human beings are created by God that man = man = man = man. Therefore, we have rights to those goods that everyone in the state of nature seeks – life, liberty and property. Locke’s argument is that we are all the workmanship of God. Thus, we are morally equal and should treat each other, as God would have us be treated. Thus, the law of nature must be equal: it must give every human being the same rights and duties.
The status of a human being, in Locke’s time, was based on sameness and the predominant worldview at that time meant that you had to be male, white, and protestant. Therefore, women did not share equal status with men. Women were human like but because they are different from men, they are not quite human beings. Therefore, Locke believed that males should rule in the state as well as the family. If women were to be considered human beings, they would have a right, in the state of nature, to retaliate against their oppressors and aggressors.
God creates all men being equal to each other and as a result, no man has the right to be supreme over any other. Because men are the workmanship of God who has created him, all men are morally obligated to follow the law of nature, which prohibits taking anyone’s life, liberty and property. Furthermore, man in the state of nature has an obligation to not harm others or another’s property. No one has any authority or right to exercise power over anyone else. In addition, if person A tries to injure person B, then person B has a right to retaliate and if detained against his will, punishment up to and including death is permitted. Moreover, because we are all equal, an attack on one man is an attack on all of mankind; therefore, all of mankind has a right to punish.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
All four possessions from which we are alienated are related, in one way or another, to our productive activity. As beings who must be productive, human beings must interact with nature and other human beings to make things and effect changes in the world around them. This seems to be the central feature of human life for Marx. Thus to be alienated from our species being is to be distanced from our fundamental nature as productive beings.
Within a capitalist society, work is done for someone else and the worker lacks autonomy. Therefore, human beings are alienated from their species being. They derive no personal satisfaction from their work, in which they must engage to acquire the things they need. Work is not a source of self-fulfillment because it is non-rewarding and non-creative. People do not think of themselves as free, conscious, social producers but rather as being bound by the necessity to do unpleasant work that brings them into conflict with other people. Alienation from species being, then, is essentially misunderstanding the basic nature of human beings.
Essential to Marx’s account of human nature is the notion that people are not lazy – the notion that people enjoy work that challenges and encourages them to produce better products more efficiently. Unfortunately, the predominate worldview that portrays people as lazy slobs who would not work if food, shelter, education, health care, etc. were the guaranteed rights of all people comes to the surface in discussion after discussion of The Communist Manifesto. A worldview perpetuated to divide those lucky enough to find low paying dead end jobs from those not so lucky. However, according to Marx, Luck has nothing to do with it – those who are advantaged in the relations of production will always frame things in a way that perpetuates that advantage.
Marx regards an objective and universal conscious activity as the main ontological character of human being, a species being. Each man represents other men, i.e. each man as an individual contains mankind in his human essence. For Marx, every organism has internal relations with other existence through its objective activity. However, while the objective activity of animal is essentially limited, that of a human being as a conscious species being has universality, which reaches, to the whole world. Man produces not only his purpose and his enjoyment but also those of the whole world including his own species and other species. Marx considers that this universality of man leads us to be a free being.
Unlike Locke, Marx does not incorporate a necessity of God in his theory of human nature. Marx takes a materialist conception which begins with the proposition that "the production of the means to support human life ... is the basis of all social structure". Therefore, an individual's equality in relation to others is compliant in relation to the social relationship, which they are in.
Locke’s theory of the state of nature is that human beings are born in “A state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons . . .” and “A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another.” Locke believes that because human beings are created by God that man = man = man = man. Therefore, we have rights to those goods that everyone in the state of nature seeks – life, liberty and property. Locke’s argument is that we are all the workmanship of God. Thus, we are morally equal and should treat each other, as God would have us be treated. Thus, the law of nature must be equal: it must give every human being the same rights and duties.
The status of a human being, in Locke’s time, was based on sameness and the predominant worldview at that time meant that you had to be male, white, and protestant. Therefore, women did not share equal status with men. Women were human like but because they are different from men, they are not quite human beings. Therefore, Locke believed that males should rule in the state as well as the family. If women were to be considered human beings, they would have a right, in the state of nature, to retaliate against their oppressors and aggressors.
God creates all men being equal to each other and as a result, no man has the right to be supreme over any other. Because men are the workmanship of God who has created him, all men are morally obligated to follow the law of nature, which prohibits taking anyone’s life, liberty and property. Furthermore, man in the state of nature has an obligation to not harm others or another’s property. No one has any authority or right to exercise power over anyone else. In addition, if person A tries to injure person B, then person B has a right to retaliate and if detained against his will, punishment up to and including death is permitted. Moreover, because we are all equal, an attack on one man is an attack on all of mankind; therefore, all of mankind has a right to punish.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 500 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)