Ethics of Same Sex Marriage Essay

Society has many views on same sex relationships and marriages, people are either for it or against it. In this paper, we will first look at same sex marriage in America and how homosexuals and heterosexuals feel about the issue. We will look into the ethical issue that same sex marriage presents. We will look at how the classical theory of how deontology would resolve the issue of same sex marriage. Next, we will contrast deontology with the perspective of relativism. Finally, we will see which of these views on same sex marriage is closest to my own personal views. The ethical reason behind why people in society believe that same sex marriage is wrong is simply due to discrimination. Society does not have a valid reason why same sex marriage should not be allowed; it is just simply based on one’s own biased reasoning for not allowing it. Same sex marriage is something that people have been fighting for rights for many decades. Andrew Koppelman (2004), celebrated journalist and author, states that â€Å"Most Americans agree with the first sentence of the proposed amendment: â€Å"Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. The main question this raises is whether this rule is important enough to enshrine in the Constitution† (p. 4). Many Americans can agree that the first sentence of the amendment is broad and that it invalidates domestic partnership laws that allow same sex couples the rights of marriage without the name (Koppelman, 2004). Marriage is not just a word but rather an institution, which the amendment makes impossible for same sex marriage to have the rights to that institution. In 1996, the defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevented the federal government from recognizing same sex marriages and allows individual states to have the power to define their own family laws. This allows each individual state to choose whether to ignore the first sentence of the amendment or agree with the first sentence of the amendment when deciding whether or not make same sex marriage legal in one’s own state. With this being said, a governor can choose to allow same sex marriage in the state they govern; however, when that governor’s time has lapsed and another person takes over, that person can decide to remove same sex marriage. All of same sex couples that were married in that state are now no longer considered married in the eyes of the law anymore. Also if a same sex couple gets married in their current state that they reside in where same sex marriage is considered legal; then the couple decide to move to another state that does not allow same sex marriage, they are then not considered married in the eyes of the law in the current state that they are now living in (Koppelman, 2004). In The Limits to Union: Same-Sex Marriage and the Politics of Civil Rights, Jonathan Goldberg-Hiller (2002) writes that gay rights activists have been fighting for same sex marriage rights since 1970. In 1990, one gay couple and two lesbian couples applied for a marriage licenses in Hawaii at the department of health, several people in the states made efforts to challenge the marriage laws and were denied. In 1991, the three couples hired a local civil rights attorney proceeded to sue the state circuit court for violations of their rights of privacy and equal protection. The judge ruled that the same sex couples did not enjoy the right to marry, which followed with the couples filing for an appeal in 1993 with the state supreme court. The state supreme court made the first national ruling that rejecting same sex marriage applications was unconstitutional gender discrimination, but didn’t show a state interest. The state at the time felt that not allowing same sex marriages did not uphold moral values and protect children and filed for a motion to reconsider; however, it was rejected in the Supreme Court (Goldberg-Hiller, 2002). Like Hawaii, many same sex couples have fought their state circuit court all the way up to their supreme court and have been fighting for many years to legalize marriage in their state and have been unsuccessful. In 2004, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, the District of Columbia and two Native American tribal jurisdictions have legalized same sex marriages. As the years go on, more and more same sex couples will continue to fight for their right to marry who they choose and more states will eventually allow same sex couples their rights to marry whomever they choose (Koppelman, 2004). Those that are oppose same sex marriage focus their reasoning on religious beliefs. Same sex couples do not want to be treated as second class citizens, they do not focus on what religion states; they just want to be treated as equal as heterosexuals when it comes to their right. Same sex couples believe if one is to bar any class of people from marrying whomever they choose, it then deprives them of their social institution; that many feel defines the most meaningful part of life, to marry someone one loves. Same sex couples believe that their relationships are no different than that of a heterosexual marriage. Same sex couples can have maintain a home together, provide an environment that children can thrive in and care for each other the same as heterosexual married couples do (Goldberg-Hiller, 2002). In Attributions and the Regulation of Marriage: Considering the Parallels between Race and Homosexuality, Mark Joslyn and Donald Haider-Markel (2005) writes that for many people, these days, the issue of same sex marriage is an ethical controversy. Same sex relationships have been considered taboo and an ethical issue in many places throughout the United States. Many people oppose same sex marriage and the rights of homosexuals. The future for same sex marriage and civil unions appears to be very bright for legal recognition. Lesbians and gays had major setbacks in 2004 election, however, many feel that was just a speed bump. In Ethics and Social Responsibility, Kurt Mosser (2010) explains that ethics are the concern of what is morally right or wrong to an individual. Ethics is the study of what I ought to do or what should other people do. The philosophy known as ethics forces individuals to consider whether the things we do are right or wrong, good or bad, immoral or moral. Ethical issues have relationships even with religious traditions and legal political doctrines (p. 2). In Marriage, Autonomy, and the Feminine Protest, Debra Bergoffen (1999) explains that the ethical issues and the ethical problems same sex marriage presents is that society feels that if they make same sex marriage legal, the same sex couple would then destroy the meaning of marriage. To society, that meaning of marriage is procreation and the education of children. Procreation is not possible with the same sex, for it takes a man and a woman to make a child. Marriage is considered the ethical site of a couple and a decision people make to maintain a particular way of being. So, society feels that since same sex partners cannot procreate and have children that they should not be able to marry. Some men and women cannot conceive a child and procreate due to medical problems from either the man or woman. Many heterosexual partners, with the help of technology these days, use ways of fertility such as artificial insemination, egg donations, surrogate mothers and adoptions. So procreation is not always feasible with heterosexuals. So the statement of that marriage should be only among man and woman for the sake of procreation is actually unjust. A lesbian couple can then have a child with the help of sperm donation and a gay couple can have a child with the help of surrogacy or adoptions (Joslyn & Haider-Markel, 2005). If heterosexuals have the same issue as homosexuals, in regards to procreation, then one can say ethically it is fair to allow same sex partners to then marry To society, these days it is not uncommon to walk down the street and see a man and man, or woman and woman holding hands and it is considered normal to many Americans. However, to the older generations, they feel that a man and man, or woman and woman should not be together, even though it is a part of society these days; they have a hard time agreeing and understanding same sex relationships. The ethical values of someone from the sixties are going to be different from someone who was brought up in this day and age (Bergoffen, 1999). Ethics allows one to determine what is right and wrong, however, what we consider right or wrong is based on our upbringing and surrounding culture with other theories like deontology, we can see how these ways of life can be incorporated into society. The classical theories of deontology would resolve the problem of same sex marriage. Deontology looks at the reason and rule for why an act was done, instead of the consequences from the act. Deontology focuses on what we are obliged to do as moral human beings. Deontology realizes that all actions have consequences; however, those consequences whether or not actions are ethical should not be determined by the actions consequences. Deontologists feel that people have an obligation or duty to treat other human beings with respect, dignity and take their dignity into consideration when one has to deal with another person, as we expect them to do when someone has to deal with us. One cannot use another person nor can another person use them to get what one wants (Mosser, 2010). Deontological theory of how one should be treated allows same sex couples to be treated as just and fair as heterosexuals are treated. With deontology, people have the right to be who they are and is not fair to outcast others for any reason (Mosser, 2010). With this way of thinking, society should legalize same sex marriages and then all will be treated fairly and justly. When one says that a person cannot marry someone because they are marrying someone of the same sex, as oppose to opposite sex, is not treating someone with respect and dignity. Treating a person this way is instead out casting them as different and who are we to make that judgment in society? Deontology would fix this way of thinking in society, for people would treat same sex couples the same as heterosexual couples, thus allowing people to love and marry who they choose, not who society says they should marry. When one contrasts the theory of deontology with the perspective of relativism, one looks at two views that kind of work together. Where deontology focuses on what we are obliged to do as moral human beings, where relativism focuses on an individual’s moral claims that are either right in a culture or wrong for society. Relativism is where an individual’s values and beliefs are simply understood in one’s own culture, society or one’s own personal values. With relativism, one may find oneself debating with another person over what sport is considered the best sport. One person may believe that their viewpoint is more superior than the others view point of the issue. It is simply just that one person was raised with different views than the other. Deontology would then come in and would condemn some actions, if those actions violate the fundamental rule of treating others fairly and justly; thus allowing individuals to have their own beliefs or views (Mosser, 2010). To look at relativism and deontology together in regards to same sex marriages would help societies with dealing with same sex marriage. If society looked at the issue through the view of deontology, they would look at the situation in a moral way that every human being deserves to be treated fairly no matter the situation. Society with the perspective of relativism would have one’s own views on the matter of same sex relationships and marriage based on ones upbringing and culture and would accept what the culture says is ethical. So, a society that outlaws same-sex marriage would be acceptable to a relativist. However, with deontology in mind, society would treat same sex partners the same as heterosexuals. Even though each individual has one’s own views and beliefs on same sex marriage; with deontology one is not allowed to consider the consequences of same sex marriage, instead to simply treat others as human beings with the same respect and dignity that one would want done unto them (Mosser, 2010). My views on same sex marriage go along with deontology and relativism. I was raised in a family where we were taught certain ways of life but not to judge others for the way of life another may choose to live. With relativism, one would look at every situation based on how ones culture and ociety around them brought them up. For me, same sex marriage is something I feel should be allowed. I grew up having many gay and lesbian friends and to me it is normal for someone to date someone of the same sex. I do also feel that just because it is something that another person feels is right does not mean I have to agree with it to make it happen. When another person marries the same sex, it is them that are in that relationship not anyone else, so why does it offend or hurt others to see someone happy? Even if it is something a person is not comfortable with, who are they to judge? Would society be alright with someone telling them who they can or cannot marry? Some cultures marriage is pre-arranged; however, for many people in the United States heterosexuals are free to marry whomever they choose too. With deontology and relativism in mind, society can have their views on same sex marriage, but not let one’s own views cause them to treat others different than one would want to be treated. In my freshman year in high school, I moved from California to Virginia where I was introduced to a whole new way of life compared to ways of life I knew in California. With relativism, I was used to certain ways of being that to me made Virginia a strange place to live in. It was in high school that I encountered my first homosexual person. At first, the whole way of thinking to me was wrong, immoral and not how the bible said relationships should be. I now see that growing up, my mother thought in ways of deontology and would always explain to me, whenever I was confused, about ethical values and how whether we feel something is morally right or wrong it does not make others ways of life morally wrong. As the years past, I was one of the bridesmaid’s in a wedding of my two dear lesbian friends, held in Las Vegas. Even though their way of life was not the way I choose to live, it did not give me the right to judge them for who they loved and who they wanted to marry. At their wedding, I could see that the two were happy and in love and a year later, with the sperm donations of our friend, the two had a beautiful baby girl. With relativism and ethical upbringing, ones views on who they marry is their own views; with deontology, one accepts everyone for their own views and upbringing even if they do not understand it but one does not judge it. In conclusion, we have seen now that the ethical reason behind why people in society believe that same sex marriage is wrong is simply due to discrimination. We have, also, seen that society does base their belief of ame sex marriage on one’s own biased reasoning, not because it is harmful to society or anything that can be justified. It is simply a view of relativism, one’s own beliefs based on their society and upbringing. We have also seen that if society looked at same sex marriages with the views of deontology, society would be able to see things as they are and not discriminate and judge others for their beliefs and views. Society would treat everyone as they would want to be treated and same sex couples would be allowed to choose who they want to marry, just as heterosexual couples choose who they want to marry.

Macroeconomics Essay

If an economy produces final output worth $5 trillion, then the amount of gross income generated by that production: is $5 trillion 2. Which of the following would not be Ian expenditure on a final good or service? a medical clinic’s purchase of flu vaccine 3. Which of the following would be included in GDP? payment of the monthly telephone bill by Mr. Laconic 4. Consumption in the expenditures approach to calculating GDP includes: purchases of medical services at the local clinic 5. Which of the following is not considered a component of investment when alculating GDP? purchases of corporate stock 6. Which of the following is not included in GDP? interest payments on the national debt 7. Which of the following would not increase U. S. GDP? increased shipments of Ghanian cocoa to the United States on Greek vessels 8. A farmer grows wheat and sells it to a bakery for $5. The bakery bakes the wheat into bread, which it sells to a distributor for $20. The distributor sells the bread to a supermarket for $30, which sells the bread to customers for $50. Which of the following is true? The supermarket contributed more, in value added, than the bakery. 9. The simple circular flow model shows that: households are on the supply side of the resource market and the demand side of the product market 10. Suppose that the economy is in equilibrium with a trade deficit and that saving is greater than investment. According to the circular flow model, the government’s budget: must be in deficit 1 1 . Which of the following statements is true regarding leakages and injections? Since leakages equal injections, aggregate income equals aggregate expenditure. 2. Which of the following is an injection into the circular flow? transfer payments 13. Which of the following would not be included in the measurement of GDP? transactions in the underground economy 14. GDP is a poor measure of social well-being because: the value of leisure time is not counted in GDP 15. Given the following hypothetical data: C = $3,000; I = $1,200; G = $2,000; X- M $500; depreciation = $200; transfer payments = $800, net domestic product is: $5,500 16. Limitations of the national income accounting system include: valuing all output t its market price regardless of whether it contributes to a society’s economic welfare 17. The price index in the base year always equals: 100 18. Exhibit 01 Product Bread Gum Quantity in market basket 10 5 50 Price in base year $1. 00 1. 00 0. 20 current year $1. 50 2. 00 0. 50 Use the information in [Exhibit 01] to calculate the consumer price index in the current year. CPI = 200 19. If real GDP in a particular year is $5,000 trillion and nominal GDP in that same year is $4,000 trillion, then the: GDP price index is 80 20. A major difference between the CPI and the GDP price index is that the CPI includes: a sample of goods consumed, including imported goods, and the price index includes all domestically produced goods 21 . In double-entry book keeping system of GDP: the value of output produced must equal the value of resource payments generated in producing that output 22. Gross Domestic Product measures the: market value of all final goods and services produced by resources located within a nation regardless of who owns those resources 23. The value of the films produced in the United States starring Charlie

Responding to Social, Economic and Political Systems Essay

Social, economic and political systems greatly vary across nations, with the minor and major differences dependent on the very foundations of the social, economic and political structures of these nations. For instance, a third-world country with a predominantly Muslim population has various social, economic and political systems to a first-world nation largely composed of Christians, or the opposite can also be true as well. To a certain extent, these systems develop from the most fundamental needs of the people from their collective experience. Since there is a great deal of differences from among the collective experiences among people, there are also corresponding differences in the way in which these people address these experiences, which is why there has been varieties in the social, economic and political systems worldwide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, these systems do not remain in a stagnant stage. Rather, social, economic and political systems also undergo certain changes through certain times, whether periodic or constant change. It can also be said that because of these developments in these systems, there has also been a seeming overlap among them inasmuch as terms such as socio-political and socio-economic systems have emerged. In more recent times, changes in the social systems have taken place largely because of the improvements in the economic status of the nation. Changes in the social systems were also likely the results of the recent events which took place in a particular state. For example, the emergence of India as an economic powerhouse in terms of its capability to produce a large number of outsourcing employees has corresponded to a shift in the social status of the Indians, making those employed as outsourcing agents more informed and well-aware of the latest technological advancements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China, on the other hand, has been a growing market in the international economy precisely because of its continuous development in international trade due to its cheap goods from cheap labor. China’s cheap labor stems from the fact that the large population of that nation easily provides available manpower in the production lines. The cases of India and China are only some of the many examples which illustrate the idea that social and economic developments oftentimes comes hand-in-hand. Thus, it can be safe to assume that social, economic and political systems may intertwine with one another, bringing about consequent changes to the other while having a direct impact on the status of that system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These systems, for the most part, cast direct and indirect influences on the performances of certain organization or agencies operating within a specific location or across several parts from around the world. Direct influences may include but is not entirely limited to political, economic or social systems of a specific nation. The same can also be said of indirect influences although it can further be considered that indirect influences may come from sources external to the regional location where the organization is operating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, political systems can give either stringent or loose regulations on the operations of an agency depending on the context in which the agency is operating. A profit-oriented agency can directly be influenced by political regulations which limit the target market and the employment policies of that agency for instance. Social systems, too, hold a great deal of influence on the overall performance of an agency profiting from the sales of a certain product. In the case of a populated community, chances of marketing a certain product may be relatively higher than marketing goods within a less populated community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet it should also be noted that agencies which are non-profit by nature are equally influenced by social, political and economic systems as well. Since the existence of non-profit agencies do not depend largely on the financing that they can derive from their operations, it can nevertheless be argued that the social, economic and political systems of a specific state can have a different bearing to agencies which are primarily profit-oriented.   A certain state regulation on marketing goods may very well apply to profit agencies. However, non-profit agencies may experience no impact by these state enforced marketing regulations. What largely influences the operating of non-profit agencies in terms of social, economic and political systems can be observed from the very way in which these systems restrict the activities of these non-profit agencies. These non-profiting related restrictions may come in many forms such as restrictions on the scope of the agency’s operation as well as the extent of the agency’s behavior with respect to the existing state laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A country under a liberal democratic system will essentially enforce limited regulations on agencies such as non-profit ones so as to give these agencies an organizational type of civil liberties, giving more freedom for these non-profit agencies to exercise their functions and purposes. With these things in mind, the social and political systems of a liberal democratic state will significantly increase the participation of non-profit agencies in exercising their functions, thus giving way to servicing more clients or individuals with the services the agency provides. On the other hand, a nation under an authoritarian regime will most likely restrict the operations of a non-profit agency, placing its activities under close scrutiny of the authorities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the examples given, it can be seen that the socio-political composition of a nation or, more specifically, of a government greatly affects a non-profit agency be it in terms of its capability to exercise its functions or its capacity to provide certain services to the people not even as a marketing scheme but as a servicing scheme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further, the economic system of a specific country can also influence both the internal and external decisions and actions of a non-profit agency. Japan was once a nation which isolated itself from the rest of the world, making any financial aid from foreign agencies less likely to penetrate the funds of the non-profit agencies within Japan. Although to a certain extent these external financial aids from foreign organization may reach the funds of the non-profit agency in Japan, there could have been difficult obstacles prior to that. More recently, the economic prosperity of Japan and its opening of its borders to the world have nonetheless become contributive events to the welfare of several Japanese non-profit agencies which can make the most out of foreign financial assistance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, non-profit agencies in third-world countries such as the Philippines can encounter the difficulty of mobilizing its services across communities precisely because these communities come in a large number. The necessity to address the needs of a specific number of constituents in a certain community should first be established. Otherwise it becomes more difficult for the non-profit agency to materialize its goals given the limited amount of resources. In general, the economic system of any given country or community greatly affects the manner in which a non-profit agency addresses this factor and in which the agency allocates its resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In essence, political, social and economic systems affect non-profit agencies and that these agencies would have to make the most of what is available in terms of resources. Certain restrictions may be present, yet these things test the integrity of any non-profit agency. Reference Reiner, T. A., & Wolpert, J. (1991). The Non-Profit Sector in the Metropolitan Economy. Economic Geography, 57(1), 23-33.

Acceptable Use and Behavior Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Acceptable Use and Behavior Policy - Essay Example To protect confidential information and its financial interests, the company has adopted a number of acceptable use and behavior policies that not only enable it to mitigate the threats but also allow the employees to flexibly conduct their daily businesses without affecting the productivity. This paper discusses the physical security policy, vulnerabilities, audit policy, log management, system administrator policies as well as the various security incident handling procedures at Firion Company. Firion has implemented a number of physical security policies that are primarily aimed at improving the integrity and confidentiality of the information systems that are used in the company. One of the physical security policies that is the prohibition of the use of devices such as USB drive, FireWire and rewritable CDs/DVDs on company owned assets (Wijayanayake, 2009). Additionally all the company communication systems are only required to be configured by the IT department and no modificat ions are allowed to both the software and hardware without the approval of the IT security team. In this regard, Firion employees, business partners, contractors and vendors are not allowed to install any software applications or hardware into any machines used by the company. Generally some of the main security vulnerabilities that are currently facing Firion include potential leakage of corporate information through removable storage devices, introduction of malicious applications into the information systems of the company and misuse of computer resources. For example, employees participating surfing social network sites may unknowingly bring malicious content to the company systems. Audit Policy Item The audit policy item employed by Firion Corporation is primarily designed to guide the security team to audit the company’s infrastructure system and mitigate the potential vulnerabilities. It is the responsibility of the security team to ensure that all the information rega rding the company which are posted over the internet are properly audited to ensure that they do not compromise the security of the company (Rudolph, 2009). For example the security team is required to constantly monitor and revaluate the system and makes the necessary patches to potential security breaches. Additionally the company also makes regular vulnerability and social engineering tests to detect potential threats to the company websites and online information.   Log Management Policy Item As part of its log management policies, Firion does not allow any employee to lock their workplace computers when not in use or write down their login passwords on paper. The responsibility of creating and maintaining a secure log management infrastructure at Firion is given to the security team. For example, the security team not only performs regular log reviews and access monitoring but they also ensure the privacy of sensitive and confidential information through the use of central au thentication credentials such as user passwords. The company has also designed role based access control regulations which ensures that the access of any employee to facilities and company data is based on their roles and therefore only employees who need particular data will be able to login and access to the data. System Administrator Policy Item   According to Ferion’s system administrator policies, administrative rights are only reserved to the security t

The Adoration of The Shepherds by Hugo Van Der Goes Essay

The Adoration of The Shepherds by Hugo Van Der Goes - Essay Example One shepherd is happy to see the child and pious, the second one is just curious while the third one has some sort of suspicion or confusion regarding the whole incident (Van Der Goes). In this way, and also reflected in the dressing the shepherds in very shepherd-like clothes, the painter has tried to make his painting as close to reality as possible (Van Der Goes). The appearances of these three shepherds are summarized by Kleiner as â€Å"lined faces, work-worn hands and uncouth dress and (a) manner (that) seem immediately familiar† (408). The sheaf of wheat on the floor is another nuance added to the painting to have a realistic effect. The presence of the two cows in the picture has also reinforced the realistic tradition of this picture. Altogether, the picture can said to be anchored in realism and drawing resources also from emotionalism and symbolism to enrich that realism or to add a new divine dimension to that. The minute detailing in the depiction of drapery, the flowers, and the animals are another dimension of the realism inherent to this painting. The expressions of the people present in the scene, including that of the Virgin, attribute a high degree of emotionalism to the painting. Mary’s face is full of sorrow as if she is aware of the agonies that future has in store for this child (Van Der Goes). She is looking at the child with great pity. And the angels also have a similar kind of expression (Van Der Goes). The emaciated appearance of the child adds to the pathos of the scene. Even one cow in the cowshed is looking at the child with great sadness. Thus there is the presence of a divine foresight in the scene; a premonition of kind (Kleiner, 408). On the contrary, the shepherds are showing more mundane emotions and are balancing the sadness of the scene with a matter of fact presence (Van Der Goes). Also it can be seen that in this painting, emotionalism is used in a complementary manner to add on to realism. This is a technique which is counted as very effective, as emotions always add intensity to the realness o f the situation. Many symbolic elements are also present in this painting. The blue colored dress that Mary is wearing is suggestive of a great expanse of sadness that surrounds the story of Jesus. Blue can also be seen as a color of compassion and repentance. It is the color of eternal peace that can only be achieved through salvation. In this way, Mary of this painting has personified the essence of the message of Jesus Christ. Here it can be seen that emotionalism and symbolism have a mutually supplementing relationship. Depiction of the child lying on the ground rather than in a crib, with a golden aureole surrounding him, is symbolic of two things- his ability to walk among the downtrodden, and his divinity (Van Der Goes). The sheaf of wheat on the floor has been interpreted by art critics as symbolic of Bethlehem (Kleiner, 408). This is so because, the meaning of the word, Bethlehem is ‘house of bread’, in Hebrew (Kleiner, 408). From common knowledge, it can be as sumed that the orange lilies offered to the child are symbolic of passion and the white irises of purity. In religious terms, the purple irises as well as the columbine stalks have been considered as representative of the seven sorrows of the virgin (Kleiner, 408). The fifteen angels seen together inside this painting along with the two supporting paintings of Portinari altarpiece, have been conside

Political science project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political science project - Essay Example Social and Political effects of IMF Both IIMF and World have played an imperative role in shaping the political, social and economic environments of India, especially with the knowledge that India has been one of the developing countries with unstable environments. In this regard, with the IMF and the World Bank, both the social and political environments of India have been profoundly impacted. Scholars assert that India has received more benefits than losses from the International Financial Institutions. This is because; it is notable that India’s economy has improved since the two institutions came into action. Still, others state that the World Bank created more harm than good by reducing the Indian Economic growth rate (Mishra, 2012). However, one of the notable impacts of World Bank on the Indian economic and social environment is poverty alleviation. Statistics show that so far India has borrowed a total of US$ 65.8 billion from the World Bank. This played a key role to India since it assisted in funding its projects (Kumar, 2012). Needless to say, the funds provided were used in projects such as development of the infrastructure, rural development and social improvements among the citizens. The living standards of Indians have been improved since the poverty level has been reduced. ... Arguably, IMF also plays an extremely significant role in the Indian political and economic environments through a number of ways. This is mainly by providing economic assistance in terms of funding the government projects in the country. In addition, the IMF also provides consultancy services to the country in policy making. Kumar (2012) asserts that these policy making services have had a substantial impact on India’s political and social economy. This is because; with better policies in the country, cases of corruption are reduced and there is political integrity. In addition, borrowed funds will be utilized efficiently and thus there will be overall growth among the citizens (Eiras, 2003). Another social impact that has been observed is the improvement of the health of the citizens. A report by Kumar (2012) about the effects of IMF on India showed that, due to lack of food and other necessities the country suffered from health problems. In addition, a report given in the y ear 2007 showed that most children of the poor families in India were born while suffering from malnutrition (Mishra, 2012). This is because, the pregnant mothers had not been well fed during their maternity periods. With funding from the IMF and the World Bank, the country can provide food assistance to the poor families and thus, promoting the health of many of the citizens (Mishra, 2012). Cases of food starvation in the country have also been reduced, thus impacting the society positively since cases of theft or tribal clashes have reduced. This is a serious social effect in India since it promotes peace and stability in the country. In reference to Lagarde (2012), the World Bank and the IMF have positive effects

E-commerce in Arab Countries, What are the Benefits Article

E-commerce in Arab Countries, What are the Benefits - Article Example According to the paper findings since there are several countries in the Arab region, data related to e-commerce and internet usage in some of the important Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Egypt etc. will be mentioned and interpreted in the research report. Once a clear idea is obtained about the e-commerce in Arab countries, the findings will then be compared with the present situation of e-commerce in UK. After this comparative analysis, the research will aim at finding various obstacles to e-commerce in Arab countries. In addition to that research will also endeavour to find out the basic concepts and the major benefits of e-commerce. The major aim of this research is to gain an insight of current situation prevailing in Arab countries regarding the e-commerce. The current situation can be evaluated by finding out the total value of e-commerce in these countries, number of users, extent of involvement of people and business house etc. Furthermore the research also tries to analyse the present e-commerce situation in UK for comparing it with the situation in Arab countries. In addition to it, this research also aims to identify the factors that act as obstacles in Arab countries. E-commerce has several benefits which are expected to have significant effects on the people and the economy of a particular country. This research is conducted with the purpose of identifying the benefits of e-commerce and their effects on Arab countries. This is the major objective of this research paper apart from the others that are mentioned above.

Nuisance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nuisance - Essay Example However in Hunter v. Canary Wharf the House of Lords stated that the distinction implied the creation of two separate torts. The interference with use or enjoyment of land of claimant takes place through various ways, which includes adverse affect on negihour's sleep through vibrations and noises (Halsey v Esso Petroleum) and encroachment of roots (Solloway v. Hampshire CC) . The reasonableness of act is considered when determining on possibility of nuisance, so an action for nuisance may fail if found of reasonable use to the community and is of a temporary nature(Harrison v. Southwark). Reasonableness is dependent on variety of factors which include the duration of interference, sensitivity of the plaintiff, character of neighbor hood, and the defendant's fault. Further the character of the neighbourhood may be a vital factor in case of interference with enjoyment or use. (Sturger v. Bridgman) However it is not important when physical damage to property is sustained. (St. Helens) Finally the fault on the part of claimant can be found to be strict in certain situation while fault based in others. If it is found that the claimant continued the nuisance for example by annoying his neighbor through noises which are intolerable, then an injunction would be granted.(Christie v Davey)The traditional view has been to create a distinction between the creator of the nuisance (with strict liability) and one who carried on or adopted the nuisance (which is decided on the ground that whether the defendant knew or ought to have known of the nuisance) . By the case law it has been seen that the courts have ignored sensitivity issues when there is a strong possibility of malice.(Hollywood Fox v. Emmett). The traditional position had been that only those having a legal interest could bring an action. However trespassers have been included. (Pemberton v. Sothwark) The decision of the House of Lords in Hunter v. Canary Wharf is of significance because it scrupulously analyzed on the previous cases, upholding the traditional view. Lord Cooke argued that the right to sue could either be confined to those having an interest in the land or to those who live there; it entirely depended on the policy of law. Further Lord Goff stated that the current state of law could bring in certainty and efficacy. The decision of hunter can be considered to be an important aspect of looking at the interpretation given by the judges to develop the law. However it can be said that the dissenting opinion of Lord Cooke can be overridden by the fact that on follow up to ECHR it was found that all the applicants under hunter should be protected under Article 8 ECHR. Further it can be said that harassment an issue in Hunter can now be claimed under other heads rather than nuisance. (Khorasandjian v. Bush)In McKenna v British Aluminuim it was accepted that due to the Art8 claims based on property would be inappropriate. The development of the case law is therefore entirely dependent on the interpretation of judges of the Human Rights Act 1998. The area of public nuisance has been said to be an unsatisfactory area covering loops of

How does a society's relationship to the natural environment influence Term Paper

How does a society's relationship to the natural environment influence the cultural beliefs and practices of its people - Term Paper Example 1). Anthropology came from the Greek word arthropos which means human and logos which mean study of. The discipline of anthropology is about the human behavior with the combination of humanistic, scientific, historical, psychological, social and biological views (Jurmain, Kilgore and Trevathan, 2009, p. 6). According to Angrosino (2002), two fields of anthropology currently exist: physical anthropology and cultural anthropology. Human population is studied by physical anthropology through their genes and mechanics of evolution. The fossils and the living creatures are compared to come up with conclusions. On the other hand, cultural anthropology is concerned with the human societies and its impacts in the daily lives of the people. Cultural anthropology has five subdivisions: archaeology, ethnography, ethnology, social anthropology, and linguistics. Archaeology deals with the culture through studies using the remains or materials (artifacts) while ethnography describes the society sy stematically and vividly usually through field work. Ethnology deals with the interpretations of the information from ethnology while social anthropology is concerned with the social structure and groups. ... Various views may help the readers to understand the importance of knowing how the ways of life of people is affected by their surroundings. DISCUSSION Environment greatly affects the culture of people like the concept of racism. The variation within the human race is not caused by biological changes but more of cultural concepts like difference in access to social and economic resources (Goodman, 2006, p. 161). It can be said that the differences is manmade because biological variation is nonconcordance according to Goodman (2006). It is inherited separately or independently. Also in the biological perspective, genes are not the only means where the effect of nature can be seen or measured. Physical body is also checked to prove the differences among races and researchers also tried to prove that racism is a biological effect. Craniometry was done by experts to compare the intelligence of the human ancestors. It was even use in the society to rank criminals and people from different races because the traditional belief of intelligence is affected by the size of the brain (Lansing and de Vet, 2006, p. 4). Many myths have been held by people regarding the concept of racism as biology, but no matter what they do, the commonly-held beliefs are still beliefs and myths, not a reality. First of all, race is not based upon fixed, ideal and unchanging concepts contrary to the popular belief which was favored by the popular culture but not science (Goodman, 2006, p. 163). A good example is the traditional concept of beauty which turns against the black. The fad favors the European-looking people to be beautiful (Mercer, 1990, p. 247). The same can be seen in the chapter of a book written by Richard Rodriguez. According to Rodriguez (1990, p. 277-278), his

Finance - Corporate Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Finance - Corporate Governance - Essay Example How do the investors of a company ensure that the managers of a company are not involved in stealing their money or making bad investments in some projects? How do the investors exercise their control over the managers of the company? This study discusses all relevant issues related to answering all these three questions mentioned above. The discretionary powers and regulatory controls of primary investors of an organisation like the shareholders and creditors of the company have all been discussed in this study. 1. Corporate Governance – Definition One particular formal definition cannot be assigned to the term â€Å"corporate governance†. It is used in many different ways. In general the term â€Å"corporate governance† describes a wide variety of issues which are related to the different ways through which organisational activities can be controlled and directed. Broadly speaking it deals with the code of conduct of the business activities followed by the comp anies. Corporate governance also constitutes wider issues which are related to improvements in the performance of shareholders. ... and the company is accountable to each of them (Turner, 2009, p.5). 2. Importance of Corporate Governance The primary objective of any business organisation to develop a well structured corporate governance mechanism is to ensure that it provides maximum returns and benefits to the economy as a whole which includes all its stakeholders. Hence, corporate governance includes the inter-relationships between the shareholders, corporations and creditors. It also includes relationships between financial institutions, financial markets and business corporations. The issues related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is also included under corporate governance which is based on the activities of the organisation in relation to its business environment and culture (Claessens, 2003, p.5). In today’s world issues related to corporate governance are at top priority for any business organisation. Certain events of business failures, Global Financial Crisis (GFC), corporate frauds and scandals in the recent past have contributed towards the need of significant development in the field of corporate governance in the world. Most of the incidents of scandals and frauds in the business environment are contributed towards the lack of corporate governance in the part of managers, directors and other insiders of the companies. Moreover the ultimate sufferers are none other than the stakeholders of the companies itself. In today’s era of globalised economy, where most of the companies are operating all around the world, there is an opportunity for reaping up huge profits in business. However, it has also added to the company’s worries about the increasing competition in the market and significant fluctuations in capital flows. Moreover investors are now more concerned about

Biotech Ethics and Advancement Essay Example for Free

Biotech Ethics and Advancement Essay Biotechnology: Of Ethics and Advancement Thousands of years ago, early man, like the rest of earths fauna and flora, was at the mercy of the elements; we relied on natures gratitude when it came to finding food and survival. As Charles Darwin would say, only the fittest could survive Mother Natures test. Eventually, however, a fully-evolved man turned the tide of the competition; we began to domesticate the once savage beasts we hunted and competed with like wolves and horses turning them into livestock and our own companions bred out of their natural ferocity, to grow our own food for our own and tart agriculture, and eventually we started to settle down into permanent communities. Man had transcended nature when the first steps of human civilization began to grow. Since then, man had crafted its own grand design for himself; the discovery of metals like Bronze and Iron, to the Pyramids of Egypt and Cities of Rome, and the rest, as they say, Is modern history. In the Modern world, we still have that said control, and with It we have now intrinsically used our knowledge to design nature herself In our Ideal Image. Technological Advancements have allowed us wield it as we pleasure. We can now edit Mother Natures work and remake It anew through our vast Interference with the body that is Science. The presence of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), Dolly and all her Cloned brethren, and Real life Cyborg-Animals are Just samples of what weVe done to her. Eventually, because of this, someone Just had to say It: When will it be too much? When will we know when weVe gone too far? That Is where Ethics falls in, our man-made balance of whether or not, In the most basic sense, what we do Is right or wrong. Ethics has long been a question of how much more we can do to these once all natural things and make them artificially enhanced. When can we truly say that we, the masters have abused our power? One cannot mistake, however, that human alteration of natural things Is only a recent occurrence. Like I said, since the earliest ages of man we already tampered with nature as we sought. We turned once vlclous and wild wolves, through our process of selectively breeding the weaker ones, Into the loyal and lovable K9 friends we have today minus the genes of aggression. Pavlov strapped d own dogs to make psychological breakthroughs In condltlonlng. World War 2 scientists strapped bombs to dogs, dolphins, and even bats to assist them In fighting the enemy. Indeed, this tinkering of human hands has always been there. It now falls onto us people of today to see If things can still be set as Is. How much more can we do for our species own satisfaction? The Ethical question must always be present whenever we trod upon something as sensltlve as the condltlon of llvlng things. Animals, Ilke any other llvlng being, have xtremes in straining those rights to our needs. The uncertainty of Science itself shows that we cannot always control what happens to them come experiment time. The fear of abusing these innocent creatures is always on the minds of the very ethical/moral such as Animal Rights groups and such. Modern Genetics and Technology have sometimes crossed lines for the sake of advancement, such as taking away a creatures autonomy to turn them into natural robots. If this is truly how far Advancement has gone into sacrificing Lifes basic rules, then these righteous people really do have a reason to riot and protest.

Iraq War and Osama bin Laden Essay Example for Free

Iraq War and Osama bin Laden Essay The United States of America has failed in its endeavors with Iraq. Looking at the current situation in Iraq, there were so little, or no improvement at all ever since America waged a war on â€Å"terrorism,† pointing the finger to Iraq. When it was planned to train Iraqi soldiers so that they could â€Å"defend† themselves, leaving them to the hard work in their own backyard, one thing has been overlooked. Training a small population of Iraqi’s to defend or fight for their welfare is not the solution, hence it could further lead to something worse. It is only adding fuel to the fire, igniting the civil war Iraq is experiencing in its backyard (Bereuter, 2004). It will only increase the horrifying truth of the Iraq war, and its negative effects on the humans – death, starvation, poverty, and hatred of its own countrymen. It also has its toll on economy, pestering both Americans and Iraqis. There are various variables to consider when you talk about this war. These are the dependent and independent variables. The first variable that is a proof of the war’s failure was the increasing death toll. It is a rather dependent variable on the war because it is directly affected by the war itself. The military death toll have greatly increased, wasting the precious lives of the soldiers willing to do any of the President’s bidding. Non-Iraqi workers and contractors death toll has also doubled, bringing fear in the hearts of those who wish to work in there. The insurgencies and Iraqi resistance has then risen in a great number of times since the war has started. Death is the biggest price that both sides will pay in this Iraqi war. Roughly a lot of Iraqis have died defending their country – or fleeing it. U. S. -trained Iraqi police and National Guards were unable to protect the people, to provide safety for everyone, as it was promised by the United States government. On the other hand, not only were the United States losing the war in Iraq, they are also losing precious lives of the soldiers fighting for a lost cause. More than a thousand American soldiers and their families have suffered the consequences of the Iraq war. If death wasn’t enough, it also caused a tragic change in the economy of both countries. Both countries have increasing number of bodies being piled on the ground. Another dependent variable is insurgency. It is a consequence of the United States’ campaign on Iraq. Many people decided to take arms and fight US instead of helping peace to prosper. Insurgency has grown stronger than ever, as it can be seen on the number of deaths and losses from both ends. As the U. S. continues to stay in the Iraqi backyard, the more these Iraqi insurgents would mass up and attack people, the more the problem will continue for Iraq and the US, just like an incurable headache. The Pentagon points out that in November 2003, there were only about 5,000 Iraqi insurgents. But as of September 2004, the number of these people have blown out 400% 20,000. And considering that the number of dead Iraqi resistance fighters were around 24,000, the grim fact is that it is even larger in reality (Lieberman, 2005). An independent variable of the United States war against Iraq was the impact on economy. It is a rather independent factor that you consider because it is not connected to the so called â€Å"campaign against terror. † But whether people like it or not, war has affected the economic situation of the country and the whole world. Not only was this war wasting precious lives, it is also wasting hard-earned money. About 151 billion U. S. dollars went down the drain as the cost of this war continually increases. The money which came from America’s taxpayer’s pockets are surprisingly being wasted on bullets, guns and ammunitions, vehicles, and more, considering that these things are being wasted, and have no real benefit as of late. Ending the war: the price for Osama’s head The United States, along with the United Nations and the European Union have resorted to a lot of efforts in order to solve this problem. This includes empowering a few chosen Iraqis to defend themselves and be able to start a new government. This effort has been considered futile since Iraq as a country is being plagued with internal conflicts – civil wars between various ethnic groups. So if you empower any of these groups, there is a tendency that they would just go against each other, so instead of solving the problem, you are giving them another blow in the head. Another effort which they had resorted to was hunting down the famous terrorist leader, Osama bin Laden (Kirkpatrick, 2004). As the Al Qaeda’s leader, he is considered to be one of the most influential heads of the Iraqi resistance. They think that killing him would mean victory in the Iraq war. They see that his presence – his very existence, is considered to be an encouragement for the Iraqi people to take arms and fight the â€Å"invaders† in their lands. Using the terrorist attacks in the country as an example of what this man can do, the United States government has waged an all out operative to search for bin Laden. The army literally bombarded the possible hiding places for Osama bin Laden, but still returning empty handed. Rumors about his death came out, but the lack of evidence has left the people doubting. What the United States overlooked was not Osama bin Laden is not the problem, so putting him out of the scene was definitely not the solution. Osama bin Laden was only a part, just a fraction of what the US government is up against with. He may be an influential leader, but still, there are other factors that they have to consider if they really want to end this war against Iraq. Iraq is in the middle of a very turbulent civil war; different groups in the country are fighting among themselves for survival, since each of them claims that they can’t live with any of the other groups. It is a communal war, wherein they are slugging it out with other groups; Sunnis fighting against Shiites, Kurds against Sunnis, and Shiites against Kurds (Diamond, 2006). In these groups there are other minorities fighting on multiple front, thus making the war complex. Osama bin Laden as a terrorist icon doesn’t necessarily prove much of an importance, since between these Iraqi’s lies greater conflicts. These conflicts could lead to mass slaughter, thus creating chaos in the global level.

Who Invented Christian Martyrdom Religion Essay

Who Invented Christian Martyrdom Religion Essay The questions of who invented Christian martyrdom and why, and who was the first Christian martyr, are ambivalent in themselves as there cannot be a definite correct answer. When considering the history, many key related figures become apparent. There are three possible areas in which martyrdom may have been invented, these are the Christians, the Jews and the Romans. There is evidence of martyrdom stemming from each of these groups, which will be addressed in this essay. As well as the three groups mentioned above, there are individual examples of those who may have had been responsible for the initial inspiration that formed the invention of martyrdom. The Romans undoubtedly played a large part in the development of martyrdom. The formation of the Roman Empire following the Republican period, created an autocratic empire that ruled the majority of Europe and surroundings areas of the Mediterranean. This gave the first Emperor Augustus and his predecessors power to control the religious institutions. The development of Christianity was seen by the Roman Empire as both superstition and atheism. The first accusations of the Christians came after the Great Fire on Nero in 64. The Christians were a convenient religious group to blame this upon (even though after the fire Nero himself used the landmass to build, making the fire seem extremely convenient for his own uses, which brings about questions of the sincerity of the accusations of the fire) and from this came persecution and execution. Christians were subsequently dealt with in this way, and from this it can be claimed, that martyrdom stemmed from the Roman Empire. Christians were being forced into execution, and through support of their religion they came to prefer death rather than deny their religion and live.  [1]  The Roman Emperors views differed on the prosecution of the Christians. The attitudes were sporadic. Nero, Decian and Diocletion were responsible for serious attacks on Christianity however Trajan was rather lenient to Christians compared to other Emperors. Pliny is somewhat ambivalent, not knowing whether the crime is being a Christian or the secret crimes connected with the name  [2]   It can be argued that Christian martyrdom was invented by the Jews, as it was Jesus himself who died for his faith, and obviously being a Jew this would lead the invention back to Judaism. However as this was pre-Christianity it cannot be said to be the invention of Christian martyrdom, just a moral example. As well as the latter point, Jews had been taught from the early prophets to scorn the religions of his neighbours, even if these for the time being appeared to be more successful in earthly rewards than himself.  [3]   It was of course the Christians themselves who were martyred, but it can be suggested that if it were not for the prosecution of the Christians by the Roman Empire then Christian martyrdom would not have come about at all. There would have been no need to prove their faith. The martyrs became something of an example for other Christians, and inspiration to stick by their faith. The author of source 20 in A New Eubusis states how blessed and noble are all the martyrdoms which have taken place and respects their nobility and endurance and love for their Master.  [4]  As in the words of Polycarp, when told to curse Christ, Polycarp continued to confess himself as a Christian, and when faced with being burnt alive commented that I must needs be burnt alive, so that he might take a portion among the martyrs in the cup of Christ, because he wanted to be a rich and acceptable sacrifice  [5]  This gives evidence to show that despite the imminence of death, their faith would remain. As well as looking at the groups mentioned above, there are certain individuals who can be said to have had a significant effect on the development of martyrdom. Martyrdom can be thought to have originated from the figure of Jesus, and his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans due to his blasphemous claims. Jesus apostles were thought to have emulated him in this way, as nearly all his apostles in turn died at the hands of their beliefs and faith in Jesus. It is this act of Jesus that is claimed by some to be where martyrdom began, making Jesus the inventor of martyrdom. Despite this claim, I would argue that Jesus is an exemplar rather than a creator. Evidence for this statement is clear in the account of Polycarps martyrdom where there are references to crucifixion, the Lord might once again give an example of the martyrdom which resembles the gospel story.  [6]  It is also stated in the martyrdom that Polycarp refused to blaspheme saying For eighty-six years I have been his servant and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme against my king and saviour?  [7]  It also becomes clear in the Martyrs of Lyons and Vienne, 177, where Christ if often mentioned, with references such as then in turn a mighty dispensation of God came to pass, and the measureless compassion of Jesus was displayed , in a manner rarely vouchsafed among the brethren, but not beyond the art of Christ.  [8]  Both letters make clear and relevant that Jesus actions were the incentive, and that his actions gave them the strength and power to die for their beliefs. Although it can be argued that Jesus was the martyr exemplar, he cannot be called a martyr himself. There is very little evidence suggesting he was ever called a martyr. In fact the only time the word is ever mentioned is in Revelation 2:13 and Acts 22:20 with reference to his disciples as martyrs, meaning witness as this is the Greek root of the word. So the word martyr is associated with Jesus death, but with a different meaning and this is further highlighted by a very relevant Christian martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, who didnt even use the Greek word martyr for himself. Another example of what same may call a martyr is Socrates, however in this case, as well as with Jesus, Christianity was not yet born, and so this pre-Christian martyr can only be seen, as Jesus was, as a model for the Christians. This is referred to in Justin Martyrs second apology; Socrates was charged with the same things that we are.  [9]  Both of these examples perhaps give Christians the idea to carry ou t this heroic action. This then calls for an explanation of how the new meaning of the word martyrdom came about. How did it move away from its original meaning and why? As previously said there is ambiguity as to who the first Martyr was, and hence who invented Martyrdom. We have established the neither Jesus nor Socrates were martyrs, so then we come to the Jewish Maccabees, their relevance is highlighted through the way in which Blandina is likened in Lyons and Vienne to the mother of the seven sons. At this point martyrdom had come to mean what it does today as Professor Baron stated there were born that great exaltation of Christian martyrdom which was to dominate the minds of the jews and chritians for countless generations.  [10]  However, the two terms are clearly linked and may be seen to merge together. As the Apostles were witness to the death of Jesus, they then became venerable due to their everlasting faith, and could at anytime be called upon to deny what was witnessed under penalty of death. As the apostles would never deny their beliefs, they moved from being a witness, to being open to the idea of death, which will lead us on to the controversial topic of voluntary martyrdom. St. John, at the end of the first century, describes martyr as a faithful witness (martus) who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth (Revelation 2:13). In Bowersocks Martyrdom and Rome he highlights the point from the latter paragraph, that despite the use of the word itself in the New Testament, the meaning is by no means the same. Bowersock believes that it was not until the 2nd Century that the word martyr came to mean what is means today. Even though links can be drawn to earlier events, such as Nero at Rome which followed the great fire in 64, the change and the more relevant events come later. It is suggested by De Ste. Croix that from approximately 112 onwards Christians started to be prosecuted by pagans simply for being Christians the nomen Christianum, and Pliny states in a letter to Trajan that he executed those charged before me with being Christians.  [11]  The definition of the word martyr was emphasised when the title was turned down by the confessions of Lyons, as they did not actually die, and stated They are already martyrs whom Christ has deemed worthy to be taken up in their confession, having sealed their te stimony by their departure; but we are confessors mean and lowly.  [12]   The interesting movement that occurred, that is dissimilar to Jesus, Socrates and the Maccabees was the voluntary martyrdom. Not only were devote Christians willing to give their lives, they actually wanted to. This was something that very much puzzled the Roman Empire, and became interpreted as almost a provocation. But the sincerity was entirely there as proved by Perpetua and Germanicus. Voluntary martyrdom was in fact forbidden by the church, and those being executed voluntarily were said to be considered far less heroic. The bishops of the churches were supposed to refuse to the voluntary martyrs the honour of the name martyr, and this is backed up by a number of sources including Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Lactantius, the canons of the council of Elvira and the passion of Polycarp. Yet despite this, the martyrs were usually seen in high regarded, seen also as heroic figures.it has been said, notably by De Ste. Croix that it was a montanist practice in origin, however he then goes on to suggest that it began far earlier, but there is not sufficient evidence to back this up. Christian Martyrdom was essentially invented to prove the seriousness of the Christian faith. Initially those who were sentenced to death, did so graciously, without hesitation, yet not with the will of that being the case. These were described as glorious examples of resistance to tyrannical authority and painful suffering before unjust judges. Despite the development of martyrdom, and from that the stemming of voluntary martyrdom, it is made clear from Perpetua how difficult, and how much of a dilemma the Christians faced when deciding between sacrificing their beliefs, or their lives. It must be noted that the ambiguity of this invention can be partly resolved when considering that Christian martyrdom stems from Christian theology. Even though the discussion of the invention of martyrdom is centred around the denominations and figures mentioned above, none of the martyrs would have died if they were not following closely their religious beliefs, and obeying what the church required of them. It is impossible to say who invented Christian martyrdom, and I question whether invent is even the correct term to use in this context. The action came about due to devotion and faithfulness to the Christian religion, and thus became almost a tradition, in which followers showed their dedication to Christ and their one God. It was not invented for a particular purpose, but became something of a statement. Its roots are deeply embedded in the Jewish history concerning Jesus and then Socrates, as well as in the lives of St. Stephen the first Martyr and the many other Christian figures who gave their lives to support their faiths. Word Count: 1,950

Tragedies While Climbing Mount Everest Are Caused by Human Error Essay

Tragedies While Climbing Mount Everest Are Caused by Human Error Especially in terrible weather, every second counts while nearing the top of Mount Everest on an expedition. A step in the wrong place or a rope hooked to the wrong crag may send a climber falling thousands of feet into a deep crevasse. Turning an oxygen level the wrong way may leave the air non-breathable to a climber after a few short minutes. These errors happen every season on Everest, no matter what the conditions are. Whether errors in judgement or just simple mistakes, accidents on Mount Everest are caused by human error. During pushes up the mountain, it is easy for climbers to make subtle decisions that may have grave consequences later on the hike. The climb in May 1996 provides a good example of an accumulation of such mistakes. The most obvious lapse in judgement appeared when the guides of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions, Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, respectively, did not force climbers who had not reached the summit to turn around at the designated time. Fischer passed a few of his clients while descending but allowed them to continue to the top. The final client reached the summit at 4:00 P.M., a full two hours after the designated turn-around time. Unfortunately for those climbers who kept pressing for the peak, a storm arrived around 4:30 P.M. and caused blizzard conditions. If climbers had retreated by 2:00 P.M., they may have had a much better chance to survive. Other climbers later speculated that the two guides wanted to give those who had previously climbed to just short of the summit time to reach the top on the 1996 attempt; unfortunately, the reinforced push cost those clients their lives. Even the Sherpas, who were renowned for their experience and knowledge of climbing Everest, made costly errors that led to even more tragedy in the spring of 1996. During the morning of the ascent, sirdar Ang Dorje refused to fix the ropes for the other climbers because Sherpas from the Mountain Madness team were not willing to help and "apparently, he was tired of doing more than his fair share." (ITA, 183-4) Ultimately, four climbers had to advance in front of the groups and create paths, resulting in the loss of valuable time for all parties involved. Meanwhile, at Camp Four the Sherpas designated by Rob Hall to help in the case of any emergen... ... because he believed Scott Fischer would have benefited from the publicity of getting such a celebrity to the top of the peak. Lopsang reasoned, "Scott wants all members to go to summit, and I am thinking Sandy will be weakest member...so I will take her first" (qtd. in ITA, 178). The task left Lopsang visibly exhausted for the majority of the climb after that point. Without exerting that much physical effort, Lopsang may have been able to help other climbers during the tragedy. He could have shown his devotion to Fischer by escorting him down the mountain when the guide became too weak to move on his own. Because of his inability to help on the descent, Lopsang contributed to the amount of human error that occurred on the peak. Human error, including lapses of judgement and simple physical mistakes, causes the tragedies on Mount Everest to occur. The horrible timing of the blizzard in 1996 took many of the climbers in the Mountain Madness and Adventure Consultants expeditions by surprise. Unfortunately, the climbers would have had a much better chance of being safe at Camp Four during the blizzard if they had followed their own predetermined plans while ascending the mountain.

Religion And Discrimination :: essays research papers

Religion and Discrimination   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One might take the view that society should be tolerant to any religion so long as it conforms to our laws and written constitution. At first glance, this statement seems as fit an answer as possible to the question of societal limits to religious tolerance. Unofrtunately, if one were to consider the matter with more caution, one would eventually see that the statement could only be part of a greater answer. It is without a consideration of some of the elements which constitute cults, as well as other factors, that one would falter in devising a definitive answer to the question.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Certain followings or ‘faiths' which claim to be religions that are prevalent today are, in actuality, forms of cults. Although most of the practices and elements common to cults are legal, they are, at best, suspect. The following should constitute the line of telerance society should not cross.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Firstly, what distinguishes cults from religions is the manner in which they operate. Cults are designed with a view of insulating the individual from the rest of society. Once a member of a cult, in most cases, the individual is removed of most (if not all) of their personal autonomy. Most decisions are made by the cult leader, access to the outside world is often denied, and all information about the outside world is distorted by the leader. These types of operations should be intolerable by society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Second, there should be no tolerance for ‘religions' that espouse any form of sacrifice, be it human or animal. Although historically, these practices were more or less prevalent and accepted, there certainly is no place for them in modern times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lastly, there should be a limit of religious tolerance with regards to the manner in which some display their beliefs. Individuals in society should not be subject toa ny violence or restriction of freedom as a consequence of someone else's beliefs. There have been numerous illustrations of this in the past. Individuals have blocked abotion clinics, have participated in violent demonstrations concerning one issue or another, ad infinitum. These types of religiously-fuelled practices have no place in, and should not be tolerated, in present day society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For some, the state has been seen to usurp the place of God on occasion. The fervent belief held by Jehovah's Witnesses, in assence, acts as the basis of their religious dissent. There have been certain areas of the law, which historically, have given rise to the conflict between the Canadian legal system and Jahovah's Witnesses. As a result of this conflict, a myriad of implications have arisen.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, A Tortured Genius Essay -- Biography biographies bi

Dostoevsky biography as related to his works It is often remarkable to see the relation between events in an author?s life and that of his works. Many great authors have transcribed the pivotal moments of their existence onto paper for readers to enjoy, sympathize, or rage. Certainly, Fyodor (or Fedor) Dostoevsky, being no different than that of the very best of his profession, lived a life with experiences that influenced his writings a great deal. His masterpieces stand as ultimate manifestations of his tumultuous affair with pain, sorrow, anger, misery, for, each tells of dark worlds and conflicts with social status, money, or oneself. Overall, Dostoevsky?s past of living in constant torment with himself and his ideals transfers itself onto each page of his novel Crime and Punishment, indeed, difficult lessons he learned from his own mistakes jump out from the page at readers, as if he wants us also to learn something. Born in Moscow 1821 during the rule of tyrannical Russian tsars and slavery with the nicer terminology of serfdom, the young Dostoevsky witnessed first-hand the violent nature of an alcoholic. As son of a vicious army surgeon whose brutality after drinking led the family serfs to choke him to death one day by pouring whisky down his throat (Leatherbarrow 13), his aversion to and disgust of alcohol is easily understood. In an unexpected turn of events, Nicolas I liberated all serfs during Dostoevsky?s teenage years and as a result left him and his family on the edge of destitution. In the wake of emancipation, however, he matured into a fierce advocate for serf rights and even called for government subsidies to aid them in starting afresh (15). His campaign for better conditions for peasants and fi... ...ld when he died in 1881 (Leatherbarrow 30), Dostoevsky left the world a legacy of amazing works that probe into the depths of the human soul: The Double, The House of the Dead, Notes from the Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Possessed, The Brothers Karamazov, etc (31). Works Cited "Dostoevsky's Life and Career, 1859-1863." LESSON 8 Dostoevsky, Notes From Underground. Russian 5421, University of Minnesota. 28 Dec. 2007, . Knapp, Liza. Giants of Russian Literature: Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov. Prince Frederick, MD: Modern Scholar, 2007. Leatherbarrow, William J. Fedor Dostoevsky. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1981. Leone, Bruno, Brenda Stalcup, Bonnie Szumski, and Tamara Johnson, eds. Fyodor Dostoevsky: a Literary Companion. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. 54-83.

Effects of Early Marriage Essay

This chapter consist of Introduction, Background of the Study, Conceptual Framework, Statement of the Problem, Hypothesis, Significance of the Study, Scope and Limitations of the Study and Definition of Terms. Introduction Marriage is considered as one of the greatest part of a couple’s life. Things that shall be cherish and treasure by a wedded partners. Considering the new, civilized and liberated nation, it was well known in this country that early marriage is considered as a controversial subject matter. Early marriage affects the person involved in it in many psychological and social ways. There were possibilities that the couple who were married at their young age struggles in facing the hardships and difficulties of life without learning and knowing what a married life was. It is considerable that this wedded couple were not yet ready to face the difficulties of what married life was. Background of the Study Early marriage or child marriage refers to a marriage wherein the persons involved were not on their exact ages of a marriageable couple, it is frequently and often before puberty. In some cases only one marriage-partner is a child and they were usually females. And in some worst cases the females were actually pregnant that they consider marriage as a solution. At some point the females involved in early marriage were already physically and psychologically abuse by the time they were engage on that early marriage. In this study the researchers wanted to inform any other people that this issue early marriage is a serious case that people shall know. The researchers involved themselves to people who were actually married at their young ages, people who were not yet married and people who were engaged about the topic. EVALUATION SHEET Name: _____________ Age: ___Gender: ________ Classification: (please check) Student: ___ Wife: ___ Husband: ___ Directions: Check the box which correspond your answer. 1.Do you prefer to be married at a young age? YesNo 2.On what age you wanted to be married? ______________ 3.Do you already have a husband/wife? YesNo 4.Are you officially married? YesNo 5.What age did you married your partner? ______________ 6.Are you forced to marry your partner? Yes No 7.Are you prepared to have a family? Yes No 8.Have you been abuse by your partner? YesNo 9.What abusive acts have you experience from your partner? ___________________________________ Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of this study was represented in a form of a schematic diagram: IV DV Frame I Frame II Frame I: Independent variable wherein it consists of early marriage or child marriage. Frame II: Dependent variables wherein it consist of the causes of why people engage themselves to early marriage or child marriage. It consist of dependent variables that will cause a person to be married at a young age. Statement of the Problem Who will be badly affected by early marriage? Hypothesis The researchers came upon the hypothesis that the women or females involve in early marriage were the ones that will suffer from the effects of early marriage. Early marriage This study was made to inform and to give about early marriage and its effects to the partners involved. Future Researchers This study can be use as a source of data and information for future related researches. Scope and Limitations This is a study that has limited data and information about early marriage. The data gathered in this study came and evaluated from (20) wedded housewives (20) wedded husbands (5) single female student/s (5) single male student/s. Thus the process and preparation on this study must be carefully discussed for the others to be informed well. This study is not intended to bother or harm other person involved in a family that was engaged in an early marriage like their child/children thus this study was made to just inform those people what early marriage really was. This study used evaluation sheets to evaluate what really were the effects of early marriage in a couple, in a student. Definition of Terms Early marriage/child marriage: it is a matrimony wherein it is given to those children even though they were not in their marriageable ages.

360-Degree Feedback in the Appraisal Process †the Present Need for Banks in India

360-DEGREE FEEDBACK IN THE APPRAISAL PROCESS – THE PRESENT NEED FOR BANKS IN INDIA * Dr. J. SRINIVASAN Introduction Tremendous changes have taken place world-wide in the last decade. These changes have had a strong impact on service sectors in India. The world is very different today from what it was a decade ago. Today’s corporate world can be characterized as highly competitive, technology and systems-driven, customer-centered, quick, cost and quality conscious, to survive, one has to compete with those who have technological advantages, financial advantage, systems advantages, communication advantages, and above all, those with people advantage. Success of the individual in the work place demands collaborative relationships with superior, colleagues and subordinates, and can seldom be adequately assessed solely by the superior. Further, an individual’s personal development process requires objective and constructive feedback on one’s strength and weaknesses. The 360-degree feedback or Multi-rater assessment has become a worldwide phenomenon. It was extensively used as the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in India form mid eighties though the term 360-degree feedback was coined in USA in early nineties. This tool has become a popular change management tool and leadership competence-building tool. This is evident from the increase in the number of Indian companies adopting it. Performance appraisal has come to occupy a pivotal place in human resource function. The traditional merit rating which focused on personality traits was replaced by performance appraisal with focus on work results. In order to make appraisal more __________ * Assistant Professor of Commerce, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Cheyyar – 604 407. E-mail: [email  protected] co. in objective, transparent and participative, concepts such as self-appraisal, pear appraisal, subordinate appraisal and appraisal by customers both internal and external were introduced. Meaning 60-degree feedback is a process by which an individual gets his/her aggregated feedback from different categories of individuals- seniors (boss, reporting officer, reviewing officer), subordinates, direct and indirect reporters, peers (colleagues and internal customers), external customers and suppliers, and other role/set members with whom he/she is interacting. The 360-degree feedback process is an importan t development to enrich human resources, organizational development and training and development. Traditional performance assessment has generally been limited by the perspective of the immediate reporting and reviewing superiors. In contrast, the 360-degree feedback broadens the canvas dramatically. It provides a wider and more realistic forum for frank evaluation by direct reports, peers and others, resulting in new motivation and direction for the people. As a result of this, people can move towards company’s goals more quickly and with greater precision. Though people may express initial apprehension of being assessed by superiors, subordinates, colleagues and others, in actual practice many prefer to be assessed by a group who see their performance from a variety of perspectives, rather than from the limited perspective of their immediate superiors. They find 360-degree feedback as more accurate and fair. The 360-degree feedback process involves collecting perceptions about a person’s behaviour and the impact of that behaviour from the person’s superiors, direct reports, colleagues, fellow members of project teams, internal and external customers, and suppliers. Multi-source feedback encourages openness and raises expectation, leading people to believe the organizational values, continuous learning and honesty. The 360-degree feedback process should be integrated with the strategic perspective measures derived from the balance scorecard framework. Most organizations appear to be using this process for: ? Leadership development (implementing their leadership models or reinforcing the same) ? Individual growth and development ? Competency building ? Rarely or never for: Performance Appraisals, rewards and recognition, collecting data on employees, succession planning and career development. Considerations before starting 360 degree feedback 1. Purpose It is important that people are clear about why this process is being used and what it is being used for. The purpose needs to be clearly and consistently communicated to all those involved. 2. Culture Organizations need to consider whether the organisational culture supports this process and allows open feedback. The 360-degree feedback process relies heavily on the inputs of others so participants and raters need to feel comfortable and supported when taking part in this process. 3. Timing Identifying when to introduce 360 degree feedback is an important consideration. It is not appropriate to introduce it during periods of downturn or when redundancies or re-organizations have been announced. During these periods, staffs are more likely to be feeling threatened and concerned about the organization’s intentions and therefore resistant to new feedback processes. 4. Roll out Consider having a senior manager acting as a sponsor or champion of 360-degree feedback. This can greatly enhance its success and generate buy-in in to the process. It is also important to involve staff as early as possible in the implementation of 360-degree feedback as it prevents secrecy and the feeling that this has been imposed on them. 5. Confidentiality It is important to guarantee confidentiality for participants – both subjects and raters. Make sure the model you are using ensures this happens so that the feedback is not attributable to individual raters. The 360 degree process 1. Self-assessment Self-assessment encourages the individual to take responsibility for his or her own development and is a useful starting point in the 360-degree feedback process. Consideration needs to be given to the purpose of this information and how it is used as well as who has access to this data and how long is it held for. . The raters Identifying the most appropriate people to rate the performance of the individual is a key part of the process. Ideally the recipient will have full involvement in identifying who they think is in the best position to comment on their performance. The raters must be credible to the recipient for them to act on the resulting feedback. 2. 1 Number of raters The assessment has to be based on a large enough samp le to ensure that it is valid. If too small, there is a danger that one rater’s view will have a major impact on the overall results. to 12 respondents are usually sufficient in terms of reliability. 3 The questionnaire The design of the assessment, reporting and feedback process should suit the purpose of the exercise. It needs to describe the behaviours, which relate to actual job performance. It should relate to existing measurement systems within your area, such as competencies. It also needs to be in line with City’s culture and values. The questionnaire needs to be relevant to the raters and their day-to-day involvement with the individual. A well-designed questionnaire should offer respondents the opportunity to indicate where they have not had the opportunity to observe behaviour, or where the behaviour is not relevant to the job, so as not to force them to guess. Ideally the questionnaire should take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. 3. 1 Qualitative and quantitative data The most effective questionnaire design is one that encompasses both quantitative as well as qualitative elements. The quantitative elements provide the structure and the qualitative questions provide the context. Feedback strategy It is important to consider what feedback is communicated and how and when this takes place. 4. 1 Feedback report Feedback usually consists of a report. The design of the report should be kept simple and ideally designed to help the individual priorities their relative strengths and development areas. Given that an individual is receiving sensitive information about how their colleagues, direct reports and manager vi ew their performance, sensitivity is essential. Someone must be available to help interpret the results with that person. . 2 Trained facilitators As 360-degree feedback is being used as part of the appraisal process, feedback is communicated face to face. The people giving the feedback (appraisers) must have had the relevant training to give them the skills to support this process. 4. 3 When feedback is communicated Ideally the individual receives feedback as soon as possible after that feedback has been collated. It is important to ensure that people receive it when there is support available to interpret the results e. g. s part of a supportive appraisal process. 3. Evaluation 3. 1 Purpose Evaluating the impact of 360-degree feedback is an important part of determining its success. This is especially important if you have piloted this process and are considering rolling it out to other areas and/or are repeating the process. 3. 2 Measures Impact can be measured at both the organi sational and individual level. This can include following up with participants about their views on the process as well as measuring the impact it had on their development plans. On an organisational level, monitoring key performance indicators will determine whether targets have been met more closely following the introduction of 360-degree feedback. Implementation of 360-Degree Feedback Process in Banks The implementation is typically done by: ? Creating acceptance of the process with the individual to be evaluated. ? Conducting a self-evaluation with the individuals. ? Identifying the appropriate number of persons who will participate in the 360-degree feedback process. ? Conducting the evaluations with the employees, superiors, peers and subordinates. Analyzing the collected information to identify consensus on strength and weakness of the evaluated individuals. ? Meeting with the evaluated individuals to discuss the 360-degree feedback results and to develop a self-development plan to overcome personal deficiencies to meet the challenges. ? Conducting periodic evaluations of the individual. Objectives of 360-degree feedback or Multi-rater Appraisal and F eedback System (MAFs) The assessment is made on a questionnaire specially designed to measure leadership styles, managerial qualities, impact and other behaviors considered critical for performance. Such feedback from multiple sources provides a credible picture and can be used for various purposes like: †¢ Providing insights into the strengths and developmental areas of the candidate in terms of the effective performance of roles, activities, styles, traits, qualities, competencies (knowledge, attitudes and skills), impact on others etc. †¢ Enhancing role clarity and establishing increased accountabilities. †¢ Identification of developmental needs and preparing development plans more objectively in relation to the current or future roles and performance improvements for an individual or a group of individuals. Leadership Development. †¢ Generating data for various personnel decisions (provided it is decided initially that the feedback is not meant only for the person but also to be shared completely with the organization) †¢ Culture building and reinforcing other change management efforts and organization effectiveness directed interventions. This may i nclude: TQM efforts, Customer focus or internal customer satisfaction enhancing interventions, Flat structures, Quality enhancing and cost reducing interventions, process changes etc. †¢ Aligning individual and group goals with organizational vision, values and goals. Planning internal customer satisfaction improvement measures. This review generally supplements the traditional appraisal system and does not replace it. Benefits of 360-Degree Feedback 360-Degree feedback offers several advantages. Some of these include:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Benefits to Banks: †¢ It provides a more objective and acceptable feedback. †¢ Very effective for developing leadership and other competencies considered critical for performing various Leadership and Managerial roles effectively. †¢ Serves as a team-building tool as it is more involving and participative †¢ Promotes a culture of openness Promotes total quality with emphasis on internal and external customer orientation â⠂¬ ¢ Results in better quality of HR decisions for training and rewards †¢ Helps in identification of competency gaps and planning development interventions †¢ It is a good supplement to normal appraisals but not a substitute to them. Benefits to the individual: †¢ Serves as a team-building tool as it is more involving and participative †¢ Helps to ascertain if your impact on others within the organization is in the desired manner/direction †¢ Enhances self-awareness Helps discover strengths, weaknesses and blind spots †¢ Provides direction for change and development †¢ Focuses attention on actions and behaviours valued by others; thereby improving work relations †¢ Helps discover areas where you have not yet made a significant impact. Ingredients for the Success of 360-Degree Feedback in Banks 360-degree feedback systems can be very sensitive. A person who is not well prepared for it can be thrown out of balance. If not designed and conducted well, it has the potential danger of developing wrong perceptions or notions. It is therefore necessary and important to manage the process well and make it foolproof. The first important step is to determine if the organization is ready for it. The second important step is to determine if the candidate is ready for it. The following are the indicators of a Bank’s readiness for 360-Degree Feedback. †¢ The top management of the bank is committed to develop the competencies of employees on a continuous basis. †¢ HRD systems operating in the bank being taken seriously in implementation. †¢ The top management is willing to invest their time and effort in giving feedback to their own subordinates. The top management is adequately committed to competency-building through 360-Degree Feedback. †¢ People take feedback supportively and use it for development. †¢ The Bank already is or is in the process of becoming a customer-driven organization. †¢ The HRD department has a high degree of credibility. The following are indicators to a ssess the readiness of a candidate for the 360-Degree Feedback: ? The candidate has a desire to know himself through the eyes of others. ? The candidate desire to be better. ? The candidate should be a learning-oriented individual. The candidate is receptive and respects the views of others. TVRLS Experience with 360-Degree Feedback TVRLS has covered over 3000 top-level managers so far from various organizations involving around 30,000 assessors. Research conducted by them to study the effectiveness of 360-degree feedback in enhancing overall effectiveness of top & senior management shows the following predominant changes: | » |They begin to focus more on leadership roles such as: | |   |* |Articulating vision and sharing it more systematically |   |* |Spending more time on communicating vision & goals | |   |* |Being more developmental as against benevolent or critical | |   |* |Paying more attention to and showing concern for individual needs rather than being preoccupi ed with one’s | | | |own ideas and issues. |   | | » |Enhanced Internal customer orientation, which is indicated by: | |   |* |Better interaction with colleagues and subordinates | |   |* |Learning from colleagues and benefiting from their experiences | |   |* |Building better rapport with seniors | | | | » |Increased focus on fostering team spirit which gets reflected in terms of: | |   |* |Setting high goals for the team | |   |* |More participative management | |   |* |Better conflict management | |   |* |Higher mutuality and more receptive to feedback | |   |* |Increased sensitivity to others’ feelings | |   |* |Creating a more collaborative culture | |   |* |Cross-functional review mechanism getting instituted | |   | | » |Marked increase in delegation and subordinates’ development in terms of: | |   |* |Empowering subordinates to take higher responsibilities | |   |* |Leaving routine decisions to lower levels | |    |* |Not nterfering in matters being handled by subordinates | |   |* |Encouraging subordinates to learn from their mistakes and being patient with them | | | | » |Predominant behavioural changes have been reported in terms of: | |   |* |Becoming assertive | |   |* |Clear communication | |   |* |Higher initiative | |   |* |Being more patient | |   |* |Being more proactive | |   |* |Better time management | In terms of the impact on their unit/department/organization, participants who responded felt that the changes they demonstrated post feedback, have generated increased motivation especially among their subordinates. In addition, increased sensitivity to their managerial and leadership roles has resulted in better working relationships and, a more congenial atmosphere. How to prepare for implementing 360-Degree Feedback in Banks It takes a lot of trust in the bank and a lot of preparations before one can more from using 360-degree feedback strictly for development purposes to using it for taking decision on promotions and rewards. Most current literature on making 360-degree feedback effective as a tool for performance and leadership-style reviews has this to recommend. ? Begin with Development ? Link with Company Goal ? Train Everyone ? Follow Up ? Company Culture. Drawbacks Not every process is perfect and 360-degree feedback programs are no exception. Subordinates may rate bosses high because they are afraid of retaliation. Peers tend to evaluate each other’s positively well, perhaps to avoid disrupting the group. On the other hand, peers tend to rate their colleagues on the lower side. Nevertheless, the number of people and variety of perspectives involved in a 360-degree feedback process should ensure a generally unbiased and accurate view of a person’s performance. Conclusion A 360-degree feedback process in banks gathers information, usually through a questionnaire, about the performance of employees or managers from people all around them-including peers, subordinates and even customers. This type of multi-perspective evaluation is more complete and accurate than the traditional top-down evaluation. Superiors only see a portion of a manger’s performance. They need other perspectives to fill in the blanks. Subordinates can provide important information on the leadership qualities of a manager. Customers are in a better position, than anyone, to evaluate how employees perform with customers. A 360-degee feedback evaluation is also valuable because people do not act the same toward everyone. The interpersonal skills of a manager are probably more accurately reflected in feedback from subordinates or peers than in feedback from a manger’s superiors. Another important aspect of 360-degree feedback is the inclusion of self-evaluations. Ratings by others will probably be more accurate, but self-evaluations force employees and managers to sit down and think about their strength and weakness. Finally, 360-degree feedback evaluations have the advantage of confidentiality. Top-down evaluations are usually not confidential. Supervisors must be prepared to defend their evaluations, which may cause them to soften or in some way alter what they might have said anonymously. Since 360-degree feedback involves groups of raters, the results are anonymous. *********** References: 1. Jim Meade. â€Å"Visual 360: A Performance Appraisal System That’s Fun†, HR Magazine, July 1999, pp. 119-122. 2. Mishra, Shishir and Nandini Chawla. Deriving Training Needs from 360 Degree Feedback†, TVRLS, Ahmedabad, 2003. 3. Paras Mal Jain. â€Å"Human Resource Management in Banks†, IBA Bulletin, October 2004, Vol XXVI, No. 10, Mumbai. p. 17-21. 4. Rao T V & Raju Rao. â€Å"The Power of 360- Degree Feedback†, Respo nse Books, A division of Sage Publications, New Delhi. (2005). 5. Rao T V . â€Å"HRD Audit†, 9th Edition, Response Books, A division of Sage Publications, New Delhi. (2005). 6. Rao T V. â€Å"Making 360 Degree Feedback Work†, Human Capital, August, 1999. 7. Rao T V. â€Å"Performance Management and Appraisal Systems-HR Tools for Global Competitiveness†, Response Books, A division of Sage Publications, New Delhi. (2004). 8. Rao T V. Readings in Human Resource Development†, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi. (2005). 9. Sangwan D S. â€Å"Human Resource Management in Banks†, IBA Bulletin, June 2005, Vol XXVII, No. 6. Mumbai. p. 14. 10. Tripathi P C. â€Å"Human Resource Development†, 5th Edition, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi. (2006). 11. Udai Pareek and Rao T V. â€Å"Designing and Managing Human Resource Systems† 3rd Edition, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi,1981 (2005). 12. www. appraisal360. co. uk 13. w ww. city. ac. uk/guidelinesforusing360degreefeedbackintheappraisalprocess. html 14. www. click-360. com 15. www. fullcirclefeedback. com 16. www. tvrls. com