Saturday, August 31, 2019

Confucianism, Legalism, and Daoism Essay

Confucianism, Legalism, and Daoism are the three main philosophies of the Chinese people. They have been the most influential and widely taught philosophies of the Chinese for many centuries. This essay will reveal the history of each philosophy’s origin, and will reveal the main characteristics of each respected area. Confucianism began as the thoughts and ideas of a man named Confucius who lived at around 500 B.C. It is interesting to note this was around the same time Buddha was supposedly alive. Confucian was not a prophet, and had little to say about gods, death, or the afterlife. He developed instead three concepts of living that formed the basis of his philosophy. First, every person should accept an assigned role in society and perform the duties of that role. Second, the government should be virtuous. Finally, only well-educated and extremely virtuous officials should be appointed to run the government. According to legend, Confucius worked as a minister in his native province of Shandong. It is said that in a less than a year, almost all crime was gone. However, after this it is said nearby emperors became jealous and forced him to retire. For the rest of his years he educated people on the ways of his teaching and stirred thought into the minds of many. Daoism was thought to be founded by a man named Laozi that lived around 500 B.C. Daoism can be defined by its root word Dao meaning â€Å"Way of Nature†. Laozi viewed Dao as the indescribable force that governed the universe and nature. Laozi believed that people should not strive for riches or power, but rather should try to bring themselves into harmony with Dao by being peacefully quieted, thoughtful, and humble. Unlike Confucius, Laozi shunned politics and advised people not to get involved in public affairs. Daoism mainly influenced artists and peasants because artists were encouraged by Dao and began expressing themselves in a better manner. Peasants began to believe in the philosophy because it dealt with nature and its natural forces. Confucianism and Daoism simply filled in what the other lacked in certain areas. Legalism, another form of philosophy, also concerned itself with politics. The teachings, however, differed greatly then that of Confucianism. Legalists believed in power, not virtue, and in harsh forms pf punishment. Legalists viewed people as selfish and untrustworthy. It was believed that threatening people was the only way to achieve peace and prosperity in society. The emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin Dynasty followed the Legalist method. The Qin Dynasty became powerful but was short-lived mainly because of its cruel punishment and laws. It was believed that the yin and yang was not balanced enough during this time. Overall, I think all three of these philosophies are well developed and each has their good and bad. For this reason, many people understandably combined more than one of the three philosophies in an attempt to even out their lifestyle. All three are worthy philosophies and each deserves a certain amount of respect. I believe that because of the great principles each is built on, and the flexibility within each sector, the three philosophies will live in for a very long time and will be passed on from generation to generation forever.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Eastern State Penitentiary Reflection Paper Essay

Eastern State Penitentiary is believed to be one of the very first prisons established, not only in the United States, but in the world. Eastern State was functional for 141 years until 1970 when the prison closed down. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the prison is now a stabilized ruin open to the public for tours. After personally touring the facility I was able to understand the main purpose of the prison, the living conditions and the daily routines of an Eastern State Penitentiary inmate, and attempted escapes which is why prisons like Eastern State should not be used in our modern Criminal Justice System. It was designed for strict solitary confinement and had little to no rehabilitation programs. The prison was and still is not temperature controlled. The inmates suffered extreme summers and harsh winters while staying at Eastern State. Their rooms were quite small and only had a bed, some sort of dresser, and a toilet. The condition of the cells, with the exception of Al-Capone’s cell which was much larger and more comfortable than the rest of the cells, suggest that the designers of the prison wanted the inmates stay at Eastern State to be unpleasant. This prison was built for the sole purpose of punishment. For example, Elmo Smith was the 350th person to be executed by the electric chair in the United States on April 2, 1962. He was also the last person to be killed using the electric chair in Pennsylvania. Although the inmates were required to work within the prison walls they did not receive help with the problems that landed them in Eastern State in the first place, such as alcohol and drug abuse. Therefore the type of punishment that was seen at Eastern State did not maximize the welfare of individuals because inmates were not rehabilitated. As stated earlier, the inmates worked in the kitchen, infirmary, workshops, and barbershops. In the twentieth century you could see an inmate barbershop in almost every cell block. The barbershops became a place of socialization by the inmates and often the guards would go in for a free cut. When I learned this I was shocked that the guards allowed the inmates to have sharp tools that had the potential of being used as weapons. In fact, one story we  heard on our audio tour was of a guard who said an inmate pressed his tool to the guard’s neck and threatened to take his life. The inmate was joking and the officer was left unharmed but inmates were known to create weapons that were used for protection and a way of threating other inmates. These weapons were called shanks or shivs and prison guards discovered a majority of them before any harm could occur. Unfortunately there were stories of inmates killing each other such as Joseph Havel who stabbed his fellow cellmate to death in the middle of the night. Another important component in the life of Eastern State Penitentiary inmates was the opportunity to practice in religious activities. Upon entry, every inmate was given a Bible in hopes of one day they would receive salvation. Also, in the beginning of the prison’s life there were weekly religious services in every cellblock that the inmates had the chance to listen to from their cells. In later years, Christians had the opportunity to worship in the chapel during Sundays while Jews had the opportunity to worship in the synagogue. Religious freedom was the only freedom that the inmates received. They were strictly monitored and had to wake, eat, work, and sleep when the guards told them too. Although the guar ds did their best to keep an eye on every inmate, the system employed at Eastern State was flawed. Eastern State Penitentiary was designed for strict solitary confinement but that system failed and the population of inmates increased dramatically leaving the guards outnumbered. They tried to maintain surveillance and control of the institution. One way they monitored the inmates was using forming the cellblocks into a pentagon and having a watch tower in the middle. This design was flawed because it was impossible for the guard in the watch tower to see every cell and every part of the cells. Prison guards at Eastern State hated working in the watch tower, a position left for new recruits, because they felt more restricted than the inmates. They could not listen to music or read, had little human contact, and had to call their commanding officer every fifteen minutes to check in. Prison officials liked to believe that these methods of surveillance worked but there were numerous riots and attempted escapes by the inmates. The largest riot was on January 8, 1961 in cellblock nine when two inmates over powered an office and then they proceeded to opening other cells. They tried to set their criminal  records on fire. Another example was William Francis Sutton who attempted to escape five times. Lastly, there was the great escape from cellblock seven, cell 68. Clarence Klinedinst had a reputation as a good worker which he used to be transfer to cellblock seven where he started using the tools from work to build a tunnel. Riots and escapes such as these lead to the closing of Eastern State Penitentiary in 1970. Prisons such as Eastern state should not be used today because, according to the utilitarian theory of justice, the ends do not justify the means. A lot of money is put into them when all they do is hold inmates for a number of years and then they are rel eased into the community. With no form of rehabilitation the released inmates revert back to crime and are reincarcerated. The cycle is never ending and prisons become overpopulated and prone to riots as was Eastern State Penitentiary.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Research

It is true that the research of Lawrence Kohlberg was focused around the concept of moral reasoning, which also can be called moral development (Answer 1). Lawrence Kohlberg was a known American specialist in psychiatry, who was interested in problems of moral development: moral judgments and moral choices. He is famous for his long-term experiments with young children (some of them lasted more than 20 years), during which Kohlberg studied the development of moral judgments and moral choices of the children. As a result, in 1981the theory of moral development was created. According to the findings of the specialist, there are six stages of moral development, which can be grouped into three different levels: (1) pre-conventional morality, which includes two sub-stages: (a) punishment-obedience orientation, and (b) instrumental relativist orientation; (2) conventional morality, which includes two sub-stages: (a) good boy-good girl orientation, and (b) instrumental relativist orientation; and (3) post-conventional morality, which includes the following sub-stages: (a) social contract orientation, and (b) universal ethical principle orientation (Wong, 2000). Therefore, during the process of moral development, every individual gradually passes through all these six stages. At that Kohlberg was underlining that not every adult individual can reach the highest stage in his/her moral development. Besides, not every time real behavior of an individual was correspondent to the achieved stage of moral development. This theory was criticized and the opponents of Kohlberg’s scientific conclusions pointed on several drawbacks of this research. In particular, the fact that all the experiments were made with male children is considered to be a serious disadvantage. References Wong, A. S. (2000, September). Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development. Blessed to Be Blessing. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from: ;http://www.vtaide.com/blessing/Kohlberg.htm ;.

East Asia Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

East Asia Culture - Research Paper Example This definition brings to light the fact that shared behavior in culture helps distinguish one set of people from another. It implies how culture makes people unique, how their shared experiences create patterns of interaction, and how these patterns eventually affect all aspects of their lives. This paper shall define culture and shall describe five major characteristics that help define a culture. It shall also describe common cultural characteristics of East Asia, particularly China and describe how some characteristics have been shaped by the history of the region. One of the characteristics of culture is that, it is subjective (Routledge, 2006). In relating this characteristic to the Chinese culture, subjectivity may be seen in the way the Chinese people and the rest of the world perceive the Chinese culture. For example, initially, a person from the West may perceive the Chinese people and their culture as conservative. This perception of conservatism may also be expressed as a degrading assessment of China’s economic progress. However, to the Chinese, this conservatism may be viewed as a positive, but not degrading, description of their culture. Chinese conservatism can be attributed to their agricultural economic freedom and their artistic way of life. Their largely agricultural lifestyle has made them very much attached to the earth, and as a result, they have an increased sense of permanence. â€Å"This sense of permanence, being a built-in Chinese way of perception, sees the ‘eternal truths’ in the sayings of their ancient sages, and thus prevents any arbitrary progression into novelty† (Wu, n.d). New ideas presented by philosophers are not easily accepted as ‘new ideas’, but they are seen as modern interpretations of existing truths from ancient sages. The artistic way of life for the Chinese gives them a profound devotion and respect for

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Transport Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transport Management - Essay Example The researcher of this essay focuses on the logistics outsourcing, that has become a significant growing issue in Supply chain management systems to meet its customer satisfaction at the rate of a ‘click’. As the outsourced logistic providers (3PL/4PL) are coming out with new capabilities of ITES (IT Enabled services) like optimization, customer order tracking, Help desks, customer contact centers, Order management, global warehouse suppliers with global track opportunities, the owner company is getting low cost service with minimal technology up gradation. With this the maturity of the supply chain management transforms from network formation to value chain formation, leading to the managed outsource of 3PL/4PL services. Though contracts of outsourcing are administered and managed by structured processes, some of the past experiences are showing their fatal demolition. Hence the present essay aims to identify reasons of this impact of integration with Lead logistics pro vider upon the ‘Human Factor’. And the focus is further made on to identify a solution to bring the human resources into the flow by clearing the ambiguity in the relationships between systems. The benefits of the above approach ensures that all aspects of the supply chain are capable of implementing the change and that the organization as a whole is mature enough to understand where the targets and benefits are to be gained. With this perspective the Transport management will become more sophisticated and more useful to serve the exact need.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Alberta Tar Sands Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alberta Tar Sands - Essay Example The resulting oil is piped to refineries. This initial process of tar sand extraction is approximated to result in gasoline that carries at least five times more carbon dioxide than would usual crude oil production. According to the Canada National Energy Board, engineering advancements are predicted to decrease this extensive carbon dioxide emission. As shown in the graphic, the remaining 80 percent of the sands are too deep to be excavated, therefore, steam is injected into these deeper oil sands, loosening the bitumen and allowing producers to draw it upward. The process was known as "steam-assisted gravity drainage." It is believed to be more efficient than the "truck and steam" method. Even though producers recycle much of their water, about one barrel of water is lost for each barrel of oil collected. Developers are required to repair and restore oil sand mining sites to at least the corresponding amount of their preceding biological efficiency, including revegetation and drain age restoration (Laumer). Alberta Energy supports the accountable improvement of these extensive deposits through planning and cooperation with government, industry and communities to guarantee a viable royalty system that is attractive to investors, suitable regulations and ecological safeguard and the administration of Crown rights to oil sands while considering several barriers such as higher industrial threat and higher investment expenditures, which are experienced by oil sands developers ("Oil Sands"). Alberta's oil sands industry is the product of multi-billion-dollar ventures in infrastructure and technology needed to expand the non-conventional resource. In 2006, in accordance with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), production outlay in Alberta's oil sands totaled more or less $14 billion. Yearly oil sands production is developing progressively as the industry matures. Output of marketable oil sands production raised to1.126 millionbarrels per day (bbl/d) in 2006. Foreseeing in 2020, this level of production could reach 3 million barrels per day. In the year 2030, it could possibly be producing 5 million barrels per day. This scale of productivity would sustain the development of other major industries and witness Alberta become a Global Energy Leader ("Oil Sands"). Alberta's development of oil sands resources symbolizes a victory of industrial modernization. Through the years, government and industry have worked jointly to discover innovative and profitable means to develop and mine oil sands. Extensive research on energy is more essential today than ever before. Working through the Alberta Energy Research Institute, the Alberta government is dedicated to a mutual approach to encourage the latest technology and improvement programs that will decrease the impact of greenhouse gases and other emissions, and lessen the consumption of water and gas ("Oil Sands"). However, amidst all the benefits, risks eventually surfaced. Recently, the Environmental Defense released a new report on the Alberta Oil Sands, calling it "the most destructive project on Earth". Listed below are some facts: -Oil sands mining is permitted to use two times the amount of fresh water which is

Monday, August 26, 2019

ENERGY WEDGES Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

ENERGY WEDGES - Lab Report Example Lastly shifting to bio fuels seems as an easy way of reducing carbon emission The world yearns to reduce carbon emission especially after Kyoto protocol and Copen Hagan reports were released. Environmentalists and human rights activists are putting pressure on countries that are producing high carbon energy on the environment to reduce or pay heavy fines with the aim of reducing carbon emission for sustainable development. Our energy wedge is based on conservation of green resources and use of renewable sources of energy as a means of conservation. Nuclear wedges comes in second as a means of preventing of cutting carbon emission by half by the year 2055. Nuclear energy is capable of producing a lot of energy but is not widely used since it possesses high risks to the environment. The above two wedges are good ways of producing energy without production of carbon. (Wardlaw, 2009). A growth rate of 5.3% annually is projected in production of low carbon environmental goods and services (Nesta, 2009). There has also been tremendous increase in green jobs from 13 70 billion dollars from now to 2740 billion dollars by 2020, which is projected as a growth rate of 5.5% annually (Office, 2009). Due to the involvement of new technology while shifting from fossil energy sources to renewable sources of energy, it is expected that job creation will rise from 24% annually to 42% by 2020 (UNEP, 2007). The demand for low carbon activities is exceptionally high. The next wedge of conservation is efficiently producing electricity. Use of coal as a source of energy leads to production of about a fifth of worlds carbon. Conserving forests ensures that trees absorb carbon emitted and use it as a source of food production. Soil is also another form in which carbon products can be stored. This can be supported by planting cover crops and preventing soil erosion. Use of biofuels is believed to be cost

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Critical Thinking Assignment on Jacob Ind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking Assignment on Jacob Ind - Essay Example Jacob Ind faced several risk factors that might have contributed to their criminal activity. Behavioral and social factors were the major risk factors in his case. He lived in a poor family structure characterized by home dissonance, child abuse, and inconsiderate parents, which resulted in his delinquency. His father was physically abusive, while his mother perpetrated emotional abuse. Ind thought about killing his parents for over three years and finally did it because he saw no way out of the abuse from his parents. Although the punishment for murder is legally proscribed, Ind does not have a blameworthy frame of mind. His actions resulted from the risk factors his parents exposed him to at home. If he were an adult and of a mature mind, he would have simply walked away from home and lived elsewhere with his abusive parents. I do not think that a sentence of life without the possibility of parole is a just punishment for Jacob Ind. There is enough evidence of the motive of the criminal offense, and it was plainly because of the torture from his parents. It is a cruel and unusual punishment for a teenager to undergo a life sentence without parole for an offense done out self-defense, without any ulterior motive. In fact, Ind believed that the marijuana in his bedroom was a more serious offense that the murder of his oppressive parents. The wealth of characteristics and circumstances attendant to the offense is convincing enough for a lesser sentence by the judge. The PBS website indicates, â€Å"Even some of the jurors who convicted him wonder if he deserved life without parole†. The life sentence without parole was an unfortunate sentence for Jacob Ind. I believe that the death penalty and sentences of life imprisonment are both punitive measures that significantly change the life of a youth offender.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The yellow wallpaper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The yellow wallpaper - Essay Example The persona is the woman who due to her condition (temporary nervous depression.) the husband puts her in a secluded upper room with the intention of availing total rest meant for quick recuperation. The husbands’ idea draws consensus from his brother in law. Therefore, woman acts as the recipient of her husband decisions’ actualization since he is a doctor (Wang 11). The room where she lives comprises of torn yellow wallpaper and after a close examination, she makes out an image of entangled woman seeking liberty from numerous aspects that restrain her. The account intensively utilizes dramatic irony, setting and symbolism with the intention of transmitting its message to the reader indirectly. The â€Å"Yellow wallpaper’s† symbol of an entangled woman by numerous aspects restraining her from freedom represents the persona of this account (Wang 10). The woman in this account is a recipient of all ideas from her husband and brother due to the condition she is experiencing. Besides, all her arguments do not have any significance towards recuperation, but disregarded because she is ailing (Wang 14). The restraints encompass the ideas of the husband and those of the brother in law. Besides, the author of this account has selectively chosen its setting, which is also part of the elaboration and reference all through, whereby the persona is capable of interacting with it. Account’s inception entails the application of dramatic irony evidenced when the persona is explaining the room chosen to house and give her the in tended rest; its explanation does not fit the abode of an insane person (Wang

Friday, August 23, 2019

Career Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Career Development - Coursework Example Consequently, in order to develop high level of educational accomplishments amongst students, it is fundamental that one start by building stronger self-efficacy for the scholar early enough. Thus, self-efficacy is much imperative topic amongst the educators and psychologists as studies have established, self-efficacy to have an impact on psychological states to motivation to behavior. Individuals can be persuaded to believe and consider that they have the capabilities and skills to succeed. When an individual says something encouraging and positive to another person will help one to attain a goal The most important action plant towards self-efficacy personal development is mastery experiences; the most effectual means of developing strong sense of self-efficacy is by mastery experiences. Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. Conversely, failing to sufficiently deal with duties or confront may weaken and undermine self-efficacy. Therefore repeated carrying out of an activities in business for instance auditing, it will help in grasping all the essential details required in auditing, hence mastering of experience. The next action plan self-efficacy personal development is social modeling. With keen observation of what others performing the tasks and duties, I will be able to perform it later. Therefore, social modeling is achieved by witnessing other individuals successfully finishing a job or task. Observing individual accomplishing something by continued endeavor raises observers attitude and beliefs that they can also have the capacity to master similar activities to thrive. With social modeling, it boosts one’s self esteem to carry out the tasks that has been observed. Similarly, when the other party performing the tasks made a mistake, one can correct from the mistake observed and perform much better. The third action plan for self-efficacy

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Response to Intervention-RTI Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Response to Intervention-RTI - Research Paper Example In 2004, Learning Disabilities (LD) Roundtable partnership was formed by various learning national organizations such as the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities and allied organizations and they defined the critical features of RTI process (Klotz, 2007). The roundtable asserted that instructional and behavioral support offered in general education must always be based on high-quality research. RTI process also calls for universal behavior and academic screening of all students to allow for identification of the students that require enhanced interventions and closer monitoring. An effective RTI process should also be implemented in a tiered approach informed by scientific research to meet the needs of each individual student. The other feature of RTI is that it relies on the collaboration of the staff at the school to develop, implement and monitor the intervention process (Suckla et al., 2008). The Learning Disabilities Roundtable also explained that monitoring of the progress of a student under intervention must be carried out continuously and objectively to assess whether the student is able to meet the defined goals (Suckla et al., 2008). RTI process must also allow for carrying out follow-ups to ensure that the intervention is implemented properly and in accordance to the required consistency. Furthermore, RTI process must allow for the documentation of the parent involvement and adherence to special education assessment criteria as outlined in the IDEIA 2004 and other state regulations. (Suckla et al., 2008). Universal screening which is recommended in RTI and should be undertaken by school staff as an academic year begins to identify students who are not likely to meet the state grade level or the ones having emotional and behavioral problems which can negatively learning (Klotz, 2007). Universal screening is accomplished by either reviewing the current state test results or by giving academic and behavioral screening tests to students with a given grade. The students who score marks below a certain level are categorized as requiring specialized behavioral and academic interventions. According to Fletcher, Lyon, Fuchs and Barnes (2007), scientific and research-based instruction refer to particular curriculum and education intervention which have been identified as being effective, that is, it has been reported in

Imperialist Policy Essay Example for Free

Imperialist Policy Essay To What Extent can it be argued that America Had an Imperialist Policy, Which Contradicted the Ideals Set down, By the Declaration of Independence? Annexation of the Philippines, the anti-imperialists protested over and over again, violated the very principles of independence and self determination on which the country (America) was founded. The above quotation summarises the key themes of this essay and the issues that will be explored. To examine the extent to which America had an imperialist policy, which contradicted the ideals, set down by the declaration of independence we must first analyse the terms used within the question and look at the ideals specified in the declaration of independence. Examples of when America showed this imperialist policy must then be examined to find to what extent they had one. Finally it must be investigated into reasons why America may have taken a turn towards imperialism which they were so strongly against when they broke from Britains rule in 1776. After thoroughly investigating and analysing the mentioned areas I will draw my conclusions as to the extent that America had an imperialist policy which contradicted the ideals set down by the declaration of independence. To begin with I shall explore the meaning of imperialism so that the question can be fully interpreted and answered fully. There are two meanings for the word imperialism below is the dictionary definition, which I will explain shortly. 1.The policy or principle of having and extending control over the territory of other nations, of creating or maintaining an empire, or extending ones countrys influence through trade and diplomacy. 2.An attempt by a developed country to interfere in the affairs of an underdeveloped country or countries. The first meaning is that imperialism is the expanding of one country into another countrys territory making them colonies and thus creating an empire, such as that of Britain in the 19th century controlling its colonies overseas. The second meaning of the word imperialism is that of a developed country influencing other countries by trade and diplomacy. It is this meaning that is often associated with Lenins view of imperialism as he felt that it was not necessarily about colonies but imposing control over another country through influence and tariffs. Using these interpretations it will be easier to analyse the actions taken by America and to find to what extent America had an imperialist policy. Now I have explored the meaning of imperialism I will go on to examine the ideals that were set down in the declaration of independence on 4th July 1776. For the purpose of this essay not all the issues raised in the declaration of independence are required so I will highlight the points that I feel are needed to answer the question best. Firstly the declaration refers to He meaning the King of Great Britain describing the injustices he has subjected the American colonies to. The first part I feel will highlight the issues within this essay talks about some of the injustices: He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws, giving his assent to their pretended legislation: For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world; For imposing taxes on us without our consent; For depriving us, in many cases of the benefits of trial by jury; The above speaks of some of the things that the American people felt were wrong criticising British imperialism. The second piece continues to describe what they feel is wrong condemning British actions: For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighbouring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introduction the same absolute rule into these colonies; For taking away our charters abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering governments; For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us all in cases whatsoever. He has abdicated government here by, declaring us out of protection and waging war against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. By declaring what they feel strongly against the American people are revealing their ideals of government and rule within a country. The final part of the declaration describes how America will continue once broken from British rule: We therefore the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. This section of the declaration of independence concludes the intentions of the American people and how they will continue as a state. Looking at the excerpts I have taken I will refer back to these during the essay to point out contradictions in the American policy to prove the argument that America had an imperialist policy. Having looked at the question and analysing the terms used within it I shall now explore reasons as to why American policy took a turn towards imperialism. America had been expanding since after the first landings in Jamestown and Plymouth with settlers moving west and further south rapidly consuming the great expanse of the American continent. This early expansion within the continent was purely for the settlement of the American people however; the movements of the 1890s took a different path. Overseas expansion into already populated areas not so much for settlement but for the purpose of tactical naval bases, trading outposts or commercial centers on major trade routes. One view of this new policy was from Walter LaFeber: The United States did not set out on an expansionist path in the late 1890s in a sudden, spur-of-the-moment fashion. The overseas empire that Americans controlled in 1900 was not a break in their history, but a natural culmination. The above view expresses that imperialism and expanding is simply natural progression for any country and it was Americas time to expand. In America at the time few people liked the idea of imperialism, expanding had shown them benefits such as those of California and Oregon but imperialism meant control over other peoples by military conquest or economic domination which they did not want to be a part of. These attitudes however began to change as the end of the frontier was reached, as John A Kasson, a diplomat said in the North American Review: We are rapidly utilising the whole of our continental territory. We must turn our eyes abroad, or they will soon look inward upon discontent. Again this view explored that expanding was something that came naturally once all a nations land was occupied. Now that the question has been explained and reasons for imperialism explored I shall continue to discuss examples to show to what extent America had an imperialist policy. The first example of America advancing towards an imperialist policy can be seen as the introduction of the Monroe Doctrine, which was expressed during President James Monroes seventh annual message to congress in December 1823. Within this doctrine it was expressed that America felt that European powers no longer had the right to interfere in matters involving the Western Hemisphere and the American continent. as a principle in which the right and interests of the United States are involved, that the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonisation by any European powers This speech showed that America had interests in lands outside their own territory and were declaring that they saw the Western Hemisphere as their sphere of influence. It had long been hoped that America would one-day annex Canada or Mexico for extensive trade and greater unity against the European powers, the Monroe Doctrine supported this idea. In 1867 Secretary of State William Henry Seward finished negotiations with Russia for the purchase of Alaska with the aim of sandwiching in Canada ready for its annexation. The discussion of the Monroe Doctrine and the purchase of Alaska have shown that America did have an imperialist policy and contradicts the ideals that they set down: For imposing taxes on us without our consent; For taking away our charters abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering governments; For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us all in cases whatsoever. They themselves condemned the actions of the British for doing the above and now although they had purchased Alaska were subjecting its people to very similar events. The next example of Americas imperialist policy I shall explore will be Hawaii and Americas long hopes of annexing the islands. Hawaii was seen to be a key way-station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and control of these islands would provide great military and commercial trade advantages. In 1875 a reciprocity treaty with Hawaii bound the Hawaiians to make no territorial or economic concessions to other nations as well as allowing sugar to enter the United States free of duty. This treaty increased Hawaiis economic dependence on America, this supports the Lenin view of imperialism discussed earlier as it shows America having domination over Hawaii via economic constraints. In 1891 King Kalakaua died and nationalist Queen Liliuokalani came to power. The new Queen disliked being ruled by a white minority and made way for a new constitution to give native Hawaiians more power. This caused trouble in Hawaii with the White Hawaiians revolting and America becoming involved militarily. The revolt was over in three days and the Queen surrendered. On 14th February 1893, the secretary of state John W Foster and officials from the new Hawaiian government signed a treaty annexing Hawaii to the United States. However only two weeks were left in president Harrisons term and the senate refused to approve the treaty. President Cleveland who came to power shortly later started an investigation into Americas involvement and found it to have been wrong. Cleveland decided to restore the queen to her throne but the provisional government established in Hawaii instead created the Republic of Hawaii. This backing down on America or Clevelands behalf shows that the pursuit of an empire was perhaps not so great or that Cleveland simply felt more strongly about the ideals of the declaration of independence. However in 1898 the issue of annexing Hawaii arose again this time with concerns over Japans interests in the islands. President McKinley sought an annexation treaty but this required a two-thirds majority vote in the senate. It was decided that a joint resolution be obtained rather than a treaty requiring a majority in both houses. With the new approach the annexation plans passed quickly through congress and McKinley signed it on 7th July 1898 annexing Hawaii which had been an American goal since the 1860s. Now despite the actions of President Cleveland the annexation of Hawaii was eventually achieved again showing Americas imperialist policy and how they contradicted their own ideals of not imposing power over another country or subjecting other peoples to laws or government foreign to their own. I will now go on to discuss part of Americas involvement in the Philippines during the war with Spain. On 1st May 1898 after the war had only been going on one week Commodore George Dewey crushed the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay. With this significant victory the Philippines were now within Americas grasp and by the 13th August after raising an expeditionary force they took Manila Bay and gained control of the Philippines. This expansion of America territory by military conquest shows Americas imperialist policy and as one of those against it at the time said: Dewey took Manila with the loss of one man and all our institutions. So it was obvious at the time to some people that Americas policy contradicted the ideals set down by the declaration of independence on which their country was founded. The Final example I shall explore focuses on the early 1900s and the events surrounding the Panama Canal. Great Britain had controlled the region in Central America, but while otherwise concerned had withdrawn troops from the area to allow for American plans of building an isthmian canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. President Roosevelt began selecting a route which would run through the Panama region of Colombia being 6 miles wide, he offered Colombia $10million and $250,000 annual rental for the land and permission. Colombia rejected his offer and he considered seizing the area but instead hinted to the inhabitants of the Panama region to revolt. Within a short time they did so and the new Republic of Panama was created with American support. A new deal was struck and the canal commissioned with Panama relying on America and America now controlling an extremely important trade route. This example again shows America putting themselves in positions to be in an advantage over other nations highlighting another aspect of their imperialist policy. I have now looked at the reasons why America may follow an imperialist policy, how the term imperialism can be interpreted and, have shown a number of examples when America showed this imperialist policy. I shall now conclude my finding to answer to what extent America had an imperialist policy, which contradicted the ideals set down by the declaration of independence. I have not shown all the examples of when America showed signs of imperialism that I discovered my research but I have highlighted those that I felt were most important. All of the examples used have proved that America did have an imperialist policy to some extent or another they have also shown that at times some Americans felt that this policy did go against the ideals on which their nation was founded. So I conclude that America did have to a large extent an imperialist policy which contradicted the ideals set down by the declaration of independence whether they themselves recognised this policy or not as going against their own beliefs. Dewey took Manila with the loss of one man and all our institutions.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Aral Sea Desertification

The Aral Sea Desertification Desertification is the process by which a habitable place of land becomes a desert due to climatic changes or ill human practices in the environment. The Aral Sea is a victim to such adversity due to malpractices and power hungry nature of humans. Thus becoming a saline lake from its previous form of being the 4th largest lake in the world. It used to be the leading site of fisheries, reed growing and other trading due to its ports. All these services have been vanquished due to the desertification which seeped into the sea and its atmosphere. Thereby becoming one of the worlds greatest disasters caused humans. People have always had a greed for power and gold. Such was an instance for the Soviet Government in the 1960s. The need to grow heat absorbing crops such as rice, cotton, grapes and other vegetables made two prime rivers The Amu Darya and The Syr Darya, feeding the Aral Sea to be diverted to irrigate the crops. Due to such malpractices the Aral Sea shrunk in size from being the worlds 4th largest sea to a dry barren sea basin. But even though they have caused an ecological disaster, actions are now being taken to replenish the sea of its thirst and recover it back to its natural beauty. The Aral Sea : The Aral Sea has a catchment size of 1,549,000 km2 . It was a sea that situated in Central Asia and lay between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, (a region of Uzbekistan) in the south. It used to have an area of 68,000 square kilometers and it was due to the two main rivers, in fact the 2 largest rivers in central Asia the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya to fill up the sea. Around 1960, about half of this water replenished the Sea the rest evaporated, transpired, or filtrated into the ground naturally as the rivers flowed through the deserts and some was taken for other human uses. Everything was going well keeping the environment intact until the former Soviet Union decided to divert the rivers to grow white gold- cotton, rice and other vegetables. This was a major plan for them to become a lead exporter in cotton. Which eventually happened as Uzbekistan is one of the lead exporters of cotton to this very day. But cotton and rice being extremely thirsty plants required immense amounts of water and instead of the 2 rivers irrigating the desert it was used to irrigate the 7.6 million hectares of thirsty crops. Due to the diversion of the water the water level started to decrease as the river discharge started to drop. Subsequently as the years passed by the rivers brought lesser water to the sea. The sea was retreating from its original shores, leaving behind dry land covered by the crust of salt. The irrigation project was enormous and no attention was given to downstream requirements. The irrigation techniques were not efficient with open waterways leading to waste. Very little care was given to the need for proper drainage. On average there was a decline in water level during the 1960s of 0.21 m/year, in the 1970s of 0.6 m/year, and in the 1980s of 0.8 m/year. Now it has lost 80 % of its volume and uncovered 3.6 mil hectares of seabed .The surface level has contracted by half, the level significantly reduced by 19 m and in some areas the seas edge is more than 100 km from its former shore. The Soviets were not surprised of the slow recline and eventual fading of the Aral Sea, as they had predicted this to happen. In 1964 , at the Hydroproject Institute Aleksandr Asarin stated that the lake was doomed, explaining It was part of the five-year plans, approved by the council of ministers and the Politburo. Nobody on a lower level would dare to say a word contradicting those plans, even if it was the fate of the Aral Sea. Plans were taken to refill the Aral Sea after a while but the estimated costs were staggering, the authorities rejected the project in 1966. Ecology ,environment and climate : The future of the Aral Sea looked very grim. The surrounding environment and the marine ecology of the started to depreciate. The local climate, hydrology and natural habitat were also affected greatly due to the declining sea- level. As the sea level reclined, few areas started to get exposed. The deltas in the sea was lush and abundant with flora and fauna that provided flowing food supplies for the livestock , and reeds for the industry , an abundant breeding ground for its fish industry and sites for hunting. When the deltas started to dry up, deserts started to form thereby the number of wildlife, fish and livestock started to drop. Only 38 of the 173 living species that once habited the deltas survived. Just 30 years ago the sea was a major contributor to the fishing industries; in 1957 Muynak and Aralsk were flourishing sea ports processing catches of 48,000 metric tons of fish. Now these fishing ports are situated many kilometers from the sea line and the fisheries are only open at very expensive costs with fish coming in from the Barents and the Caspian Seas. By the 1980s almost 20 of the 24 native sea fish species disappeared. The Soviet planners realized that if they were to expand the irrigation systems it would have contrary impacts on the sea, yet still nothing was done about it. They did not realize that it would have an effect on the surrounding natural climate. As the irrigation and the recline of the Aral Sea continued huge dust storms developed due to the sea drying up. As a result the agricultural productivity started to decline making it inhospitable for crops. As the sea dried up more places in the sea started to get exposed and at the upper layer of the seabed the concentration of the toxic salts at the seabed combined with the lack of water and its nutrients made it difficult to provide a stable plant cover. Due to this dust storms started to brew and this increased in frequency and magnitude, as a result it carried an estimated of 43 million metric tons of salt per year over the enormous areas. These dust storms contained sodium chloride and sodium sulfate, which are toxic to plants. As the salt levels in the regions started to rise in the water and soil contents it started having adverse effects on the agriculture in the region. Due to this excess of water was needed to meet the requirements of the plant but the problem was drainage was often poor together with the fact that it was more saline than the soil. This accumulates and raises the level of the groundwater table. As the water table rises into the root zone, the crops suffer from curtailed oxygen supplies. Thus the capillary action draws salts from the shallow groundwater tables upward toward the surface. As the water evaporates, high concentrations of salt are left on the surface, thereby ruining the agricultural potential of the land. Soviet research suggests that 60 percent of the irrigated soils in Uzbekistan, 80 percent in Turkmenistan, 35 percent in Tadzhikistan, 40 percent in Kirghizia, and between 60 and 70 percent in Kazakhstan suffered moderate to strong salinity problems in 1985. The climate of the area was also affected, summers have become hotter, winters have become cooler and growing seasons have significantly become shorter. Precipitation has also decreased thereby increasing daytime temperatures. Average May temperatures were 3.0-3.2 degree Celsius higher, average October temperatures are 0.7 to 1.5 degrees higher and the growing season has declined by 10 days. The Aral Sea, a large saltwater lake, is losing more than half of its surface area in 40 years. 3 Cows walk in the desert which used to be the seabed of the Aral Sea 4 Human Impacts : Not only was the climate and animal life affected but even humans were affected from this disaster. Drinking water supplies were contaminated by pesticides. Many other diseases were released due to the desertification. Over the last 15 years diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B, kidney disease, gallstone ailments, chronic gastritis have increased; infant mortality rates have gone up and the frequency of esophagus cancer and tuberculosis have reach epidemic levels. One survey found 80 percent of the women suffering from anemia and 70 percent of the children ill. Due to the rise in morbidity and reduced mortality in the people, hospital rates went up and poverty increased. Because of the vast no. of health problems in the population hospitals were lacking in essential medicines and health care. On account of the rising diseases, many of them were found in the blood and breast milks, as toxins found in pesticides and other toxic gases from the dust storms seeped into foods and contaminated food supplies. As the waters are highly saline and contaminated, drinking water supplies have significantly decreased leading to liver and kidney diseases. The people have also been exposed to airborne toxins found in the dust storms causing respiratory diseases. Due to the desertification the fishing industry and other local occupations such as reed growing, farming and other occupations disappeared causing unemployment rates to sky rocket, leading people to poverty. They were unable to grow agriculture due to the high salinity of the water. Shipping ports closed and the Aral Sea became a ship graveyard. Aral Sea Restoration : Finally attention was given to the Aral Sea in the 1980s and 1990s but the government realized that it would not be possible to restore the Sea to its original size back in 1960. But if it was left to continue to degrade a major catastrophe would occur. Looking into the problems 5 countries volunteered to try and restore or at least alleviate the cataclysm. Those 5 countries are: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan; the countries that neighbor the Aral Sea. They created the ASBP (Aral Sea Basin Program) in 1994 which was established to be conducted in four steps: To stabilize the environment of the Aral Sea Basin, To rehabilitate the disaster area around the sea, To improve the management of the international waters of the Aral Sea Basin, To build the capacity of institutions at the regional and national level to advance the programs aims. More water would have to pump into the Aral Sea if it had to be revived. The five countries referred to Interbasin Transfers (IBT); but it has not been put into place. They projected to divert the Caspian Sea into the Aral Sea but they anticipated that the same catastrophe might occur in the Caspian. This was just a hypothesis to be carried out, so ASBP was put into place. The first phase was to directly improve the land around the basin without touching the water system. This began from 1992 until 1997. This was because they found it difficult to implement the phase. Phase two began in 1998 till 2003. They wanted to increase awareness of the area to the public but they had little concern of the propaganda thus causing this plan to fail as well. Phase three was implemented in 1997 as the government constructed a new plan to back up the previous ones. The main objective of this plan is to improve the irrigation systems that are still there but aiming at the water management at a local view. The North Aral Sea is the largest project of this phase. The main idea is to build a dam across the Berg Strait ( a channel which connects the North and South Aral Sea). The dam is eight miles long and can facilitate twenty nine cubic kilometers of water to be stashed away in the North Aral Sea and allowing the excess water to overflow into the South Aral Sea. Currently work is going on in the North Aral Sea to restore it. Irrigation in the Syr Darya have been improved and mended to increase the flow of water. In October 2003 the government began construction of a concrete dam, Dike Kokaral which separates the Aral Sea from the North and South. Construction finished in August 2005 and due to the dam water level in the North has increased also decreasing the salinity of the river. It is a minute growth but a valuable one over time. Few of the fish stocks were released into the river to bring back the past occupation and revive the fishing industry once again. This outstanding project caused small changes to the climate causing few rain clouds to brew up. The sea depth and sea surface has increased over the years. Seeing these achievements in the area the government has decided to construct a second dam to further the healing process of the Northern side. The South of the Aral Sea only receives overflowed water from the North of the Aral Sea but apart from that no other measures have been taken. But plans have been pulled up to create a channel to connect the North and South and continue the replenishing projects in the South as well but political constraints are limiting its progress because of the oil exploration in the South of the Aral Sea. Conclusion: The Aral Sea was the fourth-largest Sea in the world at one time but today it does not exist in any last apart from the top ten ecological disasters caused by humans. Even though measures are taken to restore the Aral Sea back to its original form predictions are being made that because only the North Aral Sea is being refilled it may divide up into the North Aral Sea and the South Aral Sea as two completely separate basins. All these decades of problems and catastrophes were just over the greed of making more money, yes maybe it might increase the revenue of a nation but it should not be at the cost of another whole biome. There is a sufficiency in the world for mans need but not for mans greed. -Mahatma Gandhi

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

African Colonialism Essay examples -- essays research papers

World Influence on the Modernization of Africa Developing Political Systems   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way countries, nations or states act and base their policies on many times reflect what their past was like. This is very true in the case of Africa. The only problem is that Africa is said to have no history. This just means that Africa’s many cultures did not affect the way imperialists and other influences acted towards the huge continent. Everything was based on their interests and consequently this meant that the way of dealing with Africa in every way was based on Western traditionalists. To this we must answer the question how has the Western World affected Africa’s present stage and what must be done to undo what is wrong and hopefully correct this situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Africa first played a role in Europe’s and the America’s history when the U.S. and Great Britain needed labor. They needed a lot of it and they needed it cheap. There was nothing cheaper than free labor. It would require an initial investment to African “leaders'; but it paid off almost instantaneously. This is what we used to call slave trading. In around the 1860’s this became an illegal act. However, like any other crime, this trading could not be stopped entirely. British Naval ships were set up as blockades but sometimes Slaves were stored in spaces that were no higher than 12 inches so not all slave carrying boats could be stopped. In fact while the Navy stopped approximately 103,000 slaves from entering the slave force about 1.7 million entered it. Since this trade was illegal it was even more profitable than before. The slaves that were stopped from being shipped all the way west were being sent to Freetown, Sierra Leone and Monrovi a, Liberia and they were called recaptives. These were towns set up by the British and some liberal Americans to send former slaves and recaptives back to their home continent. It wasn’t their home but it certainly was a lot closer than before. These recaptives were not welcome with open arms because they had renounced their religions and African names and replaced them with Christianity and English names. They did this because they felt they had been betrayed when they were sold in the first place. There was even more hostility to these recaptives ... ...it like the U.S. It is just to say that this suffering should not last forever. The first step should come from the government. They need to take loans. It doesn’t matter if they are high interest. Money needs to be in the economy. A federal deal such as Franklin D. Roosevelt has to be implemented. Money has to be given to the people, not the elite, so that they can spend the money on goods that are being produced. In time enough money spent will lead to more jobs, which lead to more money, which will start to pay for new technology. Africa does not have to be rich to start involving itself in the world economy it just needs an economy that is working, producing and always moving ahead. Once they land in the international trade business everything becomes a bonus. Africa in all its existence to Europe has relied on others to decide what’s best for them. Africa is now in a Western style mode. This does not mean it should be there but it is now. The government has to start taking advantage of today’s capitalist economy. Money tends to keep people of all nations happier. With money everyone is guaranteed food, a home and a better chance at democracy. African Colonialism Essay examples -- essays research papers World Influence on the Modernization of Africa Developing Political Systems   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way countries, nations or states act and base their policies on many times reflect what their past was like. This is very true in the case of Africa. The only problem is that Africa is said to have no history. This just means that Africa’s many cultures did not affect the way imperialists and other influences acted towards the huge continent. Everything was based on their interests and consequently this meant that the way of dealing with Africa in every way was based on Western traditionalists. To this we must answer the question how has the Western World affected Africa’s present stage and what must be done to undo what is wrong and hopefully correct this situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Africa first played a role in Europe’s and the America’s history when the U.S. and Great Britain needed labor. They needed a lot of it and they needed it cheap. There was nothing cheaper than free labor. It would require an initial investment to African “leaders'; but it paid off almost instantaneously. This is what we used to call slave trading. In around the 1860’s this became an illegal act. However, like any other crime, this trading could not be stopped entirely. British Naval ships were set up as blockades but sometimes Slaves were stored in spaces that were no higher than 12 inches so not all slave carrying boats could be stopped. In fact while the Navy stopped approximately 103,000 slaves from entering the slave force about 1.7 million entered it. Since this trade was illegal it was even more profitable than before. The slaves that were stopped from being shipped all the way west were being sent to Freetown, Sierra Leone and Monrovi a, Liberia and they were called recaptives. These were towns set up by the British and some liberal Americans to send former slaves and recaptives back to their home continent. It wasn’t their home but it certainly was a lot closer than before. These recaptives were not welcome with open arms because they had renounced their religions and African names and replaced them with Christianity and English names. They did this because they felt they had been betrayed when they were sold in the first place. There was even more hostility to these recaptives ... ...it like the U.S. It is just to say that this suffering should not last forever. The first step should come from the government. They need to take loans. It doesn’t matter if they are high interest. Money needs to be in the economy. A federal deal such as Franklin D. Roosevelt has to be implemented. Money has to be given to the people, not the elite, so that they can spend the money on goods that are being produced. In time enough money spent will lead to more jobs, which lead to more money, which will start to pay for new technology. Africa does not have to be rich to start involving itself in the world economy it just needs an economy that is working, producing and always moving ahead. Once they land in the international trade business everything becomes a bonus. Africa in all its existence to Europe has relied on others to decide what’s best for them. Africa is now in a Western style mode. This does not mean it should be there but it is now. The government has to start taking advantage of today’s capitalist economy. Money tends to keep people of all nations happier. With money everyone is guaranteed food, a home and a better chance at democracy.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Saga of Kirke :: Classics

The Saga of Kirke. In various situations in the Kirke episode the themes of false paradise and loyalty are present. The Island of Kirke gives itself a false appearance of divinity. The goddess Kirke gives off a false appearance of enchantment and courtesy. Odysseus and his men convey the theme of loyalty throughout the episode of Kirke to each other. Odysseus shows loyalty not just to his men, but to his wife and his homeland as well. From the ship's arrival on the shore the island gives itself a false appearance of divinity. Odysseus narrates that an unseen god has lured them into the cove: "We came/ washed in our silent ship upon her shore/ and found a cove, a haven for a ship-/ some god, invisible, conned us in" (154-157). False appearance of divinity comes out on third day on the island of Kirke. On Odysseus's way back to the seashore from the observation rock he comes across a big buck, which he kills to feed his men. Odysseus perceives the buck as a gift from the gods: ", some god's compassion/ Set a big buck in motion to cross my path-/ So hands were washed to take what heaven sent us" (173-200). Kirke herself gives off a false appearance to the men. When the first group of Odysseus's men come to the house, they were enticed by the goddess's song: "In the entrance way they stayed to listen there:" (240-241). She shows the men that she is courteous by inviting the men in and giving them food and drink. The goddess works her magic on the men by giving them temptations to deal with. She gives them food to eat, and wine that she has laced with some sort of potion that causes the men to lose desire to go home. Kirke then turns the men into pigs. She uses false appearance as a courteous enchanting god the lure the men in. "/ to call them in./ While she prepared a meal of cheese and baley/ and amber honey mixed with Pramnian wine./ adding her own vile pinch,/ / all/ swinish now" (253-265). The men are not the only ones that have to deal with the deception of Kirke. She tries to deceive Odysseus with the same food and drink that she offered his men, but with the knowledge attained from Hermes he was able to out wit the goddess. When her first attempt fails she then tries flattery to dupe Odysseus into the bedroom to lie with her: " 'What a champion, of what country, can you be?/ We two shall mingle and make love upon our bed.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Shakespeares Macbeth - The Tragic Hero :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth: Macbeth The Tragic Hero The most recent meaning of the word Tragic Hero as defined by Microsoft Works dictionary is "A hero of noble stature whose fortunes are reversed as a result of weakness." Many characters in the play were affected by tragedy for a number of reasons, but without argue, Macbeth and his reverse of fortunes are due to his own actions, and the rest of the cast were merely victims of this. Macbeth's action's lead to his very nemises. From the beginning of the play this tragedy of his was manifested through forces beyond human; the supernatural if you will. These forces were that of the witches. The next factor in determining his fate was his own decision's and action's. Lady Macbeth is the second reason for Macbeth's tragedy; without her support in aiding his decision, Macbeth would have never had the strength to lie, scheme, and destroy to such extremes. The last, and most devastating to Macbeth, was his cripled conscious which made him act out of selfeshness and lust. The sequence of these factors were most defenitely provoked by the evilness and twisted nature of the witches, for if it weren't for their influence, then Macbeth would have never turned his desires into reality. At the very beginning of the play Macbeth is nothing but a general fighting for his country. His fellow fighter's admire Macbeth, for in their eyes, and even in the eyes of the highest of authority, his nobility and couragousness is looked up to. His success for his acheivement is rewarded, and his confidence is made stronger because of this. But this is only the beginning, and soon these good fortunes will come to a tragic end. The audience is then introduced to a group of witches. Three witches who appear as wicked and repulsive. They seem to signify all that is wrong and corrupt. Macbeth's over- confident attitude is the first characteristic the witches detect, and they take advantage of this trait to make his life as miserable as they possibly can. He encounters the witches in Act1, scene1, and from this point he is now a step closer to realising what his future holds... so he thinks. The witches first address Macbeth as king, and Banguo as one "Lesser than Macbeth."(1.2.65) Infact, Macbeth isn't king, never the less, the witches insist in prophecising that he is and will be. The witches are already planting seeds of persuation into his head which are made to bloom into tragedy. These destructive and manipulative forces the witches have power over alter his viewpoints about his values and

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Challenges in Hrm

Studies in C ontinuing Education, V ol. 23, N o. 1, 2001 Challenges in Human Resource Development Practitioner Preparation ROBYN JOHNSTON University of Technology, Sydney This article describes some of the challenges that confront designers of programs which prepare or upskill Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners. It surfaces varying perspectives of human resource development and some of the issues that confront organisations in the post-industrial economy which have implications for HRD practice.It also surfaces some tensions and areas of convergence that can be seen in recent studies which have investigated the role of HRD practitioners. The  ® nal section recommends some substantive areas that should be addressed within HRD preparation programs which are designed to equip learners for practice in the current organisational context. ABSTRACT Introduction Organisational learning and skill formation initiatives are increasingly being seen as contributing to the achievemen t of organisational competitiveness in the contemporary economy.As a result, the development of employees has become a more prominent organisational practice. Since Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners are primarily responsible for employee development there is a need for them to become more highly skilled to ensure that their practice meets the changing needs of organisations. Formal educational programs in the practice of HRD provide a way of assisting practitioners to acquire the skills they now need for effective practice.The design of such programs, however, is problematic given the emergent and cross-disciplinary nature of the  ® eld. This paper surfaces some of the challenges associated with program design for the development of HRD practitioners, drawing from discussions in, and pro ® ling research from, the HRD literature. The  ® nal section of the paper proposes several key areas that need to be addressed in preparatory programs for HRD practitioners.Some D e ® nitions In focusing on the development challenges for such an occupational group, this paper is using ? Human Resource Developer? as an umbrella term to encompass those practitioners whose work within organisations is concerned primarily with improving performance through fostering learning in individuals, groups or the organisation more collectively. Whilst the diversity of practice in the  ® eld is acknowlISSN 0158-037X print; 1470-126X online/01/010037-17 O DOI: 10. 1080/01580370120043231 2001 Taylor & Francis Ltd 38 R. Johnston dged, for the purposes of this paper those working in organisations with positional labels including enterprise trainer, training of ® cer, trainer and developer, learning strategist or consultant, performance developer, organisational developer and staff development of ® cer are being collapsed into one occupational category. All of these labels have been or are being used in organisations and in the literature to designate those whose primar y work is to improve performance in organisational settings through fostering learning (Mulder, 1992).The paper also uses the term Human Resource Development as an umbrella term to describe the work of such practitioners. It therefore considers HRD practice as encompassing orthodox forms of training as well as other forms of employee or organisational development. Challenge 1: what is driving HRD practice? A major challenge confronting designers of programs for HRD practitioners is determining what is driving HRD in organisational settings.Certainly those writing about the  ® eld in both journals and HRD methodology texts provide a number of competing perspectives about this question (Kuchinke, 1998; Barrie & Pace, 1997; Garavan et al. , 1995; Chalofsky, 1992; Watkins, 1989). A brief summary of some of the differing perspectives follows. HRD is Primarily About Meeting Business Needs Through Learning There is a body of literature that argues that HRD is  ® rst and foremost about improving performance through learning-based strategies for the purpose of achieving business goals.This perspective, underpinned by human capital and strategic human resource theories, claims that the real value of HRD practice should be measured in terms of its contribution to organisations as opposed to the value of learning for the individual (Kuchinke, 1998; Stace & Dunphy, 1996; Torroco & Swanson, 1995). It emphasises that HRD activity should provide measurable value-added outcomes that are aligned to the mission, strategic goals and business planning processes of organisations.It also argues that HRD practice is proactive and therefore about anticipating imminent business needs and shaping the organisation’s future through contingency plans that  ® rms can deploy when situations warrant (Kuchinke, 1998; Martocchio & Baldwin, 1997; Garavan et al. , 1995). Such a future orientation means that HRD practice should be about improving the ? exibility and adaptability of wo rkforces and business units and therefore should work in close association with other organisational or business systems, and sometimes customers or suppliers, to help achieve business goals.A business-oriented perspective of HRD would suggest that HRD preparation programs should foreground learning activities that increase learners’ understandings of the functioning and direction of their organisations and the pressures these organisations face. Such programs should build learners’ capacities to diagnose immediate and future organisational skill level needs. They should also provide learners with an understanding of a range of strategies for achieving and communi- Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 39 cating measurable and transparent outcomes in terms of performance improvements that are valued by organisations.HRD is About Fostering Individual Employee Growth and Development Through Learning A competing perspective of HRD is that it is primarily about helpin g individuals working in organisations learn and grow. Although there is debate between those arguing that development practice should be driven by an instrumental competencebased approach and those arguing for a more holistic humanistic approach to employee development, advocates from both camps posit that the major concern of HRD is that of helping individuals and groups learn through formal training or some other planned strategy (Barrie & Pace, 1997;Watkins, 1989). As a consequence, the organisation will bene ® t, but this is secondary, as the main concern is always for the people engaged in the learning. This perspective of HRD argues that learning is the mechanism for empowering individuals by equipping them with skills and knowledge required for technological and occupational change. If practice is driven by a humanistic orientation, it often involves learners planning their own development.It also attempts to enhance the capacity of individuals for critical re? ectivity by recognising that individual identity and growth are integral to learning. On the other hand, when skill formation and learning is driven by a more instrumental approach and based on industry- or enterprise-based competency standards, orthodox training classes and on-the-job coaching and assessment of competencies are common.This emphasis on the need for individual employee growth through learning is sustained by recent organisational literature, which argues that individuals should take greater responsibility for their own ongoing development and career management. Such literature suggests that individuals can no longer expect their employers to take sole responsibility for ensuring employee career development given that contemporary employment is often project based and therefore less permanent.In this scenario, individuals need to make opportunities for their own growth and development and hence should seek individual learning and growth opportunities from HRD activities (Arnold, 1997; Wilson & Barnacoat, 1995; Handy, 1995). This perspective of HRD would suggest preparation programs for HRD practitioners should provide learners with sound understandings of the principles of adult development and learning and with capacities to design development approaches which enhance individual learning and development.HRD is About Fostering the Development of a Learning Organisation This third perspective is found in both management and HRD literature, and is frequently associated with high-performance organisations that are utilising new working practices including the application of more sophisticated production technology, more participative approaches to decision making, team-working structures and more ? exible use of labour. It is also a perspective of HRD practice often found in organisations undergoing signi ® cant structural or cultural change (Marquard & 40 R. JohnstonSofo, 1999; Barrie & Pace, 1997; Field & Ford, 1996; Watkins & Marsick, 1992; Jones & Hendr y, 1992). Such organisations frequently identify themselves as learning organisations or at least indicate that they are aspiring to become learning organisations. De ® nitions and descriptions of learning organisations vary. Most de ® nitions, however, suggest that such organisations have characteristics which include the capacities to collect, store and transfer knowledge which enable them to continuously transform themselves and so attain high levels of performance and competitive positioning.These de ® nitions and descriptions also suggest that learning organisations empower employees to learn as they work both individually and collectively, to utilise technology for more productive outcomes, to strive for continuous improvement, and to critically question processes and work practices and their underpinning assumptions (Denton, 1998; Garavan, 1997; Coopey, 1996; Field & Ford, 1996). Thus, this perspective of HRD advocates that a prime dimension of HRD practice should be th e promotion of a form of collective learning that allows organisations to transform themselves.The focus of the learning organisation approach therefore is on the work team, the business unit and the wider organisation rather than the individual, although individual skill development is still recognised as important. In organisations adopting this perspective the HRD practitioner often works as an internal consultant. This role requires the HRD practitioner to advise teams and business units on problems, assist with the management of change and foster continuous improvement processes and attitudes.There is less emphasis in such organisations on formal training in technical and procedural skills and more on development of behavioural skills and learning though collaborative experiences which occur in the workplace and through work roles. Team building and facilitating change through action learning are common practices for such HRD practitioners (Argyris, 1994). This perspective of H RD also acknowledges that the learning that determines organisational achievement is often tacit or attained informally. Hence, HRD practice involves stimulating questioning about current work processes and creating opportunities for critical re? ction on both explicit and tacit knowledge used as part of work. It may also involve working with managers or supervisors to establish more open workplace climates which can provide for participative decision-making opportunities for employees and which recognise the contribution that difference and diversity can make to workplace outcomes. Programs seeking to develop practitioners with this perspective of HRD should provide learners with enhanced capacities to understand the directions and the dynamics of their organisations, including the work of the various subsystems within their organisations.Such programs should develop in learners an understanding of how to network with and in? uence those working in organisational functions other th an HRD in order to collaboratively achieve the sought-after collective learning. Such learners need to acquire skills in promoting individual and organisational change. This may require developing skills in using traditional upskilling approaches but may also involve HRD practitioners acquiring skills in the design and implementation of less orthodox development strategies to assist individuals and groups Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 41 ollectively to develop new frameworks for understanding their roles, responsibilities and relationships in organisations. HRD? a questionable area of work specialisation A more radical perspective, occasionally found in both popular management journals and some more academic critiques of training and human resources, questions the contribution and position of HRD as a separate organisational function or as a specialist role. Arguments used to advance this position are that, in the downsized, team-based learning organisations of today, s eparate HR/HRD specialists are unnecessary for organisations; that all anagers and supervisors should be the trainers and developers and stewards of their staff; that all employees have a responsibility for their own career development; and that developments in technology such as ? just in time? on-line services, computer-based training packages, ? exible and self-paced learning packages, and computerised HR management systems allow learning to occur anywhere, any time without a trainer or HRD specialist needing to be present (Ulrich et al. , 1997; Goldrick, 1996).Stewart (1996) further illustrates this line of argument, positing that since human resource (HR) practice does not increase competitive business advantage, all HR services, including training, can either be abolished, outsourced or absorbed into the normal roles of supervisors, team leaders and managers. The future for HRD specialist practitioners according to this approach would be as specialist consultants or contract t rainers working for a number of client organisations. The emerging body of literature about learning in small enterprises could also be seen as challenging the need for specialist HRD positions in organisations.Several recent studies examining learning in small business have shown that there is considerable learning through development-related experiences occurring in small enterprises, despite the fact that most lack an HRD function or HRD specialists (Harris & Simons, 1999; Field, 1997; Rowden, 1995; Hendry et al. , 1995). In many small enterprises development occurs because an employee needs to know or be able to do something in order to be useful in the organisation. This pervasive form of human resource development is usually provided by a more experienced co-worker or manager or supervisor and informed by a pragmatic common-sense logic.The reported success of such an approach to HRD for small enterprises could be seen as raising questions about the value of specialist HRD skil ls preparation. Some post-modernist writers also critically question the value and the traditional contribution of the specialist HRD practitioner in the development of individuals or organisations. Such critics seek to interrogate many of the cherished truths trainers hold. For example, they question the idea that competence can be clearly de ® ned and that the values of the workers match those of the organisation.Furthermore, they deny that there is a single best practice and are highly critical of training and development activities which inculcate compliance to organisational rather than individual needs (Garrick & Solomon, 1997; Garrick, 1994). While there is some overlap between the competing perspectives presented above, 42 R. Johnston each perspective could be seen as suggesting a need for a different emphasis or focus for attention in designing programs which prepare HRD practitioners. Alternatively, the existence of these perspectives could be seen as suggesting the need for inclusion of each perspective within such programs.Challenge 2: the changing nature of workplaces Further challenges also exist for designers of any programs preparing individuals for new vocational roles when the sites of such vocational practice are subject to signi ® cant change. Such change can render what has previously been seen as essential working knowledge less valuable, and can create an imperative for new knowledge and practice. As a result, it could be argued that any practitioner preparation only achieves relevance if it addresses at least elements of the changing context of work and occupations.The literature addressing the changing nature of organisations contains a number of interrelated themes that have signi ® cant implications for the role of HRD practitioners and their practice. The following section brie? y considers three frequently occurring themes. Organisational Change Responses for Achieving More Competitive Positioning Recent organisational litera ture has examined the structural and cultural changes made by organisations in response to the more competitive global economy. Some common responses to this environment have included: the move to leaner, more ? xible, less hierarchical, more team-based organisational structures which allow more rapid response to the changing economic environment; the establishment of more dynamic, competitive and participative organisational cultures requiring individuals to be more accountable for their own performance, and the use of more powerful information, management and production technologies (Handy, 1995; Senge, 1990; Kanter, 1989). These responses have contributed to the use of more ? exible employment practices within industries and enterprises that are reducing the opportunities for some individuals to secure permanent employment.Flexibility in employment practice has also produced new conceptualisations of both careers and work itself and has required new understandings of the processe s of career planning and development (Arnold, 1997; Handy, 1995; Hilltrop, 1995; Bridges et al. , 1994; Lawler, 1994; Ostermann, 1988). While there is vigorous debate about the nature and effects of such change there is little questioning that these changes have occurred (Casey, 1999; Tessaring, 1998; Rifkin, 1995; Handy, 1995). In such a changing environment the HRD practitioner faces a number of new challenges.Firstly, they may  ® nd themselves responsible for upskilling employees for new roles which require new mindsets about the way work is to be carried out on the part of employees. The HRD practitioner may therefore be involved in motivating learners to accept new organisational roles and structures and imposed organisational cultures at a time when long-established reward and recognition systems are eroding. Secondly, as time frames for achieving desired organisational outcomes are Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 43 educed, HRD practitioners can no longer rely on using HRD strategies that are reliant on well-established calendars of development events which can be implemented over a long time period. Thirdly, HRD practitioners themselves in this context of change and accountability are increasingly being required to demonstrate their own contribution to the achievement of measurable and valued outcomes for the organisation. These are only three changes that place new demands on the HRD practitioners and require them to have new forms of working knowledge.Formal HRD practitioner preparation must therefore be designed to equip these practitioners with capacity to both anticipate change in the global economic environment and assist with the shaping of their organisations’ response. In so doing, HRD practitioners will no longer be able to rely on traditional models for answers and time frames for action. This presents the challenge of how HRD learners can be prepared so that they are more responsive to the changing context of the environ ment of their organisation and in Rhinesmith’ s (1995, p. 7) words, help them to ? reframe boundaries? and ? develop new mindsets? about practice. Core Organisational Competencies for the Information Age Discussions about the core competencies which organisations need for survival in the post-industrial economy are also prominent in contemporary organisational literature. These discussions frequently emphasise the need for organisations to develop knowledge generation and knowledge management competencies.They also advocate that employees from all levels and from most occupational  ® elds need to see themselves as knowledge workers who require enhanced formal and abstract skill sets (Casey, 1999; Ulrich, 1998; Denton, 1988; Rifkin, 1995). Additionally, managerial and learning competencies are seen as essential core organisational competencies for achieving competitive positioning in the contemporary business environment (Stuller, 1998; Ulrich et al. , 1997; Dunphy et al. , 1997; Boxall, 1996; Prahalad & Hamel, 1990; Leonard-Barton, 1992). Dunphy et al. 1997), argue that an organisation’ s capacity to create and embed learning around the strategic tasks is critical for its long-term performance. To achieve this, they claim organisations (and their employees) require engagement competencies (communication, motivating and enthusing, commitment formation, integration, path  ® nding and enaction), business technology competencies (the business-speci ® c technology through which the organisation creates and delivers value) and performance management competencies (1997, p. 232). Dunphy et al. see the task of embedding such competence as resting with managers.It could also be argued that this task is also a responsibility of the HRD practitioner. This therefore requires the HRD practitioner to have an understanding of these core competencies, the skills to develop the needed competencies in others as well as the skills to ensure that the competenci es are practised by employees. The requirement for new skill sets or competencies once again places pressures on HRD practitioners. One pressure is that they must learn to rede ® ne their own roles 44 R. Johnston as part of the knowledge generation/knowledge management process of an organisation.Some evidence of the value of such reframing of the HRD practitioner role to include knowledge management is already emerging in the US literature (Stuller, 1998). Secondly, HRD practitioners need to assist their trainees to see the value of acquiring and using more abstract skills and knowledge. Thirdly, the call for new forms of managerial competence suggests the need for HRD practitioners to increasingly understand the broad range of attributes and skills comprising successful organisational management and once again to design strategies which both develop such skills amongst managers and facilitate their use.Workplaces and Work Roles as Sites and Sources of Signi ® cant Learning A fu rther theme in the organisational change literature of immediate relevance to designers of preparatory HRD practitioner programs is that which advocates the importance of learning for competitive workplaces. No longer is organisationally useful learning being seen as solely that which is delivered in workplace training rooms. It is increasingly being seen as occurring when employees share knowledge gained through collaborative work experiences, or from discussions with competitors, or gained from ? n line? sources or other electronic data repositories (Marquard & Sofo, 1999; Davernport, De Long & Beers, 1998; Denton, 1998; Rowden, 1995). In some organisations the introduction of performance management systems has further reinforced the notion that the development process takes place within the workplace and the work role. As a result, in many organisations the HRD practitioner is a consultant or coach working directly with individual employees and managers to develop the performance necessary to achieve the strategic goals of the organisation (Marquard & Sofo, 1999).An increased recognition of a need for more effective communication, problem solving, team building and con? ict resolution skills on the part of employees has also been part of the discussion associated with the importance of workplace learning. Newer work behaviours being sought are often based on making more explicit employees’ tacit knowledge about how the organisation operates and a range of interpersonal attributes. Smith and Hayton (1999) suggest that development activities to build these forms of work behaviour are particularly evident within organisations that have ntroduced quality improvement processes and new forms of work organisation. Each of the above themes has implications for the work of the HRD practitioner and in turn for the design of preparation programs for such practitioners. These themes suggest the scaling back of traditional bureaucratic organisational structures a nd the emergence of new forms of employment in which employees play differing roles and complete different work. The themes imply the need to equip employees with a broader range of skills and changed mindsets about the nature of work.Similarly, HRD practitioners require understanding of the newer skills required in organisations and the differing delivery formats which may be more appropriate for the new forms of work. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation Challenge 3: diverse  ® ndings in pro ® ling studies 45 The previous sections have drawn on those ideas from the HRD, organisation and management literature that have implications for the design of preparation programs for HRD practitioners.This section considers the challenges that arise from the somewhat diverse  ® ndings from recent studies examining the role of HRD practitioners. One of the largest pro ® ling studies of this  ® eld of practice was completed by the American Society for Training and Development ( ASTD) in 1996. From a survey of the membership of this society this study identi ® ed the range of professional competencies that practitioners saw as necessary to meet the demands of a changing society and their changing workplaces.The critical roles that respondents in this study nominated included: providing performance support services (which required competencies in all interventions not just training); using technology for delivery support interventions(which required competencies in technology planning and implementation); managing human performance systems (requiring an ability to apply business system skills); promoting continuous learning at individual, team and organisational levels, and managing change processes (requiring capacities with technologies that facilitate change and change management consulting).The report argued that the critical competencies for practice were: an awareness of industry or corporations including an understanding of vision, strategy, organis ational culture and how to link HRD practice with organisational goals more than ever before; management skills including leadership skills; understanding the customer focus and project management skills; interpersonal skills and technological literacy (American Society for Training and Development, 1996). While this American study would suggest a broadening role for HRD practitioners, some other studies are less de ® nite.For example, Nijhoff and de Rijk (1997) report  ® ndings from a comparative study of HRD practitioners from four European countries. From this study the researchers tentatively reported that training and development and organisational change activities remained the most important parts of the HRD practitioner role. Similarly some Australian studies of the early 1990s also suggested a narrower role than that found in the United States. For example, Moy (1991) analysed position vacant advertisements for HRD practitioners (using a similarly broad de ® nition of this term as used in this paper).Her data revealed that the traditional responsibilities associated with an orthodox training role such as instructing, facilitating, program design and administration continued to rate highly as key responsibilities in advertised positions. She did report, however, a trend towards advisory and diagnostic service and showed that organisational change and development, analysing needs and conducting skills audits, advising on individual career development and strategic HRD planning were amongst the most frequently identi ® ed responsibilities in newly created positions.Another Australian study of the early 1990s, using professional association members from this  ® eld, also found a dominant training orientation for those in this role. This study suggested that there was no indication of a shift towards a broadened 46 R. Johnston HRD role or to role specialisation (e. g. needs analyst, learning evaluator) or to any role transformation as had been pr edicted in some of the literature of the late 1980s (Dunstan, 1993). Later studies, however, have provided some evidence of change in line with the ASTD  ® ndings.In 1997 Anderson and Johnston examined HRD roles and practices, the challenges practitioners faced and the skills and understanding these practitioners perceived they would need for future practice. The sample for this study was very small and may have been atypical in that all participants were completing formal studies in HRD. Nonetheless, the study comprised practitioners with a spread of experience (6 months and 20 1 years of professional experience with a median of 5. 5 years of experience) and from a wide range of industry sectors.Common HRD Practices Findings from this study revealed that the HRD activities were carried out in organisations by both HRD staff from a centralised HRD function and by line staff. HRD activities undertaken centrally included program development, staff induction, career development and m anagement and change management. HRD work carried out by line staff and supervisors comprised mainly individual training and development and performance assessment. Respondents also reported that many others in the more general HR (Human Resources) function had development responsibilities.Other positions with titles such as Capabilities Manager, Performance Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, and Learning Services Manager were further identi ® ed as having HRD responsibilities. The most common HRD activities conducted in respondents’ organisations included: classroom-based group training, assessment of performance or competence, assisting with the implementation of organisational change, program design, HRD budgeting, program evaluation, one-to-one training or coaching.Other HRD activities undertaken in at least 40% of respondents’ organisations included: monitoring organisational change, career planning, facilitating team development, process improvement/quality in itiatives, and internal performance improvement consultancy. Survey respondents themselves were most frequently responsible for group training, program evaluation, one-to-one training, and assisting with the implementation of change. Payroll administration, award interpretation, recruitment, counselling, HRD management, training resource development, and training record systems maintenance were other work tasks nominated by respondents.These  ® ndings could be seen as re? ecting both the broadening in scope of HRD activities and a blurring of occupation role boundaries(especially with generalist HR staff and managers) within organisations. These  ® ndings also re? ect  ® ndings reported by Moy and, to some extent, those of Dunstan of an ongoing reliance on orthodox developmental strategies for many practitioners. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation Perceptions of Recent and Anticipated Changes 47 This study also gathered data on practitioners’ perceptions of rece nt role change and anticipated challenges.Several themes emerged. The most common perception of role change was the increased demand for a closer linkage between HRD initiatives and the core business of the organisation. Several respondents indicated that they were now required to devote more energy to developing the performance of business units, to place a greater focus on workplace issues, and to be more accountable for achieving outcomes that related to organisational goals. These practitioners stated that they needed to be more aware of business goals, more strategic in their practice, and to take on broader roles in the new ? exible? workplace. A second theme to emerge from respondents’ perceptions of change was concerned with the HRD strategies being used within organisations. Several respondents reported that there was more outsourcing of HRD provision by their organisations, that learning centres, individualised learning plans, open learning strategies were being inc reasingly used and that there was more involvement by managers and line supervisors in HRD activities than there had been in the past.Other responses indicated changes related to the focus on industry or enterprise competency standards and assessment of such competency, to meeting mandatory statutory requirements (e. g. EEO, Occupational Health and Safety requirements), to multi-skilling and to the facilitation of organisational change. A small number of respondents also suggested that they were being required to work longer hours with reduced budgets.Anticipated challenges nominated by respondents included preparing the organisation for technological change and the need to adapt to changing learning and development technologies (e. g. computer-based, interactive learning technologies, multimedia and open learning). Several respondents also indicated that they anticipated that their role would require them to address the issue of development of part-time and contract employees. Perf ormance-based training, managing organisational change, and the move to team-based organisational structures were other challenges that respondents anticipated facing.Several expected that they would have to justify the maintenance of the HRD department and its existing budget, and predicted the possibility of further outsourcing of the HRD function. Skills and Understandings Needed for HRD Practice The  ® nal question in the study asked respondents to nominate the skills and understandings they felt were most needed to operate effectively as an HRD practitioner. Communication skills were the most frequently identi ® ed, with responses suggesting a need for both general communication skills and more speci ® c skills in areas such as negotiation and group management.A second cluster of responses related to the traditional skills of training, with respondents listing competencies connected with instruction, facilitation, program design and training needs analysis. A third cluste r of competencies was concerned with organisational awareness. Skills here included planning skills, knowledge of corporate culture, manage- 48 R. Johnston ment of projects, time and resources as well as general administration, budgeting and marketing skills. Other respondents indicated the need for well-developed skills in analysis, investigation, problem solving and consultancy.In the following year, Kostos (1998) reported a further set of pro ® ling  ® ndings from a focus group of learning and development professionals with varying levels of responsibility from within both large corporations and small business. This study revealed that there was a de ® nite shift in the skill requirements of people currently involved in the  ® eld with the greatest change being ? in the area of trainer to consultant? (p. 19). Her study also found that the learning and development function equired professionals to be more aware of business issues in order to make the linkages in the delive ry of learning. Skills in consulting, high-level communication, analysis, resource and project management, using behavioural transformation approaches, organisational development and managing change, use of new technologies, and managing cultural diversity were also required. Participants also nominated the need for a re ® ned capacity for knowledge management. To summarise brie? y, the pro ® ling studies reveal some evidence of change in the HRD practitioner role.While the traditional practices of training and development still constitute major tasks of this role, there is evidence of the need for HRD practitioners to have an enhanced capacity to operate strategically. As such, HRD practitioners could be seen as requiring an increased understanding of the organisational drivers and the capability to work with the dynamics that operate within speci ® c organisational settings. These studies also highlight the ubiquity of change in organisations and the need for practitioners t o be able to work within and develop others within a change context.These studies could be seen as presenting the designer of HRD preparation programs with the challenge of providing learners with both the traditional skills associated with training and development using a classroom-based delivery mode as well as the skills to use alternative strategies both to improve performance in line with business goals and to assist both organisations and individuals to manage change. Some Implications for Preparation of HRD Practitioners The preceding sections of this paper have identi ® ed some of the challenges that confront those who are developing programs to enhance the skills of HRD practitioners.These challenges have been identi ® ed from an analysis of recent literature. There is also some convergence in this literature about the skills and understanding that are needed for contemporary HRD practice which can be used as a guide for determining the content of preparation programs i n HRD. This  ® nal section highlights some of the areas that could feature in such programs. HRD Preparation Programs Should Foreground the Context of Practice There is ample evidence, both from the theoretical discussions of the  ® eld and the pro ® ling studies cited, of the importance of organisational awareness for HRD practitioners.Such evidence suggests that this aspect should be foregrounded in Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 49 HRD development programs in order to assist learners to work strategically and overtly align their practice with organisational directions and the achievement of organisational goals. Even though it can be anticipated that many learners undertaking such formal programs will have had some experience within organisations, developing skills in organisational analysis, strategic thinking and planning, translating business objectives into action,  ® nancial awareness and planning would seem valuable.Similarly, there would seem to be a ne ed for students to be able to develop the communicative capacity to establish the alignment between HRD initiatives and organisational goals at both interpersonal and organisational levels to avoid being marginalised at best or replaced at worst. HRD Preparation Programs Should Address Traditional Training Areas Such as Presentation, Program Design, Needs Analysis and Training Evaluation Pro ® ling studies from Australia and Europe clearly show that the more traditional areas of training/HRD practice are still common HRD activities.It cannot be assumed, however, that the technologies associated with best practice orthodox training are well known or well practised, as many practitioners come into HRD practice as a second career resulting from the expertise they have displayed in a technical or functional role. To better equip practitioners who have entered the  ® eld in this way, program designers need to ensure that their learners develop capacities to implement the learning tec hnologies and strategies (including design as well as delivery and evaluation strategies) that are used within organisational settings.These should include, but also go beyond, the traditional classroom-based models of instruction. Skills in developing employees at their work site are being increasingly required as the workplace becomes the source of working knowledge. Similarly, as some of the studies discussed above show, skills in designing electronically provided learning experiences become pivotal as learning becomes a process that is called up when needed rather than an activity attended when directed. Even with the shift in some HRD work from the specialist HRD function to workplace-based supervisor or onsultant/coach (Kostos, 1998) there is still a need within organisations for expertise in accurate training and development needs analysis and in the design of effective development and support experiences that are appropriate for the learner and the task. HRD Preparation Prog rams Should Foster Capacity of HRD Practitioners to Become Managers of Change A theme pervading most current organisational literature is the need to recognise that organisational change will be a continuing and accelerating feature of post-industrial society.Respondents in the pro ® ling studies also indicated that they anticipated playing a role in implementing organisational change as well as confronting change both in terms of the learning and organisational technologies they would be using. Such  ® ndings would therefore suggest there is a strong need for HRD students to gain a sound understanding of the diverse dimensions of change that 50 R. Johnston impact on their role, and to develop the capacity to assist with the design and implementation of individual and organisational change.HRD Preparation Programs, Particularly for the Australian Context, Should Provide Some Focus on Competency-based Training, Workplace Assessment and Performance Assessment The notion of compete ncy-based training and the process of developing industry competency standards were features of industry training and skill formation policies in the early 1990s in Australia. This approach to training subsequently became a major feature of much vocational training conducted in educational institutions within Australia. The level of adoption of this approach within enterprises is not so clear.For example, a large study of enterprise training in Australia in 1996 by Smith and Hayton (Smith & Hayton, 1999) revealed that most of the enterprises in their sample were not using competency standards to guide their training activities, and that the incidence of competency-based training in enterprises was very low. They did comment, however, that there were notable exceptions in their sample. The study by Anderson and Johnston (1997) cited earlier, however, suggests that some elements of competency-based approaches were being enacted in organisations.A number of respondents in this study in dicated that assessment of competencies/capabilities/performance was a common HRD activity in their organisations. More extensive evidence indicating support by Australian enterprises for competency approaches is reported in a study of 350 companies completed in 1999. Seventy per cent of the respondents in this study indicated that they supported a competencybased training approach for their employees, even though not all companies supported the use of formally developed national industry competency standards.Some companies reported developing standards for their own organisational contexts (Allan Consulting Group, 1999). Despite some of the contradictions in these  ® ndings, it could be argued that HRD preparation programs should provide learners with understandings of issues and processes associated with competency-based training and assessment, as elements of the approach are being used to varying degrees within organisations in Australia.Similarly, calls for the use of perform ance management approaches and the need for performance management and improvement competencies in HRD practitioners (American Society for Training and Development, 1996; Dunphy et al. , 1997) could be seen as reinforcing the argument for enhancing skills in developing performance standards and assessing competence in performance in HRD learners. HRD Preparation Programs Should Equip Practitioners to Prepare Employees for New Forms of Career Planning The literature that discusses the changing world of organisations and work predicts the disappearance of career structures as we know them.It has also suggested that the individual employees will need to develop an expanding portfolio of skills for ongoing employment in the contemporary workforce (Handy, 1995; Lawler, 1994). Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 51 This suggests, therefore, that HRD preparation should equip learners with the capacities to understand and utilise the processes of multi-skilling employees as well as f acilitating individual career interventions. Such skill on the part of the HRD practitioner will allow for more ? exible use f organisational workforces as well as enhancing the employability of individuals both within and outside organisations. Career planning emerged fairly strongly from some of the pro ® ling studies as an important competence for HRD practice. This evidence suggests that some of the tools of the practice associated with this area need to be addressed in the preparation of HRD practitioners. Such preparation may also be salient for the practitioners themselves, as their own careers in HRD will also be subject to the same forces of change as many of the employees in the organisations in which they work.HRD Programs Should Recognise that Those in this Field of Practice are not Located Solely Within a Specially Designated HRD Function Employee development is occurring at various levels in organisations and hence students participating in preparation programs may h ave a range of organisational responsibilities and work backgrounds. This could also suggest that in the preparation of HRD practitioners there is a need to provide education in other HR disciplines in order to provide participants with a broad framework for practice.Similarly, there is a need to help participants develop the capacity to work in close association with those in other positions within organisations, as employee and organisational development initiatives are frequently shared. Conclusion This paper has attempted to foreground some of the challenges that confront designers of preparation programs for human resource developers. These challenges arise from the contested perspectives of HRD, the complexity of the sites of HRD practice, and the divergence in  ® ndings in recent pro ® ling studies of the  ® eld.There is also a degree of convergence in the writing and research about the  ® eld which would seem to suggest that the role scope and hence required working knowledge and skill of HRD practitioners is broadening. This convergence provides a basis for determining the substantive content needed for formal preparation programs for practitioners from this  ® eld. There remains, however, a need for further research into the role of HRD practitioners in contemporary organisations and the practice skills and working knowledge HRD practitioners require.Such research will contribute to the development of relevant preparatory educational programs and may also lead to increased recognition of the role that HRD practitioners play in the achievement of effective organisational practice. Address for correspondence: Robyn Johnston, Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. E-mail: Robyn. [email  protected] edu. au 52 R. Johnston References ALLAN CONSULTING GROUP. (1999). Training to compete: The training needs of industry. Report to the Australian Industry Group. 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