Parallels Between Nora in “A Doll’s House” and Blanche in “Streetcar Named Desire”

Within the classic works of literature, there often exist parallels between characters, settings, themes, and the like.   An especially interesting example of parallels among characters exists between Nora in Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† and Williams’ â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire†.In this paper, the parallels between these characters will be presented, not only in the outward appearance and circumstances of both, but also in terms of common themes, symbolism, and more in order to provide a well rounded piece of research and evaluation of these complex protagonists.Nora and Blanche Superficially ComparedTo begin, Nora and Blanche will be compared in terms of their outward characteristics and environments so that a basis of comparison can be established on the most basic level, before more in-depth comparison can take place.Nora, in â€Å"A Doll’s House†, is presented by Ibsen on the surface as a vulnerable woman, dependent upon the assistance and approval of others, especially men.   Having led a sheltered life, Nora grows up in the care of her father, and immediately moves to the care of her husband upon her marriage, giving the reader the distinct impression that she is totally reliant upon the help of others, or more precisely, the help of male figures of authority (Drake).As a result of this fragility on her part, Nora becomes impulsive and materialistic as the work unfolds in the initial portions of it; however, the tantalizing suggestion exists that Nora uses a practiced vulnerability in order to ultimately manipulate the men in her life.   As the story reaches its climax, Nora emerges from her circumstances as a fully independent woman who rejects the idea that marriage and motherhood is necessary to validate her as a person (Ibsen).Blanche, as portrayed in Tennessee Williams’ â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire† is also presented as somewhat vulnerable and reliant on others, but in differ ent ways.   Early in her life, Blanche leans on a man whom she believes will be her husband and take care of her, but ultimately, through a series of complicated situations including his confrontation of his own homosexuality, he takes his own life, leaving Blanche to her own devices (Bloom).In an effort to validate herself, Blanche becomes the caretaker for the elderly members of her family, watching each of them pass away one by one, and along with them, a piece of her dies as well.   Ultimately, Blanche finds herself seeking shelter and support from others when, as she loses her home and financial resources, she is forced to move into an apartment with another woman and man.Like Nora, Blanche initially seeks validation and protection from men, but in her case, the men are a series of strangers with whom she indulges in intimacy in a fruitless search for attention, protection and a sense of herself (Combs).   Ultimately, Blanche is forced to face the reality of her inner sel f, and like Nora, come to some hard decisions about who she has been, who she will become, and how all of this will interrelate.In comparing Nora and Blanche simply on the surface, we see two women who are seeking to find their way in the world so to speak, but more importantly, each is also trying to find out who they really are and also trying to find a sense of independence and validity despite trying circumstances.This being understood, there are several key themes that these women have in common; themes that are more abstract but important nonetheless.   They are identified and discussed as follows:Fantasy Versus RealityBoth Nora and Blanche find themselves in a struggle between fantasy and reality; initially, both women are lulled into the false fantasy world where men make them complete, validate their existence, and will help them to live happily ever after, as the classic fairy tale goes.However, as reality sets in, both women find that they ultimately need to define them selves on their own, and the actual reality is that we all find ourselves alone and should not rely on someone else to complete or validate our existence.   For Nora, reality comes in the form of her independence from marriage and motherhood, which allows her the luxury of full expression of her inner self.   For Blanche, reality comes in the form of the gravity of her promiscuity and the effect that it has had on others, as well as herself.LonelinessFor the entire action taking place around them, it is fair and accurate to assert that both Nora and Blanche are lonely in one sense or another.   While it is not the type of loneliness that comes from being totally alone, it is the type of loneliness that comes from not truly knowing anyone, including themselves.Nora realizes eventually that she is a stranger even to herself, and this leaves her feeling quite alone.   For Blanche, faced with the seemingly constant loss of loved ones through illness and death, she is eventually alone in the literal sense, being the sole survivor of her family.   Loneliness permeates both of these characters, and shapes them forever, for better or worse.DesireThe presence of romantic, emotional, and material desire is a common element to be found in both Nora and Blanche.   Desire is something that can be a positive motivator or a destructive force, and it manifests itself in both ways in the case of these characters, respectively.   In Nora’s case, desire first exists in terms of her desire to feel safe and protected by the men in her life, first her father and then her husband.At the conclusion of â€Å"A Doll’s House†, Nora has a desire to be independent and define herself, which she pursues.   Blanche, in â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire†, has desire of the amorous nature, which burns so hotly that it almost consumes her in its intensity.   At the conclusion of Blanche’s saga, her desire for the love of a man is what brings her full circle in her life experiences.Constant ChangeThere is an old irony that says that the only constant in the world is change; in the case of these characters and works, this is definitely the case.   Change, for better or for worse, charts the course of Nora and Blanche throughout their respective stories.Nora goes through a wide variety of changes, as her domestic situation changes through marriage, and changes once again as she comes to the realization that she is actually her own woman and does not need approval from others to thrive.Blanche goes through the end of the â€Å"Old South† as her role models all fade into eternity and she must change all that she has known as her everyday life.   Both women change constantly and move forward with the action of their stories.The Male and Female DynamicThe dynamic between women and men is as old as time itself, and is a unifying theme in both â€Å"A Doll’s House† and â€Å"Streetcar Named Desire†.à ‚   Nora struggles with the issue of being subservient to a man and allowing him to shape her world, while Blanche seems to want to submit to a man in order to shape her world.   These differences are along the same line of thinking- that men and women, for better or worse, do define each other to a certain extent, but total submission is a different situation altogether.   Both women interact with men, and it influences their lives for better or worse.Closing ThoughtsOn a higher level than the literal, Nora and Blanche represent some of the most intricate nuances of womanhood.   In their comparison, an understanding of the human soul as well, has been achieved.Works CitedBloom, Harold, ed. Tennessee Williams†s a Streetcar Named Desire. New York: Chelsea House, 1988.Combs, Robert. â€Å"Philip C. Kolin, Williams: A Streetcar Named Desire.† American Studies International 41.3 (2003): 104+.Drake, David B. â€Å"Ibsen's a Doll House.† Explicator 53.1 (1994): 3 2-34.Ibsen, Henrik.   â€Å"A Doll’s House†.   Girard, Kansas: Halden Julius, 1923.   

LaFleur Trading Company Essay

LaFleur Trading Company is an international food supplier located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They handle a large amount of different food and wine products and ship to consumers around the world. Their trading partners are listed to be in 38 different countries and they are based in Canada (which makes 39). LaFleur’s website lists the company mission as â€Å"We will provide our customers with the highest quality foods at a reasonable price.† (LaFleur, 2009) The list of products includes seafood, cheeses, wines, and fruits. Most of the customers for LTC come through the internet. The only real interaction that the company generally has with clients is through emails and phone calls. The desired reputation of the company is that of a high standard for product quality. The website says that the company â€Å"will act fairly and justly in the conduct of our business† and also acknowledges that customers get their perceptions of the company from the interactions with employees. LTC goes on to assure customers that their buyers â€Å"only deal with reputable producers and exporters† (LaFleur, 2009). With such an avid focus by consumers on labels, it is critical that LTC uphold their claim to maintain Canadian organic standards for all their organic products and to be able to regularly inspect products from each different country to ensure it all meets the same strict standards. Reasonable prices and high quality are the two promises that the company makes throughout their website. Certainly the ability to keep their promises will be determined solely by the dedication of the employees to do their jobs to the best of their ability. LTC employs individuals that are responsible for customer service, shipping, business to business relations, and quality assurance. Salesmen in the customer department as well as representatives responsible for securing purveyors can be eligible for commission bonuses. Quality assurance team members can be offered rewards for continuing to keep the standards set by the trading company rather than letting certain products slide. The organic label is one that must be more rigorously inspected, as the standards in this area are constantly being improved as environmental standards worldwide become stricter. The shipping team must be responsible to compare rates as well as the delivery times and  package conditions upon arrival. This area can lead to many challenges since the company is involved in shipping in so many different countries. Certainly it is a huge challenge to run a company with so many different cultures represented in their partners. Learning to merge local cultural ideology with the company’s ethical standards is something that must be addressed. One Boston, MA based company found a solution to this challenge when they opened their Bangkok branch. They built an entire team for such enterprises and appointed a director of worldwide culture and communications. The team, called Winning Operations Worldwide or WOW, had a purpose of building a bridge between the home office and the regional offices. The goal, according to the director was to decentralize operations so that the regional office employees would be able to successfully make their own decisions. They began providing extensive training exercises. â€Å"taught Team WOW members how to inject corporate values–teamwork, the interplay between speed and quality, risk taking, and thriving in change, and open communications–into their training programs† (Dunn, 2000) LaFleur Trading Company receives most of their customer orders online through their website. Safeguarding customer information received such as credit card or bank account information from being stolen or fraudulently used is a pertinent concern. Another issue that plagues online consumers is personal information such as e-mail, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. Customers value their privacy and companies that take the initiative to honor that wish for privacy are able to build better e-commerce. Fast Track 500 companies are working diligently to disclose any uses for customer information. â€Å"Nearly 95 percent of FastTrack respondents said top executives at their companies consider protecting customer privacy a critical part of their e-business strategy. According to the survey, top managers with profitable e-commerce ventures are even more likely to have this issue as a top priority† (Paul, 2000). LTC is an e-commerce company that would benefit tremendously from this type of focus. Customers want to know that their purchases and their information are protected. With partners in 39 different countries it would be virtually impossible not to have heightened security on their website and in their company policy. One potentially difficult ethical challenge to a trading company dealing in food would be the assurance that each product is free from harmful contaminants. This is an  issue that would start at the local level with the production of the food (or wine) and then involve the shipping process. Because of dealing with so many partners in different countries, it would take an entire team full-time attention to make sure that one set of standards is maintained throughout the product range. Customer service would be fairly inv olved at LaFleur Trading Company. Service specialists must have the ability to potentially communicate in multiple languages. Special translation software can help for online communications but phone representatives would need to include individuals who speak a variety of languages. Also, there would be cultural differences to take into consideration, such as some cultures prefer to only have men conduct business. Some cultures do not allow certain products, and most of the time customers will expect business to be conducted in the manner of their own culture rather than the manner of the parent company’s culture. Sometimes it is easy to offend someone of a different culture without even realizing it. â€Å"When in Rome do as the Romans† is an old adage that would apply here. Another possible solution would be to hire customer service representatives in each local market and route orders through the local affiliates. Providing a quality product at a reasonable rate through ethical business practices is a good standard for any company. Organizations such as LaFleur Trading Company have a very complex task to consistently provide that same level of service in such a large international market. Focusing on quality assurance, secure transactions and cultural diplomacy are three ways that organizations can succeed in the new global market. Keeping the concept of â€Å"local† as part of â€Å"global† will ensure long-term success as a grassroots effort spreads across countries worldwide. References Dunn, K. (Feb 2000). Values Training Spans From Boston to Bangkok. Workforce, 79, 2. p.90. Retrieved November 09, 2010, from General OneFile via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/gps/start.do?prodId=IPS&userGroupName=uphoenix LaFleur Trading Company (2009). Mission. Retrieved November 09, 2010, from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Lafleur/intranet.ht

What Were Several Staple Crops in the Carolinas

What were several staple crops in the Carolinas, grown by the slaves? How did this crop affect their cuisine? When the slaves were being transported to the new world they brought with them native African foods to eat along the journey. They also brought with them many customs and cooking techniques that were not yet used in the Americas. The introduction of these crops proved to be a major influence in what we now called Southern cuisine or soul food. Rice is the major staple of slave cuisine. It is said that the rice originally came from seeds directly imported from Madagascar in 1685.Africans were familiar with the growing and cultivating of rice and taught their â€Å"owners† how to grow it as well. The rice fields were cultivated on tidal swamp lands along coastal rivers. Slaves cleared these low-lying land and build canals, dikes and small floodgates that allowed the flooding and drainage of the fields. Peanuts were originally from South America, but made their way to Afr ica via trade then eventually made their way to America on the slave ships. Slaves used peanuts in several different ways including making peanut pie and peanut soup.They also used to boil the peanuts in salt and spices and eaten soggy, this was a great source of nutrition. This dish is still widely consumed today. The use of the peanut was not limited to just the slaves; in fact George Washington Carver researched this product in depth. He discovered over 300 possible uses for the peanut including Jersey Milk, instant coffee, flour, synthetic rubber and linoleum. It was also discovered that rubbing peanut oil on aching muscles will help them rejuvenate more quickly.Okra was another staple crop grown and consumed mostly by slaves at first but then made it’s way, as many other foods, into the white man’s diet. Okra or gumbo as it’s called in Africa made its way to America via the transatlantic slave trade in the 1600s. The most popular dish that is made from Okra is Gumbo, a stew in which okra is the main ingredient and is thickened with powder from sassafras leaves. The seeds were also used to make a coffee substitute and for some medicinal purposes including softening ointments.African food traditions contributed greatly to the culinary cuisine of America. Southern cooking and soul food became a cultural and culinary experience in which both black and white Americans contributed to. Works Cited Opala, Joseph. â€Å"South Carolina Rice Plantations. † South Carolina Rice Plantations. N. p. , n. d. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://www. yale. edu/glc/gullah/02. htm>. â€Å"- SlaveRebellion. org. † – SlaveRebellion. org. N. p. , n. d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012. <http://slaverebellion. org/index. php? page=african-contribution-to-american-culture>.

Phonemic awareness and it's relationship to word analysis Research Paper

Phonemic awareness and it's relationship to word analysis - Research Paper Example Phonemic awareness can be considered as a subset of the phonological awareness in where listeners possess the ability to hear, and identify and the manipulate phonemes, smallest units of sound which may differentiate meaning, is Separating, spoken word " the cat" through into three separate phonemes, /?/, /k/, and /t/, requiring the phonemic awareness. National Reading Panel (NRP) had realized several years ago that the phonemic awareness may and do elates an individual’s word reading and comprehension in reading, in addition to assisting people learn to know how to spell. According to a research conducted by the University of Nairobi Phonemic awareness can safely be considered as the basis for learning the phonics. Phonemic Awareness And Phonological Awareness Phonology awareness and Phonemic awareness, more often than not are confused as most of the circumstances they are considered interdependent. Phonemic awareness capability to manipulate and hear individual phonemes. On the other hand Phonological awareness do include this capacity, in conjunction to the ability to hear and then manipulate much larger units of an individual’s sound, these includes the rimes, onsets and syllables. Several Studies by the Vickie Snider have indicated openly that the phonemic awareness possess a more than direct correlation with its students’ capability to read as they tend to get older. In fact it is claimed that Phonemic awareness do build a very strong foundation from which the students to do understand rules of English language. This as a result allows respective student to put in practice the skills and thereby increasing the student’s oral reading eloquence and in understanding of the text. Phonemic Awareness Skills Practiced With Students The above subject matter relates to the capability to differentiate and handle individual sounds, like /?/, /f/, and /t/ just as for instance in pronunciation the foot. Below are some of the general phonemi c awareness skills practiced with students: Phoneme isolation: that necessitates recognizing individual sounds in the respective words, instance, "update me the initial sound heard â€Å"paste" (/p/). Phoneme identity: that requires distinguishing common sound in dissimilar words, for instance, "update me the sound which is similar in boy, bike and bell (/b/). Phoneme substitution: where an individual has the ability to turn words like â€Å"cat† to another like "hat" just by replacing a single phoneme †/h.† for another /k/. The Phoneme substitution may and do take place for initial sounds as in the (cat-hat), the middle sounds such as the (cat-cut) or the ending sounds as in the (cat- can). Oral segmenting: A teacher may say a word like, "ball," then the students go ahead to say the respective sounds, as in /b/, /?/, and /l/. Oral blending: Teacher may say each individual sounds, as in, /b/, /?/, /l/ then the students respond by saying the word, "ball." Sound de letion: Tutor says one word, for instances, "bill," then the students repeat it, he/ she then instructs the students to replicate or repeat the word in the absence of a sound. Onset-rime manipulation: That necessitates identification, isolation, segmentation, deletion blending, of onsets â€Å"single consonant or blend which leads the vowel and behind consonants, for instance, st-op, j-ump, str-ong. For

Ideas of Calculus III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ideas of Calculus III - Essay Example Time as a vector value is used to study geometry of space curves and velocity of a moving object. Calculus III also teaches how to simplify the theories of derivative and integral to vector-valued equation (Ryan 15). Calculus also enables learners to model quantities like temperature on Earth surface, which changes from one point to another. Such quantities are expressed used tangent graphs which is a concept in calculus. The last part of Calculus III involves a 2-dimensional account of the Fundamental Theorem which is commonly called Greens Theorem. Greens Theorem is the mathematics behind potential energy and physical notions of work that is a major step towards understanding magnetic fields and electricity (Ryan 45). Calculus students ought to access computers in order to develop intuition and visualize on the concept they learn about the course. The computer lessons are part of the course work and they include programmed questions that students ought to solve by the help of the computer (Ryan 25). The main aim of Calculus III is to enable learners to develop critical reasoning skills and new problem solving techniques and prepare them for advanced study in physical science, mathematics and engineering (Ryan

Children should not be Educated at Home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Children should not be Educated at Home - Essay Example Additionally, a child misses an opportunity of interacting with others when he or she is educated at home. This has serious effect on a child social development in future because he or she will not be able to learn ways of interacting with others (Amy and Vahid, 22).In addition, some parents explain that a child experiences less pressure as compared to a child educated at school. They argue that a child can achieve educational freedom whereby they learn what need to learn anytime. However, their view is quit refutable. A study by Marcovici (138) shows that home education is stressful because a parent has to research and prepare lesson for a child. Additionally, the parent has to answer any questions posted to them by a child. This can be tasking to a parent who also has to undertake other jobs. It can also result to misunderstanding when a child is struggling to get to know what has been taught. Some parents have argued that sending their kids to school expose them to harsh realities such as smoking, teenage sex and alcohol abuse. However, a study by Amy and Vahid (22) explain that kids need to be in such realities so as to know between right and wrong. Additionally, the authors explain that kids can deal with issues of drug and alcohol abuse when they are mature easily. The fact here is that kids are will be aware of the consequences posed by exposure of teenage sex and drug use.It is important to send children to conventional classes to make them have achievement in their lives.

Job stress among help desk technicians Coursework

Job stress among help desk technicians - Coursework Example Ask support staff what issues they run into most often, and if they are things that users could fix themselves, add them to the list (Knapp 45). Sometimes, a bad relationship with the help desk may cause users to avoid reporting minor IT problems and that means those issues can stagnate and become big issues. That is why departments should make it as easy as possible for users to send IT support requests to the help desk. Different groups will prefer different communication methods. Find out what users in your company prefer, whether it is the phone, email, instant messaging, or something else (Knapp 45). Many help desks operate on a first-come-first-serve basis however, that often allows more requests that are important usually delay in favour of minor issues in the company. Instead, IT support staff should be able to prioritize their work according to established protocols. For example, issues that prevent users from getting work done should be placed ahead of those that do not. Users often complain that IT employees mess around on their computers without explaining what they are doing. Often it is something simple like installing an update, but if users do not know, they might assume they have done something wrong when a support employee stops by to use their machine. Users can often get stressed out when they run into what they believe is a huge technical problem and it might be even worse if they think it was their fault. Support staff should assure users their problems can be fixed, and be sure to never scold a user for doing something wrong. Instead, IT staff can look for opportunities to pat users on the back when they have done something

The Impact of Social Media to the Business World Essay

The Impact of Social Media to the Business World - Essay Example This paper illustrates that today, one can send emails, talk through cell phones, send text messages and interact through the internet characterizing how the social media tools have redefined information. Some of the tactics a business can employ is by the creation of brand profiles on social networks. Social media has defined the way information about organizations and their product and services are shared. This is evident through the benefit that people get when they share information through mobile devices. Also, the people have a meaningful dialogue with the companies and are involved in the process of creating a satisfying product. It is apparent that social media has enabled a better insight into customers behavior and improved office productivity through internal networks. Social media has also improved conversation in organizations as the communication is no longer one-way. The multidimensional conversations have led to the involvement of many relevant parties. The platform p rovided by the social media has enabled companies to take advantage of word of mouth tactic. It is evident when people are connected on a global scale, and they get to interact with each other lives through online observation. The act of liking a company brand on Facebook has proved that it can spread quickly throughout different social media channels. This is because individuals tend to trust the opinions of their friends far more than a newspaper advert. The word of mouth comes into play in such situations. The result of these has been that millions of people review products and services through social media sites such as Youtube, the information is then shared and disseminated to other social media websites. The current trend is that the public depends on the social media to get the reviews of different products and services to enable them to make buying decisions. Due to this opportunity companies have created their own Youtube channels with branded videos of their products.

Hydrolics Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hydrolics - Lab Report Example Pressures are examined at low, mid and also at high flow conditions. The spillway is one of the most important structures that should be given priority in a dam project. Spillways constructed along with the dams help in controlling excess water or flood hence ensuring the safety of the project. It is also vital that the design of the spillway facilities be done with enough capacity to help avoid overtopping of the dam, especially where an earth fill or rock fill dam type is used for the purpose of the project. The ogee-crested spillway has superior hydraulic characteristics. It has the ability to pass flow efficiently and safely when it is properly designed, with good flow measuring capabilities and this has enabled its application in a variety of situations by engineers. Though much is understood about the ogee shape and about its flow characteristics, it is also clear that a slight deviation from any conventional design parameter like change in the upstream flow conditions, a slightly modified crest shape or construction variations can significantly alter properties of the flow. These minor adjustments require that engineers carry out evaluation of the crest and also to determine whether the change or deviation will adversely affect the performance of the spillway or not. The ski jump spillways are basic in their design as they transfer the excess water from behind the dam. They usually have a â€Å"flip lip† and a dissipater basin which helps create a hydraulic jump and therefore protecting the toe of the dam from erosion. . An Ogee spillway was properly installed and the highest discharge was chosen and then using the weir boards, we created a USBR Type 1 stilling basin, with a hydraulic jump being within the stilling basin. We also ensured that the gradient on the flume was set at 3%. †¢ . Similarly a ski jump spillway was properly installed and the highest discharge was chosen and then using the weir boards, we created a USBR Type 1 stilling

Client-server and Human Resource Essay Example for Free

Client-server and Human Resource Essay The proponents have found the following studies and literature as relevant to the system being proposed. The review of related literature and studies will serve as an overview of the presentation in the analysis of the system. INTRODUCTION Human Resource Information System (HRIS) improves information and communication between the company and the employees; it becomes an important strategic tool since it collect, manages and reports information for decision making. Modern HRIS needs to help the organizations by automating most of the Human Resource (HR) functions. The changing world new technology that is available, managers need to be aware of the technology that will increase effectiveness in the company. Early Human Resource, then called personnel, were limited to employee record keeping and were provided as a service to the organization. There was no HRIS as we know it today. Personnel record keeping was done by hand, oftentimes utilizing a system as simple as an index card file. The personnel department was typically small with little power and limited interaction with the organization’s business mission. After WWII organizations became more aware of human capital issues recognizing the importance of employee morale in the success of organizations. Formal selection and development processes were developed but there was no real change from the original responsibility of the â€Å"personnel† department that of record keeping. As record keeping was still done by hand, HR information systems, pre-1960, hardly gave a hint of what they would become with the advent of workplace technology. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s the term â€Å"human resource management† gained common usage in place of the term â€Å"personnel† and by 1974 the new term, human resource management, was appearing in media headlines and was eventually shortened to just â€Å"HR.† From the 60’s to the 80’s organizations firmly integrated HR into their core business missions. At the same time regulatory reporting requirements for employees increased significantly. Large organizations used mainframe computers to maintain organization data bases and technology based Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) provided an efficient solution for the increased record-keeping and reporting required by government regulation. The human resources department became one of the most important users of the org anization’s computer systems, though the primary task was still record-keeping. In this modern era of Information Technology (I.T), human resource information system (HRIS) has become an important management discipline at enterprise level. HRIS plays a vital role in implementing the strategic business objectives of the organization, and in running the daily operations/functions efficiently and effectively to improve the productivity and proficiency, human capital becomes the only sustainable resource of the competitive advantage for an organization. Firms that is successful at finding, managing, retaining and developing good employees. Since 1990, the economical rapid change with globalization and technological innovations led for the development of human resource information systems (HRIS) and advanced internet capability facilitates to create a real-time shared data information-based, self-service, and interactive work environment. Information Technology with web-enabled capabilities helps human resource (HR) as it becomes a more horizontal and self-learning o rganization, by enabling human resource to contribute to the strategic focus of the organization. The strategically focus in human resource significance from the resource-based view of the firm that treats human capital as a strategic asset and a competitive advantage in improving organizational performance. Human Resource Information System is a systematic procedure for collecting, storing, maintaining, retrieving, and validating data needed by an organization. HRIS comes to the rescue of human resource professionals, because it has common shared database, tools to analyze to aid in decision making and many other features such as scanning and matching resumes compatible with requirement of the organization. HRIS empowers the employees to access their personnel records, view the payroll, tax payments and compensational benefits like health coverage, retirement benefits and other perks and incentives. In the literature, Database, Employee Tracking, Benefits Administration, Payroll Administration, Employee Interfaces and attendance monitoring are deemed to be major components of hu man resource information systems. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE John Gill et al., (2010) described the HRIS is a computerized system typically comprising a database or inter-related databases that track employees and their employment-specific information. Broderick (1992) states that HRIS can influence effectiveness in four ways: Firstly, with emphasis on increased productivity from the workforce, recruitment, short term working, temporary, and less redundancies. Secondly, it deals with the increasing demands made be legislation, which related to HR practices and the increased need to produce statistics for government. The third factor was the rate of the development of computer technology. The final factor was the increased availability of HRIS at lower costs. The professional body argued that effective HRIS use leads to efficiency. Michael et al., 2008] Florkowski et al., (2006) in his research paper: ‘The diffusion of human-resource information technology innovations in US and nonUS firms’, evaluated the diffusion of information technologies that are transforming HR service-delivery and revealed that the modest correlation between the number of acquired Information Technologies (IT) and HR-transactions automation supports the general call for more formalized HR-technology strategies at the firm level to coordinate purchasing and implementation decisions. Hussain ZI (2002) in his article stated that HRIS can help large or small businesses. By organizing the payroll, benefits and employee information among other things, it’s imperative to stay current on any changes to this software. Keeping the HR information system secure and compliant with other software should be the most important aspect. (International Journal of Research in Economics Social Sciences 52 http://www.euroasiapub.org ) The emergence of Information Technology, especially internet-enabled technology has affected and enhanced many management areas that include HR management. The decreasing costs of computer technology versus the increasing costs of employee compensation and benefits made acquisition of computer-based HR systems (HRIS) a necessary business decision. Resource Information Systems in Jordanian Universities ABSTRACT The main purposes of this study are to explore the extent to which public Jordanian universities have adopted Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and to examine the current HRIS uses, benefits and barriers in these universities. A structured questionnaire was constructed based on other previous studies; it also pre-tested, modified and translated to capture data from HRIS users in Jordanian universities. The main findings of this study revealed that the quick response and access to information were the main benefits of HRIS implementation. While the insufficient financial support; difficulty in changing the organization’s culture and lack of commitment from top managers were the main HRIS implementation barriers. The present study provides some insights into the performance and applications of HRIS in Jordanian universities that could help Human Resource Management (HRM) practitioners to get a better understanding of the current HRIS uses, benefits and problems, which in turn, will improve the effectiveness of HRIS in Jordanian universities. (http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=trct=jq=related+studies+of+hrissource=webcd=8cad=rjaved=0CFgQFjAHurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjournal.ccsenet.org%2Findex.php%2Fijbm%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F7638%2F5867ei=JjeGUPzYA-qNmQW3uIHQAQusg=AFQjCNHTHGH-AykQNcyM-sDYPla0MI9RHA) Human Resource Information System The system that seeks to combine the task and activities involved with human resource management and information technology (IT) into one universal database through the use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. The goal and objectives of HRIS is to combine the different parts of human resources including payroll, labor productivity, and benefit management into a less capital-intensive system than the mainframes used to manage activities in the past. Which is also called Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS). The Human Resource Information System is a database software or online solution for the data entry, data tracking, and data information needs of the Human Resources, payroll, management, and accounting functions within a business. Generally packaged as a data base, hundreds of companies sell some form of HRIS and every HRIS has different capabilities. Pick your HRIS carefully based on the capabilities one need in one company. Figure1.HRIS Human Resources Information System is a system that lets you keep track on all of employees and information about them. This is basically done in a database or, more often, in a series of inter-related databases. These systems include the employee name and contact information and all or some of the following: department, job title, grade, salary, salary history, position history, supervisor, training completed, special qualifications, ethnicity, date of birth, disabilities, veteran’s status, visa status, benefits selected, and more. (http://managementdemand.com/2012/07/hris/) How can HRIS contribute value to the organization? An HRIS serves two major purposes in organizations: HR Administrative and Operational Role: The first purpose of an HRIS is to improve the efficiency with which data on employees and HR activities is compiled. Many HR activities can be performed more efficiently and with less paperwork if automated. When on-line data input is used, fewer forms must be stored, and less manual record keeping is necessary. Much of the reengineering of HR activities has focused on identifying the flow of HR data and how the data can be retrieved more efficiently for authorized users. Workflow, automation of some HR activities, and automation of HR record keeping are key to improve HR operations by making workflow more efficient. HR Strategic Role: The second purpose of an HRIS is more strategic and related to HR planning. Having accessible data enables HR planning and managerial decision making to be based to a greater degree on information rather than relying on managerial perception and intuition. For example, instead of manually doing a turnover analysis by department, length of service, and educational background, a specialist can quickly compile such a report by using an HRIS and various sorting and analysis functions. Human resource management (HRM) has grown in strategic value in many organizations; accordingly, there has been an increased emphasis on obtaining and using HRIS data for strategic planning and human resource forecasting, which focus on broader HR effectiveness over time. What are the Uses of an HRIS? An HRIS has many uses in an organization. The most basic is the automation of payroll and benefit activities. With an HRIS, employees’ time records are entered into the system, and the appropriate deductions and other individual adjustments are reflected in the final paychecks. As a result of HRIS development and implementation in many organizations, several payroll functions are being transferred from accounting departments to HR departments. Beyond these basic activities, many other HR activities can be affected by the use of an HRIS. Figure2. Uses of Human Resource Information System (http://www.nmatec.com/hrwise/what) REVIEW OF RELATED SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT OF SUPPORT AND BENEFITS OF HRIS IN MEDIUM-SCALE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES ABSTRACT In the current fast-paced global competitive business environment, the efficient and effective management of human capital is an immense challenge to the human resource departments Information systems contributes to improve the organizational performance, and enhance the competencies of human resource professionals. This paper aims to assess and establish the support levels and the benefits of the human resource information systems in the medium scale textile industries. As a core part of the study, the primary data was collected from the selected of respondents of textile companies who are using human resource information systems with the help of a survey questionnaire. The data analysis that was performed using cumulative weighted average technique concludes highly moderate support levels of human resource information systems exists in the medium-scale textile industries and they are able to attain only 2/3 of the benefits. Further the research, based on an evolutionary view of computing growth suggests improvements in the human resource information systems in order to gain the competitive advantage and to maximize the benefits. (International Journal of Research in Economics Social Sciences 52 http://www.euroasiapub.org ) THE ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING IN PRIVATE SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS IN SRI LANKA ABSTRACT Human Resource Information System (HRIS) has become one of most vital information systems in the market. This study focuses on the role of HRIS in human resource planning (HR) in private sector organizations in Sri Lanka. The purpose is to explore the functionality and contribution of HRIS in HR planning through HRIS recruiting and training development subsystems as perceived by senior HR executives in Sri Lankan private sector organizations. A pilot survey was carried out to identify the problem using structured interviews with Heads of HR of three selected private companies. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from senior HR executives of selected private sector companies in Sri Lanka. Answers received from 89 respondents were analyzed. The overall response rate was 48 percent. The deductive mode of reasoning, cross-sectional study and quantitative techniques were selected as research methods. The results of the survey showed that the most frequently accepted HRIS feature is training needs analysis (TNA) and that there is high positive correlation between HRIS job analysis and the effectiveness of HR planning. Most Sri Lankan private sector organizations perceived the contribution to efficiency of HR planning through HRIS skill inventory, HRIS TNA, HRIS training program evaluation, HRIS succession planning, HRIS labor demand and supply analysis and decision-making, as the greatest contribution of HRIS. This study shows that HRIS needs to offer more intelligent capabilities to increase the effectiveness of HR planning. HRIS vendors need to win the trust of HR professionals through enriching features and increasing the awareness and usage of HRIS in HR planning, especially its effectiveness. DEVELOPMENT OF HR INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR AN AEROSPACE INDUSTRY ABSTRACT The usage of a proper HR Information System (HRIS) has always been an important contribution for the HR (HR) operation in any organisation to work effectively. HR is one of the important functions of any industry. Hence it is important to keep this function equally efficient and effective compared to other operations in an organisation. One of the factors which contribute to the proper functioning of HR operation is data. Storing, analysing, processing and retrieving of data for decision making become necessary in this context. In the current study, the existing manual systems and processes in the HR department has been studied and observed. By studying the various processes with the help of tools like flow charts, use cases and data flow diagrams various parameters has been analysed. The HRIS has been designed using object oriented analysis and design methodology along with PHP version 5.0 for the front end and MySQL as backend database. Various forms like employee information, leave approval has been designed. Partial implementation of HRIS with Leave Management System as one of the modules has been carried out. Various reports like new and existing employees, leave pending/approval has been created. The HRIS has been implemented against the existing system on internal server with Windows operating system which reduced 49.24% of time compared to the existing system. The developed HRIS will help the organisation to effectively store employee data more securely and accurately. This study can be further extended in implementation of other modules of HRIS like recruitment, training, and development, compensation, benefits and payroll. (http://www.msrsas.org/docs/sastech_journals/archives/May2011/8.pdf) HUMAN RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN INDIA – ISSUES AND CHALLENGES Deoki Nandan*, K.S. Nair** and U.Datta*** Availability of adequate number of human resources with suitable skill mix and their appropriate deployment at different levels of health care set-up are essential for providing an effective health care service for the population. Since independence, concerted efforts have been made to address the need for human resources for health in India. However, shortage exists in all categories of human resources at different levels. Ensuring the availability of human resources for health in rural areas and building their capacity in public health are daunting tasks. Future challenges include planning for human resource for public health at State/national level, framing of State specific human resource development and training policy, creation of human resource management information system, reorientation of medical and para-medical education and ensuring proper utilization of the trained manpower and standardization of training. It is also important to link human resource development and trai ning policy to the National Rural Health Mission in achieving its goals. (http://medind.nic.in/hab/t07/i4/habt07i4p230.pdf)

Health Dangers of Cell Phones and Ethical Selling

Health Dangers of Cell Phones and Ethical Selling Karabo Dhlamini Table of Contents Research Question Introduction Hypothesis Definition of Electromagnetic radiation Definition of Concept Advantages of Mobile Phones Disadvantages of Mobile Phones Conclusion Glossary Bibliography Acknowledgements No table of figures entries found. Research Question In conjunction with the various health issues associated with society and its use of mobile phones, is it ethical for retailers to sell this device without informing the consumer about the dangers? Introduction One of the most influential innovations of the 20th century is undoubtedly the science of technology; people have become dependent on Information Communication Technology to the point that our ability and progress is stagnant without it. The demand put on the population to have sufficient knowledge of ICT is so high that one cannot hold a profession or even be successful throughout their education. Now the most prevalent form of technology that influences our lives immensely is the mobile phone. Unfortunately the Information Communication Technology Industry is becoming widely known for perpetuating this product without informing the receivers about the adverse effects associated with its use. Mobile phones are purchased everyday from common day to day destinations and with the excessive purchasing of this product, misinformation can therefore come across as negatively influencing the moral barrier between the consumer and seller. (RUTKAUSKIENE, Danguole et al., 2011) (FUNWORKS, 2013) Hypothesis The effect that mobile devices have on the users health is measured to a miniscule magnitude. In that result, it is unnecessary for the mobile technology industry to make provision for cautioning users about these effects and therefore dispelling it of a moral issue. Definition of Electromagnetic radiation Electromagnetic radiation are harmful and harmless waves consisting electrically charged particles, their harmful nature is all dependant on the lengths of the wave's wavelength, the shorter the wavelength the more harmful the radiation is towards materials. (ANNE MARIE HELMENSTINE, Ph.D.) Definition of Concept Due to mobile technologies prevalence in human life, discoveries have been found that associate the device with the ability to cause harmful electromagnetic radiation. The transmission of radiation is somewhat miniscule but the real issue is derived from people's excessive use of the device. Mobile phone's transmit radio waves via base stations which in turn create radiofrequency waves that are electromagnetic. These waves cannot restructure chemical bonds within the human anatomy. Whether you are calling or just texting, when the mobile phone is on you are being exposed to radiofrequencies. Now if you are less than twenty centimetres away from your phone you are unfortunately in the vicinity of being exposed to radiation. Accounting to the morality of this issue, not being informed that you are in fact being harmed can raise some concern but the reality is that the scale at which you are being harmed can be considered insignificant. (BORRELI, Lizette, 2013) (MANN, Marion, 2013) Advantages of Mobile Phones Mobile phones have the ability to provide us with opportunities and most of all ease of access to technology. Ease of access refers to people's ability to reach data very quickly which might take hours to find through books and articles; the other reference is our ability to reach one another within minutes just by using the mobile phone's technology such as calling, blogging, texting and even video calling. The next aspect of mobile technology that makes it such an imperative part of our lives its user experience. The fact that no training or courses are necessary for someone to be able to use a mobile phone makes it very convenient as opposed to desktops which are very complicated. The various single task programs, called 'apps', diversify our personal abilities. People can now do things with their phones that they never expected would be possible. Mobile phone's also provide a user the ability to be always connected. People love communicating and sharing data with one another, now the mobile phone doesn't only provide us that possibility but also enables us to do it from where ever we are located. This skill has attracted several populations towards the product and away from any other previous forms of communication. Mobile technology is technically amazing but it is just as great in social implications. Mobiles can mine data for its user at very high velocities as opposed to their counterparts, books and articles. Due to the speed at which information is received, now people can be sure not to be misinformed about global affairs and other natural activities. Ultimately research is now vastly simpler to search for and therefore the increase in productivity for businesses, schools, and other industries can be promised. (STUDY OPPORTUNITIES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, 2014) Disadvantages of Mobile Phones Electromagnetic radiation is one of the biggest challenges that face our population, now with the introduction of radiation in mobile phones, it only makes it a much bigger problem. Brain tumours, genetic damage, short term blood cells, nausea, vomiting and cancer; these are just a few of the effects that people are allowing themselves to be exposed to whenever they are exposed to a significant amount of radiation. Mobile phones are not completely safe and that is the reality but one's safety can be easily rectified by firstly keeping the phone about 20cm away from your body. This distance can also be achieved with the use of headsets which allow a connection with the phone by a few meters. Another prevention strategy is to keep your phone away from your waist due to the radiation exposed to the hip bones which are responsible for 80% of the blood cells formed in the human anatomy. Ultimately the best prevention strategy for radiation exposure from mobile phones is by using it less. The more you use the mobile phone; the more exposure you get to radiation and the more likely you are to inherit cancer or genetic damage. This is not true because the comparison of ultraviolet radiation and radio wave radiation is to Hz and Hz respectively. Radio wave radiation, which is the radiation propagated by mobile phones, is classified as non-ionizing radiation; this type of radiation is known to have a maximum effect of heating on skin but mobile phones don't even transmit enough radiation to have such an effect. Ultraviolet, however, is ionizing radiation and this type of radiation is needed in order to have even the slightest possibility of cancerous symptoms on human beings. (U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, 2009) (VOLKOW ND, Tomasi D, Wang GJ, 2011) (MATTSON, Dr. Barbara, 2014) (KOVACH, Sue, 2007) (RADIATION ANSWERS, 2007) (MATTSON, Dr. Barbara, 2004) Conclusion The prevention strategies in conjunction with the various advantages that mobile technology imposes in society far outweighs the danger of radiation that mobile phone have on its user or society. The extent at which mobile phone's emit harmful radiation is also very insignificant compared to the quantities required to have cancerous effects on the human population. Thus, it is highly unnecessary for the mobile technology industry or retailers to make provision for warning the various mobile phone users and ultimately eliminating the possibility for a moral issue being raised with not informing users about its radioactive dangers. Glossary Bibliography ANNE MARIE HELMENSTINE, Ph.D. Electromagnetic Radiation Definition. [online]. [Accessed 03 Auguat 2014]. Available from World Wide Web: BORRELI, Lizette. 2013. 5 Reasons Why Cellphones Are Bad For Your Health. [online]. [Accessed 03 August 2014]. Available from World Wide Web: FUNWORKS. 2013. Module 2.2 E-Communications. [online]. KOVACH, Sue. 2007. The Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation. [online]. [Accessed 03 August 2014]. Available from World Wide Web: MANN, Marion. 2013. Optical Properties. In: Mind Action Series Physical Sciences Textbook and Workbook 12, Sanlamhof: ALLCOPY Publishers, pp.105-107. MATTSON, Dr. Barbara. 2004. Imagine the Universe! Dictionary. [online]. [Accessed 04 August 2014]. Available from World Wide Web: MATTSON, Dr. Barbara. 2014. Electromagnetic Spectrum Introduction. [online]. [Accessed 04 August 2014]. Available from World Wide Web: RADIATION ANSWERS. 2007. Effects of Radiation. [online]. [Accessed 03 August 2014]. Available from World Wide Web: RUTKAUSKIENE, Danguole, Daina GUDONIENE, Caroline MICHALAK et al. 2011. ICT and Mobile Technologies in Practise. European Commission. STUDY OPPORTUNITIES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. 2014. Module 3.1 ICT and Society. [online]. U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. 2009. Radiation-Emitting Products: Reducing Exposure: Hands-free Kits and Other Accessories. Silver Spring, MD. VOLKOW ND, Tomasi D, Wang GJ. 2011. Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism. In: Cell Phones and Radiiofrequency, PubMed Abstract, pp.808-813. Acknowledgements Acknowledgements are sent to my senior phase Physical Science teachers, Mrs Carol Grout and Mrs Ilze de Beer, for the various knowledge accumulated from Optical Properties lessons. Credit also goes to my Information Technology teacher, Mrs Stapelberg, for the eCommunication and various other Information Communication Technology lessons that provided me with the competence to create this research task.