Travel Agency HR Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Travel Agency HR Plan - Research Paper Example As such the key concerns for every human resources department have always been job satisfaction, employee commitment and motivation which are the determinants of the level of performance and job growth. The resources based approach to the role of human resources management proposes that the company has a competitive advantage if it can effectively execute its human resources strategy. As such the human resources strategy serves certain functions including creating competitive advantage. The focus of the firm’s competitive edge is the potential for effective and efficient execution of the production process. This is mainly associated with the firm’s workforce and how the workforce responds to the firm’s objectives and goals. People management The organisation’s human resources strategy ensures that the employees remain objective to the firm’s overall goals and objectives. Each employee has their own personal goals and objectives which are either simi lar or different from those of the organisation. The human resources strategy ensures that the employee aims and objectives are incorporated in the mission and objectives of the organisation. Job growth. ... This acts as a motivation mechanism for the employees by driving their efforts towards a particular achievable and well laid out objective. 2. Challenges in the implementation Change management in the organisation has always presented serious concerns to the human resources department. The implementation of the human resources strategy will therefore be confronted by the resistance to change among the employees who are not as willing to adjust to the new strategy. Further the new human resources strategy will require the managers to change their systems of administration and instruction to allow for the adoption and effective implementation of the new strategy. The new strategy also requires a particular skill set that acts as the basis for the allocation of duties and responsibilities. As such not many employees bear these skills. This causes the projections of the strategy to deviate from the practically possible results. The recruitment of the new employees will also create new tr aining costs to ensure that the employees maintain a strict standard of responsibility to the strategy. Finally the production line of the travel agency has an industry best practice standard which is commonly used among the travel agencies. Any deviation from the common standards creates doubts of actual effectiveness. 3. The purpose of HR metrics and their effect on senior management Human resources metrics are the series of factors and circumstances that allow the organisation to quantify the participation of the human resources as resources to the business. The effective implementation of corporate strategy depends on the ability to effectively manage the organisation (Lawler, Levenson, and Boudreau 2004). The

Self-reflection on Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self-reflection on Communication - Essay Example Although interactions with diverse groups of people through communication have widened my knowledge in socialization diversity, it forms one of my situations in which I am least comfortable while talking. The multicultural individuals are mostly my classmates from all various cultures of the world. The fact that we are of different cultures implies that our communication patterns differ a great deal. Additionally, communicating with strangers is another experience that I am least comfortable with because the is no relationship whatsoever between the intended correspondent and me. Personally, I find it adorable and more comfortable in situations where I am interacting with my friends because there is the aspect of sharing of common behaviors and issues. Moreover, interacting with members of the family guarantee the freedom of expression, and this characterizes an interpersonal communication that makes it interesting. Friends are at liberty with each other and even if one were to be criticized for mentioning anything irrelevant; it would not be in a manner that may lower his/her self-esteem. I possess a number of strengths and weakness when it comes to social interaction. Remarkably, my major strength is the ability to listen for long enough and participate effectively when required. I actively participate thus encouraging longer hours of any constructive chat. Secondly, I tend to keep a keener eye on aspects such as facial expression, the tonal variation of the speaker and use of gestures. The ability to focus on details regarding the subject of communication helps me avoid mistakes resulting from the inability to listen well. A third forte is that am able to adopt the use of gestures and tonal variations to place emphasis on issues that I deem more important than others have.  Ã‚  

The Ottoman Empire Essay Example for Free

The Ottoman Empire Essay The Ottoman Empire was a Turkish Muslim empire that existed from the year 1299 to 1922, controlling must of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa at the height of its power during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.   The Empire expanded throughout its history under extremely brave leaders, while its adversaries were weak and disunited. The Ottoman army comprised numerous Christians.   And an important reason why the Ottomans were so successful was that they brought unity among Jews, Christians and Muslims – truly uniting them under the banner of â€Å"People of the Book† as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.    Hence, history informs us that the Jews, too, made significant contributions to Ottoman arts besides participating in the political life of the Ottoman Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ottomans were masters at building architectural masterpieces.   In modern day Istanbul, evidence remains to reveal the glory of the Ottoman Empire.   The mosque built by Sulayman the Magnificent is one of the greatest contributions to architecture made by the Ottomans.   Then there are many other buildings to reveal the glory.   The Aqaba Castle in Jordan; the Ottoman fortress in Seddulbahir, Turkey; and the Qasr Ibrim in the middle Nile valley are just few other examples of grand Ottoman architecture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ottoman Turks also played an important role in the advancement of science.   Ali Kusco’s contributions to mathematics and astronomy were significant.   Moreover, the Ottomans played a central role in the progression of military technology and capability. In fact, Ottoman maritime arsenals and shipbuilding technology is especially offered as an example of their contributions to the world of technology.   Scholars describe the cannon of Mehmed II; the artillery trade of the Ottoman Empire; the Piri Reis innovation; and the attempts of flight, automatic machines, submarine, and rocket technology in Ottoman history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Scholars further assert that the Ottomans had a deep influence on Europe.   However, Europeans have been shy of describing this influence, given that the Ottomans had conquered many European lands through its superior military capability.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Besides their scientific activities, and interest in architectural design, the Ottomans were deeply involved in the arts of paper marbling, calligraphy, gold ornamentation, miniature, and the making of music.   As a matter of fact, Ottoman music is as an art that was originally produced by the court and folk musicians in military, religious, classical and folk styles. This music has been used in all segments of society, from the Chinese borders to Morocco.   The Ottoman sultans were known to appreciate the music of multicultural artists.   Hence, Ottoman music does not undermine the contributions of the non-Ottoman or non-Muslim artists.   Rather, it presents itself with all of its influences as the most developed, refined, and elite branch of all the Turkish musical traditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ottomans had built a very strong form of government, a model for the rest of the world.   Besides, the reign of Sulayman I saw the flowering of Turkish literature, art and architecture – a sign of great success by itself.   After Sulayman, however, the Ottoman Empire began to decay as the clergy and the Janissaries gained power to exercise a profound, corrupting influence.   In fact, corruption is one of the reasons why the Ottoman Empire fell after its rise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Following the reign of Sulayman I, the Ottoman Empire suffered a naval defeat at the hands of Europe’s John of Austria.   Murad IV in the seventeenth century restored some of the lost Turkish military prestige, nevertheless, by his victory over Persia.   Crete was conquered, and Vienna was surrounded.   The relief of Vienna by John III of Poland and the subsequent campaigns of Charles V of Lorraine, Louis of Baden, and Eugene of Savoy ended in negotiations in 1699, called the Treaty of Karlowitz.   This treaty cost Turkey – Hungary and other territories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indeed, the Ottoman Empire had to break up because it was rather difficult for rulers following Sulayman to manage its vastness.   But the end of the Empire actually came when the Ottomans joined the Central Powers to form the Triple Alliance and enter World War I.   The reasons why the Ottomans had sided with Germany were threefold: Germany had pressured the Ottomans to side with it, offered them money and future control over the Russian territory, and also won clear victories during the early part of the War.   Thus, the Triple Entente or Allied Powers declared war on the Ottoman Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ottoman Empire’s decision to side with Germany eventually cost the Empire its life.   Although the Ottomans managed to win important victories in the early stages of the War, there were setbacks to boot.   In the final stages of the War the Ottomans took Azerbaijan, though they had to give it up at the end of the War.   Ottoman defeat came from a combination of attacks on strategic targets by British forces and the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918.   At this point of time, the Ottomans were facing difficulties on the home front as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Empire was finally partitioned in the aftermath of the War.   The Allied Powers required the Empire to submit to a total partition.   The Middle Eastern territories of the Empire were partitioned under the mandates of Britain and France, the Turkish Mediterranean was ceded to Italy, the Turkish Aegean coast was given over to Greece, and the Turkish straits and Sea of Marmara were ceded to the Allied Powers.

Frankenstein :: essays research papers

â€Å"Introduction to Frankenstein† The ethical debate concerning biotechnological exploration into genetic cloning has created a monster in itself. A multitude of ethical questions arises when considering the effect of creating a genetically engineered human being. Does man or science have the right to create life through unnatural means? Should morality dictate these technological advancements and their effects on society? The questions and concerns are infinite, but so to are the curiosities, which continue to perpetuate the advancement of biotechnological science. In order to contemplate the effects that science can have on our society we can look back in history and literature to uncover the potentiality of our future endeavors. From a historic perspective, the ethical concerns about atomic fusion serves as an important cautionary guide. In its conception the prospect was for the betterment of man however the result may eventually bring our demise with the eminent threat of nuclear warfare. In literature, Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein† serves as a bioethical exhortation for today’s technological advances in genetic cloning. Mary Shelly’s â€Å"Frankenstein† provides a clear distinction between the theoretical grandeur of man’s ability to scientifically produce life and the stark reality, which it encompasses. Mary prophetically illustrates some of the potential hazards of breaking through the barrier that separates man from God. Her insight allows the reader to trace these repercussions through Victor Frankenstein, the monster, and eventually society. The character of Victor Frankenstein illustrates the path of destruction scientists can create when ignoring their moral community. Individuals, who possess good ambition for knowledge, power, self-perfection, and strength in one’s society, are vulnerable to their own delusions and instability, to corruption, fate, and nature. Victor was so impassioned with his life’s work that he had lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit (Shelley 32). Frankenstein’s blinding ambition prevented him from seeing the potential consequences of his actions until it was to late. The first sign of Victor’s fatal flaw of egotism in that he has forgotten the bond he has with nature and to the people he loves. â€Å"A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me† (Shelley 32). His absence of moral judgments is the catalyst for what becomes the demise of the creature, society and ironically himself. It would be years before Victor fully realized that his neglect of moral obligation to the creature and society had unleashed a hideous monster that would eventually destroy his society as revenge for the monster’s sense of abandonment.

Women in Mathematics

Women in Mathematics Every human is created with a gift of some sort. Whether it is an athletic ability, a wonderful singing voice, or an ability to relate to other individuals, every one has a special gifting. For many women in history, their ability was deciphering and understanding the intricacies of math. Although various cultures discouraged women mathematicians, these women were able to re-define the standards for women in this field of study. Hypatia of Alexandria was born in Roman Egypt and was the daughter of a teacher of mathematics, Theon of Alexandria.Hypatia studied with her father as well as with many other mathematicians. When she was older, she taught at the Neoplatonist school of philosophy. She wrote on mathematics, philosophy, as well as anatomy. Her studies covered the motion of the planets, conic sections, and number theory, which is â€Å"one of the oldest branches of pure mathematics, and one of the largest. It concerns questions about numbers, typically meani ng whole numbers as well as rational numbers. Although little information about Hypatia survives, it has been discovered that she was a very popular lecturer that drew students from various locations.She is known for her invention of the plane astrolabe, which is an elaborate inclinometer with the ability to locate and predict the locations of the sun, moon, planets, and stars and the graduated brass hydrometer which was used to determine the relative density or specific gravity of liquids. Hypatia's teachings were not accepted by the Christian bishop, Cyril due to her pagan beliefs. His public dislike towards her is said to have been the cause of the attack by a mob that lead to her death.Most of her work was destroyed when the library of Alexandria was burned by the Arab conquerors, however, her studies have been discovered through the work of others who quoted her as well as through letters. I believe Hypatia was one of the first inspirational women mathematicians. Despite the da nger she knew she was facing, she chose to do what she enjoyed. Elena Cornaro Piscopia was born in 1646 in Venice into the family of a public official. Her father provided the means of education to his children.Elena was recognized as a child prodigy when she was seven years old by a parish priest. She then began to study theology, mathematics, Latin, Greek, and music. Clerics, royals, and scientists came to Venice to speak with her due to the widespread attraction of her achievements. As she grew older, Elena was the first woman to apply in theology at a university in Italy. She was also the first woman to earn a doctoral degree. After receiving her master's and doctorate degrees in philosophy, she went on to become a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Padua until her death in 1684.Although she is not famous for discovering any particular math problem, she was very influential in her time and inspired many other women to pursue mathematics. Maria Agnesi was born in Italy in 1718 and was the daughter of Pietro Agnesi, a wealthy nobleman and professor of mathematics. Maria, like Elena, was recognized as a child prodigy and was taught five languages. Her father invited his colleagues over for Maria to present speeches to. By the age of 13 Maria was able to debate in French, Spanish, and Latin.Although Maria did not enjoy giving the speeches, she continued until the age of twenty. That year, Maria made a compilation of the speeches she had given over the years and published them in Latin. The title of the compilations in English is â€Å"Philosophical Propositions. † The topics included celestial mechanics, which refers to the branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of celestial objects and applies to the field of physics, Isaac Newton's Gravitation Theory that states that any two objects in the universe exert gravitational attraction on each other, and elasticity.Maria's father married twice after the death of her mother, causing her to be the eldest of 21 children. She was required to provide education to her siblings. Maria wrote a mathematics textbook over the course of ten years which was titled† Instituzioni Analitiche† which was published in 1748 in two volumes. The first volume contained information on algebra, arithmetic, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and calculus. The second covered infinite series and differential equations. Due to her ability to understand many languages, Maria was able to bring together various ideas from mathematicians of all cultures.The name â€Å"witch of Agnesi† refers to a mathematical problem of finding the equation for a certain bell-shaped curve which was named after her by English mathematician John Colson. When Maria's father passed in 1752, Maria discontinued the education she had been providing to her siblings and devoted her life to helping the less fortunate. I found Maria's story to be very admirable due to the extreme selflessness she possessed. Al though she desired to further her mathematical studies, she spent a large portion of her life educating her younger siblings, and spent the remaining time devoted to the poor.Sophie Germain was born in France in 1776 and was the daughter of Ambroise-Francois Germain, who was a wealthy middle class silk merchant and a French politician. During Sophie's childhood, the French Revolution was occurring, so Sophie was kept isolated from the chaos by staying in her home with her two sisters. She chose to pass the time by reading through the books in her father's extended library. Sophie was particularly fond of the story of Archimedes of Syracuse who was killed while reading geometry. To see a man so captivated by a subject influenced her to pursue math.Sophie taught mathematics to herself in her native language as well as in Latin and Greek so as to be able to gain understanding from a wider range of mathematic books. Her family was not particularly fond of her studying, but she was so en thralled by mathematics that she studied at night until her family accepted what she loved. In eighteenth century France, women were not normally accepted into universities, however, Sophie was able to borrow the notes from mathematic professors and was able to send comments about the work to the professors by hiding behind the pseudonym of a male, â€Å"M. e Blanc. † Sophie Germain studied number theory and Chladni figures, which is a technique that shows the various modes of vibration of a rigid surface. Her study of these figures was the foundation to the mathematics used today when constructing skyscrapers. Her study of number theory lead to partial progress on Fermat's Last Theorem, which states that if x, y, z, and n are integers then xn + yn = zn cannot be solved for any n greater than 2. Sophie was able to show that for prime exponents less than 100, there could be no solutions relatively prime to the exponent of that number.After this work, she was accepted into sess ions at the Institut de France and became the first woman with this privilege. She died in 1831 of breast cancer. I believe Sophie is inspirational due to her extreme intelligence by finding an addition to Fermat's two-century's old theorem. Had she not been diligent in pursuing mathematics although it was inconvenient, she would have never been presented the opportunity to impart such knowledge into history. Sonya Kovalevskaya was drawn to mathematics in a rather peculiar way.As a young child, born in 1850 in Russia, Sonya was mesmerized by the lecture notes of Mikhail Ostrogradsky on differential and integral calculus that made up the wallpaper of her family's estate. Sonya's father did not allow her to study mathematics abroad, and Russia did not allow women to attend the universities, thus Sonya was forced to find an alternative means of furthering her education. She entered into a marriage of convenience with Vladimir Kovalensky, and left Russia with him and her sister. Sonya w ent on to Heidelberg where she was granted permission to study at the university.Two years later, she went on to study mathematics with Karl Weierstrass who assisted her in pursuing a degree in mathematics. Sonya's dissertation on partial differential equations, which refers to an equation that contains unknown multivariable functions and their partial derivatives, resulted in receiving a doctorate without having attended any class at the university and is today called the Cauch-Kovelevskaya Theorem. Sonya was also awarded with the Prix Bordin from the French Academie Royale des Sciences for her research over how Saturn's rings rotated, now referred to as the Kovelevskaya top.She also was appointed to a chair at the Swedish Academy of Sciences- making her the first woman to receive this title. I believe her story is especially inspirational due to her ground-breaking achievements including titles and positions that had never been awarded to women before. All of these women pioneers of mathematics teach a very valuable lesson. The culture during the time of these five particular women did not accept the studies that these mathematicians longed to be educated in.Their extreme ability, or gifting, of solving problems and assembling theorems was not only widely unaccepted, it was also widely unappreciated. Even after the accomplishments of these women, their work is often undermined. In the midst of opposing forces telling them they should not, or even could not go into the field of mathematics, they believed in their ability enough to pursue it whole-heartedly and in return, they have left a legacy and have inspired women to fight what is culturally accepted to follow what is in your heart, and the things for which you have a particular talent in.Citations Lewis, Jone J. â€Å"Women in Mathematics  History. † About. com Women's History. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Lewis, Jone J. â€Å"Hypatia Of Alexandria. † About. com Women's History. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. â€Å"11: Number Theory. † 11: Number Theory. Ed. Dave Rusin. N. p. , 02 July 2006. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. Swift, Amanda. â€Å"Sophie Germain. † Sophie Germain. N. p. , Apr. 1995. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Partial Differential Equation. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.

Behavior & Teams

The reading made me realize that group and teams alike have their own purposes. However, I could not help but notice that teams have more advantages as compared to a group. I believe that every teams starts out as a group and after some time they would then on develop into a team. Being a team is necessary if one needs to truly develop and flourish.I realized that people or organizations would have better use of a team than a group especially since in a team there could be no room for someone who does not wish to participate (in contrast to a group wherein a person could just sit around doing nothing at all).The reading also made me realize that in an organization there is both a team and a group. The group should do everything in their power to develop themselves into a team. In a group the individual importance of a person is minimized since Person A could still do Person B’s job even if Person B does not appear in a meeting. In contrast, a team could not operate without one of their members since a team was developed based on their own personal expertise which in turn could better ensure their success.The presence of dependence and independence makes a team something far better and more useful in an organization especially since in a team everyone could meet in the middle and discuss their own ideas which one could not do in a group since only one person has the power to decide (the leader). The reading also made me realize the importance of sensing the needs of others. In professional situations, sensing is very important so that one would be able to gauge the needs of the teams and resolve the conflicts in the process.After sensing what the problems or the issues may be I should then move on to diagnose what is to be done to resolve the issue and I could better do that by opening the issues in the team. By doing a constructive criticism or the like each member of the team could then move on to contribute what is to be done to better the team’ s position. We could also tell each other where one went wrong in order to ascertain that such things would never happen again.This is one of the most successful plans there could be in ensuring the harmony in a team which could address everyone’s need. References: Mackin, D. (2007). The Difference Between A Team And A Group [Electronic Version] from http://www. sideroad. com/Team_Building/difference-between-team-and-group. html. Williams, N. (2000). The Top 10 Key Differences Between a Team of Individuals and a Group of Individuals [Electronic Version] from http://topten. org/public/AE/AE244. html.

Ap American History Change in American Society After Revolution Dbq Essays

Ap American History Change in American Society After Revolution Dbq Essays Ap American History Change in American Society After Revolution Dbq Paper Ap American History Change in American Society After Revolution Dbq Paper Once the Americans were free from British control after the American Revolution, they started to reevaluate their politics, the economy, and society. After America broke away from what they saw as a corrupt and damaging government, they altered how they wanted to govern their society, even though they returned to a more centralized government similar to the British. Those who weren’t educated, as viewed by the elite, didn’t experience a lot of change however the concept from the revolution still guided some to seek more financial opportunities. Women, slaves, and loyalists experienced the most amount of change in society as women experienced more freedoms, some slaves were set free, and loyalists left America. Overall, America didn’t experience a lot of economic change, however it did experience political and social change. As soon as the Americans first broke away from Britain, they wanted their government to not resemble Britain’s at all. By doing this, they adopted the Articles of Confederation that had no national executive branch. However, because the government under the Articles of Confederation had about no power because it couldn’t raise money through taxes, the people who led the national government came to realize that a more centralized government was needed. As the constitution was written and it was in the process of being ratified by all the states, the federalist papers written mostly by Alexander Hamilton were written. In one paper by James Madison, he writes â€Å"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition† (Doc I), which shows the concept of checks and balances could be used to keep the national government in line and controlled. The Constitution, finally ratified, was similar to Britain’s government but also different in its more active system of checks and balances. Economically, Americans did not experience a lot of change. The Philadelphia society for the promotion of agriculture in 1786, handed out a medal, which said, â€Å"venerate the plough† (Doc F). This shows how the elite were still rewarding the common people who weren’t financially better off than before the revolution. Similarly, in Shay’s Rebellion farmers led by the ex-military officer â€Å"[stopped] the courts of justice in several counties†¦crying out for a paper currency, [or] for an equal distribution of power† (Doc G). Shay’s Rebellion represented the economic conflict that the common people were continuing and eventually rebelled against though their actions were for nothing after they were broken up. After the Revolution, women, slaves, and loyalists experienced differing degrees of change in society. Women, trained in the concept of Republican Motherhood, to embed values of justice and liberty in their children had taken over roles during the revolution. In a woodcut of a patriot woman, a woman is drawn carrying a rifle and a gunpowder horn (Doc A), representing how women played more significant roles in society by accompanying the fighting soldiers and in this case, fighting alongside them in the revolution. However, all women were not happy to go back to their household chores after the revolution as seen by Molly Wallace who says â€Å"if [taught] to read, why not speak? † (Doc J), illustrating how some women wanted to further their domestic roles and play a larger role in society. However, women suffrage would not occur for about another 140 years so their change in society was low. For slaves, depending on the region, there was much change in society. After the revolution, many slaves were set free in the North, though it would take until the civil war for the slaves in the south to be set free. Under the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, â€Å"There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in said territory† (Doc H), showing how slavery’s role in society changed significantly in people’s minds to outlaw it in new territories. The Loyalists, or the Tories, also experienced significant change in society. After the revolution they were despised and in Pennsylvania Packet, it is said â€Å"Never let [the Tories] return to this happy land† (Doc B), demonstrating the hatred directed towards those who remained loyal to the British during and after the revolution. Loyalists experienced so much change in society that many left America, never to return, removing themselves altogether from the colonists as a result of the negative change. Politically Americans experienced some change by forging a new government even though they took a new direction in the end. Economically, the common people, who fought for better lifestyles, still lived under the elites. However a significant amount of change occurred for women, slaves and loyalists, although the loyalist position in changed in society turned to a very negative manner. In these ways after the American Revolution, society experienced change in political and social life, but not economically.