The Affects of Cutting Nasas Budget Essay Example for Free

The Affects of Cutting Nasas Budget Essay Many people undermine the importance and contributions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, also known as NASA. As president Obama is forced to make severe budget cuts, NASA is among the most affected programs to endure the blow. This issue does not take aback many people, but experts say that what is occurring will affect everyone as well as the economy more than they may believe. These extreme budget cuts recently issued by Congress impinge on the NASA space program by having a large impact on culture, and risking the setback of innovation in today’s machine-driven society. With all do respect, I have never seen an 8th grader sit up in their chair and say I want to be an NSF Researcher. With all do respect, these agencies do important scientific work but they are unknown and invisible at the age where people choose what they want to be when they grow up. † [1] Neil Degrasse Tyson brings into play a very important thought as he explains the affect of the budget cuts on the younger population of America. Scientists are worried that if NASA is taken way, we are taking away the birthplace of the STEM research fields. STEM, which stands for Scientists, Technologists, Engineers, and Mathematicians†[2] are those who make up tomorrow, or in other words, our future. By eradicating the space agency, we are also eradicating potential heroes to come. Furthermore, â€Å"NASA is the only agency that taps into the frontiers of all basic subjects including, biology, chemistry, physics, math, astronomy, geology, atmospherics, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. †[3] The people involved in these subjects, who innovate through opportunities given to them by the NASA program, are being deprived of their chance to invent and potentially become heroes. These heroes are those who leave lasting impacts on society and culture. For example, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, and as time progressed, the telephone evolved into the cell phone. Today the cell phone is used for almost everything; web browsing, emergencies, work and entertainment, and serves as a sizeable part of everyday life. Therefore, it’s easy to see that destroying the funds of NASA is simultaneously ruining our chance for new innovative heroes who are likely to create and impact the world we live in. Lastly, during the decade of the 1960’s, the average person knows that this was a decade of many important events; to name a few, the construction of the Berlin Wall, MLK Juniors â€Å"I Have a Dream† Speech, the first heart transplant, the first super bowl, the assassinations of JFK, MLK Jr. , and Kennedy and the Cold War. But most importantly these major events were not necessarily the highlight of the 1960’s but more so â€Å"the shining pearl of that decade was the ‘Mission to the Moon. ’ Everyone was a participant, emotionally and intellectually. [4] Many people say, â€Å"I think we should solve our problems here on Earth before we go into space. †[5] In the year 2007, the requested budget for the NASA program totaled to roughly $17 billion dollars. Numerous people argue that this amount of money could and should be used to solve other problems that concern the people here on Earth. For example hospitals contend that the money should be used for needed medical expenses. Others argue that the money could be used to solve poverty problems and debt.

The Concept Of Marriage In Sikhism Religion Essay

The Concept Of Marriage In Sikhism Religion Essay Sikh is a Punjabi word that means in the Punjabi language is disciple. According to another school of thought, the word Sikh derives from Seekh which means learner. Sikhs are the disciples of God who follow the writings and teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus. The wisdom of these teachings in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is practical and universal in their appeal to all mankind. A Sikh is any person whose faith consists of belief in One God, the ten Sikh Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures and teachings of the Sikh Gurus. Meanwhile, he or she must believe in the necessity and importance of `Amrit, the Sikh baptism. According to Sikh code of conduct Rahit MaryÄ dÄ  : A Sikh is any person whose faith consists of belief in one God, the ten Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures of the Sikh religion. Additionally he or she must believe in the necessity and importance of amrit (the Sikh baptism ceremony.)  [1]   The religion was founded by Guru Nanak who was born in 1469 and began in the Punjab, the upper part of the Indus Valley at the beginning of the 16th Century CE. When India and Pakistan became independent, this region which is the historic homeland of the Sikhs has been divided in two. Lahore, the ancient capital of the Sikhs, is now in Pakistan, while Amritsar, the site of the most famous and important Sikh holy building the Harimandir (Golden Temple), is in India. By the time, the last of the ten living gurus (Gobind Singh) died in 1708, Sikhism had developed a distinct and separate identity, as the succession of nine gurus who followed Guru Nanak each made contributions to and refined the tradition. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, decreed that his successor should be Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji, the collection of holy writings of the Sikhs. The Akali and Singh Saba movement propagated the Sikh beliefs and rituals. These movements fold all Hindu custom from Sikh community. They realized the problem and significance of Sikh Identity. These movements make popular Anand Marriage ceremony.  [2]   Marriage Marriage is named differently in different cultures and at different places. It is called wedding, Shadi, Viyah or Nikah. This ceremony is called Anand Karaj in Sikhism. Marriage is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all othersIn other words marriage is an act of taking girl as wife by her husband from the house of her father-mother. Marriage is the central, cardinal institution of natural society.  [3]   Further, the basic unit of society is the family, not the individual, it starts the reproductive cycle of human life. Marriage is an institution in which a mating gets social approval and the pairing of men and women are regulated. All known societies today, have the custom of marriage. Marriage is an essential ingredient of any society, and it is just like as religion in the society. Marriage and the family changes from place to place, religion to religion, caste to caste, tribe to tribe and moreover from time to time. So it is really a hard task to find out a universal definition of marriage. Some of the definitions of marriage focus upon legal aspects of marriage, while others center upon the social aspects of marriage but in almost all definitions of marriage the stress is upon the union of male and female. The marriage ceremony is a special step for couples which require serious thought in any society. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom make a public commitment to honor and support each other in their lives together as wife and husband.  [4]   Marriage institution is the most oldest and natural institution. During the last few thousand years of our cultural history, marriage and extended family has been the basis of our social structure. According to Lal Singh, Marriage is an oath taking ceremony of two souls desirous of physical, intellectual and spiritual union.  [5]   According to Promila Kapur, Marriage is a Sanskara and as such it is a sacrament and a religious bond which cannot be broken under any circumstances. Ideally, it aims not only at the individuals biological, emotional, social and spiritual fulfillments and development through union with a person of the opposite sex, but also at the development, fulfillment and welfare of the family, and through it of the society and mankind.  [6]   In general terms, marriage is described as the union of a man and a woman to live together as husband and wife according to the standard set out in the Holy Scriptures, which is socially permitted, legally agreed and religiously allowed. Marriage as more of a religious ritual than a social in east or legal affair like that in west and is considered a sacred institution in most cultures and religious traditions. Marriage is a spiritual identity, not just a love affair between two people. Marriage in Sikhism is regarded as a sacred bond of mutual help in attaining the heights of worldly life and spiritual bliss. It is a unity of mind and soul. It is a means to attain spirituality and not an end in itself. The real goal of marriage in Sikhism is union of both souls with Almighty Lord.  [7]   Marriage in Sikhism and its Developments The Sikh Gurus had a very high regard for the state of marriage, and they themselves entered into matrimony. They insisted that marriage is not merely a civil or social contract, but that its highest and most ideal purpose is to fuse two souls into one so that they may become spiritually inseparable. The concept of Sikh Marriage is explained by Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs that marriage is an attempt of uniting the individual soul to the Universal Soul. They are not to be called husband and wife who only sit together; rather they are husband and wife who have one spirit in two bodies  [8]   The Sikh Marriage ceremony is called Anand Kiraj literally (anand means bliss and Kiraj means occasion or ceremony) Blissful Occasion. The anand marriage ceremony was initiated by the third Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Ram Das. Varias Guru Bilas and most of the history do not properly dilate on the subject of Sikh marriage in old times. Various Guru Bilas are in poetry and in language that is not quite easy to be followed by everyone. The first serious attempt at the revival of the Anand marriage ceremony was made during the time of Ranjit Singh by Baba Dyal, founder of the Nirankari movement. The second attempt was made by the Namdhari Guru Baba Ram Singh who also adopted the Anand ceremony, but with a major difference. The third and the most important attempt at the widespread propagation of the Anand form of marriage were made by the Singh Sabha movement. The marriage ceremony as propagated by the Singh Sabha resembled the Nirankari rather than the Namdhari version of the Anand marriage. Sikh Marriage Ceremony In Anand Karaj, four lavan (name of Hymns) are recited from Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh Holy Book), and with each Lavn, the boy followed by the girl, circumambulate (goes around) Guru Granth Sahib. The Anand Kirraj Ceremony can be conducted in boy home or in Gurdwarain the presence of Sri Guru Gant Sahib. The couple to be married will be sitting in front of Guru Gant Sahib on flour and the family and friends will set down. Customly Asa the var is recited and then the welcoming hymns is recited. The Granti make it sure that the couple have agreed to the marriage require them and their parents stand up. The rest of congregation remains seated. Then the advice or instruction is given by the Granthi. Usually it is the summary of the Sikh philosophy of marriage and married life. He asks the couple to aspire for a truly religious life devoted to God and to get initiated into the order of the Khalsa. Through the sweetness of their manners and behavior they should ingratiate with their in-laws. Loyalty and fidelity to each other are the highest virtues. Adultery is strictly forbidden. Here the Granthi recites hymns of Guru Gobind Singhs and Guru Amar Das and Guru and even Baba Fareed Shalok. The bride and groom bow to Siri Guru Granth Sahib in acceptance of the instructions. Then the marriage Lavan reads the Granthi which are composed by Guru Amar Das, the forth Sikh Guru. The four lavans are reading and with each lavan the couple is rotating the Siri Guru Granth Sahiband at the end of rotation to the Siri Guru Granth in acceptance. The four lavan and rotation is basically the four promises. In last everybody (congregation) will stand up and the Granthi will read the concluding prayer. After this the Granthi reads the Ardas which summary is that the God is unique..Also Karah Parsad is distributed to congregation. Usually it is first offer to the couple and then to others people of congregation.  [9]   Sikh Marriage Act In 1908 A.D Tikka Ripudaman Singh was member of Imperial Legislative Council who sent the bill to the Imperial Legislative Council. After Tikka Singh, S.Sunder Singh Mahajitha became the member of the Council. On August 27, 1909 A.D S Sunder Singh presented the Anand Kirraj Bill to the Councile. He told to the council that Ananad marriages were already practiced by Sikh community since last 30 years. The Bill was sent to Select Committee, and its members were Mr. Sinha, Sir Herbert Rezli, and S. Sunder Singh Majithia. On September 10, 1909, the Select Committee placed the Bill before Council with its recommendation. Meeting of the Council was held on October 22, 1909, and Anand Marriage Act 1909 was passed.  [10]   But it is strange that in India today magistrates issue the marriage-certificates on the forms of Hindu Marriage Act. A young Sikh from Patiala Banta Singh said in his statement, it was like giving a Hindu in Pakistan a Muslim marriage Certificate. The Hindu polytheistic and Muslim or Sikh Monotheistic civilizations simply do not add up. It was therefore obnoxious and sinister of the Indian government to replace an enactment with one that insulted its important minority by way of statutory manipulation.  [11]   Sikh Marriage Act (Anand Kirraj) was submitted by The World Muslim Sikh Federation to government of Pakistan in 2007 A.D. The Government of Pakistan has accepted demands from Sikh community to registered their marriages under the Anand Karaj ceremony and introduced Anand Marriage Act in line with the Anand Marriage Act 1909 that was passed by the British in the subcontinent one hundred years ago. The 1909 Act extended to British India (Indian Sub Continent) now India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.  [12]   The Sikh Marriage Act does not explain the Sikh Marriage Ceremony (Anand Kirrraj) but just explain that the marriage ceremony conducted under Sikh religion and sacrosanct among the Sikhs called Anand Kirraj is valid and the Government of Pakistan, through the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee shall issue appropriate marriage certificates under the Sikh Anand Marriage Act. Statement of the Problem: Most of the articles on Sikh Rituals are non Scholar writings. There are a very little scholarly writings on Sikh marriage ceremony especially in Peshawar. But I have tried my best to get the academic books, journals, articles and some reports on the issue that I am going to address. Sikhism has often been described by scholars as a way of life and is the worlds fifth-largest and youngest organized religion. There is a dearth of writings on Sikh rituals and customs. So, it can be best understood by studying the life of the people professing it. Sikhism is close to Islam in some very basic beliefs and there is currently a need for more comprehensive study on rituals (as Marriage) practices by Sikh community. Marriage is the most celebrated life event but different religious communities use distinct symbolic tools to legitimate the institution of marriage. It is possible to urge that living in same city but with different religious practices distinct the social practices. Research Questions What is the impact of local culture of Peshawar in the performance of Sikh Marriage ceremony? What is the relation between marriage and religion; and what is the position of Sikhism in this context? Is there currently a need for more comprehensive study on Marriage practices by Sikh community in Peshawar? How far is the practices of modern issues (such as monogamy, polygamy, hypergamy, exogamy, endogamy, abortion and divorce) in Sikhism and what are its boundaries in the religion? Literature Review: This is a religious study of one religion of the world. Unfortunately Sikhism has been ignored in the study of religion. There is very little scholarly literature available in Sikh rituals (especially like marriage ceremony). But no research has been conducted on the topic. There is a book Ethical issues in six religious traditions, Edited by Peggy Morgan and Clive Lawton which discusses ethical issues in Sikhism but it is not a comprehensive study just discusses the one aspect of rituals in Sikhism. The books are available on Indian culture and tradition which also provide some writings about Sikh religious ceremonies. Like Sources of Indian Tradition Compiled by W. M. Theodore de Bary, Stephen N. Hay, Royal Weiler, Andrew Yarrow . This book describes the civilizations of India and provides an understanding of the intellectual and spiritual traditions which are remain alive in India today. Somewhat attention is given to religious and philosophical developments in earlier times which still form part of the Indian heritage and have experienced a considerable revival in the nineteenth and twentieth century. On the other hand, attention is also given to political, economic, and social trends. Another vocal and brief book is written on Sikh village of India Information and Behavior in a Sikh Village Social Organization Reconsidered by Murray J. Leaf. This is a social analysis of a village the Sikh religion in Indian Punjab. Like most anthropological village studies and this study makes upon the attention of social scientists is based not so much on the content of theory, method, or fact alone but rather on a broader and more general consideration of the pattern of relationships among them. This describes the society or culture in general. Understanding Faith series book by Professor Frank Whaling that deals in various customs in Sikhism. Its another part Understanding Sikhism by W. Owe. Cole that describe shortly the importance of family in Sikhism and tells about the essentials of Sikh marriage ceremony. The Anand ceremony was started by The Third Guru, Guru Ram Das and composed by the fourth Guru, Guru Amar Das. There are so many books on Teachings of tenth Guru of Sikhism which of course will help me on writing on Anand Kirraj. The Sikh code of conduct that is Rehat Meryada is published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). It is accepted as an authoritative statement of Sikh conduct and is used by Sikhs as the standard guide also discusses the essentials and features of Anand Kirraj. The International Bibliography of Sikh Studies brings together all books, composite works, journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, project reports, and electronic resources produced in the field of Sikh Studies until June 2004, making it the most complete and up-to-date reference work in the field today. There is feminist article about Sikh rituals which tried to feminize the Sikh funeral and marriage rituals Why Did I Not Light the Fire? The Refeminization of Ritual in Sikhism by Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh. Encyclopedia of Sikh religion has also briefly introduces of the Anand Marriage ceremony. The article was published after two years of passing Sikh marriage Act in 1911 in Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation British India by Courtenay Ilbert which evaluates the acts of the Indian sub continent of period British rule. This will help me to know the history of Sikh marriage Act 1909. Jeevan Deol wrote on The minas and their literature, that is published by American Oriental Society which discuss the validity of marriage between Mians and Khalisa sect of Sikhism. Objectives of the Study: Main purpose of my research is to have a better understanding of different religious communities of Pakistan and their rituals particularly. For this purpose I have selected the Sikh religion and particularly the marriage ceremony in Sikhism in the Sikh community of Peshawar. My research will also bring a useful case study for the students of comparative religion as well as social groups who are eager to learn about this traditions, culture, rituals and such other legal bindings. . It will clarify the Sikh traditions attitude to the marriage institute (practices) Methodology: This research will be conducted drawing from both qualitative and quantitative methods. Firstly library research through content analysis and document analysis on Marriage in Sikhism will be considered, upon which background to the thesis will be laid. This will in essence not exclude the recently published materials (journal articles and newspapers) that critically analyze the Sikh Marriage System in the Sikh Community of Peshawar. The research will also be consisted upon direct surveys in the Sikh community of Peshawar and in its surroundings which will be very useful to understand the problem. Similarly the various surveys conducted in the topic will also be under consideration. Chapterization: Chapter One This chapter will take into account the background of the studies, statement of the problem, objective of the study, significance of the study, research methodology, research questions, and review of the literature. Chapter Two In this chapter I will briefly highlight the introduction of Sikhism, its historical background and its customs, traditions (as Polygamy, Endogamy, Hypergamy, Dowry, Divorce and Abortion) and particularly some rituals and its developments as Anand Kirraj. Chapter Three This chapter will examine the marriage in Sikh community (Anand Kirraj) of Peshawar and the Marriage Act of 1909 of Indian Sub-continent (Pakistan). Chapter Four Data Analysis and Conclusion

Capitalism, Marketing, and the Insidious and Covert Co-optation of the

Capitalism, Marketing, and the Insidious and Covert Co-optation of the Self Subtitle: A Manifesto for Avatars 1. Introducing Avatars AVATARA-Sanskrit.; ava-'down', tarati-'he goes, passes beyond' literally, 'a descent', a conception described in the Bhagavad gita, 4th Teaching, 1-8 where Krishna confides: "when goodness grows weak, when evil increases, I make myself a body." (OED) Originally referring to the incarnation of Hindu deities, avatars in the computing realms have come to mean any of the various "strap-on" visual agents that represent the user in increasing numbers of 2 and 3D worlds. (Lonehead, ONLINE SOURCE, NO PAGE NUM) This essay studies the covert, market driven forces at work in our choices of images for the avatars inhabiting cyberspace, in order to understand the dangers of the exchange of self-images for advertisements. To forge a set of alternative resistant and forceful conditions for imaging what Sherry Turkle has termed "the second self," tactics based in imaging, language, and psychology can be opposed to the insidious and covert co-optation of the self by commodities. This essay is an attempt to examine the construction of alternative figures as models of resistance. The Manifesto for Avatars offers a formal set of oppositional strategies for constructing unconsumable self-images. The apparent freedom of identity and gender enjoyed by the participants in multi-user domains and the Internet in general (Langley, Stone) is a dangerous illusion, masking the corporate agendas dominating the nature and spirit of the construction of cyberspace and avatars. Imagine an internet chat room where we are all represented by the commodity of our choice. Much like the large, recognizable logos th... ...hler, L. Cartwright, and C. Penley. New York: New York University Press, 1998, 312-314 Stephenson, Neal. SnowCrash, New York, Bantam Books, 1992. Stone, Allucquere Rosanne."Will the Real Body Please Stand Up?: Boundary Stories About Virtual Cultures." In Cyberspace: First Steps, ed. Benedikt, 82-85. Talking Heads. "Once in a Lifetime." Perf. David Byrne, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth. Remain in Light. Sire Records, 1980. Thacker, Eugene. ".../visible_human.html/digital anatomy and the hyper-texted body", CTHEORY, 2 June, 1998. Online, n pag. Oct. 1998. http://www.ctheory.com/a60.html Turkle, Sherry. The Second Self-Computers and the Human Spirit. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1984. Ziff-Davis TV, Inc. "If You Build It, They Will Come." thesite: The Avatars 97 Conference. Aug. 1997 Online, n pag. ZdNet Sept. 1998 .

University Living as the Third Gender :: Journalism Journalistic Essays

University Living as the Third Gender In Thailand, they are called Kateoy or â€Å"Ladyboys.† In Burma, they are the Hijra and have the power to bless a child with fertility or curse it with impotence. In America, they are called transgendered, but the definition of the word is hard to pin down. â€Å"There are as many ways to be trans as there are trans people,† said Michael*, a 21-year-old Newton resident to Northeastern University’s bisexual, lesbian, gay, straight, transgendered, queer and questioning alliance (NuBiLAGA) meeting on Nov. 18. But Michael, who was born a female but now lives as a male, has his own definition. â€Å"A transgendered person is someone who does not fit with or identify with the gender identity or gender roles assigned at birth,† Michael said. The American Heritage Dictionary defines transgender as â€Å"Appearing as, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member the opposite sex.† While often confused with cross-dressers who masquerade as the opposite sex on occasion, transgendered persons wish to permanently live as the opposite gender. Some opt to have surgery to match their anatomy with their lifestyle, some do not and just adopt the mannerism of the opposite gender. Scientific statistics and studies on transgendered persons border on non-existent. Since transgendered people often identify simply as male or female, it is difficult to get an accurate count of the trans population using official censuses which don’t denote â€Å"biological male/female† or â€Å"cultural male/female.† Transgendered people also cannot be included in counts of the gay and lesbian population, because if a person was biologically female, but identifies as a male and is attracted to females, they would consider themselves heterosexual and not a lesbian. As Michael addressed the group, his partner, Bailey*, a 21-year-old female to male transgendered resident of Jamaica Plains, drew four parallel lines on the dry erase board. One by one, Michael explained the significance of each line: sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. The visual is what Michael uses to distinguish to people the differences between the terms and how each can function mutually exclusive from the others. He explained to the group that sex is dictated by chromosomes and genitalia. On one end of the spectrum is male, on the other is female and in the middle is intersex, commonly referred to hermaphrodite. On the gender expression line, Michael and Bailey created a spectrum from masculine to feminine, with androgynous or gender neutral in the middle; sexual orientation often divided between attraction to men or women.

Free Hamlet Essays: Hamlet Father and Son :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet: Comparing Father and Son The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet was a man that looked up to his father throughout his life, during and after his father's death. The younger Hamlet tried to follow in his father's footsteps, but as much as they were alike, they were very much different. The man named Hamlet had a son named Hamlet and after everything was over, that is one of the few things that they had in common. King Hamlet and Hamlet compare in that they are both upset by the Queen’s marriage, they both hate Claudius, they are both brave, and they are both dead by the end of the play. They contrast in that while Hamlet’s father was king, Hamlet will never have the kingship, Hamlet does not leave a legacy and they die differently. Hamlet looked up to his father because he felt that he was a great leader and the bravest man that he knew, as Hamlet mentioned, "so excellent a king† (I. ii.149). He wanted to be so much like him, but couldn't because of a couple of barriers that he had to deal with. He became a lot like his father in the end. Hamlet was very disappointed with his life because he knew that becoming king was one thing that he didn't have in common with his father, because his stepfather was king, â€Å"married with my uncle, my father's brother" (I. ii. 151-2). Hamlet was very upset by his mother's marriage, and as he learns later, his father was as well, "It is not nor it cannot come to good: But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue" (I. ii. 157-8). The ghost of Hamlet's father advises his own opinion, "Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for luxury and damned incest" (I. v. 82-3). They both shared the hatred towards Claudius, the King and the wife of Hamlet's mother and his father's widow. Hamlet expresses his hatred in I. v. 106, 108-9, "O villain, villain†¦That one may smile†¦and be a villain; At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark.† The ghost gives his hatred in I. v. 38-9, 42, "The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his crown. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast.† Hamlet does become as brave as his father when he kills the king, his stepfather, when the plot of the king to kill Hamlet goes wrong, and the Queen drinks the poisoned drink herself.

Diversity management Essay

Diversity is crucial and inevitable for any service organisations to create opportunities for more innovative ideas. Diversity involves individuals from different ethnic background, culture, age, gender, status and personality characteristics to communicate and share values. To promote and implement diversity, managers should have an effective recruitment strategy. Although diversity creates opportunities, it can create contemporary issues. The issues on diversity are rather complex. This is due to the changing nature of social trends organisations need to adapt. For example, there has been an increase of women entering in the workforce by 40 per cent since August 1961 [ABS, 2013. ] and an increase of employment in part-time and casuals since 1979. The percentage of full-time employees fell from 42 per cent to 39 per cent, while part-time increased from 25 per cent to 36 per cent [Lawson, 2007. ]. There are other several trends which influence the nature of diversity in the service industry. These include the recognition of Australia characteristics as more of a multicultural country. The country is also known as an aging population and is skewed towards white-collar services. An increase of technology development creates more of a diverse country through networking. This suggests that social attitudes, cultural trends and values can often change. For example, Qantas had the difficulty of maintaining the company’s consistency in terms of performance due to the changing nature of diversity. Work-life balanced positions are more in demand. Thus Qantas has responded in employing more casual and part-time employees. This change has driven Qantas to reduce costs and improved its international competitiveness. There has also been an increase in participation of women in the workforce. Qantas has the total 42 per cent of women in which only 23 per cent of women occupy senior roles [Broadbridge, D. (2013: 68)]. Thus Qantas had implemented family practices to maintain women within the airline. This reinforces that, there is a need of ongoing diversity management to gain a productive diversity. Hence organisations are able to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. Managing diversity is defined as â€Å"the challenge of meeting the needs of a culturally diverse workforce and of sensitizing workers and managers to differences associated with gender, race, age and nationality in attempt to maximise the potential productivity of all employees† [Ellis and Sonnenfield (1994: 82)]. Tesco, a UK customer focused retailer has identified the essential of diversity management. To reach its maximum potential goals, Tesco has established a clear mission statement – â€Å"we make what matters better, together† [Tesco PLC, 2013]. The retailer’s mission statement promotes productive diversity. Tesco has recognised the importance of inclusion to ensure high employee satisfaction. The strong communication between managers and employees encourages each employee to maximise their own potential productivity against the organisation values and its benchmark. The industry further provides flexibility to all employees where â€Å"everyone is welcome† to motivate employees to become further productive. Therefore as a result, Tesco has gained significant benefits. These benefits include an increase of diverse knowledge and skills towards customer services, innovative opportunities, positive reputation of the organisation and an increase of service productivity. Thus it reinforces the importance of effective diversity management to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. A financial company, Westpac has also incorporated diversity management strategies to ensure the company achieve its vision – â€Å"To be one of the world’s great companies, helping our customers, communities and people to prosper and grow† [Westpac Group Ltd, 2013.]. Westpac has established The Westpac Group Diversity Council and diversity policy to ensure their objectives have been achieved. The policy outlines that managers should have continuous review and discussions in addressing with any emerging diversity-related organisational issues. This provides the organisation a constant strategic and effective diversity management evaluation. It also outlines engagement strategies such as effective communication to increase its productive diversity. Hence ensures the company reaches its vision. Westpac Ltd, 2013.  has clearly identified within its industry that, 43% of employees (36% men and 48% women) work flexibly, over 12% employees have disability, 61% employees are women are and 32% of employees were born outside of Australia and New Zealand. These statistics suggests Westpac have provided an inclusion of all recruited employees to promote a diverse service culture. As result, Westpac has gained positive response in managing diversity. The finance company has received recognition as one of the world’s most ethical companies [Ethisphere Institute, 2013.]; top ten employer for LGBTI (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex) inclusion [Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards, 2013. ]; won the Gender Equity in workforce [AHRI Diversity awards, 2013. ]; won the Employer of Choice for Women Award [Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2013. ] and has been ranked 10th in the Global 100 list of the world’s sustainable corporations. Therefore it emphasises the need of diversity management in service industry to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. Diversity can provide organisations great benefits, but it is also the cause of contemporary issues and conflicts when organisations need employees to think in the same direction. For example, according to Sunday Morning Herald, in 2002, TPG had a discrimination-related issue – a Muslim employee had asked the organisation to have a five minute break for his prayer was rejected. The issue was brought to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. As a result, TPG had failed to recognise its need of incorporating diversity with its culture values. Thus there was a need in changing its work ethnic values. Conflict can arise due to the differences of stakeholder’s values and miscommunication. Hence it is difficult to measure fairness and equality between the different cultures and social and ethical values. For example social etiquette is vital in a diverse service industry. The term â€Å"respect† can be interpreted in different perspectives. This is due to language barriers and different cultural aspects. It is also difficult to recruit a diverse workforce that is able to parallel with the organisational culture values. For example, most recruitment is based on skills, personal traits, experience and qualifications that are fitted to the organisation’s value. Conflicts are also inevitable, thus, managers should implement conflict resolution strategies to decrease the amount of conflicts. Conflict resolutions include identifying the issue, negotiating, mediating, grievance procedures and involvement of courts and tribunals. Thus, these strategies are a vital tool for service industries to promote productive diversity. Identifying the issue is the first step when a conflict arises. Managers who recognises the cause of the conflict are able to prevent further complex disputes. To avoid misunderstandings, managers should use active listening skills. This includes mirroring, paraphrasing, summarising, clarifying questions and providing the speaker motivational response. Negotiating is a bargaining process between two or more parties seeking to discover a common ground and reach an agreement to settle a matter of mutual concern or resolve a conflict [Chapman, S. 2011. ]. Mediation is the process of using a third party to settle a dispute [Samson, D.  and Draft, R. 2012. ]. Both solutions provide an ongoing communication between stakeholders to reach a â€Å"win-win† situation. Grievance procedures are used in certain conflict situations which must be handled in procedure. This method provides clear instructions on resolving a dispute. Courts and tribunals are a third individual mechanism that enforces a solution based on the conflict circumstance. Although it is used effectively to end a dispute, it could be argued that, this mechanism would be the causes of organisations to have further internal disputes. This is due to the negative publicity. In 2011, Qantas had a dispute in terms of different values between CEO and the union and employees. It could also be argued, that this conflict is due to poor management. The issue was based on providing employees a sense of job security, due to the â€Å"cultural shift† of outsourcing parts of its operation to Asia. The lack of flexibility and ineffective communication due to the top-down management hierarchy were also the causes of conflict. As result, the dispute had become internationally known and major costs were involved. Qantas human resource managers should have clearly communicated its vision to provide a sense of employee’s job security. Integrating diversity in the workplace is not only to create opportunities but it is to abide legal ethics. The legislation enforced in Australia to ensure equality employment is Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1987 (Cth). The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) outlines that all employees have equal access to the opportunities that are available, including promotion possibilities, overtime availability and leave entitlements [Chapman, S. 2011]. Thus, it could be argued, that, the legislation promotes diversity. Organisations which fail to abide the legal systems would be subjected to hefty fines and gain a negative industry reputation. For example, in 2003, the phone company, TPG had discriminated a female pregnant employee under the EEO. The company did not offer a suitable part-time position after her maternity leave. As a result of this issue, TPG had to cover $75,000 of damage [Sunday Morning Herald, 2003. ]. This suggests poor productive diversity. It is recommended, that TPG should evaluate its diversity management and its culture values. This case study also suggests the need to reform the legislation where women with pregnancy are included to avoid further conflicts. Thus, the Equal Employment Opportunity Amendment Act 2012 (Cth) legislation further reinforced and depicts issues on conflicts based upon discrimination, harassment and racism. Westpac and Qantas have obligated to promote EEO within the workforce. Westpac has effectively promoted EEO and its values to employees. The establishment of the diversity council group had lead Westpac to manage its diversity effectively. Through continuous evaluation, Westpac has created high staff morale. Thus the company is able to maintain its low staff turnover and absenteeism. Qantas has established a Diversity Statement to ensure the airline industry is obligated to the EEO. The EEO provides Qantas to promote diversity through leadership, talent and development programs, flexible work arrangements and recruitment and selection processes [Qantas Airways Ltd, 2013. ]. This management approach supports Qantas objectives, delivers competitive advantage and benefits to customers. In conclusion service industries that effectively implement diversity management allows organisations to achieve its maximum potential goal. Hence it is an essential strategy for managers maintain a sustainable competitive advantage through productive diversity. It is also an opportunity for organisations to embrace diversity to become more innovative. Although productive diversity allows positive recognition response like Westpac, it can also be the cause of contemporary issues. Unable to identify contemporary issues will lead to conflicts. Conflicts are inevitable. Therefore, there is a need for conflict resolution mechanism to maintain ethical practices in the workforce. Further disputes can create a disadvantage. For example, Qantas should have positive reinforcement if there is a need for change of work practices. The lack of job security has lead unions and employees to go on strike. As result, major financial costs were involved and negative publicity. The establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1987 (Cth) is enforced for all organisations to abide. The legislation ensures equity and fair ethical practices in the workforce. Failure to abide the legislation results in disadvantage outcomes. This could include negative publicity, increase of costs and decrease staff morale which leads to high staff turnover and low productive diversity. Overall the importance of incorporating diversity management, conflict resolution and equal employment opportunity determines the effectiveness in achieving organisations objectives. It is strongly recommended that, service industries should continuously evaluate its effectiveness of diversity management and conflict resolution to ensure an increase of productive diversity.

Auteur Essay: Tarantino and Lee Moulding Emotions Essay

A common goal for most modern directors is to engage the audience emotionally. It’s a seemingly simple task that is often left by the wayside, half finished and ineffective. Those directors that do achieve this task, tend to make better movies. Two such directors are Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino. The ways that they manipulate their audience’s emotions are completely different yet they are both effective. Where Tarantino’s manipulation of tension is unmatched in the modern world, Lee’s grace and subtlety often leaves audience’s with a sense of awe and wonder. The manipulation of an audience’s emotions is often a difficult task but Lee and Tarantino achieve it in their own unique ways. Suspense, defined by the Oxford dictionary, is a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen. Quentin Tarantino’s manipulation of suspense and tension in a scene is unmatched in today’s world. Like the former â€Å"Master of Suspense† himself, Alfred Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino leads the audience to a the point of near exhaustion, through the pent up pressure in his trademark lengthy scenes. These scenes serve to focus every ounce of mental and emotional energy on the situation, instead of cutting away to an inter-related subplot elsewhere and releasing the pressure, as is conventional. In the film â€Å"Inglourious Basterds† (2009), Tarantino leaves the audience gasping for breath right from the opening scene. The scene, in which a German â€Å"Jew Hunter† is questioning a farmer about the Jews hiding on his farm, is built up over nearly twenty minutes of pure dialogue between the two, as the German manipulates the farmer into telling him where the fugitives are. As the scene progresses, it grows increasingly obvious that the German is playing a horrible game with the farmer and the audience. As the farmer is slowly reduced to tears, the music escalates, the ticking of the clock grows louder and the camera circles the pair, making the audience feel trapped and vulnerable. It’s despair the audience feels as the Jews are finally gunned down through the floorboards amid the screams of frantic violins and only then does Tarantino release his choke hold on the audiences emotions, letting the pressure off slightly. However, the masterful effect achieved here is that the audience is almost glad that the scene was resolved, however heinous it was. It lets the audience know that the ride is only starting and that they’d better buckle up. In the same movie Tarantino again demonstrates his ultimate control over the audience. The scene is another tense, pressure filled affair, as a group of undercover allied spies are trying to work their way out of a conversation with a Gestapo agent in a French bar. The manipulation of mis en scen is excellent as every element is used to full advantage. The audience is made to squirm in discomfort as the bar gets quieter and quieter and the Gestapo agent asks more threatening questions. The ambient lighting of the set serves to make the audience feel calm and safe but as the situation progresses the lighting seems harsher and brighter as the scene grows more tense. The scene itself, which is about twenty minutes long, starts off relatively light hearted with a game of cards between a group of enlisted Germans who are celebrating a comrades new baby. Strangely the camera stays with this group for longer than really necessary, to make the audience feel attached to the group especially the new born father. The reason why this was done becomes clear later as all his friends are slaughtered and he is left bargaining for his life, which adds yet another emotional sub-plot to the scene that the audience must deal with. In both these examples Tarantino manipulates sound to build the tension in the scene and escalate the suspense. Put simply, Tarantino â€Å"moulds† his audience throughout a scene, showing his absolute control over mis en scen, the editing process and the audience. The way in which Ang Lee conducts a scene is completely unique in today’s world. Contrasting to Tarantino’s â€Å"moulding† of the audience, Lee concentrates on making the scene â€Å"beautiful† in both the emotional and physical sense. This in fact is Lee’s own version of â€Å"moulding†, except his does so in a much more subtle fashion to connect to the audience on a higher level. In his Academy Award winning film â€Å"Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon† (2001), every single movement has a gentle, graceful feel. This is exemplified in the first combat scene, where Yu and Jen are fighting over a stolen sword. The quick, yet elegant style of movement makes the scene flow far better than a traditional fight passage where the viewer is wrenched through fast paced camera angles and shots coupled with gratuitous violence. In this scene, camera angles and shots are sparing and well used and the gentle way in which the characters manoeuvre, leave the audience feeling not an adrenaline rush but strangely calm and at ease. Similarly in â€Å"Brokeback Mountain† (2005) Lee strives to communicate beauty on multiple levels. In the scene where Ennis is visiting Jacks parents, he goes to Jacks bedroom. In this powerful scene, there is no dialogue or interaction between other characters. The camera follows Ennis as he tenderly caresses the clothes in Jacks cupboard and sits wistfully by the window with tears in his eyes. This scene is significant because it demonstrates how even though there was no interactions or dialogue it still is deeply affecting and meaningful. Ang Lee seeks to reveal the beauty of all his scenes no matter how different and diverse that beauty is. In conclusion, even though Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino differ greatly in their techniques, they both achieve something that modern directors rarely accomplish. They connect with their audience and as a result control their emotions. From Tarantino’s masterful use of suspense, to Lee’s ballet-like grace and control over a scene, they both affect the audience in ways that compliment both the scene and their film. These two directors prove that if you control the audience’s emotions you control their outlook on the film and ultimately how successfully it is.