Employee Performance Essay

The process of producing an environment in which individuals can perform duties to the best of his or her ability is known as performance management. The processes of performance management start when the company requires an employee to perform a specific and ends when an employee departs from the organization (Heathfield, 2013). At Riordan Manufacturing there are many important positions that depend on the performance management system to ensure that employees achieve company set goals and objections. Riordan Manufacturing performance management systems are very important. The two positions chosen by Team D to discuss in this paper are the customer service rep and chief financial officer. Team D will describe the general function of performance management systems, suggest two job evaluation methods for the positions, suggest two job evaluation methods for each position, and determine the advantages and disadvantages of the methods concerning each position. Team D will also compare and contrast possible compensation plans for the two positions and explain the importance of providing employee benefit plan to the customer service rep and chief financial officer positions at Riordan Manufacturing. General Function of Performance Management Riordan Manufacturing uses performance managing systems that include annual pay modifications based upon performance, along with employee recognition programs. Riordan’s determines the company’s annual pay changes by the position in relation to the external market, along with performance expectations set by the company. The performance expectations fall into three categories, which are does not meet, meets, and exceeds. Increase in pay is always a motivator for increasing performance and productivity among  employees. Riordan Manufacturing also offers three kinds of awards/programs for their employees under their performance management systems. The company offers an outstanding employee award once a year. Riordan’s management and employees nominate high performance employee who have achieved high rating in employee performance. The company’s committee of executives reviews the candidates selected and presents the winner with the most outstanding employee ’s award. One qualification is modeling respect for diversity, which is something that Riordan is serious about. Riordan rewards the value the company has in the morals of employees. The other award given by Riordan is the seniority award. The company gives these awards to employees as he or she complete career milestones at one year, fifth year, tenth year, and 20th year. Although the seniority award is not monetary, it is important for the employees to notice that Riordan is noticing their loyalty and contributions to the company. The last program offered by Riordan under their performance management systems is the employee suggestion program. The company gives this reward to employees when he or she make suggestions for products put into place. The employees receive a $25 check and their picture in the company newsletter; although this does not measure the staff’s daily performance it does motivate them to make contributions for the good of the company. Using performance management systems helps Riordan rate the employee’s performances and motivates each employee to work as a team. For example, using the annual pay adjustments it would becoming apparent to Riordan executives that employees were not doing their jobs if they rated â€Å"does not meet† for two years in a row, it would be time for a face-to-face. Job Evaluation Methods Riordan Manufacturing currently employs 550 employees. The company has positions ranging from production to chief legal counsel. The company takes pride in attracting highly qualified employees. Each position at Riordan plays a vital role to the company’s success. Therefore, company expects each employee to focus on achieving the company’s mission and goals. Many of the company’s job functions performed by employees assist Riordan in maintaining a competitive advantage on the market. Two important positions held at Riordan Manufacturing are the customer service representative and the  Chief Financial Officer. The customer service is one of the many faces of Riordan as the employee interacts directly with the customers of Riordan. The Chief Financial Officer takes on the responsibilities within Riordan and directs the human resources functions along with the financial operations. The customer service representative is a valuable position that would work well wit h the classification method. The classification method works well with organizations that have several locations or many employees. Therefore, Riordan classifies each customer service representative with other similar job content or classes. The advantage of using the classification method is that it will allow Riordan to organize easily the many positions along with establishing a compensation package for each position based upon their classification. Some of the disadvantages may include several positions appearing to fit in more than one class or the classifications may seem biased or subjective judgments. With the chief financial officer (CFO) possessing a more critical position and role within the company, the ranking method may also be beneficial to Riordan. The ranking method for job evaluations is quite simple and in most instances inexpensive. This can often reduce the money spent on implementing strategic techniques and be applied in other areas of Riordan such as company improvements, or employee rewards. The disadvantage of the ranking method is that it can be subjective or rely heavily on a person or group of people to determine the worth of each position. There are several job methods used to perform job evaluations; however, it is essential for Riordan or any organization to determine which one will most suites the company and aid in its success. Compensation Plans It is important to have competitive and attractive compensation plans to ensure that Riordan attracts highly qualified employees. There are many options or approaches to use with compensation plans. The employee’s position often dictates what type of compensation plan he or she receives. For a customer service representative (CSR), compensation plans may include a basic wage structure along with a merit pay incentive. With merit pay, the CSR receives an increase in pay based on a percentage (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). Employees who perform better typically receive a greater percentage increase. Another option is a pay-for performance program. This option uses  performance measures to determine the employee’s pay rate and not just time spent on the job. Each employee’s pay rate depends on his or her individual, team, department, or organizational productivity (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). Both of these compensation plans are effective but some employees may worried about not knowing what his or her pay rate is ahead of time in the pay-for-performance program. The compensation plans for the CFO are different from those provided for CSR’s. As an executive member of Riordan, the CFO’s salary is substantially higher than the lower-level employees. For example, the current Riordan CFO, Dale Edgel, received an annual salary of $125, 00 with the ability to earn up to 30% of his salary in executive bonuses (Riordan, 1999). Compensation plans for executive employees are considerably higher because of his or her level of responsibility. That responsibility not only provides the executives with higher salaries but also compensation plans that include stock option plans. Executive compensation plans serve the same purpose as those used from lower-level employees. Executive positions typically require specialized or advanced education and employees who meet those requirements can be very selective when choosing a job. The compensation plans for those positions must be very attractive to appeal to those individuals. Importance of Employee Benefits Riordan understand that benefits are essential in today’s workforce to retain current talent and attract new high-level talent. Riordan has benefit packages required by law, such as Social Security, Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Compensation, and FMLA. The company also offers vacation benefits, 401k plans, childcare assistance plan, dental, educational assistance, flextime scheduling, and holiday pay to attract and retain employees. The company offers these benefits to full-time employees when hired into the company, and he or she can accrue more perks as tenure at Riordan grows. Riordan understands that employees need a benefit package that promote a work life balance, the ability to take care of his or her family in case of a medical emergency, and to plan for his or her future. Whether the employee is the CFO or a CSR the benefit package does not change. Employees who believe a company is willing to take care of him or her makes job satisfaction and employee engagement much easier to  achieve. Furthermore, employees who believe he or she is capable of advancing his or her career and the company paying for it helps entry-level employee. The company encourages customer service rep to believe that he or she has a future in becoming a future chief financial officer. Riordan provides Education Assistance Programs to help employees grow a skill set that relates to his or her role in Riordan. Although it does not guarantee advancement, it does promote engagement and sustain performance for the company’s staff. Riordan commits to making each employee know he or she is a value to the company from the top of the company to the entry-level jobs. The company understands that providing benefits in today’s economy is important in attracting the most talented and motivated individuals and believe the company’s array of benefits help accomplish goals and promote a healthy work environment. Conclusion Riordan Manufacturing recognizes the processes of performance management are essential in today’s working environment. Riordan Manufacturing Corporation’s process of performance management will assist the company in enhancing employee job satisfaction and commitment. Riordan Manufacturing used various job performance methods for each individual job position the company. These job performance methods help the company to maintain financial strength and promote employee growth. Riordan performance management’s process also includes an attractive compensation, employee benefits plan to attract highly qualified employees. Using this process is what helps Riordan Manufacturing ensure employees achieve company goals, and objections, and sustain the company’s employee job satisfaction. References DeCenzo, D., & Robbins, S. (2007). Fundamentals of human resource management (9th ed.), retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Heathfield, S., 2013, Performance Management, Retrieved from http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryp/g/perform_mgmt.htm Riordan, Michael (August 15, 1999) Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Riordan/docs/HR/EmpFiles/Dale%20Edgel%20Offer%20Letter.pdf

Sociological Concept Womens Social Standing

Sociological Concept Womens Social Standing Introduction Sociological concepts are specific ways in sociology of approaching any given phenomenon. They assist us to get insight picture of the social world that goes beyond justifications that rely on individual characters and idiosyncrasies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Concept: Women’s Social Standing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also assist us to view the general social pattern of an individual’s behavior, and they usually presume that official justifications are self-serving and partial. Social perspective involves a conscious endeavor to go past what is obvious and question what is believed to be a common sense or what is believed to be true. It entails upholding objectivity by critically examining ideas, and accepting what may appear to be awkward or astonishing based on the substantiation. They study everything from actual elucidation to extensive generalization (Cha dwick, 2001). However, the early sociologists also presented a broad perception of the essentials of society. Their perceptions form the basis for the current theoretical paradigms or points of views, which offers them an orienting outline and an idealistic position for asking particular questions regarding social perspective. Paying closer attention to the concept of women’s social standing, gender aspects are now perceived as attributes of social structures influencing women’s roles and status in culturally and economically predetermined society. In addition, women’s status is also largely dependent on personal experience forming women’s outlook on their position in relation to men. Social Concept: Women’s Social Standing Due to the fact that members of society depend on social structures they live in, they strive to frame everyday situations in accordance with the rules dictated by a particular community. Currently, women are rigidly distinguish ed from men’ perception of social rules and concepts while being involved in social interaction. This is because they rely on different experiences creating specific frames and blocks of sociological concepts (Macionis and Gerber, 2009, p. 127). While considering women’s statuses in society, it is necessary to make reference to several aspects influencing their position and affiliation to a particular group. Aside from stereotypes ascribed to women, there are many other settings and conditions influencing their behavioral patterns. Depending on the status a women holds in society, she performs various roles, but when there is more than one social position assigned to a women, it can create a set of multiple roles. All these roles are closely associated with cultural and economic aspects providing shifts in social positions and roles. For instance, when it comes to developing countries, women are less bound to educational background, but are more affiliated to their fam ily roles being an important component of social identity.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In contrast, high-income economies provide more opportunities for people to spend more years as students and exercise family roles less frequently (Macionis and Gerber, 2009, p. 129). These disparities influence women’s perception in various settings and when people strive to break those stereotypes they encounter a number of challenges. Understanding women’s social position in the contemporary society is especially vital because the social reality itself dictates what roles and statuses should be performed by female representatives in our world community. The concept of social reality shape women’s perceptions, beliefs, and outlooks affecting the nature and character of social interaction. In particular, women’s marital and familial roles can be dictat ed by culture, stereotypes, identities and economic situation in a certain environment. The situation concerns the aspect of equality aspect that differs from society to society whose impact is far from positive. According to the research provided by Das and Gupta (1995), the family structures and role set can have a huge impact on resource distribution between two sexes in the family (p. 92). Specifically â€Å"high maternal mortality†¦is associated with the patriarchal family structure which reduces women’s autonomy and their share of material and social resources† (Das and Gupta, 1995, p. 92). In this regard, inequality in social positions generates much more serious problems than it can be viewed at a glance. Despite the presence of fixed stereotypes apropos of the concept of women’s social standing, women’s roles and statuses are gradually changing with the emergence of certain movements and trends among which the globalization process is the mo st powerful one. In this perspective, Hooks (2000) recognizes that the possibility that feminism defined as social equality with men might easily become a movement that would primarily affect the social standing of white women in middle- and upper-class groups while affecting only in a very marginal way that social status of working-class and poor women (p. 19). While evaluating this statement, most of female issues are closely related to the firmly established cultural overlays that prevent women from building new behavioral patterns and performing new, more acceptable roles in the globalized society. At the same time, there are specific social positions that women are reluctant to drop because it can negatively influence their social and cultural identities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Concept: Women’s Social Standing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Women’s social position is largel y dependent on class, age, gender and ethnicity backgrounds. The construction of a particular identity is often based on personal experience, acceptance, and outlooks on the above-presented issues. With regard to this, Chrisler and McCreary (2010) have highlight male-female disparities concerning gender aspects and have stated that â€Å"women were viewed as appropriately marrying relatively early (between ages 19 and 24), as past their period of maximal responsibility at 40, and as having accomplished most of what they would accomplish by 45† (p. 570). The presented disposition reveals the differences in roles that women perform as compared to males who are more likely to take similar responsibilities at later stages. The influence of gender difference on social roles is also associated with behavior patterns that align with the demands and functions of the role. Within the established framework, it is worth stating that gender is not merely an indicator of biological featur es; rather, gender identifies the constantly re-created changes to individual socialization and social interaction. In this regard, gender is an important attribute of social structures. According to Brinkerhorf et al. (2007), biological differences can be reinforced by social stereotypes because men and women are often imposed by conceptions concerning how males and females should look like. Indeed, physical and biological characteristics can be considered the core aspects in assessing women in certain social practices, like sport, medicine, fashion, etc. Furthermore, â€Å"[g]ender is built into social structure when workplaces don’t provide day care; women don’t receive equal pay, fathers, don’t receive paternity leave, basket balls, executive chairs, and power drills are sized to fit the average man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brinkerhorff et al., 2007, p. 203). Interpreting this, producing changes to gender attitudes and roles can lead to social changes in case there a re simultaneous changes in social structures and gender issues. At the same time, as soon social structures undergo changes, gender roles are also influenced by shifts in perception. Discussing the Concept of Women’s Social Standing with Regard to Existing Theoretical Approaches Currently, sociologists employ three main perspectives or theories, namely: conflict, interactionist, and functionalist perspective. All these approaches can be disclosed through the concept of women’s social standing and its role in society. In order to understand this social perspective, it is necessary to consider the above-proposed theories in more detail with regard to the role of women in social interaction.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conflict theory Many sociologists refer to role conflict as a result of confrontation of two or more statuses hold by people. Women can experience role conflict when they are forced to take various directions while trying to respond to the statuses they currently take (Macionis and Gerber, 2009, p. 129). In this regard, conflict theory emphasizes material, social or political differences of a social group which analyzes the extensive socio-political structure, or which undermines ideological conservatism and structural functionalism (Thompson, 2005). This theory emanated from the sociology of crisis and social change. It is most commonly connected to Marxism as a response to functionalism. This theory focuses on conflict in the society; its discourse is on the occurrence of conflict and what causes conflict in the society. There are various modes of conflicts, one of them being that of revolution and warfare. These occur in phases because of rocky collations among different social c lasses. Domination is another mode of conflict in the conflict sociological perspective. Various social divisions tend to form different principles based on promotion of the welfare of their own class. Ideas of lower classes reveal the desire in their own lives while that of higher classes have more conceptual perspectives. Strikes in the current society have become a major social partition between the management and the employees in every organization (Macionis and Gerber, 2009, p. 131). Even if a woman takes a single social role, which is quite rare, it can also create tensions because of imposing various demands by other members of society. Role strain, hence, is a confrontation of roles attached to a single status. For instance, a woman can work as a teacher evaluating students’ achievements objectively and fairly. At the same time, she can behave more subjectively when treating her children. These two roles should not be confused; alternatively, it can lead to a role con flict. Fulfilling various roles connected to one status serves as a kind of balancing act. One approach to eliminating role conflict is separating dimensions of our life so that one can perform particular roles attached to one status and carry out other roles associated with another status in a completely different environment (Chrisler and McCleary, 2010, p. 571). The problem of role separations is specifically connected with separating family life from job and vice versa. Symbolic interactionist perspective Symbolic interactionist perspective is also referred to as symbolic interactionism. This kind of sociological perspective allows sociologists to consider the details and symbols of daily life, the meaning of these symbols and the way people interact with one another. It offers a serious thought on the manners in which people act, and seeks out to establish the meanings which people attach to their own deeds and symbols, also to those of others. There have been claims from criti cs that symbolic interactionist perspective does not take into account the macro levels of social understanding; in other terms, this perspective may neglect crucial issues in the society by directing more interest on the tree rather than the forest. For instance, it focuses more on the size of the ring rather than the quality of the marriage (Reynolds and Herman-Kinney, 2003, p. 173). There are also claims that symbolic interactionism also put less consideration on the influence of social institutions and forces on individual relations. When it comes to social interaction and women social position, symbolic interactionists refer to such concepts as ethno methodology and conversation analysis. These threefold relations are unveiled through consideration of meaning, language and social interaction, but in different ways. Hence, meaning implies the study of gestures, responses to those gestures and consequences of those interactions. Meaning can be presented beyond awareness of object ive existence of particular notions. Its objectiveness lies within a response scheme. Hence, there are certain gestures and acts that are predetermined by gender only making reference to cultural disposition, values and attitudes (Reynolds and Herman-Kinney, 2003, p. 174). Women’s social status imposes a number of such behavioral patterns and gestures indicating their roles and positions, which depend on cultural and social identities establish in a particular community. George Mead, an American philosopher introduced symbolic interactionism to American sociology in 1925 (Chadwick, 2001). Consider application of symbolic interactionist perspective to the institution of marriage; symbols may include a wedding cake, music, flowers, church ceremony and a bridal dress (Pacific Sociological Association, 2008). For instance, one partner may view the wedding ring as a mere expenditure while the other partner may view it as a sign of enduring love. Oral conversations, in which spoken words function as major symbols, make this personal understanding particularly apparent. The words bear some meaning for the sender, and they optimistically bear the same meaning for the recipient (Reynolds and Herman-Kinney, 2003, p. 180). In fact, anything can act as a symbol provided it refers to something beyond itself. Therefore, symbolic interactionism offers a serious thought on the manners in which people act, and seeks out to establish the meanings which people attach to their own deeds and symbols, also to those of others. Functionalist perspective Functionalist perspective has its center of attention on the input and output relationships and mental actions. It is based on the ideology that mental conditions are understood by effects of behavior, sensory stimulation and other inner acts. According to functionalism, the mental condition of a human being is not restricted to the biological systems of human organism; instead, computer and other non-biological systems, displa y functional relations that are similar to human biological systems and are believed to have similar mental condition. Specifically, structural functionalism is a broad theory which addresses social structure in terms of function of its basic elements including traditions, norms, institutions and customs. Additionally, it studies society as a structure with interconnected divisions (Pacific Sociological Association, 2008). This perspective has chronological resemblance with the application of scientific techniques in research and social theory. The structural-functionalist approach considers family as a social institution that carries out specific functions in society, like producing young generation, socializing, and providing emotional and physical care for family members. Accordingly, conventional gender roles also contribute to successful family functioning where women perform the role of managing houses and providing nurturing and emotional care to family members. However, rapi d social change and breakdown of a traditional social institution of family and marriage has led high rates of divorce, which is seen as the main social problem (Mooney, Knox, and Schacht, 2010, p. 157). In its turn, shifts in women’s roles and status within a family can also contribute to the problems of poverty, crimes, and substance abuse. Structural functionalism became very popular among the American sociologists between 1940 and 1954; it focused on ascertaining the functions of human behavior (Thompson, 2005). Robert Merton is one the American sociologist who divided human function into two kinds, namely latent functions and manifest functions. Latent functions are not apparent neither are they intentional, but, manifest functions are apparent and intentional (Ferrante, 2010, p. 29). Considering those functions, woman’s position in society can also be dependent on a latent and manifest functions perspective. For example, manifest function that each woman performs is that of a mother, a wife, or a daughter. These roles can be explicitly revealed in certain settings and they contribute to balance and stability in society. At the same time, performing a particular role, a woman can feel stressful due to excessive imposition of responsibility. Caring for children requires great responsibility and skills, which often lack because of experience gap and other issues. In general, women should strike the balance between the functions they perform to avoid dysfunctions and social changes these functions undergo. Apparently, feminism is the result of latent functions coming to the forth. With regard to the sociological concepts studied, functionalisms can disclose distinctive features of women’s perceptions, reactions that contribute to building behavioral patterns in various social frameworks (Macionis and Gerber, 2009, p. 127). Owing to the fact that mental states are not limited to a particular behavior models, they can be realized in numero us ways. For instance, a silicon-based machine could, in principle, have the same sort of mental life like that of a human being. However, this would only be when its cognitive system realizes proper functional roles. Hence, women’s role in a particular setting is largely predetermined by earlier established patterns that have been formed on at a mental level of perception. Conclusion The concept of women’s social standing is predetermined by women’s particular roles they perform in culturally and economically predetermined societies. Aside from traditions and stereotypical images attached to women and their place in social structures, they are often affected by gender, race, and age factors being the attributes of social structures as well. Furthermore, women’s social position considerably depends on educational background and personal experience that forms women’s values, outlooks, and beliefs in certain settings. Therefore, the presence of certa in sociological concepts assists people in understanding the social world going beyond judgments and justifications and relying on particular characters and idiosyncrasies. Additionally, understanding social roles of women contributes to better analysis of behavioral patterns existing in society that influence the overall appraisal of social constructions. Owing to the fact that all members of society depend on those social structures, they strive to frame life situations within the rules and clichà ©s dictated by a particular community. This issue considerably affects women because global shifts in perceptions influence specific social and cultural frames women got accustomed to. Reference List Brinkerhoff, D. B., White, L. K., and Ortega, S. T. (2007). Essentials of Sociology. US: Cengage Learning. Chadwick, R. (2001). Native Americans today: sociological concepts. Chicago: Harper Collins. Chrisler, J. C., and McCreary, D. R. (2010). Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology. US : Springer. Das, M. S., and Gupta, V. K. (1995). Social Status of Women in Developing Countries. New Delhi: M D Publications PVT LTD. Ferrante, J. (2010). Sociology: A Global Perspective. US: Cengage Learning. Hooks, B. (2000). Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. US: Pluto Press. Macionis, J., Gerber, L. (2009). Sociology. Canada: Pearson Education Mooney, L. A. Knox, D., and Schacht, C. (2010). Understanding Social Problems. US: Cengage Learning. Pacific Sociological Association, (2008). Sociological concepts: SP: official publication of perspectives. New York: Routledge press. Reynolds, L. T., and Herman-Kinney, N. J. (2003). Handbook of symbolic interactionism. UK: Rowman Altamira. Thompson, K. (2005). Sociological concepts. New York: Penguin Group

WIKI Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WIKI - Assignment Example iv. Leadership and management skills. Should be in a position of coming up with new ideas and coordinating all the activities of the organization. Through this, he/she would become an invaluable asset for the company. The position of a warehouse supervisor would be filled by the most suitable candidate. The successful candidate would be granted a five-year contract which would be renewable upon expiry. The monthly package would be between $ 5,000 and $7,000. It is the responsibility of the warehouse supervisor to be in charge of the day to day operations of the warehouse. A part from coordinating all its activities, the supervisor would keep the record of the stock in and out. The position of an Administration Assistant would be filled by the most competent and highly qualified professional. It is a 3-year contract which can be renewed upon expiry. The monthly salary would range from $2,000 up to $6,000. The Administration Assistant would be in charge of administration. He/she would be responsible for discharging administrative duties on day to day basis. The other role would be taking and keeping records on different issues within the organization. As a junior staff, the Administration Assistant would be expected to perform any other duties delegated to them by their seniors (Gomez-Mejia et al.,

Physiology and Function Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Physiology and Function - Essay Example This condition is tied to deficiencies in the production of red blood cells in its key factory, the bone marrow, and can be caused by a number of factors, including kidney disease in chronic form, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis, even as some forms of anemia, such as sickle cell anemia, can be passed on from parent to offspring (ADAM, 2012). Basophils: Basophils are a type of white blood cells in the human body (Childrens Hospital and Health System, 2012). As a white blood cell type, its function basically revolves around protection of the body from infections and diseases. This is done via basophils eating up invading pathogens. Their cytoplasmic contents include grain-like substances, and basophils in general have a dark purple to black hue in Wright stains (MedFriendly, n.d.). Eosinophils: Eosinophils are likewise a type of white blood cells in the human body (Childrens Hospital and Health System, 2012). It is also disease and infection fighting. While they are beneficial in attacking foreign bodies, they can cause disease in large amounts, including asthma, and parasitic diseases (MedicineNet, 2012). Erythrocytes: Erythrocyte is another term for red blood cells, and in general, as already discussed above, erythrocyte are involved in oxygen transport throughout the body, emanating from the lungs. They also are the carriers for carbon dioxide. (Childrens Hospital and Health System, 2012). Normal erythrocytes are biconcave, yellow in color, and has in it the hemoglobin oxygen carriers. Abnormal types include basophilic and hypochromic erythrocytes, the latter a condition where red blood cell counts are lower than normal, healthy values (Saunders,

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

International Business - Essay Example that are very well suited to the regions they operate, the cultural difference in different in different nations may not be found with the small business enterprise as we see in with large companies with high volume of operations. Create logistic support for the small companies or enable them to use the economical logistic resources with funding their activities through the public owned means of transport. Liberalization of aviation policies for transport among the regional trading block countries. The governments should form forums and communities for developing the multinational business etiquettes and cultural knowledge to enable the small companies’ leadership team to be more constructive in enhancing the business terms. Governments should provide consulting advisory boards on the industries, functions specific to enhance the knowledge about the opportunities for the small companies with respect to business volumes, clientele and consumer

The various stages in the development of warfare Essay Example for Free

The various stages in the development of warfare Essay Technology defines the strategic agenda of a nation at any given time; in particular, the concepts of war, crisis, terrorism and therefore military warfare. Military technology has allowed for Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, Precision Guided Munitions, Long Range Theatre Nuclear Weapons, Ballistic Missile-Carrying Submarines and many more. New military concepts have arisen out from the advancement of military technology, for example arms races or Mutually Assured Destruction; all of these complex military terminologies were unheard of in the middle of the 19th century, therefore showing how drastic warfare has developed since then. As military warfare has an extremely strong influence on the state of international relations as it affects the balance of power and the polarity of the world, it is important to understand both why and how the wars that happen today have expanded. The industrial revolution in the middle of the 19th century brought about a fundamental transformation in military technology; gone were the cavalry wars with spears as weapons and castles as defence, in was the mass production of war machinery. Nearly every aspect of warfare changed, and has been advancing and increasing ever since. The firepower of guns and bombs evolved from 3/4 rounds per minute muzzle loading muskets to machine guns capable of firing 650 rounds per minute1; although first used in the 1883 American Civil War which led to 600,000 dead, machine guns were widely used in World War One and helped make 400,0002 British casualties in the Battle of the Somme. From the middle of the 20th century the focus moved to weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, where technology allowed for more range and accuracy, and ICBMs and PGMs are capable of wiping out whole towns. Due to this, war has extended from armies to ordinary civilians, therefore potentially increasing death tolls and creating more fear among inhabitants of a country at war as attacks can be secret. The mobility and transport of armies has also changed which has an effect on the development of warfare; the pre-mid 19th century wooden sail powered ships with cannons used during many of the British invasions of India, Australia and Africa proved impractical and from the 1870s onwards, iron steam powered battleships were built. This allowed for access to enemy lands by sea with a lower risk of being sunk, and so invasions became easier, for example the Boer War from 1899 to 1902. The industrial revolution of the mid 1800s created advanced railways so soldiers could be deployed rapidly; this increased the speed of wars from the traditional wars on foot, and prevented enemy stated from having time to prepare for war. The introduction of the motorcar in the beginning of the 20th century also helped the mobility of warfare, with army trucks being used in most of the wars since then; in addition, the invention of tanks and submarines combined strong defence with the ability to attack, therefore causing more damage with fewer home casualties. The development of aircraft since the mid 19th century has been extremely significant; the first victims of air war were Arab villagers in Libya during the Italian war on Turkey 1911-123, and although aircraft was used in World War One, the turning point of air warfare was the Second World War, where the Blitzkrieg strikes on British civilian towns by the German Luftwaffe created a new warfare that involved ordinary inhabitants. Similarly, in recent air strikes on Afghanistan and Iraq by technologically advanced fighter planes such as B-1 and B52 bombers have further increased the speed and devastation caused by war. Protection has also changed over the years, from impractical individual heavy metal armour used by armies before the mid 19th century to much more alternative methods of protection. In World War One, the use of trenches to protect soldiers proved ineffective, however the civilian attacks during the Second World War meant that new types of protection were introduced: air raid sirens, blackouts and gas masks from enemy air warfare. Technology in the late 20th century extended methods of protection to Electronic Counter Measures to locate enemy weapons even before they are deployed the ultimate method of protection. This would not have been possible without the advancement in artificial intelligence through sophisticated computers to perform operations such as detecting long-range missiles from satellite cameras. The advancement of military warfare is due to a number of things: the progression of science and development of human intelligence mainly as a result of better education and more of a desire to be all-knowing has created more effective and practical ideas for warfare. In addition, the influx capitalism after the industrial revolution has meant that the munitions industry has profit to be made, and as capitalism seems ever increasing the production of weapons has also amplified. Also, countries around the world have increased their defence spending budgets therefore more money is constantly being spent on inventing the best, most destructive, powerful weapons. This, along with the enlarged competition between states to have the most advanced technological warfare machinery has led to a number of disputes which set the agenda for international relations at the time. The Cold War between Russia and the United States from the middle of the 20th century until the collapse of the Soviet Union mainly consisted of an unofficial arms race: repeated, competitive and reciprocal adjustments of their war making capacities between two nations4, with both countries building up baroque arsenals of ICBMs and the most advanced nuclear bombs. Action-Reaction models such as the Cold War creates a security dilemma not just for those involved but for the whole world: An action by any state to increase its military strength will raise the level of threat seen by other states and cause them to react by increasing their own strength5. An example of this recently could be the nuclear proliferation of the nine states who presently have nuclear weapons; countries who dont have nuclear arms may feel threatened by those who do and wish to build up their arms, and so this potential horizontal proliferation would in turn make those who have arms build up theirs even more, creating increased vertical proliferation. Nuclear multi-polarity in the world is likely to be dangerous as there is more chance of rogue states using their weapons and creating more prolific, devastating wars. While many argue the move to nuclear warfare is better than outdated methods of warfare such as battles as it creates deterrence between states to use their weapons. This could be proven by the fact that since the invention of nuclear weapons in the middle of the 20th century there has been no nuclear wars; however the example of the United States atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 show how much devastation and horror they could cause. Also, the new threat of biological and chemical weapons has added to the potential threat of large-scale modern warfare that no longer involves a countrys army only; it seems like the world could potentially be moving into a second nuclear age. The progress between offensive and defensive warfare has also changed since the middle of the 19th century; however it seems to have followed a regular pattern. Pre 19th century cavalry wars were largely offensive wars, with attacks on foot and high casualties; the first World War consisted of mainly defence tactics like building extensive trenches; the second World War was again offensive, with air warfare bombing campaigns; the evolution of nuclear arms is largely as a defence mechanism, for example the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction; and recent wars such as the US attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan have been mostly offensive bombing campaigns. Another factor to consider of how warfare has changed is how the world is not entirely a multi-polar earth; recently, it seems like a potentially unstable combination of unifying centripetal and separating centrifugal forces struggling over the periphery. In addition, the threat of non state actors has also changed warfare; until recently, the enemy could be located in one state, however the main problem for western democracies in international relations today is the threat of terrorism, with the Al Quaida network appearing all over the world. This creates the problem of not knowing where to attack, and counties such as America attacking countries like Afghanistan just because they believe they were harbouring terrorists after the September the 11th attacks. It is likely that warfare technology will advance in the future despite the disarmament issue over the past few decades. While superpower countries like the United States continue with their arms building, refuse to ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty or participate in talks regarding the Antiballistic Missile Treaty in June, and continue to own 95% of the 31,000-plus nuclear weapons along with Russia6, the Doomsday Clock might actually reach midnight. After World War One, Sir Edward Grey said that the horrors of the Great War would make it possible for states to find as least one common ground on which they should come together in confident understanding: an agreement that, in the disputes between them, war must be ruled out as a means of settlement that entails ruin7. Obviously, this idea seems much too idealistic when we look back at the technological advancements in warfare since World War One, which can maybe suggest that states will always dispute and technology will always adva nce the terrifying thought of a future super-war is very possible. BIBLIOGRAPHY Buzan, Barry, Strategic Studies: Military Technology and International Relations, London: Macmillan, 1987 Freedman, Lawrence, The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, London: Macmillan, 1989 Goldstein, Joshua, International Relations, New York: Longman, 1999 Gray, Colin, The Second Nuclear Age, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1999 Waltz, Kenneth, Man, the State and War, New York: Colombia University Press, 1959 www.thebulletin.org 1 Buzan, Barry, Strategic Studies: Military Technology and International Relations, London: Macmillan, 1987 2 http://www.phoenixpress.co.uk/articles/events/somme-battle-of-pp.asp 3 Freedman, Lawrence, The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, London: Macmillan, 1989, p4 4 Steiner, Barry, Arms Races, Diplomacy and Recurring Behaviour: Lessons from Two Cases, Beverly Hills: Sage, 1973 5 Rathjens, G. W., The Dynamics of the Arms Race, in Herbert York (ed.), Arms Control, San Francisco: Freeman, 1973 6 www.thebulletin.org 7 Grey, Edward, Twenty Five Years, New York: Frederick A Stokes Co., 1925, p285

Deep-sea Anglerfish Reproduction

Deep-sea Anglerfish Reproduction Natures Example of a Total Reduction in the Role of Males: A Review on Deep-sea Anglerfish Reproduction Introduction The Deep Ocean Waters that cover ocean basins constitute the largest living space on earth. This immense environment is home to the largest animal communities on the planet-largest in terms of biomass, numbers of individuals, and area extent (Robison, 2004). Despite its obvious significance to the biosphere, the oceans deep interior remains an unexplored frontier. Although physical and chemical properties of oceanic water vary greatly within the upper kilometer, at greater depths these properties remain relatively constant (Robison, 2004). The deep pelagic habitat is a vast volume of cold, dark water where food is scarce and bioluminescence is the principal source of light and communication. Physical Appearance Anglerfish belong to the order Lophiiformes. Named after their unique mode of predation, in which they use a fleshy outgrowth sprouting from the middle of their head to attract prey, much like a fishing lure. This act is similar to the act of angling, thus the name anglerfish. Deep sea anglerfish has a vicious appearance; however they are not too big in size. They have earned the name common black devil due to their unsightly features. They have a large mouth with sharp, fang-like teeth. They can reach to about 12cm in length (Bora, 2010). Their bodies are globular and they are not adapted for sustained rapid swimming, these are designed for remaining motionless most of the time (different reference). Their body color ranges from dark gray, brown, or black. Their skin reflects blue light, which helps them remain invisible to other deep sea creatures, as most of them emit blue light. Their bodies are fragile and have no scales. In fact, their thin skin can slip off their bodies whenever touched by human hands when they are retrieved from deep sea nets. Their muscles are flabby and they have weak skeletons. Their C-shaped gill slits are very small and are placed below the pectorals (different reference). The eyes of the deep sea anglerfish are too small. They possess one or more long filaments that spring from the center of its head. These so-called filaments are modified spines of the anterior dorsal fin. The longest filament is usually the first spine, or the illicium, which protrudes above the eyes and terminates in an irregular mass of flesh at the tip of the spine, the esca. This filament, which serves as a lure, can be moved back and forth (Bora, 2010). Predation In the deep ocean, food is rare and unpredictable compared to the more reliably available food in the open water. Thus, deep sea animals develop certain strategies to find food and ways of eating whatever food they may encounter with as little effort as possible. Most of the deep sea animals prefer to wait for the arrival of their prey or food particles rather than searching actively for them. Moreover, most of these animals are not selective in their diet and cope up with amazingly large prey (Bora, 2010). Female anglerfish are the classic lurk-and-lure predators. They have a huge mouth and their teeth are large compared to their body size. They rely on their luminous lure to attract their prey instead of searching actively for them. Moreover, these animals can accommodate very large prey through their expandable jaws, which can open up twice as wide, and elastic stomach, which allows them to eat any prey available (Bora, 2010). Their most amazing feature is their bioluminescent lure. The lure of deep sea anglerfish are more elaborate compared to shallow water species, since these are used to attract prey in the dark. These lures are modified dorsal fins and bioluminescence is caused by bacteria, which produce a bluish, greenish light (Bora, 2010). The light and movement of the lure attract the prey to within reach of the gaping jaws. The anglerfish Cryptopsaras can slide the rod part of the apparatus back into a groove, drawing the lure and prey closer to the mouth. It can rotate the lure tip and produce a flash from it as well as a glow. All this is controlled by enzymes and the contraction of chromatophores. These lures have sensory filaments, papillae, light pipes, and shutters. The lures of deep sea anglerfishes are extraordinary elaborate, with sensory filaments, papillae, light pipes and shutters. It may be that different species mimic different kinds of small prey like shrimps to attract larger prey. One anglerfish (Caulophryne) has a lure ornamented with many filaments but it is not luminous. An other (Linophryne) has not only a luminous lure on the head but also a multibranched barbel hanging from the lower jay. The barbel filaments contain many more bioluminescent organs. Some position their lure inside their mouths. Some deep sea anglerfish have positioned their lure inside the mouth. The wolftrapangler Thaumatichthys axeli is a sit-and-wait ambush predator with a luminescent lure hanging from the roof of his overshot mouth, which is fringed with hooked sharp teeth. This anglerfish hovers just above the substrate (not sitting on it). To attract in prey, it waves its lure back and forth till the prey comes closer to its mouth. There is a specialized spine attached to the lure, which can be moved in any direction. When the prey touches the mouth, the esca, which is connected with the mouth reflex, causes the anglerfish to instantly snap the prey with its powerful jaw and swallow it. Moreover, the teeth of the prey are bent inwards so as to prevent the prey from escaping once it enters the mouth. They can take in prey twice their size due to their thin and flexible bones causing the jaw and stomach to extend to an incredible size (Singha, 2010). Reproductive biology Sexual Dimorphism Sexual dimorphism describes animals where there is a physical difference between males and females of the same species (BBC). In most species the female deep sea anglerfish is much larger than the male anglerfish, actually they are real dwarfs compared with their mate. For example the largest females of the genus Gigantactis grow to 40cm in length, whereas the largest males only grow to 2cm. Unlike their sluggish partners they have muscular bodies for active swimming. For many years fish biologists were very confused by these differences and misidentified male and female anglers as completely different species (Zubi, 2010). Sexual Maturity The male deep sea anglerfish mature sexually soon after reaching metamorphosis, in females it takes a much longer time (Zubi, 2010). Extremely young parasitized females of Cryptopsaras couesii indicate that females of this species are able to elicit a search response in a conspecific male, as well as provide cues for specific identification by the male at a very early age (Pietsch, 2005). Sexual Parasitism In sexual parasitism, the dwarfed males become permanently attached to much larger females. This is a remarkable mode of reproduction unique to some members of the deep sea anglerfish suborder Ceratioidei (Pietsch, 2005). There is no mechanism that prevents additional males from becoming attached to a previously parasitized female, but Linoohryne (and perhaps Caulophryne), in which multiple attachments have so far not been found, might be a nexception to this rule. Multiple attachment is rare in Ceratias and Borophryne (only a single record of two males in each case), but common in Cryptopsaras and Haplophtyne, which are known to have as many as eight and six males, respectively (Pietsch, 2005). Males are almost invariably attached upside down and facing forward with respect to the female, and almost always on the ventral midline of the belly of the female, somewhat anterior to the anus; exceptions include those of Cryptopsaras, Haplophryne, and Photocorynus, which may be found almost anywhere on the head and body, and oriented in any direction (Pietsch, 2005). Six of the seven known parasitically attached males of Neoceratias spinifer lack openings to the pharynx leading to the gills and opercular openings, which are present in the area of attachment of nearly all previously described examples of attached males (exceptions include several attached males of Haplophryne mollis). The gills of these Neoceratias males, however, are as well developed as those of free-living males of other ceratioid families, indicating that sufficient oxygen is probably not available via the blood of the female and that this gas is extracted by water that is pumped in and out through the opercular openings (Pietsch, 2005). A dual mechanism for mate location and speciesspecific selection probably functions in most ceratioids, in which both eyes and olfactory structures of the freeliving males are well developed, but it is highly unlikely to function in the ceratiid genera Ceratias and Cryptopsaras, in which the nostrils are surprisingly small and undeveloped, and in Centrophryne and the gigantactinid genera Gigantactis and Rhynchactis, in which the eyes are very much reduced. The mechanism by which males of Neoceratias (in which the eyes and nostrils are especially small and degenerate) find females (which apparently lack bioluminescent structures) remains a mystery (Pietsch, 2005). Modes of Reproduction Temporary nonparasitic: Melanocetus johnsonii and Melanocetus murrayi Males of the Melanocetidae, Himantolophidae, Diceratiidae, Gigantactinidae, and several of the better known oneirodid genera (for example, Oneirodes, Microlophichthys, Dolopichthys, Chaenophryne, and Lophodolos, each now known from well over 50 females), probably never become parasitic. Spawning and fertilization may take place during a temporary sexual attachment that does not involve fusion of male and female tissues (Pietsch, 2005). The parasitic mode of reproduction is apparently obligatory in Ceratias, Cryptopsaras, Borophryne, Haplophryne, and Linophryne, and, although sufficient data are lacking to say for certain, probably in Neoceratias as well. Males of those taxa in which sexual parasitism is obligatory apparently never mature unless they are in parasitic association with a female, and, likewise, females never become gravid until stimulated by the permanent parasitic attachment of a male. That sexual maturity is determined not by size or age in these fishes, but by parasitic sexual association, may well be unique among animals (Pietsch, 2005). Among those taxa in which parasitism seems to be obligatory, the number of parasitized females in collections around the world is surprisingly small compared to the total number of known specimens: about 6% in Cryptopsaras, 11% in Ceratias, 16% in Photocorynus, 33% in Haplophryne, and 40% in Borophryne (Pietsch, 2005). Sexual parasitism is probably facultative in Caulophryne and in the oneirodid genera Bertella and Leptacanthichthys (Pietsch, 2005). The remaining ceratioid families, Thaumatichthyidae and Centrophrynidae, are still so poorly known that little can now be concluded concerning their mode of reproduction (Pietsch, 2005). Reproductive Cycle The deep sea is a vast area and with a small number of animals spread thinly in such an area, it can be difficult to find a mate. Thus, deep sea anglerfish have devised a way through the process of evolution, to continue the propagation of their species through sexual parasitism (Zubi, 2010). Once a male anglerfish is born it directly searches out for a female. Male anglerfish probably do not feed due to the lack of a bioluminescent lure. Instead their eyes and olfactory organs are large (Zubi, 2010). Once the male anglerfish finds a female, he will attach himself to her body usually by biting her belly. Once attached, the teeth and jaws draw back and the skin and blood systems of the male and female merge. Now the male becomes a parasite to the female, not needing to find food for him. Thus, the intestine regress and the only important organ within the male is his large testis. This time the female has a guaranteed supply of sperms while the male relies on the female for food and living (?). It is the female who probably controls the sperm delivery via her hormones, therefore, it is connected with the moment she ejects her eggs from her body. The fertilized eggs contain large oil droplets for buoyancy for floating to the surface of the ocean (Zubi, 2010). As soon as the male detects the presence of a female in his vicinity, he bites or latches onto her with his sharp teeth. Thereafter, the male releases an enzyme that works to digest the body of the female and the skin of the males mouth. Overtime, this process goes on to a physical fusion of the pair down to the blood-vessel level. Then begins the process of the male undergoing atrophy or degeneration. Meaning, the male starts losing his digestive organs, its brain, heart, eyes and all other internal organs, until he is left only with his pair of testicles. These testicles are used to release sperm in response to the females hormones indicating egg release. In this way, about 6 male angler fishes can be borne by a single female, throughout its life time, providing her a lifetime supply of sperm for fertilization (Singha, 2010). The female anglerfish can carry up to six males on her body. This bizarre method of reproduction makes sure that when the female is ready to spawn, she does not have to look for the male, as he is already available. After fertilization, the female lay the eggs in a thin sheet of transparent gelatinous material, which can be 2 to3 feet wide and about 25 to 30 feet long. This sheet with the eggs floats in the sea, till the eggs hatch into larvae. The larvae usually feed on the surface of the sea, until they mature (Bora, 2010).