Friday, August 9, 2019
Tono-bungay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Tono-bungay - Assignment Example this rather oppressed lower class members of this ââ¬Å"societyâ⬠but clearly holds the view that it is their clichà © mode of life that restricts them from leading a better life (Wells 6). He also asserts that there is a greater social problem in the society driven by money. He writes ââ¬Å"See what the world pays teachers and discoverers and what it pays businessmen! That shows the ones it really wantsâ⬠(136). Largely, the book covers the troubles of the low class in their bid to make something good for themselves. This novel reflects on the life of the society at the time it was written and specifically concerns the social changes caused by industrialization and consumerism trends. A notable focus on this book, in the aspect of the argument of this paper, is that the people in this age can find a bearing of the insights in their social life. By covering the socialist ideals and ideas, Tono-Bungay not only becomes important for the society during its setting but also in subsequent generations as the social issues in the book are transferrable from one era to another. At the beginning of the novel, Wells narrates through George the ignorance of the lower class in the society. They are easily duped by the wealthy class to continue serving them hence enriching themselves only. George comes to learn of the world of the wealthy class as a boy through listening to the comic and humiliating conversation of men and women of the lower class in the society. Wells narrations point out that these conversations mirrored the unawareness as well as the rigidity that these men and women of the lower English class had towards their plight. These people have adopted a clichà © mode of life which they have gained so much comfort in that they do not seek to improve their lives or that of their future generations. George, young as he is at the time, can tell that the sickness in the social fabric of the English society he lives in. George says ââ¬Å"She is reality, the one reality I have
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Social Norms vs. Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Social Norms vs. Nature - Essay Example Their inner self connects and they find what they were looking for, in each otherââ¬â¢s souls. Annie Proulx implies in Brokeback Mountain that when Jack and Ennis shy away from their natural urges they perish. Suppressing what is natural to them causes them pain and suffering that leads to the demise of their love, on the other hand, Anton Chekhov portrays how a man (Dmitri) pursues what is natural to him and embraces his natural urges with open arms, and in the end finds his true love. In the story The Lady with the Lapdog, Chekhov creates the setting for romantic spark between the two characters Dmitri and the lady. Dmitriââ¬â¢s romantic yearnings are simply unquenchable. He is bored with his wife and constantly seeks the love and affection of other women but never sticks with one. He constantly hunts down ââ¬Å"fresh romanceâ⬠as the old ones get on his nerves. This might sound unromantic but this is what Dmitri feels deep down inside. He doesnââ¬â¢t love his wife; to Dmitri she is too stiff and boring. This is the context as intelligent readers can guess that either Dmitri will start an affair with the lady, Anna, or at least the desire to have one will burn in his heart. The nature of Dmitri and the way he has transformed into a womanizer predicts that he will look for more chances of betraying his wife. Similarly, in the story Brokeback Mountain, the romance takes place between two men, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, a homosexual romance which has absolutely no place in their society. It is obvious that what these two men feel, they will try to get it and in turn betray the social norms. That is how the setting of both these short stories builds a perfect setting for infidelity. However in The Lady with the Lapdog, the author plays with the pre-defined roles of characters, as when Dmitri and Anna hookup, they both fear the same thing, is the other person really interested or he is in it for the time being? This is the part where the readers predict that knowing Dmitriââ¬â¢s nature, he is in it for the game, he is bored as always and seeks new romance but as the story progresses things get more complicated than Dmitriââ¬â¢s simple urge to stay away from home and cheat on her wife, an aging seducer. In the book, The Lady with the Lapdog, the motivation for infidelity is not something that the society would look up to. Dmitri is on the verge of breaking up with his wife. He is simply frustrated by his wifeââ¬â¢s cold nature and feels betrayed himself. He doesnââ¬â¢t consider it to be unjust to wander around and have flings with other women; he thinks he is taking revenge on his wife. Although there is not one motive for Dmitriââ¬â¢s disloyalty, however one factor that stands out is that Dmitri was not that much into his marriage from the beginning. He just stood in awe of her when they wedded but the wifeââ¬â¢s imposing nature lingered on. She considered herself a ââ¬Å"thinkerâ⬠and used to call h er husband not by his real name but called him ââ¬Å"Dimitriâ⬠. Dmitri probably felt emasculated by her actions, and that is why he preferred staying away from home. But the motive for infidelity in the Brokeback Mountain is in drastic contrast to Dmitriââ¬â¢s situation. Ennis and Jack are portrayed as characters struggling with their affectionate feeling toward each other but on the other hand, feeling afraid of being called homosexual.
What is Katniss's greatest character flaw Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
What is Katniss's greatest character flaw - Essay Example The main character of the book is Katniss Everdeen, Living a life of misery under the feet of the capitol Katniss and her family is deprived of every little joy of life by the oppressive rule of the government who then steps forward to change the system as it is now and restore happiness and dignity of the poor in the society. Katniss has been portrayed as a very intelligent, independent, and courageous sixteen year old girl in the book. But there is another side to Katniss which slightly flaws her personality and distorts her image portrayed in the entire book. No doubt the character of Katniss is very interesting and the best part is the connection it sparks with the readers. However, it is slightly flawed as she lacks one of the major characteristic that is morality in her character. It is true that she faced countless troubles and hardships in her life which as a result made her into a stronger person, but still it is not justified for her to be concerned only about her personal goals by putting others life in danger. By examining the book one can extract out that Katniss was a girl who was deeply attached to only 1 or 2 people in her life. She was emotionally closed to others; hence all her emotions were concentrated on those two most important people in her life. She cares only about her motives despite the fact that unlike her not everyone was playing the game with the same motive and had an intention of winning only but there were several other reasons as well. She clearly lacked moral grounds and her actions were not justified. It would be a disgrace to the word hero if someone says that she possessed the elements and qualities of a hero. Although, her early life was tainted with miseries and oppression which caused her to be the person she has become now but her actions are still not justified. She can be called as a person who fought to save her
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Exploitation of Teenagers Essay Example for Free
Exploitation of Teenagers Essay Our Indian society is far better than the rest of the universe from the point of view of culture as well as conventions and ways of living but on the other side, if we glance into our society, it has many social and political and economical evils such as bride burning, dowry system and dowry death, corruption in educational system, problem of illiteracy in India, domestic violence, communalism, injustice, crime against children, unemployment in India, suppression of human rights, poverty. Some of the problems have been cast off from its core by the social propaganda and social awareness and education and there are still such unanswerable problems which must be removed from the society only through the individual consciousness. Literature is an echo or reflection of the society and that is why authors have a direct association with the society and its values. They have always been successful in the vivid portrayal of the colourful and well cultured society. At the same time they never hesitate to show a dirty and filthy image of the same society. One of the major themes in all genres of literature is social issues or problems. If we observe the present Indian society, the major problem that has taken place and has been most prevalent in the Indian society as well in the whole globe is the problems of teenagers. Childhood is one of the greatest and valuable periods in human life. It is that phase of life where a child is free from all the tensions, fun-loving, to play and learns new things, and is the most innocent of all the family members. This age of a child or teenager is of enjoying the naughtiness and also the time of learning and making career. If the teenagers work taking the whole familyââ¬â¢s responsibility instead of learning what will be the future of the nation? The issues relating to the exploitation of teenagers should be high on any Governments agenda. Children should be on the first call on agenda of human resource development not only because young children or teenagers are the most helpless but because this age is the institution of lifelong learning and human development is totally dependent on these crucial early years. The constitution of any teenagerââ¬â¢s social, emotional, mental background is depended on the primary stage of childhood. Children or teenagers are considered as the future of any nation and as the power and muscle of the nation lies in a healthy, protected, educated and well developed child population. Child abuse is covered in secrecy and there is a great conspiracy of silence among all the administrative power around the entire subject. Existing socio- economic conditions also render some children vulnerable and more at risk to abuse, exploitation and neglect. All the major or minor problems have their root causes from which it stems out. The Concept of Exploitation The awareness of this new phenomenon first emerged several years ago in Latin America, and more particularly in Asia. But the complete understanding of the term exploitation came into existence after many decades of the peopleââ¬â¢s slumber in the form of Karl Marx, the first revolutionary against capitalism and industrialism which are the basic factors of exploitation. He was a revolutionary by nature. He strongly believes: The worker becomes all the poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production increases in power and range. The worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity the more commodities he creates. With the increasing value of the world of things proceeds in direct proportion to the devaluation of the world of men (Kreis 1). Thus Marx was against industrialism and capitalism that victimize the people through the medium of various instruments yielding exploitations. Marx argued that the change in socio-economic conditions occurred through organized revolutionary action. He argued that capitalism would end through the organized actions of an international working class, he did not believe in communism to be established; he used abide the people to accept reality-an ideal to which we will have to adjust itself. He believes that there are only two communities 1.Abuser and 2. Abused people. Then Came Lenin Vladimir, a Russian Marxist revolutionary and then Stalin came with his own revolutionary thoughts. In India, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, came into the form of semi-God figure, worshipped by the down-trodden people and untouchables of India. He enriched the lives of exploiting caste by awareness, revolution and by granted them the basic human rights. Gandhiji also completely advocated him his actions to eliminate the wrongs done towards low-caste and exploited people. Exploitation has a strong relationship with the society as in the society there are many people who are being exploited or manipulated for the benefits of others. The term exploitation of teenagers basically has two meanings. One is to make use of someone for specific purpose whose age is more than twelve and less than twenty, and the second one is to manipulate someone or something in an unjust or cruel manner. In the simplest of words, the term exploitation refers to using another personââ¬â¢s labour without offering adequate rewards including all kinds of abuses as physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, psychological and mental. Exploitation of Teenagers as Reflected in Mulk Raj Anandââ¬â¢s Untouchable and Coolie Dr. Mulk Raj Anandââ¬â¢s two Novels Untouchable and Coolie are the real representation of the condition of our society i.e. the phenomenon of exploitation of teenagers. Mulk Raj Anand was a man of realism and the characters of his Novels are more real and universal rather than subjective i.e. individual. Most of his writings are directly or indirectly investigating deeply the social process. To Anand literature is an expression of society and the large majority of questions raised by him are social questions: question of tradition and convention, norms and genres, symbols and myth. Untouchable and Coolie are not only literary pieces became well known which talk about the behavioral pattern of untouchablity and the people deprived of socially, culturally, religiously and but because of several exploitations of people including innocent children of that period. Undoubtedly Untouchable is Anandââ¬â¢s modern work which is the image of his societyââ¬â¢s trodden and exploited class. This book is considered to be an autobiographical note which came out as a form of his experiences. When Anand was a child, his father was employed as a Subedar in the Indian Army. During those days Anand mixed with the children of leather-workers, washer men and sweepers and came across their real daily life and its realities. This association and attachment continued till the days of his youth. Hence this Novel is the authentic document of his lifeââ¬â¢s incidents. Untouchable is the story of the depravation of outcaste people and at the same time of the exploitation of teenagers. It basically deals with the different teenagersââ¬â¢ problems like Bakha, sister Sohini, his brother Rakha and some other his outcastes friends like Chota and Ramcharan we come across during their a dayââ¬â¢s activities. Coolie is also a masterpiece depicting the reality of life. The title is very apt, suitable and reasonable as the story of the Novel revolves round a boy named Munoo, a son of a porter who comes from his village to come out his poverty and works at various places. The peak of darkness of exploitation is expertly described by the author. The Novel also shows the highest level of inhumanity when poor Munoo works at socially, economically, and politically higher classes of Indian society. The Novel shows his adventures and journey of exploitation from servant, factory worker, rickshaw driver to a child labourer. There is a large difference between social evil and social problem. A definition of a social problem may be suggestive of state of affairs which are not favorable in society and people searching for the practical cure. On the contrary social evil indicates more complex, threatening and indescribable, may an implication of more realism, a degree of skepticism and gloom whether any remedy can be found. In everyday speech, both the terms are often used rhetorically and in substitution. There are many subjective and objective elements of social problems. Social problem includes many social forms and all share two important elements: an objective social condition and a subjective social condition. The objective element of a social problem refers to the existence of a social condition. Generally we learn about social condition through our own life experience, through the media and education. The subjective element of a social problem refers to a personal belief and view that a particular social situation is harmful to the society or to a segment of society, it should and can be changed. We can take an example for illustration. We know that poverty, racism, violence, pollution, crime. They are not considered to be social problems they diminish the quality of human life. Combination of these subjective and objective elements led us to certain efforts. Every individual needs to take steps in order to make the nation a better place to live in. Mulk Raj Anand is considered to be God or Messiah in backward castes and exploited class just because of his brilliant works which describe down-trodden and poor Indias social, political, and cultural conditions. The Novels Untouchable and Coolie, which communicate the abuses of an exploited class- an untouchable boy in Untouchable and a waif, Munoo in Coolie. Untouchable and Coolie are the only Novels in which Anand has presented the realistic picture especially problems and exploitations of teenagers of the early decades of 20th century in India to reveal the social background with the unique observation of social reformer. Anand has not presented the teenage character in particularly but in a general way. The writer has not only painted his works with the idea of keeping his literary pieces mirror up to the Indian society but also made it mandatory to think about the masses, about the sufferers and abused people and provided ideal solutions. Untouchable and Coolie are legendary stories of two teenagers Bakha and Munoo, appear among the people of the modern society to tell their problems, abuses and exploitations they endured. Bakha and Munoo are the symbolic representatives of the whole teenage class of the present day who give a voice to the predicament of the mute humanity in odd circumstances. Anand has not presented the adolescent characters in particularly but in a general way. Like G.B.Shaw, Mulk Raj Anand is considered to be a great thinker and reformer of the society. He succeeded in doing so by disturbing his readers putting the puzzle-like problems before the society like Shaw and never put a solution of a particular problem. No writer before Charles had handled the English people, similarly no Indo-English writer before Annad has devoted a strong sympathy to the poor, exploited class and neglected part of the society. The underdog protagonists Bakha and Munoo in both the Novels seem to sail in the same boat as far as personal and subjective suffering and exploitation is concerned. There is a parallel central theme in Untouchable and Coolie ââ¬â social exploitation, exploitation of the poor and the under-privileged class by the forces of capitalism, industrialism and colonialism. In Anandââ¬â¢s Coolie, Munoo is denied his fundamental rights to life and happiness and is exploited and made to suffer, till he dies of consumption. The Novelist makes it quite clear that Munoo is not the only victim of such exploitation. He represents millions of those for whom such exploitation is the lot of everyday life. Both these Novels have been written with a purpose. These Novels are powerful condemnation of modern capitalistic Indian society and feudal system with the shameless and tragic exploitation of the underdog and poor which is also ready to sacrifice the poor teenagers and children who face the difficulties without protest. Both the protagonists desire to live but the society does not allow them to live. They die of exploitation, poverty and hunger. Thus, only a single problem that has attracted the attention of most of the writers, philosophers and administrators is the only exploitation of teenagers which can be possible to eradicate of this planet only through application of more possible improvements that can be beneficial for the teenagers. One of the helpful components is education which can help in relieving this major evil in the society. In the first Novel Untouchable we can rightly observe that Bakha became a victim of the society who has high aspirations of life which have been suppressed not only the customs and traditions but also by the dirty politics and Government. Bakha is seen, saved by the man emerged out in the end of the Novel like a real God in the form of Gandhi who has started the remedial works of the society not by the mere talks and philosophies but by the real implementation of the ideas he has. However in the real life who will be a benefactor person of these downtrodden and exploited people. This is a total responsibility of the Government and administrative people who are observing and enjoying the joyful moments just like an audience of a circus that need a complete meditation on this particular subject to take reforming steps in relation to this harsh reality. In the second Novel Coolie we can notice the same anguish scenario but with a different view. Munoo, hero of the Novel reveals real social conditions but not through a single day of his life but through the full-fledge life that might be a great trick of the writer not only to develop the discourse of the character of poor Munoo, but the silence and mum that is still prevalent and ever last among the heartless and unkind society as well as the administrative people even after the death of an innocent boy Munoo. This is not a single teenage boy who lives a hell-like life, is sacrificed on the altar of social treatment and Governmentââ¬â¢s indifference towards this burning social dilemma but there are many teenagers sacrifice themselves in the same manner which can create a shocking result which is merely unimaginative for the whole globe. Poverty Poverty is considered to be the first and foremost root cause of being exploitation of the teenagers. Poverty is one of the major issues, attracting the attention of sociologists and economists. It is such a situation in which a person fails to maintain a living standard adequate for a comfortable lifestyle. Poverty plays a significant role in the formation of public policy and has a centre of attraction to the National Policy Agenda forever five decades. Though India boasts of a high economic growth; it is shameful that there is still large scale of poverty in India. Poverty in India can be defined as a situation when a certain section of people are unable to fulfill their basic needs. India has the worlds largest number of poor people living in a single country. Out of its total population of more than 1 billion, 350 to 400 million people are living below the poverty line. Nearly 75% of the poor people are in rural areas, most of them are daily wagers, landless labourers and self employed house holders. The same scenario of anguish as presented in the Novel can be seen in the present society: The outcastesââ¬â¢ colony was a group of mud-walled houses that clustered together in two rowsâ⬠¦.there lived the scavengers, the leather-workers, the washer men, the barbers, the water- carriers, the grass-cutters and other outcastes from Hindu society. A brook ran near the lane, once with crystal- clear water, now soiled by the dirt and filth of the public latrines situated about it, the ordour of the hides and skins of dead carcasses left to dry on its banks, the dung of donkeys, sheep, horses, cows and buffaloes heaped up to be made into fuel cakes, and the biting, choking, pungent fumes that oozed from its sides (Anand 1). Social division This great affecting major problem of the society came into existence when the Hindu society has been divided. That is why it is the main root or origin of this problem. Hindu society has traditionally been categorized into four classes, called Varnas the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. The first belonging to this Varna is called Brahmanas. Their function is to learn and to make share of the learning and to preserve the eternal knowledge of the race. The Brahmins are devoted to their works of teaching and preaching. Kshatriya is the one who belongs to Kshatra varna. This is the forms the military defense group, the martial class and administration of the society. They contain administrative and wielding political power and ruled the states. The Vaishyas are divided into the category of farming and business and that is the reason why they were pre-occupied with the works of selling goods to the others. Vaisya is the creative class of the society, and their primary occupations are trading and business and they are called merchants. Shudra is the lowest in the traditional four-section division in the Hindu caste system. The Shudras have classically lived lives of service. Slaves were often classified as Shudras, as were leatherworkers, blacksmiths, maids, cooks, and so forth. They have typically not been accorded the same rights as higher castes, forced to use different temples and public facilities. Thus the Gita declares: ââ¬Å"The work of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras is divided according to qualities born of their own inner natureâ⬠(Wikipedia 1). Some relieving solutions Common education system Every child and citizen of India is eligible to get equal type of education. As we know parallel education system created by upper class and the rich people but limited to these classes only. We can say that this system is totally based on class and caste. Kothari Commission (1964-66) has presented the common school education system both for the poor and rich people. Almost all political leaders, upper class administrators support this system. But the little children and teenagers are sent to the private schools and English medium schools that charge high fees which are not affordable for the poor, down trodden and exploited class. It is very noticeable that neither State Government nor the Central Government has succeeded to cease these schools and will not dare for the same in the future also. Although the Government has opened a number of schools for the underprivileged and exploited class, how many benefits they got still now? The Government runs schools for the poor people like Bakha and Munoo but practically failed to make the major part of the deprived people educated. The reason also may be a lack of awareness among the down trodden people or a lack of Government policy. In one of the incidents of the novel Untouchable, we can observe that Bakha, at the British Barracks, shows his extreme wish of being educated to his uncle and he also weeps for it. His father tells him that schools and education institutions are made for the sahibs only not for the downtrodden and exploited class. In this way, we can rightly observe the lack of common education system at the time of British still continues today also. The same education discrimination is prevalent in the recent age. It is very clear that the upper class and rich people who are the holders of high degrees and well educated come in contact with the poor and exploited class and impose them to be abused. Because they are all illiterate and do not have degrees for getting good jobs just like the high class people which pathetic circumstances after all direct them to a single path of leading life and that is exploitation alone. The problem of social, economical and educational inequality can be solved only when the Government takes over the management of all the non-governmental schools by making necessary laws in this connection. In the near future if it is not done, the problem of inequality in all the grounds will remain same as present time. There is an intimate kinship between education and life. Education is the one tool that can drive one from the world of several exploitations and abuses to the world of equality. * Incentives to needy families to send their children to school regularly till they reach the age of 17 or 18. * Pre-metric and post-metric scholarship scheme for children of families employed in occupations such as scavenging. All children of such families, regardless of incomes, will be covered by the scheme. * Provision of remedial courses to improve their study and prospect for further education. * The recruitment of teachers from the low-castes who are being the target of exploitations. * Increasing of residential schools, including ashram schools should be established in a large numbers so that the parents can take care of their children very well. * The curriculum of education should be designed by keeping an eye on both rich and poor classes and as a device to encourage children and teenagers to get educated. * To provide them an education loan of a small amount without a single penny interest which provides in muster to make their children educated and employed. * The state should not discriminate against any citizen on the basis of religion, caste, race, sex by keeping in mind traditions and customs at school or colleges or any institution of learning. * Primary and secondary should provide education irrespective of cast and creed. Anti-poverty programmes The most important component of eliminating of the exploitation of teenagers is the socio-economic and anti-poverty programmes meant for the families socially and economically handicapped ready to sacrifice their children only for monetary significance. Gujarat is one of the most growing states of India now-a-days. Though the state is developing in all the directions, it is facing much more problems simultaneously; one of them is poverty. The Chief Minister of this state launched state-wide Abhiyan of Garib Kalyan Mela from Amreli which is the first major step taken in the whole India to reduce poverty. It has been announced of organizing around 50 Garib Kalyan Mela across the State, providing economic assistance to the poor and marginalized people. One of its essential objectives of this programme is to provide financial help which is the source of all the harms of the exploited and deprived people. Nearly forty thousand people, including slum dwellers and citizens Below Poverty Line (BPL) of Visnagar under this programme attained a full economical assistance at the Garib Kalyan Melo. However, the elimination or eradication of the poverty in India has not reached to a definite estimated level because of indifference of Central Government of India towards the reality of poverty. Such programmes related to poverty must be organized nationally to bend each state in these activities. Central Government of India totally failed to be conscious of the severe conditions of poverty. Present central Government need to be sensitized the administration so that such programmmes can get a start to lead actives and inspiration which have already started in a single state or two. In short, the schemes or programmes for reducing poverty as considered the first and primary source exploitation should be introduced and updated time to time by the central Government. On one side children and teenagers are considered to be the power and strength of the near future. On the other side, this social evil of exploitation is increasing day by day and taking its magnitude form. The day will come when half population of the children and teenagers will be exploited in India and these situations will create a great obstacle in the development of the nation. Therefore everyone should admit this harsh reality which cannot be cast off from its root unless and until the government is awake and show seriousness. References Anand, Mulk. Untouchable. Pune: Mehta Publication, 2003. Print. Anand, Mulk. Coolie. Noida: N.p. Penguin Books India, 1993. Print. Kreis, Steven. ââ¬Å"Lecture on Modern European Intellectual History Karl Marx 1818-188.â⬠The History Guide. N.p. 30 Jan. 2008. Web. 11 Nov.2010. ââ¬Å"Varna (Hinduism).â⬠Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. N.p. n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2010.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Use of IQ and EQ in latter selection and promotion apprach Essay Example for Free
Use of IQ and EQ in latter selection and promotion apprach Essay The aim of this essay is to analyse the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and the Emotional Quotient (EQ), it will also endeavour to assess the Emotion Quotient of potential employees and how organizations have justified in adopting this in the final selection and promotion approach. LITERATURE REVIEW (MAIN BODY) Intelligent Quotient is a score derived from one of several standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. The abbreviation IQ comes from the German term Intelligent-Quotient, originally coined by psychologist William Stern. When modern Intelligent Quotient tests are devised, the mean (average) score within an age group is set to 100 and the standard deviation (SD) almost always to 15, although this was not always so historically. IQ scores have been shown to be associated with such factors as morbidity and mortality, parental social status, and, to a substantial degree, parental IQ. While the heritability of IQ has been investigated for nearly a century, there is still debate about the significance of heritability estimates and the mechanisms of inheritance. IQ scores are used as predictors of educational achievement, special needs, job performance and income. They are also used to study IQ distributions in populations and the correlations between IQ and other variables. The average IQ scores for many populations have been rising at an average rate of three points per decade since the early 20th century, a phenomenon called the Flynn effect. It is disputed whether these changes in scores reflect real changes in intellectual abilities. Whether IQ tests are an accurate measure of intelligence is debated. It is difficult to define what constitutes intelligence; instead, it may be the case that IQ represents a type of intelligence. Whether IQ tests are an accurate measure of intelligence is debated. It is difficult to define what constitutes intelligence; instead, it may be the case that IQ represents a type of intelligence. The concept of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) which relates to the determination of level of intellect or sharpness of mind of a person is very common. We normally use in our daily conversation that the IQ of a specific person is high or low. Intelligence tests are fast, accurate ways of determining a persons strengths and weaknesses, and through the study of intelligence test results, schools and institutions canà design better courses based on the test-takers needs. Without a test, a student or parent may continue to waste time teaching a child about areas she already understands while the educator may ignore areas that need the most attention. Some Institutions, however, focus on strengths, finding areas where a test-taker may excel in the future. A psychological report from one of the universities abroad uses intelligence tests to identify jobs that best fit the mental qualifications of individual recruits. Instead of years of trial and error and doubt and indecision, a person can find out more quickly where she would do a better job. The advantages of Intelligence Quotient among others is that one of the best ways to get an overall view of human behavior which can then be analyzed by age, race, and gender. This allows behavioral scientists to study trends in various groups as they take the test. Analyzing the data in this way provides these scientists with insight into how different groups of people learn based on their test results. This insight helps educators to tailor their teaching to get the best results. Since the IQ can identify the potential for academic achievement, schools can begin to develop students in a way that takes advantage of their natural talents. If a childs talents are developed correctly, he has the potential to maximize his skills to be beneficial to society. For instance, if an IQ shows that the child has some talent in math and science, those interests and talents can be developed to help the child get into a medical, research, or engineering field. This helps a society keep a steady supply of people who can provide benefits, making life better for all of their citizens. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a relatively recent behavioural model, rising to prominence with Daniel Golemans 1995 Book called Emotional Intelligence. The early Emotional Intelligence theory was originally developed during the 1970s and 80s by the work and writings of psychologists Howard Gardner (Harvard), Peter Salovey (Yale) and John Jack Mayer (New Hampshire). Emotional Intelligence is increasingly relevant to organizational development and developing people, because the EQ principles provide a new way to understand and assess peoples behaviours, management styles, attitudes, interpersonal skills, and potential. Emotional Intelligence is an important consideration in human resources planning, job profiling, recruitment interviewing and selection, management development, customer relations and customer service, and more. Emotional Intelligenceà links strongly with concepts of love and spirituality: bringing compassion and humanity to work, and also to Multiple Intelligence theory which illustrates and measures the range of capabilities people possess, and the fact that everybody has a value. The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conventional intelligence, is too narrow; that there are wider areas of Emotional Intelligence that dictate and enable how successful we are. Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence Quotient), which has tended to be the traditional measure of intelligence, ignoring essential behavioural and character elements. Weve all met people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially and inter-personally inept. And we know that despite possessing a high IQ rating, success does not automatically follow. The word ââ¬Å"emotionâ⬠is derived from the Latin verb emoverse meaning to stir up or to move. Emotions may arise from internal or external stimulants which enkindle some needed actions to survive in the given circumstances. Some psychologists have listed primary emotions and they believe that primary emotions blend together to form the full spectrum of human emotional experience just like primary colours make up the whole range of colours. According to Robert Plutchik eight primary emotions are anger, fear, sadness, joy, disgust, curiosity / interest, surprise, and acceptance. Plutchik reasons that these eight are primary on evolutionary grounds, by relating each to behaviour with survival value. For example, fear motivates flight from danger and anger motivates fighting for survival. They are considered to be part of our biological heritage and built into human nature. Emotional intelligence is a personââ¬â¢s ability to perceive and manage his own emotions in such a way that it ends with a successful interaction with his environment. He can also perceive and manage his emotions in a manner that ends in a successful interpersonal interaction with others The emotions have scientific elaboration. In the realm of memory, emotional events are laid down differently by a parallel memory system involving a brain area called the amygdala. Emotions appear to employ largely unconscious machinery. For example, brain areas involved in emotion will respond to angry faces that are briefly presented and then rapidly masked, even when subjects are unaware of having seen the face. Your Emotional Intelligence is your ability to deal effectively with other people based on an understanding of their feelings, as well as your own emotions. Peopleà with well-developed EI are effective communicators with strong, healthy relationships. They are able to read people and situations accurately and respond appropriately. They feel comfortable in a variety of circumstances and have learned how to manage conflict, anger, fear and stress, making them good problem solvers. Researchers believe that E.Q. is influenced by early attachment relationships. The way that you handle these relationships is what decides your E.Q. Through training you are able to increase your E.Q. Some companies provide E.Q. workshops to help their employees better understand themselves Emotional Intelligence links strongly with concepts of love and spirituality bringing compassion and humanity to work, and also to ââ¬ËMultiple Intelligence Theoryââ¬â¢ which illustrates and measures the range of capabilities people possess, and the fact that everybody has a value. This is the essential premise of EQ to be successful requires the effective awareness, control and management of ones own emotions, and those of other people. EQ embraces two aspects of intelligence which are: (1) Understanding yourself, your goals, intentions, responses, behaviour and all and (2) Understanding others, and their feelings. Goleman identified the five domains of EQ as: i)Knowing your emotions. ii)Managing your own emotions. iii)Motivating yourself. iv)Recognizing and understanding other peoples emotions. v)Managing relationships, i.e., managing the emotions of others. Emotional Intelligence embraces and draws from numerous other branches of behavioural, emotional and communications theories, such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Transactional Analysis, and empathy. By developing our Emotional Intelligence in these areas and the five EQ domains we can become more productive and successful at what we do, and help others to be more productive and successful too. The process and outcomes of Emotional Intelligence development also contain many elements known to reduce stress for individuals and organizations, by decreasing conflict, improving relationships and understanding, and increasing stability, continuity and harmony. When it comes to happiness and success in life, emotional intelligence (EQ) matters just as much as intellectual ability (IQ). Emotional intelligence helps you build stronger relationships, succeed atà work, and achieve your career and personal goals. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict. Emotional intelligence impacts many different aspects of your daily life, such as the way you behave and the way you interact with others. If you have a high emotional intelligence you are able to recognize your own emotional state and the emotional states of others and engage with people in a way that draws them to you. You can use this understanding of emotions to relate better to other people, form healthier relationships, achieve greater success at work, and lead a more fulfilling life. The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conventional intelligence, is too narrow; that there are wider areas of emotional intelligence that dictate and enable how successful we are. Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence Quotient), which has tended to be the traditional measure of intelligence, ignoring essential behavioural and character elements. We have all met people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially and inter-personally inept. And we know that despite possessing a high IQ rating, success does not automatically follow. In short the significance of studies on EQ has increased with the expanding scope of knowledge. It has the same qualification in the field of law as well. The people related to field of Law everyday come across a number of stories which gave rise to conflicts and disputes evoking the need of solution through law suits. These stories are brimmed with emotional and sentimental behaviour of people. Legislators, advocates and judges may not ignore the emotional aspect of any incident. It can, therefore, be concluded that the knowledge of EQ should not be confined to the books of psychology; rather it should be made applicable to all fields of life. Emotional intelligence can help you navigate the social complexities of the workplace, lead and motivate others, and excel in your career. In fact, when it comes to gauging job candidates, many companies now view emotional intelligence as being as important as technical ability. Emotions have a physical as well as a psychological component. There are researchers who consider emotions to be biochemical reactions while other researchers define emotions as a conscious mechanism. Most people who studyà emotions are somewhere in between and they view emotions as a coordinated response systems, so that an emotion occurs when there are certain biological, certain experiential, and certain cognitive states which all occur simultaneously. In other words, emotions operate on many levels. In the book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman describes the brains flight or fight response when exposed to a perceived stressor. Under stress, a nerve running from the brain to the adrenal glands atop the kidneys triggers a secretion of the hormones epinephrine and nor epinephrine, which surge through the body priming it for an emergency. These hormones activate receptors on the vagus nerve; while the vagus nerve carries messages from the brain to regulate the heart, it also carries signals back into the brain, triggered by epinephrine and norepinehrine. (Goleman, The ability to control these various biochemical reactions has a proven direct positive impact on an individuals health status and can help to reduce the risks of developing heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. In addition, individuals have used various substances (alcohol, stimulants, depressants, etc.) in efforts to control the effects of these biochemical responses to stress, which often have further detrimental impacts on their welfare and safely. Emotional intelligence plays a significant role in an organizations decision making, leadership, strategic and technical break through, open honest communication, trusting relations and teamwork, custom loyalty and creativity and innovation. (Cooper. Sawaf. p.2) these factors directly relate to TQM principles and ultimately relate to the employees just how much they are valued and appreciated by the organization. How employees view themselves within the context of an organization is fundamental to their motivation and to their ability to strive for customer satisfaction. In addition, how the employees supervisor views EI and participation in training will greatly impact their willingness and ability to participate openly in the various sessions. The more open and honest the supervisors are, the more likely the employees will feel safe and encouraged to participate without feeling threatened. Studies have indicated that the benefits of improving an employees E.I. through education and training have led to improved subjective and objective responses to stress. One study indicated positive impacts on electromyography, adrenaline levels and bloodà pressure. Further data from organizations which have participated in stress management programs have indicated a reduction in health care claims and malpractice claims. By improving an employees ability to deal with stress, through raising their emotional intelligence quotient, the organization benefits as well as the individual. The organization needs to understand and identify the need for helping employees; the process begins with the leadership. The leadership style and approach in dealing with their employees has a direct impact on the quantity and intensity of the stress experienced by the employees within that culture. The culture, in turn, is directly influenced by the leadership, who determine whether EQ training is relevant and important or whether the investment in time and resources are better made elsewhere. How significantly the leadership values its employees has a direct impact on the milieu and on efforts to invest in the health and welfare of those employees. Furthermore, a non-punitive approach, with an emphasis on confidentiality and establishing trust with the employees, is essential for participants to accept the feedback they receive and to respond positively to this feedback. Individuals need time to process the information they are given and to be able to respond to this feedback; a safe environment in which they do not feel threatened is crucial to this process. Initially, once an organization has decided to provide EI training, an initial assessment should be performed. One of the first tasks of this initiative was to assess the level of stress in the organization, which was accomplished via a climate survey that allowed comparison with national benchmark data. (Stress management training p.1) This assessment would explore the understanding and willingness of individuals regarding EI prior to participating in the training and, in addition, their perception of the validity of E I, which is then incorporated into the training program. A trainer also needs to assess the readiness of the participants to make these changes. There are multiple stages that individuals evolve through when confronted with the need to change. Once they have evolved to the stage at which they perceive themselves to be ready for this change and determine it to be beneficial, they are then more likely to accept positive feedback and be able to make the needed changes. As indicated earlier, there many tools employed to assist with the training of stress management and the enhancement of emotional intelligence. Multiple analytical tools areà available to assess emotional competence. With these tools it is possible to do an assessment, providing data which can later be analyzed and categorized. Two specific tools, the Emotional Competence Inventory 360 and the Work Profile Questionnaire-EI Version are designed to be utilized in the work environment. (Emotional Competence Framework, p. 1) Emotional competence framework outlines key competencies such as self awareness, self regulation, self motivation and social competency indices. Sub-categories have been identified under each main category, which are measured. This framework establishes and documents the ideal characteristics exhibited by those with emotional intelligence. The best assessment approach for rating social and emotional learning is usually based on multiple ratings conducted from multiple perspectives Once individual assessments and scores have been obtained, training and education can be individualized to enhance assets while improving those areas where deficits exist. Training should include role plays, simulations, and group discussions since these techniques appear to reprogram the amygdale and neocortex. As is the case in a TQM endeavor, this is an ongoing, never ending process. Formal training usually is concluded within a 10-12 week time frame. Individual and group training continues, but is structured within the context of continuing the growth and development of the employees. Generally, it is recommended to outsource training to professionals trained in EI. Once the formal training has ended, the organization can transition to resources within the organization. As individuals establish and strengthen their emotional intelligence, their ability to adapt to their changing environment improves. Research suggests that emotional learning and behavioural changes can occur in all individuals, regardless of their age. A major consideration though is to consider different types of learning. Training and development efforts in industry have not always distinguished between cognitive learning and emotional learning, but such a distinction is important for effective practice. Emotional incompetence often results from habits deeply learned early in life. These automatic habits are set in place as a normal part of living, as experience shapes the brain. As people acquire their habitual repertoire of thought, feeling, and action, the neural connections thatà support these are strengthened, becoming dominant pathways for nerve impulses. These habits can be replaced with new habits. Motivation is also a more significant factor with emotional learning then it is with cognitive learning. Linking the participants values to the behavioural adapting appears to influence positively the ability and desire of the individual to modify the negative behavioural trait. Developing goals which are obtainable and lead to increased self-confidence appears to be a key element in development of new habits that are representative of emotional intelligence. The goals attained reinforce the behaviour and further lead to continued attempts at learning and improving ones EI through behavioural changes. Use of models that demonstrate the desired traits are very important to sustaining growth and continued learning in the adult participant. In addition, aiding employees in development of insight is fundamental to the ability to make behavioural changes and to continue to strive for improvement. Insight serves as a natural link between situations, thoughts and feelings. It enhances self-awareness, the cornerstone of emotional intelligence. And insight often paves the way for meaningful behaviour change. The direct supervisor, in addition to the leadership as a whole play a major role in modelling the constructive behaviour and setting the tone for further growth. Not only does leadership have a role in identifying the need for training, provides the resource for training while establishing a safe environment in which this learning can take place, they are looked upon as role models, and as such must demonstrate the traits that are encouraged in the subordinates undergoing such training. In any TQM system, the leadership plays a significant role in nurturing the environment so that improvements can occur and be sustained. Reduction in swamping and the negative physical and psychological symptoms associated with stressors increase morale and job satisfaction, and retention of staff, which are all positive outcomes from developing skills in emotional intelligence. In all environments, the ability to improve interactions and to control ones negative responses to stressors are beneficial and enhance the individuals quality of life. The organization benefits since an employee who is healthier and happier is more likely to work to a higher standard, maximizing their creativity and ultimately be more invested in their job and the companys vision and mission. Why focus on emotions? Emotions are the glue that holds the cells of the organism together in the material world, and in the spiritual world theyre the glue that holds the classrooms and the society together. If youââ¬â¢re unable to manage your stress levels, it can lead to serious health problems. Uncontrolled stress can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. The first step to improving emotional intelligence is to learn how to relieve stress. Uncontrolled stress can also impact your mental health, making you vulnerable to anxiety and depression. If you are unable to understand and manage your emotions, youââ¬â¢ll also be open to mood swings, while an inability to form strong relationships can leave you feeling lonely and isolated. The advantages of emotional intelligence among others are Self-awareness and Self-management, effective Communication SkillsEmpathyAbility to sense what others are feeling and respond appropriately Ability to control and use Emotions to get results. Knowing your own emotions and how they affect performance and how you can improve them fostering a culture of enthusiasm, commitment, initiative, innovation and determination to achieve corporate goals. Using emotion to motivate yourself and others to achieve goals and business success Reducing stress levels and enabling individuals to manage their own feelings and emotions positively Building stronger and trusting relationships with your staff Encouraging openness and bringing out the best in others Managing conflict, anger and change positively. Emotional Intelligence and EQ allows both individuals and teams to gain insight into the key elements of leadership. Through professional coaching, leaders can work on targeted competencies to recognize current behaviour, thoughts and actions Explore and develop strategies for enhancement Gain higher levels of personal awareness demonstrate effective leadership and notice the impact on people around them reflect upon and review progress, recognise current behaviour, thoughts and actions explore and develop strategies for enhancement Gain higher levels of personal awareness. Demonstrate effective leadership and notice the impact on people around them Reflect upon and review progress Express and articulate feelings in a positive, clear yet assertive manner celebrate success and learn from development opportunities are great listeners and understand others exceptionally well Adapt to changing circumstances, manage stress and show self-control Are optimisticà and determined are simply great people to be around. The root of this low emotional intelligence for not succeeding even with a high intelligence quotient is the quality of parenting values, beliefs and feelings which are acquired in the homes and the first models are the parents. Emotional intelligence therefore is a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor oneââ¬â¢s own and othersââ¬â¢ feelings and emotions to discriminate among them and use this information to guide oneââ¬â¢s thinking and action (Meyer, 1990). The way a Man relates his behaviour and feelings to others and the way he associates with his environment is another factor of emotional intelligence. Indeed, the development of emotional intelligence is an important component of intelligence. It can help individualsââ¬â¢ development. It is therefore necessary for an individual to understand what emotional intelligence is in order for them to become successful in their life. CONCLUSION To date, many companies have focused their selection criteria and training programs on hard skills (e.g., technical expertise, industry knowledge, education) and the assessment of personality traits. Topics including competencies like stress management, assertiveness skills, empathy, and political/social acumen were never measured in the selection process or focused on in training and development programs. In reality, these are critical success factors that should not be dismissed, and have a direct impact on the bottom line. For example, the Hay Group states one study of 44 Fortune 500 companies found that salespeople with high EQ produced twice the revenue of those with average or below average scores. In another study, technical programmers demonstrating the top 10 percent of emotional intelligence competency were developing software three times faster than those with lower competency. Additional research unearthed the following success stories. A Fortune 500 company in financial services proved that their high EQ salespeople produced 18 percent more than the lower EQ salespeople. One recent study conducted by a Dallas corporation measured that the productivity difference between their low scoring emotional intelligence employees and their high scoring emotional intelligence employees was 20 times. A Texas-based Fortune 500 Company had utilizedà personality assessments for candidate selection for years with little results in reducing turnover in their high turnover sales force. After turning to an emotional intelligence-based selection assessment and EQ training and development program, they increased retention by 67 percent in the first year, which they calculated added $32 million to their bottom line in reduced turnover costs and increased sales revenues. A large metropolitan hospital reduced their critical care nursing turnover from 65 percent to 15 percent within 18 months of implementing an emotional intelligence screening assessment. A community bank that reduced staff by 30 percent due to the sluggish economy assessed the remaining workforce for their emotional intelligence competencies, placed them in the right role for those competencies, and the bank is now producing more with less people. Lastly, through a series of recent studies conducted by ZERORISK HR, Inc., a correlation was found among low emotional intelligence and theft and shrinkage. One other study in the construction industry yielded results showing workers with low emotional intelligence had a higher likelihood of getting injured while on the job. All of these cases are starting to prove the value of having highly emotionally intelligent employees make up your workforce if you want a competitive advantage in this highly competitive business world.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Environmental Impacts: The Fashion And Textile Industry
Environmental Impacts: The Fashion And Textile Industry This report aims to understand the social and environmental impacts of the Fashion and textile industry, and the Sustainability challenges in the industry. The main focus of our work is on finding innovative solutions. However, first it is important to understand the issues. We have observed that there has been a lot of commotion revolving around fair trade fashion and new niche clothing labels emerging. We need to make sustainable clothing mainstream, for which there are some aspects of the industry that need to be tackled. Key issues in this regard are: Consumption the increasing number of fashion goods being purchased and disposed of Cotton production requires lots of energy, water and pesticides. Working conditions across the supply chain from cotton production to factories. Unsustainable man-made fibres can take longer to degrade Throughout this report we focus on ways for moving towards sustainable fashion. The sustainable garment should be designed carefully and made from renewable material. It would be pesticide free and produced by workers in decent working conditions. It would be washed at low temperatures and have fashion upgrades to extend its life. Recycle, Reuse or Compost. To make this vision a reality, the headline issues are: Raising awareness among the key industry players. There needs to be a common understanding within the industry of the scenario- the sustainability issues that need to be focussed on. Transparent supply chains should be developed. Brands and retailers should be able to trace the origins of their stock. This will ensure they can enforce high standards of sustainability. International standards need to be reviewed and developed. This will help in creating a common ground so that brands and retailers can differentiate on other issues for example fabrics used, design etc. Training and support should be provided along the supply chain. As well as a fair price and terms of trade, suppliers need support, time, encouragement and incentives to convert to sustainable practices. Empowering consumer An important driving demand for sustainable clothing. Research shows that most of the carbon footprint of an item of clothing tends to be in its washing, ironing and tumble-drying. Raising awareness to change behaviour will make a big impact. Designers are crucial in the success of sustainable fashion. They play a key role in coming up with innovative solutions for clothing, and making ethical fashion appeal to the target consumer ensuring it is in vogue, functional and stylish. Contents Introduction This report aims to draw a line in the sand for Primark to be able to move forward and seize opportunities. Primark and (un)sustainability Primark, the clothing industry, is challenged with the cycle of unsustainability. The relationship between productivity and resource use has entered into a lasting and unsustainable pattern. The lifecycle of any common item of clothing are shown below. There are social, environmental and economic impacts at every stage. Research shows that energy use at the usage phase overlaps that of any other stage so focusing on how we care for our clothes will have a significant impact. Having said that, impacts can be reduced at every stage. Why is Primark clothing unsustainable? The social and environmental factors are poorly considered in clothing and this becomes very complicated. But there are two main factors that have mainly pushed the sector towards unsustainability. One is the high street dynamic. High competition has been blamed on driving costs and standards down. And fast fashion changes means that clothing has become more disposable. The other is the complex and opaque global supply chain. Primark has different stages of production, often taking place in different parts of the world. Retailers can either purchase clothing directly from known suppliers or through agents and vendors. Before doing that, most fabrics (wool, cotton etc.) are bought on global commodity markets. Keeping track of items can be difficult in high stock turnover. To identify and ensure standards of sustainability throughout the supply chain, Primark should know the origins of their materials or stock. These challenges hold the key to creating a more sustainable industry. We are seeing some mainstream that primark embrace more sustainable options such as organic or fair trade products- and reap the benefits. Better traceability of the supply chain will allow Primark to procure more ethically and will allow customers to make more informed choices. Findings Fashion fabrics: producing natural fabrics sustainably The issues à ¢-à Pesticide use in growing cotton à ¢-à GM- Genetic modification à ¢-à Water use à ¢-à Fair conditions and prices for growers Clothes these days are made with a combination of wide range of Natural, man-made and synthetic fabrics. The sustainable impact of all types of fabric need to be managed and, where harmful to people and planet, should be reduced. Cotton as is by far the largest single fibre in production. The global demand for this amount of cotton, cheaply, encourages large scale, intensive production. Cotton fibres are blended from different origins around the world and sold on commodity markets and hence tracing the origins is very difficult. This complexity in the supply chain makes the incorporation of sustainability more of a challenge. Pesticides cause serious health problems to the cotton workers, and degrades the soil and also Biodiversity loss. Cotton needs a lot of water to be grown which is why it is called a Thirsty crop. This is made even worse by poor agricultural practices, where in some cases over 10 tonnes of water are used to grow enough cotton to make 1 pair of jeans The impact of this level of water use can be gigantic. Also cotton provides significant employment to local population and has a lot of economic benefits to the developing countries that produce it. What are the solutions? Naturally grown raw materials: They should be produced to the highest standards. While organic cotton production is still less than 1 percent of total cotton production, it is in increasing demand in the many developed countries. Water efficiency: Special reference to cotton production (including organic), is important. When Water havesting and drip irrigation are combined, Irrigated cotton can be very efficient. Labelling Country of Origin: There are calls for labelling, so that consumers can make an informed choice, and this creates more awareness of the social and environmental issues in that country. This would also allow retailers to control their supply chain. This also requires direct relationship with suppliers. Search for a substitute: Substitute cotton for other natural materials can be an overall solution Fashion workforce The issues à ¢-à Working conditions à ¢-à Human rights à ¢-à Boycotts à ¢-à Supplier audit fatigue Just like major global cloth producers, primark clothing industry has re-located much to low-cost economies, where labour costs are lower. The working conditions and human rights have forced to show concerns that many trade unions and NGOs may not have been maintained in some regions of the world, giving rise to what are referred to as sweatshops. The Textile workers in Bangladesh are working at as low as 5pence an hour for Primark, according to a recent study. This is largely due to workers being prevented from forming and joining trade unions. Poor treatment of labour can include people working for unreasonably low wages, excessive hours or overtime, in dangerous conditions and employing child workers. Boycotts can upset the production cycle and can damage the brand, the staff morale, and retention of both cuonsumers and employees, and to a very large extent sales and share prices. High street working conditions is a concern. Primark is a victim of Audit fatigue as they get to asked to fill in multiple questionnaire from different retailers and brands. Even if supply chains can be traced, the auditing, monitoring and enforcement of standards is often weak. Just being compliant is complex for suppliers. What are the solutions? Raising standards: The UK government took a lead and has set up the Ethical Trading Initiative in 1998.This organisation includes trade unions, NGOs and companies who work together improve working conditions. Membership only shows a commitment to addressing the issues but not a proof of actual standards. In addition, some companies have adopted the SA8000 standard which covers many aspects of working conditions. Many fashion retailers and brands have called to come together and draw up regulations to enforce minimum standards to draw a baseline for competition. This helps in real leaders to seize opportunities to seize more.To date 968 facilities have been certified worldwide. Transparency: Transparency is very crucial. Retailers and brands now include information on how they assess and how many they have conducted and what actions they have taken in their annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) / sustainability reports. Support for suppliers is the solution to help combat audit fatigue and improve conditions along the supply chain. There are various tools like the e-textile box are emerging that provide suppliers with the manual to be able to adhere with various different codes. The website provides guidance on setting up very basic management systems like how to measure water use. It explains the business benefits for improving social and environmental performance. Retailers, at the top of the supply chain, often have the power to encourage social and environmental good practice through: à ¢-à fair pricing policies Ensuring fair prices for producers à ¢-à lobbying Encourage suppliers to clean up the acts by lobbying for other incentives à ¢-à longer term commitments with suppliers Remove barriers by working together à ¢-à country of origin labelling- Support small suppliers by labelling country of origin on garments, à ¢-à Auditing garment suppliers and reducing this approach down to fabric, dye house and component suppliers paying particular attention to key points of production including any outsourcing or home working Global fashion markets and trade The issues à ¢-à Subsidies and quotas à ¢-à Price pressures à ¢-à Fair pay along the supply chain The reason to issue subsidies and quotas is to protect the domestic players and also to limit economic impact. This is mainly to protect the players from Free Market that would over whelm them. to prevent the sudden closure of critical industries in poor economies, free-trade is introduced it is clear that transitions need to be handled responsibly. As with most industries that involve long supply chains there are concerns over distribution of profits. The chart shows that besides production occurring mostly outside the UK, the largest gross profit throughout the clothing supply chain is for the retailer. This reflects the high costs of operating in the UK but also raises questions over fair pay further down the supply chain. What are the solutions? Lifting subsidies will help counter the downward pressure on price. Incentives should be given to command higher prices that may come from improving fibre quality Quality control in harvesting and efforts to improve the grade of cotton sent to market. Reflect the terms of trade between buyer and seller through Fair Trade standards which exist through International Fair Trade Association (IFAT). Fashion consumption: Disposal The issues à ¢-à Unsustainable consumption à ¢-à Recycle Clothes which are ending up in landfill Clothing has become increasingly affordable for everyone, and especially over the last two decades. Retailers have cashed on this affordability by shifting away from seasonal collections to fresh collections throughout the year. Because of much lower unit costs retailers have to sell significantly more product in order to maintain levels of turnover and market share. The success of retailers and brands currently demands an increase in volumes of clothing and apparel.. Increasing amounts of clothing is ending up in landfill when it could be recycled or reused. What are the solutions? Raising awareness- show the impact of clothing disposal and making recycling as easy as possible. Include promoting clothing hire and other entrepreneurial solutions. Take care of the easy ways to win, by reusing coat hangers and carrier bags and reducing packaging waste. In the longer term, government / industry could develop a producer responsibility policy where customers can take used clothing back to where they bought it to be disposed of in the most appropriate way. Conclusions These issues are inter-related and need to be considered in the wider economic context. Integration of the clothing industry, regulators, designers, the recycling industry and consumers need to work together to deliver these improvements so that we can continue to enjoy fashion without damaging the environment and people; industry can thus be productive and gain economic sustainability. Recommendations
Sunday, August 4, 2019
The White Hip Hop Fan :: Music Racial Race Papers
The White Hip Hop Fan Methodology In case you are not accustomed with the group Public Enemy, the subtitles names is a play of their album "It'll Take a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." Being not only a white hip hop fan, but a white kid trying to become a rapper, I have obviously been faced with the problem of society's non-acceptance of my type. I interviewed a friend of mine who I rap with quite often about his feelings on the subject of the white hip hop fan, and have long pondered it on my own. I read books and web sites recommended by friends and continue to search out more information on the subject. In this paper I look at the state of the white hip hop fan and of the white rapper, focusing mainly on the social and cultural impact, the way the white fan feels and is looked at by society. Description ON HIP HOP IN GENERAL: The term hip hop relates to four areas of urban culture: mcing, djing, break dancing, and graffiti art. Hip hop basically started in New York city. Who knows which of the four areas really came first, but the important thing is that they evolved together. Many of the graffiti artists were rappers who would tag their name or crew to get publicity. However, if one had to pick who really came first, I would say it was the DJs. The most important early DJs were Grandmaster Flash and Africa Bambaataa, who were hip hop kings of their respective parts of New York City. MCs began to show up in this context as people began to talk over the DJs scratching and they mostly talked about the DJ's skills and pumped up the crowd. Finally, break dancing was obviously started when people began dancing to the music. All four areas have grown up together and taken their own outside influences as well. Now that hip hop has been around for a few decades (it started back in the early 80s), it has gone thro ugh many phases, and is constantly evolving. Some of the earliest hip hoppers say that hip hop died in the 90s, but there are those purists in every musical genres who dislike its evolution for whatever reason, and they are not the majority. Today, hip hop comes in a wide variety from gangsta rap, to underground rap, to jazzrap fusion, to what I like to call pophop, and much more.
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