Ability & Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ability & Dance - Essay Example Our reaction tends to wander from discomfort (should they be allowing a man with no legs to do that?) to rather patronizingly expressed wonder at how they are able to achieve that. We forget that the dance is meant to be enjoyed to be a beautiful spectacle and not an item of pity, discomfort or faked wonder (Kilgannon). Over the years the concept of a disabled person dancing has always been frowned upon as if it is an imposition as if it as an added burden – don t they have enough difficulty as it is just walking on one leg, how will they ever manage to dance as well? As do the reactions – fake or otherwise – â€Å"It must be really taxing to achieve that†. Yet these are never asked of able-bodied dancers. Instead we are too wrapped up in the beauty and completeness of their sequences. Which al suddenly becomes unimportant and unimpressive the minute we see a disabled person try the same thing (Kilgannon). The first is the sequence with the hoola hoops done by the very flexible gentlemen and the lady. This sequence enables the audience to be mesmerized by how the two blend together, with the hoops being utilized very efficiently as props that improve the story-telling and narration of the dance. We see the man and the woman almost compete as far as dexterity is concerned, each showing off how flexible they are and how intricately they can use the hoops. The second sequence is the one in the dance studio with the disabled man and the able-bodied ballet dancer where they intertwine their limbs in such a way as to meld together in a beautiful concert of their limbs, the man’s arms and the ladies legs (Kilgannon). In the film the issues are not just of physical ability there is also mental ability since one of the men has an obsessive compulsive disorder of some sort going on as well. The film basically shows the humanity of the characters and tries to remove the inability but, as it does

Nussbaums Approach, the Capabilities Approach Essay

Nussbaums Approach, the Capabilities Approach - Essay Example Nussbaum’s Approach, the Capabilities Approach The society is sometimes affected by vices such as inequality and favoritism in attitude and behaviors based on sex stereotypes, ethnic, originality, economic and social status. This was despite the common knowledge that the practice is erroneous. It led to the making of biased actions and consequently denial of justice especially for the underprivileged citizens. Inequality degrades understanding in various societal aspects including interpersonal, of intra- and interactions among members of society and the established institutions. The discussions equality in the liberal theory made Nussbaum’s expression in her capability approach to equality. Moreover, civil liberties are crucial factors that determine citizen participation in the decision making process. Some political philosophers argue that a country requires a constructive platform for social democracy in order to achieve socioeconomic development. This calls for resolution of disputes amicably and minimal interferences in the dealings of other nations. Nussbaum’s approach, the capabilities approach, is designed to remedy serious flaws in Rawls’s theory of justice. While Nussbaum succeeds in addressing some areas of concern for Rawls, I will argue that ultimately, these changes are not enough and neither the capabilities approach nor justice as fairness can fully protect women’s human rights.... First is the principle of equal liberty that maintains that every individual has an equal right to the broad autonomy. This principle seeks to merge the ethics of equality, individual autonomy and obligations. It is regarded as a better ideal compared to harsh social equality since it gives a fairer opinion on what constitutes inequality-reflecting disparities in preference. The second principle is the difference principle that asserts that socioeconomic disparities should be planned so as to make it beneficial to less-privileged people while opening up equal opportunities for all. In the egalitarian ideals, liberties are allocated equally to all people. Additionally, he argued that it would be correct that each time societal structures persuade these ideals, victims oblige as long as they are free and fair. Individuals who have cognitive disabilities need to be treated equal and with respect like the normal human beings. It is important for the law provisions to guarantee such peopl e equal access to basic amenities such as health care, employment, education and housing. This cluster of people should have political and civil rights to express their opinion and participate in decision within the society. Martha Nussbaum gave an elaborate and overwhelming critique on the social convention and Rawl’s theory of justice (Alkire p. 32). She argued that social contract gave an inadequate insight of justice, particularly on people disabilities and non-citizens. Inclusion of this group in a theory of justice was an infringement of â€Å"premises of contractarianism†. The premises of contractarianism included; the treaty intended for the common benefit, some people were almost identical in powers and is largely egocentric in quest for their interests. She argued that disabled

Literature Review of Approaches to Strategic Change

Literature Review of Approaches to Strategic Change Organizations require change as they live through time. This change which adjusts according to new demands and procedures is known as Strategic Change. This paper sheds light on the importance and approaches of strategic change as an important part of the strategic management. It studies two models of strategic change management and an organizational example which requires strategic change. Introduction Pasmore (1994) writes that we live in a dynamic environment where change is happening to everybody and everything. He notes that this change encompasses our organizations as well. Pasmore (1994) further notes that many of us, even the organizations usually do not realize this change and this is where they face competitive disadvantage, assuming a non-monopolistic society. To deal with such changes, and also with many others, the educators and researchers of this world introduced the notion of strategic change. Strategic change is a concept involving a reorientation of an organizations resources, both human and physical, products, services and structure. An organization needs strategic changes to, Maintain, or enhance it competition position Grow Growth and stability is an important factor, probably which all organizations strive for. To keep growing then, an organization has to evolve. The market in which an organization exists is pretty much like our environment that surrounds us. Through the process of natural selection those fittest to survive the wrath of the natural change, live. The others disappear into history books. The responsibility of bringing about a change in an organization rests greatly upon the shoulders of the managers of the organization. Because of the variable and highly diversified nature of organizations, the theories and models of strategic change management are numerous. In fact, the truth remains that each manager of the firm can up with a new model to support and direct his organization. Nevertheless, researchers have developed models which basically serve the purpose of enhancing the thinking abilities of to-be or current managers and to actually provide them with a direction. Literature Review To define a complex concept like strategy in a line or two would be unjust to the concept itself (Sadler and Craig, 2003). The concept can however be explained by linking various phrases. According to Saddler and Craig (2003), strategy is the Purpose or mission The policies The decision Implementation of decisions Analyzing and utilizing strengths and opportunities Gaining competitive advantage Basically, strategy is the course of action used to achieve the major objectives for an entity (Brown and Harvey, 2006). Tichy (1983) defines strategic change as the modification in the structure, resources, products and services of an organization. In light of the discontinuous, large scale changes facing the world, organizations will be required to undergo major strategic reorientations.(Tichy, 1983) Because of various reasons, including the shift in technological progress and increase in overall market competitiveness, organizations are finding it increasingly indispensible to bring about strategic change (Brown and Harvey, 2006). When bringing about a strategic change in an organization, the consideration of the culture of that organization is extremely important because the culture of an organization includes basically the set of priorities and values in the air of an organization (Brown and Harvey, 2006). The reason why most strategic changes fail is the inability of an organization to deal with change itself (Hyde, np). Strategic Change: The Models The introduction section of this paper clearly points out that strategic change cannot be explained and executed through any one standard model. In fact, there can be as many models as the organizations in this world and probably more. Some famous models however do exist. This section therefore is going to talk about three of the models. CBA Model of Strategic Change CBA is an acronym for Conceive, Believe and Achieve (Black and Gregersen, 2002). These three are in general the three dimensions of the model. Talking in terms of the model specifically, Conception, Belief and Achievement have been defined as the brain barriers hindering the implementation and the execution of the change (Black and Gregersen, 2002). Conceiving the idea is actually making the employees see its worth. This includes making the employees believe that the current practices, that were right yesterday are not right anymore and therefore must be changed with new ones. This is probably the biggest obstacle that the executives face while trying to bring about a strategic change in the organization. Next comes, Believing! Black and Gregersen (2002) define this as the second brain barrier to bring about a successful strategic change. Under this point, the employees have to believe in the fact that the path they are taking to bring about the change is correct. That is, they should believe that they are doing that new thing rightly. Last is Achieving. The employees should have the sense of achievement regarding the successful strategic change. This factor is important for two reasons. Firstly because, you stop trying when you know you have achieved something. The knowing of the end point thus, marks the successful shift of strategy. Secondly, the sense of achievement is important to encourage undertake further ventures. These might sound like three, unconnected pieces. The binding force for these pieces then is the idea and need of Leadership. CBA model believes that without proper education, training and support of the employees, bringing about a significant strategic change in an organization is not possible (Black and Gregersen, 2002). Furthermore, this model holds that the executives should always be champions of the change. The reason is that the employees would always be as serious about the venture as the executives. Another model for strategic change considers teamwork more important than leadership (Fogg, 1994). This model deems the following factors as important when considering and implementing strategic change. Security of future Provision of roadmap Setup of priorities Optimized resource allocation Get inputs and ideas Gain commitment Coordinate the execution The factors are pretty self explanatory in their own self. The point or the binding force of these factors, according to the team based model is Team Work. According to this, working together and understanding each others needs helps bringing about the change in the true sense. Strategic Change: The Crux It is useful to be reinforced here that the last section, Strategic Change: The Models can go on infinitely. Starting from the day the term, strategic management was coined till now thousand of models for a successful Strategic Change have been made. Thus, it is impossible to fit in all the models in this paper. The crux however of successful strategic change can be defined. Understanding the Culture of an Organization Brown and Harvey (2006) state that the culture of an organization is in effect the values held and shared by the members, which differentiates one organization from another. Further Brown and Harvey (2006) state that the culture of an organization has the following characteristics: Individual autonomy Sensitivity to the needs of the customers Support Interest in developing and carrying out new ideas Openness of communication Risk management Understanding the culture thus, is extremely important because it is the employees of the firm that make up its culture and then again, it is the employees of the form that have to execute the change. Unless all the employees believe and change their working modes, significant strategic change cannot be brought by and any investment that is then done will be in vain. Balogun (2010) points out that the culture of an organization is the interlinked set of organizational subsystems in which the paradigm drives the visible manifestations of culture, such as the organizational symbols, routines and rituals, stories, control systems and structures. These assumptions and rituals then define the type of change that is being brought into the organization. This is to say that a change in these basics of the organization will bring about a transformational change. A change, holding the culture more or less constant is a realignment change (Balogun, 2010). Planning the Change Since the strategic change that is being brought to the firm will affect the future stability and growth of the firm, it is extremely important to take as much time as required to properly plan each and every detail of the change, smoothing out the rough edges by either skillful implementation or incorporation of policies. Fogg (1994) suggests that it is extremely essential for a successful Strategic change to be carefully and consciously tailor the planning course in accordance to the size, complexity, culture and strategic situation of the organization. This planning would be different for a firm in financial and competitive crisis and different for a firm that is seeking expansion. The process of planning according to Fogg (1994) involves three stages: Pre-work: departmental evaluation of the status quo including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the individual members and also the organization as a whole. Priority setting: Discussion on various proposals with respect to finances, environment, market, customers and the overall reputation of the firm and thus setting the priorities according to which the change will be processed. Strategic planning: Discussion of strategies, plan of actions, resources and communications to strategize the change. Post-work: evaluation of the completed plans. Working as a Team Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2009) point out that according to research evidence, the executives who boost about their no mistake making capabilities are more likely to make strategic errors. Thus, when important structural changes are being brought to the organizations, the managers and the executives should work as a team and develop an open communication with the employees. The reason is that it is the employees who really know the work that is going on in the organization. Incorporating them as a team of the bigger picture can help bring about a successful strategic change in the organization. The teams can also be divided into various divisions. Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2009) also mention that the organizations that have a heterogeneous top management i.e. executives with different educational and experiential background, can operate under the benefitting shadow of different perspectives. The idea of working as a team also focuses on the need of a leader for this processing. The leader acts as the central, integrating personality to whom people can deliver their plans and problems. Moreover, the presence of a leader is indispensible lest the entire organization becomes a cookery show where everybody is doing their own cooking and the result is a spoiled main dish. Somebody needs to host the show. Evaluating Finally, as the strategy for change has been implemented, it has to be evaluated. Hyde (np) notes that a change in the behavior of the employees or the general change in the culture of an organization is only visible after the change has been implemented. Thus, once the execution has been completed, the top management should require a proper evaluation of the changed organization. This is important for a lot of reason. The first and the most significant reason is to check whether the results are in accordance to the proposal or not. Punjab University Established by the British in 1882 in Lahore, Punjab University (PU) is the first university to be established in the Asian Sub-continent. It has given to the world gems like Dr. Abdus Salam and Har Gobind Korana. Today, it is a part of Pakistan, still headquartered in the lively, historical city of Lahore. Punjab University has over 500 affiliated colleges and hosts almost 350 examinations for over 450,000 students in Pakistan. Today, even though new universities have come about in Pakistan and Punjab Universitys position has shifted to a competitor rather than a monopolist, it is still a well reputed and looked up to institution in the field of education (Punjab University, 2010). The other side of the coin however is that Islamic Jamiat-e-tulaba, a student union, promoting (rather enforcing) the twisted, orthodox and chauvinist Islamic views in the University. This student body has a hold, stronger beyond imagination. Most of the members of this union are graduates who keep taking up degrees to stay in the campus hostels and thus maintain the hold. This union is funded by the members mostly. They also manage to pull out money from the Vice Chancellors of the University. Moreover, the overall environment of the University is now become conservative. Earlier where the cream of the student body went to PU, it has now become the third or fourth option for students residing in Lahore. Those out of Lahore, place it even down. Most of the professors who are currently educating the youth o Pakistan in universities like Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore School of Economics (LSE), Institute of Business and Administration (IBA) and other started th eir carrier at Punjab University. The loyalties however have changed due to the difference in the salary structure and the general atmosphere of the university. As good professors and promising students choose other universities, the budget of the University for spending on infrastructure and technology has gone down, causing further problems for the status and educational ability of the University. Even though in terms of area and campus, Punjab University still beats all other Universities in Pakistan. It has campuses all over the country. However, in terms of organization, management, educational capability and investment PUs reality has been taken over by other new and well managed Universities in the country. What Punjab University now needs is a well managed Strategic Change. The Strategic Change Proposal It is evident enough that the goal of the change that would be brought about in the university would be to steer it to the same fame and respect it had throughout the 20th century. Following are some proposal for the change. Increase the Budget: for any strategic change that is to be brought in an organization, investment in a must. And what PU requires is a transformational change. This extra amount of fund is proposed to be used on renovating the classrooms, laboratories, libraries and on hiring new Professors. This budget, if utilized optimally can also be used to renovate the hostels for the students who come from outside Lahore. Reduce the hold of Islamic Jamiat: With all the terrorism been listed in the CVs of Muslims, this Islamic student body, watching any un-Islamic acts in the university, fighting and punishing people for mistakes looks like a terrorist group to many people. Parents think twice before sending their child into this kind of atmosphere. Thus, the reduction in the number of excellent students coming in. Especially students, who did their O and A levels instead of the government matriculation program, hardly ever choose to come to PU. One of the contributing reasons to this is the strong hold of a strict Islamic body. Management should strategically remove the hold of this union. Marketing: no matter how good an organization is, people come to know of it mostly when the product is being marketed. The product PU is selling is education and a memorable university life and thus, it should strongly focus on marketing the product. It may require initial investment but the results would be awesome. It can also help in changing the perspective of people regarding the conservative and strict environment of the University. Moreover, students would see PU as a good option in terms of their future. This change can be strategically planned by the board of directors. To improve the process further, one student representative from each department can be chosen to present ideas, demands and existing problems. Through this, the stakeholders i.e. the students wishes and problems will be answered and they will become a part of the Strategic Change process. Moreover to reinforce this idea to inclusion of stakeholders in the process of change, from each campus a faculty member can be selected to represent/department the problems that campus/department. Conclusion Organizations have to grow with time. The last two decade especially saw a remarkable social shift in Pakistan. Media grew and so grew awareness. This it became extremely important from the organizations in Pakistan to grow and change socially but also in terms of the product they offered. One the renowned organization in Pakistan is Punjab University. However it so seems that it has not grown dynamically in the social context especially. Educationally, obviously there have been forms for example the construction of the computer Labs. However, this is not enough. Students come to university, not only for education but also to live a life before they enter into the practical world. For the vulnerable age that the University entering students are in, it is very important to give them a memorable life with sports, social events seminars so that they do not think that they are missing out on the life that other university going students are having. Thus, PU should change strategically to reduce i) the hold to the Islamic union, ii) invest to improve infrastructure iii) focus on marketing.

To View or Not To View :: Media News Television Essays

To View or Not To View Staying in touch with the outside world, via the 10:00 evening news, has become increasingly difficult for me the last couple years. Not only am I usually not awake at 10:00, but if I am, I do not want to spend my time hearing about the many murders, rapes, and robberies that plaque our city. Television news has not only taken on a tabloid-like feel, but the substance of most of the news stories is a total waste of my viewing time. However, in an effort to stay connected, I currently listen to the morning TV news as well as read the Chicago Tribune on a daily basis. The local news broadcast I taped to critique for this paper was the 5:00 News on Channel 5 which was shown on Monday, April 7, co-anchored by Joan Esposito, a 30ish white female, and Warren Saunders, a late 50's black male. I viewed a total of 13 stories which were comprised mainly of murder, weather and informational topics. The "Top Story" was about a 7 year old girl who was murdered by a gang member while she was waiting in line to get ice cream. The story's time went for approximately 4 minutes and included 3 interviews of people, 3 different on-screen captions and a camera span of teddy bears on a fence. The actual meaty parts of this story, that is, the facts, were fully given in this broadcast. However, interviews with crying persons of the gang members' families, and the little girl's school superintendent musing out loud on what this little girl could have become, was a total waste of time. Conversely, scanning the teddy bears was touching, but lent nothing to the telling of the tragic event that took this girl's life. I suppose the "powers that be" at the news station do not feel the public can feel on their own, thus we are constantly being given visual reminders of how sad a story is. I can safely say that the Top Story of the majority of broadcasts that I view are murders. Based on that premise, the senseless murder of this child was an important story in Chicago that day. I do take exception, however, to the many visuals used to evoke emotion as the sadness of the story spoke for itself. Apart from this story, the only remaining "news stories" consisted of a murder of a cab driver and two stories of missing persons.

16 options for young people and adults Essay

1.3 Explain the post 16 options for young people and adults The opportunities for pupils aged 16 and over has traditionally been either to leave school and start employment or to stay and continue with their education. Although many pupils do still choose one of these options, there is now more opportunities available as there has been an increased government focus on education for post 16 year old’s in particular a focus on reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training. The government is in the process of increasing the age to which all young people in England must continue in education or training. Since 2013 all young people have been required to continue in education or training untill they turn 17 years of age this will increase to 18 years of age by 2015. The goverment are focusing on post 16 options because they want to increase the quality of education available and ensure that all young people have the tools and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential so they are prepared for further education and work regardles of their background or life circumstances. By giving young people the options to undertake academic and vocational education including appreniteships and traineeships they are providing the skills need for life and work helping to create a more responsible, engaged and cohesive society. The post 16 options set out by the government are: College Sixth form Apprenticeships Employment with training One of the reasons for this change has been because of the governments concerns over the number of 16-24 year olds who have been classified as Neets. Neets are young people who are not in employment, education or training and are between the ages of 16-24. There is a number of factors that can contribute to young people becoming Neets they are: Young people who were eligible for free school meals are more likely to become neets than those not eligible. Young people who have been excluded or suspended from school are more likely to become neets than those not. Young people who have their own child are more likely to become neets than those who don’t. Young  people who have a disability are more likely to become neets than those who are not. Young people who achieved five or more GCSEs A to C grade are less likely to become neets than those who have not. The government hopes that by raising the participation age it will ensure that young people are equiped with the skills they need to be able to gain qualifications that will lead to sustainable jobs. Education and training is provided by a number of different ways for example: Colleges Universities Charities Armed forces Youth and community organisations Employment training Private training providers The learners can work towards a range both academic and vocational qualifications as well as take GCSEs and functional skills such as English and Maths. They can work towards getting A’levels, access courses, foundation degrees and post graduate qualifications. In addition to the qualifications mentioned there are professional and specialist qualifications available to learners such as first aid, safeguarding training, manual handing ect. All the above together will help to ensure that: More young people go on to study and gain the skills and qualifications that lead to sustainable jobs. They will be fewer young people who are classified as neets (not in education, employment or training. More young people will be involved in social action and feel they can make postivite changes in society and their own lives.

Child Abuse Prevention and Control Essay

Child abuse is a serious and widespread problem throughout the world. It can take the form of sexual abuse, physical or psychological mistreatment , or child neglect. Can child abuse be prevented? Can the child abuser be rehabilitated? What can be done within your own home or community to prevent or control child abuse? Once discovered, child abuse can be addressed, but how does one report child abuse, and what are the legal requirements for reporting the abuse? Are you aware of the effect that the abuse has on other family members, or what the long term effects of child abuse can be? Learn how you can be part of the solution to the tragic problem of child abuse. Child abuse, regardless of what form it takes, is extremely damaging to the child, the family, and society. Approximately eighty percent of twenty-one year olds that have survived childhood abuse have at least one psychological disorder, and about thirty percent of abused or exploited children become abusers themselves as adults. Statistics tell us that five or more abused children die every day in America alone, not including the many abuse-related deaths that go unrecorded. Child abuse is a worldwide occurrence which crosses all boundaries. No financial, racial, religious, cultural or other situation has been found to preclude child abuse. Reporting child abuse United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico are among several areas of the world that have mandatory reporting laws. In these areas, any person who suspects or observes child abuse of any type must report the situation to the legal authorities. There are several professions in which the mandate to report is even more thoroughly enforced. Traditional authority positions such as school teacher, law enforcement, and physician are a few examples. The importance of reporting the abuse cannot be stressed enough. The younger the child is when the abuse is stopped, the better the chances of healing the psychological and/or physical damage inflicted. The longer the abuse is allowed to continue, the more damage is done, and healing becomes progressively more difficult. Studies show that children who simply witness abuse within the family are just as negatively affected as the subject of the abuse, further demonstrating the scope and gravity of this type of situation, and the importance of early intervention. Preventing child abuse The following are some ways that we can attempt to prevent the abuse before it even starts. If you are a parent, be sure you are able to de-stress in a healthy way instead of directing your frustrations toward your child. Physical activity, meditation, or involvement in a support group outside the home and away from the children are all excellent ways of positively redirecting anger or frustration. If you believe that you, or someone in your family is at risk of losing control or becoming abusive, do not ignore the issue or delay taking action. The person on the verge of losing control must get help before the abuse ever occurs. If you notice a parent clearly struggling under a lot of stress, try sympathizing, and perhaps offer to babysit, or even trade babysitting services to give the adults some ‘down time’. Donate, volunteer, or become otherwise actively involved in raising awareness about, or assisting, families and children in crisis. Controlling child abuse already occuring in the home It is no simple task to rehabilitate a child abuser. Generally, it is a long term process, involving not just the abuser, but the entire family unit. Each family member must be willing to cooperate in the rehabilitation program. Mental or psychological instability or illness, and/or substance abuse often contribute to the abusive behavior, complicating matters even more, and and making rehabilitation much more difficult. If the abuse violation is considered ‘low level’, the abuser may possibly be permitted to remain within the home while treatment takes place, as long as steady improvement is observed and no further abuse occurs. This is normally decided on a case by case basis. The definition of ‘low level’ varies according to local laws, but one example would be mild incidences of neglect, as opposed to actual physical or sexual abuse or exploitation, or more severe cases of neglect. Instances in which the abuse has become more serious usually require removal and temporary relocation of the child, or removal of the abuser, until such time as the offender is determined to be rehabilitated. Requirements vary depending on locale, but in all instances, there are specific conditions that must be satisfied before the family is reunited.