Why You Think It Is Important to Study Counseling

In our everyday life we hear about these issues all the time. Remaining value-neutral about abortion, suicide, adultery, drug use, domestic violence, and child abuse, will not be very easy because we all have our different opinion on such issues. Some of these issue my friends and I discuss everyday and we give our value opinion on these issues which is a little rough. If I would take my personal value along with my friend’s personal value and bring it into my therapy session, it would become overkill. Whether or not I agree with the issues that I am presented with and may not agree with the values of clients, I must respect the rights of my clients to hold ethical issues. Abortion will be a value clash to a lot of counselor, because of their own personal ethics and value. Abortion is a big issue even with Politics no one has or knows the right thing to say, and if you say something wrong trust me you will be crucified in public or a court room. Personal Values Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing values that are inconsistent with counseling goals. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees, and research participants (A. 4. b)† Remaining value-neutral to suicide will be very hard, especially for me until I evaluate whether a person’s suicide or hastened death is rational. Also, I need to confront my own fear about death and dying. I know one day we all have to go, but it is hard to know someone you love or care about is going to die or is suffering and want to end their lives. I feel if a client comes in for therapy to discuss suicide I would listen and find out if the client decision is a rational suicide. I do not think anyone should suffer before they die, if the client has a terminal illness and she tired of the constant suffering and want to end her life, I would counsel the client and help her with her decision. Counselors have their own personal values about sexual practices, so when a client comes to me as a therapist that is knowingly committed adultery or in domestic violence relationship I become judgmental. I feel I cannot remain value neutral about these issues. Two men in my life committed adultery which I have children with, I cannot forgive them, my home got destroy because of their adultery not only did I suffer but so did my children. I cannot be bias with a client who comes to me with those issues. I would make it clear to the client that it is my problem not theirs when I refer them to someone else. My good friend was in a domestic violence marriage and I watch her suffer. I try to talk with her concerning her health, I told her that man can kill her one day; nothing I could have said could make my friend leave her husband. When she had her daughter, the beaten continue until I threaten to call ACS on her and take her daughter out of that environment, I let her know I am the God mother of her daughter and I will not stand by and watch my God daughter grow up in that environment. This almost took our friendship, what was she thinking? I think this is a good as time as any to refer the client with these issues to someone else because my values and those of the client clash to such extent that I do question my ability to be helpful. â€Å" Yarhouse and VanOrman (1999) assert that value conflicts between clients and therapists are inevitable. The challenge for therapists is to recognize when their values clash with a client’s values to the extent that they are not able to function effectively. I feel these two issues might lead me to consider referring the client to another counselor, and if referring them was not an option I would read my ACA codes and keep referring to my supervisor or peers to help me with the clients Some counselors can remain value-neutral on drug use because most counselors that are drug counselors were once drug abuser themselves. The counselors can empathize with their feelings and the struggle that the clients are going to face, because they have shared experiences and value. I had a lot of friends that turned to drugs, and now they are drug free, working, got housing, and got their children back. There are a lot of options for drug abuser like rehab centers, detoxification clinic, methadone programs, and outpatient clinic. Issues such as child abuse are hard to remain value-neutral especially when you have children of your own. The ethic code will have to be use a lot so you can counsel the client with the same respect you will give anyone else. I would also look into other programs such as parenting, and group meeting so the clients can attend additionally.

The tremendous growth experienced

In Nigerian tertiary Institutions In the last two decade without a corresponding increase In bed space had resulted In acute shortage of rooms in the hostel thereby overstretching the capacity of the existing structures they were originally meant for. Hostel accommodation Is one of the essential factors in every learning environment. In Nigeria most Institution of higher learning are owned by the government as such accommodation cannot be adequately provided to cater for the highly populated Institutions, Inadequacy andInsufficient hostel accommodation has led to overcrowding In rooms and some students living outside campus which In turn affect their learning. Built-operate- Transfer (BOOT) emerged as one of the tool In helping to address the situation which becomes a burden to government. BOOT is a type of project delivery that involves different parties whom each contribute in order to see the success of the project. It is a private agreement to build and operate in a public infras tructure project.The consortia then secure their own finance to sponsor the project. The consortium then own, maintains and manage the facility for an agreed concessionary period and recover their investment through charges or toll free. After the concessionary period, the consortia transfer the ownership and operation of the project to the government or relevant authority. This study takes Federal College of education (Technical) Biochip as a case study.Government Ministries, such as Federal Ministry of Education who govern the affairs of the school were consulted. Questionnaire and verbal interview were employed in data collection. After the analysis it was found that construction of hostels under BOOT is yielding a positive impact. The findings should serve as a good baseline for the government in solving the accommodation problem and overcrowding in the higher institution of learning in Nigeria.Therefore there is need for the government to give more support to Public Private Par tnership sector so that accommodation problem will be solved. By Amnion The tremendous growth experienced in Nigerian tertiary institutions in the last two aced without a corresponding increase in bed space had resulted in acute structures they were originally meant for.Hostel accommodation is one of the essential factors in every learning environment. In Nigeria most institution of higher adequately provided to cater for the highly populated institutions, inadequacy and insufficient hostel accommodation has led to overcrowding in rooms and some students living outside campus which in turn affect their learning. Built-operate- Transfer (BOOT) emerged as one of the tool in helping to address the situation which

Comparison of “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” and “The Lottery” Essay

In â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas† and â€Å"The Lottery†, Ursula Le Guin and Shirley Jackson depict a seemingly perfect society built on dark secrets. In the story, â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas†, Omelas is a utopian city of happiness and delight, whose inhabitants are smart and cultured. Everything about Omelas is pleasing, except for the secret of the city: the good fortune of Omelas requires that a single unfortunate child be kept in perpetual filth, darkness and misery, and that all its citizens should be told of this when they come of age. After being exposed to the truth, most of the people of Omelas are initially shocked and disgusted, but are ultimately able to come to terms with the fact and resolve to live their lives in such a manner as to make the suffering of the unfortunate child worth it; however, some choose to leave. In the story, â€Å"The Lottery†, a small village of about 300 has an annual lottery; women, men, and children participate, to see who will be the chosen to ensure enough rain to the corn crops. The way the winner does this is to be stoned to death. The way that the authors use irony to portray the story societies as wonderful and perfect and then toward the end show their dark secrets creates the intriguing and captivating works that they are. In the story, â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas†, Omelas seems at first to be a beautiful and happy place. It takes place during a festival and there are children running around laughing and music. It talks about a race that is going to take place and how the horses are excited, â€Å"(the horses) flared their nostrils and pranced and boasted to one another,† with streamers of silver, gold, and green braided into their hair. The story has and air of excitement and celebration that is soon questioned when the author begins to talk about the child. Omelas is shown to have a dark secret when it tells of the child who has to live in deplorable conditions in order for the rest of Omelas to prosper and have joy. The child is kept in a room about the size of a cupboard and is without clothes. It lives on only a â€Å"half-bowl of corn meal and grease a day† and is covered in festered sores from where it’s repeatedly sat in its own excrement. The author also goes on to tell of how once the children are old enough to understand, between 8 and 12, they are told of what is happening and why. In the story it says, â€Å"Some of them understand why, and some do not, but they all understand that their happiness, the beauty of their city, the tenderness of their friendships, the health of their children, the wisdom of their scholars, the skill of their makers, even the abundance of their harvest and the kindly weathers of their skies, depend wholly on this child’s abominable misery.† This quote means that the child must live in retched conditions for the rest of the people to live happy lives; that if the child wasn’t living in misery that they wouldn’t be able to understand and appreciate the happiness in their lives. â€Å"The Lottery† also depicts a wonderful and pleasing New England village. The day is depicted to be bright, with fragrant flowers and green lawns. The children are fidgety and boisterous do to the ending of school for the summer. The story talks about the children and what they’re doing while they wait for the adults to gather, â€Å"Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones,† the act of gathering stones seems like a harmless and normal activity at the beginning. The townspeople are gathering in a square between the post office and the bank for the annual lottery. It gives off an air of what can be interpreted as nervous excitement that soon is shown to be anything but. The story takes a turn for the dark side when it talks about the relief from the crowd when they or a child wasn’t chosen. It also is horrible in the fact that it says that â€Å"the whole lottery took less than two hours, so it could begin at ten o’clock in the morning and still be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner?† They make sure that the stoning of a person to death isn’t inconvenient and delay mealtime; they’re more interested in making it home for dinner than being horrified at the fact that they just killed a person. Also the children take part in the stoning and are even encouraged to participate, â€Å"(t)he children had stones already, and someone gave little Davy Hutchinson few pebbles†. In â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas† and â€Å"The Lottery†, Ursula K. Le Guin and Shirley Jackson depict a seemingly perfect society but with a dark part. In â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas† a child must live in retched conditions so that the rest on the village could prosper and in â€Å"The Lottery† each year a person must be stoned to death to ensure bountiful rain. The way that the authors portray first a utopian society and then delve into the dark secrets of the societies create the great stories. Work cited Le Guin, Ursula K. â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas.† Backpack Literature. Kennedy, X. J. and Dana Gioia. University of Southern California, 2012. 252-257. Jackson, Shirley. â€Å"The Lottery.† Backpack Literature. Kennedy, X. J. and Dana Gioia. University of Southern California, 2012. 258-265

Define Battle of COP Keating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Define Battle of COP Keating - Essay Example The battle of COP Keating occurred in October 3rd 2009 in Kamdesh, Nuristan province of eastern Afghanistan (35Ëš24ââ€" ¡36ââ€" ¡N 71Ëš20ââ€" ¡29ââ€" ¡E / 35.41ËšN71.34139ËšE) and according to Executive summary: AR 15-6 investigation re: complex attack on COP Keating--3 Oct 09 saw to a 12-hour close contact battle pitting Taliban insurgents against American military, two Latvian trainers and Afghan coalition forces that nearly became a hand to hand combat. At the time of the attack, the COP was home to approximately 60 cavalrymen from Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division and a couple stationed Afghanistan coalition officers. Commanders and leaders during the battle included Curtis Scaparrotti, Randy George, Dost Muhammed, Sirajuddin Haqqani and Ghulan Faroq (Sanders, 122). At the end of the battle, 8 United States troops had died and a further 22 were left wounded. In addition, eight Afghan soldiers were wounded, together with two Afghan private security guards. A body count by the military confirmed that about 150 to 200 Taliban insurgents died in the firefight that lasted through the day. The United States troops who lost their lives in the battle were Justin T. Gallegos (Tucson, Arizona), Christopher Griffin (Kincheloe, Michigan), Kevin C. Thomson (Reno, Nevada), Michael P. Scusa (Villas, New Jersey), Vernon W. Martin (Savannah, Georgia), Stephan L. Mase (Lovettsville, Virginia), Joshua J. Kirk (South Portland, Maine) and Joshua M. Hardt (Applegate, California). Another 10 Afghan soldiers and 4 Taliban fighters died in the period of October 5th and 6th when Coalition troops carried out operations to determine, locate and destroy the militia behind the October 3rd attack on the COP Keating. The PRT Kamdesh, newly named Camp Keating after death of First Lieutenant Ben Keating who died while transporting an armored supply track to the Naray FOB, was initially intended to be a provincial reconstruction team base (PRT); a strategic location from where supply of weaponry from the Pakistan to the Anti Coalition Militia (ACM) would be minimized and halted. However, the camp proved very difficult to defend in case of attack, as was rampant in the area. Several factors contributed significantly to the area’s threatening insecurity and unsuitability for a military camp in an area as hostile as the Camp Keating. These eventually saw to reason and subsequent planning by the US military to evacuate the area to more populated areas of Afghanistan in order to provide more security and protection to the local civilians. The Combat Outpost (COP) Keating is situated in a valley surrounded on all sides by mountains and a river meandering its way on one side. It would appear like a bowl, greatly reducing any chances of successful defense upon attack. The area is also characterized by rough terrain with sharp rocks and transport via the road was prone to attack by insurgents. The road contractors of Afghanistan had also failed to maintain the road in the area which regrettably led to the death of Lieutenant Ben Keating who had a fatal accident while on trans portation duty along the road. This together with the unsuitability of the area for any aircraft landing made any air response and aid during attacks minimal if not late. It is documented that a military chopper had earlier crushed into the terrain while attempting to land in the area killing all its passengers. A landing pad was

Developed Countries ( listening and reading, with vocabulary ) Assignment

Developed Countries ( listening and reading, with vocabulary ) - Assignment Example What is more surprising is the fact that the economy of the world is controlled by the developed countries since they have the power over global financial institutions such as the World Bank and the international Monitory Fund (IMF). Less developed countries are not given the same opportunity to make decisions that can shape the global economy. I therefore, chose this topic to gain a clear understanding of the major roles played by the developed countries in running the world economy and the role played by the other less developed countries. 2 What was it about? The video is about the outlook for US economic growth which is a developed country and its economy is used as a yardstick to measure the performance of the economy of the world at large. On the other hand, the story seeks to highlight how the developed countries such as USA and other European countries have been monopolising the global financial institutions such as World Bank and the IMF for their own benefit with regards to economic development. The story is clearer about how the developed countries are abusing their power to control the world economy while there are other countries with strong economies like China but have little influence over the decisions made by the developed countries at the World’s biggest financial institutions. 3 Did you read or listen first? Why? Do you think the order you chose helped you or not? How many times did you need to read & listen before you felt confident about understanding the topic and vocabulary? How do you feel about this topic, e.g. positive or negative feelings? Do you agree/disagree with the ideas?† I watched and listened to the video at least two times to gain a clear understanding of why the developed countries such as USA have more power to determine the state of the economy in the world. I think this helped me since the video explained more about the IMF’s predictions of the US economy which is a developed country. After reading th e story, I came to grasp the meaning of some economic terms that have been used and I gained confidence about their meaning after reading and listening to the story and video for at least two times. I feel positive about this topic because the developed countries are mainly concerned with economic activities that will benefit themselves at the expense of developing countries which are given less power to influence the decisions made by institutions such as World Bank and IMF. 4 Did you learn anything new from this reading & listening? What? I learnt a lot of things from listening to the video. I leant that the price of oil is the major determinant of the economic status of developed countries like USA and the world at large. If oil prices increase, there is likely to be a general increase in the prices of many commodities and job losses can be witnessed. In the story, I also leant that if developed countries continue to control the IMF and World Bank, they will suppress other develo ping countries given that the economies of emerging economies like India and China are developing more that America at the moment by they have no controlling stake in these institutions. 5 Was this topic connected in any way to your future studies and if so, how do

Super Heterodyne Receiver Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Super Heterodyne Receiver - Essay Example All modern television and radio receivers virtually use the principle of super heterodyne. The super heterodyne receiver reduces to the same intermediate frequency value. In order to accomplish this, it requires that the super heterodyne receiver be able to vary incessantly the frequency that is being mixed into the signal in order to keep the same difference (Jerry 1172). This paper will discuss Super Heterodyne Receiver and its various aspects. History The history of Super Heterodyne Receiver can be traced back to 1905 when Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian inventor, described proposed method to produce an audible signal from an Alexanderson transmitter. However, Edwin Armstrong, a United States Major, devised the principle of super heterodyne receiver in 1918 during the First World War in France. Armstrong invented this device as a way to overcome the deficiencies of early vacuum tube triodes that were being used as high-frequency amplifiers particularly in radio (Drentea 38). These amplifiers were used in equipment for radio direction finding and Armstrong realized that if these receivers could be operated at a much higher frequency, they would be better and more effective. At that time, however, there were no practical short wave amplifiers because of the existing limitations of triodes. Before Armstrong’s invention, it had been noticed that if regenerative receivers were allowed to move into oscillation, it would be possible for other nearby receivers to start picking up stations on frequencies that were different from those that were actually being transmitted on by stations. Several years later, Armstrong deduced that this was as a result of a supersonic heterodyne that was between oscillator frequency and the carrier frequency of the station (Jerry 1173). Therefore, Armstrong realized that that super heterodyne was a potential solution to the amplification problem of short wave. For example, he realized that to monitor 1500 kHz frequency could requ ire setting up an oscillator at 1560 kHz, therefore producing a heterodyne difference of 60 kHz; such a frequency could then be amplified more conveniently by the day’s triodes (Tsui 79). Eventually, Armstrong sold his patent for super heterodyne to Westinghouse, who in turn sold to RCA. RCA later monopolized the super heterodyne receivers market until 1930. Super heterodyne receivers gained more prominence in the 1930s with vacuum tube technology improvements. This situation could also be attributed to the rapid increase in the number of broadcasting stations that created demand for higher-performance and cheaper receivers. Introduction of tubes particularly designed for operation of super heterodyne receivers, notably the pentagrid converter, significantly reduced the advantage that preceding receiver designs had. Commercial production of super heterodyne receivers by the mid-1930s largely replaced the production and use of preceding receivers designs specifically tuned rad io frequency receivers. Eventually, the principle of super heterodyne was virtually taken up for all commercial TV and radio designs (Drentea 102). Design and Operation Principle of Super Heterodyne Receiver The operation principle of super heterodyne receiver mainly relies on the use of frequency mixing or heterodyning. The signal from an antenna is adequately filtered to reject the image frequency (Tsui 90).

Overview of IS Audits (DB) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Overview of IS Audits (DB) - Research Paper Example Likewise, the primary output is to facilitate organizations for achieving goals effectively and efficiently (Information systems control & audit1999). The impact of Information Security audit is within the organization as well as outside. For instance, managers are more concerned on the return on investment that is achieved by optimal usage of Information Technology resources and services. In this way, the stake holders are satisfied. Moreover, there are labor unions that are keen to know how organizations utilize their IT resources and services. Information System audit overview highlights the requirement for control and audit of computers and networks, auditing of information systems, review of internal controls that are implemented to mitigate risks, evidence evaluation functions along with the consideration of information system audit foundations. However, for initiating an information system audit function, there is an association of several strategies that can be applied from i nformation system auditors. Likewise, these strategies define generic steps that need to be carried out for an information system audit (Information systems control & audit1999). The scope of information system audit do not focuses on the complete life cycle for the technological architecture that is under inspection along with accuracy of computing calculations. Likewise, the scope of an information system audit is linked with its objective. One of the examples may include the policy and its enforcement within the organization, the audit then cross checks the controls, processes and procedures addressing the policy. The audit report highlights the vulnerabilities, percentage of compliance with the policy and recommendations to mitigate risks, threats or vulnerabilities. An audit for active user accounts in the Microsoft Active Directory may incorporate crosschecks

Product Innovation Charter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Product Innovation Charter - Assignment Example Every gate will have 'gate keepers' who will maintain the system in place; these people will also evaluate the condition of the product at that stage and whether the product meets all the criteria that are needed to pass the gatei. Only if the conditions are met, the gate keepers will allow the product to cross over. There could be more than one gate keeper for every gate. Every one of the gate keepers will be a specialist in the area of concern. For instance, for every gate the list of gate keepers will include the marketing person, a person from the production and customer support in addition to the other design department professionals. This is needed because the marketing person represents the problems in launching the product in the market; at the same time, the production person will let the designer know the problems that are faced at the time of productionii. Each one of them will have their own conditions for the product to pass through. The gate created at every stage is tuned for the product that has to pass through. Only those products that meet the criteria are allowed to pass through. This will ensure that the products created are up to the expectation and meet the marketing department's original needs. The following sections define every one of the stage in the process of development. The process of initiation is the commencement of the design co... They meet the needs of the end users and during the process they might get a better solution for the same problem and therefore, these people come up with the original idea creation and initiation of the concept. They are also the people who know whether there is a market for the product under questioniii. They know what are the types of customers that expect this requirement and how do they make use of these products. So they are right judges on the product marketability as well. This would be important reason for the initiation to start from the marketing department. Similarly, the customer support executives and professionals are the other set of people who come in touch with the customers and they are able to come up with new ideas and concepts that could satisfy the customer needs. The process of initiation would comprise of identifying an appropriate market opportunity. This has to include assessing the market for the product and the possible market share that the product might garner in when compared to the other products in the market that meet the needs of the customer. The new product idea and the product technology that will be employed should also be finalised at this stage. This will help in working out the possible options that the developer might have while designing and developing the product. The target user, his specific needs if any should also be identified. The target customer will decide on various other user needs such as operating language, specifications etc. The following marketing characteristics should be considered, ideally: 1. Market and the growth of the market. 2. The customer need the product is expected to meet. 3. Entry barriers 4. Competition and the advantages that the

Admin Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Admin Law - Essay Example tion that has taken over the function of the Spelsbury District Council has moved from the status of â€Å"state† to â€Å"person†, which are the only two groups in society that are assumed under the European Convention of Human Rights, which aims to protect the rights of â€Å"people† from the â€Å"state†. Thus, when a judicial review process is considered, the Spelsbury Council would clearly fall under the category of â€Å"state† and Tracy would be â€Å"person† whose rights have to be protected. However, since the limited liability1b aspects impart the status of personhood upon such corporations that enjoy its benefits, therefore the Directors of the new company would be absolved of responsibility for civil actions against them because the corporation itself would be considered a person, just like Tracy, thereby blurring the distinction that allows a judicial review process to proceed against a clearly defined public body. However, since the limited liability company has been set up to carry out a public function that was originally carried out by the Spelsbury District Council and for the benefit of the public, it is likely that the courts may be amenable on this aspect of the case and Tracy may be allowed to seek permission from the High Court to ask for a judicial review of the decision.2 Section 31 of the Supreme Court Act of 1981 governs the judicial review process in England, whereby the question of permission being granted by the High Court may be subject to whether the Court â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.considers that the applicant has a sufficient interest in the matter to which the application relates.†3 In the case of R v Inland Revenue Commission ex parte national Federation of Self Employed4 Lord Wilberforce set out three separate criteria on deciding whether sufficient interest exists and one of these was the relative positions of the defendant and the plaintiff and the nature of the breach that is alleged to have been committed. In this case, the decision has been

Coca-cola Image Maker Essay Example for Free

Coca-cola Image Maker Essay Coca-cola is the worlds most famous beverage and most likely the most recognized brand name. It can be purchased in more than 200 countries in wide range of restaurants, vending machines and stores. The manufacturer, Coca-cola Company has been the dominant head in advertising and marketing for more than hundred years with a whopping global sales of $20 billion in the year 2001. This carbonated drink is simply referred as coke.   Originally intended as a ‘patent medicine’ when it was invented in the late 19th century by pharmacist John S. Pemberton as a ‘coca wine’, Coca-Cola has dominated the worldwide soft drink market for decades now. The Coca-Cola logo, like the product itself, is rated among the most recognized logos and brands in the world. The first Coca-Cola logo was created by John Pembertons partner and bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson, in 1885. Thinking that the two Cs would look well in advertising, it was Robinson who came up with the name and chose the logo’s distinctive cursive script. The typeface used, known as Spencerian script, was developed in the mid 19th century and was the dominant form of formal handwriting in the United States during that period. The red and white colored scheme in the Coca-Cola logo was kept simple and distinctive to lure young minds. Even the Coca-Cola bottle symbolized the ‘youthful exuberance of America’. Since then, various designs of the Coca-Cola bottle had been released over the decades. But the ever popular version is the famous 1915’s curved-vessel bottle called the â€Å"contour bottle†, better known to many as the â€Å"hobble skirt† bottle. Though mistakenly designed as cacao pod, the bottle like Coca-Cola logo has been highly popular and is often regarded as the best design ever (â€Å"Coca-cola† 1). The coca-cola trademark was patented through the U.S. patent office in 1888.   Asa G. Candler, a businessman and a druggist in Atlanta who purchased the rights and formed it to a corporation The Coca-cola Company. The introduction of the new beverage into market was through free distribution of coupons for sample taste of Coca-cola. Along with the free glass of the soda were clocks, calendars, apothecary scales, posters and wall murals with coke logos which were utilized as promotional materials and the aggressive endorsement succeeded.   After a decade, businessman from Mississippi named Joseph Biedenharn was the first to put coca-cola in bottles. A group of investors bought the Coca-Cola company for $25 million in the early 1900’s. The son of one of the investors, Robert Woodruff made a great leap in building the logo. Under his leadership, Coca-Cola went from a mostly American drink to the most consumed soft drink in the world. Several successful marketing campaigns to build the logo involved sports: Coca-Cola was introduced to The Netherlands during the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, and the logo was featured on dog-racing sleds in Canada and on walls of bullfighting arenas in Spain. Woodruff was also responsible for introducing the six-pack. When Woodruff heard that some women in the United States would not purchase Coca-Cola six-packs because they did not have a bottle opener, he sent women door-to-door handing out and installing wall-mounted openers (â€Å"Coca-cola Company† 1). Christmas is highly associated with a remarkable personality in white and red clothing with a grandfatherly look, Santa Claus. Coke impressively built a global image using Santa Claus invading our refrigerator, eating cookies and drinking a can of coke. The creator, Haddon Sundblom started placing illustrations of the coca-cola logo with the legendary Santa Claus during the Christmas of 1930s. The people thought that coca-cola was just for warm weathers so; they came up with another promotion that would remind the consumers that the soda â€Å"Knows no season† and is an excellent choice every month. The said slogan along with the sensation of Santa Claus with a beverage was truly a symbol for winter. The Coca-cola Santa appeared regularly in a magazine entitled The Saturday Evening Post in addition to National Geographic, The New Yorker, Ladies Home Journal and others. For 30 years, Coca-Cola advertising showed Santa delivering (and playing!) with toys, pausing to read a letter and enjoy a Coke, playing with children who stayed up to greet him and raiding the refrigerators at a number of homes. The original oil paintings Sundblom created were adapted for Coca-Cola advertising in magazines, store displays, billboards, posters, calendars and even plush dolls. Many of those items today are popular collectibles (â€Å"Coke Lore† 1).   The advertising success of Coca-Cola Santa Claus celebrated its 76th year last 2007. The era of television advertising for Coca-cola fired up during the period of 1950’s. The DArcy Agency of St. Louis sponsored the initial television ad of coca-cola and produced along with a television special presenting Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. The beverage company and the agency owned by William DArcy strived to implement a marketing approach to meet consumer awareness. The application of television advertising was just a trial medium since television stations were not accessible to most cities. The brilliant D’Arcy merged Coca-cola image into ads to performers in radio programs and television programs such as Walt Disney and The Adventures of Kit Carson. The sponsorship programs were a failure. It did not gain much awareness from the consumers (â€Å"Highlights† 1). The agency closed and the account of Coca-cola was handled by McCann. The Sign of Good Taste and Be really refreshed campaigns roared its way to success. Animation, live-action and stop motion were the advertising formats utilized in both campaigns which presented Connie Francis, Anita Bryant, the Brothers Four and McGuire Sisters as performers. The triumph of television advertising spread for a decade and also incorporated the biggest artists in radio commercials such as Jay and the Americans, the Supremes, the Moody Blues, Jan and Dean, Roy Orbison, and Ray Charles. Presently, coke places sponsorship on famous television programs and contests, such as American Idol, where a giant red cup with Cokes logo on it was placed on the tables of the Paula Abdul, Randy and Simon Cowell. From television advertisements Coke walked its victory in advertising to films. The company tried building Coke’s image in the movies. The comedy movie The Gods must be crazy included a bottle of coke as its main props. Other popular films showcasing coke products were the award-winning science fiction movie E.T. directed by Steven Spielberg showing a refrigerator with coke and also The Paper, Silent Movie, The Mexican, Mean Girls, Maid in Manhattan and a hundred more. Coca Cola advertising has chronicled times and events for more than a century. Favorite Coca Cola images have appeared on thousands of products over the years. Coca-cola continues to its image-making through the creation of collectibles. Products with the Coca Cola logo have become favorite antiques and collectibles for nostalgia collectors. Advertising features rare and collectible original Coca Cola memorabilia from many decades pre-1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s. Classic memorabilia pieces run the gambit from original signs to rare pins; signed artwork to retro trays of the past. Coke memorabilia is very collectible and very hard to find. Antique collectibles are all original licensed and manufactured for The Coca-Cola Companies and now it can not only be purchased in stores but also in websites as well (â€Å"Coca Cola† 1). In the 1990s, Coke made a dramatic change in its Christmas approach from Santa Claus to polar bears. The image-making of Coke in changing the traditional jolly figure of Santa Claus to cute and lovable polar bears was a big achievement. The animated production required the application of advanced computers and graphic programs. Rhythm and Hues together with creator Ken Stewart introduced polar bears as the new symbol of Coke during Christmas season. The Northern Lights commercial was a worldwide hit. The popularity of polar bears continued to be featured in six commercials including the animated animals in the 1994 Olympics. Consumers of top beverage products were highly aware of the so-called â€Å"Cola Wars†. Pepsi the biggest competitor of Coca-cola, started the battle in early 70’s making its way in the Soviet Union. It also annexed with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. As a comeback, Coke broadcasted the return of Coke classic and merged with the movie E.T. releasing the propaganda â€Å"Mac and Me†, it was sponsored by the leading fast food chain, McDonalds. Then Coca-cola tried invading North Korea and England. Coca-cola pursued to build its image to politics. Coke created an image as American patriotic drink however the Coca-cola company pushed its image to Germany particularly the Nazis during the war. The term coca-colonization was defined as cultural imperialism of Americans through using Coke as its symbol. In France, wine is considered the ultimate drink, and the country tried to ban the sales of coke for believing that this soft drink tried to alter their wine being the national beverage. Coca-cola continued its image-making by placing itself in the middle of the Cold war. Presently this beverage giant was also a loyal advocate of Israel while Pepsi, its competitor is a steadfast follower of Arab League boycott of Israel. As a result, Coca-cola received an honor from Israel government last 1997 and was bestowed a property to be used as a manufacturing plant, though reports said that it was a stolen Palestinian land. The collaboration with Israel was quite a success since Coca-cola was able to increase its investment through purchasing 51 percent of share in the Tavor winery in Israel, furthering its ambition to have a holding in every sector of the beverages business (â€Å"Boycott† 1). Presently, Coke is into mobile advertising. This beverage giant is one of the pioneers in utilizing mobile media in France. The company invested in creating a mobile Internet website and also launched the Coke+iTunes operation. It is a contest available through the use of text messaging and using the website. It also continues to build its image through online advertising. The company created the website there.com. It is an entertainment interactive site where users can choose an avatar that can go to movie theaters, visit Coca-cola diner, shop and dance. Coke studios and mycoke.com are some of the website that coke uses to build its image. Coca-Cola† is the most universally recognized word on earth after â€Å"OK,† and has come to symbolize the American way of life arguably more than any other product.   The Coca-Cola Company throughout its history has invested millions of dollars to perpetuate the drink’s image as a symbol of all things good, decent, and honest about America—a symbol of tradition, freedom, and democracy.   Coke is seen as more than a drink by its loyal fans. It brings on the nostalgia of better times, simpler times linking America to the rest of the world and looming as large as a symbol of the United States as the Statue of Liberty. People may disagree about the reality of â€Å"coca-colonization† (the term given to describe American cultural imperialism) but what seems to be clear is that Coca-Cola is at the very least seen by many, and has been portrayed by the Company, as an American representative abroad, a symbol of all that is America. Coca-Cola has profited from its image, and was only able to create this image in the first place by entering politics; thus, to claim neutral, a political status to avoid responsibility. Some might believe that such social and ethical responsibility is unrealistic for a company in the business of making money for its shareholders. Yet Coca-Cola has always portrayed itself as so much more than a company just out to make money—surely it owes some respect to this image, the image that enabled it to capture the public’s hearts and minds in the first place (Hutt, 1). Works Cited â€Å"Boycott Israel Campaign.† Inminds. 19 July 2002. Innovative minds. 5 May 2008 http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-coca-cola.html. â€Å"Coca-cola Company.† Reference for business. 2007. Advarneg Inc. 10 May 2008 http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/businesses/A-F/Coca-Cola-Company.html. â€Å"Coca-cola Logo.† Logoblog. 2008. Logo blog.org. 10 May 2008 http://www.logoblog.org/about_us.php. â€Å"Coca Cola Memorabilia.† 2collectcola. 1 January 2006. Always collectors corner. 5 May 2008 http://www.2collectcola.com/page/ACC/CTGY/M. â€Å"Coke in the movies.† The Coca-cola Company. 31 December 2006. The Coca-cola Company Press center. 6 May 2008 http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_inthemovies.html. â€Å"Coke Lore.† The Coca-cola Company. 31 December 2006. The Coca-cola Company Press center. 6 May 2008 http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html. â€Å"Highlights in the history of Coca-cola Television advertising.†   American Memory. 29 November 2000. The library of Congress. 6 May 2008 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ccmphtml/colahist.html#darcy. Hutt, Peter. â€Å"The Image and Politics of Coca-Cola: From the Early Years to the Present.† Leda law. 16 April 2001. Harvard law school. 6 May 2008 http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/398/AlOthman.html. Pendergrast, Mark. For God, Country Coca-Cola: The Definitive History of the World’s Most Popular Soft Drink 8. Orion Business Books, 2000.

Impact of training on employee performance

Impact of training on employee performance The importance of training and development to employees performance and for that matter to employees and organisational performance cannot be overemphasised. Noe (1999) affirms that management of individual skills is an important aspect of doing business today, and employee development will likely grow in the future. The benefits of employee development extend beyond the actual skills gained and their contribution to an individuals productivity. The issue of training is paramount to the success of any organisation and this function of training has been examined for decades now. However, in todays business climate of continuous changes and uncertainty, the importance of training to employee and organisational performance as a whole, needs to be seen from a new perspective. The need for organisations to respond to the needs of its human capital and the effect of training on their performance of the organisation has become a crucial subject for business activity. It is important to note that there is an established link between training and performance. Not only does training enhance employee motivation and satisfaction, increases productivity, reduces the problems associated with the supervision of employees but also creates a reservoir of qualified employee as well as reduces work related activities as a result of increased knowledge, skills, abilities and competences. According to the Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition, it is suggested that training be defined as that tool of management which through sound principles of teaching and learning, is utilised to raise the productive ability and to maintain and improve the performance of all employees. Training which consists of planned programmes must be on-going designed to improve performance at the individual, group, and organisational levels. Improved performance, in turn, implies that there have been measurable changes in knowledge, skills, attitude, and social behaviour. In fact, well-planned, well-executed training efforts may fail unless companies and communities help workers see training as a long term investment in their own career. Nestlà © Ghana Limited started business in Ghana in 1957 under the trading name of Nestlà © Products (Gh) Limited with the importation of Nestlà © products such as milk and chocolates. In 1968, it was incorporated as Food Specialties (Gh) Limited to manufacture and market locally well known Nestlà © brands. The company became Nestlà © Ghana Limited in 1987. In 1971 the production of the IDEAL Milk and MILO started at the Tema Factory which has since been expanded further with products not only produced for Ghana but also exported across West Africa. In 2003, Nestlà © Ghana Ltd invested in a new warehouse, the Central Distribution centre, located next to the factory in Tema. The company also runs sales offices with warehouses in Kumasi, Takoradi, Koforidua and Tamale. The main objectives of the company are the development of the local and regional West African market. Since it was established, the company has significantly stimulated the Ghanaian economy with a dynamic, well trained and dedicated workforce, manufacturing and marketing well known quality brands such as Ideal Full Cream Evaporated Milk, Carnation Filled Milk, Carnation Tea Creamer, Milo, Chocolim, Choco Milo, Cerevita Porridges, Cerelac and Nestlà © infant cereals. Nestlà © Ghana Ltd also imports and distributes brands such as Nido Milk Powder, Lactogen and Nan Infant Formula and soluble coffee Nescafe. All those products can be found all over the countrys extended distribution network. The company also takes an important role in the social life of Ghana by promoting medical students in health sciences, supporting child education and social events as well as sports. In addition to all these, the Nestle Ghana Ltd in its Investment Projects/ Growth Strategy, has invested some 130 billion cedis in 2004 and 2005 to increase its production capacity, particularly in the area of cocoa-based beverages, and to construct modern and efficient distribution facilities next to the factory in Tema. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Over the years, performances within some sectors of the company have not been particularly impressive. Even though through its brands, profits have soared, it is believed that the level of employees skills, knowledge and competencies, if improved, would enhance not only the companys image but also shoot profits through the roof. Nestle Gh Ltd has elaborate training and development policies for its employees which include study leave, on-the-job training, off-the-job training, special short courses, mentoring and workshops among others All of the above are aimed at updating the knowledge, skills, abilities and competences of its employees in order to achieve organisational goals and objectives. PURPOSE OF STUDY The general objective of the study will be to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd The specific objectives of the study are to: Examine the knowledge, skills and qualifications of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd Examine the training needs of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Ascertain employee performance management or appraisal system of Nestle Ghana Ltd Determine effects of training on job performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Make recommendations to the institution on ways to improve upon training and performance of employees and to inform policy and programme formulation Research Questions The following research questions have been formulated to guide the study: What are the criteria for selecting trainees in Nestle Ghana Ltd? How does training affect employee performance in Nestle Ghana Ltd? What level of importance does Nestle Ghana Ltd attach to training? Significance of the study One of the sources of improving on the knowledge, skills, attitudes, effectiveness and performance of employees in every institution is through sustained training and development. In this direction, there has been a reasonable amount of studies conducted on the subject matter in Ghana. However, studies of such kind are inadequate. It is therefore significant to undertake a study to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd. The study is thus intended to serve as a reliable source of data for relevant agencies, researchers, students, and organisations and institutions interested in the effects of training on employee performance. Furthermore, the study is expected to contribute to knowledge and existing literature on training and its effects on employee performance. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study will focused on assessing the impact of training on employee performance by using Nestle Ghana Ltd. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Herzberg (1966) human resources constitute the ultimate basis for the wealth of a nation or an organisation, Human resources, particularly employees energies, talents, skills, abilities, knowledge and efforts are often useful in the production of goods or rendering services. Employees are often described as the most significant and dynamic among organisational resources since the character and strength of an organisation is invariably tied up with the quality and attributes of its employees (Cole, 2002). Employee training and development therefore is not only essential but also critical to an organisations survival. The global trend now is the training and development of human resources as the knowledge that human beings possess is the pivot for achieving an increase in total factor productivity (UNIDO, 1995). Training and development is a comprehensive learning system designed to enhance individual performance for the purpose of improving organisational effectiveness and efficiency. Training is the process of facilitating organisational learning, performance and change through formal and informal interactions, initiatives and management actions for the purpose of enhancing an organisations performance, capacity, capability, competence, competitiveness and readiness (Gilley, England Gilley, 2002). Theoretical framework According to Cole (1998) training and development activities depends on the policy and strategies of an organisation. Many organisations in the review of related literature as regards training in an organisation are not quite easy, as available literature encounters many difficulties. Beginning with, the use of the two terms of training and development are thought of as one entity. Some authors such as Cole (1998) and Robbins (1991) equate staff development to human resource development which focuses on among other things, preparing employees for greater responsibility and advancement. Others however look at it from the view of workers education and training. According to Robbins (1991), when management provide employees with training, its intention is to instil preferred work behaviours and attitudes in them. This may be most obvious during the new employees orientation, which is a type of training in itself. Daft (as cited in Mullins 1999) is of the view that all organisations are open systems and ignoring the environment may lead to failure in the entire system. Organisations and the environment in which they operate are constantly in link with each other. Indeed, interdependence is very crucial since the malfunction or neglect of any one of them inevitably affects the others and the total system. The training functions in any organisation is functionally linked to this whole work system and any extortion in the series of independent systems could affect productivity, hence the effectiveness by training (Mullin, 1999). Motivation is concerned with the factors that influence people to behave in certain ways, Armstrong (2006). Motivation is a tool for encouragement, a driving force that defines behaviour. It can be intrinsic, that is, self generating factors or extrinsic which is motivation that originates outside the individual. The survival of any training programme is dependent on its sensitivity to the demands of the environment, which includes the trainees, management and the entire community. It must be emphasized that the most literature agrees that the aim of the training process is to help develop the organisations employees skills, knowledge and attitude that have been regarded necessary for an effective performance of their work. According to Mc-Beath (1994), development is about total growth of knowledge, experience and abilities of the individual, the development of the whole person as he progresses towards his ultimate potential, being long term and future oriented opportunities to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes largely off-the-job, to help achieve designed performance or levels of knowledge. The definition is role of employee specific. Training is seen as teaching lower level employees how to perform their present job while development involves teaching managers and professional employees skills needed for their present and future jobs. Rae (1994) identifies the following training functions as the most commonly found in organisations. General job skills training: This sees staff at all levels frequently possessing a common problem or needs in order to carry out their jobs efficiently. Functional job skills training: concerns itself mainly with situations where organisations introduce new or revised operating systems, procedures and so on. On-the job training: refers to face-to-face, individualized training or instruction on-the job at the work place. Technical skills training: generally refers to training in the information technology where specific and technological skills are required. Professional skills training: involve the training of professional staff such as Accountants, Surveyors, Auditors, Architects, etc. Management training: trainers in many large organisations specialize in training and development of managers. In trainer training: the trainers themselves require advance skills in their existing line of work. To Mullin (1999), the purpose of training is to improve knowledge and skills, and to change attitudes. Mullins again states that in order to secure the full benefits of successful training, there must therefore be a planned and systematic approach to the effective management of training According to Douglas and Philip (1987), there are several training principles pertaining to training and learning. The generalisations are the results of efforts to formulate a reasonable useful set of descriptive statements concerning the trainee and training methods, materials and situations. Some writers who have written on training observed that most training reported was for organisational rather than individual development. This presupposes that carrier development does not appear to be fully blamed for such positions since some employers lose considerable human resource annually after investing heavily in them. The concern here is whether organisations are justified in maintaining such policies. Foster as cited in Mayo and Du Bois (1993) states that training should create conditions and stimuli to evoke response in others, to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes, to produce changes in behaviour and finally to attain specific objectives. The connection between training and organisational goals implies that training in an organisation could be strategic, informal and operational (OConnor, Bronner Delaney, 1996). Informal training is based on the need to give the employees information about the organisation which includes orientation, developing corporate citizenship, and creating a contextual reference for employees (Noe, 1999). METHODOLOGY Thomas (1996) in his deliberations on the descriptive surveys method stressed that data sometimes live buried with the minds or within the attitudes, feeling reactions of men and women and they can act as clues for further investigations to be canned out. The use of the survey method enables the researcher to systematically collect data about the nature of the training programme and its attendant challenges that the participants face. The sample population used in this research was thirty staff members of Nestle Ghana Ltd. There will be three groups of respondents: a. workers who have been in the company for just a year and have undergone only orientation training b. workers who have undergone in-service training within the company c. workers who have gone into international training. These are usually managerial staff. The Human Resource unit of Nestle Ghana Ltd will be contacted to provide the sample size of workers of the company who fall under these categories. Respondents will be issued questionnaires to fill on the information required. Where possible, there will be unstructured interviews with the respondents as to questionnaires they are required to fill. Research Instruments The standard questionnaire will be the main instrument for data collection for the trained staff of Nestle Ghana Ltd. It will be used to elicit responses from the beneficiaries as to how they are involved in the objective setting and the training needs assessment of the training programmes among others. All the questions will be asked to ascertain whether the purpose of training can be perceived in terms of ensuring that employees have the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to perform well at post. The questionnaires will consist of both open and closed questions. The closed-ended questions are asked to make sure of uniformity and greater reliability. The open-ended techniques will used to probe further on the questions and also eliminate ambiguities. The study will be based on both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data consists of responses to the questionnaire administered to Nestle Ghana Ltd staffs who have attended some training programmes. In addition bits of information will also be taken from other published and unpublished studies related to the study. The data collected will be matched, synthesized and coded for easy presentation. Data collected from respondents will be analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). CONCLUSION The research will highlight the importance of training to Nestle Ghana Limited and develop a link between training and both employee and company development.REFERENCES Armstrong, M (2006) Human Resource Management Practice, London: Kogan Page. Cole, G. A. (2002) Personnel and Human Resource Management, (5th ed.). London: Book Powers ELST Douglas, M. G Philip, H. D. (1987) The Complete Book of Training Theory, Principles and Techniques. London: Pfeiffer Co Gilley, J. W., England, S. A Gilley, A. M. (2002) Principles of Human Resource Development, (2nd ed.), Perseus, US. Herzberg, F. H. (1966) Work and the Nature of Man, Cleveland: World Publishing Co. International Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition Mayo, G. D., Du Bois P. (1993) The Complete Book of Training. San Diego, California: University Associates Inc. Mc-Beath, G. Rands, D. N. (1994) Salary Administration (3rd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell. Mullin, Laurie J. (1999) Management and Organisational Behaviour (5th ed.). London: Prentice Hall Noe, R. A. (1999) Employee Training and Development, New York: McGraw Hill. OConnor, B. N., Bronner, M., Delaney, C. (1996) Training for Organisations. Cincinnati, OH: South Western Educational Publishing. Rae, L. (1994) The Skills of Human Relations Training, London: Gower. Robbins, S. P. (1991). Organisational Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Thomas S. B. (1996) Method and Analysis in Organisational Research. Virginia: Reston Publishing Co. UNIDO (1995) 30 years of Industrial Development 1966-1996, London: ISC and UNIDO. . Impact of Training on Employee Performance Impact of Training on Employee Performance The importance of training and development to employees performance and for that matter to employees and organisational performance cannot be overemphasised. Noe (1999) affirms that management of individual skills is an important aspect of doing business today, and employee development will likely grow in the future. The benefits of employee development extend beyond the actual skills gained and their contribution to an individuals productivity. The issue of training is paramount to the success of any organisation and this function of training has been examined for decades now. However, in todays business climate of continuous changes and uncertainty, the importance of training to employee and organisational performance as a whole, needs to be seen from a new perspective. The need for organisations to respond to the needs of its human capital and the effect of training on their performance of the organisation has become a crucial subject for business activity. It is important to note that there is an established link between training and performance. Not only does training enhance employee motivation and satisfaction, increases productivity, reduces the problems associated with the supervision of employees but also creates a reservoir of qualified employee as well as reduces work related activities as a result of increased knowledge, skills, abilities and competences. According to the Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition, it is suggested that training be defined as that tool of management which through sound principles of teaching and learning, is utilised to raise the productive ability and to maintain and improve the performance of all employees. Training which consists of planned programmes must be on-going designed to improve performance at the individual, group, and organisational levels. Improved performance, in turn, implies that there have been measurable changes in knowledge, skills, attitude, and social behaviour. In fact, well-planned, well-executed training efforts may fail unless companies and communities help workers see training as a long term investment in their own career. Nestlà © Ghana Limited started business in Ghana in 1957 under the trading name of Nestlà © Products (Gh) Limited with the importation of Nestlà © products such as milk and chocolates. In 1968, it was incorporated as Food Specialties (Gh) Limited to manufacture and market locally well known Nestlà © brands. The company became Nestlà © Ghana Limited in 1987. In 1971 the production of the IDEAL Milk and MILO started at the Tema Factory which has since been expanded further with products not only produced for Ghana but also exported across West Africa. In 2003, Nestlà © Ghana Ltd invested in a new warehouse, the Central Distribution centre, located next to the factory in Tema. The company also runs sales offices with warehouses in Kumasi, Takoradi, Koforidua and Tamale. The main objectives of the company are the development of the local and regional West African market. Since it was established, the company has significantly stimulated the Ghanaian economy with a dynamic, well trained and dedicated workforce, manufacturing and marketing well known quality brands such as Ideal Full Cream Evaporated Milk, Carnation Filled Milk, Carnation Tea Creamer, Milo, Chocolim, Choco Milo, Cerevita Porridges, Cerelac and Nestlà © infant cereals. Nestlà © Ghana Ltd also imports and distributes brands such as Nido Milk Powder, Lactogen and Nan Infant Formula and soluble coffee Nescafe. All those products can be found all over the countrys extended distribution network. The company also takes an important role in the social life of Ghana by promoting medical students in health sciences, supporting child education and social events as well as sports. In addition to all these, the Nestle Ghana Ltd in its Investment Projects/ Growth Strategy, has invested some 130 billion cedis in 2004 and 2005 to increase its production capacity, particularly in the area of cocoa-based beverages, and to construct modern and efficient distribution facilities next to the factory in Tema. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Over the years, performances within some sectors of the company have not been particularly impressive. Even though through its brands, profits have soared, it is believed that the level of employees skills, knowledge and competencies, if improved, would enhance not only the companys image but also shoot profits through the roof. Nestle Gh Ltd has elaborate training and development policies for its employees which include study leave, on-the-job training, off-the-job training, special short courses, mentoring and workshops among others All of the above are aimed at updating the knowledge, skills, abilities and competences of its employees in order to achieve organisational goals and objectives. PURPOSE OF STUDY The general objective of the study will be to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd The specific objectives of the study are to: Examine the knowledge, skills and qualifications of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd Examine the training needs of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Ascertain employee performance management or appraisal system of Nestle Ghana Ltd Determine effects of training on job performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Make recommendations to the institution on ways to improve upon training and performance of employees and to inform policy and programme formulation Research Questions The following research questions have been formulated to guide the study: What are the criteria for selecting trainees in Nestle Ghana Ltd? How does training affect employee performance in Nestle Ghana Ltd? What level of importance does Nestle Ghana Ltd attach to training? Significance of the study One of the sources of improving on the knowledge, skills, attitudes, effectiveness and performance of employees in every institution is through sustained training and development. In this direction, there has been a reasonable amount of studies conducted on the subject matter in Ghana. However, studies of such kind are inadequate. It is therefore significant to undertake a study to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd. The study is thus intended to serve as a reliable source of data for relevant agencies, researchers, students, and organisations and institutions interested in the effects of training on employee performance. Furthermore, the study is expected to contribute to knowledge and existing literature on training and its effects on employee performance. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study will focused on assessing the impact of training on employee performance by using Nestle Ghana Ltd. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Herzberg (1966) human resources constitute the ultimate basis for the wealth of a nation or an organisation, Human resources, particularly employees energies, talents, skills, abilities, knowledge and efforts are often useful in the production of goods or rendering services. Employees are often described as the most significant and dynamic among organisational resources since the character and strength of an organisation is invariably tied up with the quality and attributes of its employees (Cole, 2002). Employee training and development therefore is not only essential but also critical to an organisations survival. The global trend now is the training and development of human resources as the knowledge that human beings possess is the pivot for achieving an increase in total factor productivity (UNIDO, 1995). Training and development is a comprehensive learning system designed to enhance individual performance for the purpose of improving organisational effectiveness and efficiency. Training is the process of facilitating organisational learning, performance and change through formal and informal interactions, initiatives and management actions for the purpose of enhancing an organisations performance, capacity, capability, competence, competitiveness and readiness (Gilley, England Gilley, 2002). Theoretical framework According to Cole (1998) training and development activities depends on the policy and strategies of an organisation. Many organisations in the review of related literature as regards training in an organisation are not quite easy, as available literature encounters many difficulties. Beginning with, the use of the two terms of training and development are thought of as one entity. Some authors such as Cole (1998) and Robbins (1991) equate staff development to human resource development which focuses on among other things, preparing employees for greater responsibility and advancement. Others however look at it from the view of workers education and training. According to Robbins (1991), when management provide employees with training, its intention is to instil preferred work behaviours and attitudes in them. This may be most obvious during the new employees orientation, which is a type of training in itself. Daft (as cited in Mullins 1999) is of the view that all organisations are open systems and ignoring the environment may lead to failure in the entire system. Organisations and the environment in which they operate are constantly in link with each other. Indeed, interdependence is very crucial since the malfunction or neglect of any one of them inevitably affects the others and the total system. The training functions in any organisation is functionally linked to this whole work system and any extortion in the series of independent systems could affect productivity, hence the effectiveness by training (Mullin, 1999). Motivation is concerned with the factors that influence people to behave in certain ways, Armstrong (2006). Motivation is a tool for encouragement, a driving force that defines behaviour. It can be intrinsic, that is, self generating factors or extrinsic which is motivation that originates outside the individual. The survival of any training programme is dependent on its sensitivity to the demands of the environment, which includes the trainees, management and the entire community. It must be emphasized that the most literature agrees that the aim of the training process is to help develop the organisations employees skills, knowledge and attitude that have been regarded necessary for an effective performance of their work. According to Mc-Beath (1994), development is about total growth of knowledge, experience and abilities of the individual, the development of the whole person as he progresses towards his ultimate potential, being long term and future oriented opportunities to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes largely off-the-job, to help achieve designed performance or levels of knowledge. The definition is role of employee specific. Training is seen as teaching lower level employees how to perform their present job while development involves teaching managers and professional employees skills needed for their present and future jobs. Rae (1994) identifies the following training functions as the most commonly found in organisations. General job skills training: This sees staff at all levels frequently possessing a common problem or needs in order to carry out their jobs efficiently. Functional job skills training: concerns itself mainly with situations where organisations introduce new or revised operating systems, procedures and so on. On-the job training: refers to face-to-face, individualized training or instruction on-the job at the work place. Technical skills training: generally refers to training in the information technology where specific and technological skills are required. Professional skills training: involve the training of professional staff such as Accountants, Surveyors, Auditors, Architects, etc. Management training: trainers in many large organisations specialize in training and development of managers. In trainer training: the trainers themselves require advance skills in their existing line of work. To Mullin (1999), the purpose of training is to improve knowledge and skills, and to change attitudes. Mullins again states that in order to secure the full benefits of successful training, there must therefore be a planned and systematic approach to the effective management of training According to Douglas and Philip (1987), there are several training principles pertaining to training and learning. The generalisations are the results of efforts to formulate a reasonable useful set of descriptive statements concerning the trainee and training methods, materials and situations. Some writers who have written on training observed that most training reported was for organisational rather than individual development. This presupposes that carrier development does not appear to be fully blamed for such positions since some employers lose considerable human resource annually after investing heavily in them. The concern here is whether organisations are justified in maintaining such policies. Foster as cited in Mayo and Du Bois (1993) states that training should create conditions and stimuli to evoke response in others, to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes, to produce changes in behaviour and finally to attain specific objectives. The connection between training and organisational goals implies that training in an organisation could be strategic, informal and operational (OConnor, Bronner Delaney, 1996). Informal training is based on the need to give the employees information about the organisation which includes orientation, developing corporate citizenship, and creating a contextual reference for employees (Noe, 1999). METHODOLOGY Thomas (1996) in his deliberations on the descriptive surveys method stressed that data sometimes live buried with the minds or within the attitudes, feeling reactions of men and women and they can act as clues for further investigations to be canned out. The use of the survey method enables the researcher to systematically collect data about the nature of the training programme and its attendant challenges that the participants face. The sample population used in this research was thirty staff members of Nestle Ghana Ltd. There will be three groups of respondents: a. workers who have been in the company for just a year and have undergone only orientation training b. workers who have undergone in-service training within the company c. workers who have gone into international training. These are usually managerial staff. The Human Resource unit of Nestle Ghana Ltd will be contacted to provide the sample size of workers of the company who fall under these categories. Respondents will be issued questionnaires to fill on the information required. Where possible, there will be unstructured interviews with the respondents as to questionnaires they are required to fill. Research Instruments The standard questionnaire will be the main instrument for data collection for the trained staff of Nestle Ghana Ltd. It will be used to elicit responses from the beneficiaries as to how they are involved in the objective setting and the training needs assessment of the training programmes among others. All the questions will be asked to ascertain whether the purpose of training can be perceived in terms of ensuring that employees have the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to perform well at post. The questionnaires will consist of both open and closed questions. The closed-ended questions are asked to make sure of uniformity and greater reliability. The open-ended techniques will used to probe further on the questions and also eliminate ambiguities. The study will be based on both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data consists of responses to the questionnaire administered to Nestle Ghana Ltd staffs who have attended some training programmes. In addition bits of information will also be taken from other published and unpublished studies related to the study. The data collected will be matched, synthesized and coded for easy presentation. Data collected from respondents will be analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). CONCLUSION The research will highlight the importance of training to Nestle Ghana Limited and develop a link between training and both employee and company development.REFERENCES Armstrong, M (2006) Human Resource Management Practice, London:  Kogan Page. Cole, G. A. (2002) Personnel and Human Resource Management, (5th ed.).  London: Book Powers ELST Douglas, M. G Philip, H. D. (1987) The Complete Book of Training Theory,  Principles and Techniques. London: Pfeiffer Co Gilley, J. W., England, S. A Gilley, A. M. (2002) Principles of Human  Resource Development, (2nd ed.), Perseus, US. Herzberg, F. H. (1966) Work and the Nature of Man, Cleveland: World  Publishing Co. International Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition Mayo, G. D., Du Bois P. (1993) The Complete Book of Training. San Diego,  California: University Associates Inc. Mc-Beath, G. Rands, D. N. (1994) Salary Administration (3rd ed.). Oxford:  Blackwell. Mullin, Laurie J. (1999) Management and Organisational Behaviour (5th ed.).  London: Prentice Hall Noe, R. A. (1999) Employee Training and Development, New York: McGraw  Hill. OConnor, B. N., Bronner, M., Delaney, C. (1996) Training for  Organisations. Cincinnati, OH: South Western  Educational Publishing. Rae, L. (1994) The Skills of Human Relations Training, London: Gower. Robbins, S. P. (1991). Organisational Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice  Hall. Thomas S. B. (1996) Method and Analysis in Organisational Research. Virginia:  Reston Publishing Co. UNIDO (1995) 30 years of Industrial Development 1966-1996, London: ISC  and UNIDO.

Autocratic Democratic And Laissez Faire Management Essay

Autocratic Democratic And Laissez Faire Management Essay In the past twelve months I have witnessed quite a few leadership styles. When i was working in one of the diamond manufacturing companys the leader of the firm was the owner himself. He was a democratic leader he used to lead us by setting examples himself. All the decisions concerning the firm was always taken after consulting the employees of the company. Opinions of all the employees were duly considered before setting goals and targets which were to be achieved. But once the target were set he made clear that it has to be achieved under all circumstances because no targets were set without consulting the employees and above all targets which were set were realistic targets. This type of leadership behaviour is termed as job-centred behaviour by (Buchanan Huczynski 2010, p.598) the company in which I was working was a small size firm with only twenty employees working in it. He had no assistants and use to manage all the employees all by himself. Being a leader he had to deal wi th individual, group and organizational goals which he did it very efficiently and effectively. As mentioned in Buchanan Huczynski(2010)Managers do the things right but leaders do the right things he always did the right things at the right time as a true leader. According (Feilder 1996, cited in Hellriegel, et al. 2010, p.333) Group atmosphere is defined as the level at which a leaders control is accepted. Here in this case the group atmosphere was not at its peak. And the task structure was more of a routine one where goals were clearly defined by the leader to all the employees. According to Burns (1978), cited in Dawson(1996, p.227) he distinguishes leaders in two categories one as transformational leader and other as an transactional leader. the leader of our group was a transactional leader the one who gives what the employee desires and in return ask employees to full fill leaders desires. Here the employees wants were to earn money this was satisfied by giving their hard work and time to the company, an in return employees desires were fulfilled by getting the job done by paying the money to the employee. All employees were satisfied under his leadership style and behaviour including me which led to an comfortable organizational atmosphere to work in to and in this way enhanced organizational performance. The other example which I have noticed is an example of my father when I used to work in our family business. Here the relationship between me and my father was that of a leader, follower relationship. Here the leadership style which I observed was an autocratic one. As I was still a learner into the business I dint have much of knowledge and experience to take decisions. Here the group atmosphere was at its peak and the task structure was a non-routine one because here in this case the leader knows the better than the employee to perform a particular task (Feilder 1996, cited in Hellriegel, et al. 2010, p.333). The organisational goal were common that to increase the sales and thereby increasing the profits of the company. The leadership behaviour observed here was of employee-centred leadership behaviour. This means that the leader focuses on the relationship between the leader and the employee and he also focuses on the need of the employee (Buchanan and Huczynski 2010, p.606) as per James McGregor Burns(1978) the leader here was a transformational leader which means that the followers treated here with relationship in terms of motivation and commitment, and inspiring the followers to give more than the expected to improve organizational performance. The leadership style changes with the same person when it comes to different organization. For example when I am with my father during the office hours he is an autocratic leader, but as soon as we come back from work the leadership style changes. This is supported by Vroom and yettons (1973), cited in Rosenfeld and Wilson (1999, p.201) describes normative theory of leadership effectiveness, which says that the leadership style changes according to different situations. My father is the leader of our family also, here a different style of leadership is observed. Laissez-faire type of leadership is adopted here where all the members of the organization has the freedom to do whatever he wants to do. Here the decisions are not forced upon anybody and everyone has the full freedom to do whatever one wishes to do. Here the common organizational goal is to run the house effectively which the leader has to take care of. Which is fulfilled under this style of leadership. The leadership which I have noticed in the past twelve can also be termed as participative leadership in the first case and supportive leadership in the second and third case (Luthans 2002, p.587).Thus in the end we can say that leadership style and behaviour changes with different organization. From the above given examples also we can state that an effective leader always leads to an effective organizational. And thus in the end according to my own personal experinces I can say that there is a strong relationship between leadership style and behaviour to organizational performance. Refernces:- Buchanan, A.D. and Huczynski, A.A. 2010, Organizational Behaviour. 7th Edition. Essex: Pearson Education. pp. 596-622 Dawson.S.1996,Analysing Organisations. 3rd Edition. Essex: McMillan Press. pp.227-230 Hellriegel, D. et al. 2001, Organizational Behaviour.9th Edition. Essex: South-Western College Publishing.pp.322-354 Luthans, F. 2002, Organizational Behaviour. 9th Edition. Essex: McGraw Hill Higher Education. pp.587 Rosenfeld, R.H. and Wilson, D.C.1999, Managing Organization. 2nd Edition. Essex: McGraw hill publishing company. pp. 201

The Battle of Somme :: World War I WWI WW!

The Battle of Somme There was fighting all over the world leading up to the battle of the Somme. On August 3, 1914 Germany invaded Belgium. At the end of September the German troops were about 30 miles from Paris. At the battle of the Marne the German army was stopped by the British and French armies. The Germans dug trenches to help defend them when the troops were advancing. The British and German armies tried to go sideways instead of strait into each other and built trenches on the way. They both went all the way to the sea that was called â€Å"the race to the sea†. Both of the armies tried braking through each others trenches. They defended with shells and machine guns and advanced on foot with rifles. Germany became the first country to use poison gas in warfare in 1915 at the battle Ypres. The British were the first army to ever use tanks as a weapon in war in the battle of the Somme. (Marshall, S. L. A. - World War I) The plan for the Battle of the Somme was to get a huge new army of soldiers. The men and supplies would be collected in trenches. The British would then bomb the German trenches for 7 days. â€Å"The British fired over one and a half millions shells from 1537 guns at the German lines, which should have destroyed the German dug-outs which were dug 9 meters deep into the ground, shred their barbed wire and kill most of the Germans.† Ten mines were dug under the German strong points. They exploded two minutes before the attack. The British armies crossed â€Å"No Mans Land†. They took over the German trenches. The Germans bombed British trenches but the British were ready for the attack. The British guns fired at the German trenches. The British gunmen stood together and fired. â€Å"The sound of the gunfire could be heard in London†. (Mier, Earl – The Golden Book History of the United States) The Germans survived the fire and begun to fire back, this made the Germans more excited, fewer men went on a â€Å"sick parade† and no-one wanted to miss the fight. They fired back and forth all night. The firing stopped in the morning and there was silence. Miners dug and were trying to put mines in the German trenches. Mines blew and the attack began.

The beginning :: essays research papers

During my childhood and adolescent years I grew up in very small town. I can remember thinking that I knew everyone and that everyone knew me, and if the truth were known, the majority of them did. I guess this is where you could say that my memories of literacy began. As a child I can remember myself, and many other members of my community not having the literacy skills that most of those who visited or passed through our town did. The folks that passed through were proper whereas those of us who lived in the town seemed as if we had never been outside of our little town, ever. You hear people joke about using words such as: ain’t, won’t to, aren’tcha, and so forth. Well, those were actual words used on a day-to-day basis in my hometown, and let’s not forget all the double negatives used. As a child I can remember using the same words myself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It wasn’t until I began to meet people outside of my circle of friends and neighbors that I realized that not only was our town small and living back in the 1950s still, but the majority of our citizens were uneducated adults who did not know any better. I became interested in books at an early age I would say. While all my friends were outside playing in the woods or riding go carts I would be inside looking at Highlight magazines or reading some of the books that my mother had bought for me at a yard sale one Saturday. I can remember the day that my parents bought my sister and I a set of encyclopedias, which came with two bonus sets. One set was a children’s set of encyclopedias and the other was a set of 8-thick, colorful hardback books. My sister and I just sat there as my parents put them in a glass stand that my mother had. One by one the put them in as while doing so they told each of us that inside each book contained many adventures for us to embark upon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I can remember loving those books so much. I can remember reading them even when I didn’t have to look something up from them in school. There was such a sense of security and safety behind those books that I could look through them for hours upon hours, and then racing to beat my sister at telling my parents what I had read about.

Of Mice and Men George Milton’s Diary Essay

Dear Diary, This has been the worst day I’ve ever had and I don’t think I am gonnar have a worse one again. I had to do it. I had to shot Lennie it wasn’t anything evil. I didn’t wanna hurt Lennie. At that moment, I didn’t have any choice but to do it. He was my only friend not only friend, we were more like a family. We had been friends since when we were boys. Oh I feel so awful! I believe that Lennie didn’t do any harm. At least he never meant any. He is simple-minded. Lennie is an innocent, like as a child. I shouldn’t have left him alone. I feel so terrible. He never meant any harm. His mind is like a child. Lennie never meant to hurt people. He always gets me into terrible trouble. He’s a crazy bastard. I mean he was. Oh, I feel so awful! What will I do now? What can I do? I suppose the only thing to do is to spend my money on his dream, to make it come true. I want Lennie’s dream to come true because he died imagining the drea m. It was a Sunday afternoon. We were just having a game of horseshoes. Lennie hadn’t been with me since we startedplaying horseshoes. He was in the barn with that stupid pup, I think, I did leave him in the bunkhouse, but he ended up there. Anyway, we were all playing and I had no thought about Lennie or what he was doing. In the middle of the game, suddenly Candy was calling me over to the barn. For a second, I felt she was just resting. She was laying there, I went near by her and I saw her neck all twisted and her face down in the straw. Lennie did it. Crazy bastard. I knew he was the only one, but from inside of my mind it was killing me. I don’t know why that is, I never felt like that before. In the back of my mind, I always knew that he would go too far, that he wasn’t safe and should not been left alone. But I didn’t wanna think like that. Now I had to. I knew that I had to get to Lennie before them. I told Candy to make out I had never seen and tell the others and then take me. I had to go to the bunkhouse and get Carlson’s Luger. People in the ranch were all blaming Lennie. They were all thinking that Lennie did it. Curley was screaming and shouting. He was shoken up and ready to explode. Curley scared me by screaming like that and looking at me like that but I had to keep my cool. I just pretended that I was on their side, out to kill for murder. The word sends a shiver down me and I know I have done it now. Lennie always said to me that we were the same, like we were before. Only Slim knew what I was doing though. He knew me well enough. I sent Curley in the other direction from where I knew Lennie was. He would go to the brush like I told him to. He always tried to do what I told him. I ran off and found him straight away. Lennie hid in the brush by the pool. He was sitting there by the river and he was talking to himself. He kept saying sorry: he knew that I would look after him. He made me tell him about our farm house for what was to be the last time. I mentioned it, and, he heard it. I told him not to look at me. I was trying to be a man but I couldn’t control my eyes and hands. I was shaking too. I talked quietly to him about the little place we would have together, then I shot him with Carlson’s gun. When the other men found me near by Lennie, they all assumed I shot Lennie in self-defence. Only Slim understands what I did and why At that moment the brush has changed. At the beginning it was full of light and at the end it was dark. When I shot Lennie the world seemed to get darker and darker. I’ve never seen brightness since I shot Lennie. My best friend Lennie is dead now. Lennie’s body was lying on one side of the river where the golden foothill slopes up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains. At that moment the place was so lifeless, a little wind was moving among the leaves. At that time the place was so quiet and soulless. We were thinking about Lennie’s burial. Slim, Candy, Crooks and I were thinking Lennie should be buried near by the pool because Lennie loved that place so much. We wanted Lennie buried near the pool he loved, in a quiet serene place. When I was burying Lennie I remembered all the things he used to say to me. His dreams of the rabbits he would tend when he and I got our land. He was only worried about me not letting him ‘tend the rabbits. Lennie liked to pet soft things, like puppies and dead mice. We know this got him into trouble in Weed when he tried to feel a girl’s soft red dress: she thought he was going to attack her. And now I remember all the things he did and he used to say. On Lennie’s gravestone I will write â€Å"To my dear friend and companion 1905-1937†. I promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara that I would care for him. I looked after all Lennie’s affairs, such as carrying his work card, and trying to steer him out of potential trouble. Now I feel completely alone, upset, lonely and lost. I don’t know where to go. Now I think Lennie was everything in my world. It seems to me I miss him a lot. I couldn’t keep Lennie’s promise. I am sorry Lennie. Forgive me if you can. At this time I have decided to think about my future. Lennie has died because of me. The end was dreadful, with the death of Lennie. At least Lennie’s death was painless, and Lennie died imagining the dream. My dream and Candy’s dreams were shattered by the absence of Lennie. Candy has only his own death to look forward to and he has nothing but the life of an old ranch hand to live. At the end of the day, the story has a great sense of irony. For instance, I said that I wanted Lennie out of my life but I am emotionally lost without Lennie. Another thing I can’t forget is when Candy told me that he wished he’d shot his own dog himself. I have taken this information from Candy as advice, and I shot Lennie in to save him from a cruel death. I can’t forget things that Lennie did and used to say. I remember all the things I can’t forget him. When ever I go to the ranch I remember all the things; I just feel like he is talking to me and playing with that stupid puppy. At the moment, I have decided to leave the ranch and go to another place so I can live better. In this ranch I just remember Lennie everywhere. I don’t know what to do. I think I should go to another place and make Lennie’s dream come true. Lennie told me that he wanted to have rabbits in the garden; however, I don’t like it at all. Anyway I have to do this for my dear friend Lennie. I want his dream to come true. Therefore, I will make his dream true. I will go to another place and find some work and make money for Lennie’s dream. I will always keep our dream. I am so sorry Lennie. I hope you will forgive me. If I still believed in God (a part of me that was there but now has gone) I would pray to ask Lennie to forgive me. Lennie you were my only friend, my best friend, and I wish you were still here for me, only me. And I also wish Lennie to be with me for the whole of my life but my wish will not be coming true anymore. Now I feel even guiltier about Lennie nearly drawing when I told him to jump in the Sacramento River. I am really sorry Lennie as at that time I was mentally lost. I didn’t know what to do. I was telling you to jump in the river. I am so sorry about that, I didn’t mean to do that to you. I am so sorry, please forgive me. That time my emotions were co9nfused and I wasn’t in a good mood. I was so angry; I didn’t know what I was saying. Though I knew that you don’t know how to swim I still told you to jump in the river. Now I know how I feel without you. You are the only friend I ever had. You were more like family, not only a friend. I am so sorry Lennie. I don’t feel like Lennie is dead. I feel like he is sitting beside me and talking about the stupid pups. The place is so lifeless. I don’t feel like giving him up. He was the best friend I ever had. Thank you so much Lennie, for being my friend. You are really nice person, I didn’t know that when you were alive. I used to think you were not important but now it seems you are a really important person. I am so sorry Lennie that I couldn’t keep your promise. I am really sorry Lennie. Yours honestly George Milton

Transcendentalism: Human and American Scholar

Transcendentalism in America The transcendentalist movement hit America full force by the mid 19th century, crafting a passionate spiritual idealism in its wake and leaving a unique mark on the history of American literature. Transcendentalism stems from the broader Romanticist time period, which depends on intuition rather than reasoning. Transcendentalism takes a step further into the realm of spirituality with the principle that in order to discover the divine truth that the individual seeks, he or she must transcend, or exceed, the â€Å"everyday human experience in the physical world† (â€Å"Elements of Literature: Fifth Course† 146).Nature, the physical world, is seen as a doorway to the divine world; beings can cross over into this divine world by not only observing nature, but also looking within themselves. As a result, individuality and self-assurance are seen as virtues, since they come from the heart of the individual. William Cullen Bryant and his poem Than atopsis, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s The American Scholar, and Walt Whitman’s A Noiseless Patient Spider all display fundamental characteristics of Transcendentalism.William Cullen Bryant was a famous American poet of the 1800s, integrating major themes of transcendentalism into his poems and short stories. Thanatopsis is one of Bryant’s most famous works, and combines the themes of nature, death, and the unity of these two with humanity. He starts by personifying nature, and claims he has a unique relationship with â€Å"her† and all her different â€Å"forms†, referring to sights that adorn the landscape. Valleys, brooks, and plant life are all her different forms.Bryant explains that nature speaks differently to an individual according to their mood: â€Å"Communion with her visible forms, she speaks/A various language; for his gayer hours/She has a voice of gladness, and a smile† (2-4). When that individual’s attitude changes, so does n ature’s character: â€Å"and she glides/Into his darker musings, with a mild/And healing sympathy, that steals away/Their sharpness, ere he is aware. † (5-8). Nature seemingly heals the individual’s pain before they are conscious of it. Bryant then transfers to the melancholy thoughts of death.He states that when we die, we will become one with nature. He describes all the ways the earth will reuse us in the soil, for the trees, and we will become as indifferent as rocks that scatter about the world. Therefore, we should not feel disheartened towards death. He continues to persuade the reader not to worry, for everyone will one day lie down â€Å"in one mighty sepulcher† (37) together. He ends on the note that we should not greet death with hopelessness, as if entering a prison, but embrace it as if it were just an opportunity to lie down and sleep dreamily.Transcendentalism is a sector of romanticism, and therefore, like romanticism, can be said to encom pass the philosophy of â€Å"reverence for nature† (Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia). Many transcendentalist believers took to nature to gain inspiration and descend into a state of divinity. Wildlife was connected to God, and by embracing the wild you embraced spirituality itself. Living in an untamed environment and functioning in the works of nature was the essence of transcendentalism.Bryant perceives the personified Nature as a celestial being that takes many forms in the world, and he calls out to those who see her similarly. In his first line he addresses â€Å"To him who in the love of Nature holds/ Communion with her visible forms†(1-2). He is calling out to those who hold a special relationship with Nature’s various spectacles. He continues to admire nature’s wisdom, urging readers to â€Å"Go forth, under the open sky, and list/To Nature’s teachings, while from all around/ Earth and her waters, and the depths of air/Comes a still voiceâ⠂¬  (14-17).One author notes â€Å" ‘Thanatopsis’ then exhorts anyone overcome with morbid thoughts of human mortality to venture into Nature for the sake of uplifting lessons to be derived from the elements of air, earth, and water that constitute the universe† (Curley). Another characteristic of the transcendental literary time period is human mortality, and this is the main concern in Thanatopsis, which literally translates into â€Å"a meditation on death†. As one critic puts it, Thanatopsis grants â€Å"consolation for human mortality through mankind’s unity with nature† (Curley).Death, no matter what time period it is observed in, can be daunting to an individual. Since death is a part of nature, transcendentalism embraces it as a cycle of life. Thanatopsis is intertwined with the perspective of nature, it is Nature’s lessons that ease the fear of death: â€Å"Nature then begins to speak, and does so for the remainder of the po em, directly addressing the person oppressed by human mortality with a reminder that while the body will dissolve in the grave, one’s identity will be lost in its commingling with the elements. † (Price).Many transcendentalists like this idea of the human body becoming one with nature, giving back to the place from where it originated, such as in Bryant’s words: â€Å"Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim/Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again/And, lost each human trace, surrendering up/Thine individual being, shalt thou go†(22-25). The main reason transcendentalists do not dread mortality is the solace that â€Å"the body will dissolve in the grave, one’s identity will be lost in its commingling with the elements† (Curley). Additionally, Bryant offered further explanations as to why death should be accepted, rather than fled from.Humanity itself is not permanent, and no man has ever been immortal; Bryant amplifies this truth: â€Å"All that breathe/Will share thy destiny. The gay will laugh/When thou art gone, the solemn brood of care/Plod on, and each one as before will chase/His favorite phantom; yet all these shall leave† (60-64). To this, one critic comments â€Å"an individual’s death merges with the mortality of the entire human race anywhere in time, anywhere in place, and therefore, merely fulfills the universal human destiny†¦The living may be carefree or sad, but in the end they share the same mortal fate† (Curley).Ralph Waldo Emerson also exemplified various themes of transcendentalism in his work. Emerson’s The American Scholar encourages individualism, nonconformity, originality, and reliance on the inner spirit. He discusses different sources that the human mind should rely on, such as nature, literature, and action. He embraces an understanding of oneself. Emerson criticizes those who focus too much on the great minds of the past, rather than being inspired by them, and don’t actually think for themselves.He explains that work leaves an individual empty, almost becoming a simple machine, like the growing factories in America. Emerson directs this speech at a particular issue: America’s influence from European literature. This came to bother Emerson, who believed in inspiration from oneself. The individual is so special. This speech directly targets America’s unknown identity during this time, which he wishes to establish by inspiring each and every â€Å"American scholar†.An important aspect of transcendentalism in The American Scholar was individualism and self-confidence: â€Å"If the single man plant himself indomitably on his instincts, and there abide, the huge world will come round to him† (The American Scholar). Individualism is what spins the planet of creativity; to Emerson, without it human beings would not be able to achieve their full potential. In order for a person to free their individuality, th ey would have to first disengage from society itself. Emerson believes that society limits an individual’s capacity.One critic notes that Emerson sees the American scholar as a reformation project, where one must have â€Å"an idealized portrait of intellectual life rooted in the liberated humanity of the individual thinker. In practice this means an outright rejection of conformity and groupthink, including the uncritical acceptance of established creeds and dogmas† (Yang). Before the transcendentalism period hit America, industrialization had taken a toll on the American people; work was the central focus, and it left many tired and empty.Emerson observed, â€Å"Equated with their occupational function, people become tool-like, with a corresponding social arrangement that reinforces this state of affairs. He views this deformation as inherent in the mercantile and manufacturing culture then emerging in the United States. This social fragmentation not only inhibits h uman potential†¦ its soul-destroying consequences are dehumanizing† (Matuozzi). Another more obscure issue that Emerson dealt with was America’s tendency to hang on to past great writers and philosophers, rather than coming to revelations with their own minds.As Emerson put it, â€Å"Books are written on it [the world] by thinkers, not by Man Thinking, by men of talent, that is, who start wrong, who set out from accepted dogmas, not from their own sight of principles. Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given; forgetful that Cicero, Locke and Bacon were only young men in libraries when they wrote these books† (The American Scholar).One critic explains this quote: â€Å"Emerson criticizes those scholars who allow themselves to be dominated by the past great minds to the extent that they think for the historical figures rather than for themselves, thereby becoming bookwo rms instead of â€Å"Man Thinking† (Yang). While looking to historical figures is oftentimes needed to understand what a person needs to do in their life, it does more harm than good to sculpt yourself into that exact person. It is confidence in oneself that is needed for transcendentalist philosophy to prevail. A central theme in The American Scholar is striving for wholeness. Since this private aspiration is linked with an individualist ethic and often clashes with social norms and public institutions, Emerson’s project would seem to require a powerful will†¦ the harmonization of will, intellect, and soul is difficult, perhaps the chief impediment to the full realization of self-reliance and self-trust†¦In the end, Emerson’s espousal of self-reliant individualism in The American Scholar is an unwavering rejection of whatever blunts creative human potential.Wherever circumstances threaten the value of autonomy, the outspoken message of The American Sc holar will offer encouragement, proving a clear alternative to debilitating conformity and spiritual alienation. † (Matuozzi) Emerson also expands on the idea of action. Without it, transcendentalism would be nothing but talk of reformation. It would do no good to anyone in the world. Transcendentalist ideas were based on constantly living, rather than constantly contemplating. Emerson sees that action is relevant to human potential. The scholar immerses him- or herself in the world rather than fleeing it. The world is an occasion to gain valuable knowledge through focused, mindful participation. † (Matuozzi). The critic is directly stemming from a statement made in The American Scholar by Emerson: â€Å"Action is with the scholar subordinate, but it is essential. Without it he is not yet man. Without it thought can never ripen into truth. Whilst the world hangs before the eye as a cloud of beauty, we cannot even see its beauty. Inaction is cowardice, but there can be n o scholar without the heroic mind. (The American Scholar). A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman has a key trait of the characteristics of transcendentalism as well. The first stanza of the poem starts out by describing one isolated spider. Whitman describes the actions of this spider, as it flings its filaments, or silk webs, into the air. The arachnid is doing this in the hope of latching on to some sort of solid, stable surface. This would ensure it an easy groundwork for setting up the rest of its web. The observer in the poem remarks that he can see this spider as it repeats this tedious task over and over again.In the second stanza, Whitman changes perspectives, instead focused on a human mortal. In the first stanza, the poet saw the desolate world the spider resided in. â€Å"I mark'd where on a little promontory it stood isolated/Mark'd how to explore the vacant vast surrounding† (2-3). In the second stanza, the poet takes this lone spider and turns the creature into a metaphorical form of the human soul. He describes how his own soul is â€Å"Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them† (8).Just like the spider, uncertain of its future, the human soul also wanders about aimlessly, hoping to grasp something stable that it can cling to. It is just as lonesome. This literary piece adds to the transcendental theme of the unknown. Oftentimes, people find themselves drifting along in life, not knowing where they are headed. â€Å"A miniscule spider, attempting to chart a boundless vacuity with grossly inadequate equipment, becomes a living symbol of the pathetic plight of human mortality. The human soul, too, must deal with the unknown. (Scherle). We search for a purpose, a meaning in our lives that will stabilize us. â€Å"The experience of the spider becomes a metaphor symbolizing the soul’s quest for the unification of earthly and heavenly existence†¦the person visualizes in the spiderâ₠¬â„¢s action a reflection of the pathetic yet heroic struggle he is waging to find immortality. † (Scherle). Without purpose, a person can stray from a better path; transcendentalists found comfort in knowing that the unknown is connected with some mystical higher being.As one critic notes, â€Å"The sense of human insignificance is monstrous† (Scherle). Along those lines, Whitman shows that finding that sole purpose can be a long and tiresome task. Oftentimes it is repetitive and dismal, and the outcome is unspecified. â€Å"Everything (immortality) is hanging on a silken thread, which is being tossed tentatively and figuratively into an unidentified, undefined ‘somewhere’† (Scherle). Whitman sees his soul in â€Å"Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space† just as the spider â€Å"stood isolated† in a â€Å"vacant vast surrounding† (2-7).What the critic realizes is that â€Å"A Noiseless Patient Spider is a poem abo ut loneliness†¦this is a loneliness that grows out of an inherent tendency of the body and soul to attempt to unite with an elusive divine entity in order to gain immortality† (Scherle). Whitman uses the transcendental â€Å"concept of nature as a wayseer for human truth† (Scherle). Transcendentalism is portrayed through the literary works of William Cullen Bryant and Thanatopsis, Ralph Waldo Emerson and The American Scholar, and Walt Whitman and A Noiseless Patient Spider. Thanatopsis exemplifies themes of nature and death.Transcendentalists immersed themselves in the natural world to connect with the divine otherworld. The American Scholar argued that in order to transcend the human body into a spiritual realm, you must first disengage from society. A Noiseless Patient Spider explains the isolation and uncertainty we have throughout our lives. We search for purpose and reason, never knowing what to expect. Transcendentalism was a unique literary time period in Am erica that consisted of a love for nature, the divine, and the individual human mind. Works Cited Page * â€Å"Romanticism. † HarperCollins Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia. 1996). ebscohost. Web. 18 Mar 2013. * Price, Victoria. â€Å"Thanatopsis, Poems. † Salem Press Masterplots. (2010). ebscohost. Database. 18 Mar 2013. * Curley, Thomas M. â€Å"Thanatopsis, Poems. † Salem Press Masterplots II. (2010). ebscohost. Database. 18 Mar 2013. * Scherle, Phillis J. â€Å"A Noiseless Patient Spider, Leaves of Grass. † Salem Press Masterplots II (2002). ebscohost. Database. 18 Mar 2013. * Matuozzi, Robert N. â€Å"A Noiseless Patient Spider, Leaves of Grass. † Salem Press Masterplots (2010). ebscohost. Database. 18 Mar 2013. * Yang, Vincent. â€Å"The American Scholar. † Salem Press Magill’s