Ubuntu Operating System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ubuntu Operating System - Assignment Example Ubuntu also gives one the security and comfort in working and storing information online, since it has a password to unlock the administrative actions of one's documents. The password protects against superfluous persons from interfering with the documents. The constantly changing versions of Ubuntu make it a striking technology to apply. Ubuntu Operating System is the newest version of a computer operating system built to cater to the immense role computer plays on man’s daily activities. The system offers new features to its users and improves on their daily know-how in the computer world. Ubuntu is described as a computer structure based on the ‘Debian GNU/Linux distribution’. This unit analyses history, features installation, packages, variants, editions and quality of Ubuntu operating system in detail. Ubuntu was developed as a result of the need of having an efficient system. The earlier systems were not efficient to do the multitasking task, which involved a user performing similar tasks at once. The first version of Ubuntu to be released for public use was on 20th October 2004. Various versions of the Ubuntu system are launched after eighteen months to advance on the effectiveness of the structure. The new versions of the system help in maintaining safety, thus preventing unwanted viruses. The Ubuntu system is being sponsored by Canonical Ltd and a well-wisher named Mark Shuttleworth. The sponsor’s donations led to the formation of the Ubuntu foundation whose main function was to support the development of the latest Ubuntu versions. The features of Ubuntu are that; it is composed of different software packages like the free software. Ubuntu’s design allows it to focus on usability, safety, and dependability.

Business plan for a restaurant Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business plan for a restaurant - Assignment Example This group of eight family run restaurants operating in northern California has been undergoing difficulties dealing with human resource issues. The operations manager doubles up as the human resource manager and embarks on a tedious process of physical inspection of the human resource requirements and problems of all the eight restaurants. Not only is this a time consuming and tiring process, the operations manager has also realized that it is costly and very inefficient. Therefore this plan presents a possible solution to the problem in the form of the implementation of an information system which will effectively aid the human resource manager with his operations thus allowing for efficiency and company growth. The restaurant industry is quite competitive with northern California being a haven for great restaurants. It is essential for one to cut a niche in the market and this can only be done if the various organizational resources are effectively managed. The replacement of the current manual system with an automated one will enable the company to manage its employees effectively allowing for good record handling, proper and easy scheduling, and effective communication within the organization. This will see an improvement in business processes which will culminate in the growth of the business reflected as higher profits. Introduction The implementation of an Information system is a vital part of business process transformation. For a business to succeed various steps must be taken to ensure that business process support and improvement is achieved. The use of a Human resource information system is a sure way of attaining this. A human resource information system will ensure that human resource functions are effectively managed by information technology hence creating an environment for profit making and business growth through efficient service provision and management. The human resource department is charged with the responsibility of payroll processing , employee recruitment and employee appraisals. These functions are increasingly becoming complex and thus require sufficient support. Automation of such a department, through the use of information technology, will ensure that the workload is sufficiently reduced and access to information is easy and quick. This business plan examines the effective role of implementing a human resource information system by performing a business analysis that will present the inefficiency of a manual system, and presenting a possible solution in the form of a human resource information system that can be implemented. Company Review The Castle Family Restaurants, a group of eight restaurants in northern California run by the Castle family, is a big employer of both part time and full time employees. It has employed more than 300 employees most of whom are on a part time basis as only 30% of these employees work on a full time basis. The operations manager usually has her hands full as she makes seve ral visits to all the restaurants managed by the group to perform human resource administrative duties such as employee recruitment, appraisals, payroll processing among other functions. This manual process of performing human resource functions is quite costly and very inefficient. Therefore there is a great need for improvement in order to eliminate the

Arming Pilots Essay Example for Free

Arming Pilots Essay After the September 11th attacks on America’s homeland, citizens became aware that action must be taken to protect passengers and pilots from terrorists. Although strict security measures have been put in place at all American airports, the only way to be certain that another terrorist attack does not occur using commercial aircraft lies in arming pilots with handguns. Not only will arming pilots help act as a preventative measure, it will ensure safer air travel and restore faith in America’s main form of long distance travel. Even though the number of hijackings is minuscule compared to the number of flights, arming pilots would be a first line of deterrence and a last line of defense. Some people may argue that other means should be used to stop hijackers, but as is the case with any illegal activity, if a person wants to commit a crime they will find the means. Therefore, the only way to prevent aircraft hijackings is with the use of guns. One alternative way that has been suggested is arming pilots with tasers, electric shock probes. These are considered problematic by many experts and do not guarantee bringing down a hijacker. As Criminal Justice expert Michael Swedemen said, â€Å"Had the pilots on the ill-fated planes on September 11th had stun guns, they might have dropped one of the hijackers, but the remaining three or four still would have overpowered the plane† (Dougherty, 2002, January 22). Arming pilots would also aid airlines in recovering from the economic downfall that has plagued the industry since the attacks. With armed pilots, passengers would know they are safe from any possibility of a hijacking and the only thing that might cause catastrophic damage would be an unforeseen mechanical problem. Should hijackers be among the passengers they could easily be brought down with guns similar to that of a defiant criminal. Opponents have argued that a stray bullet might penetrate the fuselage or inadvertently hit an innocent passenger. The Air Line Pilot’s Association has called for arming pilots using special ammunition that can kill an attacker but not pierce the fuselage (Dougherty, 2002, January 22). Hitting an innocent passenger is a risk that must be taken. One innocent life lost is far better than the possible countless losses on the hijacked aircraft and immanent destruction resulting on the ground. If passengers know that hijackers cannot take control of the plane, millions of Americans would once again begin flying which would improve economic conditions in a hurting industry. Other questions lie in the ability and mental state of a pilot to carry weapons. Senator Bob Smith (R-N. H. said, â€Å"Commercial pilots are trusted with the lives of thousands of Americans every day, and with proper training they could †¦ protect our skies from future acts of terrorism† (Dougherty, 2002, March 19). Pilots are some of the most mentally, physically, and psychologically tested people with hand/eye coordination that is among the best in any profession. Issuing firearms to pilots would, in effect, be like issuing a gun to a police officer. A pilot should be able to defend his aircraft instead of being left defenseless. The second amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms. As this is true for a homeowner to protect his family and himself, this should be true for pilots and their aircraft should they come under attack. Although the idea of using air marshals still exists, they are seen as being less effective. Along with ineffectiveness, the cost of placing an air marshal on every flight is unrealistic. A pilot who has undergone the proper training can perform the same task while being paid by the airlines, rather than spending taxpayer’s dollars (Shaw, 2001, September 19). As support for handguns in the cockpit grows, we must ask ourselves if four guns had been in the cockpit on September 11th would 3,000 people be dead, two 110 story buildings have been brought down, the Pentagon attacked, and a nation left in shock? Americans must realize that committed terrorists will be able to get past security, leaving pilots as the last line of defense. Along with pilots, many Americans feel these measures have to be taken in order to make the friendly skies, friendly again.

Flexible working time and work life balance

Flexible working time and work life balance The male breadwinner model, which puts an emphasis on the household as the womans sphere and the workplace as the mans sphere, no longer defines how most families divide labor between men and women (Crompton 2006). The increased participation of women in the labor market, along with technological change and globalization, have dramatically changed the structure of the labor market, and have most likely changed how workers balance their life between work and family. (copy) Good as well: flexible working practices brought upon by an increasing need for work-life balance which have been largely if not wholly due to external forces that are beyond the control of organisations. However, all organisations operate and seek to support in the environments that are continuously subjected to change. These changes can have a marked effect on an organisation, its performance, even its survival. Meanwhile, time after time, organisations react to the drivers of change by taking short-term or knee jerk decisions that predictably have an effect on the way work is organised. What is work life balance? Work life balance is employment based on emergent new values, which doesnt discriminate against those with caring or other non- work responsibilities, and which provides an opportunity for people to realize their full potential in work and non work domains. Lewis (1996:1) According to a recent study by Georgetown University, employee stress from trying to find time for their children correlates with decreased productivity and increased absenteeism. The study found that unplanned absences were costing some businesses nearly $1 million a year. Thus, HR specialists are trying in many attempts to help employees reach work-life balance by introducing new working strategies. One of these strategies is flexible working time. Flexible scheduling allows employees to adjust the time or place their work as completed. It can mean compressing 40 hours into four days, starting and ending workdays at different times, or doing some of your work at home. The reason may be as simple as wanting to better manage a long commute. Some parents choose to arrive at work later so they can take their children to school. Some companies may offer these options to retain female employees who might consider leaving their jobs after having children. But is it really that flexible time always helps to achieve work-life balance? Does employee prefer to manage his/her time or like to be committed to a specified timing because he/she may not be able to manage time, which leads to a more mess and imbalance? And which of these two options will increase the p roductivity? This research brings together material from diverse sources to provide an overview of recent research, current thinking and future debates on the key work-life policy issues, especially those which affect organizations in Bahrain. To build an informed policy debate on work-life balance issues in Bahrain, more Bahraini based research is essential. Chapter Two Literature review: 2.1 Work-life balance: The (phrase) Work-Life Balance was originated as a consequence of the Family Friendly Policies that were introduced in the 1970s and 1980s in UK, primarily as a retention tool for women, and since then it has become a widespread concept. With this, they were for women and about women. To avoid the pitfall of being viewed as discriminatory and the need to bring a more, all-inclusive significance into these policies, they were renamed as work-life balance policies. Since the 1970s, the UK Government has introduced several governmental changes to strengthen and to protect the rights of workers. In response to these changes, demands from employees as also from customers who want a larger business window a large number of organizations in the UK, have today introduced varied and innovative Work-life balance policies. The Government continues to play a key role in ensuring that (WLB) continues to gain momentum through legislation, financial incentives and support and promotion of best prac tices (Milburn, 2003). ** DTI (2003) Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice Department of Trade and Industry, London. 2.2 What is Work life Balance? Meanwhile, the definition of Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work (DTI, 2003). This is achieved when an individuals right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society. work life balance emphasizes on the adjustment of working patterns, and it focuses on the need for everyone, regardless of age, race or gender, to find a pace (that suits them) to help them combine work with other responsibilities or aspirations. Work-Life Balance has an important underlying implication that Work-Life Balance is for everyone, not just for mothers or families and is critical in not just developing policies but also in reviewing them and their impact on employees (Alexandra, 2003), thats why the idea that employers should enhance flexibility has been promoted recently. Within the UK, The Prime Minister Tony Blair launched the Work-Life Balance campaign, in March 2000. The aim of the campaign was in two-fold. First, to convince employers of the economic benefits of work-life balance (this was done by the employment of real-life case studies). Secondly, to convince employers of the need for change (DTI, 2003). Work-life concerns are simply added to an organizations bundle of practices that are designed to benefit competitive strategy to aid attraction and retention in tight labor markets, reduce high levels of absenteeism, and establish long-term relationships with employees based on commitment and productivity. 2.3 The need for a work-life balance As individuals, are all expected to play multiple roles, i.e. employee, boss, spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend, and community member. In turn, each of these roles imposes demands on us that necessitate time, energy and commitment to fulfill. The conflict of work-family or work-life happens when the cumulative demands of these many work and non-work life roles are miss-assorted in some respect so that participation in one role is made more difficult by participation in the other role (Duxbry and Higgins, 2001). Duxbry and Higgins conceptualize work-life conflict to include areas such as, role overload (RO) (having too much to do and too little time to do it in) as well as role interference (when incompatible demands make it difficult, if not impossible, for employees to perform all their roles well). Additionally, role interference can be divided into two factors: family to work interference (FTW) and work to family interference (WTF). With the first case, interference occurs when the roles and responsibilities of the family hinder the work related responsibilities (i.e., a family illness prevents attendance at work; conflict at home makes concentration at work difficult). With the latter case (WTF) interference occurs when work demands make it harder for an employee to fulfill their family responsibilities. 2.4 Background to Flexible Working Rights In April 2003 employees in the UK were first given the right to request flexible working. In the modern work environment, the introduction of these new rights helped to point up that traditional working patterns could no longer be sustained by employers and that there was a need to address the work/life balance. Organizations already facing skills shortages would find recruitment and indeed retention made harder if a more flexible approach to working patterns was not adopted. Suite of Rights The flexible working rights which were established were significant in themselves, however, they formed part of a new set of rights which sought to create a more family friendly work environment. Until April 2003, individual parental rights were primarily limited to maternity leave for a new mother giving her the right for a leave, the right for parents to take emergency time off for dependants (not just limited to children) and to take up to 13 weeks parental leave, which had been introduced in December 1999. In April 2003, however, the following new rights were introduced: The right to maternity leave was extended considerably so that, for the first time, all employees (regardless of their length of service) were entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave and those with more than a years service acquired the right to 52 weeks maternity leave. Fathers also gained rights, albeit limited to 2 weeks paternity leave, on the birth of their child. Extraordinary new rights were given to those seeking to adopt, with statutory adoption leave and statutory paternity leave, giving rights reflecting maternity and paternity leave, for adopting parents. It is significant (and perhaps indicates the extent to which this Government is keen to support working parents) that the next item on the flexible working agenda, announced in 2004, is the possibility of allowing flexible maternity leave between parents; instead of only a mother having the right to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave, there is the vision of some limited swapping of the right to maternity absence as between the mother and father of the child. Before these revolutionary new rights in 2003, the ability of any employee to work flexibly or indeed part-time was very much limited to circumstances where an employer agreed through good will or good practice to such an arrangement. Critics of the flexible working rights argue that the new provisions have not moved this position forward because all they provide is a right to request and to have that request considered seriously. Before they existed, however, there were only two circumstances where flexible working patterns of any sort could be enforced: Firstly, where an individual was a disabled employee and could demonstrate that some form of adjustment to their working hours or duties and working arrangements amounted to a reasonable adjustment which their employer was grateful to make in accordance with the disability discrimination. Secondly, and only as a way of challenging a refusal, female employees could argue that in respect of part-time working, a refusal to agree to part-time work was contrary to the sex discrimination. This is on the basis that it can be shown that a practice within an organization prohibiting part-time working (or indeed a practice allowing only full-time working) operates to the greater disadvantage of women than men and thus falls within the concept of indirect sex discrimination. Why was it Implemented? The history that reflects the flexible working laws introduced in 2003 goes back a number of years. In June 2001, the UK Government established a Task Force whose role was to consider specifically the issues which working parents face; in particular the Task Force was to consider how to assist parents in meeting their desire for flexible working patterns, whilst at the same time remaining compatible with the need for business efficiency and requirements. The establishment of the Task Force was against the background of a voluntary campaign and Government funding to encourage employers and businesses to address work/life balance issues. In March 2000, the Prime Minister launched a campaign known as the Work/Life Balance Campaign with a view to persuading organizations to improve the lot of working parents in such a way as to nevertheless continue achieving business and customer requirements. The original campaign was not in fact focused upon parents, but looked at all employees regardless of whether they had caring responsibilities or not. It was significant, however, in recognizing that the attitude, culture and philosophy of workers had moved on considerably from the ambitious society of the 1980s and 1990s. According to information from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Work/Life Balance Campaign was accompanied by a test fund which, in the run up to the introduction of legislative requirements and legal obligations, encouraged employers to introduce and develop innovative working arrangements. By helping to fund consultancy support, projects were undertaken with work/life balance in mind, including the introduction of new working patterns as well as specific recruitment projects. Over the three years from 2000 to 2003, the Work/Life Balance Challenge fund benefited employers to the sum of  £10.5 million. In its report on 19 November 2001, the Government Task Force made nine recommendations to the Government, many of which were translated to form the basis of the new legislation. In addition to the campaign and the recommendations of the Task Force, the Government had also informed itself of the views of the working population, through the issue of a green paper: Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice. This consultation paper was issued in December 2000. The responses to the consultation paper made clear that whilst improving maternity and indeed paternity rights (such as parental leave) would be of benefit to working parents, by far the most popular and indeed significant benefit was improved flexibility to meet childcare and work responsibilities. Armed with these responses and the Task Force report About Flexible Working, the Government tabled parts of the Employment Act 2002 which resulted in implementation of significant new flexible working rights, implemented through an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 and two sets of regulations. Demographic Changes Demographic changes have played a significant role in impressing the need for organizations to develop more varied and non-traditional working patterns: With the ageing population, many more people are finding that they have caring responsibilities such as looking after elderly or disabled relatives. As we are all living longer, more individuals are becoming disabled, according to the Employers Forum on Disability in UK. With the move away from extended families and as people become more mobile, so they are not living close to relatives and parents, those with children are less able to rely on grandparents or other relatives to help with child care responsibilities. The percentage of women who have taken up employment has increased. The trend for life expectancy, although different for men and women, has increased by roughly five years. The Business Case So much for the demographic changes, but there are also business benefits for organizations which offer new or more flexible working arrangements, particularly given the high skills shortage in the UK and more older people who themselves are keen to work but may prefer or indeed require more flexibility. Employers may be surprised to know that for some individuals the ability to work flexibly is more important than the pay or benefits that a particular job may provide. In an online poll carried out by Reed Recruitment in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry in UK as part of its Work/Life Balance Campaign 2002, a third of those polled (out of 4,000 people) expressed a preference for having the opportunity to work flexibly, rather than having a  £1,000 pay rise (Reed.co.uk). Over 43% of the men who responded to the poll selected flexible working as the benefit they would most look for in a new job, compared to 13% who would look for a company car, and 7% who considered gym membership to be the priority. Adopting family friendly and flexible working policies has the following advantages for employers: Retention of staff is the key to the stability and knowledge of the organization. Knowledge is lost when somebody leaves and networks are broken. This can be critical in a small business where major customers can go elsewhere when an employee, who understands their needs and whom they trust, moves on to a competitor. The typical recruitment costs of replacing an individual have been estimated at an average  £3,500, ranging from  £1,000 for an unskilled manual worker to over  £5,000 for a professional employee. These costs do not take account of the investment made in training (both formal and informal training) which is lost if skilled employees leave the workplace, as well as lost time and experience. Consequently, it makes commercial sense to try and retain staff rather than recruit new staff [Labor Turnover, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, October 2000]. Savings in absenteeism. Absenteeism costs approximately  £500 per employee a year. A quarter of employers rank home and family responsibilities as one of the five main causes of sickness absence. Employers that help their employees to balance their work with their family lives see improvements in business performance (Cheibl, L. and Dex.S, 1998). It enables businesses to benefit from a greater contribution from the workforce and maximizes the contributions that working parents are able to make to their employers. A strong track record in work/life balance can be a selling point to potential employees who consider that such a balance is important. Many employers sees benefits from flexible working and leave arrangements including: improved employee satisfaction and motivation improved retention rates and recruitment benefits increased employee productivity reduced labor turnover improved reputation Reduced absenteeism. All of which provide improved business results. After having introduced the new rights for parents in 2003, a survey was conducted and analysis of how successful the new rights have been within the UK (Employment Relations Occasional Papers: Results of the First Flexible Working Employee Survey, Tom Palmer, Department of Trade and Industry). The outcome of that report demonstrated that one million parents had made requests for flexible working. That is only a quarter of those who are eligible, meaning that three million who could have made such a request have not done so. Perhaps significantly, it seems that employers when faced with such requests do not have any major difficulty acceding them. 80% of those employees requesting flexible working had their request agreed. The shortfall of those pursuing their new rights and the three million who have not, may be explained by the surveys statistics which demonstrate that 52% of parents who are eligible are unaware in the first place that they have the right to request flexible workin g. The Government has declared an intention to extend these new rights beyond parents with children under six. However, the success and significance of new rights such as these can only be measured when individuals become fully aware of their abilities. The fact that 10% of employees without dependent children were reported in the survey to have requested flexible working, suggests that there is a need on the part of individuals without children to gain this benefit. In organizations where requests were made, despite that individuals did not always have the statutory right, the reasons for the change warrant examination: 13% quoted work life balance 11% cited family responsibilities 11% simply because they wanted more free time (i.e. voluntary and not driven by childcare or family pressures) 7% because of travel arrangements 7% to meet the caring needs of relatives or friends 6% due to health problems. As these statistics demonstrate therefore, an organizations ability to offer flexible working arrangements provides a significant benefit to an extremely wide pool of actual or potential employees. This may, however, just be the tip of the iceberg. What the survey does not analyze is how many individuals simply do not pursue a request. In the Equal Opportunity Commissions Annual Report for 2003-2004 (available at www.eoc.org.uk) four in ten mothers, one in ten fathers and one in five carers have left an organisation or refused a job because of caring responsibilities. This suggests that there are many who do not have confidence in their organizations willingness to accommodate them. What Can be Requested? The statutory request for flexible working, which must be in writing and must be dated (Regulation 4), can request a variation to the individuals contract in one of the following ways: a change to the hours of work; a change to the time when the work is required (for example, the same eight hour day but an early start and early finish); a change to the place of work as between home and place of business. The statutory provisions do not go beyond these fairly focused and limited flexible arrangements. Nothing within any of the provisions appear to prevent the employee seeking a change to more than one of the above, for example to reduce hours and work from home. What other scholars said: Given the competing demands of work and life, it is unsurprising that many employees experience conflict between the two domains. Work-life conflict can affect any employee but people with care responsibilities are more likely to suffer most because of the greater demands on their time. Research has tended to find that mothers, particularly those with young children, are less satisfied with their work-life balance than other groups of workers (Saltztein et al. 2001). Feelings of work-life conflict have been associated with, psychological and physical health problems; marital and family relationship problems, increased sickness absence and decreased life and job satisfaction (Evans and Steptoe 2002; Crouter et al. 2001;Westman 2001) The effects of work-family conflict on organizational outcomes have been well documented in the management and psychology literatures. According to Netemeyer, Brashearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœAlejandro, and Boles (2004), work-family conflict is an inter-role conflict where job expectations interfere with family-related responsibilities. The detrimental effects of work- family conflict on job satisfaction, employee retention, and psychological well-being have also been addressed (Brough, and Kalliath 2004). Related to work-family conflict, identity theory suggests individuals possess certain life roles (i.e., work-family roles) that may conflict, thus creating a spillover effect (Thoits 1991). When role clash occurs, the more valued role (i.e., family) takes precedence, and individuals are likely to instill protective measures to safeguard valued roles against potential damage. According to identity theory, these defense mechanisms may be implemented at the risk of abandoning the conflicting role(i.e., work) (Thoits 1991). Consistent with this notion, a study based in the retail sales industry indicates that when salespeople encounter conflict between two salient roles (work and family), they tend to withdraw from the less salient work role through higher turnover in order to maintain the more valued family role (Netemeyer, Brashearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœAlejandro, and Boles 2004). Work-life conflicts are seen to have a potentially detrimental impact on productivity, personal effectiveness, marital relations, child-parent relationships and even child development (Gornick and Meyers, 2003). A review of the role conflict literature indicates that studies proposing links between work-family conflict and job satisfaction have also witness a dramatic increase. For instance, the majority of studies have shown that work-family conflict is associated with decreased levels of job satisfaction (Adams and King 1996). Employers do realize that employee stress is partially due to the challenges in balancing work and family (Matusicky 2003). A good balance between work and family life has been said to benefit employers, as it is linked to better life satisfaction and subsequently to workers being more productive, creative and efficient (Zelenski, Murphy and Jenkins 2008). Numerous studies have demonstrated that employees who are dissatisfied with their jobs are more likely to engage in organizational deviance behaviors such as working less hard, absenteeism and company theft (Lau, Au, and Ho 2003). A recent meta-analysis on the effects of ethical climate suggests that job dissatisfaction poses a significant threat to organizations due to its intensifying effects on dysfunctional behavior (Martin and Cullen 2006). Drew et al.,(2003) believes that a number of factors might encourage employers to adopt policies to promote work-life balance. These include the business case for such polices such as a lower staff turnover, reduced absence and improved productivity, as well as changes in human resource management and changes in technology that enhances opportunities for working from home. Another key factor is increasing demand for greater flexibility from employees. All reviewed research results show positive effects of flex-time on the work-family balance. Flex-time workers with children under the age of 18 report lower levels of time pressure, and a higher level of job and life satisfaction than do their non-flex counterparts (Zuzanek 2000). Flexible work hours are associated with more satisfaction with family life (Jekielek 2003) and a reduction in perceived time stress (Tausig and Fenwick 2001). Analysts Comfort, Johnson and Wallace (2003) also found flex-time to be related to increased job satisfaction, increased satisfaction with pay and benefits, and a reduction in paid sick days. All of these relationships appeared slightly stronger for women. Over one-third of Canadian employees report having flex-time schedules (Comfort, Johnson and Wallace 2003).The proportion of those who reported having flex-time arrangements is higher among men than among women and is mainly found in small establishments, non-unionized settings, low-skill occupations, retail and commercial industries. A research on flexible working in Ireland has found these arrangements are more common in the public than in the private sector and that, women make use of them more frequently than men (Drew et al., 2003). Gender and the public/private sector distinction are two key factors in the analysis of the effects of flexible working. The measure of work-life conflict captures tensions between work and family commitments. In this research I want to investigate whether flexible working arrangements facilitate a work-life balance and reduce work pressure.

Moral Philosophy of Global Peace Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Pap

Moral Philosophy of Global Peace ABSTRACT: Global Peace is the summum bonum, so we must know its negative as well as positive meanings. Simultaneously peace must be understood in all its interrelated but theoretically differentiated dimensions as personal, social, national, international and global. Today, humankind is suffering from multidimensional crises such as terrorism, population-explosion, denial of human rights, economic inequality, racial discrimination, ideological extremism, religious intolerance, social injustice, ecological imbalance, consumerism, oppression of weak, etc. These peace-related issues compel us to lay down the fundamental principles of a radical global ethics that expects us to realize our roles and duties regarding global peace. It includes the role and ideals of educationalists, the duties of scientists, philosophers, and thinkers, the inculcation of human values such as nonviolence, love, etc. "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed" -Preamble to the Constitution of UNESCO Global peace is the supreme ideal, or the Summum Bonum, so in order to know the exact meaning and real nature of peace as-well-as the ways to realise it, first of all, we have to rectify the prevailing tendency to think of peace only in negative terms as absence of bilateral war, since it encourages the pacifism, which does nothing, but denounce such war, while global overview confirms the presence of ethnic and civil war etc. Accordingly the negative definition of peace should also include the elimination of such wars. Sometimes peace as "Opposite of Violence" , as is done by Daisaku Ikeda. (1) Of course peace will be achieved by removing all k... ...r, Peace Research Center, Gujrat Vidyapeeth Ahemedabad). (5) British Writer Arthor Koestler being his works "Janus" with these lines. (6) Gorbachev, M. Perestroika, PP 225-266 (Chapter 7). (7) Jonas, Hans. , The Imperative of Responsibilitive, P.7. (8) Philosophy Today, spring, 1988, Vol.32, No.1/4 P. 77. (9) Soka Gakkai News, Vol. 18, No. 286, March 1993 P.7. (10) Murty, K.S., The Quest for Peace, P. 214. (11) In his book "Reconstruction of Humanity ". (12) Acharangasutra (a Jain Treatise). (13) Dammapad 3.5 - Never in thise world is hate appeased by hatred. It is only appeared by love. This is an eternal law. (14) Mac Bride Report, Many Voices, One World, UNESCO, 1980. (15) Dimensions of Peace and Non-violence: The Gandhian Perspective P. 22. (16) The Moral Law, P. 90. (17) The quest for peace, P. 196. (18) Rgvedic Prayer.

Test Of Courage :: essays research papers

Test of Courage On the night of September 30th 1999, I was about to begin what would seem to be the longest night of my life. Weeks of physical, mental, and emotional training would climax and end after this final test. A test of endurance, teamwork, mental focus, and most of all courage was about to begin. Thoughts raced through my head as I anxiously prepared myself. Will I remember everything I have been trained? Will my shipmates let me down? Some had dreaded this night for weeks; others awaited its arrival like children on Christmas morning. I had a mixture of feelings, as I was about to begin what the Navy calls Battle Stations. Battle Stations is a fourteen-hour test of everything that had been taught in the previous thirteen weeks of boot camp. The most difficult part of Battle Stations is dealing with the sleep depravation accumulated over the previous weeks. We were allowed two hours of sleep before the challenge that would "make or break" us. I can remember the dark barracks, lit only by red lights representing emergency procedures in a ship setting. The room seemed to have a very still, quiet feel like a storm was creeping near. My bunkmate Johnson and I polished our boots as we agreed that neither of us would sleep for the two hours we are given. Johnson and I had developed a close friendship over time and we motivated each other in every obstacle we faced. He was slightly taller than I, had a stalky frame and spoke with a thick East Coast accent that I often humorously imitated. I laid in my bunk focusing on my body, and what will be expected from it tonight. By that time, I had been awake for several hours and lack of food caused fatigue to set in. Piercing alarm sirens and bright flashing lights interrupted my concentration; our excitingly eventful night had just begun. Within seven minutes my entire division was in full gear with tight seals on our gas masks and standing at attention in front of our bunks. Then something unexpected happened. A team of Ex-Navy Seal's rushed into the barracks like a stampede of wild horses. Their presence motivated us all as we began chanting Navy songs. Before I knew it we were barreling down the stairs of the barracks, or "Ship" as it is called in the Navy.

Stop This Train by John Mayer

Connecticut, John Mayer charmed his listeners with his poignant lyrics, sweet melodies, and mellow grooves. Since the release of his successful debut album, Room for Squares, his clever songwriting has grown Into breathtaking poetry. He demonstrated his ever evolving progress with the release of his fourth studio album, Continuum, in 2006. The album takes maturity as a theme throughout, with songs ranging from the politically charged â€Å"Waiting for the World to Change† to the heartbreaking and sultry sound of â€Å"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. Stop This Train,† also a song from John Mayor's Continuum, speaks of the unpredictable ground between adolescence and adulthood. It was written during a time which Mayer referred to as â€Å"solitary refinement;† He lied In bed suffering from double kidney stones and living in a hotel while finding a new residence. In a state of uncertainty and seemingly hopeless venture, John Mayer wrote the song for those of us stra ddling the new world, trying to figure out not necessarily who we are, but how to be who we are.He knew that, despite their lack of familiarity with his personal tuition, any person who listened to the lyric of the song could relate to life's daunting train ride. In the song, the train ride acts as an extended metaphor for the onward rush of life, which carries us forward and takes us past people and things we wish to linger with. Meyers lyrics echo the feelings of so many young adults who are contemplating their future-?starting to build a new life, leaving old ones behind, losing loved ones, and becoming their own person. In the first stanza, Mayer introduces his perplexed state of mind with his struggle to face truth.He begins his Eng with Irony, â€Å"No I'm not coloration / I know the world Is black and white† (1-2), claiming that he possesses the ability to see the true colors of the world. The colors black and white represent the speaker's belief that the world is simp ly one way or another. The word ‘blind' and the speaker's ability to see create an oxymoron because of their contradicting natures. In lines 3-4, â€Å"Try to keep an open mind but†¦ I Just can't sleep on this tonight,† Mayer expresses his troubles that make him restless. The song also symbolizes a reminder of life's Inevitability.It streams forward like a train, ND never can you go back to a certain point In time because there's no getting off, no changing direction, no stopping. Mayer creates a mental picture of the careening train ride in lines 5-8, â€Å"Stop this train / I want to get off and go home again / I can't take the speed that it's moving in. † The use of imagery demonstrates Meyers understanding of what his audience experiences. In attempt to fully transport the listener to the scene, the song begins with a catchy up and down melody that simulates a feeling of a trait's wheels turning over and over again.The snares played wrought â€Å"Stop T his Train† match the rhythmic sound of a train so as to allow the audience to picture themselves also on this never ending journey. The high and low notes of the guitar may also signify life's ups and downs. By using the train as a metaphor, Mayer mirrored the rush of nostalgia as people live their lives day by day and suddenly decide to take a look back at how far they've come. Just like a train ride, one doesn't realize how far and fast their Journey has taken them until they stop to take a look around. In life, everyone fears death or loss.As adulthood looms, so does ten mortar y AT our parents Mayer vocalizes tans Tear, â€Å"Don't want to see my parents go' (9). And while no one ever does, the time we become adults ourselves is when we begin to see the age in those that have shaped our lives. We see the death of our grandparents and realize we are a â€Å"generation away from fighting life out on my own† (10-11). And we panic because our parents, for so many of us , have been the safety net into which we fall. We begin to realize that safety net will not always be there. In truth, we are afraid of what we don't know, which is why Mayer claims â€Å"I'm only good at being young† (17).The thought of adulthood can be overwhelming as we realize that there's no stop button, that no one can stop this train. In the stanza about the conversation with his father, Mayer learns the best way to experience life is by not changing it. His father advises, â€Å"Don't for a minute change the place you're in / Don't think I couldn't ever understand†¦ John, honestly we'll never stop this train† (23-26) The only thing we can really do is appreciate life's train ride; because wherever it may take us, we're all in it together. The lyric in â€Å"Stop This Train† somewhat reflects life's timeline.At a younger, more naive age we take for granted our family until we start aging and realizing that our time with them is, in fact, limited. In the song, Mayer goes from begging for someone to stop this train to accepting that he can't so he might as well enjoy the ride. The song is about being forced to let go of things, and accepting these losses. It's about the angst and unfamiliarity that comes with moving into unknown parts of life. The fact that no matter what, we can't stop a day from turning into a week or a year from into turning into a decade, and the thought of this can seem a little intimidating and disheartening.As humans we only know what we've experienced, and the idea of having to readjust and move forward without any regard for personal desire can be downright terrifying. Growing up, children aren't inclined to to miss a thing because they haven't experienced the state of apprehension when they're asked the inevitable question: What do you want to do with your life? â€Å"Once in a while when it's good / It'll feel lie it should / And they're all still around / And you're still safe and sound† (27-31 ). But as time progresses, the days when we were lulled into a false calm are gone and we realize we don't miss what we have till it's gone.And you don't miss a thing / till you cry when you're driving away in the dark† (32-33). Mayor's style of songwriting mirrors a sort of conversation he is having with himself, his family and friends, and also with his own time. Just as the songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart, Mayor's songs are Just as full of importance as the music and beats to which they are set. Many people listen to songs for their uplifting melodies and dance-inspiring beats, but the deeper words in the lyrics prove that what's in a song is equally important to what's not there.In â€Å"Stop This Train,† Mayer oratory himself as Just another person coping with the apprehension and fear of loved ones dying, growing old, and facing life and all its difficulties. His fame and talent may veil the sorrows he faces on a daily basis from being away f rom his loved ones. The hidden message behind â€Å"Stop This Train† could embody a more personal than empathetic message. The harsh truth remains that, no matter how memorable or eventful our lives are, no one can escape time. Whether or not we'll grow to be 68, we will all be forced to brave more responsibility, expectations, and independence as we mature.