Current topics

A Wag Whenever one sits down to write on the mess that one finds in the arena of higher education, one is struck by a sense of d ©J ¤ vu as well as a sense of inability to say nything new. Pawan Agarwal's comprehensive paper that he wrote for ‘CRIER, the excellent report by National Knowledge Commission (headed by the irrepressible Sam Pitroda) are Just two of the many articles that easily come to mind. The first one mentioned, has exhaustive data at a fairly disaggregated level so that this aspect need not detain us here.The issues and challenges in this context -that are fairly well understood – are diverse not typical. Thus, the challenge is not epistemological but one of political will and at a more mundane level of implementation. In India, it oes not take a genius to point out the problems in any sphere, least of all in the higher educational sector. The point however is (ought to be) to identify workable solutions. In this article I will concentrate on the cap acity, flexibility and quality issues that beset the higher educational sector in India and suggest some steps that need to be taken to remedy the situation.Rest assured, there will be no magic wand and no single solution. Help and initiative from whatever quarter must be sought and grabbed by both hands. A bouquet approach will alone be realistic, driven by ragmatism rather than ideology. Whilst finance is undoubtedly important, I argue that governance is the key. The essentials of the story are easily told: Despite tremendous expansion in the sector, there is inadequate capacity and hence access; after all we have 350 universities with huge enrollment (one of the largest in the world).The system is characterized by rigidity with absolutely no flexibility; we have degrees being offered in a rigid framework with very little choice for the students (who should matter the most) and the regulations are archaic with peculiar unresponsiveness to the current context. Thanks to the pervers e hiring policies and protracted procedures (not to mention politics: with and without state interference) the quality of faculty is in a state of rapid decline. The reasons and solutions are well known and yet some of them bear repetition.Having made a first cut let us revisit the issues in some detail, but first some preliminaries. India is at cross roads. It has all the pretensions of emerging as a knowledge economy and yet the time is running out for it to catch the bus. Surely, we don't require Thomas Friedman to point out the gravity of the situation. After all, what we o today – by way of investment – will have a decisive influence fifteen years from now. For that is how long (even in these fast paced times) it takes for changes in educational system to fructify.It is no secret that a genuine knowledge has a prerequisite of solid foundation provided by educational institutions characterized by relevance and excellence in training and research. This then must pro vide us with the parametric environment for what follows. The long queues in front of the colleges as well as the screaming headlines in the newspapers, starkly present the scarcity of capacity in the higher educational sector. The premium that the seats in better colleges for almost all the courses attract is common knowledge.Whilst there are supervisory mechanisms in place (de Jure) we know that supervision many a time means additional side payments. As an aside, the only solution lies in self enforcing system design which in this case would clearly imply removal of striuctural and overall scarcities through increased capacities. The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) report talks of setting up 50 National Universities (over a period) with augmented resources leading to capacity enhancement.There is the private universities' bill which should help too. There is a scope for great enhancement of capacity in the PPP mode, for which the regulation has to be more welcoming if not frie ndly. Whilst there is a need to think out of box, there is no denying the fact that the traditional state funding mode will however continue to be of importance for at least some time to come. We must once and for all put an end to view that improvements are possible witn Just non-monetary means.This implies a self binding commitment on the part of governments at all levels to provide the necessary financial resources. The urrent spending on higher education that is pegged at around 0. 7% of GDP must be doubled. This will require a serious lobbying effort. In this context, it may be noted that there is much that can be done by the institutions on their own in terms of raising resources. Alumni represent a huge potential source, so also setting up of off shore campuses and attracting foreign students are other obvious sources.However, this will require some amendments in the existing provisions of the ‘Act', also, experience suggests that such efforts are ‘rewarded' by cu t back in aid, instead of matching incentive grants being proffered. Such efforts in the past have been – post facto – subjected by the government, to severe restrictions on the use of monies so collected. Clearly there is a governance issue involved here. This apart, the required enabling (through regulatory changes) of private sector is a must for the purposes of raising supplementary resources.The private endowments which at one time were significant, have to be restored through incentive based legislation. At the same time the interference – as distinct from engagement – of the State in all aspects of education has to be significantly reduced, especially in the ‘operations' and rocedural aspects. This has been a major cause that led to the Universities being converted into patron saints of mediocrity! The state must truly practice private enablement with ‘oversight from a distance'. Of course, the processes involved in the setting up in th e national universities (or even investing in old ones! are so long drawn and convoluted that with the given absorption capacity of the institutions it will be some time before the plan becomes a reality. Also, and more importantly, the paucity with regard to the attendant requirement of quality faculty (which we shall ook at later) is so great that even with physical infrastructure the delivery will not be assured. This requires some bold and innovative thinking and application which requires a key governance initiative. The external agencies like the corporations and industries will have to play (be enabled to do so) a major role.In the interim, I would suggest that IT enabled distance learning mode as well as the platform for e-learning have to be exploited to the fullest extent. This will require huge organization and collaborative effort of the best minds. It is especially required to mention this here ecause these avenues (particularly the first mentioned) are pretty much have received step treatment and have been left to the whims and fancies of the second raters. This has created sections of milch cows that fraudulently extract money from the hapless students and give nothing in return.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 25

Chapter 25 Philip, who was called the new guy, asked that we go to Cana by way of Bethany, as he had a friend there that he wanted to recruit to follow along with us. â€Å"I tried to get him to join with John the Baptist,† Philip said, â€Å"but he wouldn't stand for the eating-locusts, living-in-pits thing. Anyway, he's from Cana, I'm sure he'd love to have a visit home.† As we came into the square of Bethany, Philip called out to a blond kid who was sitting under a fig tree. He was the same yellow-haired kid that Joshua and I had seen when we first passed through Bethany over a year ago. â€Å"Hey, Nathaniel,† Philip called. â€Å"Come join me and my friends on the way to Cana. They're from Nazareth. Joshua here might be the Messiah.† â€Å"Might be?† I said. Nathaniel walked out into the street to look at us, shading his eyes against the sun. He couldn't have been more than sixteen or seventeen. He barely had the fuzz of a beard on his chin. â€Å"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?† he said. â€Å"Joshua, Biff, Bartholomew,† Philip said, â€Å"this is my friend Nathaniel.† â€Å"I know you,† Joshua said. â€Å"I saw you when we last passed through here.† Then, inexplicably, Nathaniel fell to his knees in front of Joshua's camel and said, â€Å"You are truly the Messiah and the Son of God.† Joshua looked at me, then at Philip, then at the kid, prostrating himself on camel's feet. â€Å"Because I've seen you before you believe that I'm the Messiah, even though a minute ago nothing good could come out of Nazareth?† â€Å"Sure, why not?† said Nathaniel. And Josh looked at me again, as if I could explain it. Meanwhile Bartholomew, who was on foot along with his pack of doggie followers (whom he had disturbingly begun to refer to as his â€Å"disciples†), went over to Nathaniel and helped the boy to his feet. â€Å"Stand up, if you're coming with us.† Nathaniel prostrated himself before Bartholomew now. â€Å"You are truly the Messiah and the Son of God.† â€Å"No, I'm not,† Bart said, lifting the kid to his feet. â€Å"He is.† Bart pointed to Joshua. Nathaniel looked to me, for some reason, for confirmation. â€Å"You are truly a babe in the woods,† I said to Nathaniel. â€Å"You don't gamble, do you?† â€Å"Biff!† Joshua said. He shook his head and I shrugged. To Nathaniel he said, â€Å"You're welcome to join us. We share the camels, our food, and what little money we have.† Here Joshua nodded toward Philip, who had been nominated to carry the communal purse because he was good at math. â€Å"Thanks,† said Nathaniel, and he fell in behind us. And thus we became five. â€Å"Josh,† I said in a harsh whisper, â€Å"that kid is as dumb as a stick.† â€Å"He's not dumb, Biff, he just has a talent for belief.† â€Å"Fine,† I said, turning to Philip. â€Å"Don't let the kid anywhere near the money.† As we headed out of the square toward the Mount of Olives, Abel and Crustus, the two old blind guys who'd helped me over Maggie's wall, called out from the gutter. (I'd learned their names after correcting their little gender mistake.) â€Å"Oh son of David, have mercy on us!† Joshua pulled up on the reins of his camel. â€Å"What makes you call me that?† â€Å"You are Joshua of Nazareth, the young preacher who was studying under John?† â€Å"Yes, I am Joshua.† â€Å"We heard the Lord say that you were his son with whom he was well pleased.† â€Å"You heard that?† â€Å"Yes. About five or six weeks ago. Right out of the sky.† â€Å"Dammit, did everyone hear but me?† â€Å"Have mercy on us, Joshua,† said one blind guy. â€Å"Yeah, mercy,† said the other. Then Joshua climbed down from his camel, laid his hands upon the old men's eyes, and said, â€Å"You have faith in the Lord, and you have heard, as evidently everyone in Judea has, that I am his son with whom he is well pleased.† Then he pulled his hands from their faces and the old men looked around. â€Å"Tell me what you see,† Joshua said. The old guys sort of looked around, saying nothing. â€Å"So, tell me what you see.† The blind men looked at each other. â€Å"Something wrong?† Joshua asked. â€Å"You can see, can't you?† â€Å"Well, yeah,† said Abel, â€Å"but I thought there'd be more color.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Crustus, â€Å"it's kind of dull.† I stepped up. â€Å"You're on the edge of the Judean desert, one of the most lifeless, desolate, hostile places on earth, what did you expect?† â€Å"I don't know.† Crustus shrugged. â€Å"More.† â€Å"Yeah, more,† said Abel. â€Å"What color is that?† â€Å"That's brown.† â€Å"How about that one?† â€Å"That would be brown as well.† â€Å"That color over there? Right there?† â€Å"Brown.† â€Å"You're sure that's not mauve.† â€Å"Nope, brown.† â€Å"And – â€Å" â€Å"Brown,† I said. The two former blind guys shrugged and walked off mumbling to each other. â€Å"Excellent healing,† said Nathaniel. â€Å"I for one have never seen a better healing,† said Philip, â€Å"but then, I'm new.† Joshua rode off shaking his head. When we came into Cana we were broke and hungry and more than ready for a feast, at least most of us were. Joshua didn't know about the feast. The wedding was being held in the courtyard of a very large house. We could hear the drums and singers and smell spiced meat cooking as we approached the gates. It was a large wedding and a couple of kids were waiting outside to tend to our camels. They were curly haired, wiry little guys about ten years old; they reminded me of evil versions of Josh and me at that age. â€Å"Sounds like a wedding going on,† Joshua said. â€Å"Park your camel, sir?† said the camel-parking kid. â€Å"It is a wedding,† said Bart. â€Å"I thought we were here to help Maggie.† â€Å"Park your camel, sir?† said the other kid, pulling on the reins of my camel. Joshua looked at me. â€Å"Where is Maggie? You said she was sick?† â€Å"She's in the wedding,† I said, pulling the reins back from the kid. â€Å"You said she was dying.† â€Å"Well, we all are, aren't we? I mean, if you think about it.† I grinned. â€Å"You can't park that camel here, sir.† â€Å"Look, kid, I don't have any money to tip you. Go away.† I hate handing my camel over to the camel-parking kids. It unnerves me. I'm always sure that I'm never going to see it again, or it's going to come back with a tooth missing or an eye poked out. â€Å"So Maggie isn't really dying?† â€Å"Hey, guys,† Maggie said, stepping out of the gate. â€Å"Maggie,† Joshua said, throwing his arms up in surprise. Problem was, he was so intent on looking at her that he forgot to grab on again, and off the camel he went. He hit the ground facedown with a thump and a wheeze. I jumped down from my camel, Bart's dogs barked, Maggie ran to Josh, rolled him over, and cradled his head in her lap while he tried to get his breath back. Philip and Nathaniel waved to people from the wedding who were peeping through the gate to see what all the commotion was about. Before I had a chance to turn, the two kids had leapt up onto our camels and were galloping around the corner off to Nod, or South Dakota, or some other place I didn't know the location of. â€Å"Maggie,† Joshua said. â€Å"You're not sick.† â€Å"That depends,† she said, â€Å"if there's any chance of a laying on of hands.† Joshua smiled and blushed. â€Å"I missed you.† â€Å"Me too,† Maggie said. She kissed Joshua on the lips and held him there until I started to squirm and the other disciples started to clear their throats and bark â€Å"get a room† under their breaths. Maggie stood up and helped Joshua to his feet. â€Å"Come on in, guys,† she said. â€Å"No dogs,† she said to Bart, and the hulking Cynic shrugged and sat down in the street amid his canine disciples. I was craning my neck to see if I could see where our camels had been taken. â€Å"They're going to run those camels into the ground, and I know they won't feed or water them.† â€Å"Who?† asked Maggie. â€Å"Those camel-parking boys.† â€Å"Biff, this is my youngest brother's wedding. He couldn't even afford wine. He didn't hire any camel-parking boys.† Bartholomew stood and rallied his troops. â€Å"I'll find them.† He lumbered off. Inside we feasted on beef and mutton, all manner of fruits and vegetables, bean and nut pastes, cheese and first-pressed olive oil with bread. There was singing and dancing and if it hadn't been for a few old guys in the corner looking very cranky, you'd never have known that there wasn't any wine at the party. When our people danced, they danced in large groups, lines and circles, not couples. There were men's dances and women's dances and very few dances where both could participate, which is why people were staring at Joshua and Maggie as they danced. They were definitely dancing together. I retreated to a corner where I saw Maggie's sister Martha watching as she nibbled at some bread with goat cheese. She was twenty-five, a shorter, sturdier version of Maggie, with the same auburn hair and blue eyes, but with less tendency to laugh. Her husband had divorced her for â€Å"grievous skankage† and now she lived with her older brother Simon in Bethany. I'd gotten to know her when we were little and she took messages to Maggie for me. She offered me a bite of her bread and cheese and I took it. â€Å"She's going to get herself stoned,† Martha said in a slightly bitter, moderately jealous, younger sister tone. â€Å"Jakan is a member of the Sanhedrin.† â€Å"Is he still a bully?† â€Å"Worse, now he's a bully with power. He'd have her stoned, just to prove that he could do it.† â€Å"For dancing? Not even the Pharisees – â€Å" â€Å"If anyone saw her kiss Joshua, then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"So how are you?† I said, changing the subject. â€Å"I'm living with my brother Simon now.† â€Å"I heard.† â€Å"He's a leper.† â€Å"Look, there's Joshua's mother. I have to go say hello.† â€Å"There's no wine at this wedding,† Mary said. â€Å"I know. Strange, isn't it?† James stood by scowling as I hugged his mother. â€Å"Joshua is here too?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Oh good, I was afraid that you two might have been arrested along with John.† â€Å"Pardon me?† I stepped back and looked to James for explanation. He seemed the more appropriate bearer of bad news. â€Å"You hadn't heard? Herod has thrown John in prison for inciting people to revolt. That's the excuse anyway. It's Herod's wife who wanted John silenced. She was tired of having John's followers refer to her as ‘the slut.'† I patted Mary's shoulder as I stepped away. â€Å"I'll tell Joshua that you're here.† I found Joshua sitting in a far corner of the courtyard playing with some children. One little girl had brought her pet rabbit to the wedding and Joshua was holding it in his lap, petting its ears. â€Å"Biff, come feel how soft this bunny is.† â€Å"Joshua, John has been arrested.† Josh slowly handed the bunny back to the little girl and stood. â€Å"When?† â€Å"I'm not sure. Shortly after we left, I guess.† â€Å"I shouldn't have left him. I didn't even tell him we were leaving.† â€Å"It was bound to happen, Joshua. I told him to lay off Herod, but he wouldn't listen. You couldn't have done anything.† â€Å"I'm the Son of God, I could have done something.† â€Å"Yeah, you could have gone to prison with him. Your mother is here. Go talk to her. She's the one that told me.† As Joshua embraced Mary, she said, â€Å"You've got to do something about this wine situation. Where's the wine?† James tapped Joshua on the shoulder. â€Å"Didn't bring any wine with you from the lush vineyards of Jericho?† (I didn't like hearing sarcasm being used by James against Joshua. I had always thought of my invention as being used for good, or at least against people I didn't like.) Joshua gently pushed his mother away. â€Å"You shall have wine,† he said, then he went off to the side of the house where drinking water was stored in large stone jars. In a few minutes he returned with a pitcher of wine and cups for all of us. A shout went through the party and suddenly everything seemed to step up a level. Pitchers and cups were filled and drained and filled again, and those who had been near the wine jars started declaring a miracle had been performed, that Joshua of Nazareth had turned water into wine. I looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Having been free of sin all of his life, Joshua wasn't very good at dealing with guilt, so he had gone off by himself to try to numb the guilt he felt over John's arrest. After a few hours of subterfuge and guile, I was able to get Maggie to sneak out the back gate with me. â€Å"Maggie, come with us. You talked to Joshua. You saw the wine. He's the one.† â€Å"I've always known he was the one, but I can't come with you. I'm married.† â€Å"I thought you were going to be a fisherman.† â€Å"And I thought you were going to be a village idiot.† â€Å"I'm still looking for a village. Look, get Jakan to divorce you.† â€Å"Anything he can divorce me for he can also kill me for. I've seen him pass judgment on people, Biff. I've seen him lead the mobs to the stonings. I'm afraid of him.† â€Å"I learned to make poisons in the East.† I raised my eyebrows and grinned. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"I'm not going to poison my husband.† I sighed, an exasperated sigh that I'd learned from my mother. â€Å"Then leave him and come away with us, far from Jerusalem where he can't reach you. He'll have to divorce you to save face.† â€Å"Why should I leave, Biff? So I can follow around a man who doesn't want me and wouldn't take me if he did?† I didn't know what to say, I felt like knives were twisting in fresh wounds in my chest. I looked at my sandals and pretended to have something caught in my throat. Maggie stepped up, put her arms around me, and laid her head against my chest. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"I missed both of you, but I missed just you too.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"I'm not going to sleep with you.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Then please stop rubbing that against me.† â€Å"Sure,† I said. Just then Joshua stumbled through the gate and crashed into us. We were able to catch ourselves and him before anyone fell. The Messiah was holding the little girl's pet bunny, hugging it to his cheek with the big back feet swinging free. He was gloriously drunk. â€Å"Know what?† Josh said. â€Å"I love bunnies. They toil not, neither do they bark. Henceforth and from now on, I decree that whenever something bad happens to me, there shall be bunnies around. So it shall be written. Go ahead Biff, write it down.† He waved to me under the bunny, then turned and started back through the gate. â€Å"Where's the friggin' wine? I got a dry bunny over here!† â€Å"See,† I said to Maggie, â€Å"you don't want to miss out on that. Bunnies!† She laughed. My favorite music. â€Å"I'll get word to you,† she said. â€Å"Where will you be?† â€Å"I have no idea.† â€Å"I'll get word to you.† It was midnight. The party had wound down and the disciples and I were sitting in the street outside of the house. Joshua had passed out and Bartholomew had put a small dog under his head for a pillow. Before he had left, James had made it abundantly clear that we weren't welcome in Nazareth. â€Å"Well?† said Philip. â€Å"I guess we can't go back to John.† â€Å"I'm sorry I didn't find the camels,† Bartholomew said. â€Å"People teased me about my yellow hair,† said Nathaniel. â€Å"I thought you were from Cana,† I said. â€Å"Don't you have family we can stay with?† â€Å"Plague,† said Nathaniel. â€Å"Plague,† we all said, nodding. It happens. â€Å"You'll probably be needing these,† came a voice out of the darkness. We all looked up to see a short but powerfully built man walking out of the darkness, leading our camels. â€Å"The camels,† said Nathaniel. â€Å"My apologies,† said the man, â€Å"my brother's sons brought them home to us in Capernaum. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get them back to you.† I stood and he handed the camel's reins to me. â€Å"They've been fed and watered.† He pointed to Joshua, who was snoring away on his terrier. â€Å"Does he always drink like that?† â€Å"Only when a major prophet has been imprisoned.† The man nodded. â€Å"I heard what he did with the wine. They say he also healed a lame man in Cana this afternoon. Is that true?† We all nodded. â€Å"If you have no place to stay, you can come home with me to Capernaum for a day or two. We owe you at least that for taking your camels.† â€Å"We don't have any money,† I said. â€Å"Then you'll feel right at home,† said the man. â€Å"My name is Andrew.† And so we became six.

Developing Yourself as an Effective Hr Practitioner

Developing Yourself as an Effective Human Resource Practitioner The CIPD Human Resources Profession Map The CIPD is the professional body for those working within a HR related role, to â€Å"manage the employer-employee relationship and align an organisation’s culture with its people† (CIPD). Researched through collaboration with business leaders the CIPD has developed a map of the activities, knowledge and behaviours required by the different HR roles to meet current business needs (diagram 1).The map consists of ten Professional areas, four Bands and eight Behaviours. Each area has an extended definition to clarify the key requirements of people who work in that area. Diagram 1 Diagram 1 At the core of the map lie ‘Insights, Strategy and Solutions’ and ‘Leading HR’. These two core elements are considered key areas as they extend across all the elements of the HR profession. Also read: HR Profession Map EssayInsights, Strategy and Solutions relates to the need for a successful HR professional to present and develop strategies and solutions based on a firm understanding of the business, it’s internal environment (vision, values, culture, structure and strategy) and its external challenges (competition, world economy, work/life balance, changing demographics of its workforce, changing legislation etc. ) It demonstrates the profession as a recognised business discipline with people and the organisation at its heart.Leading HR is defined as providing ‘active, insight-led leadership: owning, shaping and driving themselves, others and activity in the organisation’ (CIPD). Great leaders can be found across three main areas of leadership – personal leadership, leading others and leading issues. The ten Professional areas relate to the different roles within HR profession e. g. the requirement of someone operating within an Employee Eng agement role is defined as being responsible for ensuring â€Å" †¦ ll aspects of the employment experience – the emotional connection that all employees have with their work, colleagues and to their organisation (in particular line manager relationship) is positive and understood, and that it delivers greater discretionary effort in their work and the way they relate to their organisation†. The four bands of professional competence define the different levels of work activities and the corresponding responsibilities within each professional area, ranging from administrator to board level.Within the HR Map there is also a useful section on the knowledge and . activities required to transition from one band to the next. Finally the eight behaviours describe how the work activities should be carried out within each professional area. The Agency The Agency, despite being less than two years old, has grown from a team of five to 21 employees – 15 Consultants an d six Compliance Officers. The office is very fast paced and competitive, with Consultants urged to secure new posts for high calibre candidates as quickly as possible.Prospective candidates are invited to come into the branch for a registration interview, where they meet the Consultants who will try and place them within schools. Vivien is an experienced Compliance Officer, supporting three Consultants on her pod. Her role is to meet and greet new candidates when they come in for the registration interview, and check they have supplied the necessary paperwork to meet strict safeguarding guidelines before handing them over their consultant for interview. She works alongside Hans, the lead consultant in her pod.They have a very poor relationship, arguing frequently and demonstrate very little respect for each other’s point of view The Candidate proves to be outstanding and Hans manages to place the candidate in a school within two days. Hans is overjoyed and celebrating loudly in the office, at which point Vivien points out to him that she has Vivien has not completed all the necessary vetting procedures so the candidate does not yet meet the safeguarding requirements to begin work. Hans must now contact the school and delay the candidate’s start date, which inconveniences the school and reflects poorly on the agency.HR CUSTOMERS Consultants Need to meet targets to place high fully vetted high calibre teaching staff in school Consultants Need to meet targets to place high fully vetted high calibre teaching staff in school Managing Director Needs to ensure the company’s strategic objectives are met Managing Director Needs to ensure the company’s strategic objectives are met EMPLOYEE RELATIONS OFFICER EMPLOYEE RELATIONS OFFICER Compliance Officer Need to process high volume of new candidates quickly and accurately Compliance Officer Need to process high volume of new candidates quickly and accurately Diagram 2) (Diagram 2) HOW TO PRIOR ITISE NEEDS ‘Customers do want an HR function with strategic business impact, but this is about solving problems that are strategically important for the business, not about separate HR strategies’ (Hirsh et al) As a result of this lapse in correct protocols the school has threatened to end their contract with the agency, which would have a big impact in the revenue brought in by the pod. Hans is a very successful consultant, and part of his success he will interview a high volume of candidates, averaging 6 interviews per day.Hans has accused Vivien of not processing files quickly enough, letting them pile up on her desk. Vivien responds by telling them she can’t process files when she’s interviewing candidates consistently throughout her day for all three consultants. Vivien has asked in the past to change pods as hers is the most successful so she feels overworked whilst the other Compliance Officers are far less busy. The issues identified in this scena rio are a breakdown in communication, imbalance of workload, and damage limitation to one of the agency’s clients.They order in which they are prioritised – their significance, importance and urgency – must be taken in view of the company’s organisational needs and requirements. When faced with such competing priorities, Stephen Covey’s Grid is a useful tool. In this scenario addressing the school’s needs will fall into Quadrant 1, whilst addressing the poor relationship between Hans and Vivien may fall into Quadrant 2. Good communication is the lifeblood of any successful organisation, the results of which can be detrimental (as in the above scenario).There are many ways of communicating within an organisation, and the method and significance of the message can often determine the best method. TYPE OF COMMUNICATION| ADVANTAGE| DISADAVANTAGE| ELECTRONIC| Provides a record for referral follow-up| Can be impersonal and open to interpretation. | WRITTEN/ POSTER| Easily accessed and visible| The Sender does not know if the communication is received unless a reply is required| VERBAL – FACE TO FACE| Allows immediate feedback | Poor communication ability can interfere with how the message os received. Key elements in providing an effective HR Service. Having an understanding and awareness of the strategic purpose of the company will enable the HR professional to operate in an advisory or educational role, assist in decision making, be proactive by applying an overseeing (or policing) role. Senior managers particularly look to the HR function to have an independent, and challenging, view The key elements of effective HR as identified as: Effective service deliveryChallenges the way in which things are done, to find solutions that are better, cheaper or faster as well as an administrative role in implementing relevant processes and practices. Handling and resolving complaints, informal methods, formal methods, appeals a nd escalation (if required) Effective HR services for employees are seen as supporting, not diluting, the responsibility of the line for people management, and the ability of HR to coach line managers, especially around managing performance, is highly valued.Reinforces the compliance role of the HR/personnel function (both legally and ethically) when it is necessary Building and maintaining good relationships A HR professional needs to have its finger on the pulse of what employees are feeling and how well they are working, balancing the interests of employees with the needs of the business. Delivering service on time with any budget implications Affective time management skills, keeping interested parties ‘in the loop’ Dealing with difficult customers Continuous Improvement Keeps in touch with their ‘customers' through networking in order to understand the business better, reacts to feedback and proactively develops (or contributes to the development of service i nnovations which yield ‘customer' advantage in order to provide continuous measured improvement (Kaizen concept).References: CIPD – The Truth about HR http://www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/Methods-of-Communication. topicArticleId-8944,articleId-8919. html Employee communication – Richard Croucher, Human Resource Management , A case study approach Michael Muller-Carmen, Richard Croucher and Susan Leigh. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey ï » ¿Developing Yourself As An Effective HR Practitioner I am doing this HR course to further my career at work. I am supervisor.I am involved in HR in my job, as we do not have an HR department. I work with my Manager at present to help conduct annual appraisals, disciplinary procedures and inductions. I have also been involved with redundancies.We are a medium sized company, which has expanded since I joined in 2000 but as we are growing we feel the need to have 1 person to take on the HR role so that all staff have someone official that they can go to with any problems that they may have.HRPM: this is an easy to use table containing behaviours, professional areas and bands of competence. It allows users to assess their capability in the HR role they have chosen – whether it is general or specialist.The two core professional areas are insights, strategies & solutions and leading HR.As an example of insights in my role at work there are quite a few members of staff who are nearing retirement age and will retire within around two ye ars of each other so we will be losing all the experience and knowledge that they bring to their roles within the business whether that be manufacturing cables or within our quality assurance department, So I have suggested that we employ younger people who we can train working closely with these people so that their knowledge can be passed on. This has been proven to work as we have two members of staff who joined us around 6 years ago straight from school and are some of our best operators as we have trained them in the way we work.The core of the map is about developing an understanding of the organisation that the user is working in, clerk of the works, contracts manager, and architect.Performance and reward – this allows individuals within a work place to use their own skills, behaviours and experience by using a reward scheme such as bonuses.Learning and Development: Build individual and organisational capability and knowledge to meet current requirements – in ma ny industries it is necessary to train an re-train employees as companies become more diverse to keep up with competitors for example, at my place of work we are starting to build completely different types of cable harnesses to what we would have been building one year ago so there is a lot of re-training required for all shop floor staff.Band 1 of the HRPM is most essential in the company I work for, as it is customer orientated.When I am doing the HR role full time my main customers will be shop floor staff although I will be working for others such as Engineers, Our Receptionist and the Managing Director.There are 8 behaviours on the HRPM.Curious: This person is open minded and focused on the future of the business they are in, inquisitive and is always thinking of ways to add to their organisation, focused on the future of the business they are in and is always thinking of ways to add value to their organisation.Decisive Thinker: This person takes in data and information and is a fast learner. They use the information they receive in a structured way to identify options and make recommendations.Skilled Influencer: This person can influence stakeholders to gain commitment and support within the company/industry they work within.Personally Credible: This person uses professionalism to bring value to the whole company they work in including stakeholders and peers.Collaborative: This person works very well with other people within and outside of work.Driven To Deliver: This person is determined and resourceful and uses these skills to deliver the best results for their company.Courage To Challenge: This person will speak up for what they believe in even if confontated with resistance and unfamiliar circumstances.Role Model: This person always leads by example, has integrity and independence and balances personal organisational and legal matters very well.Activity 2In my HR role, I have 4 main customers. These are shop floor staff which includes inductions for new members off staff, Engineers and Our Receptionist. Shop floor staff: I sit in on (and will conduct) appraisals. We have a written assessment, which the shop floor staff must fill out before attending the appraisal. This includes questions about personal development. In the appraisal we discuss the types of work they would like to do in the future, any pay/skills upgrades they may be getting and when they can expect to get them by. We also discuss any problems they may be having although we always encourage them to come to us (our manager, the other shop floor supervisor or myself) with any problems as they come up rather than waiting for the appraisal.The shop floor manager currently  conducts the appraisals and I sit in on them and take notes then type up all the outcomes of the appraisal with a copy to be given to the employee. I conduct Return To Work interviews for employees who have had any unauthorised absence(s). This is conducted using a form with set questions asked and recorded by my-self about the nature of the absence. The Employee and myself then sign it and it is then scanned into their personnel file. I have sat in on and taken the minutes for redundancy meetings. I have had a limited role in these. As well as taking minutes, I am there for moral support, as I know all of our employees personally due to My job as a supervisor and the number of years I have worked there.Engineers:When I am a full time HR practitioner, I will be able to support the engineers with any problems they may have with other members of staff such as conflicts about the way the engineers plan jobs and the way they are actually built on the shop floor. This can be an issue for both the engineers and shop floor staff as the engineers quote the times for each job but they are not always accurate so this means that the shop floor staff may appear to not build cables in the allocated time.New Employees:I will be conducting all inductions for new Employees – This i ncludes a walk around the factory introducing them to key members of staff such as our other supervisor, first aid, fire marshals and the other members of staff who they will be working closest with. I will also show them the fire exits, evacuation points and show them the fireboard with everybody’s names on. I will tell them when the fire alarm is tested and register them on out hand scanner, which clocks everyone in and out of the building and is also used for payroll. I will show them where the toilets are and what times their breaks and lunch breaks are. New Employees have to read our health and safety handbook thoroughly.Conflicting Needs:I prioritise these by consulting with my manager and shop floor staff so that I am able to decide what to deal with first. For example, I would deal with a conflict between two or more employees by speaking to them separately away from their normal work environment and if appropriate, I would get them together to talk about the problem. This would take priority over an appraisal or other day-to-day activity.Communication:I use email to communicate at work. The advantage of this is that everything that is said between Myself and the person I am communicating with is in writing and can be referred back to if necessary. The disadvantage of this is that if it is something urgent, the person I am communicating with may not see the email straight away, as many members of staff are not desk bound. Verbal communication: this has the advantage of getting the message across immediately and being able to get an instant reaction both verbally and assessing through their body language. The disadvantage of this is that you would not be able to accurately refer back to the conversation at a later date, as verbal conversations are not always accurately remembered.Printed memo:I use these to communicate anything I need to tell the whole shop floor as they do not have access to email in their workplace. The advantage of this is tha t I can carefully think about and word the memo exactly how I want it to be put across. It is also good because it is in writing and can be referred back to at a later date. The disadvantage is that I cant always get an instant reaction to it as everyone gets it at the same time so will not necessarily inform me of any feedback unless I ask them.An example of all the above methods of communication is that when we unfortunately had to make redundancies some time ago, there was a memo given to every member of staff from their manager to let them know that everyone was at risk of being made redundant. My Manager and I then had to liase with our legal specialists via telephone and by e-mail. We then sat with each individual and let him or  her know if they were being made redundant or not. We felt that sitting down with everyone individually, they would be able to speak about any concerns they had whether they were being made redundant or not.

Successful High School Course Completion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Successful High School Course Completion - Essay Example The academic journey ahead is hectic but this little achievement was worth celebrating since it had a rejuvenating effect on successful completion of academic endeavors to come. Moreover, undertaking a course that is not concise to your heart’s desire and the career or profession of preference, basically took a positive attitude, self-drive and inbuilt motivation. Parents have their expectations for their daughters and sons and on the other hand, children have their targets too. Therefore, combining the two interests and to establish a common understanding is a tough task. Most students are between a rock and a hard place in trying to merge the two interests. Thus forcing them to drop their own desires and embrace what their parents expect from them in its entire totality. Such resolutions might not be good for grades and performance since learner would not feel totally responsible for their performance. A student might resolve to do a course for of completion seek and break free from the captivity that their parents have subjected them to. In addition, being a sports person and ensuring performance is not affected is a technical mission and to some, it might be chasing shadows. As the old adage goes, one cannot serve two masters at a time, the adage can be branded a clichà © or rather an ancient ideology but it is indisputable that there is some truth in the old saying. Obviously one would tend to value one activity more than the other; most students concentrate on their sporting endeavors and lose their grip on studies. Some students might not be very lucky to have schooled in schools where the sport is equally appreciated and supported, therefore their passions would not be supported. Furthermore, Self-drive is a virtue that not every individual is lucky enough to have, however it is an ability that can be developed over time through regular practice.

Supply Chain Management and Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supply Chain Management and Innovation - Essay Example Though the concept of innovation is not an unknown or new concept for many of the organizations, the old fashioned strategies that were adopted in the olden days may not suit to today's business environment. In order to improve the performance and profitability, today, organizations are required to involve in the most exciting innovative experiments. This would definitely help them create a nice future for the organizations failing which they may not be able to compete with the increasing competition and other innovative competitors. Though most of the companies believe that innovation is one of the factors that help the organization perform and achieve huge profits, it is revealed through a recent study that only 25% of the organizations across the world believe in innovation being the key strategy for the organization's success. Actually, this approach should not be followed. The organizations and all the employees of the firm are required to give the highest priority to innovation in order to sustain the competition and achieve higher profits and also to perform better. (Supply Chain Management) 2. Poor cross-firm integration and collaboration lead to supply chain planning problems. This situation was faced by a company called Leitax, a consumer electronic company. In order to overcome the problems in integration, the company introduced a new system that helps it resolve the existing problems and create better integration among the different functions of the supply chain. The major benefits of increased-integration are better information-sharing, accurate planning and also aligned execution of the plans. Information sharing doesn't simply mean sharing of information among different members. The scope is much broader. Sharing of information requires a lot of attention to be paid to aspects like behavioral dynamics of the operations management. Along with integrating the information requirements for planning within the supply chain, coordination of systems can also help in upholding the organization differentiation that is perceived by the various stakeholders. In a dynamic and yet challenging supply chain environment, a consensus forecasting system can be advantageous in buy-in integration and many other similar concepts. Operationalizing the integration as a functional alignment can yield better results to any organization. Alignment is always a positively influenced by collaborative engagement. Alignment encouraged by collaborative engagement can be more important than achieving, superior performance along such dimensions as speed or accuracy in individual information processing steps of the S&OP process. (Watson) Bibliography 1. Supply Chain Management. Sypply chain management case studies. 3 November 2007. 12 November 2007 . 2. Watson, Rogelio Olivia and Noel. Cross functional Alignment in Supply Chain Managment. 6 Spetember

Business Law Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Law Case - Essay Example odgers for causing her, intentionally, emotional distress and anguish but the defendants claim that no damage is recoverable unless distress result in physical injury. Infliction of emotional distress exists if an â€Å"extreme and outrageous conduct intentionally or recklessly† results in severe emotional instability in another party (Mann and Rogers 120). A person that causes such a distress assumes liability for the distress and possible consequences of the distress. An act is further said to be reckless if it disregards possible consequences or fails. According to the third restatement, knowledge of possible severe emotional instability and failure to take measures for mitigating effects of the instability and indifference over the possible consequences define recklessness. A person is entitled to damages for severe emotional distress is suffered emotional instability is severe and if an ordinary person would suffer the consequences under normal circumstances. There is no need for proof of physical harm in order to recover damages for emotional distress (Mann and Rogers 120). The case of Ferrell v. Mikula 627 SE2d7 illustrates the rule. In the case, a manager at Ruby Tuesday restaurant ordered a security offers to follow customers who were believed suspected to have left without paying for their orders. This was however a mistake because the target had paid their bills and were confused with two parties who had been excused from making payments. The target were then stopped, handcuffed and placed in police patrol car but later released after confirmation that they had actually paid their bills. The target sued for infliction of emotional distress that was dismissed at the original and appellate court. The court of appeal of Georgia argued that a case for infliction of emotional distress must meet four elements. There must have been intentional of reckless behavior that must further be â€Å"extreme or outrageous† (Mann and Rogers 121). The act must have further

Principal-agent theory provides definitive answers to how ownership Essay - 1

Principal-agent theory provides definitive answers to how ownership and control problems should be overcome in particular firms. Discuss - Essay Example As a result of globalization, managing business is considered as a complex situation wherein the business owners should continuously develop strategic ways that can enable the company survive the internal and external business challenges. In relation to the use of principal-agent theory, this study will provide some strategic ways on how ownership and control problems should be overcome. As part of going through the main discussion, some real-life case situations will be analyzed using the principal-agent theory framework. In relation to the principal-agent framework, the agent is pertaining to the person who is offering a product or service whereas the principal is the one who pays a certain amount of money in exchange for a product or service. In line with this, the concept of principal-agent theory can also be applied in the case of a landlord (agent) and the tenant (principal) who pays rent and electricity as stipulated in the agreement contract between the landlord and the tenant The principal and the agent may or may not have complete information with regards to the future development of their business relationship. As explained by Rasmusen (2007, p. 179), the presence of moral hazard which is normally hidden by nature is a common cause of misunderstanding between the principal and the agent. In line with this, a common principal-agent problem that may arise between the landlord and the tenant is the payment for unsettled rent, electricity bills and damages that may occur inside the house. Depending on the preferred mode of payment as demanded by the landlord, the landlord can prevent the risk wherein the tenant could fail to pay the due amount of rent, damages and electricity bills by obliging the tenant to pay the amount of two months deposit plus the monthly rental fees. On the part of the tenant who is paying for the rent, the principal is more likely to demand for good quality house that is free from termites, non-functioning

Crime Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crime - Movie Review Example f actus reus) is that it comprises all the elements of the definition of the offence except those that relate to the mental element (mens rea) required on the part of the accused." (Allen; p.18) The actus reus of murder requires that a person is killed unlawfully under the Queen's peace. Queen's Peace - in times of peace rather than war time. Unlawful - that there is no lawful excuse or justification. Person means a human being. Lord Lane, C.J. in R v Nedrick [1986] 1 WLR 1025, states: "Where the charge is murder and in the rare cases where the simple direction is not enough, the jury should be directed that they are not entitled to infer the necessary intention, unless they feel sure that death or serious bodily harm was a virtual certainty (barring some unforeseen intervention) as a result of the defendant's actions and that the defendant appreciated that such was the case, the decision being for the jury to decide on a consideration of all the evidence." Mens rea: (Gammon Ltd v Attorney General of Hong Kong, 1985) The above case was decided as: "In their Lordships' opinion, the law relevant to this appeal may be stated in the following propositions: (1) There is a presumption of law that mens rea is required before a person can be guilty of a criminal offence (2) The presumption is particularly strong where the offence is truly criminal in character; (3) The presumption applies to statutory offences, and can be displaced only if this is clearly or by necessary implication the effect of the statute; (4) The only situation in which the presumption can be displaced is where the statute is concerned with an issue of social concern, and public safety is such an issue; (5) Even where a statute is concerned with such an issue, the presumption of mens rea stands... "Murder is when a man of sound memory, and of the age of discretion, unlawfully killeth within any country of the realm any reasonable creature in rerum natura under the King's peace, with malice aforethought, either expressed by the party or implied by law, so as the party wounded, or hurt, etc. die of the wound or hurt, etc. within a year and a day after the same." "A useful working definition (of actus reus) is that it comprises all the elements of the definition of the offence except those that relate to the mental element (mens rea) required on the part of the accused." (Allen; p.18) "Where the charge is murder and in the rare cases where the simple direction is not enough, the jury should be directed that they are not entitled to infer the necessary intention, unless they feel sure that death or serious bodily harm was a virtual certainty (barring some unforeseen intervention) as a result of the defendant's actions and that the defendant appreciated that such was the case, the decision being for the jury to decide on a consideration of all the evidence." (5) Even where a statute is concerned with such an issue, the presumption of mens rea stands unless it can be shown that the creation of strict liability will be effective to promote the objects of the statute by encouraging greater vigilance to prevent the commission of the prohibited

Current event in medical organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Current event in medical organization - Essay Example consequently, such prescriptions could result into addiction, occasional psychosis and anxiety. Doctors recommend timely diagnosis which works to counter the effects of the disorder at least at an early age. The American Psychiatric Association is working on a bid to ensure that an increased number of teenagers can access prescribed medication after diagnosis. This article reveals the disorder is as a result of abnormal chemical imbalance in the brain. The chemicals interfere with an individual’s attention skills and impulse control as well. Patient and doctors advocates have never seized to differ of the rising diagnosis rates. Proponents hold the school of thought that the rising rates indicate proper management of the disorder. Opponents on the other hand think that the respective prescriptions only work to calm an individual’s behavior. The disorder can readily be determined through extensive talks with parents, patients and teachers. However, the rising cases of diagnosis and treatment of the disorder should be well managed in order to strike a reasonable balance (Schwarz and Cohen, 2). In line with class work, the article revisits thus highlights the disorder a major in the American society. One is able to understand how the A.D.H.D disorder has been well advertises thus increasing the sale of respective treatments. Additionally, that if left untreated, the disorder could easily affect a child’s academic performance is a genuine concern that only calls for proactive attitude when dealing with the disorder. Alonso-Zaldivar (2) questions the significance of marketing to resolving pertinent issues associated with Obamacare. Obama’s initiative has since received mixed reactions from various stakeholders. It is no wonder that the initiative has been viewed as complex and controversial. This has forced the government to invest heavily on mass marketing to promote awareness in the country. This initiative has been shot

Bureaucratic Management Theory Essay Example for Free

Bureaucratic Management Theory Essay Webers theory of bureaucratic management has two essential elements. First, it entails structuring an organization into a hierarchy. Secondly, the organization and its members are governed by clearly defined rational-legal decision-making rules. Each element helps an organization to achieve its goals. An organizational hierarchy is the arrangement of the organization by level of authority in reference to the levels above and below it. For example, a vice-president of marketing is below the companys president, at the same level as the companys vice president of sales, and above the supervisor of the companys social media department. Each level answers to the level above it with the ultimate leader of the organization at the top. The easiest way to understand the term rational-legal decision making rules is to think of it as a set of explicit and objective policies and procedures that governs how an organization functions. Examples of rational-legal decision-making rules include human resources rules and policies or the regulations governing who is entitled to unemployment insurance. Bureaucracies are all around us this form of organization, which is comprised of non-elected officials who implement rules, is not only common in the public sector but in the business world as well. Examples of bureaucracies in the public sector include the Social Security Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and public universities. Among the oldest bureaucratic structures in the country is the United States Military. In the private sector, most large business firms have a bureaucratic organization. Examples of private sector firms with a bureaucratic structure include IBM, GM and the Union Pacific Railroad. Knowing how bureaucratic management works can lead to a better understanding of how government agencies and large business firms operate it can assist you in interacting with complex organizations, whether it be seeking social security benefits or working for a large corporation. Max Weber Max Weber. Published in the US before 1923 and public domain in the US. Max Weber Father of Modern Organizational Theory One of the most important thinkers in modern organizational theory, Max Weber (1864-1920), is the father of the bureaucratic management theory. Weber was a German sociologist and political economist that viewed bureaucracy in a positive light, believing it to be more rational and efficient than its historical predecessors.

The Rogerian approach to therapy and its limitations

The Rogerian approach to therapy and its limitations One of the phrases that Carl Rogers used to describe his therapy is supportive, not reconstructive. It is possible to explain a person to himself, to prescribe steps which should lead him forward, to train him in knowledge about a more satisfying mode of life. But such methods are, in my experience, futile and inconsequential. The most they can accomplish is some temporary change, which soon disappears, leaving the individual more than ever convinced of his inadequacies (Rogers 1961, p33). Influences Rogers never undertook specific training as a psychotherapist (Rogers and Russell 2002, p242), and was initially heavily influenced by his childhood and the restrictions and control exercised by his parents and by an early tutor, Goodwin Watson. Philosophically, Rogers cites Emerson, and in particular Kierkegaard and Buber as his key influences (Rogers and Russell 2002, p169). Psychologists influencing him included Maslow, Combs and Snygg (Nelson-Jones 2000 p99) Rogers belief in an individuals capacity for self-direction although primarily founded on his clinical experienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was buttressed by his understanding of Ranks work (Rogers and Russell 2002, p9), and he talks of being much influenced by Jesse Taft and Frederick Allen as well as alluding to the work of Karen Horney in his paper on newer concepts in psychotherapy in December 1940. Theoretical Development Corey (2001, p170) references Zimring and Raskins (1992) identification of four definitive periods of development in Rogers approach, commencing in the 1940s with the introduction of non-directive counseling. Corey comments He caused a great furor when he challenged the basic assumption the the counselor knows bestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Based on his conviction that diagnostic concepts and procedures were inadequate, prejudicial, and often misused, he omitted them from his approach. During this time Rogers placed emphasis on a permissive and non-directive climate aiming to gain insight into client feelings. During the second period, Rogers shifted focus from the therapists approach onto the phenomenological world of the client. The clients internal frame of reference and the actualising tendency as the driver for change received attention, with the approach subsequently being renamed client-centred therapy. The third period observes Rogers further refine his approach, focusing on the nature of becoming the self one truly is (Corey p170), or the necessary and sufficient conditions of therapy as outlined by Rogers in his article in volume 21 of the Journal of Consulting Psychology in 1957 (Kirschenbaum and Henderson p 219-235), in which he explains his hypothesis for a set of facilitative conditions related to psychotherapeutic change. Rogers also undertook extensive research into the client / therapist relationship at this time. The final stage outlined is 1970 onwards when the focus became far broader, encompassing education, industry and world politics, subsequently becoming the person-centred approach. Rogers early work in counselling and psychotherapy therefore outlined new concepts in the world of psychotherapy suggesting a new way of viewing the therapy relationship. These developments resulted in the formulation of a non-directive approach with an emphasis on the present rather past, feelings rather than thoughts and focussing on the clients rather than the therapists resources. This led to a supportive therapy relationship, which Thorne (1992) believes Rogers maintained as key to the therapeutic process throughout his life. the whole conceptual framework of Rogers ideas rests on his profound experience that human beings become increasingly trust-worthy once they feel at a deep level that their subjective experience is both respected and progressively understood (Thorne 1992, p26) Key Concepts In a 1957 article in the Journal of Consulting Psychology, Rogers listed the conditions of the therapeutic process in which such an atmosphere can come about. For constructive personality change to occur, it is necessary that these conditions exist and continue over a period of time: Two persons in psychological contact The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client. The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the clients internal frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client. The communication to the client of the therapists empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is to a minimal degree achieved. No other conditions are necessary. If these six conditions exist, and continue over a period of time, this is sufficient. The process of constructive personality change will follow. (Kirschenbaum and Henderson p221) Stedmans provide a medical definition of Supportive psychotherapy as psychotherapy aiming at bolstering the patients psychological defences and providing reassurance, as in crisis intervention, rather than probing provocatively into the patients conflicts and in consideration of this the above conditions can be interpreted as a framework for the provision of a supportive environment for the therapeutic process. Therapeutic Process The case of Mary Jane Tilden, seen by Rogers in 1946, is noted by Patricia Raskin (1996, p135) as being an excellent example of the classical Rogerian approach, subsequently being subject to review from both client-centred and contemporary psychoanalytic viewpoints. The case of Mary Jane involves a withdrawn woman of 20 brought into therapy by her mother, seemingly struggling to break free from the influence of others and to resolve deep internal conflicts, apparently having tried but repeatedly failing to pass through the adolescent stages of life into maturity. Rogers had a total of 11 sessions with Mary Jane, during which marked changes are seen to take place, particularly in the later sessions when more rapid change becomes evident. Throughout the early sessions Rogers continues to support, recognise and clarify feelings even when the client portrays an extremely bleak outlook, making repeated references to sanatoriums, inadequacy, comparison to others and even mentioning suicide and possible brain damage. Mary Jane repeatedly tries to place ownership onto Rogers, asking many questions and seemingly becoming quite frustrated at his refusal to provide answers. Rogers refuses to supply answers whilst consistently remaining empathic and supportive. In the third session we see Mary Jane pushing for answers but interestingly on this occasion when left to her own thinking she works out the answer for herself. Reviewing the Mary Jane case Dingman (1996) considers that Rogers consistently refrained from providing the answers or strategies repeatedly requested, or to provide advice or guidance choosing instead to remain emphatically present, to understand her frustration and confusion without prescription for changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and] would not undermine Mary Janes movement toward encountering fully the what I am by providing answers (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p202). Although tentative moves toward improvement in earlier sessions are apparent, a definite step change is noted during session seven as Mary Jane recognises her internal conflicts. Lengthy pauses prevail as Rogers allows time for independent information processing and solution identification. In session eight the realisation of her parents influence becomes apparent however the hopelessness is now clearly interspersed with awareness, insight and tentative positivity. Dingman proposes within the empathic enclosure that Rogers provided, Mary Janes introspective, intellectual interest in self shifted slowly to more primary experiencing (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p202). Geller and Gould (1996) acknowledge Rogers achieved success in strengthening Mary Janes capacities for autonomy and mutuality and that she had become increasingly self-accepting, but argue Rogers and Mary Jane never did achieve full agreement on the goals of treatment, their relative responsibilities or the kind of relationship required to do the therapy work (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p218). They argue Rogers responded to Mary Janes strengths but was neither empathic nor perceptive about her more negative feelings, failing to address unconscious conflicts and therefore potentially limiting the depth of her explorations in these areas. They question whether follow through would have produced more enduring gains. Accelerated change is observed during the last few sessions, with Mary Jane confronting dependence issues. Although still asking questions she no longer pushes for responses, instead progressing to answer independently. In the final session Mary Jane speaks of progress made and changes experienced, noting that it has become easier to talk with more reliance on instinct and an ability to act natural. Raising concern improvement may be temporary, she nonetheless appears confident that she now has the ability to cope. Considering Mary Janes movement toward adjustment, Dingman refers to the necessity for resolution of all her preconceived notions of what she should do and should be prior to ceasing to resist and so shift toward acceptance of what I am, stating Evaluation, comparison, analysis, the longing to be what one is not all this had to die for the new living pattern to emerge. (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p208) In reviewing Rogers management of the case, Geller and Gould comment Rogers style of working can be viewed as essentially directed toward helping Mary Jane forge a cohesive sense of self, capable of individuationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Rogers primary aim was to support the development of the clients unique individuality and expressiveness further stating the belief that Rogers approach did promote therapeutic change in Mary Jane through consistently providingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦empathic responsiveness tempered by optimal frustration, remaining non-judgemental and through a refusal to provide answers or to provide guidance or reassurance thus forcing Mary Jane to take increasing responsibility for her own life. (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p224) Geller and Gould state the classical psychoanalytical view that reconstruction was paramount to the therapeutic process, noting that this view has since evolved to recognise the role of the relationship and concluding that Carl Rogers demonstrated, 20 years before the current popularity of short term psychodynamic psychotherapy, that it was possible to achieve ambitious therapeutic goals within a relatively short space of time and believe that [Mary Jane] did create some enduring internalized representations of Rogers warmth, support and helpfulness. (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p228) The case is therefore a good example of Rogers not deconstructing the past to effect reconstruction, consistently remaining supportively and empathically present. Mary Jane, rather than the therapist, carried out independent deconstruction with subsequent disintegration of all analysis and previous structure before progression toward a reconstructed self resultant from a supportive and empathic relationship. Reconstructive Therapy In understanding the term reconstructive therapy Stedmans definition is considered: a form of therapy such as psychoanalysis, that seeks not only to alleviate symptoms but also to produce alterations in maladaptive character structure and to expedite new adaptive potentials; this aim is achieved by bringing into consciousness an awareness of insight into conflicts, fears, inhibitions, and their manifestations. Sperry states supportive psychotherapy is differentiated from reconstructive psychotherapy and considers the goal of reconstructive psychotherapy is to work through the abandonment depressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This leads to the achievement of ego autonomy and the transformation of split object relations into whole object relation and the split ego into a whole ego. Supportive psychotherapy is noted as being less intensive and regressive. (Sperry 2003, p97) To achieve deeper understanding of differences between reconstructive and Rogerian therapy, Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy is considered. Benjamin states therapy starts with learning to recognise your patterns, where they came from and what they are for (Benjamin 2006, p21), considering problem behaviours and associated symptoms represent attachment centred around dysfunctional relationships with important persons in early life, referencing Bowlbys 1977 assumption that important early relationships provide internal working models for a child. Benjamin explains The linchpin of IRTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is the process of coming to terms with important persons and their internalised representations (IPIRs)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦coming to terms compares to working through in traditional psychodynamic therapy (Benjamin 2006 p73). In total contrast to the Rogerian approach, IRT is structured and directive, aiming at reconstruction and is configured of five sequential steps commencing with the identification of patterns. Movement through a deconstruction stage relying heavily on regression, before progression through a reconstruction process leads to final embracing of change. The goal is that the impossible wishes that support the quest for psychic proximity to the IPIRs must be recognised, grieved for and given up. Then reconstruction of personality can begin (Benjamin 2006 p326) Research Basavanthappa (2007) considers Supportive therapy to be the most widely practised form of individual psychotherapy today, and on review of the Mary Jane Tilden case there is seemingly agreement that Rogers supportive approach successfully achieved a positive outcome. To quantify these opinions research evidence is explored, prior to consideration and discussion of any potential limitations a strictly Rogerian approach may present. Two independent studies (Friedli et al 1997; Bower et al 2000) based on randomised, controlled assessment concluded that person-centred, non-directive therapy more than holds its own compared with other forms of therapy. (Feltham and Horton, 2006, p296) Analysing the outcome of The Menniger Psychotherapy Research Project carried out in the 1950s, Howitz (1974) suggested that patientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦did improve significantly in supportive therapy, given the achievement of a powerful therapeutic alliance. (Fonagy, nd). Reanalysis by Wallerstein in 1986, reported on the long term follow up (Fonagy, nd), and Sperry (2003) states the report outcomes suggest that supportive treatment is able to bring about the basic personality changes that were expected only from reconstructive dynamic psychotherapy, before concluding despite Kerbergs (84) characteristic of Supportive Psychotherapy as a treatment of last resort Supportive Psychotherapy is a potent intervention. (Sperry 2003, p98) The Hamburg study (1981), involving comparison of client-centred and psychoanalytic therapy, concluded In direct comparison of psychological test scores between cct and pt groups, few significant differences emerged and none of those that did were replicated in subsequent analyses. (Fonagy nd, p301). Cooper (2008, p128) notes that psychotherapy researchers such as Lambert have estimated that relational factors account for around 30% of the variance in outcomes whilst technique and orientation factors may contribute only 15% toward overall outcome of therapy with Wampold (2001) calculating a much lower figure of only 1%. Furthermore, the Task Force of the Psychotherapy Division of the American Psychological Association, found demonstrably effective elements for positive therapeutic outcomes to include empathy (Bohart et Al 2002) and promising and probably effective elements to include positive regard (Farber and Lane 2002) and congruence or genuiness (Klein et al 2002) (Feltham and Horton, 2006, p67). Research by Bohart and Tallmand (1999:51) concluded from a client perspective, the most important aspects of therapy typically are the non-technological factors: having a time and place to talk; having someone care, listen and understand; having someone provide encouragement and reassurance; having someone offer an external perspective and advice (Cooper 2008, p99). These findings reinforce Heines 1950 study quoted by Rogers (1967) concluding that regardless of therapeutic orientation it was the attitudinal elements in the relationship that accounted for positive outcome. These include trust felt in the therapist, being understood by the therapist, the feeling of independence they had had in making choices and decisions and therapist ability to clarify and state feelings. Elements found to be unhelpful included the giving of direct specific advice or emphasising past history rather than present problems. Cooper concludes that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is closely associated with therapeutic outcomes across both relationally and non-relationally orientated therapies (Cooper 2008, p120). On review of empirically supported treatments subjected to rigorous experimental studies against specific forms of psychological distress, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is repeatedly presented as a treatment of proven effectiveness (Cooper (2008) p38-45), consequently being adopted by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment of choice for many psychological disorders. Cooper notes, however, that the lack of evidence does not correlate to lack of effectiveness pointing out the need for further research to support the effectiveness of other therapies. In summarising technique and practice factors, Cooper considers that although there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of one technique over any other, CBT has the strongest evidence base, particularly for anxiety related issues. Cooper also suggests that although there is evidence to support directive and non-directive methods extremes of either should be avoided. Humanistic techniques, when undertaken effectively and with the result of deepening levels of experiencing and emotional processing can be linked to positive therapeutic outcome. (Cooper 2208, p154) Research by Glass and Arnkoff (2000) suggests that a collaborative approach is favourable, and whilst the above research promotes the effectiveness of CBT, Kirschet al. (1995) found hypnotic procedures have been found to significantly enhance the efficacy of CBT (Cooper 2008, p174). One such model taking this approach is presented by Assen Aladdin in his Cognitive Hypnotherapy model, with Aladdin quoting research studies by Schoenberger (2000) and Kirsch, Montgomery and Saperstein (1995) as concluding that hypnotherapy was found to be significantly superior to non-hypnotic treatment when combined with CBT (Aladdin 2008, p10). Limitations Considering limitations of the client-centred approach Corey (2001) quotes feedback from an exercise by Cain (1988): Person centred therapy is too simple. It is limited to techniques of attending and reflecting. The approach is ineffective and leads to undirected rambling by the client. Rather than emphasising the counsellor as a person, it would be better to focus on developing a variety of techniques that can be applied to solving specific problems. More emphasis should be placed on systematic training of counselling skills and less on the attitudes of the counsellor. It is not necessarily true that individuals have within them a growth potential or actualising tendency. Not all clients have the capacity to trust their own inner direction and find their own answers. (Corey 2001, p186) In reviewing the above, one could question whether these represent the failings of the approach if carried out incompletely than in the method originally intended by Rogers. Indeed, prior to this Corey comments Therapist authenticity and congruence are so vital to this approach that those who practice within this framework must feel natural in doing so à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If not, a real possibility is thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦therapy will be reduced to a bland, safe, and ineffectual pabulum. (Corey 2001, p185) By nature, the purist Rogerian approach is heavily dependant on the therapist and their abilities to meet the conditions Rogers considered essential to ensure necessary and sufficient conditions of therapy, and therefore the extent to which the outcome is also dependent on the therapist has to be questioned. On reviewing the nine case commentaries in The Psychotherapy of Carl Rogers Cases and Commentaries (1996), it becomes apparent how inconsistent Rogers approach can appear, with notable changes in both his style and approach between clients, not only indicating the importance of therapist ability but further questioning the extent of therapist influence on the process. Research by Sasche(2004) concluded that clients are not particularly good, by themselves, at deepening their levels of processing and that they are strongly influenced by their therapists statements Sasche explains that deepening statements conducive to more productive therapeutic work are actively achieved by the therapist through reflection at a deeper level, with flattening statements reflecting back at the same or shallower level producing more superficial client processing (Cooper 2008, p141). This suggests the therapist is therefore very much in control of the therapy process, even in a non-directive approach. Whilst it is evident on study of Rogers cases that he frequently encourages deepening of experience in the way that his reflection is carried out, he also appears to subtlety challenge clients in the process. Corey (2001, p185) notes that many therapists fail to achieve this and that they have limited the range of their responses and counselling styles to reflections and emphatic listening becoming client-centred to the extent that they diminish the value of their own power as a person and thus lose the impact of their personality on the client Conclusion There is considerable research evidence suggesting the importance of the therapeutic relationship, and moreover to the specific qualities of empathy, positive regard and congruence all of which are pivotal to Rogerian therapy, however further empirical research is required to enable links to positive outcomes for specific psychological issues. research evidence that the therapeutic conditions are both necessary and sufficient is not unequivocal, though much of it suffers from inadequate methodology and the possibility of poorly reported and discussed reportsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this research forms the basis of the mainstream viewà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that the therapeutic relationship is the key factor in successful outcome. (Feltham and Horton 2006 p296) Whilst the relationship is evidently key for a positive therapeutic outcome, utilising relationship alone relies solely on therapists ability to emulate Rogers intended approach. It is logical to assume this is likely to produce more inconsistent results than a structured therapy integrating the Rogerian approach could achieve. There is also evidence to suggest that extremes of either directiveness or passiveness are detrimental and also that a collaborative approach is the most appropriate intervention in ensuring a positive outcome. A feasibly conclusion can be drawn that a collaborative approach (Glass and Arnkoff 2000) combining a relationship comprising empathy, positive regard and congruence (Task Force Study) with CBT (Cooper 2008) and enhanced by hypnotherapy (Kirsch et al 1995) could hold the potential to provide a consistently effective and positive therapeutic intervention in the alleviation of psychological disorders with further empirical research needed to prove efficacy for specific forms of psychological distress.

Financial Statement Analysis

Financial Statement Analysis Financial performance, as a part of financial management, is the main indicator of the success or failure of the companies. Financial performance analysis can be considered as the heart of the financial decisions. Rational evaluation of the performance of the companies is essential to prepare sound financial policies and to attract potential investors. Shareholders are interested in EPS, dividend, net worth and market value per share. Management is interested in all aspects of financial performance to adopt a good financial management system and for the internal control of the company. The creditors are primarily interested in the liquidity of the company. Government is interested from the regulatory point of view. Besides, other stakeholders such as economists, trade associations, competitors, etc are also interested in the financial performance of the company. Therefore, all the stakeholders are interested in the performance of the companies but their perspective may be different. Financial analysis helps to highlight the financial performance of the company. It is the process of identifying the financial strength and weakness of a firm by properly establishing the relationship between the items on the Balance Sheet and those on the Profit and Loss Account (Pandey 1992, p109). It is a general term referring to the process of extracting and studying information in financial statements for use in management decision making, for example, financial analysis typically involves the use of ratios, comparison with prior periods and budget, and other such procedures. Financial appraisal is a scientific evaluation of the profitability and strength of any business concerns (Jain 1996, p36). It seeks to spotlight the significant impacts and relationships concerning managerial performance, corporate efficiency, financial strength and weakness and creditworthiness of the company (Srivastava 1985, p59). The objective of financial analysis is a detailed cause and effect study of the profitability and financial position (Hingorani and Ramnthan 1992). According to Hampton, â€Å"Financial Analysis is the process of determining the significant operating and financial characteristics of a firm from accounting data and financial statement. The goal of such analysis is to determine the efficiency and performance of the firms management, as reflected in the financial records and reports†(Hampton 1986, p85). Financial statements are such records and reports, which contain the data required for performance management. It is therefore important to analyze the financial statements to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company. The financial statements of a business enterprise are intended to provide much of the basic data used for decision making, and in general, evaluation of performance by various groups such as current owners, potential investors, creditors, government agencies, and in some instance, competitors (Benjamin et al 1975, p412). Financial statements are the reports in which the accountant summarizes and communicates the basic financial data. The financial statements provide the summary of a accounts of the company- the Balance Sheet reflecting the assets, liabilities and capital as of a certain date and the Profit and Loss Account showing the results of operation during a period. The financial statements are a collection of data organized according to logical and consistent accounting procedures (Hampton 1986, p85). The function of financial statement is to convey an understanding of some financial aspects of the company. Financial statement analysis involves appraising the financial statement and related footnotes of an entity. This may be done by accountants, investment analysts, credit analysts, management and other interested parties. Financial statements indicate an appraisal of a companys previous financial performance and its future potential (Shim and Siegel 1989, p197). The analysis of a financial statement is done to obtain a better insight into a firms position and performance (Munakarmi 2000). Analyzing a financial statement is a process of evaluating the relationship between component parts of financial statement to obtain a better understanding of the firms position and performance (Metcalf and Titard 1976, p157). The financial analysis is thus the analysis of the financial statements, which is done to evaluate the performance of the company. Ratio Analysis, Trend Analysis, Comparative Financial Statement Analysis and Common Size Statement Analysis are the major tools of the financial an alysis. Financial statement analysis involves the computation of ratios to evaluate a companys financial position and results of operation (Shim and Siegel 1989, p196). Ratio is an important tool of financial statement analysis. The relationship between two accounting figures, expressed mathematically is known as financial ratio (Pandey 1992, p110). â€Å"Ratio used as an index of yardstick for evaluating the financial position and performance of the firm. It helps analysts to make a quantitative judgement about the financial position and performance of the firm. It uses financial reports and data and summarizes the key relationship in order to appraise financial performance (Munakarmi 2000). Ratio analysis is such a powerful tools of financial analysis that through it, the economic and financial position of a business unit can be fully x-rayed. Ratios are just a convenient way to summarize large quantities of financial data and to compare the performance of the firms (Brealey and Myeres 20 03). Ratios are exceptionally useful tools with which one can judge the financial performance of the firm over a period of time (Srivastava 1985, p63). Performance ratio can provide an insight into a banks profitability, return on investment, capital adequacy and liquidity (Clark 1999, p257). The above theories suggest that financial analysis helps to measure the performance of the companies. Different analysts desire different types of ratios, depending largely on whom the analysts are and why the firm is being evaluated. Short-term creditors are concerned with the firms ability to pay its bills promptly. In the short run, the amount of liquid assets determines the ability to pay off current liabilities. They are interested in liquidity. Long-terms creditors hold bonds or debentures; mortgages against the firm are interested in current payment of interest and the eventual repayment of the principal. The company must be sufficiently liquid in the short-term and have adequate profits for the long-term. They examine liquidity and the profitability. Stockholders, in addition to liquidity and profitability, are concerned about the policies of the firms stock. Without liquidity, the firm could not pay the cash dividends. Without profits, the firm could not be able to declare d ividends. With poor policies, the common stock would trade at a lower price in the market (Hampton 1986, p124). Analysis of the financial statement of a company for one year or for a shorter period would not truly reflect the nature of its operations. For this, it is essential that the analysis reasonably cover a longer period. The analysis made over a longer period is termed as Trend Analysis. Trend Analysis of the ratio indicates the direction of change (Pandey 1992, p51). This method involves the calculation of percentage relationship that each item bears to the same item in the base year. Trend percentage discloses the changes in the financial and operating data between specific periods and makes it possible to form an opinion as to whether favourable and unfavourable tendencies are reflected by the data. Comparative Statement Analysis is another method of measuring the performance of the company. It is used to compare the performance and position of the firm with the average performance of the industry or with other firms, such a comparison will identify areas of weakness which can then b e addressed to rectify the situation. From the above discussion, it is clear that performance is the result of various financials variables. Analysis of performance is not limited to analyzing one or two variable(s). it could be analyzed with the help of various financial indicators. Most of the studies, however, devoted to measure the performance in terms of profitability, stock returns, and turnover, risk adjusted returns on investment, dividends, growth of sales, market capitalization. Analyzing stock return constitutes market price per share and dividend per share. The trend of such variables over the period and comparison of the results with the results of the same variables of another firm or another industry indicates the relative performance of the firm or industry.

indians :: essays research papers

â€Å"James Luna, A Native American Man,† is an insightful, cut the bullshit, view of the modern Indian culture. I identify with Luna’s viewpoints as I have seen many of the situations he describes with his art to be true to life. I have spent a lot of time in Northern Canada fishing with my brother and father. The areas we visit are predominantly Indian reservations. Having spent quite a bit of time getting to know these types of towns and people, I have grown aware of some of the many problems that surround the modern day reservation lifestyle. It is true that most people have romantic and Disneyland-ish ideas about what it means to be a modern Indian, the most of which are complete fantasy. The reality behind the situation seems to be the exact opposite. The majority of reservation towns are dirty, poor, and run-down. Many of the people have alcohol and drug related problems starting at a young age. At a quick drive through one might assume he was passing through another slum. There are no teepees, no headdresses, and no rituals. For the most part there is only poverty. Unless the town is lucky enough to have a casino, the majority of the people live month to month on their reparation checks. This is where I believe, as do many of the Indians I have spoken to, the problem lies. The idea of reparations sounds good enough in theory. Pay people back for what was taken from them long ago. The long-term effects of reparations though tend to be devastating to the Indian culture. Why would giving people free money be harmful? Quite simply, handouts deprive people of pride, a sense of equality and belonging, and especially motivation. The people I have talked to all claim the same thing†¦Children growing up know that they don’t have to work if they don’t want to. That tends to be the common attitude of the reservation Indian. This also encourages what Luna calls, â€Å"Wannabee’s,† to try and get in on the action for a chunk of change. And lets not forget the known tendencies toward alcohol and addiction that makes it even easier to drink and pass the time, rather than having to work and entrepreneur.

Emily Dickinson and Her Poetry Essay -- Poem Dickinson Poetry Biograph

Emily Dickinson and Her Poetry Emily Dickinson is one of the great visionary poets of nineteenth century America. In her lifetime, she composed more poems than most modern Americans will even read in their lifetimes. Dickinson is still praised today, and she continues to be taught in schools, read for pleasure, and studied for research and criticism. Since she stayed inside her house for most of her life, and many of her poems were not discovered until after her death, Dickinson was uninvolved in the publication process of her poetry. This means that every Dickinson poem in print today is just a guess—an assumption of what the author wanted on the page. As a result, Dickinson maintains an aura of mystery as a writer. However, this mystery is often overshadowed by a more prevalent notion of Dickinson as an eccentric recluse or a madwoman. Of course, it is difficult to give one label to Dickinson and expect that label to summarize her entire life. Certainly she was a complex woman who could not accurately be described with one sentence or phrase. Her poems are unique and quite interestingly composed—just looking at them on the page is pleasurable—and it may very well prove useful to examine the author when reading her poems. Understanding Dickinson may lead to a better interpretation of the poems, a better appreciation of her life’s work. What is not useful, however, is reading her poems while looking back at the one sentence summary of Dickinson’s life. The notion of the author has often been disputed when it comes to critical literary studies. The argument centers around one basic question: Should the author be considered when looking at a text? There are numerous reasons given as to why the author is important or why the ... .... Rutgers University Libraries. 19 Apr. 2005 . Keller, Lynn. â€Å"An Interview with Susan Howe.† Contemporary Literature 36.1 (1995): 1 34. Oates, Joyce Carol, ed. The Essential Dickinson. New York: Harper Collins, 1996. Winhusen, Steven. â€Å"Emily Dickinson and Schizotypy.† The Emily Dickinson Journal 13.1 (2004): 77-96. Works Consulted Green, Fiona. â€Å"Plainly on the Other Side: Susan Howe’s Recovery.† Contemporary Literature 42.1 (2001): 78-101. Ickstadt, Heinz. â€Å"Emily Dickinson’s Place in Literary History; or, the Public Function of a Private Poet.† The Emily Dickinson Journal 10.1 (2001): 55-68. Ma, Ming-Qian. â€Å"Poetry as History Revised: Susan Howe’s ‘Scattering as Behavior Toward Risk.’† American Literary History 6.4 (1994): 716-37. Miller, Cristanne. â€Å"Whose Dickinson?† American Literary History 12.1 (2000): 230-53.