Future Trends of Human Resource Essay

1. Introduction What does the human resource information system look like in the future? It is hard to find an accurate answer for me. Every year, thousands of HRIS specialists trying to predict the future trends of HRIS and, of course, their prediction differ. However, despite of what prediction they had made, I think social media will play an important role in next few years. In this paper, I will try to discuss what social media means to human resource and discuss three major players in the field—Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. 2. Social Network Site vs. HR According to the 2011 Kelly Services Global employees Index research, published by the famous human resource service organization Kelly Services, social network site is becoming the â€Å"edge tool† in the future workplace. According to the research, social network site (SNS) is changing the way of life and work. It expanded its function from only entertaining to boosting working efficiency and enhancing the success rate of job applying. The research shows that over 80% of workforce is using SNS every day, while over 60% of workforce considers it as a work booster. According to the research, a lot of employees think they can develop an instant synchronized â€Å"expert tank†, from which they can acquire relative knowledge, skill and experience, so that they will be support by experts wherever, whenever. They also regard SNS as a pipe cleaner of the networking. By using SNS, they can manage their networking just within few clicks. It is a cost efficiency and personalized way. In addition, they also use SNS to relieve work pressure. According to the research, SNS is now penetrating to the area of traditional recruiting. The advantage of it includes no limits of time and space, cost efficiency and high reliability. The research indicated that over 90% active job seekers are now using SNS at least once per week. It also indicated that job seekers who age below 25 are more willing to use SNS as a tool to find job, while who age over 35 are more possible to find a job by using it. The research suggests that company should pay attention to what SNS may change the future workplace. According to the research, the most common worries toward SNS are affecting productivity, occupying internet and threating the information security. It also report that there are a lot of companies are now start using SNS to recruit, manage market, promote public relation and guide career development by setting new policies and using latest antivirus technics. 3. Facebook Facebook is a SNS launched in February 2004, owned and operated by Facebook, Inc. By the time of October 2012, Facebook has over one billion active users, more than half of them using Facebook on a mobile device. According to the research, 23% of Facebook users check their account 5 times or more per day. By the time of May 2012, Facebook received more than 1.6 billion visits per week. There are over 1,000,000 links shared on Facebook every 20 minutes. If you regard Facebook merely as an entertaining SNS, you will be absolutely wrong. In the era of internet, Facebook is now developing different social platforms. It transforms its function from just connecting and entertaining people to job bank and social synergy. By Facebook recently launched job applying app â€Å"Jobvite†, people can find, refer, and match jobs to friends with Jobvite’s proprietary matching technology, providing better access to opportunities for job seekers and more quality hires for employers. Users can connect and apply to jobs completely within Facebook; and they can see their status in the hiring process at any time, creating a positive, transparent relationship for companies and candidates. By using another job applying app â€Å"jobandtalent†, users can discover and leverage their existing Facebook network to find job opportunities and stand out to top companies. Jobandtalent claimed that they are working with world top companies like Goldman Sachs, Deloitte and Google. The fact is that the data stored on Facebook not only including job relate area, but also including other areas, such as daily life. Employer can acquire 360-degree background information of candidates via Facebook. â€Å"It is easy to track record of candidates on Facebook. These records may imply personal interests, personality and other attributes† Said an HR specialist, â€Å"Traditional resumes are monotonous, like masks, but these records are alive and we can totally tell a difference.† It is not surprisingly true. Tell me if I wrong, if the records of a candidate show that he use the â€Å"f† word all the time, dare you or dare you not hire him? Job applicants like him will lose his opportunity from the beginning. Facebook is now challenging LinkedIn by this advantage. According to the survey conducted by Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost half of companies are now using Facebook in their recruitment process, such as Boeing and Dell. They use Facebook not only for job posting, but also for background investigation. However, research shows that there are different between social media behavior and real life behavior. It is to be studied whether it is reliable to investigate candidates via SNS. 4. LinkedIn LinkedIn is a SNS for professional people. Launched on May 5th, 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. By the time of June 2012, LinkedIn reports more than 175,000,000 users in more than 200 countries. Monster is one of three largest job posting web site, however, its financial report showed a significant decline in business revenue. According to the market analyst, because of the blooming of LinkedIn, companies like Monster are losing market share in a large scale. Just like Facebook, LinkedIn founded upon the theory of Six Degrees of Separation. Also it was not designed for recruiting; LinkedIn became the major way to recruit in the U.S. by the time of 2006 and achieve profitability. LinkedIn is known as its high accurate matching rate. It can even â€Å"push† eligible candidates to employers by preset standard. According to the co-founder Reid Hoffman, it is more and more important for people to utilize their networking in the future. If you want to change you r job every two or three years, you have to maintain your networking to find new opportunities. SNS is the easiest way to do it. You don’t have to make call after call and desperate to find topic to cottoning up, you don’t have to visit people with gifts door after door. The only thing you have to do is just within few clicks, and you can make connection with people you want to. In his opinion, the value of LinkedIn is â€Å"concentrate in the value moment†. Also Facebook has more user base and more stickiness; it is not safe to say that LinkedIn is losing the game. The orientation of these two web-sites is different. The business scope of Facebook is wide and the â€Å"killer app† of it is social game and â€Å"Share†, while LinkedIn concentrate in professional occupations. In a way, the overlap of these two web-sites is small. People regard Facebook as â€Å"individual† and LinkedIn as â€Å"professional†. Compare to strong interaction of Facebook, LinkedIn is not that strong. However, this weak interaction as â€Å"professional community† is where it value lies. For the user of LinkedIn, log in every day and post threats is meaningless and way far from the identity of professional, it will only imply that you are not in the working status. In other word, user stickiness makes little sense for LinkedIn. In addition, compared to Facebook, LinkedIn is a real-name, high quality user concentrated SNS. In other word, the user group is rich and high-educated middle-aged professions. This user group is known as high business value. According to the statistics from Quantcast, in the United States, the proportion of user over 35 is over 70%, the proportion of user with bachelor or above education is over 75% and the proportion of user with over $100,000 incomes is over 39%, compared to Facebook with only 32%, 53% and 32% (Chart 1). Chart1 Demographic Analysis of Facebook and LinkedIn What’s more, in business related area, LinkedIn is highly recognized than Facebook. According to a research conducted by Jobvite, in job applicants who are now using or will use SNS to find jobs, more than 95% indicate that they will choose LinkedIn. Only 59% chose Facebook and 42% chose Twitter. In people who already find a job by using SNS, 89% of them used LinkedIn, 28% used Facebook. To sum up, although Facebook is now challenging LinkedIn in professional SNS area, LinkedIn is still No.1 in the field. 5. Twitter Twitter is an online social networking service and micro blogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as â€Å"tweets†. Launched in July, 2006, the service rapidly gained worldwide popularity. By the time of 2012, over 500,000,000 active users generating over 340,000,000 tweets per day and handling over 1,600,000,000 search queries per day. Twitter has been described as â€Å"the SMS of the Internet† Unlike Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter has its own characteristics. Firstly, there is a limit of characters for each tweet. You can only send up to 140 characters in one tweet. This limit made information fragmented. This kind of fragmented information eliminated the time of reading, and by this elimination user can spread their thought more accurately and more efficiency. Secondly, you don’t have to get â€Å"approval† to follow somebody. This character makes Twitter more like a broadcasting station. Users could follow the Twitter of their favorite celebrity, brand and company to acquire latest trend. Likewise, the later will use Twitter to improve public relation to the target user group. Thirdly, most of user write and read tweets by using mobile devices. That means you will get first hand news via Twitter. An interesting statistic shows that within Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter has second largest influence of commercial both in B2B and B2C. Facebook has the largest influence of B2C commercial while LinkedIn has the largest influence of B2B commercial (Chart 2). Chart 2 Influences in Commercial For human resource, Twitter has two major functions. The first function is to use Twitter to improve company image. More and more companies now hiring Twitter specialist to manage company Twitter. The other is to recruit. Compare to Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter is more cost saving, speedy and simple. According to William Fisher, the founder of job searching web site TwitJobSearch, there are more than 340,000 jobs posting in Twitter per month. TwitJobSearch release two apps—Job-Deck and TweetDeck. Users can sort and find job posting related tweets by using these two apps. 6. Cites http://recruiting.jobvite.com/company/press-releases/2011/jobvite-launches-social-job-app-on-facebook-to-power-referral-hiring/ http://callcenterinfo.tmcnet.com/news/2011/10/03/5822750.htm

Professional Philosophy of Early Childhood Education Essay

1. What do you consider to be the most harmful for adolescents†¦. binge drinking, drug addiction or anorexia nervosa? Why? Explain your choice in a minimum of five sentences. I consider the most harmful for adolescents is binge drinking. As children move from adolescence to young adulthood, they encounter dramatic physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes. Developmental transitions, such as puberty and increasing independence, have been associated with alcohol use. So in a sense, just being an adolescent may be a key risk factor not only for starting to drink but also for drinking dangerously. Whatever it is that leads adolescents to binge drinking, once they start they face a number of potential health risks. Although the severe health problems associated with harmful alcohol use are not as common in adolescents as they are in adults, studies show that young people who drink heavily may put themselves at risk for range of potential health problems. 2. Define adolescent egocentrism. Give three examples of egocentric fantasies or fables. Adolescent egocentrism is teens and older twin’s belief that others are highly attentive to their behavior and appearance. That is, egocentric adolescent believe that eyes are on them. Adolescent egocentrism is developmentally normal. In other words, teens and older twins can no more by stopping themselves from being egocentric than an infant can fix their inability to speak. Adolescent egocentrism usually appears around 11 or 12 years of age. Here are 3 examples of fable: The first one is the imaginary audience and personal fable seems to capture what have been viewed as typical fact of adolescent behavior. For example, self-consciousness and conformity to the peer group in regard to appearance can be understood as resulting from the belief that other (i.e., the imaginary audience) is always watching and judging. Feeling of isolation and risk-taking behavior can be viewed as outcomes of personal fable, believing that one is unique and invulnerable. The second example is self-other differentiation errors or egocentrism, emerging as a result of the transition. Attaining this development stage means that one can think abstractly and about possibilities; for example, one can think about what other people may be thinking. The third examples are empirical evidence supporting the theoretical link between imaginary audience and personal fable ideation and formal operational thinking has emerged only infrequently, and has been the best. For example, so studies have found what appears to be heightened imaginary audience and personal fable ideation among middle school students. 3. Give an example of how schools, peers and the media influence teen sexual behavior. Be sure you address each one. Example of how schools on teen sexual behavior†¦ Many young people engage in sexual risk behaviors that can result in unintended health outcomes. For example, among U.S. high school students have 47% in sexual intercourse. To reduce sexual risk behaviors and related health problems among youth, schools and other youth serving organizations can help young people adopt lifelong attitudes and behaviors that reduce their risk HIV , other STDs, and unintended pregnancy. Example of peer’s teen sexual behavior†¦. Teens want to be with people their own age. During adolescence, teens spend more time with their peers and without parental supervision. With peers, teens can be both connected and independent, as they break away from their parents images of them and develop identities of their own. Example of media influence teen sexual behavior†¦. If you don’t talk to your kids about your own values and expectations about sex, the main input they’ll get is from the media. Music videos, movies, reality shows. And studies show that the more sexual content kids watch and listen to, the earlier they’re likely to have sex themselves. In fact, teens report that their main source of information about sex, dating and sexual health comes from what they see and hear in the media. 4. Teen depression and teen suicide is a reality. What would you consider to be an inspirational song for an adolescent? The song I chose is Hero, by Mariah Carey. I love Mariah, when I first started listening to her I found most of her songs, inspirational and heart felt, she is one amazing songwriter/singer and I’m truly blesses to have someone like Mariah to keep the faith to other teens to listen to her songs

Eugene Debs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eugene Debs - Assignment Example The Audubon Park is built in a 5,023 square-foot piece of land and is the first in Los Angeles City to be fully powered by on-site solar systems. Moreover, the building uses less water than any other conventional structure of its size. This paper is going to explore the Audubon Center and green building by describing what I saw and learned. The paper will also highlight the importance of green buildings for sustainability, particularly in Los Angeles, by discussing what kinds of changes and alternatives could be implemented in my home or on my college campus. Audubon Center Recently, I visited Audubon Center at Debs Park and learnt a lot regarding environmental conservation. I discovered that in order to conserve the environment, one has to put in place various significant issues. For instance, on assessing the Audubon Center, I concluded that virtually every aspect of the building, from ground floor to the rooftop, was custom-made to conform to the stringent requirements. Where need be, recycled materials including melted down handguns and scrap metal were adversely used in the rebar to act as strengthening materials to the concrete blocks and floors. Organic materials were also significantly embraced. This is demonstrated in all aspects, from the carpeting of Mexican agave plant, to cabinets and desks made of wheat board and sunflower board. Audubon Center uses a fully solar-powered air conditioning system thus meeting various goals of broad-based environmental movement that not only encourages the use of clean energy technologies, but also brings presence of nature close to people who rarely leave urban centers to travel to nature. I discovered that the solar power that cost about $90,000 and is about 10 tons uses an 800-square foot array of Chinese Sunda vacuum tube solar harvesters, each having a copper heat pipe and an aluminum nitride absorber plate that harvests the solar radiation. I found out that the Sunda tubes work on a principle of heat-pipe, whic h asserts that water under low pressure in tubes is normally heated and is transformed to a vapor that eventually flows up to the condensation section of the tube. Ultimately, water is heated and flows to the manifold that connects all the tubes, thus transferring thermal energy from the collectors to the hot water storage tank through insulated pipes. There are several things that can be done in my home area to conserve energy. Firstly, in order to achieve the requirements for the platinum Rating, my community must ensure that it constructs a building that would meet the fundamental requirement of green building by earning a minimum of 52 sustainability points out of the possible 69. I would advice my community that points are awarded on basically everything from the selection of site to the building materials used to being innovative in interior design by having indoor finishing that are environmentally friendly. It is worth noting that the Audubon Center at Debs Park scooped 53 L EED points. A major fraction of the points came from its efficiency in water system as well as renewable energy sources. I would also insist on using the locally manufactured and harvested materials which may include wood, sheet metal, paving materials, landscape plantings and concrete, since these are stressed by the LEED program. On visiting the Audubon Center, I discovered

Practicum Project Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Practicum Project Plan - Term Paper Example The goal of this practicum project is to enhance learning. The goal statement, project objectives, evidence-based review of the literature, methodology, resources, formative evaluation, summative evaluation, and timeline of the project are outlined in this paper. There are two correlated goals that I will strive to accomplish in this practicum project. First, I will be able to demonstrate skills and competency in managing a diverse population of staff and patients at the end of the practicum experience. Secondly, I will be able to work within a complex system to develop leadership abilities appropriate for the management role of nursing coordinators or night supervisors. According to a Nurse Bedside Shift Report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (n.d), "Patient and family engagement creates an environment where patients, families, clinicians, and hospital staff all work together as partners to improve the quality and safety of hospital care" (p.3). In this regard, implementation of best practices that promote patient and family engagement is vindicated. Purposeful rounding, bedside reporting, and multidisciplinary rounding comprise of actions posited by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (n.d) to support patient and family engagement. In a study aimed at scrutinizing the effects of communication cited by Dingley, Daugherty, Derieg, and Persing (n.d), open communication and teamwork were found to contribute significantly to the achievement of affirmative results. This shows that utilizing open communication and working in multidisciplinary teams in implementing best practices, in conformity with the project methods, is als o defensible. Conducting an evaluation will also be important in the practicum project. As explicated by Black (2010), evaluation helps distinguish practices that achieve their anticipated objectives from those that have failed. Evaluation will therefore help identify best practices that have

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) - Research Paper Example Requirements consist of the applicant of court orders to ban advertising systems and payment services from carrying out business with the offending websites and search engines links to sites, and court orders demanding suppliers on the Internet to disallow accessing sites. The bill would expand the criminal law to consist of the unauthorized transmission of copyrighted material, setting a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment2. The bill has grave implications for the current structure of the Internet in every sense as it allows the Justice Department and the owners of intellectual property, obtain court orders against those sites or services that allow or facilitate the infringement of alleged copyright, including: Block by ISPs to the website or service in question, including hosting, and even DNS level (although this has been a discussion). Facilitate collection companies on the internet (like PayPal) to freeze funds and restrict the use of the service. Block the sites that provi de advertising services. For example, Google Adsense cannot offer web service complained if this law was to be approved. It should remove links to the web or service reported. The bill declares a criminal offense to unauthorized radio broadcast or other distribution of copyrighted content with the punishing of the guilty with the maximum penalty of imprisonment for a term of 5 years. ... Under the bill, any member of a network on the Internet – from service providers, search engines and even the advertisers – in fact, require treatment for any owner to stop providing services to the resource, accused of piracy, and to stop any interaction with them (for example, close the channel, pay for content, suspend the ad contract, to limit the effect of the payment system, delete the site from Google to remove links to the site, completely block a site to visit, to prohibit the payment systems (such as PayPal, Visa, etc.) to make payments in favor of services and so on); otherwise, any of the direct and indirect accused of counterparties site will be regarded as his partner. Under the eyes of this new law, merely to get on your wall a picture, document or video that has a copyright will be considered a crime. This bill was welcomed by the entertainment industry in the United States and members of both parties. The funny thing is that this kind of activity is man y times promoted by the entertainment industry itself since they are the same fans who virally promote their favorite artists through social networks. Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to maintain profit organizations, employment and intellectual property protection in their respective industries (movies, music, software, etc.), especially states that it will help deal effectively with services outside the U.S. outside their jurisdiction. According to them it provides a protection to the market for intellectual property, employment and income, and need to strengthen enforcement of copyright laws, especially against foreign Web sites. Alleging defects in existing laws do not include foreign sites owned and functioned, and cited examples of "active promotion of the websites

During the 20th century, african americans Civil Rights received Essay

During the 20th century, african americans Civil Rights received profound social and cultural change - Essay Example Revolution and other forceful approaches were the best options for the black Americans to express their plights. In 1956, Martin Luther King Jr. confronted methodological and ideological challenges through advocacy and Civil Rights Movements. The challenges focused on philosophical key tenets that formed the basis of Civil Rights Movement. The first sentiments promoted by the advocates of black power were integration and non-violence. Various SNCC’s and CORE’s black activists advocated re-evaluation of the influence created by civil rights proponents. White advisors as murders of black workers took place without being noticed (Ongiri 102). Ideologies of black activists and tenets of Black Power ideologies prompted a new sense of pride and identity. Consequently, black Americans insisted that America refer to them as Afro-Americans, not as Negroes. Further, in 1960’s, black Americans boasted of the privilege of adopting a similar dressing code to that of white Americans. The 1963 match to Washington was iconic in the history of advocacy for human rights in America. Organizers from Greenwood Mississippi, Willie Ricks, who swore to enhance Black Power ideologies to a different level in 1966. Ricks instituted, among blacks, the spirit of getting armed and ready for confrontations against white supremacists such as the Ku Klux Klan. As a result, black Americans armed themselves against the Ku Klux Klan armed terrorists and prepared for the worst including death. Finally, the activities of Klan within the community ceased. In 1966, the existence of Black Panther was a notable influence that prompted reforms. It informed Black Power ideologies and best practices about their broadest public platforms. The Black Panthers advocated through all necessary principles to eliminate and eradicate racial inequality that existed between black and white Americans. Police brutality against black neighborhoods reduced. Leather jackets, light blue shirts, and black power

Korean 180 C-problem set 14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Korean 180 C-problem set 14 - Essay Example The people in the country are being used as tools for the leaders to achieve that political environment that they desire, but not one that will necessarily work. B) The myths in North Korean ideology are considered backward-looking because they are past events that have been brought into the present and given specific meaning. Many of these events are fabricated or exaggerated, which makes them different from the historical events, but acts as a tool of rallying the population for the country’s cause. For example, there are myths about how the country once operated as a Communist state where everyone only took what they needed. This myth is used in order to show the population what the ideal society would look like. This is an effective manner of manipulating the population into acting according to the government’s political ideologies. C) Ideology prevents North Korea from moving forward into a modern society because it is very difficult for outsiders to understand the political ideologies that are held in the country. Since it is difficult for outsiders to understand, it is also difficult for outsiders to understand how the populations could take these ideologies seriously, which means that the rest of the world sees North Koreans as being less sophisticated than people of other nationalities are. D) Even though the idea of Juche is based on national pride, North Korea has received help from other communist countries. While this is somewhat awkward, it is justified because Kim Il Sung argued that the most important thing is to strengthen the Communist movement worldwide because this would end up being in North Korea’s best interests. Kim said that internationalism and patriotism are interchangeable because they will both further the international Communist movement, which is something that would help North Korea in the long run. This was simply a manner of Kim getting the help he needed from other countries without losing the nationalist support in

Developing a loyalty program for the online grocery business Assignment

Developing a loyalty program for the online grocery business - Assignment Example A primary study was conducted that refuted much of the psycho-social dimensions associated with loyalty studies. Findings indicated that the primary motivator for enrolment in loyalty programs was price, with no mention of psycho-social characteristics and implications. As such, recommendations founded on the research include rejection of tiered loyalty programs, targeting only relationship-centric promotions to the older consumer demographic, and using short-term pricing incentives. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................ 1.1 Aim............................................................................................................. 1.2 Scope......................................................................................................... 2.0 Literature review........................................................................................ 2.1 The benefit of loyalty programs. ................................................................ ... ............................................................ 4.2 Relating results to theory............................................................................ 5.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 6.0 Recommendations...................................................................................... 7.0 References.................................................................................................. Consultant Report 1.0 Introduction This report provides consultant advice on the potential opportunities of implementing a customer loyalty program for the online grocer. Loyalty programs, in some industries, have a direct correlation to repurchase intention that is supported by research studies on the phenomenon of the linkages between consumer behaviour and their utilisation patterns associated with loyalty schemes. There are many implications for the issuer of the loyalty program, both adva ntageous and unfavourable, that include cost and management problems, abandonment strategies in the event of scheme failure, and the ability of the program to alter consumption behaviour. 1.1 Aim The aim of the study is to understand the theoretical versus practice-based underpinnings of loyalty schemes and their relationship to potentially coercing increased repurchase intention with desirable target markets and improving business profitability. 1.2 Scope To fully comprehend the potential success opportunities for launching a loyalty program for the online grocer, the report utilised a blend of secondary research on the phenomenon of consumer loyalty, consumer behaviour, plus control and management of loyalty schemes. Supplementing the aforementioned theory are findings from a primary

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Human resource management - Essay Example The principles and concepts that underlie behavior are basic. Diverse studies of human behavior in work organizations identify the crucial role of managing human resources to assist in the improvement of productivity and performance, in marketing the products and services, and in designing strategies for recruiting, screening, hiring, evaluation, development and the promotion of workers. Human resources management is defined as the art and science of acquiring, motivating, and developing people in their jobs in the light of their personal, professional, and technical knowledge, skills, abilities, needs and values, and in conjunction with the accomplishment of individual, organizational and societal goals (Martires, 2004, p. 6). In this regard, the objective of this essay is to proffer relevant concepts and issues that pervade human resource management in organizations. Specifically, the following questions would be addressed: (1) what is the role of the HR function within a Company? (2) Which are the main responsibilities? (3) How do you think the HR Area gives a positive contribution to Management in order to achieve organizational goals? (4) How do you think this contribution can be measured? And, (5) what are the 3 most important HR best practices that should be developed and included in the HR strategic plan? Role of HR Functions In an organization, the human resources department (HRD) performs five functions for other departments – job organization and information, acquisition, maintenance, development of personnel, and research on human resources. Its role is advisory utilizing the personnel policies of the organization, the data it accumulates and the studies it makes of its workers. An effective human resources management (HRM) is integral to the functioning of the organization and must therefore be the concern of management. By and large, these functions assume two very important elements in an organization which are jobs and people. Jobs are to be determined and established first after the organization philosophy is conceived. People are brought in to man the jobs in order for the organization to move. Jobs and people interact with each other. Gordon (2000) describes the real role of HR as magnetic management that â€Å"can be the power that pulls disparate departments into a single productive unit† (p. 500). The HR manager should know and understand how an organization, particularly businesses, works specifically on the profit-and-loss aspect. The HR manager can be of great assistance in staffing the organization with the most qualified and productive people including executives who can contribute to profit or good delivery of services. Main Responsibilities The specific and technical duties of the HRD are complex and multifarious and are categorized according to its five functions – job organization and information, acquisition, maintenance, development and research on human resources. The HRD performs gen eral management functions in relation to top management and to the HRD staff. Before hiring workers, available jobs have to be classified and corresponding job information described mainly in terms of duties and responsibilities. Qualifications of those who are to perform these jobs should be delineated in job specifications. The function of acquisition or procurement of HR includes five aspects: human resources planning, recruitment, screening,

The Ten Commandments Essay Example for Free

The Ten Commandments Essay The Ten Commandments, sometimes known as the Decalogue, a literal translation of the Greek ‘Ten Words’, are found in the book of Exodus chapter 20 v 2 v17 and this is one of the most well known passages in the scriptures. In describing the events of that day the writer of Deuteronomy ( Deuteronomy 4 v 13) refers to them in Hebrew as ‘The Ten Words’ and in Exodus 19 v 5 they are named by God as ‘My Covenant’. Although part of the Jewish scriptures these verses are considered to be important by Christians too and they are often to be found inscribed in both synagogues and churches. The rabbis identified 600 different laws based upon these precepts, yet they can be summarised as in a story of Rabbi Hillel the Elder. A student declared that he would become a disciple of the rabbi if he could recite the whole of the Jewish Law while standing on one leg. Hillel while doing as he asked and standing on only one leg stated ‘What is hateful to you, do not do to your friend. This is the entire Torah; the rest is interpretation’. To this can be added the Shema, Deuteronomy 6 v 4, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One Two short passages, yet they really do summarize both the Decalogue and indeed the whole law. The context is Mount Sinai three months into the journey of the Hebrews who have left Egypt and are on their way to the Promised Land. Although the scriptures, in particular the book of Leviticus, contain many more rules, some in minute detail, these ten laws are to form the basis of the new society in the Promised Land. The chapter begins ‘And God spoke all these words,’ ( Exodus 20 v 1). This is what gives them their power They are set out in a way that is relatively easy to remember and are in the form of a covenant God’s part and their part in a voluntary agreement. Yahweh announces to them , through Moses, his chosen agent that, having freed them from slavery by His power, as explained in chapter 19 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt’ Chapter 19 v 4. In verse 5 and 6 He says that He will now make them will now a holy people and a nation of priests. The people agree to this , 19 v 8 ‘We will do everyhting the Lord has said’, and in v 14 we are told tha t they sanctified themselves in preparation. The Jewish Encyclopedia, in a passage designated as Israel’s Call, then describes how God, through Moses and with the accompanyment of thunder, lightning, smoke and the noise of trumpets, reveals himself by his voice and there pronounces ‘the ten fundamental commands of religion and morals’. The decalogue can be easily broken into two sections. The first part, numbers 1-4, is concerned with the relationship between God and his people ‘You shall have no other gods but me’. The second part is concerned society and with the relationships of individuals with each other, first within the family’ honour your father and mother’ and also with the wider world. ’ ( numbers 5 -10 ) and are famously summed up by Jesus in the New Testament, in Luke 10 v 27 ‘ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself. ’although he was not the only one to make such summaries and in Leviticus they are also, in part , summarized,’Do not seek revenge, nor bear any grudge against one of your people, but you love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. ’ Leviticus 19 v 18. The first commandment, verse 3, is against mental idolatry, while the second, verses 4 and 5 are against the practice of idolatry. The thing these have in common is that they forbid a great attachment to the things of earth, but an attachment to the one true God. The words are designed to show man the way to true contentment in a relationship with God rather than being over concerned with possessions, whether obvious false gods or not. It must be remembered that the group had only recently left Egypt , a country where there were gods of all kinds, many in the shape of animals, but reigned over by human images in the shape of Osiris and his consort Isis. They would have been used to seeing worship of these false gods and may even have been involved in some cases. The words in heaven , on earth and under the earth and in the waters could refer to bird gods, mammals, snakes and crocodiles or fish, all these being included in the complex Egyptian pantheon. In verse 5 God refers to himself as ‘jealous’. Clarke comments that He is thus expressing His immense love for his creation and the image is of a husband who wants to be sure of the fidelity of his partner. The third command is against taking the name of God in vain. In verse 8 and 9 there are two aspects – the keeping of the Sabbath and an injunction to work on the other 6 days and are accompanied by the example of God himself in creation. So these first commands are to do with reverence and man’s religious duty in response to who God is and what he has done, and the second group with his moral obligations towards his fellow men for the next command is one concerned with family relationships and the rest with an ordered society – do not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie or be covetous or greedy. Committing these sins is also a sin against God, because to do so would imply that what God has provided already is not good enough. Hebrew has a relatively small vocabulary and words often stand for more than one thing depending upon the context. The Hebrew word translated steal is of interest because not only does it also include the idea of being deceitful, it is also the word used for kidnapping. The following chapters of Exodus go into detail as to how these laws will work in practice as in the rules about the making of an altar in Exodus 20 v 23 onwards and the care of servants in chapter 21. Despite all these injunctions and their ready accession to what God wanted and promised however it is only a short time afterwards that the Israelites are appealing to Aaron ‘Up, and make us gods, which shall go before us. ’ And then of course ( Exodus 32) he made the golden calf despite the recent injunction in Exodus 20 v 4 ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ’ Some words and phrases are repeated or almost so ‘You shall’ and ‘You shall not’, but this is not consistent throughout and there seems to be an over emphasis on the negative, rather than the positive, whereas the New Testament summaries are in a positive attitude. Some commentators such as Adam Clarke have noted that the language used means that each person is addressed as an individual with individual responsibilities to obey, rather than the group being addressed as a whole with corporate responsibility. The Decalogue needs to be read, and obeyed, in the context of the whole scriptural revelation of God’s desire for a relationship with his people as is made plain by a wider reading as is seen for instance in Genesis 17 where God appears to Abraham and makes a covenant with him and in passages such as Jeremiah 30 v 10 where Jacob is described as the servant of God whom he will save and in Malachi 1 v 1 where God tells of his love for man. References Bible, New International Version, Hodder and Stoughton, Toronto, 1984 Clarke, A. , Commentary, Exodus 20, available from http://www. godrules. net/library/clarke/clarkeexo20. htm accessed 23rd October 2008 Introduction to Exodus, Jewish Encyclopaedia, available from http://bible. tmtm. com/wiki/Intoduction_to_Exodus_%28Jewish_Encyclopedia%29 accessed 22nd October 2008 Hillel the Elder, available from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rabbi_Hillel accessed 23rd October 2008

Comparative ecology of urban and rural foxes

Comparative ecology of urban and rural foxes Abstract The red fox (Vulpus vulpus) is an adaptable animal that can be found anywhere with adequate food and shelter, it is therefore not surprising that they have adapted from a rural to an urban setting. Few studies have directly compared urban and rural fox ecology. This review had two primary objectives; (1) To describe habitat utilization by urban and rural foxes and (2) to discuss the variation in their diet, population dynamics, causes of mortality, social organization and behaviour by linking these variations to differences in their habitat. Many similarities were observed between the urban and rural fox. It was concluded that the features which determine the distribution and abundance of foxes may differ depending on their habitat. The diets of urban and rural foxes are proposed to be distinguished by differences in degree rather than differences in kind. In urban areas where dense populations of foxes live in close proximity there must also be greater social involvement than in the less associated rural fox communities. Population density is important when considering the spread of epizootic diseases and the timing and degree of population dispersal. 1. Introduction Over the past century increases in human population density have escalated the process of urbanisation (Mc Kinney, 2002). Organisms are now confronted with a range of novel conditions because of the modifications of the natural environment in which they ordinarily thrive. This can potentially impact both their life cycle and patterns of behaviour (Dickman and Doncaster, 1987). In recent years the effect of urbanization on the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has been of particular interest. The concept that ecological interactions of animals may differ according to the type of habitat they occupy is not new. Differences will arise depending on the nature of the animals habitat interactions and their life history. For example, the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the racoon (Procyon lotor) are strongly influenced by urban variables such as proximity to houses, artificial feeders, or other physical structures (Flyger, 1970; Harris 1986). The foxs successful adjustment from a rural to an urban environment is not surprising as they are opportunistic animals that are distributed across a wide diversity of habitats. In Russia and Europe they can be found in the arctic tundra, and have been reported on sea ice 100km north of the nearest land (Harris, 1986). Foxes are to be found southwards in most European habitats. They live from western Asia to eastern Japan and southwards into the deserts of North African. Throughout most of the mainland habitats in North America the same species of fox is found (Hutchins at al, 2003). The wide distribution of the red fox, the diversity of habitats in which it can be found and the speed with which foxes have colonised areas such as Australia are all indications of its adaptability (Harris and Yalden, 2008). This review has two primary objectives: 1. To describe habitat utilization by urban and rural foxes. 2. To discuss the variation in their diet, population dynamics, causes of mortality, social organization and behaviour by linking these variations to differences in their habitat. 2. Habitat Utilization. In both urban and rural environments foxes are most abundant in diverse habitats that offer a wide variety of food and cover (Goldyn, 2003; Harris and Rayner, 1986; Mac Donald Sillero, 2004). They exercise choice in selecting a place to live within the restrictions imposed by their social behaviour (Lloyd, 1980). There are two proposed reasons for the success of the red fox across its wide distribution: 1. Size The fox is small enough to be unobtrusive, yet large enough to be able to move long distances when necessary. Therefore, it can easily colonise new areas and search areas where recourses are scattered (Harris, 1986). 2. Lack of specialization The red fox can thrive in a variety of locations as it has no particular habitat requirements (Lloyd, 1980). 2.1. Rural Habitat. The general perception of a rural habitat suitable for fox habitation is a diverse landscape consisting of scrub and woodland (Llyod, 1980). However, rural habitats also include mountains (above the treeline), moorlands, costal dunes and agricultural habitats such as arable and pastoral farmlands. Foxes have shown a marked preference for small coniferous woodlands in upland areas that are free of anthropogenic influence and afford good shelter (Goldyn, 2003). Large coniferous plantations are generally poor foraging areas for the fox; however, while ground vegetation remains they are also good habitats (Harris and Yalden, 2008). The main factor influencing the location of rural foxes is the availably and distribution of food shelter is generally not a limiting resource (Goldyn, 2003). Dens have a crucial meaning for foxes, not only as breeding places, but also as a shelter for adults during the whole year (Meia and Weber, 1993). The rural fox digs dens in a wide variety of habitats including; banks; enlarged old rabbit burrows; disused or occupied badger setts; also natural holes in rock crevices and drains (Harris 1977a; Harris 1986). Vegetative cover and water need to be within or close to denning sites for this species. They should also be located near areas with a good prey base as females seldom range more than half a mile from their dens (Hoover and Wills, 1987). In farmland areas foxes have shown a preference for denning sites that are undisturbed by humans. Wood edges and woodlots are virtually exclusive habitats where fox dens are situated (Lariviere, 1966). In farmlands adjacent to wooded areas only a minority of foxes will locate in an open habitat such as arable land. Goszozynskis study (1985) showed that in an area with 21% forest coverage; only 2% of all dens were located in open habitats. However Goldyn (2003) found that in farmlands where wood cover is lacking, foxes can successfully adapt to completely different conditions, reaching high den sites. The banks of drainage ditches, marsh banks and boundary strips between fields were also frequently used as den locations. This is indicative of the adaptable nature of the fox in a sub-optimal habitat. 2.2. Urban habitats. For the purpose of this review an urban habitat will refer to any habitat within a built up area that does not occur naturally outside it. Urban habitats include gardens, parks, wastelands, road verges, railway tracks and cemeteries (www.wildberks.co.uk). Urban habitats have become ecosystems in which mammal populations have adapted their lifestyle in order to survive. These fragmented ecosystems provide breeding sites, food and shelter for foxes (Macdonald and Newdick, 1982). In the past there has been some confusion as to which habits are important for the urban fox. It was noted by Llyod (1968) that urban foxes may live in gardens, but usually they shelter in daytime in woodlands, parks, cemeteries, and overgrown sites such as isolated building plots. Later Harris (1977a) noted that the daytime rests of most importance are quiet gardens (irrespective of size) and similar domestic habitats, he proposed that parks and public open spaces were of little importance; this is evident in Table 1. Habitat variables appear to have consistent effects on the distribution of foxes. Similar to foxes found in rural areas, the urban fox is most commonly found in areas of diverse habitat. In an urban environment diverse habitats include areas where industry, commerce or council rented housing predominate (Harris and Rayner, 1986). In London the availability of suitable habitats for daytime harbourage is an important limiting factor for the distribution of and numbers in fox populations (Harris, 1977a). Habitat Number of Specimens Percent of specimens Percent of surburban land use Resedential habitats gardens, garden sheds, cellars, houses 226 59.79 40.19 Industrial habitats sewage stations, factories, builders yards, nurseries 28 7.41 3.72 Vacant land, normally without public access 32 8.47 6.01 Parks and public open spaces 33 8.73 10.53 Hospitals 9 2.38 1.10 Allotments 20 5.29 1.29 Cemetries 10 2.65 0.74 British rail and underground lines 9 2.38 2.29 Golf courses 5 1.32 No data Sports grounds and school fields 3 0.79 2.29 Rubbish tips 2 0.53 0.59 Airports 1 0.26 1.58 Road deaths 22 Other habitats 29.67 Totals (excluding road deaths) 378 100.00 100.00 Table 1: Harris (1977a) collected and recorded the location of 400 urban fox corpses in London. This data illustrated the relative importance of the various urban habitats as daytime harbourage. It has also been suggested by several authors that railway lines may be a particularly important habitat for the urban fox. Radio-tracking in Edinburgh revealed that the types of habitats visited by foxes largely reflected their availability. Railway lines were particularly important to dog foxes as pathways between parts of their range (Treweila and Harris, 1990). In London regular disturbance is the main factor governing the distribution of dens. The majority of natal dens are situated in undisturbed habitats including under garden sheds, quiet gardens and railway embankments. Few litters are raised in dens in areas of public access; this is illustrated in Table 2 (Harris, 1977a). Rural foxes have also shown a preference for denning sites that are undisturbed by humans (Goldyn, 2003). Situation Number of Specimens Percent Under garden sheds with raised floors 36 37.1 Under concrete floors of garages, out-buildings, and raised floors of summer-houses and portable huts 10 10.3 In air-raid shelters 1 1.0 In drains 1 1.0 In banks of earth e.g. at bottom of gardens, railway embankments, etc, 29 29.9 In flat ground 9 9.3 In flower-beds, rockeries 6 6.2 In compost heaps, piles of rubbish, woodpiles 5 5.2 Total 97 100.0 Table 2: Sitting of suburban fox dens used for rearing cubs (Harris, 1977a). 3. Diet As the fox is both a predator and a scavenger, it is presented with a huge variety of prospective foods (Lloyd, 1980). Their diet depends on both location and time of year (Harris, 1986). Foxes are known to switch their diet to feed on whatever is abundant locally. They have adapted particularly well to humans by foraging in towns and hunting in areas cleared for agriculture (Hutchins at al, 2003). It is important to remember that in rural and urban areas a similar range of food types are likely to be eaten; however, the proportions will vary. For example urban foxes in London and Oxford have a broadly similar diet; Harris (1981) found that scavenged items comprised 37% of the diet of foxes in London, compared to 35% in Oxford (Doncaster et al, 1990). Foxes in Oxford ate more earthworms (27% as opposed to 12%) and fewer birds and insects (Harris, 1981; Doncaster et al, 1990). 3.1. Seasonal Variation in Diet Throughout the year vertebrates play an important role in the foxs diet across most of their range (Baker et al, 2006; Harris 1986). The proportion of different mammals in their diet will generally vary according to their location and season. For example in agricultural areas sheep (Ovis aries) are mostly eaten in winter and spring; this roughly corresponds to the lambing season which extends from January to May (Fairley, 1984). In Britain the most important mammal eaten in urban areas is the field vole (Microtus agrestis), which is more abundant in their diet during the winter months (Harris, 1986). Fruits and berries are also of seasonal importance to the fox. In the early autumn foxes include blackberries, raspberries, bilberries, cherries and hawthorn berries in their diet. They eat strawberries in great quantities during the summer months (Llyod, 1980). Lever (1959) also identified earthworms, slugs and snails as constituting a small proportion of the foxs diet in the summer months. On domestic lawns there is a more regular supply of scavenged foods and a greater availability (though not necessarily abundance) of earthworms than on rougher rural pastures (Llyod, 1980). As a result, seasonal differences in the diet of the rural fox are much more pronounced than in the urban fox, as there can be major variation at different times of the year (Harris 1986). 3.2. Scavenging In most habitats scavenging is important for the fox. In upland regions of West Scotland, where other food sources were scarce, the fox was found to scavenge in an agricultural environment. Foxes fed largely on sheep carrion and field voles (65% of mass ingested), supplemented by deer carrion, rabbits and birds (Hewson, 1984). In Ireland rural foxes were also found to scavenge on sheep afterbirths (Fairley, 1984). Scavenging is particularly important to the urban fox as it supplements its diet with a high proportion and variety of scavenged food (Doncaster et al, 1990). In the centre of cities foxes eat more scavenged food and fewer domestic pets, earthworms and wild animals than foxes found closer to the suburban fringe. (Harris, 1986) In London and Oxford scavenged food or food deliberately provided by householders accounts for over 35% of their diet (Harris, 1981; Doncaster at al, 1990). Foxes are known to raid dustbins for scraps (www.thefoxwebsite.org) and may also occasionally raid bird tables (Harris, 1986). 3.3. The fox as a predator Medium sized animals play an important role in the diet of the rural fox throughout all seasons; rabbits for example may account for up to 74% of their diet (Baker et al, 2006). In Ireland foxes tend to switch to brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) when rabbit populations are reduced by myxamatosis (Fairley, 1984). The intake of small rodents is much lower in Ireland than in Britain. It is therefore possible that rats, hares and rabbits are of greater importance to the rural Irish fox because of the restricted variety of mammalian prey, (Fairley, 1970) in particular the absence of field voles in Ireland (Lever, 1959). In agricultural environments the red fox is known to be one of the most important predators (Lloyd, 1980). A study by Conova and Rosa (1994) on the diet of foxes on agricultural land in northwest Italy found that birds and small mammals made up more than 60% of their diet. Game birds such as mallards (Anas plutyrhynchos) and pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) as well as domestic birds were preyed upon. In Brittan game birds (mainly pheasants), small mammals (predominately field voles) and large mammals comprise 11, 7 and 6% of their diet, respectively (Baker et al, 2006). In England and Ireland lambs are more susceptible to losses than poultry, this is due to the fact that they are numerous and widely dispersed and often suffer from poor husbandry and exposure to severe climatic conditions (Llyod, 1980). In the urban matrix the predatory role of fox has not been abandoned, despite the fact that lambs and wild rabbits are largely absent from their diet due to lack of availability. Instead, urban foxes prey on birds and small mammals to a greater degree than those in rural areas (Doncaster et al, 1990). Foxes are attracted to locations which have a diverse and abundant food base, whether these sources are situated in the urban ecosystem or the surrounding countryside (Dickman and Doncaster, 1987). This is emphasised by similarities in the diets of urban and rural foxes (Doncaster et al, 1990; MacDonald, 1981). The diets of urban and rural foxes are distinguished more by differences in degree than by differences in kind as some populations of rural foxes may also scavenge food from villages and farms (Doncaster et al, 1990). 4. Population Dynamics 4.1 Density Fox population density is influenced by factors such as prey availability and anthropogenic culling (Webbon et al, 2004) and varies depending on location (table 3) (Harris and Yalden, 2008). Webbon et al (2004) found that in rural hill areas, densities may be as low as 0.21 fox per km2 and peak at 2.23 foxes per km2 on arable land. High densities were positively related with areas of coniferous woodland, lowland marsh and grassland leys. In urban areas fox population density is usually higher than in similarly sized rural areas. The highest density of foxes ever recorded was 37.0 adults/km2 in North West Bristol (Baker et al, 2000). This figure was recorded immediately before an outbreak of mange. Fox Population Densities Rural (Webbon et al, 2004) Urban Habitat Number of foxes per km2 Habitat Number of Foxes per km2 Arable land 0.79 2.23 Bristol before mange outbreak (Baker et al, 2000) 37.0 Pastural land 1.39 1.88 Bristol 2.5 years after mange outbreak (Baker et al, 2000) 7.0 Marginal Upland 0.82 London (Page, 1981) 12.0 Upland 0.21 Cheltenham (Harris and Smith, 1987a) 8.96 11.2 Table 3: Population densities across urban and rural locations. 4.2. Dispersal The most important factor affecting dispersal is population density. Trewhella et al (1988) found that in areas of low fox density (rural areas) animals disperse farther than those from areas of high and medium fox density (urban areas). In very low fox density parts of Europe exceptional movements will exceed 100km: however, in Britain movements over 40 km are rare, even in hill areas where fox numbers are low (Harris and Yalden, 2008) Not only do urban foxes move shorter distances, but fewer of them actually leave the home. Trewhella et al (1988) found that by the end of their second year the final proportion of urban foxes that dispersed were 75.8% for males and 37.8% for females. The rest permanently stay on the home range where they were born. Storm et al. (1976) gathered data on rural foxes and found the proportion of foxes dispersing was somewhat higher than in Trewhellas urban study, amounting to 96% for males and 58% for females. Dispersal starts earlier in the countryside than in urban areas. Disturbance, especially by fox hunting, may be particularly important in splitting up a higher number of fox families and accelerating the dispersal of juveniles (Harris, 1986). Dispersal begins in early autumn and is largely completed by the end of the year (Storm et al., 1976). In urban areas cubs that do disperse tend to do so quite late in the season (December). This may be because most urban fox families are subject to less severe disturbance (Harris, 1986). 5. Causes of Mortality 5.1. Human induced mortalities In both urban and rural populations humans are responsible for a high proportion of fox deaths (Table 3). In urban areas road traffic is the main cause of fox mortalities (Baker et al, 2004; Harris and Smith 1987b). In 2004, 58% of fox deaths in Bristol were road deaths; the majority being killed on major category roads (e.g. motorways) (Baker et al, 2004). In rural areas the majority of deaths are caused by culling and hunting foxes. In all regions of mainland Britain there has been a steady increase in the mean number of foxes killed by gamekeepers per km2 since 1960 (Tapper 1992), with four times as many killed per km2 in 1990 as in 1960. In rural Dorset 58% of foxes were deliberately killed by hunting and culling (Reynolds and Tapper, 1995). In a survey of three rural regions in England foxes were culled in 70 95% of farms (Reynolds and Tapper, 1996). Hunting with dogs took a number of forms before the introduction of the Hunting Act in 2004. 21,000 25,000 foxes were killed annually by approximately 200 registered packs of foxhounds; with terriers digging out 55,000 dens and lurchers killing 10,000 foxes (Harris and Yalden, 2008). Urban Fox (Harris and Smith, 1987b) Rural Fox (Reynolds and Tapper, 1995) Cause of death %Killed Cause of death % Killed Road accidents 61.65 Road accidents 7 Killed deliberately by people 17.45 Killed deliberately by people 58 Disease 10.5 Disease 5 Table 3: Major causes of death for urban foxes in Bristol and rural foxes in Dorset. The figures are given as percentages and should be taken to indicate the relative importance of the different mortality factors. 5.2. Disease. Due to higher densities and closer proximity, urban foxes are more susceptible to epizootic diseases such as mange and rabies, this is evident in table 3 (Harris and Smith 1987b). Sarcoptic mange is a parasitic disease that spread across most of mainland Britain during the 1990s, this caused declines in both rural and urban fox populations (Baker et al, 2000). However this decline was more noticeable in urban areas due to higher densities of foxes. In some populations, more than 95% of individuals died. Despite this, populations are slowly recovering (www.thefoxwebsite.org). Harris (1977b) demonstrated that spinal arthritis (sponodylosis deformans), was present in a very high proportion of urban foxes, with an infection level of 34.5%. The average age of the foxes used in the study was only one year nine months. It is thought that development of this disease is related to their diet. Fox (1939) suggested that the situation in urban foxes is unusual; however this has not yet been confirmed by reference to large collections of skeletal material from other populations. 6. Social Organisation and Behaviour 6.1 Territories Davies (1978) recognises territoriality where animals are spaced further apart than would be expected from a random occupation of suitable habitats. The size of fox territory varies largely between regions, depending on their habitat. However territories of the rural fox are generally larger than their urban counterparts. In hill areas of Scotland territories can be up to 4000ha (Lockie, 1964); in rural Dorset it has been averaged at 270ha (Reynolds Tapper, 1995) and as 520ha in Sitka spruce populations (O Mahoney et al, 1999). In urban areas territories may be as small as 8.5ha, this is due to the availability of anthropogenic food sources and the higher density of foxes living in cities. In Bristol the mean territory size is 27ha (Baker et al, 2000), 39 ha in Oxford (Doncaster and Mac Donald, 1991) and 100ha in Edinburgh (Kolb, 1986). The drifting movement of territories appears to be unique among urban foxes and has been studied in Oxford. City ranges were not spatially stable over months or even weeks. They moved in step-wise extensions to encompass new areas whilst at the same time contracting other parts of the range to expel old areas. (Doncaster and Mac Donald, 1991). Movement of home ranges may be a behavioural adaptation that has developed since the invasion of foxes into urban areas. The average amount of food available in the city is usually higher than in an equivalently sized rural area, but there is also a much greater variance in food availability (Doncaster et al, 1990; MacDonald, 1981). Foxes must regularly explore new areas and re-explore old ones in order to make the optimum use of the resources in an urban environment. In a large rural home range this activity would not be viable as it would require far too much energy; however this strategy survives and prospers in cities because of the high de nsity of different habitat patches. 6.2. Relation with Humans Foxes have had a very mixed relationship with humans. They are generally unpopular with rural communities, gamekeepers, shepherds and the majority of farmers (Reynolds and Tapor, 1996). Fox culling in rural areas is undertaken by several disparate interest groups. The key reason for farmers involvement in fox culling is the protection of livestock or poultry. Similarly, gamekeepers undertake culling to protect game on relatively large farms (Llyod, 1980). In rural areas fox hunting as a sport is often of substantial interest. In some cases landowners and gamekeepers curtail their culling effort to ensure sufficient foxes are available for hunting (Heydon and Reynolds, 2000). In contrast with this, urban foxes are welcomed by most residents and are often supported through deliberate feeding by householders (www.thefoxwebsite.org). During the 1970s and 80s there was a large reduction in the number of foxes killed by the local authority, this was due to their increasing popularity in British cities such as London (Harris and Yaldin, 2008). Damage caused by foxes in urban areas is generally slight; however fox predation on domestic pets contributes to the problematic relationship between humans and foxes. In relation to his study of food preferences in urban foxes, Harris (1981b) questioned households in Bristol regarding numbers of domestic animals killed by foxes. 5,191 households took part in the survey. Of the households that owned cats only 2.7% had lost a cat to foxes, most of which were kittens. 7. Conclusion Foxes are found anywhere with adequate food and shelter; their habitat can vary widely in terms of climate and terrain, ranging from the extremes of the arctic tundra in Russia and Europe to the deserts of North Africa (Hutchins at al, 2003). Since foxes have exploited every other suitable habitat, it would be surprising if they had not become city-dwellers. Mac Donald and Nedwick (1982) have suggested that there is no strict division between rural and urban foxes; radio tracked foxes regularly commuted between urban and rural areas. Nevertheless, living in the city requires special adaptations. The features which determine the distribution and abundance of foxes may be different in urban and rural habitats. The habitats of most communities of rural foxes are determined by the availably and distribution of food and by competition for it according to the density of foxes in an area (Goldyn, 2003). In an urban environment food is not usually a limiting recourse as vast amounts of food are available for scavenging. Instead, shelter becomes a high priority and their distribution is determined by the availability of suitable daytime refuge (Harris, 1977a). The diets of urban and rural foxes are generally very similar, however the availability of these foods differ between environments. The same controversy over predation on mans livestock exists in both areas, but in urban areas cats are substituted for lambs and domestic birds for poultry (Harris, 1981, Hewson, 1984). The largest difference in their diets is the more regular supply of scavenged foods and the greater availability of earthworms on domestic lawns than on rougher rural pastures (Doncaster et al, 1990). If given the opportunity, some populations of rural foxes may also scavenge substantial proportions of their food from villages and farms. In urban areas where dense populations of foxes live in close proximity there must be greater social involvement than in the less associated rural fox communities (Baker et al, 2000; Webbon et al, 2004). The closer proximity of high density urban fox populations results in higher susceptibility to epizootic diseases than their rural counter parts (Harris and Smith, 1987b). Density also has an affect on dispersal; generally animals from low density rural areas disperse farther than those from high or medium fox density urban areas (Trewhella et al, 1988). Not only do urban foxes move shorter distances but fewer of them actually leave the home (Trewhella et al, 1988; Storm et al, 1976). In both rural and urban populations humans are responsible for the majority of fox deaths. However, they are perceived very differently in these habitats. The majority of urban fox deaths are accidental (Baker et al, 2004); they are generally welcomed and have provided people with a connection to the natural world. On the other hand, in a rural setting foxes are seen as an agricultural pest and the majority of deaths are caused by culling and hunting (Heydon and Reynolds, 2000). This review highlights the influence of urbanisation on a highly adaptable and opportunistic animal. Foxes have become incredibly proficient at eking out a living in todays world and are deeply entwined in our history and culture.This review ultimately shows that the entire way of life of the urban fox is extremely similar to that of the rural fox; any behavioural differences observed seem to fall within the known range of responses of the fox to environmental stimuli. The specifics of their divergent ecology may differ depending on the habitat they occupy; however the structures of their ecologies remain the same. 8. References Baker, P.J., Funk, S.M., Harris, S., White, P.C.L. (2000). Flexible spatial organization of urban foxes, Vlpus vulpus, befo

Arrested Development :: essays research papers

Default individualization is a path which someone can follow by accepting personally bounding identities which are socially accepted. Basically each person accepting the same identity of that of the person right next to them. By not being their own individual, these identities may possibly delay growth into adulthood. Things in life happen by default for these people, whatever happens just happens, and it is not planned out or thought of to any extent. This individualization does not stimulate growth as a person, because one can just look onto others (whose are actions, choices, and behaviors are socially accepted) to choose their life choices. Or someone can choose a path of developmental individualization. They can easily have their own personal identity apart and different from any others. People can actively have a well thought out plan to change your life for the better and to maintain this plan for life improvement in the adult world As times have changed, so has our culture. Our country tends to veer children towards one particular individualization over another. It seems developmental individualization is more common. People have expectations by society which they must fulfill, and are expected to do so at particular times in their lives, as said by Tamara Haraven who argues the importance of â€Å"†¦ the timing of transitions, with those to adulthood becoming more uniform and orderly.† People are expected in life to go to school, work, get married, start a family, all these things are expected to be done at a certain time in their life. People may not want to do all this in this order and whatever point in their life, but they do because they are expected to do so. This is all supposed to happen developmentally. People are molded by society, actively making decisions and trying to be ahead of life’s obstacles. This is occurring in not only America but as well as in Europe, as Wallace observe s how instead of becoming their own individual people, people â€Å"choose identities from among and increasingly complex array of options†. Sven Morch makes similar observations, on youths who must ‘master’ their adolescence ‘ways’ in order to become successful adults, showing the importance of structure to their culture. Life must be followed in a particular sequence according to ‘contemporary capitalism’ in order to succeed in life. With a million and one people trying to get the same task done, people do things because they have to, not because they want to.

Grendels Mothers Attack Essay -- Beowulf Grendel Mother Essays

Grendel's Mother's Attack In Beowulf, we see a number of elements throughout the poem. First, we see a pagan warrior society. In this society the relationship between a king and his thanes is key. It is a symbiotic relationship in which the thanes defend the king and his land and fight his wars. In return, the king provides for his men. He offers them such items as mailcoats, swords, helmets, gold rings, mead, beer, shelter and companionship. This society also places great value on kinship. If one's kin is killed, it is the remaining relative's duty to make the killer pay for the death, either with his own life or the payment of wergild (the "man price"). Finally, we see the recurrence of the pagan ideas of fate and courage. Men believe that fate controls their lives. Beowulf constantly tests fate and believes that through courage he can live on in the memory of those who will live after him. In the section of the poem dealing with Grendel's Mother's attack, we see the warriors settling down to sleep in Heorot after the huge celebration of Beowulf's victory over Grendel. They seem unaware of the fact that Grendel has kin who may come to avenge his death. Grendel's mother appears on the scene, snatches a man away and hurries back to the mere. When it is discovered a man is dead, sorrow is renewed. There is no more joy at Heorot, now that the she-monster has sought "payment" for the death of her son. Yet since she and her son are monsters, the thanes feel little sympat...

The Transformation of George in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men :: Steinbeck Of Mice and Men Essays

The Transformation of George in Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a dramatic novel that depicts how different groups of people were treated and how hard life was during the Great Depression. Lennie and George were the main characters along with Curley and his wife, Candy, Slim, and Crooks. Lennie, a big guy and mentally slow, is George's friend and doesn't really change throughout the novel. George, on the other hand, is a small man and changes from a daydreamer to a more down-to-earth, logical person. In the beginning of the novel George daydreams of the future and tells Lennie stories about how they are going to have a farm someday with rabbits. George never really has any set plans on how he will get the farm with Lennie. At about the same time George is telling tales of the future, Lennie is petting mice and killing them. George knows that killing the mice is an accident and doesn't think Lennie would hurt any people. George and Lennie keep drifting and land a job in Soledad, California. Upon arriving in Soledad, George and Lennie meet Candy, an old man with a gimp hand who shows an interest in the farm. Candy offers to throw in $350 if he can be a part of their "dream farm". Suddenly, Georges dreams of the future start to seem more like a reality when they hear of a small plot of land for sale. When everything seems to be going right, a freak accident occurs. Lennie is invited by Curley's wife to pet her hair. He starts to pet her hair when she quickly wants him to let go and screams. Lennie panics and accidentally kills her because he hasn't learned from his mistakes. When Curley, the boss' son, hears of what happened he starts to look for Lennie who is hiding. Curley says that when he finds Lennie he will shoot him in the gut. George knows that him and Lennie couldn't run from this mistake, and Lennie will be hunted and killed painfully. To spare him the pain George kills Lennie quickly. Even though going on with the dream farm would be possible, George knows it wouldn't be the same without Lennie.

Mexican American Essay

The Mexican American experience has been one of adversity, and endurance. The plight of these native people has been ignored, and many times erased from the American conscience. They have struggled for acknowledgement, fought for equality and have gone to battle for respect. This population has been victimized, and driven to the ground by the powerful grip of American society. Efforts were repeatedly made to shape Mexicans into what others perceived them to be. The language they should speak, the things they should learn, and the way they should live, were decisions they were unable to control. This lack of power allowed the U.S. to take advantage of Mexican rights, labor and land. In addition, this produced a loss of Mexican identity and culture. Several thousand agricultural workers migrated to the U.S. in the early twentieth century. The majority of these persons were Mexicans that found work on farms, where white owners welcomed their cheap labor. Growers minimized local opposition to Mexican immigration by promising that the Mexicans would return to Mexico, following picking season. This broken promise enabled the growth of systematic oppression toward incoming Mexicans. By migrating to the U.S., they hoped to find more prosperous means of living. The Bracero Program was implemented as a tool for Mexicans to migrate and work in the U.S. The Bracero Program offered a dramatic solution for Mexicans to work through visas in the U.S. This program offered thousands of workers the opportunity to work on farms, and get paid. Unfortunately, it had its failings. Basically the program was a way for the American employers to exploit Mexican workers, and pay them very small wages. Race became the main justification for discrimination and subordination of Mexicans. On a social side; class, race, and gender are the means by which people are set apart. Mexican identities became lumped together, and were referred to as the bottom of the barrel, in the Anglo American eyes. This culture is viewed as a rejection of assimilation. In current debates over the increasing unemployment rates, Americans seek to use Mexicans as scapegoats. This is often due to the number of Mexicans that migrated to the U.S., and are willing to preform manual labor for minimal payment. These Mexicans have been exploited by imperialism and globalization. It is this exploitation that brings about migration and changes to their culture and identity. In the United States, we live in a society that proclaims equality, free of discrimination, opportunity, liberty and freedom to all its citizens. However, that is only a faà §ade. Reality is the gentrified urban areas, neglect and ignorance of the presence of racial and gender inequalities that saturate society. Social stratification impeded racial relations in the U.S. far more than any other racial differences. Minorities experience the majority of wealth in the hands of the white population. Whites refer to government programs for minorities as a handout, or minorities being lazy. For many decades people have been using race as a way to classify humans into different social categories. Unfortunately, Mexicans have been placed in the underclass category. This is due to their financial income, occupations, and legal right to be in the U.S. Regrettable, Mexican Americans are viewed as inferior, and seem to be at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Qualitative Research Assignment Essay

1. Was there a clear statement of the aims of the research ? Yes. In the article, the aim of the research was to understand the experience of participants, their knowledge about type 2 diabetes, and the factors of medication adherence in Malaysia. According to Susan (2010), the five components of PICOT are population, issue, context, outcome, and time. According to Al-Qazaz et al (2011), the PICOT was presented by the researcher in the study were, P: Type 2diabetes patients with receiving of hypoglycemic medication. I: Identifying participants’ perception, and their knowledge about type 2 diabetes disease and medication. C: USM clinic of Malaysia, where the study took place. O: It helps people living with type 2 diabetes to have a diverse understanding by relating with other people’s experiences. T: March and April of 2009.  Qualitative PICOT is a framework to help in formulating effective clinical question in a step-by step manner (Melnyk and Fineout , 2010). 2. Is a qualitative methodology appropriate ? Yes.Qualitative research is to study a person’s behavior and lived experiences related to what is being studied in the research (Denzin and Lincoln, 2011). The key characteristics of qualitative study in this article included a small sample size, in-depth interview (semi-structured), researcher involving during interview, non comparisons and non numerical. In qualitative study, sample size are usually small that achieve in-depth understanding of the experiences or feeling of the participants (Polit and Beck, 2012). Meanwhile, a semi-structured interview was used to collect data by codding participants’ ideas arising until no more new themes emerging. According to Polit and Beck (2012), semi-structured interview can provide rich and detailed information during phenomenon study. In this study, a phenomenological approach was used to described the aim of the research. It is to understand the experiences of diabetic patients in Malaysia, and explore their knowledge about the medications that they have been taking. According to Judith (2007), qualitative research is characterized by its  aims to understand the experiences and attitudes of patients. In brief, a qualitative methodology is appropriate to this research. 3. Was the research design appropriate to address the aims of the research ? Yes. According to NCBI (2014), a Phenomenological study can probably explore participant’s lived experience, beliefs about the efficacy of the medication, side-effects of drug and participants’ adherence to the treatment regime. By the square, in this article, the aim is to understand the participants’ experience and explore their knowledge and medication adherence related on type 2 diabetes. Therefore, phenomenological approach is appropriate to address the aims of the research. The advantages of Phenomenological study is to reveal patients’ beliefs and experiences by a flexible way to explore the respondents’ attitude, and allowing deep understanding about knowledge and feeling of participants (Polit and Beck, 2012). However, its limitation is that samples are often small band and the researchers are not attempting to generalize the findings. 4. Was the recruitment strategy appropriate to the aims of the research ? Yes.The researcher recruited participants from USM clinic and who were diagnosed type 2 diabetes while taking on hypoglycemic medications through a convenience sampling. According to HRDAG (2013), convenience sampling is to recruit participants from a particular clinical setting during data collection of a qualitative research. Moreover, convenience sampling is easy and efficient to extract the greatest possible information from the new cases in the sample, until there is no new data could be obtained and the redundancy of data saturation was achieved (Polit and Beck, 2012). However, convenience sampling may not be a preferred sampling in qualitative research due to unable to bring out the most information-rich sources and the representative of the population (Polit and Beck, 2012). In this article, the data was only obtained in one specific clinic, that would affect the credibility of result, such as the adverse effects of medication, and the satisfaction rates from health providers. It would be better if the researcher use purpose sampling into the study.Purpose sampling is to choose participants based on specific purposes, and it is primarily used in qualitative research (Polit and Beck, 2012). it can achieve  representativeness of the population and provide credibility of the result, because the researcher will not only focus on one clinic during recruitment of participants. 5. Were the data collected in a way that addressed the research issues ? Yes.A semi-structured interview was developed for data collecting of the research. Semi-structured interview is a paper-based interview guide which contain open-ended questions and the participant to follows (RWJF,2008). Moreover,Semi-structured interview provide rich, detailed information in the phenomenon study (Polit and Beck, 2012). In the study, the researcher has described in-depth interview to explore patients’ beliefs and experiences. Besides, a consent form was signed by participants before interview, a direct tell phone contact for arranging a time of interview. Further more, all the interview has been audiotaped, and the researcher did line by line analysis and coding the data to identify the key themes. The researcher interpreted to the participants who could not understand English during the interviewing by translating from a staff nurse to avoid bias that might affect the findings. In short, the data collected were fully addressed the research issue of this study. 6. Has the relationship between researcher and participants been adequately considered ? Yes. Qualitative researchers need to develop a strong relationships with participants in the study to establish credibility (Polit and Beck, 2012). In the article, all the participants were informed the purpose of this study, and a consent form was signed by each of them. The researcher also made phone call to arrange time and place that participants would like to choose for each interview. Besides, they are allowed to express their own views at the time of interview. From the analysis above we can see the participants have been fully respected by the researcher to gain their trust. Therefore, the relationship between researcher and participants has been adequately considered in this study (Al-Qazaz et al 2011). However, there was no mention about reflexivity by the researcher in this article. According to RWJF(2008), it described that reflexivity is a process use to exam researcher’s relationship to the respondent that refers to how the researcher’s values, beliefs, acquaintances and interests influence his/her  research. It would be better if it is mentioned about how the researcher located herself or himself in the study, the readers can identify how it affect the data obtaining, that will gain the findings of the research to be more credible (Polit and Beck, 2012). 7. Have ethical issues been taken into account? Yes.In the study, a respect for human dignity was fully presented based on informing the participants about the purpose of study, distributing a consent form, and a direct phone contact before interview. The participants have been fully respected by the researcher to benefit as well as the individual’s rights. Besides, they are allowed to express their own views at the time of interview, and the participants can choose place where they feel more convenience to be interviewed. It gave researcher a chance to explore the depth-richness data from participants, and enhance the participants’ autonomy and anonymity in the study. Further more, the study was also approved by the local ethics committee. In short, the ethical issues have been taken into the study as well. There was no coercion could be found in the study. However, the researcher did not mention about the confidentiality and how was data protected. Besides, they did not mention how many times participants understanding were checked before the consent form given. According to Polit and Beck (2012), it is described that it must deal with ethical issues if the studies involving human beings, because the human rights must be protected. 8. Was the data analysis sufficiently rigorous ? Yes. In the study, the researcher has described clearly that a transcript of 12 audiotaped in-depth interviews were double checked for its accuracy. And the researcher identified the emerging themes via line by line data analysis and coding the relevant content data into categories until the data saturation was met and no more new data emerging from the interviews. According to Polit and Beck (2012), data saturation is a measurement of sample size that based on informational needs under the study. It is to achieve the rigour of data analysis until no more new information can be obtained. However, the researcher failed to mention about member checking in this study. It is not clear whether the researcher asked participants to  review and comment on the case summaries or drafts of the research report. It will effect the credibility of the data. According to Polit and Beck (2012), member checking defined as the researcher confirm their data accuracy by providing a feedback to the part icipants during data are being collected to ensure that participants’ meaning were understood, and it is for enhancing validation of the research. Further more, the researcher mentioned their data were analyzed by using means of a standard content analysis framework. Its aim was achieved by a appropriate phenomenological design in this study which have been discussed in question two. Moreover, the rigor and validity can also result in developing trustworthiness of qualitative research, and the five criterion for evaluation the trustworthiness in the research include in credibility, dependability, confirmability, transferability, and authenticity (Polit and Beck, 2012). In the study, a phenomenological design was conducted with a semi-structured interview of data collection, and coding method for data analysis. this can be sufficiently proved its credibility, dependability, and confirmability. Therefore, it can be said the data analysis of this study is sufficient rigorous. 9. Is there a clear statement of findings? Yes. Four major themes were clear stated in the study which included (1). Participants’knowledge about type 2 diabetes and its medications; (2). Side-effects of medications; (3), adherence issues; (4), relationship with family on well-being (Al-Qazaz et al 2011). According to Polit and Beck (2012), the researchers interpret the data by rereading, categorizing and coding, then developing a data analysis to point out the themes into a unified whole. In this study, the researcher used qualitative design to consider increasingly the transferability of the findings to reflect the true experiences of the participants. It is relevance and accurately from the data, and give reader thought to the implications of the study for future research and practice. Meanwhile, the researcher are in the best position to demonstrate their limitations what they have been aware from the study. Consequently, it told readers that the researchers have done what they could do to guarantee the findings we re clearly and accurately as well. 10. How valuable is the research ? The purpose of qualitative research findings was described to explore participants’ experiences to develop a specific nursing intervention for improving a better outcomes of patients, and as a potentially applicable evidence influencing in future practice (NCBI,2011). Overview this study, a phenomenological approach that explore the aim of the research, it is to understand the experience of participants, their knowledge about type 2 diabetes, and the factors of medication adherence in Malaysia. Besides, it allows a deep understanding about knowledge and feeling of participants(Polit and Beck, 2012). Moreover, a semi-structured interview was used to provide rich and detailed information during the study for its validity(Polit and Beck, 2012). Further, a convenience sampling recruited participants and extract the greatest possible information to achieve data saturation for its rigour. Meanwhile, the ethical issues has been taken into account by the researchers to benefit as well as the individual’s rights. On the other side, the researcher demonstrated their limitations what they aware of the study to enhance the findings more clearly and accurately. Regarding quantitative findings, it is not generalizable that can be applied to entire populations, however, it is generalizable in a way this particularly pertinent to nursing practice in which there is an expectation that scientific finding, and provide knowledge about human experiences to readers for future research.Thus it can be seen, the research is quite valuable. Conclusion Critical appraisal is a process to judge weather a research is usefulness or its findings are trustworthy(Young and Solomon, 2009). The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) produced a simple critical appraisal checklist guide people developing their skills what they need to make sense of scientific evidence(Burls, 2009). All of above,by following the CASP checklist in quantitative research, it was presented a Randomized Controlled Trial Appraisal Tool, to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention , a large sample size and a blinding to achieve the reliability of the outcome and prevent bias, a intention-to-treat analysis to compromise the validity of the study. Moreover, generalizability of the study can be practices in  other countries and helpful for further study. However, in qualitative research, the CASP is helped to understanding people’s lived experience and explore participant’s experience of taking the drugs, beliefs about the efficacy of the drug, side-effects and the adherence of treatment regime. A phenomenological method has been used in the qualitative study through a semi-structured interview, convenience sampling and coding to reveal patient’s beliefs and experiences, and allowing understanding of the knowledge and coping strategies in which the quantitative research is unable to cover. More, in this qualitative study, sample size is tend to be small, and the finding is not generalized(Polit and Beck, 2012). Both of researchers have considered validity, findings, and its relevance. However, in the qualitative article, if the researcher use a purpose sampling method and mention about reflexivity and member checking during data collection, that will enhance validity of the findings to be more accurate. Reference 1. Aveyard H and Sharp P (2009) A Beginner’s Guide to Evidence Based Practice in Health and Social Care Professions.Glasgow: Open University Press. 2. 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