Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Hinduism and Buddhism

Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Hinduism and Buddhism From egotism, force, pride,// Desire, wrath, and possession// Freed, unselfish, calmed,// He is fit for becoming Brahman (Bhagavad Gita XVIII.53). Hinduism and Buddhism are two of the worlds greatest and most influential religions. Both of these religions arose in South Asia, and thus stem from a similar philosophy and culture. While contrasting greatly with the monotheistic religions of the West, Hinduism and Buddhism also contrast greatly with each other. Although similar in respect to general philosophy, Hinduism and Buddhism differ greatly on matters of social structure. The two religions also contrast because Hinduism omits and Buddhism emphasizes individual freedom to progress spiritually and socially in the current life. By comparing the two religions, one can easily see why it is that Hinduism has proved the more stable and Buddhism the more humanitarian philosophy. Both Hinduism and Buddhism are more philosophical than religious. Both describe an all-encompassing philosophy and define existence itself. For instance, the essential Hindu concept defining the individual and his responsibilities is dharma. A convoluted term, dharma is a sense of obligation. One must fulfill his roles in society and the world. Such responsibilities include reproduction and caste duties, but extend into the philosophical realm of peaceful and humble acceptance of ones position. Dharma defines correct living for a Hindu. Buddhism has a similar concept, dhamma (note even the linguistic similarity). Dhamma does not imply specific biological or social obligations, but maintains a comparable philosophical construct. The Buddhist definition of right conduct and personal obligation, dhamma is the path which must be taken to escape the suffering of worldly life. Other similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism are more apparent. Both religions maintain a broad perspective of religious worship. Hinduism is polytheistic while Buddhism maintains no structured belief in an independent, sentient god-like entity (especially in human form). Either of these concepts yields a malleable religion which can adjust and conform to local tradition and fluctuations in intellectual and spiritual thought. Both religions believe in a system of reincarnation, and both religions emphasize the community over the self. The major rift between the two religions seems to stem from the role of social structure in the two religions. Hinduisms caste system perpetuates a fatalism and apathy toward social rights and advancement while reinforcing the ruling establishment. Buddhism concentrates on the individuals release from suffering, implying no overriding social definition. The outstanding example of Hinduisms establishment tendencies is the caste system. The caste system divides the Hindu people into four major classes, Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra, and untouchables, or people outside of all the classes. Members of certain castes have certain duties. Caste is determined by birth, allowing no social advancement, career choice, or individual freedom. The castes are socially ranked, forming an upper social division as well as lower ones. Caste, then, determines ones profession, ones potential education, ones social position, even defining these limitations for your children. These social limitations are reinforced by the concept that caste is determined by sins or virtues in a previous life: how well one fulfilled his dharma in the past. The responsibilities of ones current caste also constitute the dharma which will further advance or punish one in your next life. In other words, exceeding ones dharma in not only unnecessary, but in all probab ility will hurt your dharma, causing you to fall into a lower caste in your next life. This intertwining of social strata with religion creates a fatalism derived from inevitable destiny, guilt complexes of past life caste determination, a philosophy of acceptance, and fear of punishment for transcending ones dharma. In this light, Hinduism becomes a tremendous force for stagnation, eliminating the initiative for progress in a philosophy of acceptance which breeds an apathy for social justice. Such a pervasive philosophy becomes an asset to the status quo and ruling stratum, stabilizing the social structure at the expense of individuals. Buddhism, on the other hand, plays little role in the social or political structure of a society. Buddhism actually began as a reaction to the violence of Hindu society, including the brutality of the caste system. Buddhism concentrates not on the society, but on the individual, thus divorcing religion from the interests of the ruling stratum. The pessimism of Hindu reincarnation is replaced by a more optimistic and less fatalistic cycle. One is no longer born into a position due to past inequities. Although Buddhism does see life as pain and suffering and reincarnation as a renewal of this suffering, there is a potential escape. If one renounces his attachment to desire and self, Nirvana, or escape from the cycles of suffering, is possible. The most important aspect of Nirvana, however, is its unrestricted access to people of any social background. In other words, although a Hindu untouchable cannot possibly advance in this life through any extraordinary effort of his own, any Buddh ist can achieve Nirvana through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, realizations of the essence of suffering and the methods to remove all suffering. Buddhism also seems to be less ritualistic and deity-dependent than Hinduism. Cultures across the world have created man-shaped gods to emphasize the dignity and purpose of human existence. In my opinion, this shows an emotional dependency which flaws a religious philosophy. If a religion is created to emotionally satisfy its followers, it seems to contain less truth or philosophical rightness. I believe this is the case with Hinduism. While Hinduism has man shaped gods to emphasize human dignity, Buddhism manages to instill a respect for humanity through the intellectual and spiritual capacity of man. This is evidenced by the supreme respect Buddhist have for those who achieve Nirvana, quasi-deifying these men, recognizing their superhuman wisdom and spirit while refusing to attribute them supernatural properties. The lack of an artificial diety to instill purpose in a religions followers makes Buddhism significantly different, and more advanced, than Hinduism. An especially important indicator of the contrast between Hinduism and Buddhism arises in their historical relationship. Buddhism, of course, arose as a reform movement out of Hinduism. This in itself tends to put Buddhism in a more positive light as the religion that integrated Hindu beliefs while excluding the most negative aspects of Hinduism. This turns out to be the case when the caste system is examined. While Hinduism not only perpetuates, but is itself the caste system, Buddhism utterly rejects any system of caste. Buddhism actually reached high levels of support during the rule of Ashoka, who adopted the Buddhist concept of ahimsa, or non violence, and its tendency toward greater equality. The attractiveness of a philosophy/religion of peace and general freedom, including a rejection of the social stigmas of caste for untouchables and lower caste members, brought thousands of converts. Again, however, the historical relationship of Hinduism and Buddhism shows the inherent ma lleability and strength of Hinduism. In order to integrate the Buddhist movement into Hinduism, the Buddha was made an avatar of Vishnu. Now even if one claimed to be a Buddhist, one could easily be dismissed as a Hindu. By erasing the demarcation between the two religions, Hinduism managed to absorb the Buddhist movement. This result shows the power of a religion so closely tied to the social structure. Because Hinduism pervaded the very fabric of society, it was able to stifle and absorb threatening philosophies. Buddhism, on the other hand, has no interest in the structural model of a society to effect similar results. Between Hinduism and Buddhism, I believe that Buddhism is more positive religion. The myths and history of Hinduism create a field of immensely greater interest than that of Buddhism. The culture of Hinduism also seems more captivating, although this is only by virtue of its distinct difference with Western class systems. Despite the draw Hinduism holds upon outsiders, Buddhism remains the more advanced religion. Whereas Hinduism represses others through caste, Buddhism projects ultimate acceptance. Both religions maintain an emphasis upon the community and a rejection of selfishness that is refreshingly different from Western religions. Although both of these religions instill respect and a genuine concern for others, Hinduism does so in a forced, repressive manner while Buddhism is more liberal. The relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism is much the same as between Catholicism and Protestantism. One can equate Catholicism with Hinduism and Protestantism with Buddhism. Protestantism grew as a reform movement out of Catholicism. The corruption, immorality, and restrictive power structure of the Catholic Church became so intolerable that Protestantism, a religion emphasizing the individuals personal relationship with the deity, was created. Protestantism offered more freedom and dignity to the people than did Catholicism. Although the religions are vastly different, Buddhism also grew out of the corruption, immorality, and restrictive power structure of Hinduism to give the people more freedom and dignity. Unfortunately, the comparison stops here since the philosophy of Protestantism did not support a selfless, dignified religion, while the very essence of Buddhism supports a selfless and dignified view of humanity. This again results from Buddhisms deemphasis on social ord er. Hinduism and Buddhism are very similar religions in comparison to the monotheistic religions of the West. On a direct comparison, however, the differences between Buddhism and Hinduism are great. Although the general tendencies of both religions lean toward the family and community, Hinduism does so at the expense of women and the lower castes while Buddhism remains more universally accepting. Both religions seem to have elements which would do the West good to learn, but only Buddhism lacks any large scale negative repercussions for its followers. On the basis of these criteria, Buddhism seems to have more positive character as a general life philosophy.

Placoid Scales on Sharks and Rays

Placoid Scales on Sharks and Rays Placoid scales are the tiny tough scales that cover the skin of sharks, rays, and other elasmobranchs. Even though placoid scales are similar to the scales of bony fish, they are modified teeth and are covered with hard enamel. They grow out of the dermis layer and this is why they are called dermal denticles. Placoid scales are packed tightly together, supported by spines, and grow with their tips facing backward. This gives the fishs skin a rough feel. The function of these scales is for protection against predators. In some sharks, they may also have a hydrodynamic function, helping them swim more efficiently and quietly. The placoid scales are shaped such that little vortices form, reducing friction as the shark swims. They also direct the water around the fish. The Structure of Placoid Scales The placoid scales grow out of the dermis, with the flat rectangular base plate embedded in the skin of the fish. Like our teeth, placoid scales have an inner core of pulp made up of connective tissues, blood vessels, and nerves. Like the pulp cavity of a tooth, it is nursed by a layer of odontoblast cells that secrete dentine. This hard, calcified material forms the next layer. The dentine is covered by enamel-like vitrodentine, which is produced by the ectoderm. Once the scale erupts through the epidermis, no more enamel can be deposited on that portion of the scale. Different species have different kinds of spines develop to support the scales. The spines give the scales their rough texture. It is so rough that it has been used as sandpaper by various cultures form many centuries. The species of fish can be identified by the shape of the scales and spines. On some sharks, they are shaped like a duck foot. Scales in bony fish grow as the fish gets larger, but placoid scales stop growing after they reach a certain size, and then more scales are added as the fish grows. Shark Skin Leather The tough nature of the placoid scales makes shark rawhide leather, called shagreen. The scales are ground down so the surface is rough with rounded protrusions. It can take on dye colors or be left white. It was used in Japan to cover sword hilts, where its rough nature was appreciated to help form a good grip. Other Types of Fish Scales Ctenoid scales are another kind of toothed scales, but the teeth are only along the outer edge of the scale. They are found on fish such as perch that have spiny fin rays. Cycloid scales have a smooth texture and they are found on fish with soft fin rays, including salmon and carp. They are rounded and show growth rings as they grow with the animal. Ganoid scales are diamond-shaped and they do not overlap, but they fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. They are seen on gars, bichirs, and reedfishes, and they act like armor plates.

Career Design Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Career Design - Term Paper Example person involved in politics, I learned that there are actually intangible matters that are important and of lesser importance than others such as fairness rather than status, respect rather than recognition, health rather than stability, freedom rather than security, honesty rather than influence, and so on. This means that there are many important matters in life but there is a need to streamline which of them are the personal choices of an individual in order for him to determine his choices of action. 4) Values Assessment + Values alignment Paper: In 750 words or less, describe the alignment between your values and your career choice. How has your career and the role(s) you play in your professional life reflected your core values and beliefs? According to Cooper and Cottrell (2010), â€Å"Clearly articulating one’s professional purpose and professional values can clarify career direction as well as provide inspiration and ongoing career motivation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (13). This means that in my choice of career, I have carefully balanced which are the most important values in my life and then made a career decision patterned after these values. As a professional, often times, I encounter co-workers that seek help at the workplace but after evaluating my role and their own roles, I learn that there are workloads that I should accomplish, and there are also loads that they need to accomplish. By being fair to myself and to them, I did my best to accomplish all tasks expected of me. Where tasks under their responsibility were delegated to me, I reminded them that the details of the task specifically states that it was their responsibility and that it is expected that they deliver the tasks. In addition, by doing what are expected of me, I am being fair to my employers and my fellow employees. I exercise respect towards all my colleagues and supervisors by avoiding rude speech and unacceptable actions such as letting them finish their message before bowing down to

Reflections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflections - Essay Example A good place to begin in this regard is with Carter's Three Step Integrity Model. To begin with step one: discerning what is right and what is wrong is not an innate behavior or characteristic; it is learned. Education is key to building up this moral faculty. This faculty is built up through experience and through principles. In a country as politically complicated and as diverse as the United States, this takes a lot of work. We can't shirk from hard work; we must embrace it. Step two: Sometimes integrity means acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost. In our society, one would call a person who discerns and acts on what they have witnessed or experienced a "snitch". Many times in the justice arena a person who has witnessed a crime or an altercation, definitely could inform at personal cost-whether jeopardizing their lives or the lives of loved ones. An example a little closer to home would be, to discern something about a colleague or family member. This would definitely put one in an awkward position, especially if they have to confront the issue or if the issue jeopardizes the integrity of a company or violates a family member(s) trust; all at personal cost to that person. This more than likely would cause animosity, fear, loss of friendship and even, cost them their job or division in the family. The choice is a hard one; turning to faith is the best way to find an answer. Step three involves saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong. Even if it costs you personally, it is important to be honest. You have to act on what you understand to be right and be honest with what knowledge you have. This too is part of integrity. 2. Interpersonal relations class. This class reminded me of a personal situation. When I was around 16 years old, the teacher in my class assigned all of us pen pals for the year. The pen pals were to be from the island of Malta, which is a small country in the Mediterranean near Sicily. I had never had a pen pal before. In fact I rarely wrote letters. It could be said that I was a shy child and did not have many friends. So I was a little bit nervous about having a pen pal as I didn't know how I felt about telling a stranger all about my life. My pen pal's name was Flavia and we soon began exchanging letters. While I might have been nervous at first, I soon began to really enjoy the experience. What I enjoyed most was getting to know another person in the way that I got to know Flavia. She was the same age as I was and with a lot of the same family background-the same amount of brother and sisters, for example-and from a similar socio-economic background. At first our letters simply introduced basic facts about our lives to one another. After a few letters doing this we began to talk about our routines-the sports we played, the kind of friends we had, the computer games we enjoyed. The more letters we exchanged, the closer I felt the two of us becoming. Soon we had graduated to begin to talk about what we thought about our lives, our societies, and cultures. We began to share personal details; this led to a bond that was built on trust. We both perceived each other as more fully formed people and began to understand what sort of stimuli influenced one another's perceptions and experiences of the world. Another important thing that made us feel closer together was the fact that over the months that

Government Policy and Ideologies of Welfare

Government Policy and Ideologies of Welfare With reference to changes in government policy and ideologies of welfare, debate the significance of the shift from victorian ‘pauper to 21st century ‘service user and its impact on social work practice and values. By charting changes in government policy and welfare ideologies, this essay will discuss the significance of the move from the Victorian ‘Pauper towards the 21st century ‘Service User and examine how this has influenced social work values and practice. But first, brief consideration must be given to offering a definition of these terms. The Oxford English Dictionary (2009: online) defines a pauper as somebody with no property or means of livelihood; who is dependent upon charity from others; and a beggar. Terminology has changed dramatically and the term ‘service user emerged in the 1990s as the generic name for people social workers work with (Pierson Thomas, 2006: 560). In contrast to ‘pauper, the Collins Internet-Linked Dictionary of Social Work by Pierson and Thomas (2006: 560) states: â€Å"its popularity has spread among practitioners, managers and social work educators alike as it seems to convey the more contemporary emphasis on those who receive the service having some rights and influence over that service† (Ibid.). All societies have methods of assisting those in financial difficulties (Payne, 2005: 13) and the 1601 English Poor Law was the first national welfare provision that lasted in one form or another for 350 years (Spicker, 2008: 78). However, in the 18th century, the Poor Law Report demonstrated the current allowance system was demoralising and promoted idleness (Fraser, 2009: 53). This, coupled with a proliferation of paupers and escalating relief costs, led to the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 which heralded the introduction of workhouses, designed to deter everyone but the destitute from applying for support (Thane, 1996: 31). It was hoped by replacing outdoor relief with the workhouse, the faults of the current system would be corrected (Fraser, 2009: 55). Ultimately, it provided a harsh alternative to self-help that the pauper would only accept when destitute; and fearing the workhouse, they would hopefully find employment (Ibid.: 55-56). This was in keeping with the general social p hilosophy of the time that supposed â€Å"men were masters of their own fate and that the individual had within his grasp the power to find his own salvation† (Ibid.: 56). Those requiring assistance were blamed for their position and expected to find solutions to their own self-imposed misery (Sullivan, 1996: xiv). Therefore, the Victorian Poor Law divided the needy into the deserving and undeserving poor; with the deserving worthy of philanthropic assistance whilst the undeserving was punished for their feckless behaviour (Ibid.). In essence, the Amendment Act successfully forced able-bodied men to take responsibility for themselves (Thane, 1996: 33). Throughout the 1880s charitable responses to suffering grew (Payne, 2005: 36) and the Charitable Organisation Society was established in 1869, aiming to persuade charities to organise resources so they were distributed to those best able to use them (Thane, 1996: 21). The COS was not an alternative to the Poor Law, but the flip side of the same coin (Payne, 2005: 36) and its principles encouraged people to become self-dependent and only helped those with potential to support themselves (Thane, 1996: 21). It provided charity for the ‘deserving and hence, left those without potential to become self-dependent to destitution or the Poor Law (Ibid.: 21-34). Furthermore, COS endeavoured to find lasting solutions to peoples problems, without removing them from their environment and pioneered the practice of case-work whereby investigations were conducted into clients backgrounds who were then helped if deemed worthy (Ibid.). Much had to be said for this case-work approach, which provi ded a real attempt to investigate the nature of the peoples problems (Ibid.) and essentially, through the development of this method, created social work (Payne, 2005: 38). Many people following COS principles in theory found it challenging to abandon those in desperate need in practice (Thane, 1996: 23). Hence, dissatisfaction generated new voluntary approaches, including the Settlement Movement, which initiated modern community work (Ibid.). Residential settlement Toynbee Hall was established in 1884 where graduates would live and work among the poor; a model replicated throughout the country by the end of the century (Ibid.). It aimed for them to utilise their moral example and education to foster social development (Payne, 2005: 37) and its warden Samuel Barnett believed class harmony and material improvement would only improve when the rich regarded the poor as equally worthy individuals (Thane, 1996: 21). Moving to the twentieth century, following the Second World War, fundamental welfare changes were introduced under the Labour government in accordance with a blueprint proposed in the 1942 Beveridge Report (Bochel, 2008: 192). Subsequently, the period from 1945 until the 1970s is considered: â€Å"One of political consensus on key issues, stemming from a combination of the economic philosophy of Keynes, and the social policy of Beveridge, enshrining the ideas of the mixed economy and the welfare state† (Ibid.). During this period it was assumed societies had progressed, rendering the state responsible for providing universal welfare provision for citizens (Payne, 2005: 50). Subsequently, the state established a range of social services in the new era of welfare capitalism and this social security was regarded as the instrument that would eradicate poverty (Sullivan, 1996: xiii-3). The welfare state was created to put welfare on a new footing (Briggs, 1961 cited in Spicker, 2008: 121) where everyone, not just the poor, had the right to access services (Spicker, 2008: 121). This contrasted starkly to when support was confined to the destitute and deliberately made unpleasant under the Poor Law (Checkland Checkland, 1974 cited in Spicker, 2008: 121) and this commitment to universalism provided an obvious change from the past (Sullivan, 1996: 54). Moreover, social work was becoming accepted as part of universal welfare provision alongside health, housing and social security (Payne, 2005: 50) a nd in the 25 years following the war, a gradual professionalizing shift occurred (Lymberry, 2001: 371). Subsequently, following the 1968 Seebohm Report and the 1970 Local Authority Social Services Act, the three existing personal social services were reorganised into unified local authority departments (Sullivan, 1996: 195-196). It was hoped this would â€Å"provide a more co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to the problems of individuals, families and communities† (Seebohm Report, 1968 quoted in Lymberry, 2001: 371). Fundamentally, this was a period of proliferation and consolidation for social work with the hope it would contribute towards creating a more equal society (Lymberry, 2001: 371). This movement to the welfare state from the Poor Law is referred to as the progression to ‘institutional welfare from ‘residual provision (Wilensky Lebeaux, 1965 cited in Spicker, 2008: 92). Residual welfare catered for a limited number of people, was provided under sufferance and regarded as a public burden (Spicker, 2008: 92). Furthermore, the Poor Law was punitive in nature, limited liabilities through deterrence and deprived paupers of their rights (Ibid.). Contrastingly, institutional welfare covered the general populations needs, regardless of their financial circumstances, and offered protection to everyone (Ibid.). It was built on accepting mutual responsibility, considered dependency to be normal, and was based on the premise of a right to welfare and citizenship, (Ibid.). Theoretically, this universalism provided the only way to guarantee high quality of services were available for all and removed the stigma associated with state services (Sullivan, 1996: 54). During the two decades after the war, governments believed in Keynesian demand management techniques and Beveridges social ideas (Ibid.: 90). However, from the late 1960s these economic policies failed and the UK faced a fiscal crisis of the state (Ibid.). Subsequently, when the Conservatives were elected in 1979, the ideology of the New Right dominated and heralded a change from the post-war welfare consensus (Lymberry, 2001: 372). This period was characterised by Neo-liberal thinking, which fundamentally questioned the state-delivered institutions forming the welfare state, and these beliefs have affected policy-making and the welfare system during recent decades (Ellison, 2008: 61-67). For example, Thatchers government was dedicated to rolling back the state and denying mutual commitments among citizens because allegedly society did not exist but comprised of competing individuals instead (Lowe, 1999: 307). They aspired for those dependent on the state to become independent becaus e: â€Å"If those in need were encouraged to look passively to the state for help, they would be denied the invigorating experience of self-help and of family or community care† (Ibid.). Therefore, the New Right were committed to re-moralising society, just as Poor Law reformers of the 1830s had before them, with a return to Victorian values (Ibid.). This generated a reduction in benefits and conditions stipulated for accessing these were toughened (Clarke et al., 2000: 3). Furthermore, an increasing stigma was attached to publicly provided welfare and it was, in some respects, criminalised by linking US notions of ‘welfare dependency and ‘demoralisation to UK ideas of ‘scrounging and ‘undeserving (Ibid.). Fundamentally, welfare had come full circle when: â€Å"Individualism as the motor of economic and social policy in the nineteenth and early twentieth centurys gave way to the collectivism of that classic welfare state only to re-emerge in the late twentieth century† (Sullivan, 1996: xv). New Right emphasis on the sanctity of marriage and family, the demonization of those who threatened these and their promotion of a social order based on ‘Victorian values impacted on social work (Lymberry, 2001: 372). It was forced to abandon its pretensions to providing a universalist service and focus on statutory duties, omitting the preventative remit laid out in the Seebohm Report (Ibid.). Furthermore, it underlined individuals looking after themselves and their families (Bochel, 2008: 194). Subsequently, social work changed after the Barclay Report of the 1980s, which introduced community social work strategies and encouraged local authority social services departments to develop alternative ways of meeting social need (Sullivan, 1996: 196). This approach envisaged moving from the traditional one-to-one focus towards facilitating self-help by communities, social networks, and individuals (Ibid.). Moreover, it heralded the movement of social workers from therapists to enab lers, supporting informal carers instead of providing the care themselves (Ibid.). When looking at New Labour and their ‘Third Way approach, a decisive shift has occurred in the role of the recipients of social work services. For example, Blair (2000 cited in Jordan, 2001: 529) intended to change the welfare state from delivering passive support towards active support, promoting citizens independence instead. Taking the middle ground between free-market principles of the Conservative years and old style socialism it meant services would demand more from citizens, requiring people to contribute to a responsible community (Jordan, 2001: 529-530). This tougher approach to welfare is evident in expecting many single parents, the disabled, and those receiving employment benefits to actively seek employment (Ellison, 2008: 67). Additionally, benefits are now less generous and more strictly means-tested than in the height of Keynesian welfare (Ibid.). Furthermore, the development of anti-oppressive practice signals a change in the attitudes towards the role of users of social work services. Anti-oppressive practice has emerged over the last decade, forms part of the critical social work tradition, and is concerned with transforming power relations at every level in practice (Healy, 2005: 172-178). Theorists believe the social work role is political with social workers holding a privileged status in comparison to service users (Ibid). Therefore, social workers must be critical and reflective in order to not replicate oppressive social relations in practice (Ibid.). Furthermore, it promotes working in partnership with service users with power genuinely shared at both an interpersonal and institutional level (Dalrymple and Burke, 1995: 65 cited in Healy, 2005: 187). Thus, service users opportunities for participation in decision-making should be maximised (Healy, 2005: 187). Social work has been affected by the unabated advancement of consumer capitalism and service users are expected to be more involved in arranging and managing services (Harris, 2009: 67). The New Right ideas emphasised that citizens had a right to freedom and choice (Ibid.: 68) and recent Conservative and Labour administrations have encouraged citizens to participate in welfare services; utilising market-like approaches to consultation and increased empowerment in decision-making (Bochel, 2008: 194). Efforts have been made to promote service user participation in planning and development with the view that their active role improves health and social care services (Carr, 2004: 2). Furthermore, the importance of individual choice in improving provider effectiveness, the notion of citizens rights and responsibilities and a belief that individuals involvement in decision-making results in solutions that better meet their needs have been underlined (Bochel, 2008: 194-195). This is evident in the Direct Payments scheme, endorsed on the basis of choice and independence, and demonstrates that the state increasingly expects citizens to be competent enterprising, managerial and autonomous individuals (Scourfield, 2007: 108). However, as Scourfield (Ibid.) asserts this raises concerns about dependent citizens and emphasises: â€Å"a danger of using independence and choice as central organizing principles is to forget how and why the public sector emerged in the first place—to ensure that those who are necessarily dependent are treated with respect and dignity, to ensure a collectivized approach to risk, and to ensure that secure and reliable forms of support outside of the market or the family are available†. Additionally, as Carr (2004: 2) found, the extent to which service user participation leads to improvements in services varies and there is little monitoring and evaluation of the difference user participation is making. Furthermore, despite citizenship, choice, community, social inclusion and autonomy being key to New Labours programme, (Blair, 1998 cited in Humphries, 2004: 95) Humphries (2004: 95) contends Labours pursuing of neo-liberal economic and morally repressive policies has degraded public services; punishing and excluding those â€Å"regarded as having been ‘given a chance but having ‘failed†. She proposes it is social workers who are expected to implement the surveillance systems that operate these policies and under New Labour a shift has occurred towards social work having an increasingly negative and narrow practice focussed on restriction, surveillance, control and exclusion (Ibid.: 93-95). Thus, social work is concerned with the moralistic side of Labours policies rather than with empowering people instead (Jordan, 2001 cited in Humphries, 2004: 94). Moreover, since 1993, increasingly punitive and repressive measures have been introduced to deter asylum seekers from coming to Britain and if they are granted access they enter an inhumane and inferior ‘welfare system (Humphries, 2004: 100). Acts such as the 1993 Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act and the 1996 Asylum and Immigration Act removed those subject to immigration controls from the welfare state (Ibid.: 101) and Cohen (2003 cited in Humphries, 2004: 101) describes the asylum support system as the creation of a modern day poor law based on coercion and lack of choice. This essay has documented the move from the use of the Victorian term ‘pauper to the 21st century term ‘service user by looking at shifts in government policy and welfare ideologies and its impact on social work. Looking back, one would hope we have progressed from the Victorian Poor Law that blamed the pauper for their need of assistance and deterred them from accessing support by rendering it as unpleasant as possible. However, when observing the stringent means-tested benefit system and New Labours tough approach welfare, ascertaining whether we have moved forward becomes questionable. Zarb (2006: 2), referring to how older couples can be separated due to housing and care allocation, questions whether citizens are still treated like the paupers in the Poor Law era who were regularly split up for not meeting the parishes criteria for support. Furthermore, to finish, Wynne-Jones (2007: online), writing on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website, highlights that today the media still assigns different types of morality to types of poverty: â€Å"The undeserving poor are the Asbo kids and the hoodies, the drug-addicted and long-term unemployed. On the other hand, the ‘deserving poor look a lot like middle Englanders fallen on hard times†. Having spent time with a group of troubled young people on a Peckham estate, following the death of Damilola Taylor in 2000, she believes that it is through the stereotyped comedy characters such as Little Britains ‘Vicky Pollard that Middle England reveals how threatened it feels about the ‘undeserving poor; utilising comedy as a means of criticising our societies ‘underclass (Ibid.). She maintains that as Middle England laughs from the unease that people like this exist on our poorest estates, years on from Damilolas death, we are still failing those, like the group in Peckham, who are â€Å"damaged so badly by life that their only empowerment is to attack others† (Ibid.). Therefore, to conclude, whilst a change in terminology has occurred moving from ‘pauper to ‘service user, it is problematic determining how far attitudes towards those in need of assistance have genuinely changed for the better. Reference List Bochel, C. (2008) â€Å"State Welfare† in Alcock, P. et al., (2008) The Students Companion to Social Policy, 3rd Ed, Oxford: Blackwell. Carr, S. (2004) â€Å"SCIE Position paper 3 Summary: Has service user participation made a difference to social care services?† available at http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/positionpapers/pp03-summary.pdf accessed on 17th December 2009. Clarke, J. et al. (2000) â€Å"Reinventing the Welfare State† in Clarke, J. et al. (2000) New Managerialism: New Welfare? London: Sage. Ellison, N. (2008) â€Å"Neo-Liberalism† in Alcock, P. et al., (2008) The Students Companion to Social Policy,3rd Ed, Oxford: Blackwell. Fraser, D. (2009) The Evolution of the British Welfare State, 4th Ed, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Harris, J. (2009) â€Å"Customer-citizenship in modernised social work† in Modernising Social Work: Critical Considerations, Bristol: Policy Healy, K (2005) Social Work Theories in Context: Creating Frameworks for Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Humphries, B. (2004) â€Å"An Unacceptable Role for Social Work: Implementing Immigration Policy† British Journal of Social Work 34: 93-107 available at http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/34/1/93 accessed on 17th December 2009. Jordan, B. (2001) â€Å"Tough Love: Social Work, Social Exclusion and the Third Way†, British Journal of Social Work 31: 527- 546. Lowe, R. (1999) The Welfare State in Britain Since 1945, 2nd Ed, Houndmills, Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan Lymberry, M. (2001) â€Å"Social Work at the Crossroads†, British Journal of Social Work 31: 369-384 available at http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/31/3/369 accessed on 22nd December 2009. Oxford English Dictionary (2009) available at www.oed.com accessed on 23rd November 2009. Payne, M. (2005) The Origins of Social Work: Continuity and Change, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Pierson, J. Thomas, M. (2006) Collins Internet-Linked Dictionary of Social Work, Glasgow: Harper Collins. Scourfield, P. (2007) â€Å"Social Care and the Modern Citizen: Client, Consumer, Service User, Manager and Entrepreneur† British Journal of Social Work 37: 107-122 available at http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org.ezproxy.lib.le.ac.uk/cgi/reprint/37/1/107?maxtoshow=HITS=10hits=10RESULTFORMAT=1title=Social+Care+and+the+Modern+Citizen%3A+Client%2C+Consumerandorexacttitle=andandorexacttitleabs=andandorexactfulltext=andsearchid=1FIRSTINDEX=0sortspec=relevanceresourcetype=HWCIT accessed on 24th November 2009. Spicker, P. (2008) Social Policy: Themes and Approaches,2nd Ed, Bristol: Policy. Sullivan, M. (1996) The Development of the British Welfare State, London: Prentice Hall Thane, P. (1996) Foundations of the Welfare State, 2nd Ed, London ; New York : Longman. Wynne-Jones, R. (2007) â€Å"Deserving vs Undeserving† available at http://www.jrf.org.uk/reporting-poverty/journalists-experiences/deserving-undeserving accessed on 16th December 2009. Zarb, G. (2006) â€Å"From Paupers to Citizens: Independent Living and Human Rights† available at http://www.scie.org.uk/news/events/humanrights06/gerryzarb.pdf accessed on 17th December 2009.

Relevance of Fit Between HR Strategy and Business Strategy

Nadler and Tushman (1980) defined congruence or fit as â€Å"the degree to which the needs demands, goals, objectives and/or structure of one component are consistent with the needs, demands, goals, objectives, and/or structure of another component† (as cited in Boon, 2008). Fit between HR Strategy and business strategy According to U.S. Office of Personnel Management (1999), fit between HR strategy and business strategy means to integrate decisions about people with decisions about the results an organization is trying to obtain. To be able to achieve fit between HR strategy and business strategy, the HR Managers have to identify the real goals of the business, the business way, how to reach the goals and the real needs of the business from Human Resources (Luke, 2010). Some management tend to put the needs of their employees first, but this is not what the business usually asks for. Fit operates vertically and horizontally (Scribner et al, 2008). Vertical fit refers to the alignment of HR practices with the specific organizational context, and horizontal fit refers to the alignment of HR practices into a coherent system of practices that support one another (Delery, 1998). Relevance of fit between business strategy and SHRM The central debate about fit between HR strategy and business strategy is one of the most important to emerge in recent years (Helen Newell and Harry Scarbrough, 2002). It hinges on two broad approaches: the ‘universalistic’ and ‘contingency’ (Natalie Turner, n.d). The universalistic perspective â€Å"best practice† argues that some HR practices are universally effective; regardless in which context they are implemented (Boom, 2008). These practices include items such as (Newell & Scarbrough, 2002), employment security, selective hiring, self-managed teams or team working, high pay contingent on company’s performance, extensive training, reduction of status differences, and sharing information (Pfeffer & Veiga, 1999). Pfeffer & Veiga believe that if these policies are followed, they would always result in organisational success. The universalistic theory is also based on the assumption that HR practices observed in high-performing firms can be transformed to other companies with the same results (Armstrong, 2009). In contrast with universalistic thinking, contingency scholars argued that HR strategy would be more effective only when appropriately integrated with a specific organizational and environmental context (Chang & Huang 2005). This approach infers that the choice of HR strategy depends on the firm’s business strategy (Newell & Scarbrough, 2002). The approach is more akin to the idea of strategic fit because it claims that the optimal HR strategy choice depends on the unique characteristics of the individual organisation (Natalie Turner n.d), or the organisation’s strategy (Newell & Scarbrough, 2002). For instance, a cost-reduction business strategy would require a different set of HRM policies than a strategy based on innovation. â€Å"An HRM strategy to fit with cost reduction might require deskilling, management control and downward pressure on wages. In contrast, one aimed at innovation would be likely to foster employee skills, autonomy and competitive wages† ( Newell & Scarbrough, 2002:28). Other models have also emphasised the relevant of fit between HR strategy and business strategy. These include the Matching model, Life Cycle model, Harvard Model, and the behavioural perspective. The matching model argues that human resource strategies have a tight fit to the overall strategies of the business (Association of Business Executives, ABE; 2010). The basic premise of the life cycle model is that, as organisation grows and develops, human resource practices and procedures must change to meet it needs (Armstrong, 2009). Authors of Harvard model argue that any inconsistency between internal human resource management practices and competitive strategy is likely to lead to role conflict and ambiguity that can interfere with individual performance and organisational effectiveness (ABE, 2010). The behavioural perspective infers that firm’s business strategy must be matched with the specific HR policies and practices, which will elicit particular sets of employee attitude s and behaviours to foster success (Wang & Shyu, 2007). Baron and Kreps (1999) also argue that besides the fit between the individual practices, the HR system should fit with the broader context of what the firm is trying to do, such as the external environment, the workforce, organization’s culture, organizational strategy, technology of production and organization of work. According to Boxall (1992), â€Å"HRM cannot be conceptualized as a stand-alone corporate issue. Strategically speaking it must flow from and be dependent upon the organization’s (market oriented) corporate strategy†. Importance of fit between an organisation’s business strategy and its HR strategy Evidence have shown that to achieve superior organisation performance, there must be a distinct link between human resource strategies and organisations business strategies (ABE, 2010) An excellent example of a company that has matched its business strategy to its human resource strategy is the Lincoln Electric Company in USA. A producer of electrodes and welding machinery, Lincoln is also a cost leader. Lincoln focuses on hiring individually motivated, high performers. These individuals have their compensation tightly linked to their output with laid-down minimum quality levels. A substantial portion of the company’s profits is also distributed to employees at the end of the year based on an individual merit rating that is computed from output, ideas and cooperation, dependability and quality. Lincoln’s innovative HR strategy enabled it to gain, by 1995, a market share of 36% in the otherwise fragmented US market for welding equipment and supplies. (Source: Krishnan, 2005). Also, organisations are now using HR strategy to further strategic aims. For example, At Conventry Building Society, the strategic aim was to keep the business as it was – one of the few remaining mutual – but to reduce staff turnover. The society aligned its employee relations with its customer value, enshrined in the slogan â€Å"TLC not plc.† It switched from a traditional reward structure to a team-based pay and a benefits package called â€Å"TLC for staff† (Source: ABE, 2010). Factors that determine fit between HR strategy and business strategy Fit between HR strategy and business strategy is influenced by both external and internal factors. Some of these factors are discussed briefly below. Technological changes: Technological advances alter jobs, create new skills, make occupations obsolete, and revise what employees need to lean and be trained to do (Ozutku & Ozturkler 2009). Legislation/regulations: For example, the National minimum wage introduced by labour party in England had a significant effect on costs which has led to changes in employment practices in some industries and changes to personnel policies (ABE, 2010). Employee knowledge and skills: Employees knowledge and skills directly affect the quality and performance of the HR system (Wright & Snell 1998). Arguably, more knowledgeable and skilful employees will have competencies to understand and enact a variety of HR practices, such as those designed for a firm’s specific strategy (Wei, 2006). Culture: Several evidences have shown that culture plays a critical role in determining the right HR strategy to adopt. For example, when Lincoln Electric Company applied its HR strategy in ventures acquired outside the United States, it failed because of difference in culture both at societal and organisational levels (Krishnan, 2005). Life cycle stages: Organizations go through evolutionary life cycles, and the stage in which an organization finds itself in an industry affects the HR strategies it should adopt (Armstrong, 2009). Industry/sector characteristics: In analysing HR practices, classification of organisations as manufacturing and service firms is considered. This is because; different production processes necessitate different HR practices (Ozutku & Ozturkler 2009).

A Neutral View of Research Paper on Heart Disease

A Neutral View of Research Paper on Heart Disease The Importance of Research Paper on Heart Disease Attempting to pin down the causes of aging or a specific disease is similar to attempting to pin down the main cause of crime. Heart attacks occur for a range of explanations. The causes of stress differ from person to person, even though there are lots of stressors. Everyone feels stress in various ways and reacts to it in various ways. The Meaning of Research Paper on Heart Disease Exercise is a most important contributing aspect to the quantity of visceral fat. It's very tough to come to a last conclusion on the advantages of low carbohydrate diets like The Atkins Diet. You are able to reverse your diabetes utilizing diet alone, perhaps with a modest additional exercise thrown in. The beating-diabetes diet is straightforward. Eating foods containing potassium is essential for controlling blood pressure since it blunts the consequences of sodium. Potassium impacts the balance of fluids within the body. Sodium Sodium is a crucial nutrient. In the event the heart cannot be stimulated by the shocks delivered, death will end within minutes. Even though it continues to work, it is severely impaired. The causes of coronary disease vary by type of cardiovascular disease. To summarize, cardiovascular disease and stroke are among the main cause of death in Barbados. Most doctors still refuse to provide the procedure. Treatments could include medicines and health care procedures like coronary angioplasty. The Importance of Research Paper on Heart Disease Many forms of coronary disease can be avoided or treated with healthy lifestyle choices. Clinical study has indicated that the growth of atherosclerosis occurs in childhood. Children who have obesity are more at risk The danger of developing different diseases isn't just because of obesity. Heart disease is an umbrella term for virtually any form of disorder that impacts the heart. Knowing the truth is critical, she adds, particularly for people that are concerned about cardiovascular disease or are at higher-than-average risklike, for instance, anyone with high triglycerides. Antiarrhythmic drugs are categorized into four groups. So taking drugs to deal with your diabetes would look like an intelligent thing to do. Employing the curves it's possible to see if a kid has obesity or obesity. It is normal for children that are overweight to have a decrease self-esteem. Becoming overweight is every time a kid weighs so much that it's deemed unhealthy. Becoming overweight isn't a disease, but children that are overweight are in danger of developing obesity. In the event the paper is urgent and very complicated, the purchase price will be higher, but in case you have time to wait, then we can offer lower prices. Everything is prepared for its final conclusion. Working with a personalized service needs to be not only reasonably priced but also powerful. It's essential for customers to be certain that all instructions are clear for their writer. The Good, the Bad and Research Paper on Heart Disease Heart disease research papers can concentrate on numerous elements associated with cardiovascular issues related to heart disease. Johns Hopkins experts are on the top edge of research to stop and t reat cardiovascular disease. Managing stress is an excellent idea for your general wellbeing, and researchers are studying whether managing stress is effective for heart disease. Cardiovascular System research papers analyze the organ system which regulates the body. Differences in heart disease related to current shifts weren't detected. Severe obesity is known as obesity and is regarded as a disease. Heart disease symptoms depend on what sort of heart disease you've got. There are lots of symptoms related to endocarditis. High blood glucose levels aren't the very same as diabetes. Researchers proposed that the reason behind the higher rate of coronary disease might have become the overzealous treatment of hypertension. There are a number of ways to stop cardiovascular disease, researchers say a range of risk factors that add to the disease. Besides the phylogenetic aspects contributing the familial history of myocardial infarction and related medical conditions like high blood pressure, it's evident there are other risk factors.