Strategy and Implementation Performance Management at Heinz

Questions: 1. How was Heinzs approach to performance management invalid in relation to Morettis job? Explain your answer in relation to significance of strategic performance management, appraisal and employee feedback in organizational context. 2.How was Heinzs approach towards employee performance management unreliable? Discuss your answer that relates employee performance management and its impact on strategic human resource management and organizational performances. 3.Identify the ways in which Heinzs employee performance management could be improved. As part of your answer, make sure you explain carefully how the company should implement your recommendations because so much of success in this area depends on the how of any strategy is implemented. Answers: Introduction The below report is an analysis on the Frank Moretti Vs. HJ Heinz Company Australia Ltd case where the performance management system of the Heinz company led to wrongly dismissing an employee. The report is divided into three sections with each one identifying the various aspects that effect the development of an efficient performance management system. Section 2 lists out four popular performance management frameworks long with few details on employee appraisal and employee feedback. Section 4 has details of a new performance management system that need to be implemented at Heinz to ensure issues do not arise. (1). Strategic Performance Management Every organization has a business strategy that is designed to reach the organizational goals. Certain steps, rules, guidelines are all made up as a part of this strategy and the same is implemented into the organization (De Waal, 2013). Most of these strategies in one way or the other look in the direction of improving companys productivity. However, the productivity of the company is heavily dependent on how its employees understand and pursue this strategy (Serban, 2013). Hence it is crucial for a company to make sure that the employee works in the right direction, putting in considerable amount of effort to reach the organizational goals. Strategic Performance Management is the perfect term to achieve this (Bento, 2014). Strategic Performance Management is a technique used to guide employees in reaching their zenith in performance, keeping their individual goals aligned to the organizational goals (Rothaermel, 2015). In simpler terms, the technique makes sure that every employee in the organization understands the strategies being used to reach the organizational goals and guides them to achieve their part of the overall goal. Performance management involves a proactive partnership between the employee and the management (Van Dooren, 2015). It is like a scorecard or a feedback highlighting where the employee has done well or where a need for improvement is required. This helps in motivating the employee and establishes a collaborative environment in the organization. There are several Strategic Performance Management tools used by several employers to gauge the overall performance of an employee or a team. Below listed are a few of the commonly used tools Management by Objectives Popularly known as MBO model, the Management by Objectives model aims at improving the performance of an employee by listing objectives for the employee (Mio, 2015). These objectives are usually defined after a discussion between the management and the employee. The objectives should consider the individuals idea of improvement and a way to enhance the employees personal career path, while being aligned to the organizational goals (Larsson, 2016). MBO has become considerable famous and is followed in majority of the organizations around the world. This is because the model makes the employees the center of discussion, motivates them to achieve better through a clearly define set of objectives. The best way to follow MBO is by setting S.M.A.R.T objectives (Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound Objectives (Robins, 2014)). Balanced Scorecard This is another popular model that can be used to improve performance management in an organization. A simple table is designed that lists a set of tasks that needs to be completed by the employee and a goal for each of the same is defined (Grigoroudis, 2012). The actuals is then recorded and the performance of the employee is calculated by the difference. In case the difference is negative, necessary corrective interventions take place and in case of a positive difference the employee can be provided necessary appreciation identifying their work (Kaplan, 2014). Performance Prism This very efficient model believes that the involvement of stakeholders is highly necessary to design a strategy as ultimately the organizations productivity is measured based on the value delivered to the stakeholders (Yuanzhi, 2013). The below picture explains the various faces of the prism. The prism top and bottom are the stakeholder satisfaction and the stakeholders contribution, while the adjacent faces define the strategies, capabilities and processes that are to be used by the organization Figure 1: Performance Prism The stakeholders here include shareholders, employees, customers, distributors, suppliers and so on. Each of the five faces of the prism is considered when developing a measurement design. Stakeholder Satisfaction: Identifying the key stakeholders and their needs i. Strategies: Developing strategies to meet these needs ii. Processes: Developing processes to execute strategies iii. Capabilities: Assessing capabilities available to implement processes successfully iv. Stakeholder Contribution: Input from the stakeholder For effective performance management of employees the stakeholder who be the employee and the strategies, processes and capabilities are determined based on the needs of the employee and inputs provided by the employee (Striteska, 2012). Performance Management through KPIs Key Performance Indicators can play a major in performance management. The entire concept here is that KPIs for each individual employee are identified in realistic numbers to reach the vision of the organization. The employee is then provided with steps to reach the KPI (Parmenter, 2015). There are several actions that needs to be performed by the employee to reach each of these KPIs and buy completing each KPI the employee is one step closer to achieving the organizations goals. Determining the KPIs is critical and hence they are derived from vision. Figure 2: Reaching organization vision through KPIs The vision of the organization is defined and several strategies are designed to reach the vision. The strategies are made of objectives which are derived from the critical success factors of the organization. The KPIs are designed to reach these critical success factors (Smart, 2013). The above mentioned are only a few models and framework of performance management. There are several other models like value based model, result oriented approach and so on that are followed by various companies for strategic performance management. These models are designed based on the field in which the company works and what fits best to the organizational culture of the company. Several organizations often make use of integrated models that are a mix of two or more performance models to come up with a unique performance system that is suitable to the companys structure. Employee Appraisal Once a performance management system is designed the next step is to use this system for performance appraisal. Appraisal by definition is the act of assessing something or someone. The term employee performance appraisal is the process of assessing the performance of the employee based of the performance management system adopted by the organization (Martin, 2014). Appraisal processes happen periodically within an organization based on a pre-defined time line. Many organizations adopt a 6-month appraisal process to make sure that the employees are in track round the year. Say a company adopts the Balanced Scorecard model of performance management and performance appraisal for employees happen every January and June. In January the employee and management define the areas of measurement and the target to be reached. Over the next 6 months the employees actuals are tracked in the balance scorecard. In June, the Balanced Scorecard is used to assess the difference between the target and actuals to understand the performance of the employee. In case the employees performance is low, corrective interventions are suggested and the same can also be included as a part of the Balance Scorecard that is define for June to December (Sumelius, 2014). The data for performance appraisal can be collected in several ways. In case of target based companies a direct objective production method can be used, where the targets achieved by the employees determine the actuals. Some companies prefer a much more complex system for collecting employee performance data. Apart from simple target based system, behavioral traits are also considered (alkov, 2013). Employees are also rated based on their leadership skills, ownership capability, responsibility, customer satisfaction and so on. In some companies self-assessment and peer assessment along with management assessment is made to rate an employee while in some the performance of employees who belong to the same level are compared and rated based on the best performing employee. Hence there can be several ways to collect data of the employee. Again the method adopted significantly depends on the work the employee is assigned (Farndale, 2013). Employee Feedback Employee feedback is crucial factor in determining how well a performance management system works as they the ultimate end users of this system. Several performance management systems such as the performance prism consider the feedback of an employee as a key in understanding what improvements need to be done to the performance development plan of the employee and also how the management has helped the employee with their previous plans (Gregory, 2012). Employee feedback enables a collaborative environment in the organization. It is only through effective communication an organizations management can identify where it is lacking and where improvements are required. Why is Heinz approach invalid The reason for Heinz management model to be invalid is because the employee involvement in the employees plan is almost zero. The organization has no collaboration. The communication in the organization is one way where the senior management has just informed the employee that his performance needs to be improved and hence he has to follow the performance plan. Not only that, the one way communication also unfortunately did not brief what aspects that would have to be worked on. The employee was asked to sign up for the plan without having no details about it. It is quite obvious that the employee refused to follow the plan as he had no idea what are the objectives of this plan. Also, the idea of rating the entire employee force same symbolizes the lack of individual appreciation. This approach lacks the one factor that plays the most efficient role in improving an employees performance that is motivation. The approach in reality demotivates employee, clouding the employees knowledge. A performance model that is unclear, demotivating and closed for communication is bound to fails (2). One of the key areas that is impacted by performance management is the strategic human resource management of the company. Human resource management is an extremely familiar term in any organizations as this is the function that recruits, trains, deploys and rewards employees. Strategic HRM (SHRM) is the process of involving and aligning HRM functions with the strategies being implemented to realize the organizational goals (van, 2014). The primary goal of SHRM is to increase the productivity of an employee and use them as efficient resources in fulfilling the companys goals. Performance Management and SHRM are closely related to each other. It is the responsibility of the HR team to ensure that an environment that increases the productivity of an employee is created within the organization. They need to provide a sense of direction and generate skilled and motivated employees. A productive employee leads to a productive organization Gaining an employees trust is crucial for the HR management. This has failed in case of Heinz. The lack of communication and employee feedback has not only affected the performance of employees but also led to legal cases that the HR and legal teams were answerable. The employee performance management at Heinz was unreliable as they have rated the entire workforce the same rating. This means that individual assessment has either not been performed or was wrongly performed. Also, the employees were not communicated with the objectives of the performance management plan. Since, the employees are the one that are subjected to the plan, expecting them to follow something that is unclear leads to problems. The objectives has to be first discussed with the employees and the consent of the employees has to be taken before implementing a performance management plan. For the plan to actually succeed it in necessary to help an employee understand why the plan has been designed. Since there was no communication of any kind between the management and the employee, the performance management plan has become unreliable (3). A new performance management system has to be implemented in Heinz to include employee feedback and their aspirations as a part of the performance assessment criteria. The below diagram is a simple flow of the various stages that needs to be involved as a part of performance management at Heinz. Figure 3: Performance Management Process to be adopted by Heinz Step1: Management and employee collaboration to identify goals: Heinz Management has to list down the goals of the organization, understand what it is that they want to work on and how the employee under review can help with reaching these goals. Once they are identified S.M.A.R.T objectives are to be defined for the employees (Rolstadas, 2012). The ultimate goal of these objectives is to contribute to the organizational goals. However, the objectives also have employees aspirations in regard and hence include training and development program that enhance an employees professional background. Step 2: Performance planning to reach targets: After defining the goals, a plan on how to achieve the same has to be developed. Employee and the management comes to terms with the targets to be set for the employees and the time frame to achieve the same. Behavioral aspects are also given importance and a certain weightage is dedicated to them. This helps the employee to stay motivated to develop not just technical skills but also inter-personal skills. A clear plan is laid out to guide the employee on the actions that need to be done during the entire period considered for evaluation Step 3: Ongoing feedback: It is only after a person starts working the negative impacts of the actions actually come into focus (Mone, 2014). From a managerial point of view for a sales man to sell ten bottles of Heinz product in a day may not seem like a challenge. However, say the salesman is deployed in an area that is below poverty line and the number of people who but Heinz ketchup by bottles are close to zero, selling even a single product would be challenging. Hence, ongoing feedback is a necessity to make sure that any midterm glitches faced by employees are fixed without waiting from them to come up only during a performance review. Feedback has to be continuous part of Heinz organizational culture to understand how the performance management system is helping the employees and what changes are required to be done to prevent the occurrence of a major setback. Step 4: Performance Evaluation: Once the set period is completed, the performance of the employee is to be reviewed. The performance data is to be collected through self-assessment done by the employee, assessment of the employee performance through two peers and assessment of the employee by the manager. Four different people are to rate the employees performance and each once opinion is given a certain amount of weightage. All the employees involved in the rating should provide a justification for their rating. The manager has the maximum weightage. However, assessing the employee would be easier when the manager has feedback from various sources Step 5: Performance Review: Once the evaluation is done by the manager, a review of the same is done along with the employee to make sure that the employee understands where they lag or outperform. Defining the areas of improvement will be the useful to set up goals for the next period (Pollitt, 2013). Step 6: Corrective Interventions: In case of setbacks it is necessary to develop a training plan or other corrective interventions that would help the employee improve performance is the area they lag. The above steps have to be performed twice a year and the plans have to continuously evolve. Conclusion A performance system plays a key role in increasing the productivity of any company. Employees are the major stakeholders in a company and hence developing a performance management systems that contributes to individual development of an employee aligning the needs of the employee to the organizational goals is crucial for the development of the company. References Bento, A., Bento, R. and White, L.F., 2014. Strategic performance management systems: Impact on business results. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 54(3), pp.25-33. De Waal, A., 2013. Strategic Performance Management: A managerial and behavioral approach. Palgrave Macmillan. Farndale, E. and Kelliher, C., 2013. Implementing performance appraisal: Exploring the employee experience. Human Resource Management, 52(6), pp.879-897. Gregory, J.B. and Levy, P.E., 2012. Employee feedback orientation: Implications for effective coaching relationships. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 5(2), pp.86-99. Grigoroudis, E., Orfanoudaki, E. and Zopounidis, C., 2012. Strategic performance measurement in a healthcare organisation: A multiple criteria approach based on balanced scorecard. Omega, 40(1), pp.104-119. Kaplan, R.S. and Norton, D., 2014. P.(1993). Putting the Balanced Scorecard to Work. Harvard business review, 5(71), pp.134-142. Kaufman, B.E., 2015. Evolution of strategic HRM as seen through two founding books: A 30th anniversary perspective on development of the field. Human Resource Management, 54(3), pp.389-407. Larsson, M. and Hanberger, A., 2016. Evaluation in management by objectives: A critical analysis of Swedens national environmental quality objectives system. Evaluation, 22(2), pp.190-208. Martin, J. and Van Tien, N., 2014, July. A Framework for Employee Appraisal in Services. An Experiment in a Vietnamese Bank. In Toulon-Verona Conference" Excellence in Services". Mio, C., Venturelli, A. and Leopizzi, R., 2015. Management by objectives and corporate social responsibility disclosure: First results from Italy. Accounting, Auditing Accountability Journal, 28(3), pp.325-364. Mone, E.M. and London, M., 2014. Employee engagement through effective performance management: A practical guide for managers. Routledge. Parmenter, D., 2015. Key performance indicators: developing, implementing, and using winning KPIs. John Wiley Sons. Pollitt, C., 2013. The logics of performance management. Evaluation, 19(4), pp.346-363. Robins, E., 2014. An Instructional Approach to Writing SMART Goals. Rolstadas, A. ed., 2012. Performance management: A business process benchmarking approach. Springer Science Business Media. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015. Strategic management. McGraw-Hill. alkov, A., 2013. Theoretical approaches to employee appraisal methods. Scientific papers of the University of Pardubice. Series D, Faculty of Economics and Administration. 28 (3/2013). Serban, D.C., 2013, November. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS A TOOL FOR MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE. In International Conference on Management and Industrial Engineering (No. 6, p. 332). Niculescu Publishing House. Smart, A. and Creelman, J., 2013. Managing Performance. In Risk-Based Performance Management (pp. 137-166). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Striteska, M. and Spickova, M., 2012. Review and comparison of performance measurement systems. Journal of Organizational Management Studies, 2012, p.1. Sumelius, J., Bjrkman, I., Ehrnrooth, M., Mkel, K. and Smale, A., 2014. What Determines Employee Perceptions of HRM Process Features? The Case of Performance Appraisal in MNC Subsidiaries. Human Resource Management, 53(4), pp.569-592. van de Voorde, K. and Boxall, P., 2014. Individual well-being and performance at work in the wider context of strategic HRM. Well-being and Performance at Work: The Role of Context, p.95. Van Dooren, W., Bouckaert, G. and Halligan, J., 2015. Performance management in the public sector. Routledge. Yuanzhi, L., 2013. Research on the Digital Library Service Performance Prism Evaluation Model. Information Studies: Theory Application, 12, p.021.

Tour de Georgia free essay sample

A personal relationship is * One where your personal life, extracurricular activities and social life are involved. * Spending time with a person who is part of my life. * There is an element of choice in a personal relationship. You usually cannot choose who you work with. A working relationship is different, you have * Boundaries Professional codes of conduct * Employer policies and procedures. * Payment * A different approach you would be friendly but you would not share information about your personal life as you would with your friends * You have little or no contact outside of work. Its strictly professional. 1. 2 Describe different working relationships in health and social care settings? There are many different working relationships in my work environment. Management and staff Comply with policies and procedures or agreed ways of working * Support worker amp; resident -Maintain a professional duty of care * Support worker amp; colleagues Cooperate with colleagues and trea t them with respect * Working relationships with outside agencies (Doctors, Dentists etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Tour de Georgia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ) -Be professional, Keep clear records to enable on-going medical support * Multi-disciplinary teams Keep up to date on a regular basis. * Parent, Relatives Be professional at all times, they are not friends. . 1 Describe why it is important to adhere to the agreed scope of the job role? * So that I work within the boundary of my job role * That I am not doing things that I am not qualified to do If I didn’t adhere to the agreed scope of my job role * Accidents could happen * Individuals may not be supported appropriately and wouldn’t get a high level of care * Information may not be passed on * Confidential information may be passed on 2. 2 Access full and up to date details of agreed working Know the location and look at the Care plan * Know the location and look at the policies and procedures 2. 3 Implement agreed ways of working * Follow the care plans * Follow the policies and procedures 3. 1 Explain why it is important to work in partnership with others? By working in partnership * People can exchange knowledge and information about an individual * Everyone is working the same way and doing the same things * The individual has their needs met to a high standard People are able to co-ordinate care efficiently * It ensures that everyones focus is on providing the best care and support to the individual * People can provide seamless care rather than each one doing their own thing and duplicating provision or actively interfering in what each other is doing * It’s about co-operating so that the individual gets the best care. 3. 2 Demonstrate ways of working than can help improve partnership working * Effective communication * Accurate reporting Information sharing. * Respecting the views of others 3. 3 Identify skills and approaches needed for resolving conflicts * Negotiation * Mediation * Discussions * Patience * Calm manner 3. 4 Demonstrate how and when to access support and advice about Partnership working and resolving conflicts For both these issues * I would immediately speak to my line manager * I would follow the p olicys amp; procedures for my issue * I would speak to the appropriate designated person regarding my issue

The Ethical Principles in Health Care Organization Essays

The Ethical Principles in Health Care Organization Essays The Ethical Principles in Health Care Organization Paper The Ethical Principles in Health Care Organization Paper For decades, the American system of health care has relied primarily on employer-sponsored insurance programs as a gateway through which individual’s access health care services. Gaps have been filled in through public insurance programs – such as Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and other more locally-based programs – to cover elderly, disabled and certain low income populations who cannot access the employer-based market. In addition, the government (federal, state and local) provides certain limited subsidies (e. g. , tax deductions for the self-employed) for individuals to purchase insurance policies in the private market on their own. While this system has worked effectively for many Americans, it has left behind a significant number – approximately 42 million – who lack any form of health insurance coverage. For these individuals, the country has developed an institutional health care safety net to ensure that they nevertheless receive access to needed care. This institutional safety net is comprised of the many hospitals, clinics and individual providers who serve all who seek their care without regard to ability to pay. Most of these providers receive some support for the uncompensated care they provide through various public programs (on the federal, state and local levels). America has long relied on this two-tiered approach to addressing the problem of the uninsured: expanding access to insurance coverage while providing financial support to safety net providers serving the uninsured. Some policymakers prefer to emphasize coverage over institutional support for providers, others might tip the balance in the other direction. But the two strategies are inexorably linked: if we do not expand insurance coverage we will need a strong system of safety net providers to serve the higher number of uninsured; conversely, if we do not adequately support safety net providers we will need to ensure that individuals can get care on the private market meaning they will need coverage. NAPH supports strong public policy in both arenas. We believe that all individuals should have access to health insurance coverage. Universal coverage is and should be the ultimate goal of health policy in this area. However, even under a system of universal coverage there will always be individuals who, for whatever reasons, fall through the cracks and remain uninsured. For these people, it is imperative that a strong and viable system of safety net providers be available to ensure that care is provided even for those without the means to pay. For America as it enters the twenty-first century, these realities mean that we should be expanding coverage – even if incrementally – however and wherever we can. And we should be providing financial and other support for our safety net providers so that they may continue to meet the needs of the uninsured. Expansion of coverage and preservation of the safety net – these are the dual goals of NAPH policy on the uninsured.

The Difference Between Homology and Homoplasy

The Difference Between Homology and Homoplasy Two common terms used in the science of evolution are  homology and homoplasy. While these terms sound similar (and indeed have a shared linguistic element), they are quite different in their scientific meanings. Both terms refer to sets of biological characteristics that are shared by two or more species (hence the prefix homo), but one term indicates that the shared characteristic came from a common ancestor species, while the other term refers to a shared characteristic that evolved independently in each species.   Homology Defined The term homology refers to biological structures or characteristics that are similar or the same. These characteristics are found  on two or more different species when those characteristics can be traced to a common ancestor. An example of homology is seen in the forelimbs of frogs, birds, rabbits, and lizards. Although these limbs have a different appearance in each species, they all share the same set of bones. This same arrangement of bones has been identified in fossils of a very old extinct species,  Eusthenopteron, which was inherited by frogs, birds, rabbits, and lizards.   Homoplasy Defined Homoplasy, on the other hand, describes a biological structure or characteristic that two or more different species have in common that was not inherited from a common ancestor. A homoplasy evolves independently, usually due to natural selection in similar environments or filling the same type of niche as the other species which also have that trait. A common example often cited is the eye, which developed independently in many different species.   Divergent and Convergent Evolution Homology is a product of divergent evolution. This means that a single ancestor species split, or diverges, into  two or more species at some time in its history. This occurs due to some type of natural selection or environmental isolation that separates the new species from the ancestor. The divergent species now begin to evolve  separately, but they still retain some of the characteristics of the common ancestor. These shared ancestral characteristics are known as homologies. Homoplasy, on the other hand, is due to  convergent evolution. Here, different species develop, rather than inherit, similar traits. This may happen because the species are living in similar environments, filling similar niches, or through the process of natural selection. One example of convergent natural selection is when a species evolves to mimic the appearance of another, such as when a non-poisonous species develop similar markings to a highly venomous species. Such mimicry offers a distinct advantage by deterring potential predators. The similar markings shared by the scarlet kingsnake (a harmless species) and the deadly coral snake is an example of convergent evolution.   Homology Versus Homoplasy Homology and homoplasy are often difficult to identify, since both may be present in the same physical characteristic. The wing of birds and bats is an example where both homology and homoplasy are present. The bones within the wings are homologous structures that are inherited from a common ancestor. All wings include a type of breastbone, a large upper arm bone, two forearm bones, and what would be hand bones. This basic bone structure is found in many species, including humans, leading to the correct conclusion that birds, bats, humans, and many other species share a common ancestor.   But the wings themselves are homoplasies, since many of the species with this shared bone structure, including humans, do not have wings. From the shared ancestor with a certain bone structure, natural selection eventually led to the development of birds and bats with wings that allowed them to fill a niche and survive in a particular  environment. Meanwhile, other divergent species eventually  developed the fingers and thumbs necessary to occupy a different niche.

The Biological Aspects of Aging Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Biological Aspects of Aging - Assignment Example It is, therefore, the renowned essayist and scholar Sir Francis Bacon has rightly stated the relationship between husband and wife in these words: â€Å"Wives are young men's mistresses; companions for middle age; and old men's nurses.† (literaturepage.com) The same applies to husbands too, who look after their elderly wives with extreme sympathy, compassion, and care. However, children should also acknowledge their responsibilities towards the aged and ailing parents; otherwise, their death leaves nothing but the feelings of utter repentance and remorse in the heart of the children. Though it is really worrying to note that dear aunt is suffering from depression, please do not take it to heart too seriously my dear. Man experiences several apparent and hidden changes as soon as he starts growing old. His physical and mental capacities start weakening gradually, which badly tells upon his mind and nerves. You see how certain factors work jointly to make man feeble and helpless. Since he is not ready for that all, he undergoes such disgusting feelings that cause depression, exasperation, and annoyance in him, which pave the way towards his psychological collapse and mental illness. The same is the case with my dear aunt and your kind mother Mrs. Andrew, who is undergoing mental retardation because of elderly years. â€Å"Certain psychological and physiological changes†, Ferrini & Ferrini observe, â€Å"that occur with age affect memory, thinking pro ­cesses, mood, and personality. Some of these changes are perceived as positive by elders. For example, th e elder has accumulated a wealth of experiences, which may result in improved judg ­ment, decision making, or empathy.† (2008: 194) You will also be worried about her weakness and ailment my dear Michael, as she would pretend a bit nagging too these days out of sheer feelings of depression and despair. Since elderly have a lot of experience and a bit wealth too.

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

English - Essay Example In each form of writing, though, Baldwin manages to retain his own voice, imbuing his writing with music and imagery that makes it possible for the reader to fully appreciate the situation he is attempting to describe. This can be determined by comparing one of his short stories, such as the very popular â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† with one of his essays, such as â€Å"The Harlem Ghetto.† The short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is not told in chronological order but is instead revealed in bits and pieces as the narrator interacts with those around him. When one reads through the entire story, the conditions of life in the ghetto are more fully understood. It is discovered that the narrator and his younger brother had lived together with their mother their entire lives. While the older brother was able to graduate from high school and join the Army as a means of supporting himself, the hardships of life finally took their toll on the boys’ mother and she died while the younger brother, Sonny, was still in school. Not able to take care of his brother himself and with no other family to turn to, the narrator made arrangements for Sonny to stay with the family of the narrator’s fiancà ©, who introduced Sonny to music and the piano. At the time, Sonny begged his brother to help him (Sonny) join the Navy in order to avoid some kind of trouble only Sonny seems aware of. Too involved in his own problems to listen to Sonny, the narrator leaves to complete his tour of duty while his brother begins skipping school and getting involved in drugs. By the time the narrator has returned home, his brother has gone to jail for dealing in drugs and the story begins as the narrator attempts to bring Sonny back into his life upon Sonny’s release. The entire story, then, follows the narrator’s attempts to finally ‘hear’ his brother enough to develop an effective and supportive relationship that will allow both

Should Women Be Allowed in Combat Essay Example for Free

Should Women Be Allowed in Combat Essay For centuries our women have been going into combat, so how come all of a sudden the conflict on whether they should or shouldn’t has become such an uproar. When the women in tribes fought over food and men during our beginnings, those women were undoubtedly in combat. And as the centuries went on, women warriors were not considered that unusual, for example at least 400 women soldier fought in the civil war along side their male comrades, only to be know there gender once killed. So how is it that in today’s society, we are so caught up with the though of women making their way into a male dominant world. Some say it is that women could not deal with the emotions of killing another human being, that we are not mentally strong enough to handle the conditions of a war zone, and although physically they may not be a mans equal but when shooting a gun and being shot at there is no difference. Statistics have not been able to prove that men would be better at the military jobs, but only that history shows the solitary members of the army being men. However with modern technology warfare has greatly evolved and it relies more on So how is that our on There fore howcome, our main arugment is that â€Å"women are not strong enough to fight, women are not capable of the emotions brought through war† This helps to show that women in combat are nothing new, and it is only modern times that we have thought of women as fragile and over emotional. Real women have saved lives, gone in to space, fought wars, invented, financed and designed everything from nuclear fission to radium, and from DNA to COBOL. Real women have overcome as many, if not more, obstacles and hardships than have men. Women pioneered, starved, reigned, battled, spied, strategized, and taught, doctored, nursed, reared families, started churches, and won political rights, yet few magazines, books, movies and television productions tell these stories. Its not a gender thing, its not a sex thing, its not a strength thing a highly trained, highly intelligent, strongly motivated person can do any job the military has to offer and do it well. After all, the Amazons didnt cut off their breasts any more than the Legion of Thebes cut off their testicles and both groups won battles galore! Women have been fighting for the right to be seen mentally and physically equal to the men in the Military, however how can they be seen as equal when the basic physical test has been altered so there is a chance for some women to be accepted in. Women on average only have 60% of the physical strength of men, and when put to the test the top 20% of women equaled to the bottom 20% of men. Men are taught to honor and protect women, boys are taught not to hits girls. I think this makes good sense and is an essential element of our civilization. Sending women into combat utter destroys those values and morals. Women are not suited by temperament or by physical characteristics for the highly aggressive, ultra-violent pursuit of victory in battle. Much of an army’s success depends upon intimidation of the enemy. A force composed of women is far less intimidating than one consisting of macho men. Intimidation of the enemy saves lives in wartime. Already, the side effects of abandoning traditional female sterotypes – likes the notiona that giels are extremely sensitive or have a unique role in nurturing an protecting children are apparent however girls are increasing becoming more in touch with their aggreseive instincest, leading to more girl on girl physical violence. Women should have every right to serve the country, however I do feel that service should stop when it come to front line battle. And those determined to make it to the front line should have to meet the exact same physical and mental critera of those as men. Australia is so terrified of being accused for sexism that we refuse to acknowledge that most of us shudder to the idea and thought of women being sent of to war. If a draft was reinstated, the women who have so called fought to show how men and women can be equal have now placed every other women in a position they were not fighting for.