Language, Identity and Cultural Difference Essay Example for Free

Language, Identity and Cultural Difference Essay According to Hall (1997a), enunciation theories suggest that even though we may talk of ourselves from our experiences, the person who speaks and the subject being spoken of are never identical. Identity in this regard is to be conceived as a production which is never complete- â€Å"always in process, and always constituted within, not outside, representation†- (Hall, 1997a) as opposed to viewing it as a complete fact which is then represented by the new cultural practices. However, this view shakes the legitimacy and authority upon which the term cultural identity bases its claim. There are two ways in which cultural identity can be thought of. The first view sees it in terms of a single shared culture, some kind of a collective ‘one true self’ that is hiding inside many other more artificially imposed selves that people with a shared history and ancestry hold in common (Hall, 1997b). Within this view of description of cultural identity, our cultural identities mirrors those historical experiences that we hold in common and the shared cultural codes which offer us as a people, a stable, immutable and continuous frames of reference and meaning, under the shifting classes and fluctuations of our actual history (Hall, 1997a). Singapore was envisioned by her leaders as a multiethnic society in which the constituent ethnic groups shared participation in common institutions while at the same time retaining their distinct languages, customs and religions. The ethnic categories represented self-evident, natural groups that would continue their existence into the indefinite future. Singaporean identity therefore implies being an Indian, a Chinese, or a Malay but in relation to other groups. This model of ethnicity demands the denial of important internal variations for each ethnic group and the recognition of differences between the categories (Tsui Tollefson, 2007). The second view of cultural identity recognizes that there are similarities and important differences which make up what we really are. We cannot persistently refer with exactness to one experience and one identity without recognizing the other dimension. This other dimension represents the rifts and discontinuities that comprise cultural uniqueness. In this second sense, cultural identity is viewed as an issue of both â€Å"becoming† and â€Å"being†, something that belongs to the future as much as it belongs to the past. Cultural identities in this regard have histories and therefore changes constantly. In other words, cultural identities are subject to the uninterrupted play of history, culture and power (Hall, 1997a). Identity is the name given to the different ways we are placed, and put ourselves within the tale of the past. This second conception of cultural identity is more disturbing and less familiar. How can the formation of identity be understood if does not proceed from a straight line or a fixed origin? The Singaporean identity can be thought of as composed of two vectors that operate simultaneously. These are the vectors of rift and difference, and similarity and continuity. The Singaporean identity can be seen with regard to the relationship between the two vectors.   Similarity and continuity brings to fore the realization that it is the experience of fundamental discontinuity that the Indians, Malays and Chinese share and among these are immigration, colonization and Asian origin. It is therefore interesting to look at how the concept of identity, language and cultural differences were created and how these concepts are related within the context of Singapore. The analysis herein presented will be based in Hall’s view of the link between language, identity and cultural difference. Relationship between Language, Identity and Cultural Difference The relationship between language, culture and identity has emerged to be a hotly contested topic in social sciences. The questions that mainly arise concern the apparent difference between cultural and ethnic identity. Are these types of identities similar or should they be differentiated conceptually. Various scholars hold varying views on the role of language in the definition of one’s identity. A major question that one may be compelled to ask is whether a culture or ethnic group can be considered to be unique if it does not have its own language or in the least its own rendition of a common tongue. Cultural identity is universal whether it is expressed with regard to humanity or otherwise since people from every part of the world are conscious of some kind of specificity that sets them apart from others. In contrast, ethnic identity only appear to take place within complex societies when it seems functional to separate individuals into categories founded upon something other than age, gender or occupation. Ethnicity is associated with cultural identity since one must make reference to cultural, linguistic or religious particularities in order to categorize individuals. According to Hall (1997b), culture is produced by representation. Culture concerns shared meaning and the medium through which we make sense out of things is through the use of language. It is through language that meaning is produced and exchanged. The only mechanism of sharing meaning is through a common access to language. In this regard, language is fundamental to meaning and culture and has always been conceived as the major bank of cultural values and meanings. However, one may be compelled to ask how meaning is constructed through language. According to Hall (1997b), language constructs meaning via its operation as a representational system. Language is one of the mechanisms through which ideas, thoughts and feelings are represented in culture. In this regard, representation through language is fundamental to the processes through which meaning is produced. Our sense of identity is derived from meaning and therefore meaning is linked with questions about how we use culture to define and maintain identity and difference within and between groups. In every social and personal relationship in which we participate, meaning is constantly being produced. Meaning is also produced through our expression in and consumption of relevant cultural materials. Our conducts and practices are also regulated and organized by meaning which help in the setting of rules, norms and conventions upon which social life is ordered and governed. The question of identity therefore emerges in relation to various other divergent moments or practices within the cultural circuits; in our construction of identity and the defining of difference, in the production and consumption and in the regulation of social conduct. In all these instances, language is one of the most important medium through which we produce and circulate meaning.

Social Work Theory and Methods of Intervention Essay Example for Free

Social Work Theory and Methods of Intervention Essay This piece of work will attempt to look at how a chosen Social Work method can be useful in case work intervention with an individual. It will look at the theory in detail with regards to its application in the client/worker relationship, taking into consideration issues of anti-discriminatory practice and the limitations which the method may have in delivering a holistic service. It will then consider the benefits of using another method in conjunction with the first in order to compliment this and provide more robust ministrations. The individual chosen from the case study is Michael. He is 15 years old and has recently been arrested along with two friends. This is not his first offence and he has intimated that he feels confused and has no-one to talk to. Additionally his relationship with family members is tentative at the present time and he has been blamed for the arrest by his friends. The method chosen in this instance is Cognitive Behavioural. This approach is concerned with the way we think. It makes the assumption that behaviour is directed by thoughts. Unlike many other concepts, which concentrate more on unconcious drives, feelings or internal conflict. Cigno and Bourne 1998, believe that most of what makes us individuals rather than clones, what shapes our personalities, including behaviour, emotion and cognition, is a result of what we have learned. This paradigm is rooted in behaviourist theory. Pavlov introduced classical conditioning after his work on physiological processes of digestion. This was a specifically centred around work with laboratory animals, which when observed in experiments began to develop associations and anticipations about food. Pavlov named this stimulus association learning. Operant conditioning is also part of this model, introduced by B. F Skinner 1953, it interposed the concepts of positive and negative reinforcment as a result of stimulus. He believed that almost any set of stimuli can aquire reinforcing or punishing associations through the consequences they bring Cigno and Bourne1998. Cognitive and behavioural theories are principles from two related streams of psychological writing, Payne 1997. Social learning theory (Bandura), focuses the fact that most behaviour is learned. However it goes further than behavioural theory by implying that peoples perceptions and thinking about their experiences and modelling what they see around them are vital to the process and interdependent to the feelings that they have regarding this. Basically Bandura believed that how we think has an affect on our behaviour and that both of these are open to change. The way we think about a situation mediates between the outside world and our inner self, Harrison and Butler 2004. People have the capacity to change and behaviour is assimilated by goals, Sheldon 1995. Cognitive behavioural programmes are based on the application of both social learning theory and cognitive theory to inform therapeutic methods, Cigno and Bourne 1998. This assessment would be done with the intention of helping Michael to see where he is at present with his own thought processes (hopes, fears,values) and to progress from these to try to make Michaels behaviour goal orientated, e. g getting Michael to think about offending in a different way and continuous reinforcment of a desired behaviour will work quickly to decrease in the behaviour which leads to offending, this promotes change in the thinking behind offending behaviour. Shaping can also be used, reinforcing small steps made toward a required behaviour. The worker also needs to challenge negative thought processes. Feedback needs to be encouraged so that Michael can see what he has achieved oustide sessions, Harrison and Butler 2004. Once the desired behaviour is achieved fading would be used to reduce the amount or type of reinforcement. This enables Michael to transfer his behaviour to other settings, Payne1997. The principle of self-talk can be tried out with Michael also. Cigno and Bourne 1998 indicate that children gain self-control over their actions as their inner speech develops. Using this formula in the form of self-talk can help with self-appraisal and self-support. Self-Instructional Training (SIT -Goldstein and Keller 1987) was developed with this as a central concept. This intervention can help to establish self control in young offenders, thus helping to decrease the arousal which may lead to offending behaviour. Beck et al 1985 followed on from Bowlbys (1977) work on attachment and loss and may take the stance that Michael has a sociotropic personality. This means that he values closeness and the loss of a relationship, a rejection or an experience of social deprivation could affect his mood and leave him feeling confused and isolated, Dryden1996. Hence the abnormal thought which lead to offending. Another use of cognitve techniques could be offered to Michael and his family in the form of Functional Family Therapy if his family were willing to participate. This focuses on family interaction. It uses contingency contracting as a means of changing family interaction in the case of young offenders. It can help to reduce recidivism and have a beneficial effect on the interactions between families. It has become increasingly evident

A Comprehensive Definition Of Counselling Psychology Essay

A Comprehensive Definition Of Counselling Psychology Essay This essay will give a clear definition of counselling and give a discussion with regards to the counselling settings that make a client feel safe. The essay will so discuss the characteristic that an effective counsellor should possess and give the importance of unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence in the counselling process. Importance of self-care will also be discussed in the essay. A COMPREHENSIVE DEFINITION OF COUNSELLING Counselling is a process that enables a person to sort out issues and reach decision affecting their life. Often counselling is sought out at times to change a crisis and help people at any time of their life. Counselling involves talking with a person in a way that helps that person to solve in a way that create conditions that will cause the person to understand and improve their behaviour, character, values or lifes circumstances. Counselling is often performed face to face in confidential sessions between the counsellor and clients. Counselling can and may take many different format to bring a person to a better understanding of themselves and others. It can be seen that counselling can be of benefit to a person experiencing problems in finding, forming and maintaining relationships. Counselling is an umbrella term that covers a range of talking therapy. These are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long period of time to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing. It is also a process in which a person is helped to explore the situation and find solution or answers for a problem. Counselling is a method of guidance of an individual. It helps the client to grow to a greater maturity by allowing the individuals to take responsibilities and to make their own decision ( John Rita, 2004). A DISCUSSION OF WHAT THE COUNSELLOR CAN DO WITH THE REGARDS TO THE COUNSELLING SETTING TO MAKE A CLIENT FEEL SAFE. A counsellor can have a Person-centred counselling where a therapeutic relationship between a counsellor and a client is formed. The client needs to be able to talk about whatever they need to, share their intimate thoughts and explore sometimes difficult feelings. For this a client needs to feel able to fully trust the counsellor, feel safe, supported and that they will not be judged. The counsellor should work on creating the right environment in which a client feels able to look at themselves and develop a greater understanding of their own thoughts, feelings and meanings. The counsellor is not there to analyse or give them advice, but instead to be alongside them supporting them and helping to explore their own issues with the belief that the client will come to find their own answers (France, 1984). According to Sutton (1998:50-56) creating a warm and safe environment is an essential stepping-stone to building a strong therapeutic alliance. A counsellor should have a room that h elps the client feel comfortable so that they can star sharing their concerns. Counsellors should give examples of opening sentences to help break the ice, as well as discussing some other important topics, including building trust boundary issues such as contrasting and terminating sessions on time. There should have the sessions in the same room that way the client will feel safe and comfortable and a counsellor should have chairs places approximately four feet apart and slightly at an angle. A small clock needs to be positioned where the counsellor can glance at it and attention should be paid to the lighting and room temperature. A box of tissues should be placed where the client can easily reach them, a vase of flowers should be available to add some colour to the setting so that the client can feel some warmth and reflect something of your personality. Greeting the client and showing them their sit can also make them feel safe. Addressing the client by the first name can also make them feel comfortable and accepted but you should ask them how they want to be addressed and introducing yourself with your first name can also mean breaking down the barriers of inequality. The counsellors opening sentences should be empathic and their posture should demonstrate to the client that they are ready to listen. Building trust is also important for people who have been let down before so developing the skills of active listening, accurate, sensitive responding, reflecting feelings, and empathy demonstrating that you are fully present for the client can help to establish a solid foundation of trust ( Sutton, 1998). THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT AN EFFECTIVE COUNSELLOR SHOULD POSSESS. First the counsellor should work on building a relationship. A requirement for being an effective counsellor is being able to practice and impart the skill of empathy in the client-counsellor interaction. The ability to convey a sense of confidence give clients a sense of confidence in themselves and confidence that the counsellor is directing people in the right direction. The counsellor should always be open-minded. They should not be judgemental but instead know how to give the best suggestions on how to deal with different types of situations. They need to know how to put themselves in ones shoes. Counsellors also need to be friendly with everyone. They should never let the person they are counselling feel more down than they already are. The counsellor should also be a good listener (Gladding, 1988). An effective counsellor should be able to relate to the person they are counselling and display a level of commitment. A counsellor should be able to inspire their client and help them see their potential. An effective counsellor should show their client that opportunities multiply and that life is a long line of opportunities. A counsellor should make their client understand that the choices they make presently will affect them in the long run and to collate what and how these choices will and are playing a role in their lives. According to Gladding (1988:100-105) a counsellor should have awareness and understanding of ones own self it means understanding ones feelings, personal strengths and limitation. This would help counsellors to understand themselves sufficiently and to know exactly what they are doing, why they are doing it. A counsellor should be in good health and should not be distracted by ones own problems. A counsellor should be open minded meaning that they should be able to distinguish between their own beliefs and values to that of their client and not force them to follow a particular value or belief system. Counsellors should have respect for their clients; they must view them as worthwhile people and treat them with warmth and dignity. The counsellor must have assertiveness. It may be verbal or non-verbal. Verbal attentiveness involves what is expressed to the client and the way it is expressed. Allowing clients to complete their sentences is one way of verbal attentiveness. Using verbal encouragers such as I see are ways of demonstrating verbal attentiveness. It is also important for a counsellor to learn to alter their voice and change their volume and speed depending on the clients reactions and situations. Non-verbal attentiveness includes eye contact, head nods, facial expression, body posture and distance. THE IMPORTANCE OF UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD, EMPATHY AND CONGRUENCE IN THE COUNSELLING PROCESS Unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence are the counsellors conditions needed to facilitate change. Without these conditions being present a healing relationship cannot form. 5.1 The importance of unconditional positive regard According to Rogers (1951:55-60) unconditional positive regard is when one person is completely accepting towards another person. This is not just showing acceptance but is an attitude that is demonstrated through behaviour. Unconditional positive regard is the fundamental attitude of the person-centred counsellor towards the client: Some component of unconditional positive regards include Respect: respecting a person in the dignity and brokenness as a person Non-judgemental: being neither judgemental against people of different race and sex Acceptance: accepting people in all their fullness, missing out including how they treat the relationship with you. Valuing: embracing the person you encounter, and valuing them as a unique person. Caring: being concerned for the person and wanting the best them Nurturing: wanting to help the person to grow in whatever ways are open for their growth as a person Love: experiencing the full richness of non-possessive love for the person in this relationship 5.2 The importance of empathy and in the counselling process According to Rogers (1942:60-65) Empathy is an essential variable for engendering constructive personality change in the therapeutic process. Empathy in addition to congruence and unconditional positive regard, has achieved a consensus standing in the professional literature as a core condition in facilitating the treatment relationship in counselling and psychotherapy. Empathy is the capacity to recognize and share feelings such as sadness and happiness that are experienced by another person and it involves sensitivity to the clients problems and being able to see things the way the client does. It involves perceiving and communicating. Perceiving is an intense process of active listening by the counsellor. On the other hand in communicating the counsellor says something that tells the client that their meanings and feelings are understood. Cultural sensitivity and knowledge of cultures different from the counsellor own are important to the effective use of the empathy. Empathy is r ecognized as a prominent variable in the development of a positive relationship. With an enhancement of empathy understanding, clients generally increase their level of therapy satisfaction, likelihood of compliance, and involvement in the treatment process. Being empathetic ensures you are listening and dealing with the clients concerns as they present them. You are not judging them. Empathy can assist counselors when dealing with challenging clients through Intensity responding to the feelings expressed at the appropriate level of intensity for example if you are working with a client. They are very agitated, about to be evicted and their mother is sick. Your response is You are a bit upset. The client becomes distant you have not reflected their level of emotion accurately. Context take all aspects into account not just word and non-verbal behaviour. A lot of people we come into contact with have multiple problems in their lives. They may behave in ways we find inappropriate but taken in context of their experience are understandable. Selective responding sometimes it may be appropriate to respond only to feelings or behaviour. Some clients do not respond well to discussing their feelings and in these cases it is useful to focus on more concrete elements such as experience and behaviour. When your empathic responses have been successful it is evident from the clients response, a nod of the head, or a positive verbal response. If a counsellors empathic response has not been accurate the client will indicate this non-verbally by stopping, fumbling or becoming frustrated. Being aware of these signs will assist a counsellor in relating to the challenging client (Rogers: 1951). 5.3 The importance of congruence in the counselling process According to Rogers (1942:66-70) Congruence means genuineness. People are congruent when they are not trying to appear to be anything other than what they are. Congruence is concerned with a persons attempt to achieve harmony in their way of being. Congruent is closely related to a number of terms such as honesty, transparency yet its meaning does not coincide with any of these. In providing the three counselling processes the counsellor creates a therapeutic environment which enables a client to psychologically self-heal. Congruency can help a counsellor to identify a client by the way the client will be portraying themselves. In counselling process this would help a counsellor to be able to work with a person who knows their true self so it wont be difficult to help that person to overcome the obstacles they face in life. THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE FOR COUNSELLORS Self care is a way of living that incorporates behaviours that help you to be refreshed, replenish your personal motivation, and grow as a person. It is the equivalent of keeping your car filled with gas so that you are ready to go anywhere you want without being worried if the gas is enough to go a distance. As school counsellors one of the major expectations is developing prevention and intervention strategies for students. However this cannot discount the need to develop own prevention and intervention plans for self-care. Prevention for burnout might include such things as asking for supervision, promoting your own personal wellness plan including a method to refill your own emotional bucket. Develop your own professional and personal support system with not only those who support you but those who will challenge you if you are exhibiting signs of burnout. Periodic self-assessments and evaluation of life stressors is an important prevention strategy. Personal counselling, nurturi ng your own emotional self, evaluating personal relationships, engaging in stress management and positive recreational activities offers value in burnout prevention as well ( Gladding, 1988). Counsellors should build a strong foundation for themselves this means spending time to strengthen themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually for example daily clearing is to check and identify how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Gather quality support such as finding a community like-minded people so that they can give you support. When you are with supportive people you will feel positive and empowered. Get rid of commitments that weigh you down and use the time to do things that give pleasure. Self-care is actually taking care of yourself after a long day at work so that you can work on your inner thoughts and be able to help people with a free mind and not experiencing burnout. Giving yourself time to do all the things that mean a lot to your life and keep you happy will keep you revived and strong enough to face your client with confidence ( Gladding, 1988). CONCLUSION This essay defined counselling and discussed the setting that a counsellor should be at to make a client feel safe with specific reference made looking at the characteristic that an effective counsellor should possess. The essay discussed the importance of unconditional positive regard, empathy, congruence and self-care in counselling process and in a counsellors own life

Comparison of 3 Stocks :: essays papers

Comparison of 3 Stocks All my stock market choices are technology based. nVIDIA is a producer of video card software, AMD a provider of motherboard processors and Electronic Arts a videogame publisher. nVIDIA is an example of a decreasing-cost industry. While a rather early new comer to the video card industry, nVIDIA was showing potential from the start. Major competition to nVIDIA’s foothold in the industry included 3dfx’s voodoo technology and ATI’s Rage. Although 3dfx’s foothold seemed unmovable, the next wave of technology to rise brought about their eventual downfall in the market. 3dfx’s lack of support for their next generation video cards (the voodoo4 & voodoo5) resulted in their being bought out by the nVIDIA Corporation. While nVIDIA released patches to over double the performance of the GeForce2’s technology, 3dfx’s patches for the Voodoo4 and Voodoo5 were riddled with flaws, resulting in performance issues for all of their customers. After the buyout, nVIDIA were now free to utilize the voodoo technology and excel in the market. Now ready to explode even bigger than before, will be the arrival of the GeForce3; boasting results over ten fold that of previous video cards, the GeForce3 will have unparallel performance in the market. This is observed by the slow increase in the percent gain, which will rise dramatically with the release of their new board. AMD, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., was a company entering a seemingly unbreakable market. Processor technology with a high initial cost categorizes it as a decreasing-cost industry. AMD, now the most popular provider of processor technology, came in against the multi-billion dollar corporation of Microsoft. Microsoft’s Pentium processor currently held a foothold in the market; however, AMD’s cheaper K-6 series (although not as powerful processor) provided an economical alternative to Microsoft’s more powerful Pentium II processor. With sales being lost to the more economical K6 series, Microsoft released the Celeron processor, which was widely accepted as a poor alternative to AMD’s K6. However, customer familiarity with the Microsoft brand name, allowed for Microsoft to recoup some of its losses in the field, but with AMD’s following rising, the K7 (Athlon) processor, took a firm hold in the field against the Pentium III. Furthermore, the Athlon Thunderbird (the successor to the K7) has now taken a majority control of the market, by outperforming the Pentium IV in most performance tests.

The Strange Career of Jim Crow Essay example -- Civil Rights Movement

The Strange Career of Jim Crow C. Vann Woodward’s book, The Strange Career of Jim Crow, has been hailed as a book which shaped our views of the history of the Civil Rights Movement and of the American South. Martin Luther King, Jr. described the book as â€Å"the historical Bible of the civil rights movement.† The argument presented in The Strange Career of Jim Crow is that the Jim Crow laws were relatively new introductions to the South that occurred towards the turn of the century rather than immediately after the end of Reconstruction after the Civil War. Woodward examines personal accounts, opinions, and editorials from the eras as well as the laws in place at the times. He examines the political history behind the emergence of the Jim Crow laws. The Strange Career of Jim Crow gives a new insight into the history of the American South and the Civil Rights Movement. C. Vann Woodward’s The Strange Career of Jim Crow looks into the emergence of the Jim Crow laws beginning with the Reconstruction era and following through the Civil Rights Movement. Woodward contends that Jim Crow laws were not a part of the Reconstruction or the following years, and that most Jim Crow laws were in place in the North at that particular time. In the South, immediately after the end of slavery, most white southerners, especially the upper classes, were used to the presence and proximity of African Americans. House slaves were often treated well, almost like part of the family, or a favored pet, and many upper-class southern children were raised with the help of a ‘mammy’ or black nursery- maid. The races often mixed in the demi- monde, and the cohabitation of white men and black women were far from uncommon, and some areas even had spe... ...howing the true race relations throughout the south during that period. Jim Crow laws might not have been in effect and might have been though unnecessary by a portion of southerners, but it would be interesting to find out how many African Americans were lynched during the period before Jim Crow laws became prominent for ‘offenses’ which would later be illegal under Jim Crow. Just as Woodward quoted President Eisenhower as saying â€Å"you cannot change people’s hearts merely by law†(163), so the lack of Jim Crow legislation does not necessarily mean that some southerners wanted it and lived as though it existed. Works Cited: Woodward, C. V. The Strange Career of Jim Crow. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Works Consulted: C. Vann Woodward. 31 Oct. 2004. Wikipedia. 1 Nov. 2004 .

Motivation in the Workplace Essay -- Business Management Papers

Motivation in the Workplace There are people out there in the workforce that believe they are obligated to do their best at their job simply because that is what is expected from all of us as humans. On the other hand, there are those out there that want to only do as much as they can get away with doing. No matter which one of these employees you are or are working with companies and employer's need to understand the concept of motivation. Motivation comes in many forms such as money, benefits, or simple recognition within. Motivation also leads to higher productivity and profit and that is what we are all looking for in business. The key to unlocking peak performance from your work force is the concept of human motivation. In addition, the key to motivation revolves around one fundamental principle: "What's in it for me?" (WIIFM). We have all been socialized to believe that only "selfish" people consider "What's in store for me." When in reality all people are motivated first by self-interest. The word selfish is used as a negative label for someone's perceived behavior. Understanding the concept of self-interest is perhaps the only way we will understand our need to achieve. Self-interest or feeling good about your self is a fundamental ingredient of motivation. When you work an extra hour, not on the clock, you are doing it for one real reason. It makes you feel good to either get the job done well or to help someone else. In the end you might get some sort of recognition in the company but usually you will not stay an hour extra today to get a gold star in two weeks from now. Dr. Gerald Kushel, has stated in his book "Reaching the Peak Performance Zone"; there are several variables involved in motivation. Among them are... ...hatever the motivational techniques used, they should be customized to coincide with the corporate culture unique to the organization. They also need to be meaningful to the employees and used in ways that the purpose of the reward is obvious. There are all kinds of employees out there with different work ethics and a small amount of thought into the motivational techniques used by an organization can go a long way to getting those unique individuals working together in a more productive and profitable way. Bibliography Works Cited 1. Eye, David E.,1,001 Ways to Inspire 1999 New York Publishing 2. Newman, Dr. Fred, Let's Develop 1994 Castillo International, Inc. 3. Sherman, Arthur W., Managing Human Resources 1998 (11th ed.) South-Western Publishing 4. Traynor, William J., Opportunities in Human Resource Management Careers 1997 VGM Career Horizons

Ethical Dilemma with the End of Life Decisions Essay

In the advent of technology and biomedical advancements in the twentieth century, modern medicine is able to prolong the life of a patient. This dramatic improvement has raised appreciation as well as criticisms in and outside of the medical community. This is because of the important questions that come in about the end-of-life decisions. This is about who really is empowered to make the decisions regarding life, and which quality of life factors should really be considered with these end of life decisions. With technology, the medical world is come up with life support systems which literally â€Å"supports† life even those who are already dying. Because of this, ethical issues regarding when and who will decide on who pulls the plug came up. There are debates on who really has a say to stop the life from these patients. Some say the decision lies on the hands of the doctors, as they are the ones who can perceive whether or not a person still has a chance to survive. Some say the decision depends on the family members and loved ones of the patients, since it is up to them if they want to lessen the patient’s suffering. This goes in line with the concept of Euthanasia or â€Å"mercy killing† which aims to lessen the suffering of the dying patient. There are however several ethical questions which euthanasia has to answer, as it diverts from what the medical community stands for: to prolong and improve the quality of life of a patient. However, we still lack of the comprehensive bioethical rules and laws regarding these end of life decisions, that’s why doctors, as well as relatives and loved ones doesn’t know when it is the time to let go of the patient and literally â€Å"pull the plug†. If the patient however understands the situation he or she is in, he can aid the decision making process of ending his life by creating a will that appoints a relative or friend to carry out what he wishes.