Change Management Model Paper Essay

In order to evaluate organizational change, it is crucial to understand the models of organizational change. Change models can reveal the compelling forces of change, what will happen, and how it will happen. It is sometimes difficult to find a model that best fits the nature of the organization. However, the use of any change model is beneficial because it offers a guideline to follow and predict the presumed results of the change initiative (Mento, Jones, & Dirndorfer, 2002). While there are many change management models, a few of the well-known models are: Lewin’s change management model and Bridge’s transition model. This paper will discuss Lewin’s change management model and Bridge’s transition model. Within each change model, it will address the role of the leader in the change initiative, overcoming resistance to change, and communication process of both models. It would also assess the strengths and weaknesses of each model. Lewin’s Change Management Model According to Kurt Lewin, successful change in any organization should follow three steps: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Unfreezing involves overcoming the pressures of individual resistance and group conformity. Changing or movement happens when the change is initiated and the organization is getting ready to move into a transition stage. Refreezing occurs after change has been accepted and the organization can operate under the new changes (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Lewin’s model identified that most people prefer to function within their comfort zones. Most people like the comfort, sense of identity, and control from the environment that they are familiar with. In this model, the leader’s role is to remove the resistance of change through motivation. One  way to deal with the resistance is to use positive incentives to encourage employees to accept the change. For example, management can increase the pay for those who accept the change. Management can also address the concerns regarding the need for change (Robbins & Judge, 2009). It is important to communicate directly with the employees who are most affected by the change. Leaders move through the change process by promoting effective communications and empowering people to embrace the change. Employees who are not involved with planning the change could lead to increased resistance and decreased motivation. Zigarmi & Witt (2007) states that change are successfully implemented when people have an opportunity to express their concerns and influence how the change is implemented (p. 17). Lewin’s change model is a simple and easy to understand framework for managing change in an organization. Most companies prefer to use this model to enact major changes. However, it takes considerable time to put into practice. This model can be compared to overcoming bad habits by changing them with new or better habits. The organization has to be determined and dedicated to make the change and do what is necessary despite obstacles involved in the process (Brisson-Banks, 2010). Bridge’s Three-Phase Transition Model For many logical reasons, people are often uncomfortable with change. This could lead them to resist and oppose change initiatives that may come their way. It is important to understand how people feel as change happens so that leaders can guide them through the process. Bridge’s transition model can help organizations understand how people feel during the change process so that they can guide their employees to support and accept the change. The model emphasizes three stages of transition that people go through when they encounter change. These are: ending, neutral zone, and new beginning. In the ending stage, people must let go of the past before they can embrace the new. This is the initial stage of transition that people go through when presented with change. It is often marked with resistance because people are being forced to let go of something they are comfortable with. As a leader, it is important to accept the employee’s resistance and be able to  understand their emotions. Give them time to accept the change and let go. Leaders should acknowledge the loss and a variety of reactions and be able to give people instructions on how to move on to the next stage (Brisson-Banks, 2009). When communicating with employees, leaders must listen empathetically and communicate honestly about what is going to happen. Leaders should explain to employees that their knowledge and experience would apply once the change i s implemented. It is also important to assure them that resources would be provided so that they can work effectively in the new environment (Mind Tools, 2014). In the neutral zone, people begin to explore their comfort with the new change. Individuals in this stage may feel disoriented with decreasing motivation and increasing anxiety and uncertainty. Employees may have increased workload as they transition into the new system and new ways of working. They might resent the new change initiative; have low morale and productivity; be anxious about their role or status in the company; and be skeptical about the change initiative (Mind Tools, 2014). This stage is a terrific time to inspire people to try new ways of thinking and working. As people go through this neutral period, a leader’s guidance is important in this stage. People may feel lost and it is the leader’s role to provide them with a solid sense of direction. They should encourage employees to talk about their feelings and remind them of the team goals (Mento et al., 2002). In order to overcome resistance to change, leaders can involve people in designing the new change initiative. They can create short-term structures and lead them to innovate. Leaders must explain the neutral zone and validate feelings. They must be optimistic about the change and share information as often as possible. Short term goals are important at this stage so that employees can experience some quick wins to increase their enthusiasm (Mind Tools, 2014). When communicating with employees, allow them to voice their concerns regarding the change. Leaders should remain optimistic and be able to admit when they do not have an answer for people’s concerns. Leaders must meet with their team frequently to provide them with feedback on how they are performing. They must be able to do what they can to boost morale and continue to remind people of how they can contribute to the success of the change (Washington University, n.d.). In the new beginning stage, people begin to embrace the new change (Washington University, n.d.). Employees  develop the skills they need to function effectively in the new way and is beginning to see quick wins from their efforts. At this stage, people are likely to experience openness to learning, positive attitude, increased productivity, high energy, and renewed commitment to the group or their new role (Mind Tools, 2014). As employees embrace the new change, it is necessary for leaders to help them maintain it. Leaders can picture the future and plan the next steps. While they plan the long-term objectives of the organization, they must take the time to celebrate the change they’ve all been through and reward their team for all their hard work. Leaders must communicate a picture of how the new organization will look and feel. Communicate a step by step understanding of how the organization will change and remember to avoid complacency so that people would not revert back to previous stages (Mind Tools, 2014). This model is beneficial in understanding how people feel as they are guided through the change process. It also clarifies the psychological effect of the change. However, it is not a substitute for other change management models such as Lewin’s change management model. Bridge’s model must be used along with other change management models (Brisson-Banks, 2009). Conclusion Change management is a challenging process to carry out and manage for any organization. With so many change management models, it is not always easy to find one that fits the organization’s nature. However, the use of change models is fundamental in the successful implementation of the change processes in organizations. This paper examined Lewin’s change management model and Bridge’s three phase transition model. It discussed the leader’s role in each model, how to overcome resistance, and their communication process. It also assessed the advantages and disadvantages of using each model. Lewin and Bridge’s models have significant commonalities between them. These models can be used as a guide to assist organizations through the world of constant changes. There is no definite model that exists for each organization, but each model has helpful ways of managing change that can be customized according the organization (Brisson-Banks, 2009). References Brisson-Banks, C. V. (2010). Managing change and transitions: a comparison of different models and their commonalities. Library Management, 31, 241-252. doi:10.1108/01435121011046317 Mind Tools. (n.d.). Bridges’ transition model – Change management tools from MindTools.com. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/bridges-transition-model.htm Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. (2009). Organizational behavior (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Washington University. (n.d.). Three phases of transition – William Bridges. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/research/rapid/resources/changeModels/mc_three_phases.pdf Zigarmi, P., & Witt, D. (2007). Leading Change. Retrieved from http://www.kenblanchard.com/img/pub/leading_change_handout.pdf

The Right to Information Act

The Right to Information Act, 2005 is a landmark legislation in the history of independent India. Before the passing of this historic Act, there was â€Å"The Freedom of Information Act, 2002† But to ensure smoother and greater access to information and to make it more progressive, participatory, and meaningful certain important changes was felt necessary. The Government examined the suggestions made by the National Advisory Council and others and decided to make a number of changes in the said law. The Government in view of the significant changes proposed in the existing Act, decided to repeal the Freedom of Information Act, 2002. As a result, â€Å"The Right to Information Bill, 2005†, passed by Lok Sabha on 11th May, 2005 and by Rajya Sabha on 15th June, 2005 and received the assent of the President on 15th June,2005. The Right to Information Act, 2005 contains VI Chapters and 31 Sections. Some of the important Sections of the RTI Act can be stated as follows—- Under the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, any citizen can seek information in writing in the form of an application or by e-mail and should be addressed to the Public Information Officer (PIO) or Assistant PIO of the concerned office/public authority either in English Hindi or in the official language of the area. Even if one submits an application for an information to a PIO whose public authority is not in possession of information, has to accept the information and forward the same to the concerned public authority about such transfer [section 6(3)] In such cases, the second public authority becomes responsible for providing the applicant with the information that is requested within prescribed time limit [section 5(5)] Reason for securing information is not required to be stated in the application. Normally the PIO is to provide the information within 30 days. However in case of life and liberty, the PIO is bound to provide information within 48 hours. If the required information is part of a proactive disclosure of section 4 (I) (b), then it should be provided instantly by the PIO without any application fee, except the printing cost of the information. No prescribed format is necessary to apply under RTI Act,2005. An application on a plain paper comprising full postal address of the applicant, PIO or Assistant PIO’s address, details of information required with a statement that the information is sought under RTI Act 2005, are the basic requirements. Application fee of Rs. 10 (in case of Government of Assam office/organization) is required in case of a Government of Indian office/organization. If the applicant does not receive the information or is not satisfied with the information received from the PIO, he/she can file an appeal with the first appellate authority (FAA) under section 19 (I). There is no prescribed format for an appeal. Moreover, neither Govt. of India nor Govt. of Assam prescribed any fees for the first appeal till now. The Act prescribed maximum 45 days time for the disposal of first appeal by the FAA. If an applicant does not receive information within 45 days, then he/she can take the matter forward to the second appeal stage. The RTI Act, 2005 is a historic legislation and no such strong provision has been made in any Act or code in India till date. The right to information covers inspections of works, document, record and its certified copy and information in the form of diskettes, floppies, video cassettes in electronic form, taped or stored information in computers etc. Though certain information are prohibited, every public authority is under obligations to provide information on written request or request by electronic means with payment of fee. The Act vehemently provides for restrictions for third party information. It has been stated earlier that there is the appellate provision in the Act. As such, the appeal against the decision of central information officer and state information officer can be made to a senior officer in rank. The penalty for refusal to receive an application for information or for not providing information is Rs. 250 per day, but the total amount of penalty should not exceed Rs. 25000 The Central Information Commission is to be constituted by the Central Govt. and State Information Commission by the respective state governments. In spite of having the various important and powerful provisions the state Governments are not ready to implement the RTI Act, 2005, in letter and spirit. The case is pertinent in Assam too, which so far has seen the government drag its feet when it comes to implementing the various provisions under the Act. Consequently Assam is among those states where the State Information Commission has been unable to perform to the desired extent, or simply failed to bring in probity and transparency in matters of public finance. When state Government will come forward to implement the provisions of RTI Act then only the true objectives of the Act will be fulfilled. The Act will be able to curb corruption and misuse of taxpayer’s money will be stopped, and can be utilized for the sake of common good and welfare of the state. The posts of Information Commissioner should be filled up by qualified and impartial persons. Free legal education should be provided to the people, to be more conscious about the legal benefit of the Act and help to access the information and exert their rights in true spirit.

U.S. Border Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

U.S. Border Security - Essay Example We pride ourselves on our profound and almost unique commitment to liberty, and the legal institutions and civic culture that have made America probably the freest society in history" (Herman Schwartz, Security and liberty in an age of terrorism). Immediately after September 11, President George W. Bush proclaimed a "war on terrorism" that would be global struggle and would continue far into the future. After hours of the attack, Attorney General John Ashcroft made the Department of Justice prepare legislative proposals. Prosecutors denied their old wish lists and created a large proposal, which, with other provisions, became the 342-page USA-Patriot Act. When it was forced through just six weeks later, not many members of Congress had read this bill, and many voted for it with doubts. So great was the pressure to take some protective action against terrorism, however, that only one senator and 66 House members voted against it. The most important point of the proposal was dedicated to United States Border Security; and after the eleventh of September some measures have been taken. The author of this research is going to descry the situation of United States border security, clarify the advantages and weaknesses of American security system. I would like to concentrate on United States Mexico and Canadian borders. The United States Mexico barrier The United States Mexico barrier is in fact several separation barriers planned to prevent illegal immigration into the United States from the territory of neighboring Mexico. Its key target is Mexican nationals and other Latin Americans, though in recent years other groups (for instance Asians of different nationalities) have also been using the porous Mexican border to make safe access to the USA. The barriers were designed as part of three larger "Operations" to prevent illegal immigration, Operation Gatekeeper in California, Operation Hold-the-Line in Texas, and Operation Safeguard in Arizona. The purpose of these barriers is to make immigrants cross the border with numerous difficulties, in order to reduce migration. Several scholars, who scrutinized this subject, state that these operations are just a public relations strategy used to persuade U.S. citizens that the border is "secure", while the economy benefits from the continuing flow of cheap labor across the border. The 3140 km (1,951 mile) border between the United States and Mexico crosses a variety of terrains, including urban areas and deserts. The barrier is situated in the urban sections of the border; actually the great number of migrations took place in this location. These urban areas include California, Texas, San Diego and El Paso. The success of the barrier led to a noticeable increase in the number of people trying to cross the Sonoran Desert and the Baboquivari Mountains in Arizona. Such migrants

Develop a workplace learning environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Develop a workplace learning environment - Essay Example Training functions will have to run differently as organizations expect more evidence that they are contributing to organizational success. In response to calls for changes in the way training has traditionally been done, many have responded by calling for redefining the mission of training, renaming training, and even firing or getting rid of in-house training altogether because it is not costeffective. In short, the pressure is on for trainers and training functions to reinvent, reengineer, revitalize, remake, and improve what they do I am a manager for a workplace group comprising 6 persons, deployed as follows: Manager Employee relations, personnel consultant, HR development consultant, OH&S safely consultant, Industrial Relations Consultant & Reception/Clerical Administrative. Background: This research focus upon the main unit services the HRM needs of a national construction/building company employing 900 persons, ranging across Architectural, Engineering & Quantity surveying professionals, Para-professional building technicians, trades persons, managers & clerical support persons. Recently the company has upgraded its computer network moving to windows XP operating from windows 98 and the earlier MS Office 2000 package. You have conducted a training needs analysis on the group by observing and checking their work, interviewing the group members regarding their competencies with reference to their position descriptions and the team's goals. Needs Analysis No single training initiative, much less an entire function, can fulfill its purpose without a needs analysis. Needs analysis identifies the performance areas in which additional training (or nontraining) is needed; it also pinpoints the individuals or groups of employees who could most benefit from the training. In reinvented training, a needs analysis is an important part of a strategic approach to training. Such an approach maximizes the potential success of training efforts. Different levels of training needs analysis and methods of collecting information on training needs are reviewed, along with tools that managers and training personnel can use to analyze this information. The research will be of particular value in planning, developing, or refining training initiatives by showing that training needs analysis strategies, and the unique organizational characteristics, can and must be blended together to create effective training initiatives tailored to meeting an organization's special needs. Each organization is then in a position to expand the application of training in a dynamic manner to all its employees. Designing And Implementing Program The literatures suggested using internal and external trainers, on-the-job training and off-the-job training approaches, good location and instruction in training and development (Jackson & Schuler, 2003, p360-393). However, Berge, deVerneil, Berge, Davis and Smith (2002, p43) recognized that well-designed instruction did not guarantee performance, and most HRD practitioners still spent the bulk of their time in the design and delivery of class-room-based training events. Grugulis (1998, p383) pointed out that the managers also

Corruption under the Obama Administration Research Paper

Corruption under the Obama Administration - Research Paper Example His presidency emphasizes that all races in America, provided they are citizens of the United States, can become the President of the nation. Unfortunately, what can spoil the proud image of the Obama government is its supposed association with corruption. Are the reports on corruption under the Obama government reliable? We must define what corruption means. Deflem (1995, 243) provides a good definition: â€Å"Corruption†¦is a colonization of social relations in which two or more actors undertake an exchange relation by way of a successful transfer of the steering media of money or power, thereby sidestepping the legally prescribed procedure to regulate the relation. Two types of corruption of corruption are identified: monetary and bureaucratic. In monetary corruption, the exchange relation is carried out by way of a transfer of money, and in bureaucratic corruption by way of a transfer of power. Both types of corruption can circumvent regulations spelled out by legitimate or systemic law.† The Deflem (1995) definition of corruption has three characteristics. First, corruption may involve financial or power concessions and not only monetary consideration. Second, corruption involves sidestepping legal procedures. Finally or third, corruption circumvents the regulations of government. It follows, therefore, that corruption need not always involve evidence of money transfer and that sidestepping of legally prescribed procedures or circumvention of legal or administrative rules are manifestations of corruption. Adopting the Deflem (1995) definition therefore, we have good basis to argue that the Obama presidency is characterized by corruption. The indicative facts are described in our succeeding discussion. First, the Washington-based Judicial Watch, an institution generally-recognized in America as a watchdog of sound governance reported that the Obama administration has installed â€Å"personal advisors in czar positions in the White House and has created new czar positions elsewhere in the Executive Branch† that are â€Å"unconfirmed by the Senate and are largely unaccountable to Congress† (2011, 3). The word â€Å"czar† is â€Å"informally associated with presidential appointees who oversee certain government policies† (Judicial Watch 2011, 6). The Judicial Watch (2011, 3) added that many of the activities of the said czars â€Å"are often outside the reach of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), creating a veil of secrecy about their precise role in the administration.† This implies that many of the appointees of the Obama administration are above the law and this can provide evidence that signs of corruption if not corruption itself are pervasive in the Obama administration. At the very least, the Judicial Watch Report indicated that many of the top officials of the Obama government are outside the law, are not transparent, and pose a threat that the wide-scale prevalence of the transf ers of money as well as power is only a matter of time in the United States. Under the United States Constitution, presidential nominees have to be confirmed by the United Senate (Judicial Watch 2011, 6). In contrast, many of the White House advisors are not only unconfirmed by United States Senate but they also often claim exemptions from the Freedom of In

'Is George W. Bush the Worst President in American History' Essay

'Is George W. Bush the Worst President in American History' - Essay Example This paper will accomplish this by contrasting a pro-Bush article by Conrad Black, George W. Bush, FDR, and History, and The Worst President in History?, an anti-Bush article by Sean Wilentz. The paper will then assess the Bush Presidency’s foreign and domestic record in an effort to resolve to this debate. Conrad Black asserts that Bush has the opportunity to rise to the historical prominence of Franklin D. Roosevelt whose domestic programs helped to bring the country out of The Depression and foreign policy was instrumental in the winning of World War II. Sean Wilentz rates Bush alongside Herbert Hoover, the presidency that is blamed for the Depression, the impeached Andrew Johnson and the ineffectual James Buchanan. Black claims that it is ‘nonsense’ that the military and foreign policy debacle of Iraq can be compared to Vietnam. He suggests this because, unlike Vietnam, Congress authorized the invasion of Iraq and observes that the casualty rate of the Iraq war, as compared to Vietnam, is markedly lower, although he doesn’t mention that the rate of severely injured is much higher. Wilentz disagrees saying that the two conflicts are very similar in that they are both foreign conflicts, have each been seemingly unending and un-winnable. The only major difference is that the prestige and credibility of the U.S. has suffered greater damage and terrorist actions against Western nations have been exacerbated as a result of the Iraq invasion and occupation. Black states that the Bush administration has experienced successes in the ‘war on terrorism’ although he admits the critical intelligence failures prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001; again prior to the military incursion and yet again in the early phases of occupation in Iraq. He suggests that these mistakes will be forgotten when Iraq becomes a stable, democratic nation. Wilentz decries not only the numerous

An evaluation of the planning and delivering of nursing care Essay

An evaluation of the planning and delivering of nursing care - Essay Example Considering the case of the patient, this study will discuss the importance of health promotion / health prevention, the acute management of ischemic stroke, and other nursing consideration whilst living with or managing the long-term health condition of the patient. Health Promotion / Health Prevention Aspect Health promotion aims to educate the patients not only on how they can effectively prevent the onset of a disease but also ways on how they can improve their overall well-being (Leddy, 2006, p. 24). Considering the case of the 52-year old patient, this study will focus on discussing the health promotion or health prevention related to ischaemic stroke. Primary Prevention Ischaemic stroke happens in case the brain artery is blocked (Stroke Association, 2012). This causes the blood supply unable to circulate in the brain. According to Wills (2007, p. 16), the three levels of health prevention includes: the primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention. In line with this, primary prevention is all about implementing some strategies that could effectively reduce the risk of a disease. The risk factors of ischaemic stroke can be used to determine what specific health promotion should be advise to the patient. Ischaemic stroke can be triggered by several monogenic disorder (i.e. mutation in Notch 3 gene, etc.) (Hassan and Markus, 2000). Although genetic disorders that can lead to stroke can be hereditary by nature, most of the risk factors of stroke are highly modifiable. Since the modifiable risk factors associated with ischaemic stroke include: smoking, hypertension, diabetes, poor diet, atrial fibrillation, lack of exercise, and obesity among others (Ahmad and Lip, 2012; NHS, 2008; Sudlow, 2008; Goldstein et al., 2006), the nurses can provide a primary prevention by teaching the patient the importance of healthy eating (i.e. eat more fish, fruits and vegetables, leanmeat, whole grain, restriction on fat, sugar, and salt intake), include a 30-minutes of regular exercise each day or at least five (5) times each week, refrain from binge drinking and limit the intake of alcohol, and avoid or stop the use of tobacco (WHO, 2012; NHS, 2008). Through health teachings, the nurses can empower the patient through self-actualisation. After conducting a health teaching, the nurse can refer to patient to stop smoking clinics in case the patient is a smoker. In case the patient is at risk of stroke due to poor eating habits, the nurse can refer the patient to a professional nutritionist. Secondary Prevention The secondary prevention is all about shortening the incidence of stroke through early diagnosis and treatment (Wills, 2007, p. 16). Assuming that the patient has suffered from a mild stroke, the secondary prevention should include encouraging the patient to modify their lifestyle and receive early treatment. If the patient has a history of smoking, the nurse should educate and encourage the patient to stop smoking. Likewise, it is equally important for the nurse to encourage the patient to avoid alcohol consumption, watch his diet, and maintain his accepted body weight through regular exercise (Sudlow, 2008; Goldstein et al., 2006). On top of modifying the patient’s lifestyle, the nurse should encourage the patient to receive annual check-up and treatment for signs of risk factors related to the development of a vascular disease. Hyptertention is one of the common risk factors of ischemic

Information forwarded to your customer support section via e-mail Essay

Information forwarded to your customer support section via e-mail - Essay Example The war remained on the surface for four years, and soon became the major highlighting issue in the history of America. The main cause of the war occurred, when the African Americans took stand and refused to tolerate the slavery system any more. They wanted to be treated as the part of US society on equal basis. The blacks used to be treated so roughly and harshly in all the fields. They weren’t even allowed to take part in the US army.They used to be admitted in the army for the purpose of cooking, guards, and menservants. At the times of dangerous battles they used to be pushed in the front lines to face the hardships. Even the white society used to serve blacks as slaves. They used to consider them as weak and soulless. The rich whitepeople wanted to overrule the society. Slavery wasn’t the cause alone to drive the civil war. Another major cause was the high tariffs imposed on the Southern as compared to the Northern, on the goods and services brought into the country from the foreign countries. State’s Rights was another issue to cause the civil war, when the power of the Fe deral governments was changing. And the population of North was much increasing than the Southern. The Southern believed that state laws carried more weight than the Federal laws. African Americans were also served as slaves in the large plantations such as, cotton to perform the duties. Rich white Americans used to hire black slaves in their houses for the tasks like, sweeping, washing, cooking etc. Slaves were also used to be rented, traded or sold to pay the debts. The person containing the high number of slaves used to be treated with respect and obedience. Slaves were used as the property of individuals and businesses. Slavery was made as the destiny of Southern economy; no other option was left for them. Such enforcement of slavery system made the African American so tired and intolerable, which resulted in shape of civil

Ritz Carlton Hotels and Service quality Research Paper

Ritz Carlton Hotels and Service quality - Research Paper Example The Ritz Carlton has developed excellent service delivery strategies, which enable it to stay at the top (Reiss, 2009). This paper will look at some of the strategies, and how these ideas have shaped the way for other hotels to embrace service quality as a means of acquiring and retaining customers. For the Ritz Carlton, customer service is something they invest in, offering their employees more than a hundred hours of customer service education so as to ensure their preparedness when dealing with customers. When organizations in the hotel industry neglect the aspect of improving service quality in favor of cutting costs, they are doing a great disservice to their customers and the organization’s stakeholders. The Ritz Carlton, in its bid to be the best, implements the three steps of service, which involves; welcoming customers, anticipation and compliance, and fond farewells (Reiss, 2009). Customers create bonds and relationships with employees, hence; creating an exceptional reputation in the whole industry. In the three steps of service, a warm welcome is part of the package for customers. Whenever guests arrive, it is customary to greet them and address them using their names when and if possible. In this strategy, there is the anticipation and fulfillment of the guests needs. In this case, the employees anticipate what the guest’s needs may be, and helps in fulfilling them to the customer’s satisfaction. This brings in a cordial relationship between the people involved. A fond farewell, which is part of this package, enables the customers to feel like they are leaving a part of them behind, which makes it easier to make a return whenever possible (Verma, 2012). The ‘twelve service values’ is a strategy that allows the employees to bring forth the brand’s promise to its customers and guests. In this strategy, each starts with letter â€Å"I†, which works to demonstrate the power

Working with a team on a project Essay Example for Free

Working with a team on a project Essay Teamwork is usually considered an important factor especially in a workplace. However, sometimes working in a team creates difficulties in achieving the objective of a certain project that the team is assigned. (Dyer, 1995) In any teamwork conflicts are likely to arise which relate to a specific job or project that is either being done in the company or outside the company. Some members may be dishonest to their colleagues especially on sensitive issues that touch the all group. In the team that I was taking part in I encountered negative experiences that were brought about due to individual characters. The problem with the team was the failure to reach a consensus on very important issues. It was caused by a few members who were either not patient or are just more action –oriented than others in their natural being because they are likely to exert pressure on the other members to accept their decision. This group of members was making decisions too quickly for the rest of the members which is contrary to the principles of meaningful teamwork. Good decisions are usually achieved over a common understanding by majority of the members and a unanimous agreement on the matter, but some team mates did not acknowledge that. At the same time some team members used personality to undermine others, even to the extended of undermining the team leader who was leading the team. This became a problem and the team could not achieve its targets. These differences became so critical that they kept being addressed daily; In the long run they lead into a breakdown of individual relationships which affected their productivity in general and stalled the project completely, we never went on with the project. Reference: Dyer, W. G. (1995): Team building: current issues and new alternatives. 3rd Ed. Pearson Education POD

Analysis Of The Malaysian Communists

Analysis Of The Malaysian Communists The emergency was introduced to Malaya as a mean to eradicate communism. Without communism, the emergency era will not come about. This shows that communism played an important role during this era. Communism was first introduced by Karl Marx in the mid-19th century in his book The Communist Manifesto, Das Capital and The German Ideology. Communism is against feudalism and imperialism and it is determined to change this administrative system to communism trough violence and war. According to Columbia Encyclopedia, 2008, communism is a socio-political movement that aims for a classless and stateless society structured upon common ownership of the means of production, free access to articles of consumption, and the end of wage labour and private property in the means of production and real estate. Communism is followed by several countries that time, for example China and Russia. 2In July 1919, Communist International (Comintern) instructed its party to spread communism to the whole world. In Malaya, communism is spread through Kuomintang (National Peoples Party, established by Sun Yat-sen and Song Jiaoren in 1912) and Nanyang Communist Party. As both the party is from China, it is easier to spread communism among the Chinese. Communism was spread through labour union, political parties, night classes and through publications. Communism was spread among the Malays by Indonesia Communist Party throughout 1924 till1930 but the attempts failed as communism was against Islamic beliefs and their culture. This ideology does not acknowledge the presence of God but in Islam, the God is considered as the highest power of the whole universe. Besides, this ideology uses violence to get their way while in Islamic studies, violence is strictly prohibited except when forced to and to claim ones right. Communism is also not accepted by the Indians. One of the main reasons i s that MCP consists mainly of Chinese which raise the suspicion of the other two races. They were therefore more ready to help the British in bringing down MCP. Karl Marx Father of Communism 3 MALAYA COMMUNIST PARTY In 1930, the Malaya Communist Party (MCP) was established with the objective of forming Republic of Communist Malaya. MCP had recruited a lot of cadres (new members of a political party trained to become loyal followers) and even seeped into most of the labour union. MCP also tried to spread communism to Sarawak but in vain as the people there does not have enough knowledge for politics. In the year 1935, MCPs attempts became more violent. More and more strikes and labour unrest occurred with the greatest strike occurring in a charcoal mine in Batu Arang, Selangor where as much as 6000 workers participated in the strike to take over the mine. As a result, the British sent 300 police to end the strike. Most of the leaders involved in the strike were sent back to China and following that incident, MCPs leader was arrested. When Japan attacked Malaya, MCP offered help to the British to fight off Japan. MCPs members were trained in Sekolah Latihan Khas 101 in Singapore on guerilla war tactics. This school then became the guerilla team headquarters in fighting the Japanese army in Malaya. MCP then formed the Malayan Peoples Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) and the British supplied them with firearms through another force named Force 136, also one of the anti-Japanese army but mainly consists of Malay members. 4When the war is over, a political vacuum occurred in Malaya.MCP took this opportunity to rule Malaya through its army, MPAJA for 14 days. The MPAJA troops are known as the Three Stars, symbolizing the three main races in Malaya-Malay, Chinese and Indian. MCP ruled Malaya inhumanely, torturing and killing anyone who had cooperated with the Japanese before this. They also imposed high taxes on the citizens making them suffer from poverty. Other than that, villages were burnt at night with its people still inside their houses and mosques were destroyed. Their actions angered the Malays and as most of the members of MPAJA were Chinese, racial tensions occurred. The villagers stood against MCP causing chaos over the whole Malaya. This issue was resolved when British came back to rule Malaya again through the British Military Administration (BMA) in September 1945 as the British thinks that military administrative system was required to restore peace to the country. BMA wanted MPAJA to be disbanded and the firearms to be returned to them. MCP agreed to close down MPAJA but they did not surrender all of the firearms. Instead, they kept part of it for themselves just in case they will have to use it again in the future although the British government paid each of them who returned the firearms $350 and a bag of rice, hoping that this would encourage the MCPs members in returning the firearms. MCP, which had already seeped into the labour union started to be active in political movements. 5MCP openly joined the political process, branching out and concentrating on labour activities. The MCPs legal activities started by becoming a member of the Governors Advisory Council in Singapore in 1945 and were involved in groups like the Malayan Democratic Union and the Malayan Nationalist Party. Their plan was to cause serious disruption and chaos to the economy through strikes and labor agitation and ride the tide of discontent to power. Communist had fertile ground through Chinese schools for recruitment and agitation. Due to the abandonment of BMA, many young Chinese were convinced that the Malay leadership planned to relegate Chinese to permanent second class status. Their future seemed bleak and the communist offered hope. When the Japanese left Malaya, economy was disrupted. Malayan people faced many challenges including low wages, unemployment, scarce and expensive food. Due to the revenue from Malayas rubber and tin industry that was important to the Britishs own recovery, BMA was attempting to repair Malayas economy quickly while there was a large number of strikes and a considerable labour unrest during 1946 through 1948. Harsh measurements such as arrest and deportation were used in dealing with protestors causing them to be increasingly militant. A temporary rubber price drop in the world at 1947 caused employers to seek government action to restrict union operations as the Pan-Malayan Federation of Trade Unions (PMFTU) directly controlled 80-90 percent of the unions in Malaya. Increasing violence especially against European planters convinced the government to strengthen the already stringent law of 1940 to govern the trade union activities. New measures were introduced which requires registration of all unions and condition for registration, certain terms on the eligibility of union officials to hold office were imposed. Situation for workers generally improved however, diminishing influence of the PMFTU and hence the MCP in the labour unions of Singapore and Malaya. 6The MCP was also experiencing serious difficulties within its own organization. The Secretary-General Lai Tek disappeared in March 1947 and later MCP revealed that he had been a double agent. This was a strengthening faction which had consistently argued for an armed struggle. It was decided at the Fourth Plenary Session to prepare for this struggle by moving all party activities underground. Trade unions were encouraged to not only improve welfare of workers but also to lead them to the road of violent action. The authorities were alerted to the change of direction on MCPs policy after a spate of murders and attacks on the European estate managers. BMA did not last long and as soon as MPAJA is disbanded, the British came up with a new administrative system known as Malayan Union. However, the locals did not agree with the system as it threatens their status quo by having jus soli citizenship and due to other factors as well. On the contrary, MCP very much support this kind of administrative system as that will means citizenship for all of them. Furthermore, this system will also not be controlled by the rajas and the Malay officers. This is why, in 1948, when the British decided to change Malayan Union to Federation of Malaya, MCP stood against it. 7In February 1948, a few representatives of MCP attended the Asian Communists Youth Conference in Calcutta, India. The conference encouraged the communist parties to have an armed rebellion to achieve their objective, which is to overthrow the British government and establish the Communist Republic of Malaya. This caused the MCP, led by Chin Peng to form a guerilla unit known as Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA) and as most of the firearms not returned are kept in the jungle, this guerilla unit was formed in the jungle itself. MCP started the rebellion by attacking the colonial resource extraction industries, which in Malaya were tin mines and rubber plantations owned by Europeans. (extracted from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Emergency) Besides that, they also attack the police station, set factories and buses on fire, damage railway tracks, one of the most important means of transportation essential in sending products from factories to the port, and kill people they think works with or cooperate with the British. . Their plan was to cripple the economy in Malaya, conquering big cities, and towns in the outskirts and finally driving the British out of the country. Damaged railway tracks 8 MPAJA cap-shown by the red star THE EMERGENCY ERA MEASURES TO COMBAT THE COMMUNIST THREAT The climax of the MCP violence was on 16 June 1948, when three European estate managers were killed. This incident appalled the British government and spurred them into action to eradicate the communists and their activities. Among the measures taken were the declaration of emergency, enlarging the security force, the Briggs Plan, military steps, psychological warfare ( the Templer Plan), and through the declaration of amnesty. DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY Following the death of the three European estate managers, the British High Commissioner, Sir Edward Gent declared Perak and Johor as emergency areas. A state of emergency was declared on the whole of Malaya a day later. This action is to protect the economic interest of British in Malaya. MCP was finally outlawed on 23 July 1948 followed by all of the leftist parties. 9Following the declaration of emergency, the British government reinforced the Emergency Law of 1948. The Emergency Law of 1948 enabled police and soldiers to arrest and detain communist suspects without a trial. It also allows the police force to ransack houses, move citizens to a new area or quarantine a certain location suspected to be involved in communism. Roadblocks and curfews in areas where communists activities were rife were also imposed. It was called an emergency, not a war so that it was possible for businessmen to claim insurance for damage to property from insurance companies, Lloyds insurers in this case. ENLARGING THE SECURITY FORCE The government also took action in increasing the number of soldiers and police in the country. The police force was reorganized and enlarged until it reaches an amazing number of 70000 people. To increase its military troops, the British brought in soldiers from Commonwealth countries, especially from Australia, New Zealand, East Africa and Fiji to eradicate the communist threat in Malaya. In addition, the government also established the Home Guard troops in the village to assist the police and military force. Members of the troop are of both genders and the establishment of the Home Guard troop heightened the spirits of the locals to defend the country from communists. The willingness and courage of the Malays to fight the communists awed the British High Commissioner, Sir Henry Gurney. Besides that, as much as 24000 Special Constables were trained and sent to isolated estates and mines to prevent the attack of communists against them. The military force also bombed and ambushed areas that nested the communists with the help of the British Air Force. 10 BRIGGS PLAN Sir Harold Rowdon Briggs introduced the Briggs Plan to eradicate communist activities through a strategy that relocate the squatter areas from the edge of the forest to a new village and by launching starvation movement in 1950. He himself became the operation director of the plan. The relocation plan started on 1 June 1950 in Johor. Towards February 1952, more than 400,000 Chinese squatters were relocated to approximately 400 new villages. This plan was aimed at restricting the Chinese from supplying food, medicine and information to the communist guerrillas who were hiding in the jungle. This plan was effective in eradicating communist violence because it weakened Min Yuen activities and forced the communist out of the jungles. The new villages were fully equipped with basic amenities such as houses, schools, medical facilities, electric and water supply. The new village was also fenced with barbed wire and guarded by Special Constables to monitor the movements of the villagers. 11In the new village, each family head is given a food ration card to ensure that all of his family members obtained sufficient food supply. The in and out of the villagers within the new village was also supervised at all times. All these fall under the British plan, the Starvation Movement to ensure the communist will not get any food, weapons, information and medicinal supply from the villagers. This is what that weakens the Min Yuen activity which is formed by the communists to provide food and medicine to them. Most of the MinYuen members are mine and estate workers, either forced in or are involved voluntarily. With the help of road blocks, it will be impossible for the communists to get any supplies from the villagers. They were forced out of the jungle to get the supplies themselves and this made it easier for the British to demolish them. Other means to eradicate communism includes introducing a new registration system that is the same for the whole Malaya whereby citizens above 12 years of age are required to register themselves to the government to be given an identification card to be differentiated from the communists. Briggs also supports the formation of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) in 1949 that helps Chinese squatters lead their lives in the new village. MCA has conducted fund raising through the sale of lottery tickets. The lottery proceeds were then donated to the Chinese settlers in the new village to help them lead a more easy life. The Briggs Plan was a success in crippling the MCP networks. MCP started to feel the pressure on them and the downfall of villagers towards them that in their Central Committee Meeting in Pahang, they decided to reduce violence against civilians and to retreat to southern Thailand. MILITARY STEPS Sir Gerald Templer was appointed the High Commissioner of Malaya in 1952 to replace Sir Henry Gurney, who was shot dead by communists, on 6 October 1951, while on his way to Fraserss Hill. 12 As a military general, he used firm military force to fight the communists. His military tactics included the use of 13 battalions of English soldiers, Gurkhas and Malays training 67 000 special Malay soldiers and forming home guards system with 210 000 of them in 1953 and recruiting assistance from the Commonwealth military, such as from Australia, New Zealand and Rhodesia. The strength of the military team enabled the government to launch more aggressive attacks on the communists and ensured that food was not smuggled out for the guerrilla communists. PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE Sir Gerald Templer also launched psychological warfare upon the communist terrorists by the campaign winning the hearts and minds of the people as he realized that the use of force and weapons alone will not be enough to eliminate the influence of communists. Campaigns like Malayans Against Communism Month were held successfully in which the villagers of all three races held banners condemning violence of communism. They also burnt dolls of communists to show their hate towards them. Pamphlets opposing the communists were also distributed throughout Malaya. The psychological warfare implemented by the government starts to grow hate towards the cruelty of communists in the villagers that they volunteered themselves in joining security forces and in the police force to defend their land. 13Besides that, Templer also introduced the system of white and black areas. The white area is an area that is announced free from communist activities, while the opposite is the case for a black area in which Templer introduced curfews as the communist activities were still active and the soldiers were hunting for the communists. By 1954, Templer had announced Malacca, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis and Negeri Sembilan as white areas. To draw support from the Chinese in supporting this psychological warfare, Templer made it easier for the non-Malays to obtain citizenship that allows 1.2 million Chinese and 1.8 million Indians became the citizens of Malaya. The leniency of state requirements showed the sacrifice of the Malays in creating unity and welfare of all citizens. In the psychological warfare campaign, Templer also increased the value of the prizes offered to citizens who manage to capture or give out information regarding the communists guerillas. Whoever manages to catch Chin Peng, whether dead or alive will be rewarded with $250, 000 while those who capture or kill his assistants will be rewarded with $200, 000. Templer had successfully made Chin Peng the public enemy in this way. The Malay Sultans and officers also played an important role in this warfare by telling their people that those who helped the communists will be considered as a national traitor. The Malays were also reminded of the cruelty of the communists during the takeover of the country by the Three Stars army after the surrender of Japan. The Malays were urged to help the government eradicate communism in the country. The government also made efforts in producing hate towards communists in the citizens by calling them terrorists. 14The government then reinforces the food ration rule which force the communists who cannot obtain food to plant their own food. However, the government failed their plan by spraying poison all over the crop area, leaving them to starve until they surrender. At the same time, pamphlets calling the communist terrorists to give up their fight were also given out with the help of the Air Force. Templers psychological warfare can be said to be one of the factors for the success of the government of the Federation of Malaya in ending the communist revolution. This encouraged the people of Malaya to work together with the government to eliminate the communist terrorists. DECLARATION OF AMNESTY The government offered amnesty to encourage communists to surrender themselves to the government. About 40 000 pamphlets and 12 000 amnesty pass were given out in Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The Malaya Radio will also broadcast the conditions of the amnesty offer daily. Posters were put up everywhere and advertisements and movies are used to help citizens encourage communism terrorists to surrender. 15= Communists who surrendered. THE MEETING IN BALING In the federal legislative council election in 1955, the Alliance Party had come up with a manifesto which promised immediate independence and ending the emergency. Tunku Abdul Rahman also promised that if given credential, he will negotiate with the communists. Chin Peng then wrote a letter to him confirming the negotiation and the negotiation was held in an English school in Baling, Kedah on the 28 and 29 of December 1955.Tunku Abdul Rahman, David Marshall and Tun Tan Cheng Lock represented the government while Chin Peng, Chien Tien and Rashid Maidin represented MCP. In the meeting, Tunku Abdul Rahman requested Chin Peng to disband MCP, lay down their weapons and to surrender themselves. Chin Peng agreed to surrender and to lay down their weapons with the condition that MCP is to be recognized as a valid political party by the government. As Tunku Abdul Rahman realized that communism is not suitable for our multi-racial society, he turned down the offer and the meeting was considered a failure. As a result, the conflict between the government and the communists increased causing other Commonwealth countries to send troops to Malaya to aid British in ending communism. 16 Although the negotiation failed, Tunku Abdul Rahman stated that he is ready to negotiate with the communists again under the condition that it is the communists desire to meet him and that they are prepared to surrender themselves. Although many attempts were made by the communists to resume peace talks with the government, they will not surrender and therefore was not entertained. On 31 August 1957, Malaya gained independence when the emergency law was not over yet. With the independence of Malaya, MCP lost its influence in the people. The last serious resistance from MRLA guerrillas ended with a surrender in the Telok Anson marsh area in 1958. The remaining MRLA forces fled to the Thai border and further east. (Extracted from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Emergency) The Malayan government declared that the emergency was over on 31 July 1960. Chin Peng moved to Beijing where the Chinese authorities placed him in the International Liaison Bureau, where many other Southeast Asian Communists Party leaders were accommodated. 17 THE EFFECTS OF EMERGENCY IN MALAYA The British government declared a State of Emergency throughout Malaya on the 18th of June 1948. This state of emergency ended officially on the July 31st 1960 and its effects were seen politically, economically and socially. POLITICAL ASPECT The British granted citizenship to the non-Bumiputeras particularly the Chinese who made the bulk of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP). Chinese citizenships were bestowed to over half of the Chinese population in Malaya and they were able to enter the Malayan Civil Service for the first time. Since the government had stressed the need for a united Malayan nation, the creation of communal parties had been viewed. Communal parties such as United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) successfully contested in the Kuala Lumpur municipal elections of February 1952. Subsequently the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) comprising of the Indian community formed a coalition with UMNO and MCA into the Alliance Party in 1954. This was cited as a positive step towards the creation of a united Malayan nation. The victory of this unity was demonstrated in the federal elections of July 1955 where the Alliance won 51 of the 52 contested seats. As a result of this vi ctory, the Alliance partys views were given prominence by the Reid Commission, formed in 1955 to prepare a constitution for an independent Malaya. 18The Emergency Law implemented by the British was also seen as a way to curb the left-winged radical parties. As a result of this rule, it gave rise of what we have today that is the Malaysian race which means a single nationality in which all persons qualify as citizens of this country. This is so either by birth or by fulfilling requirements of residence, language and oath of loyalty. This further induced the Chinese and the Indians in particular to cooperate with the government so as to have a win-win situation. ECONOMICAL ASPECT The economy took a downturn. The countrys wealth was spent to suppress the communists activities in Malaya. The government spent about 250,000 to 300,000 a day during the Emergency Rule. This was with regards to upkeep the peace and safety of the people during that time. The money used was to further enhance and expand the police force as well as the home guard. On the contrary, the development of the rural areas was neglected. The governments focus was on the New Village, hence failing to raise the living standards of the people of Malaya. 19The state of emergency which was declared to deal with the danger revealed some of the serious ethnic divisions existing within the community. This happened during the struggle of the British government trying to attain economic goal in the export earnings coming from rubber and tin industry. The Chinese were initially recruited for work in the tin mining industry; the Indians were assigned the task of working on the rubber estates; and the Malays were directed towards providing food for the growing economic machine. These considerations allowed a few privileged members to rise above the economic functions allotted to their particular ethnic groups. By 1957, when the independent Federation of Malaya was announced, the communist threat had faded. But the communal threat remained a legacy of colonial rule which would determine the unity and the survival of a new nation. SOCIAL ASPECT The Emergency Rule saw the destruction of about 21,230 lives which included the general public, whereas 6133 dead were communists. This rule also jeopardized the lives of many. They lived in fear and poverty because of the communist threat. The farmers could not plough their lands due to the laws. Rationing of food forced people to depend on food like tapioca and yam, just like what happened when the Japanese ruled. A new body known as Communities Liaison Committee (CLC) was established to foster unity and close ties among the different races in Malaya. The government also introduced a new national education syllable which is Malaya oriented in hope that it will produce patriotic young generations. Besides that, the usage of the same national language was hoped to be able to produce understanding among the multi-racial society. 20 CONCLUSION From this emergency incident, we can see how important it is for the citizens to not only work with each other but also to cooperate with the government in achieving an aim. Without the support of its people, Malaya will never be able to get free from communism. Malaysians today should keep this in mind and be grateful to the sacrifice made by our ancestors in order to get us here today, in this peaceful society. 21

Car Safety :: essays research papers fc

CAR SAFETY Active and Passive: Car safety features are grouped into two categories: Active and Passive. Active feature are designed to reduce the likelihood of a crash. Things such as tires, brakes, lights and steering are active features. The most important of all of them however is the driver.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Passive safety features aim to reduce the damage done to a car’s occupants in the event of a crash. These include things like seatbelts, airbags, and crumple zones.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For all these features any car can still crash so this report aims to make you more aware of the safety aspects of modern cars and what role they play in driving. Active Safety Features Brakes:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The brakes play one of the most important roles in overall safety and so it important that they are reliable and durable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A good braking system always stops the car in the minimum distance possible while remaining stable, have a constant response which is consistent with brake pedal pressure and let you easily control the car while braking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Disk and drum brakes are the two types used in cars. Drum brakes are very good to have on your rear axel but not as effective on the front where better balance and heat dissipation is a must.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heat dissipation is the brakes ability to get rid of the immense amount of heat created by the friction between the brake surface and frictional pads. This is very important since it reduces the amount of friction that can be applied (brake fade) and it can boil the brake fluid rendering the brakes completely useless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Disk brakes can dissipate heat much more effectively and therefore are much better when you brake often or at high speeds. The best disk brakes are ventilated. ABS:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) is a system which stops the wheels locking up into a skid when braking on slippery surfaces. It works by using a computer which monitors wheel speeds and drives pistons which alternatively increases and decrease brake pressure several time a second on individual wheels when it senses they are about to lock up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Preventing skidding during braking increases the drivers control of the car and greatly reduces the chance of a crash. Stability and Handling:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A car with good handling and stability is much safer to drive than a poorly designed one. This is because it grips better and is more responsive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Good stability and handling is achieved with a combination of suspension, steering, acceleration, brakes and weight distribution.

Essay --

Manufacturing process of CLAY BRICKS Most bricks are formed by one of two basic processes. Extrusion Fairly stiffed texture is mixed with clay body which is loaded into extruder worm screw force it into a die through pushing it along a barrel .depending upon how much clay will shrink in drying and firing process the die is made larger considering this The clay emerges as a continuous brick shaped column. Initially this is smooth but it can be modified by removing a thin sliver from the top and sides using a taught wire to produce a ‘wiredrag’ effect or by placing textured rollers over the column to create a rusticated effect or even by blasting the column with sand. The clay column is then cut into single bricks and palletised ready for the dryers or in some factories, are loaded directly onto kiln cars. Extruded bricks can be solid but cannot be frogged & are generally perforated. Soft mud moulding Soft mud moulding Bricks are constituted in mould boxes through some number of processes . Many methods can be applied but all have a common theme. A mould release medium stops the clay from sticking to the box (sand, oil or water) when soft clay is thrown into a mould,. The bricks are turned out & the excess clay is stuck off from the top of the mould. This is done by hand by a craftsman who would create one brick at a moment. This is slow, expensive & labour intensive used In these days only for generating special shapes or decorative bricks. For standard bricks large automated machines can be replicated the hand-making procedure much quicker by taking use of banks of mould boxes on a circuit where the boxes are filled with pre sanded clots of clay, washed, sanded struck off level and the formed brick turned out.... ...re than 60 F/h by introducing steam standard weight is generally cured at 150-165 F , whereas light weight at 170-185F . After reaching curing temperature steam flow is shut down .blocks are then left for soak in moist hot air for 12 – 18 hours. After this block is left for drying by exhausting moist air and further increasing the temperature of kiln which took about 24 hours. 2) High pressure kiln pressure (autoclave) –temperature is generally higher about 300-375 F and pressure is 80-185 psi block is left to soak for 10 hours , pressure is then decreased rapidly , because of which trapped moisture of block is released quickly. It is more costly process but it takes less time. References http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Concrete-Block.html http://dcmsme.gov.in/reports/glass/HollowBricks.pdf http://www.ibstock.com/pdfs/technical-support/TIS16Howbricksaremade.pdf

Developing Countries Essay -- International Political Economy, Debt

Developing countries are closely linked to debt. This is because developing countries needs to allocate more funds to resolve debt crises. Debt can create a negative effect to the host country’s economy and the social condition of a country. This issue of indebtedness is usually solved using domestic capital. Since developing countries have low income, therefore they have low level of savings. The savings are insufficient to repay debt. Thus the government resolves the issue by imposing higher tax. But this will lead to inflationary tax, which is a burden to the further generation. Therefore, the government resorts to foreign borrowings. Domestic borrowings and foreign borrowings have further increased the total debt accumulated by the nation leading them to poverty. To resolve the debt issue, foreign direct investment plays an important role as a source of fund and also in acquiring skills and knowledge. But the inflows of foreign direct investment depend on location advantage. There are various channels that determine the location advantage such as human capital development channel, financial development channel and environmental condition channel. According to Wilhelms and Stanley (1998), foreign direct investment movements are derived from the both financial transaction and non-financial transaction such as changes in price, foreign exchange and others. Figure 12 shows the foreign direct investment theory and its determinants in emerging economics. According to the foreign direct investment theory, socio culture is the oldest institution, complex and most diffused factor that influence the inflow of foreign direct investment. It is most difficult and time consuming to change. The degree to which a society is recepti... ...ivariate regression models were used to further probe the nature of the relationships between income, talent, and other factors. The adjusted R-squared values for these models are (0.57) and (0.65) respectively, suggesting a reasonably positive and robust relationship. These findings support the human capital growth by Lucas (1988), Simon (1998) and Geetha (2002). This was also supported by Eaton and Eckstein (1997) and Black and Henderson (1999) that workers are more productive when they locate around others with high levels of human capital. In addition, Romer (1990) also claims the importance of knowledge and human capital in generating economic growth through economic geography. Romer (1990) stressed that what is important for growth is integration not into an economy with a large number of people but rather into one with a large amount of human capital.

Britain’s Social Policy

Britain’s National Health Service (NHS), set up by the Department of Heath in July 1848 as a healthcare provision, is based on its citizen’s needs not ability to pay. The Department of Health oversees the NHS with funds provided through taxpayers (History of the NHS, n. d. ). Launched as a single organization, the NHS was founded around 14 regional hospital boards in three segments consisting of hospital services; family doctors, dentists, opticians and pharmacists; and local authority health services, including community nursing and health visiting (Ibid).As with any public service agency, changes are imminent. Since 1948, the NHS has undergone major changes in the organizational structure of the agency and in the manner in which patient services are provided. While the NHS proved beneficial to Britain’s citizens, there remained negatives in the program. In spite of improvements and successes, the NHS food was still rationed, building materials were short, and t here was a significant economic crisis and a shortage of fuel. In spite of efforts to improve conditions, the war created a housing crisis in addition to the post-war reconstruction of cities.The New Towns Act (1946) created major new centers of population, but each center was in need of health services. During the period from 1948 to 1957 (History of the NHS), the agency underwent administrative difficulties, financial problems, criticism over minimal fees charges to recipients (e. g. â€Å"a flat rate of ? 1 for ordinary dental treatment†) (Ibid), problems balancing all responsibilities and demands of the government and public, and maintaining medical professional and community health issues. By 1960, the NHS began to see positive changes. The introduction of improved drugs lead to better treatment to citizens.It was during this period that the polio vaccine was introduced along with â€Å"dialysis for chronic renal failure and chemotherapy for certain cancers were develop ed† (NHS, n. d. ). As time progressed, through 1967, problems concerning doctor’s pay arose. However, some of the problems were resolved through the Royal Commission. Like the reformation in pay structures, improved management conditions also became a significant concern. In fact, the NHS introduced a Hospital Activity Analysis to enable medical professionals and managers â€Å"better patient-based information† (NHS, n.d. ). Furthermore, the 1960s brought about a change in segmentation as medical staff was divided into specialty groups, leading to additional criticism (e. g. the 1962 Porritt Report called for unification) (NHS). Also launched in 1962 was Enoch Powell’s Hospital Plan, a ten-year program approving the development of district general hospitals for areas with populations of about 125,000 (NHS), advocating new postgraduate education centers, and giving nurses and doctors a better opportunity for education and future employment and stability.In 1967, recommendations for developing a senior nursing staff structure and moving forward with advancements in hospital management were made in the Salmon Report, while the Cogwheel Report marked the first report on the organization of doctors in hospitals. By 1968, the NHS boasted clinical and organization optimism. However, the optimism was short-lived. Medical progress was notable (e. g. inclusion of endoscopy and Computerized Axial Tomography scanning), including an extension of investigative groups.Also prevalent during the period of 1968 to 1977, transplant surgery became widely used, pharmaceutical improvements were evident, and intensive care units gave the NHS a renewed sense of how medical care would be provided to its citizens. This renewed spirit was short-lived with the mergence of Lassa Fever. The general practice charter encouraged the formation of primary health care teams, new group practice grounds and a rapid increase in the number of health centers.Additionally, t his period saw a change in the Government’s Hospital Plan as new hospitals began to provide even more people with improved and local services. Also indicative of progressive changes is the arrival of information technology through â€Å"health service computerization and clinical budgeting† (NHS). Nevertheless, advancements did not remove the continued debate concerning the organizational structure of the NHS. In 1974, a new system was introduced, but conflict continued combined with an increase in inflation.When inflation reached 26 percent, a wage restraint was enacted. According to the NHS, â€Å"industrial action hit the NHS while consultants were also alienated by proposals to reduce private practice within the service† (NHS, n. d. ). NHS historical sources relate that by 1978 the NHS â€Å"had become a victim of its own success† (n. d. ). Changes were imminent. The introduction of new technology and multifaceted treatment methods led the NHS and its governing forces to realize additional advancements were imperative.By the late 1980s, the NHS reported highly recognized advances, including the areas of primary health care, genetic engineering, successful drug advancements, and the introduction of the MRI of which the agency states: â€Å"the number of operations for fractured neck or femur and osteoarthritis of the hip was reaching almost epidemic proportions†¦increasing numbers of heart and liver transplants were being performed and surgical treatment for heart disease was becoming more common† (n. d. ).In spite of the positive changes, the NHS continued to face on constant dilemma –financial stability. Increasing demand for services exceeded the resources available, leading to the mandated audit process of what NHS professionals were doing. By 1987, the NHS’s medical staff was in debt (NHS, n. d. ), waiting lists were increasing, and hospital wards were being closed (n. d. ). The NHS reports the peri od of 1988 to 1997 as its â€Å"most significant cultural shift since its inception with the introduction of the so-called internal market† (NHS, n. d. ).A 1989 White Paper, Working for Patients, was passed into law (Community Care Act 1990). Leading up to the beginning of the 1990s, the NHS saw the emergence of the internal market while health organizations became NHS trusts (independent, competing organizations with their own managements). By 1991, the NHS reported 57 Trusts, with all care provided by Trust at the end of 1995. All of the changes marked what the agency calls the â€Å"New NHS† and defines this change as â€Å"modern, dependable† (NHS, n. d. ). The new NHS operates under â€Å"six principles† of which include:†¢ The renewal of the NHS as a genuinely national service, offering fair access to consistently high quality, prompt and accessible services right across the country; †¢ To make the delivery of healthcare against these new national standards a matter of local responsibility, with local doctors and nurses in the driving seat in shaping services; †¢ To get the NHS to work in partnership, breaking down organizational barriers and forging stronger links with local authorities; †¢ To drive efficiency through a more rigorous approach to performance, cutting bureaucracy to maximize every pound spent in the NHS for the care of patients;†¢ To shift the focus onto quality of care so that excellence would be guaranteed to all patients, with quality the driving force for decision-making at every level of the service; †¢ To rebuild public confidence in the NHS as a public service, accountable to patients, open to the public and shaped by their views. (â€Å"Six Principles†) Of all influences on the changes in the social policies of Britain the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 has had the greatest impact. In fact, before the Act, most of Britain’s health and public services were pla nned and provided by health and local authorities (Commissioning the New NHS, 1998).The Act divided the role of health and local authorities by changing their internal structure thereby giving local authority departments responsibility for assessing the needs of the local population and then purchasing the necessary services from providers (1998). However, under the terms of the Act, a select number of health and social services authorities opted out of what would mean competing with other providers to work together in other sections of the community (e. g. voluntary groups and housing associations) (1998).Under a â€Å"mixed economy of care† (NHS), social policies evolved to also include a service specification inviting providers to â€Å"tender for the contract to provide those services† (Commissioning the New NHS, 1998). This mixed economy was intended as a tool to give citizens a variety of health care choices. However, according the Department of Heath’s re port (1998): Some local authorities chose to purchase services as part of a ‘block contract’ (where a certain service is provided for a fixed price and a fixed length of time).Purchasing services in this way may actually reduce choice for the individual, as frequently no alternatives (outside those provided by the block contract) are made available. Key Elements of Housing Policy Post-war housing policy is believed to have been a â€Å"notable success† (Ball, 1983). Since the days following the war, the physical housing situation in Britain has improved dramatically. In the period of the 1950s to 1980, Britain had seen a significant net gain of 200-250,000 dwellings each year (p. 2).In fact, Ball (1983) reports that â€Å"millions of slums have been demolished† and â€Å"thousands of other dwellings have been renovated to [meet] modern standards† (1983). Britain’s housing conditions have seen a significant improvement, specifically into the 1 980s. In fact, the change was so dramatic that less than 5 percent of dwellings were overcrowded. Improvements in housing includes the inclusion of a bath/shower and an inside toilet. Of all policies in post-war Britain, the 1977 Housing Policy Review was the best moment of all changes in housing provision.By the early 1980s, however, satisfaction disappeared and a growing housing crisis became a concern once again. According to Ball (1983), Britain’s post-war housing record has been poor compared with other West European countries. While all experienced a housing boom from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Britain’s population size resulted in its trailing behind other countries’ house building rates (see Table 1), most predominately those with a similar welfare state social democratic tradition. Key elements of the housing policies includes the Department of Health’s responsibilities to:†¢ Identify local market information on the supply of housing , care and support services for older and disabled people; †¢ Access support on developing and implementing regional and local housing with care action plans; †¢ Obtain advice on public and private sector capital and revenue streams to inform business investment decisions; †¢ Disseminate guidance on the DH’s Extra Care Housing fund and grant allocation arrangements; †¢ Facilitate the adaptation of good practice to local settings; †¢ Support successful applicants with the development process and share their learning with unsuccessful applicants;†¢ Access knowledge management tools to support practice development and service improvement. †¢ Secure funding to research, test and evaluate new and innovative models of housing with care solutions support; †¢ Offer training and consultancy resources to support service development and change management processes; and †¢ Convene regional LIN meetings to identify and share what works (Departm ent of Health, 2007). According to Gummer (2005), in the 25 years since the UK’s â€Å"right to buy† housing policy, approximately 2 million families have become homeowners, changing the way Britain’s housing policies and market is perceived.The â€Å"right to buy† policy opened opportunity to â€Å"a whole new group† giving them â€Å"a stake in the community that they had never had before† (p. 69). However, in spite of the positive changes, Gummer (2005) reports that Britain continues to receive criticism with the most cited concern being â€Å"that the sale of council houses means there is a shortage of homes to let† (p. 69). Contrary to the positives, negative critism has surfaced, including a Contract Journal article (Penny, 2005) stating that â€Å"social housing schemes could be about to receive a much-needed shot in the arm — as well as a much-needed boost from the private sector† (p.40). Penny (2005) argues the impracticability of Britain’s urging to commit to a social housing PFI. â€Å"Unless you know exactly what you are taking on, anyone involved in such a scheme could be taking a huge risk,† argues Penny (p. 40). The author, among others, believe that the proposed new NHS LIFT approach indicates the public sector retains an interest in the scheme of which Penny also argues will â€Å"sidestep tenants’ objections to being put into the hands of a firm being run solely to generate profit† (Ibid).Despite obvious objections, the Contract Journal (Penny, 2005) does see positive aspects of moving to NHS LIFT-style management and asserts that a move flexible program would benefit the public in more ways than better housing alone. Based on references concerning LIFT-style initiatives (NHS LIFT Guidance, 2007; Penny, 2005; Millet, 2005) the program addresses almost all concerns in social housing, including the continued coverage of health and schools. As time progres ses, Britain’s housing policy changes continue to be focus of debates on just how much of the changes are for the good of citizens and how much is political agenda.One must question the validity of various housing programs, including the current and forthcoming plans for housing for the elderly. One such program is the Wanless Telecare proposal (Housing LIN Policy Briefing, 2006) that the Audit Commission defines as â€Å"any service that brings health and social care directly to a user, generally in their own homes, supported by communication and information technology. Data is collected through sensors, fed into a home hub and sent electronically to a monitoring center† (2006, p.1). According to the Briefing document (2006), Britain’s government believes the Telecare program can help older people to remain in their homes for longer (p. 1). However, while the program proposal defines the costs associated with implementing the program as â€Å"modest† (20 06, p. 2), they are high, specifically to the homeowner. The set up fee of a basic home safety package costs about ? 360 plus monitoring costs of ? 5 per week. Home health monitoring is more expensive, around ? 700 and ? 10 per week monitoring costs.Given these high figures, combined with the already luminous housing problems with the elderly, how can such a program benefit citizens? According to the Audit Commission’s review of the Telecare housing safety program, â€Å"Telecare equipment and services provide the opportunity to react to hazardous events and to alert and prevent deterioration in an individual’s ability to care for themselves† (2006, p. 3). One specific pilot study (West Lothian: Opening Doors for Older People, 1999 quoted in Department of Health White Paper, 2006) for the inclusion of Telecare surveyed 10,000 households in the West Lothian district age 60 or over.The survey purpose was to reveal the validity of Telecare inclusion as a possible m eans of â€Å"reengineering† services for older people to include the development of extra care housing and changes to home care services. According to the survey, implementing Telecare on its own without wider system improvements is a wasted opportunity. In fact, the survey revealed: †¢ Telecare is not a cut price alternative to personal care, but sits alongside it †¢ A technology driven approach does not work †¢ A focus on cost saving/shunting does not work †¢ A high level of commitment at senior level is required†¢ West Lothian has found ‘minimal interest’ from the local NHS in telecare/telemedicine possibilities (Department of Health, 2006; Audit Commission, 2004; Brownsell et al, 2001). Understanding the changes in Britain’s housing policy since 1979 enables its citizens to better equip themselves for what future changes may come. In fact, Britain’s housing policies have fluctuated, indicating a positive change and decl ining to criticism and little faith of its citizens. While the government is consistently working toward bettering its housing policies, there remains many avenues yet to be explored. References:Audit Commission (2004). Older People: Implementing Telecare. London: Audit Commission. Ball, M. (1983). Housing Policy and Economic Power: The Political Economy of Owner Occupation. Methuen: London. Brownsell, S et al (2001). An attributable cost model for a telecare system using advanced community alarms. Journal of Telecare and Telemedicine, Volume 7. _______________ (1998). Commissioning the new NHS, 1999/2000. Department of Health, HSC (98) 198. Department of Health (2007). Official website. Crown, retrieved January 11, 2007 from http://www. dh. gov. uk/Home/fs/en Department of Health White Paper (2006).Our health, our care, our say: a new vision for community services. London: The Stationery Office. Gummer, J. (2005, Nov 5). â€Å"Right to buy† was the right move for everyone. E states Gazette, Issue 544, 69. Millet, C. (2005, Oct 10). Social housing set for LIFT-style deals. Contract Journal, Vol. 430 Issue 6545, 1. ______________ (2007). NHS LIFT Guidance. Crown, retrieved January 10, 2007 from http://www. dh. gov. uk/ProcurementAndProposals/PublicPrivatePartnership/NHSLIFT/N HSLIFTGuidance/fs/en Penny, E. (2005, Oct 10). Editor’s Comment. Contract Journal, Vol. 430 Issue 6545, 40. United Nations Statistical Yearbook 1978

A Wall Street Journal Article Related to Macroeconomics

The chosen article from Wall Street Journal newspaper which is related to macroeconomics is â€Å"M&A Milestone: $101 Billion Deal For ABN Amro Group Set to Dismember 183-Year-Old Bank; Will Buyers Regret It? † by Jason Singer and Carrick Mollenkamp in October 2007. As a brief summary of the article, the largest banking transaction is expected to settle at present, consequential of the unattachment of one of Europe's leading depositories. The impact of the transaction extends ahead of its $101 billion charge and the termination of 183-year-old ABN Amro Holding NV of the Netherlands (Singer & Mollenkamp, 2007).Conditional on how the customers fee, it may possibly turn out to be either an indication of the enthusiasm exuberance observed in the current unions and possessions growth or as several assets bankers anticipate as a guide for dealing with disintegration of great corporations. A three- system association headed by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC is projected these days to gain adequate assistance from ABN Amro shareholders to complete the agreement. ABN Amro is determined to come apart officially into three portions, with one part intended for every purchaser.A lesser proposal from Barclays Group PLC ended on the recent past, and the public who are accustomed with the circumstances stated that it dropped short. In a memorandum to workers, ABN Amro Chief Executive Rijkman Groenink declared that the acquisition by the RBS-directed group might go out of business in October. The credit risk involved in Barclays bank is treated as the possibility that a reserve loaner will not succeed to meet its responsibilities compliant with the settled conditions (George, 2002).By setting up a suitable credit risk background, it is meant that the approach should consist of a declaration of the bank’s determination to grant credit on category, economic part, geographical place, legal tender, maturity and projected turnover. The approach may as well comprise m onetary objectives of credit attribute, revenues and progress. The actual procedures of the banks can be seen in running credit risks in every item and involving the latest items to sufficient measures before being presented and accepted by the board of administrators.The implications as to how the topic of concern relates to macroeconomic theory are the following. Since multinational companies are involved in the article and they engage in creating transactions to one another, the article involves imports and exports in the process. Foreign trade is at hand. There are international economic policies where charges on import and exports are present, which is in the article are transactions. The role of fiscal policy is also involved wherein there is an imposition of levies which inevitably affects income.The dues decrease disposable income, consumption of purchasers, demand for good, and national output. Quotas of firms from the different banks from various countries can also be visi ble, with inflation rate and Consumer Price Index (CPI) change. In the national income accounts, there is an interaction between the business firms such as the banks and the households or the general public. With this kind of interaction of business firms with households, services are traded. The expenditure approach is in consumption expenditure while the factors of production and factor payments are included in the resource market using the income approach.With the topic of aggregate demand and output of the transacting firms in different countries, the business cycle in macroeconomics becomes apparent with the regular pattern of contraction (recession) and expansion (recovery) is around a trend path of output or growth. The trend path entails if the factors of production or resources are fully employed. The banks measures to distinguish circumstances by which, in contemplating bids, it is apt to categorize a cluster of obligors as linked counterparties and, accordingly, as a sole obligor.This takes account of combining exposures to sets of records revealing monetary interdependence, where they are under general possession or with strong associations. This has a connection with the concept of assets market with the LM equilibrium schedule. It is composed of real assets such as properties and financial assets such as money and bonds. As worldwide issues come at hand, dwindling administration bond markets and mounting commercial bond release of banks are promoting better study into educated management on threat or return proportions.Due to budget constraint, wherein demand equals financial wealth, a lot of banks partake in credit consortia and some organizations set unnecessary dependence on the loan stake study completed by the chief sponsor or on outside business credit evaluation. Each consortium members executes their individual conscientiousness, as well as sovereign loan risk assessment and consortium stipulations analysis before binding to the group. Ev ery bank like Barclays investigates the risk and reimbursement on consortium credits in the similar way as precisely sourced credits.Rapid market adjustments are also occurring by which money market makes easier production. A principle for the credit risk administration affirms that banks must work in positive and distinct credit endowment standards. This principle involves an apparent suggestion of the bank’s direct market. In view of latent bids, the various banks identify the need of creating stipulations for known and probable deficits and maintaining enough capital to take in the unpredicted deficiencies.It also considers these factors into bid endowment choices, in addition to the general portfolio risk administration procedure. Reference: Jason Singer and Carrick Mollenkamp (2007). M&A Milestone: $101 Billion Deal For ABN Amro Group Set to Dismember 183-Year-Old Bank; Will Buyers Regret It? Wall Street Journal newspaper, October 5, 2007, Page A1. Retrieved October 5, 2 007, from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB119154087347749578. html? mod=todays_europe_nonsu _money_and_investing.

Comparitive Essay on Japanese and Western European Feudalism Essay

?Amir continues to try to enlarge his ego. Teasing Hassan makes him feel better about himself. Amir does not feel like he is getting the one thing he wants in his life. He wants acceptance from Baba. Baba seems to favor Hassan, so Amir must establish that he is better than Hassan constantly. Baba says that he feels like he connects with Hassan better when he was talking to Rahim Khan. This is where most of Amir’s jealousy is derived from. Baba expresses his disapproval for Amir when he says, â€Å"If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my son† (Kite Runner 23). Baba also says, â€Å"There is something missing in that boy† (Kite Runner 22). The other source of tension in Amir’s life is his relationship with Baba, his hard-driving and demanding father. Desperate to win his father’s affection and respect, Amir turns to the sport of kite flying, and at the age of 12, with the assistance of Hassan, he wins the annual tournament in Kabul. Amir’s victory soon is tarnished when he witnesses a vicious assault against his friend, who raced through the streets of Kabul to retrieve the last kite, Amir had sliced from the sky, and fails to come to his aid. Amir’s cowardness is compounded by a later act of betrayal that causes Ali and Hassan to leave their home, and he now faces the nightmare, bearing the burden of his poor choices for the rest of his life. Amir was haunted with demons from his childhood for his whole life. The one demon that stuck with him the most was the fact that he stood by and watched as his best friend and servant, Hassan, was raped by a boy named Assef. Hassan and Amir had known each other since birth and, â€Å"A kinship exists between people who’ve fed from the same breast† (pg.320). Even the major fact of Russia invading Afghanistan could not get his mind off the horror that he stood by and watched happen. Even him living in America for the remainder of his life did not distract him from knowing that he was the reason his best friend was sexually abused. He is haunted until the very end of the book when he goes back to Afghanistan to face †¦ Amir is clearly an emotionally unstable person, but his resentment towards Hassan is increased because of his own haunting guilt. This guilt that seems to be terrorizing Amir is caused by his experience of watching the rape of Hassan in the alley. Amir is so guilty that he can no longer be close to Hassan. Amir says, â€Å"I’d hear Hassan shuffling around the kitchen in the morning, hear the clinking of silverware, the whistle of the teapot. I’d wait to hear the door shut and only then I would walk down to eat† (Kite Runner 87). Amir has trouble facing his guilt. Amir’s guilt shows that he knows what he did was wrong. Amir refuses to renew his friendship with Hassan. Amir knows that he has done wrong because he says, â€Å"There was a monster in the lake. It had grabbed Hassan by the ankles, dragged him to the murky bottom. I was that monster† (Kite Runner 86). Amir eventually proceeds to the point where he can no longer deal with his everlasting guilt. Hassan is a clear representation of his guilt. Amir attempts to free himself from the guilt by getting the main representation out of his house. This is why he frames Hassan of stealing his watch; although this plan ultimately backfires and causes Amir even more personal anguish, it proves that he is an unstable and resentful person. Hassan was loyal to Amir through everything because that is the personality he was born with, because he grew up with Amir and looked up to him as a brother and a friend, not because he was born a Hazara and not simply because he was Amir’s servant. Amir never asked Hassan to do anything like that for him. This accentuated Hassan’s love and loyalty for Amir out of his own free will. When discovering that Hassan was Baba’s son, everything became clear to Amir: Baba’s affections for Hassan, Hassan’s undying love for his half-brother, Amir’s sibling rivalry and jealousy of Hassan, Amir’s betrayal of Hassan his own flesh and blood. It all just hit at once. The choices made by Amir and Hassan defined who they were and who they would become; Amir allows his original thoughts about Hassan to be tainted because he is a weak person. Although Amir and Hassan carved their names into a tree, Amir’s character complicates their ability to be best friends and their bond consists of a lopsided friendship. Both people associated in a friendship must act equally towards each other and they must hold love, loyalty, and trust for each other. Hassan was the beholder of all of these strong qualities that are necessary for the â€Å"best friend† relationship. Unfortunately Amir did not possess any of these qualities, and he did not realize all of his issues until he was informed that he was Hassan’s brother Rahim Khan called Amir back to Pakistan and told him that there was indeed â€Å"a way to be good again†(192). He gives Amir the opportunity to redeem himself by asking him to save Hassan’s son, Sohrab. Amir refuses at first and attempts to come up with excuses for himself to be able to turn Rahim down with out adding to his guilt. To convince himself that he wasn’t obligated to save Sohrab, he told himself that he had to be back home with his family and his job, but again the line that Rahim said played through Amir’s head. â€Å"There’s a way to be good again. † Amir knew that this was his last chance to earn his redemption and end his guilt (226). Amir had taken his guilt out on the very people that he had betrayed and then tried to run away from it all. To forget it. He realizes this and asks himself â€Å"what had I ever done to right things† (303). As Rahim says â€Å"Redemption comes when guilt leads to good. † You can may never fully get rid of the guilt or make right what has been wronged, but it is this guilt that motivates you to try. We see in his thought process just how motivated he is by guilt. As much as he doesn’t want to help Sohrab, he is drawn by the need for redemption, and the need to remove his guilt. This line running through his head over and over again shows just how much that guilt has driven him to yearn for things to be right and for himself to be good again. We don’t get to see Amir reach his point of redemption and we don’t get to watch him be completely relieved of his heavy laden of guilt. However the ending does leave us hopeful. Although nothing has been made right it was the beginning and leaves us with hope and the assurance that Amir is on his way to finding his redemption. Amir describes Sohrab’s lopsided smile at him being like the first snowflake melting in the spring, the first bit of good that had come out of his quest (371). Just the start of his slow process to redemption. What is the worst thing you have done to a friend or family member? Have you lied to them? Stolen from them? After the dreadful deed, did they forgive you? More importantly, did you forgive yourself? Regret and redemption are very important themes in the book The Kite Runner. Having regret for something can affect your whole life, as seen with the character, Amir. Through the development of Amir and his childhood friend, Hassan, Amir has to live with his regret and hope for redemption for the rest of his life.