Disability awareness in the workplace

Disability awareness in the workplace Disability Awareness in the Workplace Employers have been encouraged to hire individuals with disabilities for decades.   However, regardless of the push by government agencies, public education programs, and grassroots employment organizations, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the unemployment rate for disabled persons at the end of 2009 hovered at right around 14 percent; thats nearly twice the unemployment rate of workers without disabilities.   Interestingly, the rates are higher for men with disabilities than for women.   Disabled individuals are underemployed in most workplaces and this may be at least part of the reason that many non-disabled workers are often confused and embarrassed when interacting with them; they simply dont know how to look past the disability. If all you see is the disabilityyou might be missing a lot. People with disabilities are just people. Meredith Vieira, NBC News To combat the discomfort that non-disabled workers feel, many workplaces have initiated programs that â€Å"teach† workers how to interact with their disabled coworkers a sort of sensitivity training.   These programs also help lessen the burden disabled workers may feel when entering a workplace staffed with individuals who may have previously had few interactions with disabled individuals.   Any employer can initiate such a program and should focus on two key areas: communication and interaction.   Its not difficult to understand how communicating and interacting with an individual who requires the assistance of a wheelchair to get around might be somewhat different from communicating and interacting with an individual who might be deaf or hard of hearing.   However, even though disabled individuals may ultimately have different needs, most basic communication and interaction facts remain the same regardless of the disability. Understanding How Outdated or Insulting Disability Terms May Be Inappropriate Many people have no idea that referring to a disabled person as handicapped might be insulting.   Handicapped is an outdated term that refers to an individual as the sum of his or her disability.   Disabled persons are so much more than that.   Referring to someone as disabled removes the disability as a definition of the individual and instead renders it a mere characteristic; no more than someone having blue eyes or red hair, or than someone being tall or short.  Ã‚   Refrain from using outdated or insulting terms when interacting with or referring to disabled individuals.   Outdated terms include â€Å"crippled,† â€Å"lame,† and â€Å"mute.† Respect the Needs of Disabled Coworkers The equipment that some disabled persons need to work often perplexes non-disabled coworkers.   Although the disabled person may not think twice about this equipment, non-disabled individuals may feel that they have to address this equipment in some way or help their disabled coworkers maneuver throughout the workplace.   Neither of these situations is usually the case. Although non-disabled individuals may have been taught that, to be polite, they must â€Å"help† a disabled person, most disabled people are very adept at getting around and managing their equipment.   Never assume that someone in a wheelchair needs you to push him/her onto an elevator or that they need you to hold equipment as they get into their car.   Always ask if a disabled person needs assistance.   Never just assume that they do.   Disabled people value their independence as much as non-disabled people.   Robbing them of that independence in the name of being helpful or polite is not a help but an insult.   A disabled person who needs assistance will be happy you asked, and one that doesnt will value your respect. Another interaction issue to consider is how to maneuver around a disabled persons equipment.   Remember, their equipment whether it is a wheelchair, canes or crutches, or even a guide dog is like an extension of them.   Its no more appropriate for someone to grab or move equipment than it is for someone to grab the arm or hand of a coworker without being asked or without offering help.   It is no more appropriate to lean on someones wheelchair than it would be to lean on a stranger in an elevator.   Everyone has personal space, including disabled individuals.   Requests for Help Many people are too busy to consider a request for assistance from a disabled coworker as anything more than a nuisance.   But, those same people wouldnt think twice about helping a coworker that dropped an armload of file folders or one who fell on an icy sidewalk.   People with disabilities who need accommodations are not complaining and their requests for assistance should be responded to graciously; just as graciously as you would to someone who dropped something or someone who slipped on the ice.   Everyone needs a bit of help at one time or another; some people just need help a bit more often. It is so important to see past an individuals disability.   Disabled persons have as much to contribute in the workplace as non-disabled workers.   We often make adjustments when interacting with non-disabled people without even thinking about it; we interact differently with everyone.   Theres no need to feel uncomfortable or confused when dealing with a disabled coworker.   Its simply a matter of understanding what we have often been taught to ignore.

Archetypes in John Keats La Belle Dame Sans Merci: A Ballad Essay

Archetypes in John Keats' "La Belle Dame Sans Merci: A Ballad" During the Romantic Movement in literature, numerous writers fed off one another’s ideas; thus, creating various patterns which reoccur throughout literary works. According to â€Å"The Literature Network,† John Keats is â€Å"usually regarded as the archetype of the Romantic writer.† Therefore, Keats himself is thought to be the original model for the writer during the Romantic Era. In his poem, â€Å"La Belle Dame sans Merci: A Ballad,† Keats uses various archetypes which provide added meaning and depth to this work of literature. The archetype may be defined as â€Å"the original model from which something is developed or made; in literary criticism, those images, figures, character types, settings, and story patterns that†¦are universally shared by people across cultures† (Murfin and Ray 29). Analytical psychologist Carl Jung believes that archetypes are â€Å"embedded deep in humanity’s collective unconscious and involve ‘racial memories’ of situations, events, and relations that have been part of human experience from the beginning† (Murfin and Ray 29). Therefore, the archetype reoccurs over and over again in literary works from all time periods, such as seasonal connotations. For example, the season of spring is commonly associated with comedy, while summer is affiliated with romance. Archetypal, or Jungian, criticism focuses on the various archetypes which occur in literature. It emerged in the 1930s and primarily â€Å"focuses on those patterns in a particular literary work that commonly recur in other literary works† (Murfin and Ray 28). Northrop Frye, author of The Anatomy of Criticism, â€Å"viewed the vast corpus of literary works as a ‘self-contained literar... ...ot present within the poem, readers would not automatically associate the characters and images with a prior memory; thus, readers would not be able to become aware of the circumstances and nature of the characters quite as easily. Therefore, the archetypal characters and images in Keats’ â€Å"La Belle Dame sans Merci: A Ballad† provide important insights into the depth and meaning of the characters and occurrences within the poem itself. Works Cited â€Å"John Keats.† The Literature Network. 21 Feb. 2006 . Keats, John. â€Å"La Belle Dame sans Merci: A Ballad.† The Norton Anthology of English Literature Seventh Edition, Volume 2. Ed. M.H. Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2000. 845-846. Murfin, Ross & Ray, Supryia M. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms: Second Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.

Essay and referencing

The three communication theories I have applied to provide the most insight into understanding the dynamics of the observed conversation between two people are; the transmission model (Shannon & Weaver 1949), Fuller's ecological model (Fouler 2004), and an expanded model of communication (Munson 2012). In this essay I have used a conversation I had listened to which was between my friend (from here on will be named George) and his friend (from here on will be named Mark). Problems that arose during the conversation will be explained as well as how George and Mark overcame them.From there the essay will compare and contrast the three communication theories and decide which of these best simplify the conversation. Complexities of the conversation I was asked by George to take him down to the pub to meet up with Mark for a couple of games of pool, whilst chatting over a cold beer. George is nearly completely illiterate due to him leaving school at the age of 12, moving to the Northern t erritory and working on a cattle farm up until the age of 19, where he then moved back to Lissome.Mark is completely deaf and has next to no ability to lip read (this I had not known until I met him). Both George and Mark do not know sign language of any kind. George and has learnt to use abbreviations in text messages, which is about the extent of his written language capabilities. Problems that arose George had been avoiding this meeting because he finds the conversations very difficult, and this usually leads to heated discussions, especially when the conversations centered on Mark's granddaughter (which George has always had affectionate feelings for but never acted upon).Both George and Mark have their own perceptions on what is going on in her life, which has, and still causes either Mark or George to have expectations from the other, and creates selective perceptions (Withes 2009). This introduces psychological noise and detracts from the meanings of some of the messages in t he conversation. A one way lack of tone and inflection in the voice to communicate feelings and emotions more clearly can provide misunderstanding in the meaning of some messages. Language barrier from non-literate to literate people poses the greatest barrier to messages both to and from each other.Feedback is restricted to kinesics emblems, regulators, and illustrators (De Vito 2001). George aged 2 and Mark aged 64 both have different educational backgrounds in which written communication differs. Text messaging or testing (Shaw et al. 2007) can be a major source of misinterpretation, though Mark has been using his mobile phone for some time now. This leads to the conclusion that this increases the communication abilities of how Mark can interact with George, though there is still the written language barrier between them (Kumara et al. 2011).How George and Mark overcome these problems The over emphasis of kinesics emblems, regulators, and illustrators (De Vito 2001) had o be used as feedback due to the lack of language being used by George. Facial expressions become very important for Mark and George to try to convey their own, and comprehend each other's emotions, from understanding to frustration. Increased eye contact which would make most people more nervous and defensive (De Vito 2001) become a highly prized resource for feedback as well it had helped regulate the control of the conversation.Shannon and Weaver's transmission model (Shannon & Weaver 1949) seems to be the simplest model, and therefore maybe the est. for most situations; however, it lacks the detail in which the complexities of this particular conversation pose, and that need to be addressed, in particular the noise sources. Figure 1 : Transactional model (Source: Shannon & Weaver 1949) Fuller's ecological model is an elaboration of (Alleles 1948) model of â€Å"Who, says what, in which channel, to whom, with what effect† (Fouler 2004) though it takes into account of the use of dif ferent languages using modern mediums.This model is an excellent model but focuses on more of the use of the language and the media it is conveyed in and to so much on person to person communications. Figure 2: An Ecological Model of the Communication (Source: Fouler 2004) Union's expanded model of communication is more complex than Fuller's as well as Shannon and Weaver's models, though it is more appropriate to this conversation had between George and Mark due to the fact it shows that in order for the communication to happen the sender must pre-edit and then encode the message pass the message onto the receiver where he decodes and edits the message.Munson also takes into account the use of mechanical, behavioral and semantic actors of encoding, and understands that if the message is to be understood the receiver must be able to decode the message. This is particularly relevant, and highly important to this conversation between George and Mark due to the factors mentioned before. Context Figure 3: An expanded model of communication (Source: Munson 2012) Conclusion I have found Shannon and Weavers transactional model too simple and cannot evaluate the complexities of this situation, and that Fuller's model too broad and not able to focus on the problems that need to be addressed.Therefore, I believe hat Union's expanded model of communication is the most adequate to use out of the three models that were written about because Union's model has shown how a message from George is first pre-edited (thoughts), then encoded (written on paper), passed on through noise (physical, psychological as well as expectations and selective perception), decoded by the receiver (reading Georges writing) and then finally edited to Mark's own meaning and interpretation.This explains how there was some heated discussions in the past, and will continue to be so until they are able to actively listen' to each other before they place their own selective perceptions and expectations on their conversation.

How Chinese Culture influences foreign Businesses

How Chinese Culture influences foreign Businesses Globalisation has enabled companies to operate in countries different from their county of incorporation. Borderless information technologies have also enabled business transactions among companies in different countries. The business interactions among different countries have exposed managers to different cultures, which affect their marketing decisions(Ilan 2). This paper analyzes how Chinese culture affects foreign businesses venturing in China.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on How Chinese Culture influences foreign Businesses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chinese culture China has a high context cultural system, this is a culture where in-group communication is through few chosen words that make sense to members of the group. An outsider listening to such talks cannot grasp what is said easily. The culture does not change fast and have an accepted common background that explains issues. Few words are spoken a nd deeper meaning is given by common cultural belief. China has high value of its tradition and undergoes minimal change. Humour in an in-group does not translate well to somebody of a different culture. Chinese are deeply rooted in their culture; they trace their identity through a process called â€Å"guanxi†, which means looking for one’s identity in tradition (Scott, and Charlton 12-23). Unity and peace are highly advocated and supported by Chinese culture. China national and official language is Standard Mandarin, which is a standardized form of spoken Chinese. Over a billion people, approximately 85% of the county’s population, have Chinese as their native language (Ambler,  Morgen, and Chao 46-56). Japan shares a similar high context culture with china. Japanese are conservative of their culture; it almost remains static. Chinese culture and international business Goods and services sold by a company should be acceptable in their target market segment. When doing business in China, understanding what Chinese value is important. The approach of marketing is determined by the culture of the people a company is selling. Chinese â€Å"guanxi† culture affects how marketers are welcomed in the country. For example, if high-ranking Chinese personnel market products, then the spirit of localism adopted by the Chinese will work for the good of the company. If foreigners drive marketing, it is likely not to be successful, as the Chinese will find them as foreigners.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Standard Mandarin is the language spoken by majority of Chinese. For an effective marketing, communication is important. Marketers in China for foreign companies should be local Chinese who understand and communicate with the language well. In case the marketing head is a foreigner, learning Standard Mandarin is important , as it will make communication easy. Chinese and the Americans are competitors in industrialization. This notion has created a negative attitudes and beliefs towards American companies. To counter this, the company will constantly improve product and services to enjoy the benefits of product differentiation. Much emphasis will be on quality of products. Marketing terms will have a majority of Chinese native. Associating with people who have political and social influence will be used as a strategy to change Chinese negative attitude toward American companies. Social corporate responsibilities practices will be focused on projects that create close relation with the community (Ilan 3). Conclusion China and Japan have a high context culture where few words mean a lot. Though culture is dynamic, high context cultures are slow to change. When doing business, marketing strategies should be developed after understanding the target market beliefs, values, norms, language, and attitude. Ma rketing strategies that create close relation with the people are likely to be effective. In the case of China, a strategy that can takes advantage of â€Å"guanxi† will be effective. Ambler, Tim,  Morgen Witzel, and Chao Xi. Doing Business in China. New York: Taylor Francis, 2008. Print. Ilan, Alon. Chinese economic transition and international marketing strategy. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003. Print. Scott, Morton, and Lewis Charlton. China: Its History and Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill.2005. Print.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on How Chinese Culture influences foreign Businesses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Situation Ethics Essay Sample

Situation Ethics Essay Sample Situation Ethics Essay One of the most controversial topics in ethics is called situational ethics. Basically, situation ethics is a doctrine in ethics which is based on the belief that our moral code â€Å"should be based on a case-to-case basis.† What makes this doctrine controversial is that more people subscribe to the opposite idea in which morality should be absolute and withstanding despite any other factors that come into play. In contrast with the laws established in any particular land or country, the ethics (which is how people subscribe and abide by those laws) are pre-established and are supposed to be absolute regardless of anything that happens. This is especially the case for the earliest establishment of the law and law enforcement, where anyone who goes beyond or outside the rules are not only considered ‘unethical’ but also sanctioned. However, as societies grow and change, they become open to new ideas which include the concept of openness to fresh perspectives. This is the reason why today laws include sub-clauses that give a little flexibility to anything that might happen, and anyone who would break the law must also prove that these exceptions (as dedicated by the law) have indeed happened. Nevertheless, the law and the ethics that comes with it today still remains absolute. This makes it more similar to situational ethics is that it has more flexibility despite the fact that it is not entirely a case-to-case basis just as what situational ethics stands for. Rather, the rule of law just includes what it thinks are all the possible solutions. However, there is an issue which the situations which might arise and which are not included in the coded law. This is another argument of those people who argue that situational ethics should prevail over these circumstances. A move that would consider the situation more rather than what the society prescribes based on statements written on a piece of paper. Aside from what has already stated above, situation ethics does not contradict the coded law which is at the societal level. Just as how it contradicts these societal constructs, situational ethics might also appear in resistance with our own personal belief systems. As we all know, our personal belief systems are based on our own culture and society which dictates what we should believe in. On a deeper level, these societal norms mold us more than the things and ideas that we can put into words. And, as people with these different personal beliefs clash with each other (e.g. people with a different religion) ethics based on the coded rules of each might fail to show who’s right, or at least resolve the conflict between these entities of different mindsets. This is another place where situational ethics could thrive. A place where different beliefs, that suggests different codes of ethics, crashes into each other and creates an anomie, or a phenomenon with the lack of social o r ethical standards within a group of people. By using situational ethics (e.g. respect for other people’s culture) in a place where cultural-based ethics (e.g. differences of meaning of particular gestures) clashes with one another, every other person could thrive and live peacefully with one another. Overall, it could be summarized from all the points stated above, that in most places different ethics (regional-based/constitutional) are determined by their own culture, mindset, and upbringing. However, as these differences meet and clash with each other, conflicts might arise. Therefore, in these conflicts, situational ethics can prove to be the best alternative in order for everyone to consolidate, reach a conclusion, and live together peacefully despite any and all differences that they have.

South Africa's Current Political System Research Paper

South Africa's Current Political System - Research Paper Example In order to understand the relationship between South Africa's diversity and its contribution to the nation's position as an emerging economy, it is worthy to look into the political history of the country and how it links up to South Africa's current position in the past 15 or so years. South Africa has had five different constitutions since 1910 (Klug, 2010). This can be traced to the 1902 Boer War between the British settlers and other European settlers of Dutch origins [Afrikaners] (Klug, 2010). Although Black South Africans fought in the Boer War, they were excluded from the negotiations that came up afterwards and this led to the creation of a constitution that guaranteed rights to the British and Afrikaners. Later on, laws that segregated the White minority [of about 10%] and the Black African majority known as Apartheid led to a system where Blacks were kept as a servant caste in the nation (Segal and Cortm 2011). Apartheid led to a situation where the Whites with links to Eu ropean nations and the United States, used laws to promote a capitalist idea of industrial growth, mining booms and agricultural productivity (Lowenberg and Kaempfer, 1998). This caused South Africa's economy to boom in the period between 1948 and 1994 when Apartheid was entrenched in the society. The link between the White minority and the developed world led to the investment of Western capital into the economy. This also allowed South Africa to export and make a lot of money and build strong world-class infrastructure (Feinstein, 2005).  

History of Film Genres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Film Genres - Essay Example Although that is the truth of the situation in the entertainment industry, the reality of the film-making world is that all of these films are actually categorized per genre. These genres include but are not limited to historical subject, intended impacts, formal criteria, subject matter, and finally, film style. Films generally classify their type of film per genre. By doing so, the movie aficionados and film buffs are given a chance to fully grasp and understand the evolution of our society via films. The slow but sure evolution of film, from the silent films to the colored talkies, to the high tech 3-D films that we have in the cinemas today all focus on the changes and development of culture or historical period within which certain films are produced (â€Å"The History and Evolution of Genres†). It is through this developmental context that Hollywood managed to produce such a diverse set of films stemming from the Western hero in the 1940's and 50's which eventually evolv ed into group heroism as explored in the 1960's and 70's. This group heroism exposed the shift in our society from the open land, pioneering work place of man towards the more organized group of working people in corporations and companies. Eventually, the increase of interest from within our society in the urban crime and international espionage era of the 1970's and 1980's gave way to the current trend of police/detective and spy / thriller genres (â€Å"The History and Evolution of Genres†). As seen in the above listing of film genres, one can note that films are composed of various forms which are identifiable by type. This means that the film categories or classifications can be done based upon a specific criteria. These criteria could be based upon films that have recurring/similar/familiar/instantly recognizable patterns, syntax, film techniques/conventions. content and subject matter, themes, mood, period, plot, central narrative events, motifs, styles, structures, si tuations, recurring icons based upon influence on society, stock characters, or even film stars. Some of these films could even by hybrid type and therefore employ the use of several genres in one film, this is what is known as a hybrid film in Hollywood (Dirks, Tim â€Å"Main Film Genres†). Historically, one of the most popular film genres includes are epic films such as The Ten Commandments, Quo Vadis, and Gone with the Wind. These types of films cater mostly to audiences that have a keen interest in costume dramas, historical dramas, war films, medieval romps, or period pictures. Although epic films have been known to share the elements of an adventure film due to their shared need for a vast, panoramic backdrop, epics still tend to stand under its own spotlight due to the uniqueness of the production values. These production values include but are not limited to: ... an historical or imagined event, mythic, legendary, or heroic figure, and add an extravagant setting and l avish costumes, accompanied by grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score (Dirks, Tim â€Å"Main Film Genres†). Although the epic and war films share certain contexts when it comes to the story being told due to the lavish budgets, costumes, and settings, these two particular genres tell two different stories. While the epic can tell the story of an imagined event or heroic war figure, the war film depicts the cold-hearted brutality and heart breaking real life events