Interpersonal and Transferable Skills Essay Example for Free

Interpersonal and Transferable Skills Essay Youre probably familiar with the phrase ‘what gets measured gets done. Defining and measuring effectiveness – especially the performance of workers – is a critical part of your job as a manager. The question is: How do you define the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that workers need to perform their roles effectively? How do you know theyre qualified for the job? In other words, how do you know what to measure? Some people think formal education is a reliable measure. Others believe more in on-the-job training, and years of experience. Still others might argue that personal characteristics hold the key to effective work behavior. All of these are important, but none seems sufficient to describe an ideal set of behaviors and traits needed for any particular role. Nor do they guarantee that individuals will perform to the standards and levels required by the organization. A more complete way of approaching this is to link individual performance to the goals of the business. To do this, many companies use ‘competencies. These are the integrated knowledge, skills, judgment, and attributes that people need to perform a job effectively. By having a defined set of competencies for each role in your business, it shows workers the kind of behaviors the organization values, and which it requires to help achieve its objectives. Not only can your team members work more effectively and achieve their potential, but there are many business benefits to be had from linking personal performance with corporate goals and values. Defining which competencies are necessary for success in your organization can help you do the following: †¢ Ensure that your people demonstrate sufficient expertise. †¢ Recruit and select new staff more effectively. †¢ Evaluate performance more effectively. †¢ Identify skill and competency gaps more efficiently. †¢ Provide more customized training and professional development. †¢ Plan sufficiently for succession. †¢ Make change management processes work more efficiently. How can you define the set of practices needed for effective performance? You can do this by adding a competency framework to your talent management program. By collecting and combining competency information, you can create a standardized approach to performance thats clear and accessible to everyone in the company. The framework outlines specifically what people need to do to be effective in their roles, and it clearly establishes how their roles relate to organizational goals and success. This article outlines the steps you need to take to develop a competency framework in your organization. Design Principles of a Competency Framework A competency framework defines the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed for people within an organization. Each individual role will have its own set of competencies needed to perform the job effectively. To develop this framework, you need to have an in-depth understanding of the roles within your business. To do this, you can take a few different approaches: †¢ Use a pre-set list of common, standard competencies, and then customize it to the specific needs of your organization. †¢ Use outside consultants to develop the framework for you. †¢ Create a general organizational framework, and use it as the basis for other frameworks as needed. Developing a competency framework can take considerable effort. To make sure the framework is actually used as needed, its important to make it relevant to the people wholl be using it – and so they can take ownership of it. The following three principles are critical when designing a competency framework: 1. Involve the people doing the work – These frameworks should not be developed solely by HR people, who dont always know what each job actually involves. Nor should they be left to managers, who dont always understand exactly what each member of their staff does every day. To understand a role fully, you have to go to the source – the person doing the job – as well as getting a variety of other inputs into what makes someone successful in that job. 2. Communicate – People tend to get nervous about performance issues. Let them know why youre developing the framework, how it will be created, and how youll use it. The more you communicate in advance, the easier your implementation will be. 3. Use relevant competencies – Ensure that the competencies you include apply to all roles covered by the framework. If you include irrelevant competencies, people will probably have a hard time relating to the framework in general. For example, if you created a framework to cover the whole organization, then financial management would not be included unless every worker had to demonstrate that skill. However, a framework covering management roles would almost certainly involve the financial management competency. Developing the Framework There are four main steps in the competency framework development process. Each steps has key actions that will encourage people to accept and use the final product. Step One: Prepare †¢ Define the purpose – Before you start analyzing jobs, and figuring out what each role needs for success, make sure you look at the purpose for creating the framework. How you plan to use it will impact whom you involve in preparing it, and how you determine its scope. For example, a framework for filling a job vacancy will be very specific, whereas a framework for evaluating compensation will need to cover a wide range of roles. †¢ Create a competency framework team – Include people from all areas of your business that will use the framework. Where possible, aim to represent the diversity of your organization. Its also important to think about long-term needs, so that you can keep the framework updated and relevant. Step Two: Collect Information This is the main part of the framework. Generally, the better the data you collect, the more accurate your framework will be. For this reason, its a good idea to consider which techniques youll use to collect information about the roles, and the work involved in each one. You may want to use the following: †¢ Observe – Watch people while theyre performing their roles. This is especially useful for jobs that involve hands-on labor that you can physically observe. †¢ Interview people – Talk to every person individually, choose a sample of people to interview, or conduct a group interview. You may also want to interview the supervisor of the job youre assessing. This helps you learn what a wide variety of people believe is needed for the roles success. †¢ Create a questionnaire – A survey is an efficient way to gather data. Spend time making sure you ask the right questions, and consider the issues of reliability and validity. If you prefer, there are standardized job analysis questionnaires you can buy, rather than attempting to create your own. †¢ Analyze the work – Which behaviors are used to perform the jobs covered by the framework? You may want to consider the following: †¢ Business plans, strategies, and objectives. †¢ Organizational principles. †¢ Job descriptions. †¢ Regulatory or other compliance issues. †¢ Predictions for the future of the organization or industry. †¢ Customer and supplier requirements. Job analysis that includes a variety of techniques and considerations will give you the most comprehensive and accurate results. If you create a framework for the entire organization, make sure you use a sample of roles from across the company. This will help you capture the widest range of competencies that are still relevant to the whole business. †¢ As you gather information about each role, record what you learn in separate behavioral statements. For example, if you learn that Paul from accounting is involved in bookkeeping, you might break that down into these behavioral statements: handles petty cash, maintains floats, pays vendors according to policy, and analyzes cash books each month. You might find that other roles also have similar tasks – and therefore bookkeeping will be a competency within that framework. †¢ When you move on to Step Three, youll be organizing the information into larger competencies, so it helps if you can analyze and group your raw data effectively. Step Three: Build the Framework This stage involves grouping all of the behaviors and skill sets into competencies. Follow these steps to help you with this task: †¢ Group the statements – Ask your team members to read through the behavior statements, and group them into piles. The goal is to have three or four piles at first – for instance, manual skills, decision-making and judgment skills, and interpersonal skills. †¢ Create subgroups – Break down each of the larger piles into subcategories of related behaviors. Typically, there will be three or four subgroupings for each larger category. This provides the basic structure of the competency framework. †¢ Refine the subgroups – For each of the larger categories, define the subgroups even further. Ask yourself why and how the behaviors relate, or dont relate, to one another, and revise your groupings as necessary. †¢ Indentify and name the competencies – Ask your team to identify a specific competency to represent each of the smaller subgroups of behaviors. Then they can also name the larger category. †¢ Heres an example of groupings and subgroupings for general management competencies: †¢ Supervising and leading teams. †¢ Provide ongoing direction and support to staff. †¢ Take initiative to provide direction. †¢ Communicate direction to staff. †¢ Monitor performance of staff. †¢ Motivate staff. †¢ Develop succession plan. †¢ Ensure that company standards are met. †¢ Recruiting and staffing. †¢ Prepare job descriptions and role specifications. †¢ Participate in selection interviews. †¢ Identify individuals training needs. †¢ Implement disciplinary and grievance procedures. †¢ Ensure that legal obligations are met. †¢ Develop staff contracts. †¢ Develop salary scales and compensation packages. †¢ Develop personnel management procedures. †¢ Make sure staff resources meet organizational needs. †¢ Training and development. †¢ Deliver training to junior staff. †¢ Deliver training to senior staff. †¢ Identify training needs. †¢ Support personal development. †¢ Develop training materials and methodology. †¢ Managing projects/programs †¢ Prepare detailed operational plans. †¢ Manage financial and human resources. †¢ Monitor overall performance against objectives. †¢ Write reports, project proposals, and amendments. †¢ Understand external funding environment. †¢ Develop project/program strategy. You may need to add levels for each competency. This is particularly useful when using the framework for compensation or performance reviews. To do so, take each competency, and divide the related behaviors into measurement scales according to complexity, responsibility, scope, or other relevant criteria. These levels may already exist if you have job grading in place. †¢ Validate and revise the competencies as necessary – For each item, ask these questions: †¢ Is this behavior demonstrated by people who perform the work most effectively? In other words, are people who dont demonstrate this behavior ineffective in the role? †¢ Is this behavior relevant and necessary for effective work performance? These questions are often asked in the form of a survey. Its important to look for consensus among the people doing the job, as well as areas where theres little agreement. Also, look for possible issues with language, or the way the competencies are described, and refine those as well. Step Four: Implement As you roll out the finalized competency framework, remember the principle of communication that we mentioned earlier. To help get buy-in from members of staff at all levels of the organization, its important to explain to them why the framework was developed, and how youd like it to be used. Discuss how it will be updated, and which procedures youve put in place to accommodate changes. Here are some tips for implementing the framework: †¢ Link to business objectives – Make connections between individual competencies and organizational goals and values as much as possible. †¢ Reward the competencies – Check that your policies and practices support and reward the competencies identified. †¢ Provide coaching and training – Make sure theres adequate coaching and training available. People need to know that their efforts will be supported. †¢ Keep it simple – Make the framework as simple as possible. You want the document to be used, not filed away and forgotten. †¢ Communicate – Most importantly, treat the implementation as you would any other change initiative. The more open and honest you are throughout the process, the better the end result – and the better the chances of the project achieving your objectives. [pic] Key Points Creating a competency framework is an effective method to assess, maintain, and monitor the knowledge, skills, and attributes of people in your organization. The framework allows you to measure current competency levels to make sure your staff members have the expertise needed to add value to the business. It also helps managers make informed decisions about talent recruitment, retention, and succession strategies. And, by identifying the specific behaviors and skills needed for each role, it enables you to budget and plan for the training and development your company really needs. The process of creating a competency framework is long and complex. To ensure a successful outcome, involve people actually doing carrying out the roles to evaluate real jobs, and describe real behaviors.

The Singapore Cultural Analysis Cultural Studies Essay

The Singapore Cultural Analysis Cultural Studies Essay Singapore is a small island in southeast Asia Known for its trade and tourism. It is a small island with not much history but has a strong economy, stable government and a vibrant culture. II. Brief discussion of the countrys relevant history Singapore was a British colony for nearly 150 years merged with the Malay territory. In 1965 it gained independence from the British and was separated from Malaysia to from a new country called Singapore the name derived from singa-pura which means city of the lion. . (everyculture.com, n.d) III. Geographical setting Situated in Southeast Asia, Singapore is a small island with a total area 647.5 square kilometers, with land being 637.5 and water 10 square kilometers including the main island and around 60 islets and the coastline extends to 193 kilometers. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are the bordering countries to Singapore. It is the focal point in the Southeast Asian sea routes. A.Location Singapore is located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia in between Malaysia and Indonesia. 1 22 N, 103 48E is the geographical location of Singapore. B.Climate Singapore experiences tropical climate with high humidity and rainfall. There are no specific rainy and dry seasons but during the northeast monsoon (dec-mar) it receives abundant rainfall and during the southwestern monsoon (jun-sep) it is the driest comparatively. C.Topography Singapore Island is mostly low-lying, green, undulating country with a small range of hills at the center. The highest point is Bukit Timah which is 166 meters and the lowest point is the Singapore strait which is 0 meters. There are sections of  rainforest  in the center and large  mangrove  swamps along the coast, which has many inlets, particularly in the north and west. Singapores harbor is wide, deep, and well protected(Singapore overview , 2007). IV. Social institutions A.Family 1.The nuclear family The general family trend in Singapore is a nuclear family which is the parents and the unmarried children living under the same roof. About 85% of Singaporean families are nuclear families. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 2.The extended family Close links are maintained between the relatives from both the mothers and fathers side. There is a positive amount of interaction between the extended family with them getting together during festivals and celebrations. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 3.Dynamics of the family a.  Parental roles The parental roles that is the duties and responsibilities of a parent towards their children are shared equally by the mother and the father. b.  Marriage and courtship Monogamy or having only one wife is the general rule in Singapore but Polygamy or having more than one wife at the same time is allowed among Muslim Malay. The divorce rate in Singapore is seemingly increasing but Interethnic marriages still are had to come by. The average age at first marriage has increased, and it is customary for young people to live with their parents until they marry. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 4.Female/male roles (changing or static?) The male and female roles are changing with 80% male employment and 50% female employment. Women are being given more importance in society through the time but there still lacks female involvement in the managerial or high level roles. (everyculture.com, n.d) B.Education Singapore has a very high literacy rate with a strong education system. The education system is based on six years of primary school, four years of secondary school and later vocational school or university, depending on the grades and student prefferences. The best schools are very demanding with the competition being high and fierce. (everyculture.com, n.d).Singapore one of the most prominent education hubs in Asia with high levels of education standards attracting students from all over the world with some of the best universities and institutions in the world. 1.The role of education in society Education plays a very prominent role in society were children are thought to hold the key not only to their own future but also to the future of their families. The average age at which children start school is six. (everyculture.com, n.d). Due to the increasing competition for jobs and personal improvement in Singapore there is high emphasis given to good education and nurturing and promoting the various talents of the students. a. Primary education Primary education is a total of six years which consists of a four year foundation stage from Primary 1 to 4 and a two year orientation stage from Primary 5 to 6. The overall aim of primary education is to give students a good grasp of English language, Mother Tongue and Mathematics. There is no fee for primary school but there are some miscellaneous expenses which add up to SGD $11/ month. During primary school the students are encouraged to participate in Co-Curricular Activities and Community Involvement Programs to develop early skills. At the end of primary school the students have to take a national level examination called the Primary school leaving examination (Ministry of education, 2012). b. Secondary education Secondary education consists of four to five years of school in which the students are placed in Special, Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) course according to how they perform at the  Primary school leaving examination. The different curricular emphases are designed to match their learning abilities and interests. The fees for secondary school varies from $5/ month for public schools, $3-$18 for autonomous schools and $200-$300 for independent schools. For graduating from secondary school the students have to attend a national examination called GCE O Levels(for Special/Express courses) or GCE N Levels (for Normal course).All students take part in at least one  Co-curricular activity;  CCA  performance is considered for admission to  JCs,  CI, polytechnics and  ITE(Ministry of education, 2012) c. Higher education Singapore has some of the best universities offering various programs. The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Technology and Design are some of the most reputed universities in Singapore. These universities have a worldwide reach and attract thousands of students each year. There are universities from all over the world also who offer their programs in Singapore either by collaborating with Singaporean institutions like university of Whales and university of Bradford who offer their programs through Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) or by setting up a sister campus in Singapore like INSED which is one of the worlds premier business school from France and James Cook university an Australian university have sister campuses in Singapore. 2. Literacy rates Singapore has a high literacy rate due to the emphasis given to education. The % of people above the age of 15 who can read and write is total population:  92.5%   male:  96.6%   female:  88.6% (2000 census) (Singapore-counrty profile ,2012) C. Political system Singapore is a republic with a parliamentary system. As a former British colony, Singapore since independence in 1965 has adopted the Westminster Module. The head of state is the president, who is elected for a fixed term of six years. The parliament is elected in a general compulsory election every five years. There are also six nominated members of the parliament. The cabinet is the executive organ of the state, and execution of government policies is carried out by ministries and statutory boards. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 1.Political structure: Singapores government is segrigated into three segments. -Executive- This includes the presedent who is the head-of-state abd the cabinet which is lead by the prime minister.(www.sg , 2011) -Legislative- The Legislative branch is the  Parliament, which is elected by  general election  every five years. The first sitting of Parliament was held on 8 December 1965. The first general election for Parliament was held on 13 April 1968. There are 22 registered political parties. .(www.sg , 2001) -Judiciary- The  Supreme Court  and its  Subordinate Courts make up the judiciary. The Judiciary administers the law independently of the Executive and this independence is safeguarded by the  Constitution.(www.sg , 2011) 2.Political parties- There are 22 political parties in singapore and are as follows: Singapore Chinese Party Persatuan Melayu Singapura Partai Rakyat, Singapore State Division Angkatan Islam The Workers Party Pertubohan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura Peoples Action Party (PAP) United Peoples Party Barisan Socialis (BS), Socialist Front (SF) Parti Kesatuan Raayat (United Democratic Party) Singapore Indian Congress Alliance Party Singapura United National Front National Party of Singapore The Peoples Front Justice Party, Singapore Democratic Progressive Party Peoples Republican Party United Peoples Front Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) National Solidarity Party (NSP) Singapore National Front. (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) 3.Stability of government The Singapore government is very stable. There has never been a political imbalance and the government has never been dissolved. 4.Special taxes 5.Role of local government Since singapore is such a small country it does not have divisions in local government and is ruled by divisions of the central government instead. In 1996 the then primeminister of singapore Goh introdused a system of community devolopment councils (CDCs). In november 2001 the number of CDCs redused from 9 to 5 consisting of South West, North West, Central Singapore, South East, and North East. They are managed by a council comprising a mayor and between 12 and 80 council members. (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) D. Legal system The legal system of Singapore is designed on the bases of British law. . (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) 1.Organization of the judiciary system. The judicial system consistes of the supreme court which is the higest level headed by the chief justice who is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the primeminister.It divided into the high court the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Criminal Appeal. This id followed by the subbordinate courts which are magistrates courts, trying civil and criminal offenses, the disrtict court, the juvenile courts, for offenders below the age of sixteen and the coroners courts; and the small claims courts, which hear civil and commercial claims for sums of less than S$10,000. . (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) 2.Code, common, socialist, or Islamic-law country? 3.Participation in patents, trademarks, and other conventions 4. Marketing Laws E. Social organizations 1.Group behavior 2.Social classes 3.Clubs, other organizations 4.Race, ethnicity, and subcultures Singapore is predominantly Chinese with 77% of the population being Chinese according to the 2002 census. It also mentioned that Malays consist of 14% of the population and Indians consist of 8% of the population. The rest 1.4% of the population consisted of various other ethnic groups.(nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) F.Business customs and practices V. Religion and aesthetics A.Religion and other belief systems There is freedom of religion with some exceptions. Singapore has been described as one of the most religious countries in the world. The major religions are Islam (Malay), Hinduism (Indians), Buddhism, Taoism, and folk religion (Chinese), along with a substantial number of Christians of various denominations. 1. Orthodox doctrines and structures There are many Chinese and Indian temples, Malay mosques, and Christian churches in the main public arenas for religious activities. Much religious activity is also carried out in the home. There are different street festivals according to the ritual calendars of the different ethnic groups. . (everyculture.com, n.d) 2. Relationship with the people Even with the vast difference in religious beliefs the people of Singapore live in peace with each other maintaining good relationships with people from all religious backgrounds. 3. Which religions are prominent? The Chinese religions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are the most prominent with 51% 4. Membership of each religion The Chinese with Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism take up most of the population with 51%. About 15% of the population is Islamic About 15% of the population is Hindu And the rest of the population are from various other religions such as Christianity, Jewish, Jain and Sikh (nationsencyclopedia.com , 2007) B.Aesthetics 1.Visual arts (fine arts, plastics, graphics, public art, colors, etc.) 2.Drama, ballet, and other performing arts Today in Singapore people who go to theatres enjoy traditional ethnic theatre such as Chinese opera and Malay  bangsawan  (which took root in Singapore in the 19th and 20th century respectively), as well as contemporary theatre, which emerged in 1950s and 60s with the establishment of mainly amateur groups. English language theatre gained prominence from the 1980s with a change in educational policy which emphasised English to be the main language of instruction. Today with more than 130 theatre companies and societies in Singapore, practicing a range of contemporary and traditional ethnic theatrical forms Singapore has a vibrant performing arts developed through time..(National Arts Council, 2012) 3. Folklore and relevant symbols Singapore like most Asian countries hos a rich folklore and legends from which symbols are dericed. One such folklore about the symbol of Singapore which is the merlion explains that one day the villager in the southern cost were awakened by howling winds and crashing waves. It was covered with black clouds and was thought the whole island would be engulfed by the sea. The villagers went down on their knees in prayer and suddenly in the sea appeared a gigantic creature half lion and half fish and won the battle against nature and saved the villagers. (10 Legends and Myths of Singapore, 2012) VI. Living conditions Singapore has one of the best living conditions in the world attracting people from all over the world to live, work and study there. A.Diet and nutrition 1.Meat and vegetable consumption rates Singapore has high meat and vegitable consumption rates. With the variety if foods available in singapore the main components in every day meals are Rice, fish, chicken, and vegetables. 2.Typical meals There are 3 main meals breakfast lunch and dinner and Rice, fish, chicken, and vegetables are the staples. The main ingredients are mixed with spices, coconut, lime, chili etc create numerous varieties of dishes. Each ethnic culture has its own special dishes. (everyculture.com, n.d) 3.Malnutrition rates Singapore has a low malnutrition rate with childern below the age of 5 having only 2.2% malnutrition rate.( Health Statistics  > Malnutrition prevalence, height for age > % of children under 5 (most recent) by country, n.d) 4.Foods available Due to the vast culture and ethnicity Singapore has a variety of dishes from Chinese cuisines, Indian cuisines, Malay cuisines and with the influence of western culture have a large variety of wesrten cuisines available. Singapore is the food hub of Asia and because of the availability of such vast cuisines is an attraction to people from all over the world. B.Housing A vast majority of population live in public housing which is publicly developed managed by the Housing and Development Board. About 80% of the population live in public housing which are like small town ship with schools, markets and health centers. The rest of the population live in privately developed houses and appartments which are slightly more expensive than public housing. (Housing in Singapore, n.d) 1.Types of housing available There is public housing which includes three-room, four-room, five-room and executive flats. A three-room flat has two bedrooms , which is about 1,000 sq ft. A four-room flat has three bedrooms which is about 1,200 sq ft of space. A five-room flat is about 1,400 sq ft. An Executive mansionette has three and they are relatively larger than any other public housing units- some even have double storey, with the rooms on the second level. The rest of the population live in private housing which include privately maintained apartments, condominiums and landed properties.(Housing in Singapore, n.d) 2.Do most people own or rent? 80% of the population live in public housing the most part of this own their own houses. 3.Do most people live in one-family dwellings or with other families? Most people do live in one- family dwellings and not with other families as 85% of the population believe in nuclear families. C.Clothing Singapore is the fasion capital of Asia and one of the mian attraction to sinsapore is the variety of clothing availablt there. It has clothing from the best designers from all over the world and orchad street in singapore is a 5 kilimeter streach of shopping on both sides. Singapore without saying goes hand in hand with fasion and shopping. 1.National dress Singapore because of its vast culture and ethnicity does not have a natioal dress but each culture has its own traditional dresses wich are- The Peranakan- who are the mixed race of chinese and malay- The Nyonya Kebaya  is the traditional dress The chinese- Cheongsam is the traditional dress for the women. The Indians- Sari is the traditional dress for women and Dothi Kurtha is the traditional dress for men. The Malay- The Baju Kurungis the traditional dress for women and The Baju Melayu is the traditional dress for men. (Deliatoh, 2011) 2. Types of clothing worn at work The normal clothing worn to work consists of trousers, long-sleeved shirts and ties for men and blouses, skirts or trousers for women. Because of the weather being hot and humid jackets are usually not required. Although Singapore is a liberal country, women should make sure they do not wear clothes that are too revealing. (Communicaid, 2009) D.Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities Recreation and leasiure activities play an important role in the busy lives of Singaporeans. Different groups are interested in different activities such as sports, adventure and water sports as Singapore has beautiful beaches or even shopping, parties and gambling. 1.Types available and in demand There are various ways singaporieans spend their time away from busy sceduels. The most popular are Motor racing, football, swimming, paragliding, scoobadiving, boatimg, gambling, sailing, surfing, camping, trecking, cycling and horse racing. (Adventure and Rcreation in Singapore, n.d) 2.Percentage of income spent on such activities E. Social security In Singapore instead of of a national social security there is Central Provident Fund. The Central provident fund is a compulsory savings scheme that was introduced in 1955 to help cover the cost of living for Singapore residents upon retirement / termination of employment. ( ExpatFocus.com, n.d) Money that is saved in the Ordinary Account of the CPF can be used to help pay for home ownership, education and investment. The Special Account is meant for old age and contingency purposes and to purchase retirement-related financial products. A portion of the CPF known as Medisave can also be used to help pay for hospital treatment and for medical insurance (known as MediShield). ( ExpatFocus.com, n.d) Every Singaporean and Singaporean Permanent resident should contribute to the CPF. Foreigners who are on a Work Pass are not required to contribute to CPF. However, when a foreigner takes up permanent residency in Singapore, the foreigner will be expected to contribute to the CPF scheme. Both the employer and the employee contribute to this fund in varying proportions. ( ExpatFocus.com, n.d) F.Health care The Singapore healthcare system comprises public and private healthcare, complemented by rising standards of living, housing, education, medical services, safe water supply and sanitation, and preventive medicine.Over the years, Ministry Of Health has followed the principle of ensuring that good and affordable basic medical services are available to all Singaporeans. MOH has been continuously fine-tuning the health care system to ensure that Singapore has developed its healthcare system into one that has received praise and recognition both locally and internationally.(Ministry of Health, 2012) VII. Language Singapore with its variety of cultures is a multilingual country. Its national language is Malay. English is the administrative language and the medium of instructions in school and the students choose one of their mother tongues either Malay Tamil or Chinese. (everyculture.com, n.d) A.Official language(s) The official languages of Singapore are Malay, english, Tami and chinese(Manadarin) (everyculture.com, n.d) B.Spoken versus written languages C. Dialects [insert text here] IX. Sources of information -photius.com (1999) Singapore geography, retrieved from http://www.photius.com/wfb1999/singapore/singapore_geography.html -Ministry of education(2012) Singapore: education system. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/ -everyculture.com(.n.d) Culture of Singapore-Countries and Their Cultures retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Singapore.html#b nationsencyclopedia.com (2007) Singapore overview, retrieved fromhttp://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Singapore.html#b Singapore- Country Profine (2012) retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/singapore/ www.sg(2011) Who We Are , retrieved from http://app.www.sg/who/18/Government.aspx#ixzz28HNqHH4U National arts council (2012) arts forms, retrieved from http://www.nac.gov.sg/art-forms -10 Legends and Myths of Singapore (2012) retrieved from http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/singapore-legends-and-myths/ Health Statistics  > Malnutrition prevalence, height for age > % of children under 5 (most recent) by country (n.d) retrived from http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_mal_pre_hei_for_age_of_chi_und_5-height-age-children-under-5 -Housing in Singapore (n.d) retrieved from http://www.singaporeexpats.com/housing-in-singapore/housing-in-singapore.htm -Deliatoh (2011) The Traditional costumes of Singapore retrieved from http://comesingapore.com/travel-guide/article/546/traditional-costumes-of-singapore -Communicaid (2009) Doing business in Singapore retrieved from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Singapore.pdf -Asiaroom.com (n.d) Adventure and Recreation in Singapore retrieved from http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/singapore/adventure-and-recreation-in-singapore/index.html -ExpatFocus.com(n.d) Singapore-Social Security Retrieved from http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-singapore-social-security -Ministry of Health (2012) our health care system retrieved from http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/our_healthcare_system.html

Siddhartha Essay: Use of Form, Symbolism, and Conflict -- Hesse Siddha

Use of Form, Symbolism, and Conflict in Siddhartha  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hermann Hesse uses the literary devices of form, symbolism, and conflict to develop his novel, Siddhartha.    Hermann Hesse's novel, Siddhartha, "is a novel of classical symmetry, a perfection achieved" (Hermann Hesse 25).   It tells the story of a young man who sets out to find his true self.   Throughout his journey, Siddhartha converts to various religions, searching for the one religion that will help him discover his identity.   As his journey continues, the main character is forced to overcome various obstacles in pursuit of his true self.   He learns the ways of reality and its many flaws.   As the story progresses, he comes across a river inhabited by Vasudeva, the ferryman, who teaches Siddhartha to find the holy Om by listening to the river.   Finally, Siddhartha becomes satisfied with his newfound religion, which offers him his identity and his true happiness.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hesse employs a structured form throughout the novel, dividing the work into three sections, each section containing three chapters.   An interlude follows each section, signaling a change in the character's way of living (http://www.ic.ucsb.edu/~ggotts/hesse/works/jensid.html). This structure remains uniform throughout the entire novel, helping to establish its framework.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In dividing his literary work into three sections of three chapters, Hesse uses each section to depict another new beginning in Siddhartha's continuing search for his life's meaning.   The first section deals with Siddhartha's Brahmin beliefs, and as the first section progresses, he continuously moves away from the Brahmin religion.   As a result, he makes a change, leading into the first sec... ...ngly impossible journey, thus discovering his true identity.    Works Cited: Freedman, Ralph. The Lyrical Novel.   Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1963 Hesse, Herman. Siddhartha. Dover Publications, 1998. Welch, Carolyn Roberts. Cliff's Notes on Hesse's Steppenwolf and Siddhartha. Lincoln, Nebraska: Cliff's Notes Inc., 1923.   Ziolkowski, Theodore. Hermann Hesse.   Columbia: Columbia University Press, 1966 Ziolkowski, Theodore. Hermann Hesse: A Study in Theme and Structure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1965.   Ziolkowski, Theodore. Hesse: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973   http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jawaayu/hesse.html http://www.hermann-hesse.com/html/english/e.biographiw.html   http://http://www.ic.ucsb.edu/~ggotts/hesse/works/jensid.html

The Scapegoating of Homosexuals as Threats to Society Essay -- Gay Les

Politics of Exclusion - The Scapegoating of Homosexuals as Threats to Society It is hard to believe that this bill is anything other than a thinly veiled attempt to score political debating points by scapegoating gay and lesbian Americans.-John F. Kerry The monster lulls reason into a night of unknowing in which sleeping leviathans do not lie.-Timothy K. Beal Introduction The scapegoating of homosexuals as monstrous threats to the order of society allows for their exclusion from institutions such as marriage, legal adoption, and The Boy Scouts of America. To reverse this discrimination, we must learn to make room for the chaotic queer monster, to perceive its presence not as threatening, but rather as inevitable, necessary, and vital to the dynamism of our culture. With this shift, we will have the means to create a politics of inclusion. In spite of the pluralistic and egalitarian principles that lie at the foundation of our nation, we live in a culture with little tolerance for deviation from what is considered to be the â€Å"norm.† We have created, and strive to maintain, an illusion of a uniform, ordered, and righteous American lifestyle. From this narrow conception of America, we gain a sense of solidarity and security. Consequently, those who pose a challenge to this ideal are pushed into the margins of society and excluded; they become second-class citizens. As a result of the threat they pose to this limited model of conventional order, gays and lesbians are chief among the subclass of secondary citizens. Unlike other marginalized minority groups, homosexuals are explicitly denied access to institutions central to American life and character, namely, the legal family unit and The Boy Scouts. For, if... ...26 February 2004 . [36] â€Å"Gay Men Lose Fight on Adoption Ban† New York Times On the Web 29 January 2004, 26 February 2004 . [37] Rebecca Walsh, â€Å"For the Family; Lesbian Couple Challenging Gay Adoption Ban in Utah† The Salt Lake Tribune 7 July 2003, 29 February 2004 . [38] Bruce Alpert, â€Å"Debate Grows Over Ban on Adoption by Gays† Newhouse New Service 1 April 2002, 29 February 2004 . [39] Alpert. [40] Alpert. [41] Alpert. [42] Alpert. [43] Walsh. [44] Walsh. [45] Linda Nicholson and Steven Seidman, ed. Social Postmodernism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995) 118. [46] Laura Benkov Reinventing the Family (New York: Crown Publishers, 1994) 145. [47] Beal 196 [48] Kantor 5. [49] Beal 10. [50] Beal 196.

Nature: A Tool of Society Essay examples -- Natural Advertising Essays

Nature: A Tool of Society William Cronon says in the Epilogue of Natureà ­s Metropolis, à ¬Much as I say I love à ¬natureà ® that word usually remains an abstraction in my daily lifeà ³a non-urban quality of aesthetic or sacred beauty to be looked at and à ¬appreciated,à ® not the gritty web of material connections that feed, clothe, shelter, and cleanse me and my community.à ® (Cronon 384). This can be said for most of the population of urban areas. It is this ambiguous view of nature that makes us susceptible to otherà ­s interpretations of nature. This susceptibility makes nature a powerful force in society. This is especially evident in advertisements, which mold nature into the image that is favorable to portray the product being advertised. The Sony advertisement from Esquire magazine is for the Wega flat screen television, and is a good example of how advertisements use nature to sell a product. This ad shows two very contrasting images, one of the black and white desert, and the other of the television set showing pictures of children playing in the water of a fire hydrant. The use of the television to frame the picture of the children shows very distinctly that these are two very separate and different images, because as Leonardo da Vinci said à ¬There are no lines in natureà ®. In this ad through the use of colors, or the lack there of, this cultural icon is shown to be more favorable than the image of nature. The ad offers the viewer a sense of escape from the dull, monotone world outside by offering a more vibrant, playful world experienced through television. While the link between the images shown in the ad and the offer made by the advertisement seems very surreal, it is a natural link. The reasoning behind this link as being ... ...rural hinterland. We fool ourselves if we think we can choose between them, for the green lake and the orange cloud are creatures of the same landscape. We can only take tehm together and in making the journey between them, find a way that does justice to them bothà ® (Cronon 385). According to Cronon the nature-culture dichotomy that we believe in is incorrect, because nature is just as much a part of culture as culture is a part of nature. Works Cited Cronon, William - short selection from Epilogue, Nature's Metropolis Norton 1991 pp. 384-5. Marlboro Lights. à ¬Esquireà ® January 2001. back cover. Nash, Roderick - 'Old World Roots of Opinion,' Ch 1 from Wilderness and the American Mind 1982 Yale Univ Press pp. 8-22. Sony Wega. à ¬Esquireà ® December 2000. pgs. 17-18. Timberland. à ¬Maximà ® December 2000. pg. Yahoo! Email. à ¬Esquireà ® January 2001.

Marx’s Theory of Alienation Essay

Marx used the ‘theory of alienation† to expose what he claimed as a highly exploitative, unfair social relationship existing in a capitalist system which effectively divides society into two opposing groups. He argued that this unfair social relationship came into being because of the â€Å"concept of private property† which, according to him, refers to a situation where the means of production (such as factories and plants) are owned by private persons. This private ownership of the means of production gave birth to the two antagonistic social classes: â€Å"the property owners [or the capitalists] and the propertyless workers.† (Alienation, n.d.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Marx, here lies the first alienation of the workers in a capitalist society. The capitalists own the means of production and the workers have only their labor to sell so that they could survive. Using the plants and factories at their disposal, the capitalists utilize the labor of the workers to enrich themselves by producing â€Å"surplus value† or profit. What worsens the situation for the workers is the fact that capitalists, in order to increase their profit or maximize their surplus value, are disposed to keep wages to the minimum, often barely enough for workers to live a humanely comfortable life. Needless to say, the lower the wages paid to workers, the greater the profit for the capitalists. (Alienation, n.d.) This led Marx to assert that under the capitalist system, the only way to go is for the workers to become poorer and for the capitalists to grow richer. He cited the fact that in capitalist societies, there is an ever increasing number â€Å"in the ‘working poor’ families who remain mired in poverty although every family member works, often more than one job †¦ [because] the wealth of the few depends on the poverty of the many.† (Introduction, n.d.) In other words, capitalism, according to Marx, was tailored so that capitalists who control the means of production should get rich and the workers, whose labor produce the coveted surplus value are shamelessly exploited.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Then the workers are alienated â€Å"from the activity of working† itself.   Marx claimed that workers in a capitalist society do not work because they want to, or enjoy what they do. Neither do they work to improve their lot nor to create a happier, more humane society. Rather, they work simply because they have to earn in order to live. In other words, Marx said that they are â€Å"forced† to work – implying that workers in a capitalist society are far from being happy individuals who have no control even over the course or objective of their labor. The decision rests solely on the capitalists who have already acquired control over their labor after paying for it. Since the only goal of capitalists is more profits, their only objective, therefore, is to utilize labor to gainful undertaking regardless of whether their enterprise benefits society or endangers it. Marx declared that â€Å"If greater profits can be made with weapons than with hula hoops, then that is where they will invest their capital.† In this context, workers who are anti-war are compelled to produce war materials. (Alienation, n.d.) Marx also suggested that in a capitalist society, people are alienated from one another. He argued that workers are not only â€Å"forced† to work under any conditions and for whatever purpose in order to survive – they are also kept separate from one another, pitted against each other. This is because in their desire to live, they have to compete for work. In their craving for a comfortable life, they have to practically elbow each other out for better-paying jobs. It is not only workers who are being alienated from their fellow workers. Capitalists also turn against other capitalists in their quest for profit and power. Marx said that this never-ending competition for jobs and profits â€Å"favors the most ruthless, at other times the most opportunistic or well-connected.† In fact, Marx insinuated that this rat race which characterizes life in a capitalistic society is the start of the process of the dehumanization of man. Their failure to shape society according to their needs, their desires, and their concept of civilization, completes the process because this ability to create the kind of society that they want is what distinguishes man from the lower forms of animal.   (Introduction, n.d.) References Alienation. (n.d.). Order #32797436 attachment. Introduction. (n.d.). Order #32797436 attachment.

Literary analysis of ‘The Going’ by Thomas Hardy Essay

‘The Going’ is a poem mourning the death and loss of Hardy’s wife Emma. The themes of anguish, love and regret are echoes throughout the poem however it is unusual and interesting to note that it seems that Hardy is blaming Emma for leaving him and over-romanticizing the time they spent together. The title ‘The Going’ gives the air that Emma’s death was a grand sort of departure. A reader with no knowledge of Hardy’s life would perhaps feel that Hardy loved and took much care of his wife throughout his life and her departure was ‘grand’ in that way, however this is not the case. The circumstances Emma died in illustrated a harsh husband who did not come to his wife’s deathbed when the maid told him Emma was very ill – Hardy’s grievous poem makes the circumstances are very ironic. In the second stanza, Hardy also refers to Emma’s death as the ‘great going’, which is once again giving the idea that Emma’s death was grand; like a Queen leaving. It is possible that by glorifying and exalting Emma’s death, Hardy is trying to console himself about the circumstances she died in – by writing over the situation he may be trying to change the story of what happened for the reader in order to make it seem as though he is not the one to blame. Building on the idea that Hardy wants to shift the blame from himself, Hardy throughout the poem asks questions as statements rather than as real questions. For example, he says ‘ Why do you make me leave the house / And think for a breath it is you I see†¦! ‘ – Hardy has not ended his sentence with a question mark but rather he has ended with an exclamation mark, suggesting he in reality does not want to ask Emma these questions, instead he wants to tell her how he wants the story to be. By using ‘you’ in all his questions, the air that Hardy is the victim in this situation rather than Emma. This amplifies upon the idea mentioned above that Hardy may be wanting to write over the situation in order to make it seem that he is not the one to blame. A sense of arrogance and self-righteousness is eluded from his desire to shift the blame away from him – this may make the speaker seem unlikeable. There is a sensual tone in the poem which works to romanticize the mood of the poem and suggest the happy past the couple had in the beginning of their relationship and the happy life they could have had but didn’t. Hardy asks Emma why she did not ‘lip me the softest call’ – this is a reference to physical intimacy and could be a kiss or to whispering ‘sweet-nothings’. From that suggestion, it would seem like Hardy was always expectant for such intimacy however this was not the case as the couple were not physically intimate for most of their relationship. There are echoes of their courting days in their youth in the fourth stanza where Hardy describes a younger Emma in flattering and loving terms as the ‘swan-necked one’ who would ‘muse and eye (him)’. The idea of Emma ‘eyeing’ Hardy suggests a shy and playful Emma sneaking glances at Hardy which evokes empathy in the readers heart for not only Emma but the combined couple of Emma and Hardy during their courtship. This only adds to the sorrowful feeling of Emma’s death – but now by relating their courting days Hardy has not only told the reader of his grief but he has also spread this grief to the reader. Alliteration also adds to the playful feel to the poem, building on the point above. The day is described as ‘darkening dankness’ and the alleys as ‘bending boughs’ – this brings the settings to life and illustrates how rich their relationship could have been, thus amplifying the emotion of regret over Emma’s ‘going’. The alliteration could also suggest that Hardy is attempting to over-romanticize the situation to such an extent that he is trying to convince himself that their relationship was happy. Another interpretation could that whilst this poem is a sad love poem, Hardy’s use of playful alliteration may be demonstrating that Hardy may not be as sad as he is making out to be throughout the poem because if indeed he was terrible grief-stricken by her loss, he would not have had enough composure to compose the poem with such literary devices which make the poem sound more flowing. Using a device such as alliteration is deliberate and therefore Hardy’s use of alliteration shows he had enough capability to make use of this technique. The final stanza in the poem has great significance to the poem and its meaning. Hardy uses short sentences and caesuras to demonstrate how harshly Emma’s death came about and how harshly their relationship ended. ‘Well, well! All’s past amend/Unchangeable. It must go. ‘ shows how he seems reluctant to accept that Emma is now dead as the short sentences make it sound as though he is slowly trying to make himself accept this fact. Sharp caesuras in this stanza also make it feel as though trying to convince himself Emma is gone is very painful. To conclude, Hardy uses literary devices such as alliteration and sensual imagery to give a sensual feel to this poem, however the underlying tone and meaning of this poem is a sad and greivious one as highlighted by Hardy’s use of blame and structure. Short sentences and an inconsistent ryhming scheme demonstrate this sad mood.