Present day Societal Value of Labor Unions Essay Example for Free

Present day Societal Value of Labor Unions Essay A labor union is an organization of employees of the same profession, working for either one employer or many employers. It is formed by people with common skills, knowledge and skills pursuing the same dream, to be at the top of their carriers. Labor unions are normally funded by contributions from employee’s salaries. They are headed by officials who are elected by members after a given period of time. For labor unions to be effective they need to be run by people with the right management education, skills, knowledge and experience for them to deliver to their respective members. Labor union officials are accountable to its members and need to be responsible enough, for every action they take, has consequences on all the members. Labor unions are formed and run as per the constitution, according to the Labor act of any nation and the related articles. Labor unions have a societal value in the present day, because members expect some return that is either qualitative or quantitative. Although employers may be opposed to the idea of labor unions, the Government gives the right atmosphere for their formation and existence. Labor unions that are not beneficial to the members do not last long, because they are democratic institutions and members have a right to quit and join new unions. (Albert, 2001 p. 20-31) Organized institutions: Labor unions provide a forum for dealing with multiple issues at once and as group. Actions taken by labor unions are across the board; they relate to all the employees and their respective employers. Issues tackled do not relate to individuals but to the whole group of members. Members of the same profession get to meet and reason together, in order to better their living standards and their economic well being. Solutions to issues facing the employees are to the advantage of all the member. Labor unions need to be registered as per the required regulations, prescribed under the Labor union’s Act of any Country. They are therefore recognized and protected by law. They are therefore expected to deliver as per the necessary standards, without bias to either the employees or the employers. Issues presented by individual members are discussed by the officials and if need be, they are communicated to the rest of the members, in order to understand who the union is acting for, at any particular time. Protection of Employee’s rights: Labor unions are formed on the principle, â€Å"united we stand, divided we fall†. Any skilled, semiskilled and unskilled employee has rights and privileges at his place of work, which the employer may not be willing and ready to fulfill. It’s the duty of the labor union to negotiate for its members, with the employers for their rights to be realized. Single employees may not have a better understanding of their rights and may be oppressed by the employer. In groups/labor unions they will have the power to speak as one and demand the employer’s attention. (Becky 2002 p. 11-32) Some employee’s rights include; Better working, conditions and environment; This mostly applies to semiskilled and unskilled workers who are found at industrial plants. Most employers may find it expensive to provide them with the right working gear and devices like, gloves, masks and gum boots. Such employees will therefore be risking their lives at the expense of their incomes and need someone to come in between. Such employees may not be housed at the plant and will be expected to report to work early in the morning. The labor union will come in and negotiate for their transport system; whereby they are either picked by bus early in the morning or they are given an adequate transport allowance to enable them be punctual at work. The single employees who demand better working conditions and environment may risk their jobs because the management may consider them to be unruly. Some manufacturing companies, like tobacco industries, pollute the environment which the employees are working in. they may therefore be exposed to contracting diseases, hence poor health. It is the duty of the labor unions to negotiate healthy environment to ensure that employees utilize their skills well and advance in their carriers. A well balanced remuneration package; Employees need a salary package relatively proportional to their contribution towards the company’s profitability. Some employers may want to retain a lot of their earnings and therefore deny their laborers/employees good compensation. For a worker to be productive his or her financial and economic needs should be well catered for, by the employer. A stressed up employee may not utilize his education and knowledge adequately to develop his carrier. Some employers may want to pay their employees less than the other professionals with the same education, knowledge and skills. This is psychologically unfair and the labor union steps in to ensure a uniform salary package across the board for people with the same skills and knowledge. If the employer does not obey, the labor union can sue on behalf of the employee with costs being met by the employer, as per the relevant regulation and case ruling. Employee Motivation; For employees to perform better, they need their spirits lifted through a well organized motivation system. These lack in some organizations and it is the duty of labor unions to negotiate for the members items like, overtime payments, study leaves and bonus payments. It is through such motivation systems that employees can utilize their skills, education and knowledge in order to have some carrier growth and development. Labor unions therefore assist their members in meeting their short-term goals and keep them focused at their long-term goals. Better working conditions at the present make it possible for employees to realize ambitions and dreams. (Norman 2000 p. 4-54) Retirement benefits; Labor unions ensure that every employer has retirement arrangements in place for its employees. Employees should not retire with any funds to survive on because this may depress them at their old age. Retirement age is therefore maintained across all companies and those who their contracts are terminated in advance are given some golden handshake to survive on. Labor unions also deal with cases where contracts are terminated before maturity and those affected are restored and any damages are catered for by the employer. The labor unions therefore ensure that the society’s dependency ratio is not increased due to early terminations or people retiring with out finances. Professional Networking: Through labor unions professionals get to meet and share ideas relating to their carrier field. People with the same knowledge, skills, education and experience get to network and assist one another emotionally and this boosts their morale. Meetings organized by labor unions for its members provide a forum for discussions to be held among members. Motivational speakers are also invited to give speech which inspires the members. Carrier growth and development: Labor unions ensure that members are constantly being updated on the latest skills and knowledge during union meetings. Discussions held also advance the awareness of their professional field details. Members also get to know the requirements for their movement up the carrier ladder. Study leaves negotiated for by the labor unions provide carrier development. Some employers may want to maintain employees as casual, which is not as per the law; labor unions therefore come to negotiate for their permanent employment. This enables both carrier growth and development. Go slows: When employers do not want to give in to requests by the employees, laborers may present this to their unions and they may result in mass action. Demonstrations/go slows organized by labor unions are recognized by the laws and no one of the employees is victimized. workers’ plights are therefore considered by their employers and their demands are negotiated for by both the employer and the union officials. Creation of jobs: Labor unions are run by officials, elected by the members based on their education, knowledge and experience, to manage the union. These officials are well remunerated, from the contributions by the members. They therefore earn a living out their efforts to manage the unions. In the society, dependency ratio is therefore reduced while idleness by the unemployed and crime levels go down. These officials are replaced from time to time and the jobs are given to new people. Mediator between the government and the employees: Labor unions negotiate with the Government for labor standards to be maintained for the sake of the employees. The government is therefore kept on check by the union to ensure that there are statutory regulations on the, minimum wage, working conditions/environment and unfair dismissals. Labor unions also provide some level of awareness to the professionals in terms of, what they should expect from the employer and what their level of productivity to their employers should be, in order to experience carrier growth and development. (Timothy, Roni, 2003 p. 23-34) References: Albert S. (2001). Labor unions. New York. Cristol Publishers. Becky T. (2002). Societal Value of Labor Unions. New Jersey. Western Press. Norman C. (2000). Enforcement of Labor unions. Los Angelus. Southern Publishers. Timothy S, Roni B. (2003). Labor Unions in united States. Boston. Cribal Publishers.

The ICT Project Essay Example for Free

The ICT Project Essay Introduction: I have been given a task to find out a real end user for my project who is currently having problems with paper. I am brainstorming different types of techniques to improve the efficiency and quality of the paper based problem. I have found an end user for my project; it is one of my teachers in Sir John Cass, Mr Shah who is a key skills ICT teacher. His currently having a paper problem he needs to input details of individual student of their term report, his currently using a pen and a paper to input all the details such as the whole terms attendance, predicted grades etc. The type of software I will be using is Spreadsheet because it is one of the criteria in my project. Spreadsheet is an application used to input data into table graphs. This application will require basic computer (including input devices) and the spreadsheet application with a connected computer per unit. The way in which the spreadsheet will be constructed is a big factor when deciding its effectiveness and speed of input for example I do not want to overcomplicate the system. I will be using well known software called Microsoft Excel, which is ideal for the creation of tables and graphs as stated earlier. I in this case will be easy to use interface. Although the end user is not adept to the use of ICT I will be creating the system for a user with no ICT skills as this in a sense will speed up the input process further. Why not continue the old methods of registry and late entries: 1. All the work is written down so there are human errors such as spelling and when something like this is to happen you have to start over because on a formal piece of information there cannot be mistakes this can be time consuming. 2. Accuracy will be greatly increased with the user friendly interface which in addition to accuracy increases efficiency. 3. You may not able to make immediate electronic copies of information tables. 4. The special features available with Excel (spreadsheet) are no longer an option such as, immediate calculation, from entry, graphs and charts, etc. 5. Most of the surnames and first names are the same it can be difficult to find phone details, however with this system you can have this information automatically loaded with the name entry. Current System Mr Shah teaches year 7 to year 11 students for Key Skills ICT, the problems his currently facing is filling in individuals students records such as their term report, attendance record, working grade, everything on paper as it is a bit time consuming to find all the records of each students when filling in their report. Mr Shah is a very busy man as he is also the head of year of ICT key skills. The current system involves Mr Shah marking grades by using a pen and filling in term reports by manually and keeping records of individual students which involves writing everything on paper. Therefore I have stepped in to help him with his problems. I will be mainly focusing on year 11 as it is important for them because their about to face their exams. Problems with Current System: By reviewing Mr Shahs problem I have found out what the current common mistakes happened to be, they are: * The current system is inaccurate and most of the time he makes mistakes. For example, when she is working out percentage and grades for each student, she often makes calculation errors. * It is very time consuming, especially the calculation of percentages attained in marked worked and grades obtained overall. * As the names of students are not in order he finds it difficult to find the student to record a mark. * The report could easily get lost. * Also writing in individual names several times, which is time consuming. Interviewed Questions What is your position at this school? What type of system do you use for your mark tracks? What method do you use to mark your student work? What problems are you facing with your current system? How would you want your current system to be improved? What do you think is the major failings in your current system? Have you ever used a computer for tracking marks? Can you give me any samples of your current system? Is there a CD ROM drive in your computer? Do you have a printer? How certain are you when using computers? How certain are you when using Excel? What features and functions are you aware of in Excel? Do you keep all your records? Do you have any additional questions? End User Requirement Statement of user requirements Mr Shah feels a computerized system will solve some of her current problems as she thinks she has some knowledge about Excel. She feels I will be able to create an effective, fast, and easy to use automated system to calculate her students marks for her, which will enable her to solve her problem. They are the following things she expects to get from a computerized system. Input * She wants the new system to enable her to make management decisions that she uses to support student, which need help, whether parents need contacting, whether other action is required e.g. Detention. * The system should automatically calculate the percentage and grades of each student. This system will therefore make her work more accurate and easy to use. * Mr Shah wants the new system to be able to enter student personal details, e.g. DOB, tutor group, surname, etc. * She wants the new system to be able to edit student personal details. Also she wants the system to able to delete student personal details if a student moves form her teaching group. Output * Mr Shah the new system to use colour coding when displaying grades of each student, e.g. Green for A*, Blue for A etc. * Mr Shah would like a report facility where she can select a student from a list and the report will show the students name, gender, from group, overall percentages mark, grade obtained and an automatic comment on progress. * The system should be able to produce chart, which will analysis student overall performance and also compare girls and boys performance. Processing * The system will put the names of student in alphabetical order. * Mr Shah wants the new system to automatically convert numerical marks to percentages. Storage * Mr Shah wants the new system to be able to store 30 students personal detail and also store results for up to 70 tests. * Finally, the new system should not be used by anyone else except Mr Shah, I will make sure the system is safe and I will make sure it has a security code. Backup protocols are a necessity in the event that the master copy is lost or destroyed. Backup up will be provided by an external hard drive, and the system will be backed up periodically, i.e. every week, or in special circumstances, for example, there is a significant in take of data into the system. Furthermore, the backup copy will be stored of site, so that if theres a natural disaster affecting the main site, the backup copy will remain. Plus, this method of backup can be described as differential backup, which practices a cumulative backup of changes from the last full backup , allowing a full system restore based upon the last full backup. Due to the non existent computer skills of the employees, an introduction into the use of computers is necessary. To accompany the basic skills they will acquire, I will need to develop a user manual which will provide detailed instructions in performing various tasks in the system as well as maintaining it, which is vital to its integrity and reliability. However, Victor has advised me to provide a manual of minimal size and contents in order to avoid confusion and enable the employees to read it swiftly, so they can get on with the job as soon as possible. Source Documents The source document that I have provided is a copy of marks book that Mr Shah uses to record her student marks. As you can see there is a lot of data to be inputted by hand. This is one of the problems that Mr Shah has. The calculations of total mark and overall have to make using calculator, which is time consuming. Objectives of the new system * The new system will perform the following tasks: * It should be able to identify students with poor performance by using a visual alert. * Ability to edit incorrect mark, so whenever Ms Gammon make an accidental mistake, she will have the ability to correct it. * The system should be able to produce average performance percentage of each student for her class. * It should have the ability to Edit and Delete students details if required, thorough the use of data forms. * Easy and clear to use. * It should automatically calculate percentages and grades from the inputted a student marks and maximum mark available for each test. * Cell, formulae protected to prevent accidental deletion. * It should automatically work out a students grade, based on overall percentage for all tests taken. * It should be able to generate an automated report for students showing student performance. * Password (security) on file access. * It should automatically colour code student grades. User Skill Level Mr Shah has used Microsoft Excel but does not use it to calculate percentage, and grades of her marks. She is an average user, which means she does not understand most of the advanced features. Such as Vlookup, IF Statement, Macros, etc. Project Constraints Mr Shah uses school standard PC that I will be using to calculate percentages and grades for the new system. It has a four processor, which has 512 MB of RAM and 30 GB hard disk. It has Microsoft software including the excel 2000. Mr Shah Pc has CD Rom, USB and floppy drive, which are also connected to school network. This will make my work to be easy when loading the new system onto her computer because I can store it on the CD or floppy disk and transfer the system. Ms Gammon has printer in her office, which will be used to print out reports of student performance Performance Criteria These are the performance criteria that are going to be used in the new system that Mr Shah asked for: * MR Shah will be able to correct mistakes that she might make during marking; this will make the system to be more neatly presented and pleasant. * It should be able to add and delete students if required. * The system will generate automated reports of each student by click of a button showing their performance that can be sent to parent. * It will be easy and clear to use. * The new system will produce an average performance percentage for each student. And also it will automatically convert numerical marks to percentages. * It should have protection to prevent accidental deletion of important formulae, numbers, table, chart and text. All the sheet and cells in the system must be protected with security to prevent these. * Graph and charts should be generated quickly and easily to compare boys and girls performance, All student and by form. * The new system will not take more than 4seconds to view performance and grades for each student. * The system will generate automated colour coding when displaying grades of each student. * The system will store 40 student personal details, and also store results for up to 50 tests. * Mr Shah will be able to select student from a list and the report will show the students name, gender, overall percentage mark, grade obtained and an automatic comment on progress. Design Choice of Software I think that Microsoft Excel is the best option of software because it has got many features such as: * It has advanced functionality such as pivot table, sort, forms, Vlookup, average, and write protection. This will make things more automated for the user. * Pivot: this will hold table for charts. This will not need to be seen by the user. When they select the chart that they require on the student summary sheet, the pivot table on the sheet will change to represent that choice. It will also used to summaries archive data for use in charts showing: 1. By gender 2. Form * Data entry form will be able to edit and delete student records. * Conditional formatting will allow automatic shading of cells to give visual message for highlighting grade attained and also table displaying student grades. * Macros can be used to perform complex tasks at the press of a single button. * It can perform complex calculation such as working out the grade for each student. * User Forms for controlling actions with macros using buttons. * Chart /Graph: can be used to display output of information such as averages, predicted grades etc. * The user wants the system to be as error-free as possible. Excels Validation facility will allow me to set up range validation to control data input when entering student personal details, overall mark etc. * Protections of cell so that user cannot accidentally delete information. Statement of Input, Processing Output requirement The input would be: Personal Details: First name Surname Gender Date of Birth Form Roll number Student marks: Assignment marks Maximum /minimum mark Grade Boundaries The Processing would be: Calculating the grades through a Vlookup to the grade boundaries table. Sorting, grouping and summarizing data with a pivot table. Calculate the average of total marks Using Vlookup work out a grade for the average. The output would be: Pivot Chart/Graph showing comparisons between gender, form-by-form and overall year group achievement. Give students their grades using report card. Table displaying student grades. Creating report for using student with performance. School letter, which would be sent out to parent using conditional formatting to highlighting grade attained. Data Set Because of Data Production Act, I cannot be able to use the real detail of Mr Shah Students. For that reason, I will create my own data set of example student details, which I will work with.

An Islamic Perspective On Human Resource Management Religion Essay

An Islamic Perspective On Human Resource Management Religion Essay Human behavior is a direct function of perspectives. How an individual human subject would behave and react under certain specific circumstances would depend entirely on the outlook that his psyche wants him to view certain situation or event as. And herein life the distinct contrasts between the two most widely talked about perspectives- The Western Thought and The Islamic View. Relating the same fundamentals to a business viewpoint, organizations manipulate themselves as per the legal, political and social values of the particular country where they exist. The values and culture of countries which are western and those which are Islamic differ. As a result the operations and human resources of business entities are handled as the environmental fabric of that country suggests. Some authors have emphasized the universality and similarities between organizations (e.g. Cole, 1973; Form, 1979; Hickson et al., 1974; Kerr et al., 1952; Negandhi, 1979; 1985), and some others the uniqueness of organizations given their cultural contexts (e.g. Hofstede, 1980; Laurent, 1983; Lincoln et al., 1981; Meyer and Rowan, 1977). Hofstede (1993) argued that a societys values are among the most influential cultural differences. He studied national culture in sixty countries and identified five major dimensions that accounted for the sharpest differences among employees. These ma y be called individual-difference factors. * Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, AMU, Aligarh. ** Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, AMU, Aligarh. *** Research Scholar, Department of Business Administration, AMU, Aligarh. However, as Tayeb (1988) argues, the two sides of the debate are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they complement one another. That is, certain aspects of organizations are more likely to be universal, such as shopfloor layout, hierarchical structure, division of functions, organizational process, information management; and some areas are more culture-specific, such as human resource management (HRM). HRM is a significant aspect of organizations which is most likely to be subject to cultural influences. Human resource management practices reflect the Islamic values in the countries where Islam plays a dominant role. This paper deals with different aspects of Islam which teach the management of the most significant resources of any organization- Human Resources. Two key issues which will be addressed are: human resource management and the teachings of Islam highlighting the manners in which human resources should be dealt with. ÙÂ ¡ HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The origin of HRM in modern organizations is a largely Western phenomenon that can be raced to the personnel management function (Burack and Smith,1977). The gradual parting of ways of personnel management and HRM culminated in a total separation when HRM, as a distinctive discipline, was introduced to their MBA curriculum by the Harvard group (Beer et al., 1984) and Michigan/Columbia group (Fombrun et al., 1984) in the USA in the early 1980s. Experience has shown that human resources are the most valuable asset of any business. It is more valuable than capital or equipment. Unfortunately, it is also the most wasted. People can be your biggest asset or your biggest liability (Khera, 1999). The scope for HRM varies across organizations. Walton and Lawrence (1985), for instance, identified four major areas of HRM policy: reward systems, including compensation and benefits; employee influence mechanisms such as participation; job design and work organization; and employee selection and development. Generally the components of manpower planning are: recruitment, selection, training, and performance appraisal. The purpose of having a manpower plan is to have an accurate estimate of the number of employees required, with matching skill requirements to accomplish organization goals. Recruitment is the process of locating and promoting potential applicants to apply for existing or an anticipated job openings (Sherman et.al., 1996) . It could be through advertisement, employment exchange agencies or private employment agencies and present employees. The component selection can be defined as the process of offering jobs to one or more applicants from the applications. Great attention has to be paid to selection because it means establishing best fit between job requirements on the one hand, and the candidates qualification on the other (Monappa and Saiyadain, 1989). Different kinds of selection tests are achievement tests, aptitude tests, interest tests, personality tests and intelligence tests. After recruitment and selection, training provided to the employee focuses on improving skills, or to add to the existing level of knowledge so that the employee is better equipped to do his present job, or to prepare him for higher responsibilities. In order to identify employee for salary increase and promotion, to determine training needs for further refinement of the skills of employee and to motivate them by inform ing them about their performance levels, performance appraisal technique is used. Appraisals are judgements of the characteristics, traits and performance of others. Techniques for performance appraisal includes confidential report, rating scales, ranking system, paired- comparison method, force- choice method, critical incident method, cost accounting method and forced distribution method (Monappa and Saiyadain, 1989). HRM policies are generally decided by the companies senior managers, with or without consultation with their employees. But they are often adopted and implemented with some reference from the national context within which the organizations operate (Tayeb, 1996). These include: national culture, political ideology of the government, the economic conditions, trade unions, and the legal system. In countries where the government and political environment is honest, generally one finds that the people are honest, law abiding and helpful. And the reverse is true too. In a corrupt environment, an honest person has a tough time. Whereas in an honest environment, the corrupt one has a tough time (Khera, 1999). Similarly, religions in many countries, with either secular or religious constitutions, have a certain degree of influence on the cultural characteristics of their people and their institutions. This influence is far more extensive and inclusive in the countries that follow a model base d on religious ideals, as illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 1:Contextual Influence on HRM Source: Adapted from Tayeb (1997) LITERATURE REVIEW Naeur Jabnoun (1994), in his book Islam and Management says that the Islamic evolution has made tremendous and highly essential contributions in many areas of human life. In regards to management and leadership, he presented several traits, as to how Muslim leaders should behave to deserve good followers. Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. (1998) developed and wrote modules for training in leadership skills from Islamic perspective since he was motivated by the fact that leadership is an essential aspect for management. Islamic Management for Excellence: Revitalizing People for the Future, a book written by Al- Habshi et al. (1994), explains the significance of a stable family institution. Khaliq Ahmad (2002) explains the importance of Islamic ethics in business and management in his book Ethics in Business and Management: Islamic and Mainstream Approaches. Muhammad Zafrullah Khan (1999) talks about human rights in the light of Islam in his book Islam and Human Rights. Chodhury (1989) presented Islam as a comprehensive way of life for its adherents. The spiritual and ethical reconstruction of individuals, societies and the world order are given in a socio- economic framework. Metwally (1997) highlights the desire of many Muslim countries to turn to Islamic laws and teachings in modelling their way of life, including their economic behavior in Economic consequences of applying Islamic principles in Muslim Societies. This paper attempts to investigate the consequences of applying Islamic principles in Muslim societies. In Islamic Revival in Asia and Human Resource Management, Tayeb (1997) clearly describes the ethics and values to be followed at the workplace and how different Islamic countries are managing their employees. The purpose of the conceptual paper, Corporate Governance in Islamic Perspective by Chodhury and Hoque (2006) was to develop a discussion expounding the Islamic perspective of corporate governance as a special case of a broader de cision-making theory that uses the premise of Islamic socio-scientific epistemology. The end results of the conceptual framework of this paper on corporate governance are contrasted with the approach to corporate governance in mainstream literature. Ali and Owaihan (2008) presented a coherent but critical treatment of Islamic work ethic in their article Islamic work ethic: a critical review. They found Islamic work ethic has economicas well as moral and social dimensions. In Problem solving: an Islamic management approach, Fontaine (2008) presented a problem- solving model that incorporates Islamic values and concerns. He found out that the focus in the international business literature has been on the Quran alone and not on the verses of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). METHODOLOGY This paper deals with the Islamic Perspective of Human Resource Management. Islam helps in teaching the various manners in which we can manage our most valuable assets effectively. This way a Muslim manager can not only deal ethically but can also please God (Allah). This paper is based on secondary data which has been collected from books, journals, newspapers, and internet. A conceptual framework has been developed describing the aspects of modern day HRM and HRM from Islamic perspective. The framework is presented in five broad categories- The message of Islam, Islam in different nations, Islam and Work, Islam and Managerial Dimensions, and Islam and HRM Practices. THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM Islam is an Arabic word, derived from the root which means both peace and submission. It thus connotes the attainment of peace, here and Hereafter, through submission to Allah, or, in other words, through conformity to His Will. A person who thus submits is a Muslim. In the Quran (the scripture of Islam), the appellation Muslim is applied to all the righteousness. For Muslims, Islam is not a man-made institution; the Quran contains the words of God, revealed syllable by syllable to Mohammed some 1,400 years ago. The deeds of its adherents are therefore inseparable from divine commandments. Islam is generally viewed by some non-Muslims as being a fatalist religion. But the Quran specifically asserts that humans are able to choose and to intervene in their destiny, and that they are held responsible for the consequences of their deeds. However, they are not left alone to run their life. God has equipped them with the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Mohammed, which in Islamic view is one of the most important sources of guidance that humans can use to steer their actions and beliefs (Tayeb, 1997). Social Values All values affecting man are based on the common concept that every human being is capable of achieving highest stage of moral and spiritual development and that his personality must be respected. The Quran takes note of diversities of race, color, language, wealth, etc., which serve their own useful purpose in the social scheme, and describe them as Signs of God for those who hear and possess knowledge (30:23). But none of these confers any privilege or imposes any disability. The Quran says God has divided mankind into tribes and nations for greater facility of intercourse. Neither membership of a tribe nor citizenship of a state confers any privilege, nor are they sources of honor. The true source of honor in the sight of God is the righteous life (49:14). The prophet said: The best among you is who treats the members of his family best. With regard to servants, the Prophet said: They are your brothers, and you should treat them as such. Provide them with the kind of clothes you w ear, and if you set them a hard task, join them in it to help them complete it. The wages of the laborer must be paid to him before the sweat dries upon his body (Ibn Maja). Younger people are admonished to show due respect and consideration to older people, and older people are exhorted to treat younger people with kindness. The Prophet said: He who does not behave kindly towards younger people and does not show due respect of Allah and His blessings. The Quran directs that one should greet his fellow beings with a better greeting than one receives oneself, or atleast return the same (4:87). Perhaps the most comprehensive dimensions within the domain of social values is: Help one another in the righteousness and virtue; but help not one another in sin and transgression (5:3). When the Prophet said on one occasion, Go to the help of your brother whether oppressor or oppressed, he was asked We know what is meant by going to the help of brother who is oppressed, but how shall we help a brother who is oppressor? The Prophet replied: By restraining them from oppressing others (Bukhari II). Economic Values In the economic sphere the basic concept of Islam is the basic ownership of everything belongs to God Alone (2:108, 3:190). Man is Gods vicegerent on earth. The objective of the Islamic economic system is to secure widest and most beneficent distribution of wealth through institutions set up by it and through moral exhortation. Wealth must remain in constant circulation among all sections of the community and should not become the monopoly of the rich (59:8). Islam recognizes the diversity of capacities and talents, which is in itself beneficent, and consequently the diversity in earnings and material rewards (4:33). It does not approve of a dead- level equality in the distribution of wealth, as that would defeat the very purpose of diversity, and would amount to denying the favor of Allah (16:72). It is obvious that if the incentive of the proportionate reward for labor, effort, skill and talent were to be removed, not only would initiative and enterprise be adversely affected, but intellectual progress would also be arrested. That is why the doctrine of equal reward irrespective of the diversity of skill, capacities and talents that have gone into the production of wealth has never been maintained for long, even when it has been proclaimed as State policy, and has had to be modified through recourse to various devices designed to secure diversity in reward. On the other hand, Islam does not leave the principle of competition and proportionate rewards to work itself out mechanically; that too would lead to hardship and injustice and would retard the moral and spiritual development of individuals and of society as a whole (Khan, 1999). Another major provision is the prohibition against the making of loans on interest. The word used in this connection in Quran is riba, the connotation of which is not identical with that of the word interest as commonly understood; but for the present purpose interest may be used as a rough equivalent. Riba is prohibited because it tends to draw wealth into the hands of a small circle and to restrict the exercise of beneficence towards ones fellow beings (2:281). ISLAM IN DIFFERENT NATIONS In the Islamic republic of Iran, for instance, all social institutions mentioned above and many more, such as the educational establishments and their priorities, the media, the arts, the political structure, the army, and private and public sector organizations, are all required to conform to Islamic values and instructions (Tayeb, 1997). An important point to note is that although Muslim nations have a great deal in common, there are also differences among them. And these differences can be observed in economic and business as well as social aspects of life. Saudi Arabia, for instance, adheres strictly to the Sacred law {Sharia) in many spheres of life, while Turkey has turned to secular laws for the administration of its economic and social affairs. The position of women in society and socially acceptable codes of behavior for people in general, and in business life, are cases in point (Tayeb, 1997). In Malaysia, the government has been implementing an Islamization policy for some time now, according to which companies have to organize their activities and manage their employees in accordance with the Quranic teachings. The chief Minister of the State of Kelantan has taken this further {The Economist, 1996). In Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to drive their own cars. As far aswork is concerned, they are barred from public office. As a result, they have turned to business and professions for employment. But here too they work under certain constraints. According to The Economist (1995) most women whoare active in private businesses (as owners) are in the retail trade: in a shopping mall in Jeddah, eight out of 20 shops are owned and run by women and notices forbid men to enter the shops women run. Teaching is a profession open to women but it is difficult for them to apply for positions which are located outside their home towns. In this patriarchal society, women must have written permission from their husbands or fathers before they can travel. In Kazakhistan, now that the country is independent, its old, predominantly patriarchal culture, which lay dormant under the Soviet rule, is enjoying a revival, replacing the Russian Communist culture. As a result, the perception of the role of women in society and in the workplace is changing. In the short term at least it is unlikely that women will have the same opportunities as they had before (Pollard, 1994). Furthermore, the reviving Kazakh Islamic culture places a great emphasis on age and seniority and prescribes proper junior-senior relationships, stemming from its nomadic traditions (Rywkin, 1982). This could have repercussions for organizational issues such as hierarchy, authority structure, and promotion and compensation policies. Tayeb (1997) adds information regarding women in Iran who have to follow a strict Islamic dress code at work, and indeed elsewhere. Men and women remain separate in prayers, wedding ceremonies, public transport, etc. However, unlike Arab women in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, Iranian women are doing well in many spheres of public life. Some 95 per cent of young girls go to primary school. Older girls get less chance of getting higher education, but the gap is closing. Girls are doing well in technical schools, colleges and universities. Women can go into most jobs and professions, and, unlike their Saudi counterparts, they can drive their cars and vote. They can stand for parliament and there are many women members of parliament. Latifi (1997), who closely observed a sample of Iranian managers at work over a period of time, discovered traces of Islamic values in Iranian managers Human Resource Management style. She found that Iranian employees viewed their managers as sympathetic brothers and sisters or compassionate fathers and mothers. In addition, this family-like relationship also includes social and teacher roles for the managers. They were frequently involved in the private lives and family matters of subordinates to make them feel they are family. A survey of nine organizations was conducted in Malaysia by Endot (1995). The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahatir, initiated and implemented an Islamization processes in the country which aimed at infusing Islamic values throughout the society at all levels, from individual to institution. In pursuance of Islamic teachings one company offers its workers interest free loans for vehicle or house purchase, or for arrangements of wedding ceremony. Another company organizes Islamic study circles for managers where they can participate and get together once a week to discuss different aspects of teachings of Islam and socio- political issues with an intention to develop their Islamic personality. It also helps in creating cohesiveness of relationships and unity of thoughts on the issue discussed. One organization sends its employees on short courses in Islamic teachings with the main objective to make them understand Islam and its values. The process of selection for new recruits and their training are also influenced by the Islamization process. One organization recruits individuals who have graduated in Islamic studies. They are then exposed to techniques for modern management. Another recruits business-related graduates and then trains them on the Islamic aspects of their work. In all the firms in Endots study, the management made their subordinates understand and believe that they were accountable for their work not only to the organization, but to God (Allah), and that Islam consider their work as a form of worship of Allah. ISLAM AND WORK Islam is more a way of life than a mere religion. In a nutshell, it teaches how a believer has to oblige to the commitment to his faith. In the context of Islam and Work, it sheds light on the obligations of the worker towards his work in particular and his employer or employee in general. The more committed to his religion, the more committed he has to be to his work. Hence, as per the teachings of Islam- by working more dedicatedly as per the agreed terms of his employment, the employee justifies his earning and livelihood and at the same time stands out as a role model for the believers and non- believers alike. Sherif (1975) identified nobility, patience, self-discipline, good appearance, abstinence, resolve, sincerity, truthfulness, servitude and trust as major Islamic values. These could clearly have an impact on both management and productivity of employees. Islamic Values Related to Work Latifi (1997) identified the following work-related characteristics: Equality before God; Individual responsibility within a framework of co-operation with others; Employees respect and honor should be prominent; Principle of Equity to be followed; Fatalism but also a recognition of personal choice; Consultation at all levels of decision making In order to plan Human Resources on the lines of Islamic Culture, the manipulations which are common in the modern business world must be avoided. The will of Allah and messages of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) are to be followed by the managers if they want to be successful in both the worlds- Here and Hereafter. Below are the few areas discussed from Islamic perspective which are to be taken care of for an effective Human Resource Management. Characteristics of Good Managers from Islamic Perspective In the modern world, business managers major aim is to earn profits. Sometimes they forget to follow the correct path and move on the most traveled path, because they believe materialistic accumulation is all they are living for. If they try to come out of this misconception, they will see the world from a different perspective. They will realize that this material which they aim to earn is only a temporary asset. But what will remain forever is their good deeds and behavior with people with whom they are associated. The ethical path consisting of the message of Allah and Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) will give them internal peace and help them pleasing God- which is the ultimate aim of any Muslim. Motivated leaders clarify goals, set objectives, consult and respect followers, deal with followers kindly, humanely and with fairness. Spiritually people are classified as those who have: Nafs Ammarah, Nafs Lawwamah, Nafs Mutmainnah. Nafs Ammarah are those who possess negative motivation due to worries, lack of self- confidence, never respect others right and are not able to make followers feel secure. Nafs Lawwamah are the motivating ones who believe work is challenging, meaningful and provides directions for advancement, learning and personal growth. Nafs Mutmainnah provides a high level of the sense of responsibility towards Allah and contentment since there is a feeling of being away from fear and anxiety; and gives job satisfaction (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006). In one of the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), a person is encouraged to develop good characteristics and behaviors (Bukhari). It implies a manager should have a balanced personality where he is strong but not violent, lenient but not weak, and generous but not extravagant (Ahmad, 2006). According to another Hadith, kindness is a strength and, therefore, managers are expected to be kind enough to others whether they are your employees, customers, or suppliers (Muslim). Islam emphasizes on relationships among people which should advocate equal rights for all, and urges leaders to seek advice or information from their followers in the carrying out their affairs. If this is translated into behavior at workplace then this should mean a consultative decision-making process, and a fairly diffused power structure. Self-discipline, trustfulness, honesty, respect, resolve, and loyalty should encourage managers to trust their subordinates judgement and integrity, which could result in a participative management. Co-operation, perseverance, and family-like relationships among people, should encourage teamwork and mutual support, and enhance productivity within an organization (Tayeb, 1997). Manager should be trustworthy since trust is a moral responsibility for everyone in the performance of their duties and their social, political and economic lives (Hanafy and Sallam, 2006). The Quran says Allah doth commend you to render back your trust to those to whom they are due and when ye judge between man and man. That ye judge with justice. (4:58) In one of the Hadith, the Prophet (s.a.w.) mentioned the importance of trust in this public administration as: Any ruler who has been entrusted with the affairs of a group of Muslims and who dies as a dishonest ruler, to him paradise is forbidden by Allah. To treat people equally is a prerequisite of fairness and justice, an ethical code that modern corporations are trying to achieve. Islam has emphasized justice among human beings (Hanafy and Sallam, 2006). Averse in the Quran says, Allah commands justice, the doing of good and liberality to kith and kin. He forbids all shameful deeds, injustice and rebellion; he instructs you, that ye may receive administration. (16:90) Another verse from Quran says, To those who believe and to deeds of righteousness hath Allah promised forgiveness and a great reward. A manager should judge employees in an unbiased manner, because employees expect justice from their employer. ISLAM AND MANAGERIAL DIMENSIONS Corporate Culture Culture is the particular way of life in a specific society (Foster, 1965). With respect to corporate, Pettigrew (1979) explained culture as a system of publicity and collectively accepted meanings operating for a given group at a given time. This system of terms, forms, categories, and images interprets peoples own situation to themselves. The idea of collectively accepted meanings is prominent which suggests that the culture is related to those things that can be shared. Louis (1983) also came up with the idea of common understanding. She believed organizations are culture-bearing milieux, that is, they are distinctive social units possessed of a set of common understanding for organizing action. The Islamic Culture is derived from Islamic worldview that does not necessarily reflect contemporary Muslims societies. Ideal Islamic culture neither subscribes high power distance nor low (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006). Islam teaches to respect and care others at workplace irrespective of the power or position one holds. Prophet (s.a.w) says, someone who fails to be affectionate to young, respect elderly and accords high honor to scholars, dont belong to me (being a Muslim). Therefore any power distance and authoritys respect is due to the benevolence in mutual relationship. Islamic culture promotes the feeling of social belongingness where a respect for individuals right is guaranteed. For the cultivation of an Islamic corporate culture, Islam has provided a number of values to be applied in organizations such as sincerity, conscientiousness and good knowledge to be applied in all endeavors, justice, truthfulness, patience, prohibition of loving world and wealth, and avoidance of pride. The modern ways to compete in fast growing environment and Islamic culture to succeed in accordance to the teachings of Quran are most of the times contrast to each other as depicted in Figure 2. Figure 2: Distinction between Modern Culture and Islamic Culture Modern Culture Islamic Culture Pure individualism Collectivism Pure materialism Aesthetical Value Supports Favoritism Favoritism is unethical Social belongingness missing Social belongingness guaranteed Competition with personal differences Healthy competition without envy and jealousy Training for deserved ones Training and knowledge for all Power Concentration Power Distribution Respect those who are in power Respect irrespective of power and position Planning Planning to reach the final aim should be done in such a way that it goes parallel to Allahs will. If one has to follow the Islamic perspective to plan and compete then the intention should be to strive and achieve in the cause of Allah. While competing one should remember the teachings of Quran and Prophet (s.a.w.). If the intention is dishonorable such as envy, jealousy, mutual rivalry, etc., then it does not follow the Islamic view (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006) Leading Robbins (2001) defines leadership as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals. Great leaders possess distinct qualities of confidence, iron-will, determination and strong decision power. (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006) informs that in Islam, leadership is trust. It is psychological contract between a leader and his followers that he will try his best to guide them, to protect them and to treat them fairly and with justice. The focus of leadership in Islam is on doing good. According to Islam, the two major roles of a leader are those of servant- leader and guardian- leader. A leader is the servant of his followers (Saiyyad Al- Qawn Khadimuhum). He is to seek their welfare and guide them towards good. On the other hand as the guardian- leader, the Muslim leader should protect his community against tyranny and oppression, encourage God- consciousness and promotes justice. Leadership in Islam is rooted in belief and willing submission to the Creator, Allah. It aims at serving Allah. To serve God, a Muslim leader is to act in accordance with the order of God and His Prophet (s.a.w.), and must develop a strong Islamic character. Kazmi and Ahmad (2006) highlight the four moral bases of Islamic Leadership- Islam Iman (faith in God), Taqwa (inner consciousness) and Ihsan (love of God). Islam means achievement of peace, with oneself and with the creation of God, through willing submission to Him. Iman implies in the Oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w.). A leader with strong Iman will consider himself and all his possessions as belongings to God. He will bow his ego, his ideas, his passions and his thinking to God. A leader with firm Iman will not dodge responsibility for his actions, and will continuously emphasize good deeds. Taqwa is the all- encompassing, inner- consciousness of duty towards God and awareness of ones a

Politics :: essays research papers

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Arafat and the PLOà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? "We must remember that the main enemy of the Palestinian people, now and forever, is Israel. This is a truth that must never leave our minds." --- Palestinian Authority Justice Minister Freih Abu Middein, speaking at Al Azhar University in Gaza. (Al-Nahar, 11 April 1995; The Jerusalem Post, 17 April 1995) As expressed in the above quote, the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 sparked much resentment from nearby Arab states, which immediately waged war against the new nation. Consequently, a severe refugee problem was created among the Palestinians that had been living in and near the territories that were taken over by Israel. An estimated 726,000 Palestinians were displaced; some were forced to other Arab states in the Middle East, while others were confined to refugee camps in Israel. In the mid-1950s, Arafat and several Palestinian Arab associates formed a movement known as Fatah, dedicated to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“reclaiming Palestine for the Palestinians.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? It quickly became the largest and most popular Palestinian organization mostly due to the fact that it did not define a distinct ideology, and kept a rather vague and unspecified platform in order to avoid too close an identification with any one particular Arab country. Fatah and other splinter sects eventually operated under an umbrella organization, the Palestine Liberation Organization, formed in 1964. Arafat, as a member of the Husseini family, had a niche of credibility, an advantage that allowed him to quickly generate a loyal following (Bickerton 147). Running Fatah became Arafat's full-time occupation, and by 1965, the organization was launching guerrilla raids and terrorist attacks into Israel. The PLOà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tumultuous Beginning As Israel emerged victorious in the Six-Day War of 1967, and captured the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict took on a heightened tension. Following th e war, Arafat moved the headquarters of the PLO to Jordan. Terrorist activity was conducted by fundamentalist splinter groups within the PLO, such as the Liberation for Palestine (PFLP), the Palestine Popular Struggle Front, and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), in an attempt to draw attention to the Palestinian cause. In 1968, Arafat and the Fatah got international publicity when they inflicted a significant defeat on Israeli troops who entered Jordan. These PLO's activities increasingly troubled Jordan's King Hussein because it prevented him from considering any negotiated settlement with Israel.

The Stamp Act :: essays research papers

The Stamp Act of 1765 was a tax put on the British American colonies, sponsered by George Grenville and was the first direct tax placed on them. Parliament needed means to help fund expensive costs of keeping troops inside the colonies, so they imposed a tax on all of the colonies everyday printed materials, such as pamphlets and newspapers, and all legal and commercial documents, which all needed to have a certain special stamp placed on it. Many agents of the American colonies that resided in London had suggested other methods to obtain the needed money but where ignored and the Americans where taxed. There were many Americans who did not elect members of Parliament and they greatly opposed the Stamp Act, for two reasons, because they didn't have enough money to pay for them and also it went against their new principle that said, " No taxation without representation." This new tax made many Americans very angered and their actions that came from this started the way towards the American Revolution. There was many forms of resistance, including the king and Parliament receiving many petitions, Americans boycotting the British goods, and printers and lawyers refusing to use the stamps for stamping documents. Another major point is that violence sparked up from the Sons of Liberty, and in New York rioters got so violent that the destroyed a British officer's house because he had said that he "would cram the stamps down America throats at the point of his sword." The Stamp Act Congress was the first conference that held multiple people from several colonies, and was formed of delegates from nine of the thirteen original colonies, which were Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Ilsand, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Deleware, Maryland, and South Carolina. They met in New York over the dates of October 7th to the date of October 25th, and they created a

Agriculture & Industry

Industry, in general, is taken to be categorized into three types, which are the agricultural industry, the commercial industry, and the manufacturing industry. The highlight of this paper focuses on the first of the three, which is the agricultural industry.More specifically, the impact of shifts and price elasticity of supply and demand, positive and negative externalities, wage inequality, and monetary and fiscal policies are investigated in order to make a holistic assessment of the level of success that the industry has achieved and the economic influences that has affected it in a negative way.The agriculture industry is among the three categories that deal with the acquisition of resources from land and water that provide the necessities in life (Jackson, 1841). Likewise, it serves as the source from which raw materials could be taken and are subsequently passed on to the manufacturing industry for processing (Jackson, 1841).It could be remembered that the manufacturing indust ry is among the three industries that form an important part of the economy. It is considered to have an impact both in direct and indirect terms in achieving economic growth and the reasons behind this is two-fold (Faruqee, 1999).First, both the linkages in farm inputs, which includes equipment, fertilizers, and chemicals, and processing of food and fiber is considered as strong (Faruqee, 1999). Second, any increase in the income derived from the agriculture industry is also spent on locally-produced goods and services (Faruquee, 1999).An important economic aspect is that of the element of labor which is also present in this particular industry.   It is important to take note of this because of the important role it plays in the growth and success in achieving the intended purpose expected from the society.Labor, in this particular sector, is further categorized into three, which is composed of those whose task involve the collection of the products from â€Å"the land and water , animal, vegetable, and mineral†; those who preserve, augment, and process these products; and those who are associated with the production of agricultural tools and infrastructure (Jackson, 1841).Taking this into consideration, the agricultural industry is affected in such a way that overproduction or underproduction in relation to the consumption of people have to be weighed carefully in order for the commodities to be sold at a competitive price in the market. Likewise, the following shifts in the curves would help in determining the market price for the produce.However, an important aspect, which is referred to as elasticity, should be related to this as there are important impacts that it has over the equilibrium price and quantity in relation to the shifts in demand and supply curves.In situations where there is a shift in the demand for a good that has a greater value of elasticity in terms of supply, the change in equilibrium quantity is larger and the change in equil ibrium price is smaller (Lipsey & Harbury, 1992).On the other hand, the shift in the demand does not have impact on the equilibrium market price should the supply of the good being considered is perfectly elastic and there is no effect on equilibrium quantity should the supply be perfectly inelastic (Lipsey & Harbury, 1992).As for the supply curve, the shift in the supply leads to a larger change in the equilibrium quantity and a lower degree of change in the equilibrium price if the elasticity of demand is greater (Lipsey & Harbury, 1992).For goods with a perfectly elastic demand, the shift in supply has no corresponding impact on the equilibrium market price and there is no effect for the equilibrium quantity if the demand for the good is perfectly inelastic (Lipsey & Harbury, 1992).The consideration of the shifts in both the supply and demand curve together with that of the elasticity in terms of supply and demand of the good is particularly of great help in making decisions in t erms of the planning for the industry regarding the production of the goods and consumption especially in areas where there is hunger.

Several of the poems from Different Cultures seem to be encouraging people to discover their true selves and their place in society

Several of the poems from different cultures seem to be encouraging people to discover their true selves and their place in society. Love after Love, Hurricane hits England and Search for my Tongue are among those poems. These poems written by different poets encourage people to discover their true selves and their place in society by using many techniques such as interesting word and phrase selection (language), thoughtful imagery to convey messages, using descriptions focussing on sounds and using structure to create an effect. Also, the poets use their own cultural experiences to convey their message especially Hurricane hits England and Search for my Tongue. The three poems are all from different cultures and traditions therefore it is important to look at the cultural context of the poems. Love after Love is a poem wrote by Derek Walcott, much of Walcott's work has explored issues of Caribbean cultural identity. He has remarked, ‘The process of poetry is one of excavation and self- discovery'. Hurricane hits England is a poem written by the Caribbean born writer Grace Nichols, who moved to England in the 1970s and now lives in the coast of Sussex. In 1987, the southern coast of England was hit by hurricane winds, these hurricane winds were rarely experienced in England, in the Caribbean, on the other hand, hurricanes are a regular occurrence and had been part of Grace Nichols' childhood. Concerning the 1987 English hurricane, the poet felt that the voices of the old gods were in the wind, specifically within the Sussex, in fact, for the first time she sensed a closeness to the English landscape like never before, and felt that the Caribbean had come to England. She now feels at home both in Guyana and in England. Search for my Tongue is a poem written by Sujata Bhatt. The poet was born in Gujarat, India, where her ‘mother tongue' or native language was Gujarati. Later, her family lived for some years in the United States, where she learnt English although she now lives in Germany. She wrote Search for my Tongue at a time when she was beginning to worry that she might lose her original language. She has always thought of herself as being in Indian who is outside India. Her mother tongue is, for her, an important link to her family and to her childhood. It is the deepest layer of her identity, she has claimed. The poets use language in their poems to encourage people to discover their true selves and their place in society. Love after love is a poem written in the second person, as if the poet is addressing the reader directly' Writing to ‘you' rather than talking about ‘me' gives the impression that the poet is offering advice to everyone. The poem is full of imperative verbs or commands: ‘sit' (lines 6 and 15), ‘Eat' (line 6), ‘give' (line 8), ‘Take' (line 12), ‘Peel' (line 14) and ‘Feast' (line 15). Derek Walcott is encouraging every reader to go through this process of self discovery, to ‘feast' on the opportunities that one's real self can enjoy, and to ‘sit' and feel comfortable with it. Hurricane Hits England varies its style of language, the first stanza is in the third person whereas the second stanza is in the first person when we ‘hear' the woman's voice. There are some contradictions in the poem. For example, the woman says that the wind is both ‘fearful and reassuring' (line 7), and, at first sight, these two words do not seem to make sense together in what could be called a paradox. This contradiction may be demonstrating that the woman, too, is unsure what her feelings are towards the hurricane, her thoughts are also contradictory. The woman asks many questions between lines 13 and 27, in each of these four questions, the poet is trying to make sense of what is happening. The exclamations towards the end help us to understand how the woman is feeling and contribute to the tone of the poem. She becomes excited, even ecstatic, at the power of the storm and the thoughts it arouses within her, ‘O why is my heart unchained? ‘, (line 27). Questions asked in lines 13 to 27 are answered in the final lines, ‘Come to let me know. That the earth is the earth is the earth'. The poet means that she finally feels at home in England, and that wherever you may find yourself on this planet, you will eventually find peace with your place in society. Search for my tongue uses the word ‘tongue' for many different meanings. The poet, Sujata Bhatt, plays with these different meanings. For example, she imagines that knowing two languages is like having ‘two tongues in your mouth' (line 4) and speaks of her original language as being her ‘mother tongue' (line 5). The poem begins colloquially, using everyday language, but then develops to employing striking imagery and language. The poem begins by appearing to answer a question- ‘You ask me what I mean†¦ ‘ (line1). If you are replying to a question someone has posed, you would use natural speech. However, if you really want to get your message across, you should turn the question back on the questioner- ‘I ask you, what would you do†¦ ‘ (line 3). The poet uses ‘shock tactics' or such striking images to do that. It could be said that if the poem says more or less the same thing twice in two languages, then it might just is well be written in only one language. However, the whole point of the poem would then be lost. The same thing being said in two languages is the key, the poet has ‘two tongues' and she doesn't want to loose one of them. Imaginative imagery is used in all three of the poems to encourage people to discover their true selves and their place in society. In Love after Love the poet uses images of feasting throughout the poem. This is because a meal, especially an intimate one between two people, is an important form of social interaction in which people can get to know each other. Therefore it is natural that the dining room scenario is used for getting to know your true self. This is a very happy poem and presents a particularly positive image of the later years in life, portraying them not as a time of loss, but one of fulfilment and recovery. In Search for my tongue the poet uses the imagery of comparing her tongue with a plant as she develops her ideas. She compares it by using an extended metaphor. You can almost imagine the ‘plant', first in decline, then growing again. This image of the plant is successful because it includes contrasts. Some of the imagery is quite startling, for instance, when she imagines that the ‘mother tongue' might ‘rot and die in her mouth' (lines 12 and 13) as the second foreign language takes over. The lost tongue grows back at night when she dreams in Gujarati, like a plant that appears to have died, but then starts to bud and grow strong again, producing beautiful blossoms. Hurricane Hits England is full of natural imagery, mainly because it is about the effect of the wind on the landscape. For example, ‘trees/ falling heavy as whales' (line 23-24) is effective because the huge trees become like floating sea creatures when the torrential rain that accompanies the hurricane makes the land become almost like sea. There is also a lot of symbolism wrapped up in the imagery, ‘Come to break the frozen lake in me' (line 33). This may indicate that the poet has been ‘frozen' by being away from her own country, so that the arrival of the hurricane can help to ‘break the ice' and allow her to live more comfortably in her new home country. The poets use descriptions focussing on sounds to encourage people to discover their true selves and their place in society. In Love after Love repetition is the device used by the poet in this poem as a sound effect. He repeats some words, or variations of them- ‘mirror' (lines 4 and 14), ‘stranger' (line 7 and 9). ‘love'/ ‘loved'/ ‘love-letters' (lines 7/9/12) and ‘life' (lines 10 and 15). This is the poet's way of emphasising the main stages of the self-discovery process. Hurricane Hits England varies the way it sounds, the first stanza is in the third person whereas the second stanza is in the first person when we ‘hear' the woman's voice. All three poems have their own specific structure, the structures of the poems are organised in orders of ideas in the poem and how they develop. In Love after Love the stanza form is irregular, but most lines are loosely iambic. This means that there is one short unstressed syllable followed by one long stressed syllable. Some of the lines are also quite regular tetrameter- for example, lines 8 and 13. The poem is split into four small sized stanzas whereas Search for my tongue is split into three large stanzas. In the first stanza she tells us how hard it is for her to know two languages and how she has neglected the one she feels most belongs to her. In the second stanza she explains these ideas in Gujarati. In the final stanza she then translates her thoughts for us into English, lines 31-39 meaning something similar to lines 17-30, showing that although her ‘mother tongue' (line 38) dies during the day, it ‘grows back' ( line 31) in her dreams at night, becoming strong and producing ‘blossoms' (line 39). Of all these three poems Hurricane Hits England is the largest. The poem is written in eight stanzas of varying lengths. The lines themselves are also of varying lengths. This irregularity helps us to see how unpredictable the hurricane is, and how unpredictable the woman's thoughts are. The first stanza of the poem is in the third person, as the reader is introduced to the woman, but the majority of it is written in the 1st person. Love after Love, Search for my tongue and Hurricane Hits England are three poems from Different Cultures which encourage people to discover their true selves and their place in society. The poets who wrote the poems do this by, the poetic devices they use, significant use of language and imagery and significant use of style and structure. All of these ideas and style are influenced by the poets' cultural backgrounds.