My son, the fanatic by Hanif Kureishi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My son, the fanatic by Hanif Kureishi - Essay Example The author hints at this,†His dreams of doing well in England†¦.† Here ‘Parvez’ the father in the story has his vision of perfectness only in a place like Britain. The story can only be viewed as the clash between a father and a son and not as the clash between two different culture and religion because the father and son both belong to the same culture and religion. According to Patricia Pisters â€Å"In My Son the Fanatic however the generational conflict is complicated culturally, most particularly by Parvez, who doesn’t belong to the old British tradition and doesn’t fit into his own newly found home in religious fundamentalism either†. The difference of opinion arises when Ali begins to turn away from his father’s wishes by breaking with the â€Å"British girlfriend† and throwing away his possessions saying that â€Å"there are more important things to be done†. Later he abandons his studies in accounting also. An understanding of the Muslim religion is essential to unravel the inconsistency between father and son. Parvez fails to stick to the strict rules followed by a Muslim throughout his life. This is evident from his childhood studies. Being a Muslim is not easy especially in British culture. He was taught ‘Koran’ in Lahore but his faith in the Holy Script is shallow unlike that of his son Ali. The ‘father’ is an admirer of British culture. His eager efforts to assimilate himself to the British culture do not always please his college going son. Parvez exhibits some non Islamic qualities like alcoholism and fondness for pork. It is obvious from the words of Parvez â€Å" You are not in the village now, this is England ,we have to fit in â€Å". The ‘fanatic ‘Ali fuses to the olden traditional ways of his religion and mocks his father for worshipping the alien culture. Ali slowly grows to a perfect Muslim but that was misunderstood by his son as behavioral problem. The

Good Education vs. Bad Education Essay Example for Free

Good Education vs. Bad Education Essay Persuasive Research Paper By; Karen Elzy Date: July 25, 2010 Course: COM 220 Teacher: Sherry Ann Smith Good Education vs. Bad Education Does one think he or she can get very far without having a great education? Statistics shows that people with a great education are much more successful than those who do not receive a great education. Many people who graduate from high school and college are guaranteed to get a better job and higher position than those who have never finish their high school or college education. There are some teachers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, and many other higher educated people who have succeeded with farther education than people who wish not to succeed and not get an education. Good education is better than bad education because the outcome will be much greater with a good education than with a bad one. Nelson Mandela stated that, â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which one can use to change the world. † This is true. Every human should want to be educated, because the world is full of technology which influences our world greatly. People who are not educated enough will surely be uniformed and left behind in today’s society. Technology is in business officers, schools, hospitals, doctor offices, stores, homes, and many other places. Today, the school systems start off with teaching the students how to use computers in kindergarten. The students are using this knowledge that they have learned from school and relating it to their parents. Parents should keep their children in school so they can learn everything which being taught by the instructor, and by doing this, the outcome will be rewarding. Teachers are a gift to students and parents because they are teaching the students everything that there is to learn about education. Without teachers, students will not learn the knowledge they need to succeed in this world without a good education. Many surveys show that a good teacher from the 1920-1980’s are more experienced in age in teaching than those teachers who are fresh out of college. Older teachers have more experience and knowledge in child development than college teacher who just beginning and this really matters. Many new teachers cannot explain problems to their students when they write it on the broad. This is what I call bad education, because the student cannot figure the problem out either. When students are failing because of these situations this is when the teacher should call the parent in to see if they could work out a way to help solve this problem together. Many teachers today are not concern about the outcome of their students, so it is very important for the parent keep in contact with that teacher and their child grades. This is when bad education is a part of the student and the teacher who is teaching. Many student drops out of school because of lack of consistency they receive. Having a good education will ensure one to have a better job than anyone who does not have an education. By continuing one’s education and getting a college degree, applying for major jobs will not be such a hassle. The reason being is because most companies directly look at the education section of an application or resume. The perks with having a good job will be such as: paid vacations, top salaries, 401k, good insurance packages, and many others. Many people may start out in a great established company and learn everything about it; then continue or progress their own business and become more successful than that previous business. Having knowledge causes all these successes. How can one have a good job without learning skills from education? Many jobs are skilled and furthering education will help with a much more skilled jobs or profession. Encouraging education by talking to the students will bring love, wealth, values, and family respect. When students feel they do not have any encouragement they will drop out of school, some will go to jail, depression, drug abuse, and steal: the results of this are a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Going to school is not just about being there physically. It is important to pay really close attention to what the instructor is teaching. Clowning around would be a very horrible idea. This can cause one to miss important information for one’s future workplace. Employers will not take him or her seriously if they look at one’s transcript and thinks they have goofed off while in school. They will think that it will be brought to their workplace. Furthermore, paying attention will guarantee one the skills that can help in their future workplace this can help one to advance faster than other employees. This can help one to get a promotion and earn a better pay. Having a bad education will really hurt one. Going to a school in which appropriate information is not taught is not such a good idea. This will cause someone not to find a good job. Employers may think that important skills are lacked of their job. Bad education will definitely not lead to a great place. Poverty will be definitely in question that will cause one’s family to suffer. In question why would one want to suffer do to this bad outcome? The economy today is suffering enough, and education should be ones top priority to help with tomorrow’s economy. The economy is suffering from lack of jobs and has caused many people to become homeless. If some of the people would have finish their education then some of them would not be homeless due to the economy. Many homeless children do not attend school because of their situation. Many kids are being teased by other children because of their homeless situation, this cause a problem in education as well. Homeless kids are rated highly in education than some children who attend daily. Many children miss out on education because of being homeless. Many people were deprived of continuing their education due to lack of funding. Today people are successfully continuing their education because of grants and low interest rates on loans for education. There are people who have not attended school for a long period and due to available funds have returned. The president of the United States of America has helped make this possible for adults and others to go back to school. Many opportunities through programs as these help to better education. If some of these programs were offered earlier maybe most people would have finished school. There are things that can cause bad education. For example, mental and physical abuse can cause one to have a low self esteem about them. If someone were to lose a parent or someone close to them this would cause him or her to avoid school. Many kids bully other kids and cause them to drop out or not wanting to return to school at all. Parents need to pay close attention to his or her children in order to make sure he or she is not facing any of these problems. Many schools pay close attention to children attitudes to see if any changes have occurred. There have been many reports about abuse and kids who suffer in their education because of such reason. There are after school programs to help further children education, and to help working parent who do not have the proper time with helping their children with their homework. These programs are designed to help with homework, study skills, testing, and behavior conduct. There are many dedicated teachers and teacher aides who take the time out to help children advance in his or her education. Many parents are very grateful to these teachers and teacher aides for their time and effort in helping his or her children. Through these programs many children have passed leaped and other important test for school. These children who attend these programs have good study habits and are very dedicated to their learning. The outcome help the children score higher on different test and help them to become honor and respectable. Distinguishing good and bad education is not hard to do. A good education can include a school and/or instructor meeting and talking to their students. A good school and/or instructor will build their student’s confidence to make them feel like learning, participating in classroom activities, and getting to know the students parents. A good education can also include such things as, after school tutoring, respecting and giving respect, and make their students get involved; however, it is not limited to these things. Having a good education guide will make the student understand all material efficiently. For example, the instructor will make sure everything is explained fluently and is understood, their classroom will be in order. They will make sure the material is not boring and make sure their students are alert; they will care and make sure to encourage their students on how important their work is and how far it will take them in life if they complete it and earn their diplomas. A bad education is kicking out a student for asking a question that the instructor may have answered or may have not; patience is very important when it comes to education. If an instructor is rude and unenthusiastic, it can make the student feel as if they need not to complete the course. However, if the instructor stop and help challenge them, the student will look forward to getting their education and make sure to make every class. If an instructor shows that they are only there to get a paycheck, this can more than likely stop the enthusiasm of the student. A bad instructor can indeed make their student feel dumb which can cause a student to be a dropout and end up as a statistic. Remember education is important so the school, instructor, and student shall take it seriously. A good education will help one get a great job that has a good pay and great benefits. The result of a good education can lead to making friends that can be there for a lifetime and a possible business partner. However, if one receives a bad education, if can lead to a road of failure. Bad education will really hurt one in the long run; he or she may not be able to get a good job, a steady job, and may end up living in poverty. Employers may think that one lack some skills and give one a very low position and may be even under paid. The economy will not suffer if everyone would stay in school and receive their education. Thanks to the many opportunities of grants and loans to help further education, it can really make everyone’s future bright. If people would pay close attention to kids they can see if they are facing major problems that are preventing one from their education. After school programs are very helpful in helping students to advance in their studies, and it is also a great tool to their parents as well. In order for one to succeed, one must be in an effective school system with reliable material being taught. One must also have an instructor to encourage them and help out if the understanding is not present. Encouraging education by talking to the students will bring love, wealth, values, and family respect. If the encouragement is not present and/or a bad education would be received by the student which can cause them all kinds of downfalls in the future. Staying in school, being focused and getting their proper education are the goals in being successful. In conclusion, good education is better than a bad education because the outcome is much better and the future will look much better with a good education rather than a bad education. As Nelson Mandela says, â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world†. Many doctors, lawyers, engineers, writers, public speakers, and even teachers and students have really changed our world today. Education is the key to everyone’s success story. Good Education Vs. Bad Education References Hein, Karen. â€Å"Young People as Assets: A Foundation View. † Social Policy 30. 1 (1999): 20. General One File. Web. 13 June 2010.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Studies On Job Satisfaction Education Essay

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Studies On Job Satisfaction Education Essay Job satisfaction is a state whereby an employee is content with the situation around him/her. Satisfaction occurred when you get everything you desire from your work. The achievement of one desire to work leads to job satisfaction. The desire may be financial, prestige, social recognition or just to find something to do or somewhere to go, etc. Locke (1976) defined job satisfaction as a pleasurable emotional state resulting from the perception of ones job as fulfilling ones important job values, provided these values are compatible with ones needs. www.4u-2.com//HYPERLINK http://www.4u-2.com//job-satisfaction-of-call-center-employeesjobHYPERLINK http://www.4u-2.com//job-satisfaction-of-call-center-employees-HYPERLINK http://www.4u-2.com//job-satisfaction-of-call-center-employeessatisfactionHYPERLINK http://www.4u-2.com//job-satisfaction-of-call-center-employees-of-call-center-employees Bram Steijn (2000) cited (Hackman Oldman 1980) that believed a higher job satisfaction is associated with increased productivity, lower absenteeism and lower employee turnover. A lot of research or studies had been carried out on job satisfaction. Many of them are carried out to establish the level of job satisfaction among a group of employees or a profession, many establishes the relationship between job satisfaction and constructs like commitment to work, motivation at work, managerial approaches, productivity etc. This chapter will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of many of these studies and also highlight how this present research will contribute to them. 2:1 Job satisfaction among the professionals Roberto Jon, (2003) analysed the level of job satisfaction by certified athletic trainers in selected National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-AA institution having football programmes. They made use of an excellent job satisfaction scale called the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaires to collect the data from the 240 samples around the country, 138 questionnaires were returned among which only 31% were young employees. The one way analysis plus post hoc which were perfect were used to analyzed the data. The percentage of the young employees used for the analysis was low. In these present studies 100% of the samples will be young employees in order to establish the factors affecting job satisfaction among them. www.thesportjournal.org//HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsjobHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-H YPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionssatisfactionHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsamongHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsathleticHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionstrainersHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfactio n-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsncaaHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsdivisionHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsiaaHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsinstitutions The findings or the results of analysis found that there is significant difference (p less than 0.05) in trainers job satisfaction and their various employment positions. While those in high/upper position(which assume to be among the old employees) were most satisfied with their jobs, those in low post were not and these are mainly the assistant trainers and graduate assistant( mainly young employees). Even though the study did not mention the theory used, it was established that the older trainers experience greater job satisfaction than young trainers. This present study will consider using some established theories to buttress its findings. The above study was supported by K. Chandraiah et al (2003)s study that investigated the effect of Age on Occupational stress and job satisfaction among managers of different age groups. They made use of the Occupational Stress Index and Job Descriptive Index to gather data from the 105 samples out of which 35 were young employees. One of the results of the findings found that the young employees/managers are more stressful due to the load of work and thereby job unsatisfied. http://medind.nic.in/iay/t03/i2/iayt03i2p6.pdf. The scales used were good, the samples were well selected in and around Calcutta city but the number of the young employees involved were few. This research aims to concentrate on the young employees who happen to be the future strength of any organisation. Patrick Manuel, (2007) also supported the above in their study that investigated job satisfaction among practising pharmacy. They made use of Rasch Rating Scale Model, gathered data from 5000 samples throughout the United States but finally made use of 840 for the purpose of data analysis. One of their findings which I am very much interested in found that the older, higher-wage earning pharmacists working at independence practice sites experience greater amount of job satisfaction. http://ijahsp.nova.edu/articles/vol5num4/pdf/hardigan.pdf .This meant that the young pharmacists/employees in this study were less job satisfied. Ibrahim et al, (2005) investigated job satisfaction of primary health care physician at capital health region discovered that age affect job satisfaction and that the higher the age the higher the job satisfaction. This result indicated that the young employees are not job satisfied. Ibrahim et al (2005) did a very good job but the numbers of young employees used were few. This study will use 100% of young employees as its samples. www.HYPERLINK http://www.mejfm.com/journal/July05/PDFs/JobSatisfaction.pdfmejfm.comHYPERLINK http://www.mejfm.com/journal/July05/PDFs/JobSatisfaction.pdf/HYPERLINK http://www.mejfm.com/journal/July05/PDFs/JobSatisfaction.pdfjournalHYPERLINK http://www.mejfm.com/journal/July05/PDFs/JobSatisfaction.pdf/July05/PDFs/JobSatisfaction.pdf Sharon and Zhan, (2003) made use of bottom-up theory as on one of the theories and questionnaires with high reliability and validity values in their survey of job satisfaction of recent graduates in financial service . One of the results of the findings indicated that graduates were fairly satisfied with their jobs and not extremely satisfied. www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20030522ar01p1.htm. The use of young graduates which I can classify as young employees was excellent but the study focused on a particular professional. This study will make use of the bottom-up theory as they did but will include young employees from other professional fields such as teaching, nursing, call center, care workers, transport etc. A.O. Okaro et al (2010) evaluated the job satisfaction level of Nigeria radiographers working in the South-Eastern, Nigeria. Using 28 item self-completion questionnaires and later analysed the data with Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS), concluded that Nigeria radiographer working in the South Eastern are not job satisfied with their job and would prefer another job if given a choice. www.euroHYPERLINK http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr_39_3_13.pdfjournalsHYPERLINK http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr_39_3_13.pdf.com/ejsr_39_3_13.pdf Susan J Linz (2002) analyzed the nature and scope of job satisfaction among the Russian workers. The study was in four different folds, among them was the use of survey data to identify level of job satisfaction by 1200 survey participant; investigate the variation in job satisfaction explained by differences in worker characteristics e.g. age. Sex. Her findings found that respondents were generally satisfied with their own job and the kind of work they do in their job. It was also revealed that the older workers (born before 1965) were significantly more satisfied with their job and work more than young workers and older workers also thought less frequently about quitting. The concentration will be on the young employees in this study and will involve only those in the city. http://HYPERLINK http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39852/3/wp468.pdfdeepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39852/3/wp468.pdf. Muhammad Masroor Alam and Jmilha Fakir Mohammmad (2009) investigate the level of job satisfaction and intent to leave among Malaysian nurses. The results of the study found that the nurses were moderately satisfied with their job in all six facets of job satisfaction i.e. satisfaction with supervisors, job variety, closure, compensation, co- workers and HRM/ management policies. They also found that the nurses perceived a lower level of intention to leave. www.saycocorporativo.com/saycoUK/BIJ/journal//Article_10.pdf In support of the above research and some others, Bram Steijn (2002) cited Reiner and Zhao (1999) who reported only a significant effect of age and Ting (1997) who reported mixed results with significant effects for age and race but not for education and gender. http://soc.kuleuven.be/io/egpa/HYPERLINK http://soc.kuleuven.be/io/egpa/HRM/potsdam/steijn.pdfHRMHYPERLINK http://soc.kuleuven.be/io/egpa/HRM/potsdam/steijn.pdf/potsdam/steijn.pdf Contrary to the above findings and some others Sariye Gaziolu and Aysit Tansel (2002) observed a non-linear relationship between age and the four measures of job satisfaction. This non-linearity showed a U- shaped relationship. Sariye Gaziolu and Aysit Tansel (2002) cited the study of Clarks (1996) and Clarks et al (1996) that also reported significantly U shaped pattern in age for several job satisfaction measures. www.erc.metu.edu.tr/menu/series03/0303.pdf Safdar Rehman Gehazi and Umar Ali Khan (2007) conducted a study to measure the general and facet specific job satisfaction of the head teachers and the influence of gender and school location on their job satisfaction. They made use of Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaires (MSQ) and self developed Individual Data Sheet (IDS) to collect data from the respondents. Using the SPSS-10, the findings of the study showed that; head teachers were generally satisfied with their posts; the female head teachers were more satisfied that the male head teachers and that the head teachers located in the urban areas were more satisfied than those located in the rural areas. This study will establish among other things the relationship between the job satisfaction and city life using 100% of city based young employees. www.usindh.edu.pk/suje//Issue%202007/Dr_Umar_Ali.pdf 2:2 Job satisfaction in relation to other constructs Many research works had been done to establish the relationship between the job satisfactions and other constructs such as organisational commitment, life satisfaction, compensation, managerial styles, working condition, personality, etc. 2:2:1 Organizational commitment Stranglen (2009) defined an organizational commitment as how employee identifies him/herself with the organization. L.K. Stranglen (2009) carried out a research to determine whether job satisfaction correlates with organisational commitment. 76 nursing home foodservice employees were the participants. Job satisfaction and organisational commitment survey were used to collect the data. The findings of the research indicated that satisfaction with work itself correlates to organisational commitment and to other three subcategories: organisational identification, involvement in the organisation and loyalty. According to the study, satisfaction with work did not correlate with satisfaction with pay, benefit or operational procedures. It was also found that the years employed did not correlate with identification, involvement or loyalty for the organisational commitment survey. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. Stranglen (2009) cited the study of Sneed and Herman (1990) that found hospital food service employees 29 years old and younger were less committed to the organization than were employees over 30 years. Stranglen (2009) also cited Shen, Pitt-Catsouphes and Smyer (2007), they reported that older employees are more likely to report high commitment to employer than either young employees or employees at the mid life. . www.minds.winsconsin.edu Stranglen (2009) also indicated that young employees scored lower on loyalty which was one aspect of commitment. Stranglen (2009) cited Feinstein and Vondrasek (2001) who found that employees could be more committed to the organization by increasing compensation, working conditions and improving policies. All the above research works indicated that young employees have less organizational commitment. This I think may be as a result of job dissatisfaction. This study will investigate the factors that actually influence job satisfaction among city based young employees and also analyses the possible correlation between job satisfaction and city life, managerial approaches and opportunity gained at work. The study will make use of 100% young employees as the participants. Adeyinka, et al (2007) investigated work motivation, job satisfaction and organizational commitment of library personnel in academic and research libraries in Oyo State, Nigeria. They used a modified questionnaire tagged Work motivation, Job satisfaction and Commitment (WMJSCS) to collect the data from 200 library personnel. The instrument consisted of 3 parts namely motivation, job satisfaction and commitment. The results of the study found that there is a correlation between perceived motivation, job satisfaction and commitment although the correlation between motivation and commitment was negative. In other case, motivation is seen as an ingredient that increases employees performance and job satisfaction. The findings also confirmed that there is a relationship between the organization commitment and job satisfaction. This indicated that those employees who are job satisfied may be committed to the organization. www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/tella2.pdf 2:2:2 Life satisfaction Andrew J Wefald et al (2008) studied the relationship of life and job satisfaction to emerging attitude, using 532 participants of 62% males and 37% females. They made used of self developed questionnaires and many others surveys such as Life Satisfaction (Diener, Emmons, Larsen Griffing, 1985). The study found a correlation between life satisfaction and job satisfaction was significant at 0.36 (p less than 0.01). Their hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, after controlling for demographic variables, job attitude predicted both life satisfaction and job satisfaction however the relationship was stronger for job satisfaction. www.midwestacademy.org/Proceedings//Wefald,Smith,etal_33.pdf. This study will analyse a possible correlation between job satisfaction and city life among the young employees. 2:2:3 Training and Workplace performance Melanie K. Jones et al (2008) in their paper analysed the relationship between training, job satisfaction and workplace performance using the British 2004 Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WERS) found that workers who receive very short amount of training (less than one day) in the previous year are actually less satisfied on several dimensions than those who received no training at all. They also considered an interaction between age and training and discovered a significant à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. for workers in their thirties. The interaction terms used were also significant for those whose tenure is either 2 or less than 5 or 5 to less than 10 years. This study will analyse a possible correlation between job satisfaction and opportunity (training, pay etc) gained from the job among the young employees http://ftp.iza.orgHYPERLINK http://ftp.iza.org/dp3677.pdf/HYPERLINK http://ftp.iza.org/dp3677.pdfdp3677HYPERLINK http://ftp.iza.org/dp3677.pdf.pdf. Melanie K. Jones et.al (2008) cited the study of Siebern-Thomas (2005), who found that job satisfaction tended to be greater where there was availability of work training. Also cited Hersch (1991), he found that over educated workers were less satisfied than adequately educated workers. http://ftp.iza.orgHYPERLINK http://ftp.iza.org/dp3677.pdf/HYPERLINK http://ftp.iza.org/dp3677.pdfdp3677HYPERLINK http://ftp.iza.org/dp3677.pdf.pdf 2:2:4 Job stress Nilufar Ahsan, et al (2009) investigated the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction among university staff in Malaysia; the aim of the study was to identify stressor issues that will influence the academy staffs job satisfaction. They made use of 300 respondents from the public university in Klang Valley and also use cross sectional analysis, descriptive analysis and regression analysis to analyse the data collected. The following are some of the findings of the study- there was a relationship between management role and job stress; the association between relationship with others and job stress was not significant; the relationship between role ambiguity and job stress is significant; the relationship between the job stress and job satisfaction is significant. www.euroHYPERLINK http://www.eurojournals.com/ejss_8_1_11.pdfjournalsHYPERLINK http://www.eurojournals.com/ejss_8_1_11.pdf.com/ejss_8_1_11.pdf Nilufar Ahsan, et al (2009) cited the UK study of (Townley 2000) that indicated that the majority of the workers were unhappy with the current culture where they were required to work extended hours and cope with large workloads while simultaneously meeting production targets and deadlines. They also cited (Alexandros-Stamatios et al, (2003) that concluded that management role of an organisation is one of the aspects that affect work related stress among workers. www.euroHYPERLINK http://www.eurojournals.com/ejss_8_1_11.pdfjournalsHYPERLINK http://www.eurojournals.com/ejss_8_1_11.pdf.com/ejss_8_1_11.pdf 2:2:5 Individual and job related factors Sariye Gaziolu and Aysit (2002) observed the job satisfaction in Britain considering individual and job related factors. The four measures of job satisfaction considered were; satisfaction with influence over job, satisfaction with the amount of pay, satisfaction with sense of achievement and job satisfaction with respect from supervisors. The paper analysed the above measures of job satisfaction using a data of 28240 British employees Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WERS97) and investigated their relationship to individual and job characteristics. The findings of the study indicated that women were more satisfied with various aspects of their job compared to men. They also observed that satisfaction with the sense of achievement and satisfaction with respect from the supervisor reached a minimum at the ages of 22 and 28 years respectively. They observed that those with higher levels of education have lower satisfaction than those with low level of education. They also observed that training opportunity in the past year led to job satisfaction as compared to no training. A non-linear relationship between establishment size and the four measures of satisfaction was also observed.www.erc.metu.edu.tr/menu/series03/0303.pdf 2:2:6 Personality Jennifer S. Skibba (2002) evaluated how personality and job satisfaction affect job performance in employees at a Central Wisconsin fire department. The main objective of her study was to see if there was any relationship between job performance, personality and job satisfaction. Among other scales used were Cattells 16 Personality Factors and the participants were all the 38 fire fighters in a local fire department. She found that most of the employees were generally satisfied with the job, work on present job and people on present job. The study also pointed out that most of the employees were unsatisfied with pay, supervision and opportunity for promotion. The results of the 16 Personality Factors scale used indicated Warmth and Sensitivity factor as the lowest while the highest mean was found for the Self-Reliance factor. Job satisfaction was positively correlated with the personality factors of liveliness, leadership potential and self-esteem but was negatively correlated with dominance, tension and independence. Jennifer S. Skibba (2002) cited Abraham (2000) that found that personality cynicism was the best predictor of job satisfaction. http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/lib/thesis/2002/2002skibbaj.pdf Muhammad Masroor Alam and Jmilha Fakir Mohammmad (2009) cited Purani and Sahadev (2007) who argued that while issues like supervisory behaviour and compensation form a part of the micro issues regarding a sales persons engagement with the organization, the overall policies and strategies regarding the personnel is associated with a macro perspective with regard to the persons evaluation of the organization. Muhammad Masroor Alam and Jmilha Fakir Mohammmad (2009) saw compensation as one of the most extrinsic indicators of job satisfaction and argued that this dimension determines the level of job satisfaction of employees by knowing how much they are satisfied with the pay or compensation or any other security their jobs have provided to them. They cited Churchill et al (1974) that considered compensation as one among the dimensions of job satisfaction among sales people. www.saycocorporativo.com/saycoUK/BIJ/journal//Article_10.pdf 2:3:0 JOB SATISFACTION THEORIES 2:3:1 Bottom-up theory and the top-down theory. Sharon and Zhan, (2003) conducted a research to explain how two social theories compete to explain what determines job satisfaction: the bottom-up theory and the top-down theory. The bottom-up theory basically indicates that persons have desires and they will be glad if their desires are met or satisfied. The total of positive and negative effects is used to establish happiness. www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20030522ar01p1.htm. If the positive effects are larger than the negative effects, individuals will judge their life as happy. Sharon and Zhan, (2003) explained that top-down theory indicates that there is a global propensity to experience things in a positive way. In other words, all individuals have a desire to be happy and this attitude will be the major influence on their lives. Thus, feelings about job satisfaction are generated in one of two ways: from the bottom up by adding positive effects and subtracting negative ones, or from the top down by the diffusion of ones desire to be happy. (Sharon and Zhan, 2003) http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20030522ar01p1.htm 2:3:2 Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Stranglend (2009) cited and explained Maslows Hierarchy of Needs as the theory that is based on a hierarchy of needs. Also cited Bor, Kraft and Sjunnesson, 2007) that indicated that the theory can be showed as a pyramid that has five levels starting from physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem and then self-actualisation which are grouped as deficiency needs. Maslow believed that to motivate an individual he/she must meet the basic needs of food, shelter and warmth, and then move to the next level until he/she reached the highest level self-actualisation, a level where one purses inner talent, creativity and seeks fulfilment. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. 2:3:3 Herzbergs Two Factor Theory Stranglend (2009), also Herzbergs Two Factor Theory that was developed by Frederick Herzberg. The theory suggested Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction are influences upon employees from two factors known as Motivators (intrinsic factors) and Hygiene (extrinsic factors). (Allen, 1998). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120533/. The factors affect motivation at workplace. It was further explained that Dissatisfaction is related to circumstances close to the work environment such as working conditions, security, pays, quality of supervision and relationship with co-workers rather than from the job itself. Deficiency of any of these conditions could cause dissatisfaction but has little effect on long-term satisfaction. These factors are referred to as hygiene or maintenance factors by Herzberg. Satisfaction is the relationship to the job itself or aspect from it. This includes the nature of job, recognition, achievement, personal growth and advancement. Herzberg regards them as motivators. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. 2:3:4 Lockes Value Theory Stranglend (2009) also cited and explained Lockes Value Theory. A part of the theory indicated that satisfaction is achieved when job results the employees receive matche those outcomes they desire. It also indicated that the more results people value and receive from the job, the more they are satisfied and vice versa. Stranglend (2009) also cited (Greenberg and Baron, 1997) who stated that the main purpose of Lockes theory is understanding the discrepancy between what one desires in a job and what one has in a job that affects satisfaction. For example, if one desires to be recognised in a job and that same employee received recognition, he/she will be satisfied. If such an employee was not recognised, he/she may be dissatisfied. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. 2:3:5 Expectancy Theory Expectancy Theory emphasised that employees are motivated to do their jobs when they achieve what they want or actually expected from the job. It also explains the role of motivation in the overall work environment. Stranglend (2009) also cited (Greenberg and Baron, 1977) who stated that an important part of expectancy theory is motivation coupled with an employees expertise and capabilities, role perception and opportunity which influence job performance. There are managerial methods of expectancy theory that can help to motivate employees. According to them, good managers will inform the employee what is expected from and will help them to reach the desired level of performance. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. 2:3:6 Equity theory A.O. Okaro et al (2010) cited the equity theory which views motivation as reliant upon the need for fair treatment (Porter, 1961) and the goal or intention theory which postulates that performance is determine by the goal to which an employee is committed (Vroom, 1964) Stranglend (2009) the theory explains that the employee is satisfied if the input (challenging work, qualification) is equal to the outputs (pays, benefits). This is what its referred to as equality. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. 2:3:7 Job Characteristic Model Rajah (2009) cited Hackman and Oldham that proposed the Job Characteristic Model, which states that there are five core job characteristic which impact three critical psychological states. The five core job characteristic skills variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback. All these are combined together to form a motivating potential score. The three critical psychological states are experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes and knowledge of the actual results. All these influence work outcomes (job satisfaction, absenteeism, etc). (Rajah, 2009) http://www.slideshare.net/roadies_virus/job-satisfaction-1881481 2:4:0 Job satisfaction The scales In measuring job satisfaction of the employees, the most common means of data collection is Likert Scale. Others are yes/no questions, true/false questions, points systems, checklist, and forces choice answers. (Rajah, 2009) The major and common scales used for measuring job satisfaction apart from the self developed questionnaires are: 2:4:1 The job descriptive index (JDI): Stranglen (2009) explained that the scale or questionnaire is based on yes, no or a question mark answers. The questions are based on how satisfied the employees are about their jobs and not on how they feel about it. The scale consists of five facet of job satisfaction which are; satisfaction with co-workers, satisfaction with the work itself, satisfaction with the pay, satisfaction with the opportunity for promotion and satisfaction with supervision. (Greenberg and Baron, 1997) as cited by Stranglen (2009). Many researchers had made use of this scale. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. This study will make use of this scale to investigate the factors that actually influence job satisfaction among city based young employees. 2:4:2 The Minnesota satisfaction questionnaires (MSQ) Strangled (2009) explained MSQ as a scale that is developed into two forms. The short form that contains twenty items measure overall satisfaction. The long form contains one hundred items and measures twenty facets. According to (Greenberg and Baron, 1997) in (Strangled, 2009), the scales allow the employees to rate their dissatisfaction to satisfaction about various aspects of facets of the job. Also according to them, the higher the score on the Likert scale the higher the satisfaction. www.minds.winsconsin.edu. MSQ have been used by lots of researchers. For example, Safdar Rehman Gehazi and Umar Ali Khan (2007) cited McCann (2001) who made use of MSQ in his study to measure the job satisfaction of directors in California and Dutka (2002) also use the same questionnaires in his study on job satisfaction and organizational climate relationship for female administrators of higher education institution. Roberto Jon, (2003) also made use MSQ to analysed the level of job satisfaction by certified athletic trainers in selected National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-AA institution having football programmes. www.thesportjournal.org//HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsjobHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionssatisfactionHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutionsamongHYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org//job-satisfaction-among-athletic-trainers-ncaa-division-iaa-institutions-HYPERLINK http://www.thesportjournal.org/..

Illustrating with Vignettes Essay -- Historical Vignettes, American Go

Neil Gaiman employs vignettes quite successfully within American Gods. His interludes, particularly those of a historical digression, provide context for the development of various gods in America, as well as their difficulty in assimilating and flourishing. Common throughout all four historical digressions are themes of sacrifice and abandonment. The first vignette, A.D. 813, illustrates the establishment of gods in the new world. Norsemen sail to North America, calling on the All-Father to keep them safe. Once established, their bard sings of Odin around the campfire. The Norsemen then meet a native, a â€Å"scraeling†¦ dressed in furs† with â€Å"small bones braided into his long hair† (68). They entertain and feed him before sacrificing him to their god: â€Å"†¦they carried him at the head of a procession to an ash tree†¦where they put a rope around his neck and hung him high in tribute to the All-Father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (68). While their singing to Odin drew the Grimner’s attention, it was the sacrifice that brought him to the new land. The day after the homage, â€Å"two huge ravens landed upon the scraeling’s corpse†¦[and] the men knew their sacrifice had been accepted† (68-69). The blood and sacrifice strengthened Odin’s tie to the land. Though the Norseme n all die in an attack by natives, the religion, though abandoned, is not entirely forgotten. When Leif the Fortunate arrives later, his gods await him. The second historical vignette, dated 1721, also illustrates the arrival of gods, but goes further to address their struggle to survive. Celtic beliefs arrive to North America in the back of a faithful Cornishwoman’s mind. Readers grow old with the Essie the main character, a woman banished twice from her homeland, bartering her body for second cha... ...ents itself in this interlude. Like the others, it ties a god to the new land through sacrifice, and presents the death of god(s) as result of a lack in, or abandonment by followers. The last vignette offers more detail concerning the origin and death of a god, than any other within American Gods. It suggests that a god is the figment of a hallucinogenic craze, or a figment of the mind. Like the other vignettes, it proposes that the sacrifice of a believer ties a god to a new land. It implies that the successful transplant of a god depends on the similarities between the old world and the new, and it insinuates that the existence of one jealous god (possibly referring to monotheism), precludes the addition of another during assimilation. Essentially, the last vignette offers a reflection on all of the previous historical digressions, as well as the main text.

How Cleanliness Affects the Life of an Individual Essay

The significance of cleanliness and hygiene cannot be overlooked by any society. Every faith and civilisation stresses the importance of cleanliness. Historically, cleanliness has been considered one of the important factors by which to judge a civilisation’s or society’s development. Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness and purity, both physically and spiritually. In Islam, spiritual purity is linked to physical cleanliness and purity. More impor tantly, cleanliness is termed an indispensable fundamental of faith. However, this fundamental and powerful tenet of our faith, unfortunately, is not reflected in our society practically. Serious reflection is required on our individual as well as collective practices in order to make this valuable principle of Islam part of our lives. There are many verses in the Holy Quran which reflect the importance of cleanliness. For example, Allah says â€Å"†¦Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean† (2:222). In the Quran worship and seeking Allah’s love is conditioned with cleanliness and purity as the Holy Book says â€Å"†¦In it [mosque] are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure† (9:108). Furthermore, in one of his sayings the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has termed cleanliness as half of faith. The above few examples from the Holy Quran and sayings of the Holy Prophet reveal that without cleanliness of our body and environment, one cannot receive the proximity of Allah spiritually and most importantly, faith cannot be completed in the absence of cleanliness and purity. Much is said rhetorically about cleanliness in our society but practically its application is missing. A quick observation can reveal how insensitive a culture we have developed regarding cleanliness and hygiene. Throwing garbage in the streets, roads or parks has become a common practice in our society. In public places dustbins are seldom found. Even if dustbins are installed, people do not use them properly. Rather, they prefer to throw garbage outside them. It is also observed that people clean their homes and shops and throw the garbage on the street without considering its implications. It is evident that even students of elite schools throw garbage on the ground even in the presence of garbage bins. This shows our attitude towards cleanliness and hygiene. Another habit that is commonly found in our society is spitting openly. People spit paan from running vehicles without considering the pedestrians walking on the road. This practice not only affects the environment but is also an eyesore. Another area that needs consideration is the horrible condition of public toilets. The shortage of public toilets is a big challenge, hence people are compelled to use open spaces to answer the call of nature. The toilets that do exist are in such pathetic condition that one cannot use them. There are many other examples which can be cited to indicate the pathetic condition of cleanliness and hygiene in our society. Hence, conscious efforts are needed to tackle this issue. There is a dire need to educate and sensitise people about the importance of cleanliness in light of our faith. In this regard social institutions such as educational institutions, the media and religious institutions can play a vital role. It is essential to provide civic education in order to train the younger generations of a society. In Pakistan, the education system needs to transform its practices. Teaching and learning material regarding cleanliness and hygiene should be included in the curriculum and textbooks. Educational institutions should demonstrate cleanliness in their premises. To train young people schools should involve students in cleaning their schools, homes and environment and highlight proper sanitary practices. The use of dustbins should be strictly followed in the school premises. Secondly, the media can be a powerful source to educate and sensitise the masses about the importance of cleanliness and disadvantages of an unhygienic way of life. It should focus on both the good as well as unhygienic practices in our society. Thirdly, religious institutions such as mosques and madressahs can also play their part in educating the people about the importance of cleanliness in the light of Islamic teachings. Furthermore, the role and commitment of the government cannot be overlooked in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in society. The government’s will is very crucial in making policies and implementing them at the grass-roots level. The government can play an important role in cleaning areas, installing dustbins, collecting garbage and enforcing laws against littering etc. The importance of cleanliness cannot be ignored in individual as well as communal life. On one hand it is an important factor for human health and spiritual development; on the other hand it is essential for environmental development. By adopting a clean and hygienic lifestyle, a valuable amount can also be saved where health issues are concerned. A clean and healthy life helps in refining the culture of a society and reflects in every aspect of life such as art, architecture, food, music and so on. Ultimately, it leads towards a higher level of civilisation. Islam has put unique emphasis on the importance of cleanliness by making it a part of faith. Hence, there is a dire need to make conscious efforts in educating the people about the importance of cleanliness. In this regard, serious steps are required at multiple levels to make this precious value of our faith part of our individual and collective lives. Cleanliness  is both the  abstract  state of being clean and free from  dirt, and the process of achieving and maintaining that state. Cleanliness may be endowed with a moral quality, as indicated by the  aphorism  Ã¢â‚¬Å"cleanliness is next to  godliness,†[1]  and may be regarded as contributing to other ideals such as  health  andbeauty. In emphasizing an ongoing procedure or set of habits for the purpose of maintenance and prevention, the concept of cleanliness differs from  purity[disambiguation needed], which is a physical, moral, or ritual state of freedom from pollutants. Whereas purity is usually a quality of an individual or substance, cleanliness has a social dimension, or implies a system of interactions. [2]  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Cleanliness,† observed  Jacob Burckhardt, â€Å"is indispensable to our modern notion of social perfection. â€Å"[3]  A household or workplace may be said to exhibit cleanliness, but not ordinarily purity; cleanliness also would be a characteristic of the people who maintain cleanness or prevent dirtying. On a practical level, cleanliness is thus related to  hygiene  and disease prevention. Washing  is one way of achieving physical cleanliness, usually with  water  and often some kind of  soap  ordetergent. Procedures of cleanliness are of utmost importance in many forms of manufacturing. As an assertion of moral superiority or respectability, cleanliness has played a role in establishing cultural values in relation to  social class,  humanitarianism, and  cultural imperialism.

Poverty in the Tudor Period essays

Poverty in the Tudor Period essays What were the major problems of the poor in the period 1471 1626 and how were they alleviated? There was a massive increase in poverty and the problems faced by the poor in the period 1471 1626, this was due to a number of interdependable social, economic, and monarchical changes throughout the period. There was a high rise in birth rate, causing the population to double between the reigns of Henry VII and Elizabeth I. Along with this, unemployment rose, and rapid price inflation caused the problems of the poor to increase. In addition there was a famine in the countryside that averaged out at once every four years. During the 1530s, Henry VIII's reformation and dissolution of monasteries resulted in, among other things, much Church land being put on the market, thousands of ex-monks being released into society and the caused the end of monastic charity and welfare. Also the reduction of people living in service was reduced causing more problems for the poor, as there was a reduction of jobs that showed a way out of the poverty cycle. There were solutions to these problems, however solutions depended on the type of poor, as the government had defined 3 types, the visible poor, the Able-bodied poor and beggars known as Vagabonds. The Government passed various laws from 1532 to 1601 to help the poor, and prevent vagabonds. Charities also provided help for the poor of the period, thus alleviating the problems of the poor to an extent. There were many social problems that caused poverty to worsen during the period 1471 1626. There was a massive population increased, the population had been increasing since at least the1520s, possibly 1470s, with a high birth rate fueling the rise. However the rise in population was not solely enough to cause the mass poverty of the period. In addition to the growing population increasing, there was bad harvests, roughly once every four years, causing p...