Connection Of Biodiversity To International Relations Commerce Essay

Connection Of Biodiversity To International Relations Commerce Essay The connection between international relations and biodiversity can be linked to the evolution of both as globalization does too, which have brought among others, the increasing in international trade throughout last years. Its a fact that countries experience economic interdependence and that it is not equally shared; usually North developed countries demand raw materials or natural resources at low prices to produce goods, which later are going to be sell to southern or developing countries at higher prices; due to that southern countries are forced themselves to exploit their resources at the point that there is space for extinction rates and for biodiversity to decrease. The economic interdependence that countries are experiencing nowadays have caused high loss of biodiversity not only in flora, because of the high rates of deforestation, but also in fauna, as people even more are destroying habitats and exploiting at high levels the benefits that they could take from animals. All of that is part of an evidence to say that international relations and biodiversity are connected and also we can say that the first one can define the course of the last one; as international relations evolve, biodiversity may decrease. This is seem as a problem as international relations increase, globalization and international trade does too, and because of that, southern or commonly named developing countries which have around 20% of the worlds total biodiversity, have to exploit their natural resources, causing massive losses of species. Biodiversity is an important political issue because it depends on the relations among the most powerful economies in the world, which determines the levels of use or abuse on the natural resources available in the planet. Nowadays we are talking of interdependent capitalistic economies competing in the international arena, usually the most powerful developed countries influencing the decisions of not so developed ones. All of those changes in the worlds reality have generated changes in biodiversity too; the fact that specialization has increased as international trade does, developing countries have chosen to exploit their natural resources in order to supply developed countries the raw material they need for their manufactured goods. That in order to developing countries to expand their economies at any price, most of the times without having conscience of the consequences it might bring to the environment, even if they have that conscience, they doesnt have the economic resources to implement sustainable processes that let them exploit natural resources in a reasonable way, causing that way less extinctions or more losses on biodiversity. Reducing the rate of global biodiversity loss depends on the well management of the protected areas in the world, which represents only around the 10% of the worlds surface, which includes zones that were supposedly to be protected but in the daily use it result not be that way. The efforts of developing countries to conserve this zones usually seem to be compromise because of the bad manage they give to the financial aid, that they receive from some developed countries. Its common to find that those financial aids even if they represent some regulations and commitments, are often used in other issues or even fall in hands of corruption which in common in those developing countries. The problem for developed countries to create that kind of zones is that usually they dont have the space or they dont have the flora and fauna to protect. The issue from all of the above if that the protection from excessive use is not feasible as those natural resources represent an important part of th e countrys economy. So the solution is to use biodiversity but in a moderate way, creating protected areas and providing other options for local users. Some effective policies of protection for those areas dont need many economic resources, its enough to increase the surveillance and enforcing rules on those protected areas. But often that enforcement is not enough because the local users usually dont know where the limits are and the penalties they would receive for breaking the rules. One important element that can be useful is to create local conscience and also adapting local constituency and effective enforcement. Susanne Kleeman says in her article voices for biodiversity management in the 21st century that biodiversity management pays inadequate attention to the importance of governing institution, even if they are rules. Laws and policies are more likely to promote sustainable use and conservation of resources with the incorporation of institutions. Three factors are important for a successful conservation program: incorporating local values, ensuring consistency or rules and maintaining adequate enforcement. Due to the process of globalization, extinction rates are increasing worldwide because global warming and other human caused events; which is a reflection of the massive damage of the political and economic system has been causing. Many countries in the world promote free trade and globalization without taking care of the consequences or environmental effects, but without sustainable development policies; if it still going that way extensive trade and all that it brings into a country is going to end with all of the natural resources. In order to contribute to solve some of the environmental problems caused by international relations theres a need to create a new multilateral diplomacy because, as said by Hill, J in his article A new diplomacy for sustainable development; the challenge of global change, the environmental problems and the plans for their mitigations transcend political boundaries. So that way, countries can get into negotiations to integrate long-term perspectives in international policy more in a diplomatic environment that concerns about sustainability, cooperation and threats to the environment. This new way of diplomacy has already begun, first with the UN conference on the human environment in Stockholm in 1972, the with the Rio-Johannesburg process in 2002 and annual meetings and summits that have been realized to creating conscience and finding for solutions for more environmental friendly processes that can contribute with the global warming, which is a long term threat. Another important international actor additional to the multilateral diplomacy, are NGOs that have proven to be a very important actor when dealing with issues that have no frontiers such as environmental and biodiversity issues. Thats one of the most important reasons why NGOs must work together on redesigning the world order and put biodiversity and natural resources as hot topics on the international agenda and also in the political agenda of each country. Many international forums are opened for discussing biodiversity, in which the actors are competing to define priorities and choose the best tools for management of genetic resources, which nowadays have been one of the most important inputs of world economies because those are the raw materials of biotechnology companies. Two international agreements have emerged because of the lack of environmental regulations that is causing the extinction of those resources: the TRIPS and CBD convention on biological diversity. As coban said in his caught between state sovereign rights and properly rights: regulating biodiversity Both consider the problem of regulating to biological resources as an issue related to the capitalist relations but the difference is that the second one is a convention that seeks to protect the environment affirming that biological diversity is subject of national sovereignty, while the former one regulates biotechnology patents worldwide. The TRIPS states that intellectual property rights of corporations over genetic or biological resources are complementary in the process of capital accumulation, while CBD has been an effective awareness-raising tool. The CBD was adopted in 1992 during the Rio Summit and it recognizes the need to take action in the environmental issues, integrating the principles of equity and ethics in the use of biodiversity and also establishes that biological diversity is subject to national sovereignty; this convention has been ratified in 177 states and start its activities in 1993, focusing on the genetic resources and the access to them, technology transfers, financing of conservation policies and trade in genetically modifies organisms. One of the most important contributions of this convention is the fact that poor countries cant commit to preserve biodiversity unless developed ones provide them with technologies and financial aid, due to the use of processes that reduce abuses into the environment. This financial aid has been declining, and the international institutions and organizations that promote the protection of biodiversity has not proven to be an effective regulative framework. Nowadays international agreements are not the only involved, the private sector somehow seem to be more in favor of that sustainable development. International business coalitions also play a role in interactions between environmental regulations and private sector interests. Mainly there are 2 coalitions directly related to environmental issues, the international chamber of commerce and the global industry coalition. The former deals with biodiversity governance and environmental policies, and the latter have to do with biosafety negotiations; both of them have space in the international arena and the power to help biodiversity abuses to diminish at the international level. For international treaties and policies to work correctly, there has to be a support at the national level. Local governments have to share and implement the ideas that international treaties, policies, conventions, NGOs and other actors promote. As stated by Susanne Kleeman, biodiversity governance needs to be adapted to local conditions but aligned with global, regional and national frameworks and it calls for vertical linkages adapted to local conditions. The national government has to agree with the international politics in order to create some consistency and to share the same objectives. In conclusion, biodiversity and international relations have important connections because as more capitalistic becomes the world, natural resources are going to be exploited at much in order to satisfy the needs of trade of the developed countries. And in the other hand in order to survive economically and improve their status and living standards, developing countries would still abuse of the biodiversity with the objective of selling raw materials for the production of manufactured goods. If good conservation policies and treaties are not implemented, much of the diversity and natural resources we have probably will disappear, and after that theres not much to do. Finally unless environmental issues become central part in the international agenda, the world will suffer dramatic changes.

Fashion in the 1920s Essay -- Fads Dress

Fashion in the 1920's The Roaring Twenties brought many fads and fashion rages. During the 1920's, Americans were given the honor of being called the "best- dressed". Several things contributed to this honor: Affordable pricing, mass production clothing, the birth of the "flapper girl", and rise of fashionable movie stars that Americans wanted to imitate. The style and cut of women's clothing during the 1920's changed drastically. Waistlines dropped dramatically while hemlines rose scandalously. Turned-down hose were no longer black, but beige. Rouged knees, bobbed hair, and figureless figures characterized the "radical flappers". These women violated many of the rules dictating appropriate clothing and behavior for women. The flappers took their look one step further by hiding their...

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway :: essays research papers

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" by Ernest Hemingway is a story which emphasizes on three age groups that each have a different view of life. By analyzing the three different points of view, we see Hemingway’s perspective of an old man. The short story is about an old man that sits in a very clean bar every so often who drinks away at two o’clock in the morning and is the last one to leave. There are three waiters: one is a young man, one is an older gentleman, and the last is a very old man. All the waiters see him in a different way based on their age. The young waiter was in a rush to close the bar an hour earlier because there was only the lonely old man in it. It was two a.m. and the bar is supposed to close at three. This young man throws the old man out of the bar just so he can go into bed with his wife. The young man has absolutely no respect for the older man who is deaf. He yelled at the old man saying, "You should have killed yourself last week." The waiter treats him like an obstacle as if he is slowing down his life. The second waiter introduced is a middle-aged man. He does not say much, but it seems as though that this is because he does not want to get in a fight with the younger waiter. All he does is ask the young waiter questions, as if the middle-aged waiter was sort of stuck in a catch twenty-two. The middle aged man felt for the old man but could not express his feelings to the younger waiter. Lastly, there is the old waiter. He is some where around the age of the old man that sat at the table. He definitely feels for the man at the table because he knows what it is like to be old and lonely. The waiter says, "I am of those who like to stay late at the café, with all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night." The waiter knows that the café/bar is a very nice place for people at night, especially the old, because it is clean and well lit. He says, "Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be someone who needs the café.

Mikume

TITANIUM EXTRACTION ASSIGNMENT 1 1. TiO2+Cl2—————–TiCl4+O2 2. Why is an atmosphere of argon used for this reaction ? The titanium (iv) chloride is added to a reactor in which very pure sodium has been heated to about 5500c -everything being under an innert argon atmosphere. During this reaction the temperature increases to about 10000 c . The reaction is carried out in an argon atmosphere to prevent magnessium and sodium from reacting with oxygen in the air. 3. Another gas used instead of argon. ny of the elements in group O of the periodic table including helium ,neon,krypton,xenon,and radon which are monoatomic and with limited excemptions chemically innert. 4. Why titanium is an expensive metal Titanium is very expensive because it is akward to extract from ore -for example rutile,TiO2 . You cannot use carbon reduction Titanium can not be extracted by reducing the ore using carbon as a cheap reducing agent. The problem is that titanium for ms a carbide TiC,if it is heated with carbon,so you dont get the pure metal that you need. The presence of the carbide makes the metal very brittle.That means that you have to use an alternative reducing agent. In the case of titanium,the reducing agent is either sodium or magnessium. Both of these would ofcoarse first have to be extracted from their ores by expensive processes. 5. The atom economy of the process used to extract titanium. Total mass of reactants =212g Total mass of desired product=22g Atom economy=mass of desired product *100% total mass of reactants 22*100 =10. 774 212 The total economy of the Kroll process is 10. 3774 . 6. The atom economy will be lower since it was carried out in an ideal situationwhere all factors are constant and there is no external interference but in real situation extal forces like heat loss,temparature,impurities will affect the system hence a lower value Mikume TITANIUM EXTRACTION ASSIGNMENT 1 1. TiO2+Cl2—————–TiCl4+O2 2. Why is an atmosphere of argon used for this reaction ? The titanium (iv) chloride is added to a reactor in which very pure sodium has been heated to about 5500c -everything being under an innert argon atmosphere. During this reaction the temperature increases to about 10000 c . The reaction is carried out in an argon atmosphere to prevent magnessium and sodium from reacting with oxygen in the air. 3. Another gas used instead of argon. ny of the elements in group O of the periodic table including helium ,neon,krypton,xenon,and radon which are monoatomic and with limited excemptions chemically innert. 4. Why titanium is an expensive metal Titanium is very expensive because it is akward to extract from ore -for example rutile,TiO2 . You cannot use carbon reduction Titanium can not be extracted by reducing the ore using carbon as a cheap reducing agent. The problem is that titanium for ms a carbide TiC,if it is heated with carbon,so you dont get the pure metal that you need. The presence of the carbide makes the metal very brittle.That means that you have to use an alternative reducing agent. In the case of titanium,the reducing agent is either sodium or magnessium. Both of these would ofcoarse first have to be extracted from their ores by expensive processes. 5. The atom economy of the process used to extract titanium. Total mass of reactants =212g Total mass of desired product=22g Atom economy=mass of desired product *100% total mass of reactants 22*100 =10. 774 212 The total economy of the Kroll process is 10. 3774 . 6. The atom economy will be lower since it was carried out in an ideal situationwhere all factors are constant and there is no external interference but in real situation extal forces like heat loss,temparature,impurities will affect the system hence a lower value

Managing Cultural Diveristy

SHMS – Leysin| Leadership Across Cultures| Managing Workforce Diversity| 131LAC| Mukhtar Mammadov| BAHE 2| 3/22/2013 | Table of Contents Introduction2 Discussion3 Conclusion7 Introduction Culture in its many forms and approaches is a very popular subject researched by many authors. The definition of culture from Geert Hofstede, the most cited social scientist according to Powell (2006) comes as â€Å"the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of humans from another†. (1982) He mentions that these differences exist in nations, geographic regions, generations, genders, social classes and many more.As Hofstede simply puts it, â€Å"the unwritten rules of the social game†. (2013) It has also been described in a less scientific language as â€Å"something to do with the people and unique quality and style of organization†, (Kilmann et al. 1985) and â€Å"the way we do things around here†. (Deal & Kenned y, 1982) Other sources provide hundreds of various definitions. Lee and Yu (2004) argue that the number of definitions is so broad because of the versatile approaches and frameworks in which culture is researched. The 3 main social sciences – psychology, anthropology and sociology have different views on the issue.However, the researchers tend to agree that culture cannot be defined using one universal definition. Groeschl and Doherty(2000) quote Tayeb (1994), who argues that â€Å"culture is too fundamental to be solved through tighter definition†. Greater implication for the managerial tasks, however, comes from the cultural diversity. Cox (1993) defines diversity as â€Å"representation, in one social system, of people with distinctly different group affiliations of cultural significance†. Factors differentiating these people include cultural background, race, education, age, physical and cognitive ability among other. Seymen, 2006) These criteria indicate th at difference is significant not only at the level of national or ethnic customization but also at an internal, individual level. In the modern globalized world, people of various backgrounds inevitably meet, work in teams, arrange business deals, receive and provide service to each other and live together in the same environment. In such conditions, individuals and especially companies, poorly prepared to the variety of values, beliefs and attitudes towards same issues will find themselves at a disadvantage.This report will outline the issues of managing cultural diversity, their importance in hospitality industry as well as benefits and disadvantages. Further, the importance of diversity recruitment will be discussed along with contemporary theories and strategies used to gain competitive advantage. As the topic is very broad, The main issues and in recruitment policies will be briefly outlined followed by a focused discussion on selecting and recruiting employees and managers for international assignments (IA). DiscussionTwo interconnected activities have been identified that can grant companies a competitive advantage in terms of cultural difference: 1) having a diverse workforce and 2) managing the workforce diversity. (Aghazadeh, 2004) Aghazadeh discusses the forecasted changes in demographics and argues that having diverse workforce and being prepared to the demographic changes will also be ready to the change in market demands, giving it a competitive advantage. (2004) By doing so companies will have an inner source of information what the customer base expects an on dealing with the community.A diverse workforce also brings with it an obvious benefit of the language skills. According to White (1999, p. 477), having a diverse workforce benefits companies in 5 ways: * Easier attraction and retaining of the human talent. * Ability to understand and penetrate wider and enhanced markets. * Higher creativity and innovation * Better problem solving ability * Better adaptation to change and organizational flexibility Building a diverse workforce alone is not enough to gain the advantages connected to it. In order to benefit from the multicultural environment, it is important to effectively manage the diversity of existing staff.Magdaleno and Kleiner predicted that effective management of workforce diversity â€Å"will become the major determinate of the continued survival and success†¦ â€Å". (1996) A strong organizational culture can be a priceless intangible asset for any company that plans to grow. A â€Å"strong culture† must include artifacts such as rituals and organizational stories to illustrate particular cultural traits. (Lee & Yu, 2004) The research by Denison (1984) has revealed that there is direct correlation between 1)organization of work, 2)decision making and financial performance.Various techniques and strategies, such as recruitment, training, managing â€Å"culture shock† and using predictors su ch as personality traits for international assignments can be used in aligning diversity management with requirements. (Gabel et al. , 2005; Migliore, 2011; Uwaje, 2009; Harvey, 2012; Tipper, 2004) Workforce diversity and its management, due to complexity, has several disadvantages. First and most obvious is the increase in training expenditures. The trainings such as lectures and seminars â€Å"are given to all levels of staff within the organization† are associated with high costs. Aghazadeh, 2004) Secondly, there is a threat of reverse discrimination. (Brunner, 2003) Reverse discrimination takes place when the cultural majority (e. g. Caucasian) claims to have been discriminated by a minority. Such events occur because of the appraisal and affirmation of a minority with little consideration for the majority. Another major drawback is the high probability of conflicts. (White, 1999, p. 478) Aghazadeh states that such incidents usually occur as a result of an individual's fe eling superior. 2004) Indeed, it is a common sight that, for example, an older employee has disagreements and misunderstandings with younger. It can, however be combated using ongoing training and managerial intervention. A study by Bajawa (2006) on the executives' opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of culturally diverse workforce discovered that they are not threatened by possible negative effects. As one of the senior HR managers responsible for diversity policy and implementation mentioned, he does not think there are any disadvantages; â€Å"they are all advantages – †¦ etention of employees, reduced training costs, attraction in the first place†¦ â€Å". Not only has he mentioned the positive effects but also finds that diversifying and managing workforce correctly reduces the training costs. In the hospitality industry managing cultural diversity is perhaps even more important that most other industries, – diverse staff body constantly inter acts with customers of various cultural background and on every level of operation. (Baum et al. , 2007) Particularly in hotel, tourism and travel industries the amount of intercultural communication can be overwhelming.It is, therefore of grave importance to carefully develop and apply practices necessary to upkeep employee motivation and comfort. One of the strategies that can be used to manage cultural diversity is to understand the importance and carefully implement practices in recruiting the diverse workforce. Hiring the best candidate for the job available, regardless of the cultural background also assures a reliable, diverse pool of talent is available for promotion, since many companies prefer to look for managers internally.D'Netto and Sohal (1999) provide a list of the best practices popular in recruiting diverse workforce: development of job description, that complies with anti-discrimination legislation and that covers experiences and qualifications; job advertisements in a number of languages; presence of diverse managers in selection boards; implementing user-friendly techniques allowing interviewees an easy understanding and ability to answer questions to their best ability. They also argue that most managers fail at adjusting interviews to diverse candidate base.According to Tipper (2004), there are 5 elements for a successful diversity recruitment strategy: 1) Knowing the market. It is essential to know the pool of available talented candidates in order to effectively recruit from minority groups. These employees can then be used internally in coordination with sales and marketing departments to develop a more â€Å"sophisticated marketing strategy for attracting and retaining diverse customers†. By doing so companies hit 2 hares with 1 shot – get talented employees and enhance their marketing strategies. 2) Build the business case.Letting the hiring managers understand and appreciate the reasons and benefits for diversity recr uitment can make a great difference. Successful companies put presence of cultural diversity in their ranks as an improvement to their bottom-line and benefit from financial improvements. 3) Channels to Market. Widening the number of channels used to advertise available positions might greatly improve the chances for success in diversity recruitment. Placing information in magazines, journals and websites popular among the known talent market instead of only national, traditional media can be a decisive factor.It is important, however, to notice, that some minorities might be suspicious about the reasons for companies to target them as potential employees. Therefore it has to be clearly communicated why companies target diverse employees. 4) Reward recruiters. It takes money, time and skill to produce desired results. Therefore successful recruiters should be legitimately rewarded for their efforts in this, sometimes undervalued, issue. Tipper suggests that 5-10% of the hiring manag er's pay should be â€Å"based on diversity recruitment and retention results†. ) An ongoing focus. The task is not finished once new diverse employees have been recruited. After the successful â€Å"first step† the new personnel needs to be trained on an ongoing basis. At the same time companies must understand the inner drivers and motivators of their staff. To do so, additional measures like informing supervisors of the importance of minority employees, hiring internal audits and diversity policy communication tools should be implemented. For the hospitality industry, given its nature, there is an increased need or developing and implementing the strategies and techniques to recruiting and retaining talented diversity. Taking into consideration the international customer bases making up the majority of hotels' and airlines' clientele, a multicultural workforce may generate better experiences and in the long term, generate substantial financial and reputational benef its. Re-recruiting or simply assigning an employee to a new workplace abroad (further International Assignment or IA) requires additional measures to ensure successful execution.The managers assigned to work abroad need to be able to adjust to the new environment in the shortest period of time to provide maximum effectiveness. As in many cases these individuals experienced themselves as a part of majority, behavior as a minority representative in an another country may change dramatically, resulting in a phenomenon known as â€Å"Culture Shock†. Ward et al. (2005) argue that under shock, culture is rejected leading to anxiety and aggressiveness. Contemporary psychological research has revealed methods capable of predicting cultural adaptation.A study by Gabel et al. (2005) discovered that emotional intelligence (EI) above other factors, including empathy and social relations can predict the rate of adaptation to IA. Findings indicate that individuals with higher EI scales ten ded to adapt to the new cross-cultural environments better reducing the chance of them willing to terminate assignments. As EI is associated with the neuroticism dimension (also known as emotional stability) of the Big Five personality model used as a basis for many psychometric tests, this trait can be measured before the IA of an individual.It can have its implications when hiring a new manager for an IA or better preparing an existing employee. A latter research by Migliore (2011) has found correlations between the Big Five personality traits and the cultural dimensions presented by Geert Hofstede. It has detected particular connections between specific dimensions of the two theories: Extraversion | Individualism| Agreeableness | Power Distance| Conscientiousness | Masculinity| Neuroticism | Uncertainty Avoidance| Openness | Time Orientation| It might be difficult to measure the cultural preferences of an employee.Psychometric testing, aligned with the above mentioned findings of fers a reliable way to compare the psychological profile of an employee with the cultural context of the location of new assignment on an individual level. Cain (2012) classifies some nations as introverted or extroverted. According to her, Finland and Japan are highly introverted, while the US is an extroverted country. Although she does not provide any correlations between personality and cultural dimensions, there is evidence of extroversion aligning with individualism, while introversion is closer to group orientation.Therefore, for example, a Finnish employee might find himself uncomfortable in the dynamic US, but have easier time adapting in Japan than an American at least as far as individualism dimension goes. Conclusion A multicultural workforce has its advantages and disadvantages. It is essential, especially in the hospitality industry, to engage in culturally diverse recruitment, as it enhances understanding and communication with the customer base, makes organizations m ore flexible and innovative, helps attract and retain talents and simply have a positive image of social responsibility in the media.Although it is associated with some drawbacks, such as increased costs of training, conflicts and misunderstanding among the employees, executives and researchers believe that building diversity in a company lead it to a competitive advantage. It has been shown, however, that simply employing diverse workforce is not enough; strategies for correct recruitment, retaining and training employees are necessary to reap the benefits. It is important to attract and select the right candidates through methods which do not affect their cultural background.In order to do so both internal and external measures need to be taken. Externally, it is important to clarify the reasons why cultural diversity is pursued in an organization, utilize the correct media channels. From inside the companies it is required to clearly state and create understanding of how cultural diversity in the organization benefits it intangibly and financially rather than â€Å"because it is the right thing to do†. It is also important to keep in mind the management's efforts towards quality staff recruitment and to carry on the diversity policies on an ongoing basis.Another issue is the regular need to send managers and employees to international assignments. During these tasks there is a high probability of culture shock happening to traveling individuals without appropriate preparation. The resent research in psychology has revealed several ways of predicting successful adaptation to the international assignments. High scores in factors such as emotional intelligence were found to be able to forecast quick overcoming of culture shock and reducing the threat of rejecting assignments/withdrawal.Furthermore, it is possible to test the approximate correlations between the culture of destination and the personal habits of an individual using the psychometric tests. Overall, there are many strategies and methods to managing workforce diversity, but only careful and sophisticated organizational culture and established policies can lead to the highest levels of rewards it can bring. As long as the concern about multicultural staff is genuine, is communicated extensively and is perceived to be true, it will grant great competitive advantage.Bibliography Aghazadeh, S. (2004). Managing Workforce Diversity as an Essential Resource for Improving Organizational Performance, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. [e-journal] 53(6), pp. 532-531. Available Through: Emerald ;http://www. emeraldinsight. com. ezproxy. derby. ac. uk/journals. htm? issn=1741-0401;volume=53;issue=6;articleid=1509196;show=html; [Accessed 21 March 2013] Bajawa, A. and Woodall, J. (2006).Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Meet Downsizing: A Case Study in the UK Airline Industry, Employee Relations. [e-journal] 28(1), pp. 46-61. Available Through : Emerald ;http://www. emeraldinsight. com. ezproxy. derby. ac. uk/journals. htm? issn=0142-5455;volume=28;issue=1;articleid=1535132;show=html; [Accessed 21 March 2013] Baum, T. , Dutton, E. , Karimi, S. , Kokkranikal, J,. , Devine, D. and Hearns, N. (2007). Cultural Diversity in Hospitality Work, Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal.

Bel Air Chair

Bel Air Chair Peter Shire has many interesting works of art. The artwork that stuck out to me was the Bel Air Chair. Its interesting physic really caught my eye. The colors and shapes were so bright and different; it just jumped out at me. It was so unique and diverse from any of his other artwork; I had never seen anything like it before. With further research I discovered that this amazing work of art was created in 1982. This chair was one of the most important contributions to a design group called Memphis.The chair became a signature object for the Memphis Collection and was used on many book covers and posters. Shire got a lot of his inspiration from Los Angeles while creating this piece of post modern art. To me, the main part of the chair is obviously the colors. The vibrancy and brightness are the first things that catch the eyes of admirers. He didn’t stick to one color. He used a dark, maroon, red color for the back of the chair as well as a green, yellow color for the cylindrical arm which establishes a contrast. He used an orange for the sphere on the back part of the chair.My favorite color of the chair was the semi-pastel green on the bottom front of the chair. This color, along with the semi-pastel pink, makes it look classy and elegant. The materials used on this chair were wool and cotton. It brings the sense of warmth and comfort that makes you want to sit and curl up on the chair. Its inviting with the look of its bigness and comfort that makes it more attractive. Being an art teacher’s daughter, i’m drawn to this type of colorful extravagant art. It brings a spice and jazzy look to art. This chair was made of many different geometric shapes and materials.A sphere was used for the bottom back of the chair to add some diversity to the chair and make it Peter Shire’s own creation. A cylinder was used for the arm rest which is only on one side of the chair which creates a distinct look while the other side of the cha ir is half of a cylinder which helps to create a sense of uniqueness. A square was used as the seat of the artwork which exaggerates the look of it being a chair. The back of the chair is a different and difficult shape to explain. This shape makes you think and really admire the artwork.Trying to figure out what kind of creative mind could come up with such an extraordinary work of art puzzles me. Peter Shires inspirations came from many different objects. The sphere was inspired by a beach ball which he had used for the bottom back of the chair. The best part about the chair is the part where you lay your back when you sit. He got his inspiration from a beach wave or even a shark fin. An interesting part of this work of art is that it was named after a five-star luxury hotel in Beverly Hills California. The title that is on the Bel Air Chair was taken from the hotel and placed on his piece.At first glance, the work of art is not perceived as wood. It looked like shiny plastic glaz ed in bright colors. With a closer look it was clear that it was wood. This extravagant work of art looked difficult to carve yet so perfected. His use of the variety of colors was complimenting both to the objects and the other colors. His chair has been duplicated into a special limited edition which is shown at museums all around. His work of art would have not nearly gained the popularity it accomplished if it weren’t for the colors. The pop of the chair made it a hit.

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 9

She was in his mind. It was all around her, like astrange and perilous world. A terribly frighteningworld, but one that was full of stark beauty. Everything was angles, as if she'd fallen into theheart of a giant crystal. Everything glittered, coldand clear and sharp. There were flashes of color aslight shimmered and reflected, but for the most part it was dazzling transparency in every direction. Like the fractured ice of a glacier. Really dangerous,Maggie thought. The spikes of crystal around her had edges like swords. The place looked as if it had never known warmth or softcolor. And youlive here?she thought to Delos. Go away.Delos's answering thought came to her.on a wave of cold wind. Get out! No,Maggie said. You can't scare me. I've climbed glaciers before.It was then that she realized whatthis place reminded her of. A summit. The bareand icy top of a mountain where no plants-andcertainly no people-could survive. But didn'tanything goodever happen to you? shewondered. Didn't you ever have a friend†¦or apet†¦ or something? No friends,he said shortly. No pets. Get out of here before I hurt you. Maggie didn't answer, because even as he said itthings were changing around her. It was as if the glinting surfaces of the nearby crystals were suddenly reflecting scenes, perfect little pictures withpeople moving in them. As soon as Maggie lookedat one, it swelled up and seemed to surround her. They were his memories. She was seeing bits ofhis childhood. She saw a child who had been treated as aweapon from the time he was born. It was all aboutsome prophecy. She saw men and women gatheredaround a little boy, four years old, whose blacklashed golden eyes were wide and frightened. â€Å"No question about it,† the oldest man was saying. Delos's teacher, Maggie realized, the knowledge flowing to her because Delos knew it, and shewas in Delos's mind. â€Å"This child is one of the Wild Powers,† theteacher said, and his voice was full of awe andfear. His trembling hands smoothed out a brittlepiece of scroll. As soon asMaggie saw it she knew that the scroll was terribly old and had been keptin the Dark Kingdom for centuries, preserved hereeven when it was lost to the outside world. â€Å"Four Wild Powers,† the old man said, â€Å"who willbe needed at the millennium to save the world-or-to destroy it. The prophecy tells where they willcome from.† And he read: â€Å"One from the land of kings long forgotten; One from the hearth which still holds the spark; One from the Day World where two eyes are watching; One from the twilight to be one with the dark.†, The child Delos looked around the circle of grim faces, hearing the words but not understandingthem. â€Å"‘The land of kings, long forgotten,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ a womanwas saying. â€Å"That must be the Dark Kingdom.† â€Å"Besides, we've seen what he can do,† a big mansaid roughly. â€Å"He's a Wild Power, all right. The bluefire is in his blood. He's learned to use it too early, though; he can't control it. See?† He grabbed a small arm-the left one-and heldit up. It was twisted somehow, the fingers clawed and stiff, immobile. The little boy tried to pull his hand away, but hewas too weak. The adults ignored him. â€Å"The king wants us to find spells to hold thepower in,† the woman said. â€Å"Or he'll damage himself permanently.† â€Å"Not to mention damaging us,† the rough mansaid, and laughed harshly. The little boy sat stiff and motionless as theyhandled him like a doll. His golden eyes were dryand his small jaw was clenched with the effort notto give in to tears. That's awful,Maggie said indignantly, aiming herthought at the Delos of the present. It's a terrible way to grow up. Wasn't there anybody who cared about you? Your father? Goaway, he said. I don't need your sympathy. And your arm,Maggie said, ignoring the cold emptiness of his thought. Is that what happens toitwhen you use the blue fire? He didn't answer, not in a thought directed ather. But another memory flashed in the facets of a crystal, and Maggie found herself drawn into it. She saw a five-year-old Delos with his armwrapped in what looked like splints or a brace. Asshe looked at it, she knew it wasn't just a brace. It was made of spells and wards to confine the blue fire. â€Å"This is it,† the woman who had spoken beforewas saying to the circle of men. â€Å"We can controlhim completely.† â€Å"Are you sure? You witches are careless sometimes. You're sure he can't use it at all now?† Theman who said it was tall, with a chilly, austereface-and yellow eyes like Delos's. Your father,Maggie said wonderingly to Delos. And his name was †¦ Tormentil? But †¦She couldn't go on, but she was thinking that he didn'tlook much like a loving father. He seemed just likethe others. â€Å"Until I remove the wards, he can't use it at all.I'm sure, majesty.† The woman said the last word in an everyday tone, but Maggie felt a little shock.Hearing somebody get called majesty-it made him moreof a king, somehow. â€Å"The longer they're left on, the weaker he'll be,† the woman continued. â€Å"And hecan't take them offhimself. But I can, at any time – â€Å" â€Å"And then he'll still be useful as a weapon?† â€Å"Yes. But blood has to run before he can use the blue fire.† The king said brusquely, â€Å"Show me.† The woman murmured a few words and strippedthe brace off the boy's arm. She took a knife fromher belt and with a quick, casual motion, like Maggie's grandmother guttinga salmon, opened a gash on his wrist. Five-year-old Delos didn't flinch or make asound. His golden eyes were fixed on his father's faceas blood dripped onto the floor. â€Å"I don't think this is a good idea,† the old teachersaid. â€Å"The blue fire isn't meant to be used like this,and it damages his arm every time he does it= â€Å"Now,† the king interrupted, ignoring him andspeaking to the child for the first time. â€Å"Show mehow strong you are, son. Turn the blue fire on †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He glanced up deliberately at the teacher. â€Å"Let'ssay-him.† â€Å"Majesty!† The old man gasped, backing againstthe wall. The golden eyes were wide and afraid. â€Å"Do it!† the king said sharply, and when the littleboy shook his head mutely, he closed his hand onone small shoulder. Maggie could see his fingerstighten painfully. â€Å"Do what I tell you. Now!† Delos turned his wide golden eyes on the old man, who was now shrinking and babbling, his trembling hands held up as if to ward off a blow. The king changed his grip, lifted the boy's arm. â€Å"Now, brat! Now!† Blue fire erupted. It poured in a continuousstream like the water from a high-power fire hose.It struck the old man and spreadeagled him againstthe wall, his eyes and mouth open with horror. Andthen there was no old man. There was only a shad owy silhouette made of ashes. â€Å"Interesting,† the king said, dropping the boy'sarm. His anger had disappeared as quicklyasithad come. â€Å"Actually, I thought there would bemore power. I thought it might take out the wall.† â€Å"Give him time.† The woman's voice was slightlythick, and she was swallowing over and over. â€Å"Well, no matter what, hell be useful.† The kingturned to look at the others in the room. â€Å"Remember-all of you. A time of darkness is coming. Theend of the millennium means the end of the world.But whatever happens outside, this kingdom isgoing to survive.† Throughout all of this, the little boy sat andstared at the place where the old man had been.His eyes were wide, the pupils huge and fixed. Hisface was white, but without expression. Maggie struggled to breathe. That's-that's themost terrible thing I've ever seen.She could hardly get the words of her thought out. Theymade you kill your teacher-he made you do it. Yourfather. She didn't know what to say. Sheturned blindly, trying to find Delos himself in this strange landscape, trying to talk to him directly.She wanted to look at him, to hold him. To comfort him. I'm so sorry. I'mso sorry you had to grow uplike that. Don't be stupid,he said. I grew up to be strong.That's what counts. You grew up without anyone loving you,Maggiesaid. He sent a thought like ice. Love is for weak people. It's a delusion. And it can be deadly. Maggie didn't know how to answer. She wanted to shake him. All that stuff about the end of the millennium and the end of the world-what did that mean? Exactly what it sounded like,Delos said briefly. The prophecies are coming true. The world o f hu mans is about to end in blood and darkness. And then the Night People are going to rule again. And that's why they turned a five-year-old into alethal weapon? Maggie wondered. The thoughtwasn't for Delos, but she could feel that he heard it. I am what I was meant to be,he said. And I don't want to be anything else. Are you sure?Maggie looked around. Althoughshe couldn't have described what she was doing, she knew what it was. She was looking forsomething†¦ something to prove to him †¦ A scene flashed in the crystal. The boy Delos was eight. He stood in front of apile of boulders, rocks the size of small cars. Hisfather stood behind him. â€Å"Now!† As soonasthe king spoke, the boy lifted his arm.Blue fire flashed. A boulder exploded, disintegrating into atoms. Again! Another rock shattered. â€Å"More power! You're not trying. You're useless!†The entire pile of boulders exploded. The bluefire kept streaming, taking out a stand of trees behind the boulders and crashing into the side of amountain. It chewed through the rock, meltingshale and granite like a flamethrower burning awooden door. The king smiled cruelly and slapped his son onthe back. â€Å"That's better.† No. That's horrible,Maggie told Delos. That'swrong. This is what it should be like. And she sent to him images of her own family.Not that the Neelys were anything special. Theywere like anybody. They had fights, some of them pretty bad. But there were lots of good times, too, and that was what she showed him. She showed him her life†¦ herself. Laughingasher father frantically blew on a flaming marshmallow on some long-past campingtrip. Smelling turpentine and watching magical colors unfold on canvasas her mother painted. Perch ing dangerously on the handlebars of a bike while Miles pedaled behind her, then shrieking all theway down a hill. Waking up to a rough warmtongue licking her face, opening one eye to see Jake the Great Dane panting happily. Blowing out candles at a birthday party. Ambushing Miles from herdoorway with a heavy-duty water rifle †¦ Who is that?Delos asked. He had been thawing;Maggie could feel it. There were so many thingsin the memories that were strange to him: yellowsunshine, modern houses, bicycles, machinerybut she could feel interest and wonder stir in himat the people. Until now, when she was showing him a sixteenyear-old Miles, a Miles who looked pretty muchlike the Miles of today. That's Miles. He's my brother. He's eighteen and he just started college.Maggie paused, trying to feel what Delos was thinking. He's the reason I'm here.He got involved with this girl called Sylvia-Ithinkshe's a witch. And then he disappeared. I went tosee Sylvia, and the next thing I know I'm waking up ina slave-trader's cart. In a place I never knew existed. Delos said, I see. Delos, do you know him? Have you seen him be fore?Maggie tried to keep the question calm. She would have thought she could see anything thatDelos was thinking, that it would all be reflected inthe crystals around her, that there was nothing he could hide. But now suddenly she wasn't sure. It's best for you to leave that alone,Delos said. I can't,Maggie snapped back. He's my brother! If he's in trouble I have to find him-I have to helphim. That's what I've been trying to explainto you. We help each other. Delos said, Why? Because we do. Because that's what people are supposed to do. And even you know that, somewhere down deep. You were trying to help me in my dream She could feel him pull away. Your dreams are just your fantasies. Maggie said flatly, No. Not this one. I had it before I met you. She could remember more of it now. Here in his mind thedetailswere coming to her, all the things that had been unclear before. And there was onlyone thing to do. She showed it to Delos. The mist, the figure appearing, calling her name.The wonder and joy in his face when he caughtsight of her. The way his hands closed on hershoulders, so gently, and the look of inexpressibletenderness in his eyes. And then -I remember!Maggie said. Youtold meto look for a pass,underneath a rock thatlooked likea wave about to break You told me to get awayfromhere, to escape. Andthen†¦ She remembered what had happened then, andfaltered. And then he had kissed her. She could feel it again, his breath a soft warmthon her cheek, and then the touch of his lips, just as soft. There had been so much in that kiss, somuch of himself revealed. It had been almost shy in its gentleness, but charged with a terrible passion, as if he had known it was the last kiss theywould ever share. It was †¦ so sad,Maggie said, faltering again.Not from embarrassment, but because she was suddenly filled with an intensity of emotion that fright ened her. I don't know what it meant, but it was so sad†¦. Then, belatedly, she realized what was happeningwith Delos. He was agitated. Violently agitated. The crystalworld around Maggie was trembling with denialand fury-and fear. That wasn't me. I'm not like that,he said in avoice that was like a sword made of ice. It was,she said, not harshly but quietly. I don't understand it, but it really was you. I don't understand any of this. But there's a connection betweenus. Look what's happening to us right now. Is thisnormal? Do you people always fall into each oth ers' minds? Get out!The words were a shout that echoedaround Maggie from every surface. She could feel his anger; it was huge, violent, like a primal storm. And she could feel the terror that was underneath it, and hear the word that he was thinking anddidn't want to think, that he was trying to bury and run away from. Soulmates.That was the word. Maggie couldsense what it meant. Two people connected, boundto each other forever, soul to soul, in a way thateven death couldn't break. Two souls that were destined for each other. It's a lie,Delos said fiercely. I don't believe in souls. I don't love anyone. And I don't have any feelings! And then the world broke apart. That was what it felt like. Suddenly, all aroundMaggie, the crystals were shattering and fracturing.Pieces were falling with the musical sound of ice.Nothing was stable, everything was turning to chaos. And then, so abruptly that she lost her breath,she was out of his mind. She was sitting on the ground in a small cave lit only by a dancing, flickering flame. Shadows wavered on the walls and ceiling. She was in her ownbody, and Delos was holding her in his arms. But even as she realized it, he pulled away and stood up. Even in the dimness she could see that his face was pale, his eyes fixed. As she got to her feet, she could see somethingelse, too. It was strange, but their minds were still connected, even though he'd thrown her out of his world. And what she saw†¦was herself. Herselfthrough his eyes. She saw someone who wasn't at all the frailblond princess type, not a bit languid and perfect and artificial. She saw a sturdy, rosy-brown girlwith a straight gaze. A girl with autumn-coloredhair, warm and vivid and real, and sorrel-coloredeyes. It was the eyes that caught her attention: there was a clarity and honesty in them, a depth and spaciousness that made mere prettiness seem cheap. Maggie caught her breath. Do I look like that? she wondered dizzily. I can't. I'd have noticed inthe mirror. But it was how he saw her. In his eyes, she wasthe only vibrant, living thing in a cold world of black and white. And she could feel the connectionbetween them tightening, drawing him toward her even as he tried to pull farther away. â€Å"No.†His voice was a bare whisper in the cave.†I'm not bound to you. I don't love you.† â€Å"Delos-!' I don't love anyone. I don't have feelings.† Maggie shook her head wordlessly. She didn'thave to speak, anyway. All the time he was tellingher how much he didn't love her, he was moving closer to her, fighting it every inch. â€Å"You mean nothing to me,† he raged through clenched teeth. â€Å"Nothing!† And then his face was inches away from hers, and she could see the flame burning in his golden eyes. â€Å"Nothing,† he whispered, and then his lipstouched hers.