Thomas More Essays (597 words) - John Fisher,

Thomas More Sir Thomas More was born in London in 1478, and died on Tower Hill in 1535, along with Bishop John Fisher of Rochester. In 1935 he was canonized, along with Fisher, as a martyr for the Catholic faith. Feast Day, June 22. Introductory Note [Harvard Classics] The accompanying intimate account of the life of Sir Thomas More by his son-in-law, William Roper, renders a biographical sketch unnecessary. While More was a young law student in Lincoln's Inn, he is known to have delivered in the church of St. Lawrence a course of lectures on Saint Augustine's "City of God"; and some have supposed that it was this that suggested to him the composition of the "Utopia." The book itself was begun in Antwerp in 1515, when More was in Flanders engaged in negotiations on behalf of the English wool merchants, and results of his observations among the towns of the Low Countries are evident in some of the details of his imaginary state. The framework seems to have been suggested by an incident related in the narrative of the fourth voyage of Amerigo Vespucci, in whose company Raphael Hythloday is represented as having sailed. In the elaborating of his model society, More drew on Plato's "Republic" and on Saint Augustine for a number of important features. But the work as a whole is the outcome of the author's own political thinking and observation; though it is not to be supposed that he believed in all the institutions and customs which he describes. In ordinary intercourse, More was fond of a jest, and many, we are told, found it hard to know when he spoke seriously. Much of this whimsical humor is implicit in the "Utopia"; and while it contains elements in which he had a firm belief, it is more than probable that much of it was in the highest degree tentative, and some of it consciously paradoxical. In spite of this uncertainty as to More's attitude, the influence of the book, both in imaginative literature and in social theory, has been considerable; and it is the ancestor of a long line of ideal commonwealths. Modern reformers are still finding in its pages suggestions for the society of the future. The Life Of Sir Thomas More In hoc signo vinces. ["In this sign, you will conquer"] Forasmuch as Sir Thomas More, Knight sometime Lord Chancellor of England, a man of singular virtue and of a clear unspotted conscience, (as witnesseth Erasmus), more pure and white than the whitest snow, and of such an angelical wit, as England, he saith, never had the like before, nor never shall again, universally, as well in the laws of our Realm (a study in effect able to occupy the whole life of a man) as in all other sciences, right well studied, was in his days accounted a man worthy famous memory; I William Roper (though most unworthy) his son-in-law by marriage of his eldest daughter, knowing no one man that of him and of his doings understood so much as myself for that I was continually resident in his house by the space of sixteen years and more, thought it therefore my part to set forth such matters touching his life as I could at this present call to remembrance. Among which very many notable things not meet to have been forgotten, through negligence and long continuance of time, are slipped out of my mind. Yet to the intent the same shall not all utterly perish, I have at the desire of divers worshipful friends of mine, though very far from the grace and worthiness of them, nevertheless as far forth as my mean wit, memory and learning would serve me, declared so much thereof as in my poor judgment seemed worthy to be remembered.

Pro-Form - Definition and Examples in English Grammar

Pros in English Grammar Pro-form is a word or phrase that can take the place of another word (or word group) in a sentence. The process of substituting pro-forms for other words is called proformation. In English, the most common pro-forms are pronouns, but other words (such as here, there, so, not, and do) can also function as pro-forms.   The pro-form is the referring word in a sentence; the word or word group thats referred to is the antecedent. Examples and Observations: My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. Shes 97 now, and we dont know where the hell she is.   (American comedian Ellen DeGeneres)Our father ...came back in the morning and told us he had found lodgings, and so we went there. They were east of the harbour, off Lot Street, at the back of a house which had seen better days.  (Margaret Atwood, Alias Grace. McClelland Stewart, 1996)One day in English class I passed Bill Hilgendorff a note. I love you, the note said. He folded it up and looked straight ahead. Then I whispered to him that he could live his whole life long and no one would ever love him as I did. I thought this was an amazing and daring and irresistible thing to do.  (Tereze Glà ¼ck, May You Live in Interesting Times. University of Iowa Press, 1995)We had offers to play in Hong Kong, and I always wanted to go there, but I wouldnt agree to do it because it wasnt going to add any more profit to the tour.  (Johnny Ramone, Commando: The Aut obiography of Johnny Ramone. Abrams, 2012) When the tzar was seated, everyone else sat, and so did we.  (L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Ghost of the White Nights. Tor Books, 2001)Boldly, Stein leaps from her short history of open source to the future of Canadian federalism. One might have expected her to develop her argument in the direction of scenario IV, but unfortunately she did not.  (Ruth Hubbard and Gilles Paquet, The Black Hole of Public Administration. University of Ottawa Press, 2010)Im proud of the many ways youre growing, and I hope you are, too.  (Fred Rogers, Dear Mr. Rogers. Penguin, 1996) Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood?: Letters to Mr.People cheerfully mixed the spiritual and the mundane, and I did as well.  (Gwendolyn M. Parker, Trespassing: My Sojourn in the Halls of Privilege. Houghton Mifflin, 1997) So and Not as Pro-Forms   Sometimes pro-forms represent less clearly identifiable constituents: (6) He may decide to join us next week, but I dont think so.(7) Speaker A: Will he join us next week?Speaker B: I hope not. In (6) the adverb so represents the preceding clause but with an appropriate change of operator: . . . but I dont think he will join us next week. In (7), the adverb not represents the whole of the preceding clause but changes it into a negative statement: . . . I hope he will not join us next week.  (Carl Bache, Mastering English: An Advanced Grammar for Non-Native and Native Speakers. Walter de Gruyter, 1997) Do as a Pro-Form Do is used as a pro-form when the predicate itself and all the complements which follow it are elided (Jack hurt himself fetching water, and Jill did, too). If another auxiliary is present, the pro-form do is less common (Has Jack hurt himself? Yes, he has; also, Yes, he has done . . .). Note that the pro-form do is not the same lexeme as the auxiliary do; the latter has only the forms do, does, did while the pro-form has these as well as done and doing.  (Stephan Gramley and Kurt-Michael Ptzold, A Survey of Modern English, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2004)

Using examples, discuss critically in what circumstances is it right Essay

Using examples, discuss critically in what circumstances is it right to whistleblow - Essay Example lowing has been practiced for a very long time, and this is especially common in the corporate world which means it largely involves the employee/employer relationship in working places. In the UK, the whistleblowing practice first came to light and consideration following the enactment of the Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998) that was meant to lay the basis of all disclosure cases including whistle blowing. Since then, there have been an increased liberty in the manner through which people have handled cases of unsatisfying or harsh conditions at public offices and places of work with statistics showing that this has led to an improved state of resources and employee management. According to the Act, whistle blowing is classified as all forms of reports from workers on suspicion of wrongdoing at their respective places of work. These reports are meant to reveal this kind of information to other publics in what is referred to as making a disclosure for the sake of public interest. According to the Act, a worker is required to whistle blow if faced with various circumstances especially those that involve neglect of duties by an organisation or an individual in the place of work. These circumstances include; criminal offences being carried out at the place of work, when the organisation or an individual facilitates another person’s exposure to danger or unsafeness, where environment is facing damage, unlawfulness at the place of work and someone covering up cases of wrongdoing. A worker is supposed to report any form of criminal activity taking place in an organisation. A good example is seen in an organisation or an individual getting involved in activities such as theft, money laundering or drug business. A worker should also raise concerns if a company engages in practices that lead to degradation of the environment such as releasing untreated industrial waste into the environment. A worker can also raise a concern in cases where the safety of workers

Design and analysis of lean maufacturing Case Study

Design and analysis of lean maufacturing - Case Study Example The reputation for quality is what keeps Elba afloat with a select base of customers, albeit with those customers increasingly coming from remote areas relative to the location of the plant. It is the remoteness of the current remaining customer base that has caused the company to incur a growing cost base in inventory as well as in distribution. These two items have grown by 12 percent and 10 percent respectively over the past three years. In absolute terms too, distribution has come to almost equal labor costs and has come to account for the second largest share of costs after labor, and only marginally smaller than labor costs at $11.1 million. Inventory costs, meanwhile, have come to equal materials costs, and with the rate of growth of inventory costs is poised to overtake materials costs. On the other hand, the move to Southeast Asia would chop 30 percent from distribution costs, and 60 percent from labor costs. Assuming all other costs remain the same, that would translate to savings of about $7 million in labor costs yearly and $3.33 million in distribution costs per year. Given though that clients are distributed in equal measure by volume outside of Asia, there might be minimal to no savings in distribution costs. ... It is likely that Elba will lose more customers with the move, and may continue to suffer from a profit squeeze as they lose the quality differentiation. The question is whether this planned move is wise, or whether a justification can be made to retain the plant that does not entail preserving the status quo but going about rejuvenating the product lines and making use of the available skilled and experienced talent to innovate and come up with higher-margin products (â€Å"Case Study 4.8 Elba Electronics† 128-129). II. Background Information From a financial point of view, the current state of affairs at Elba Electronics is unsustainable, and is ripe for change. That, or the trajectory is for Elba to continually grow its costs for distribution and inventory and therefore go deeper in the red. Earnings have shrunk by five percent over the past three years, and is already thin as of the time of the planned closure of the plant. The move would significantly bolster margins by r educing the biggest cost items in labor and in distribution as stated in the case, by 60 percent and 30 percent respectively, The FCP seems to have established a good case for the plant closure, but their analysis also seems to suffer from a blindside, and that is with regard to the effect of the move on demand, and on margins. This is an opening that John James can analyze and exploit, to bolster the case for a different kind of plan that does not entail moving manufacturing to Southeast Asia but doubling down on innovation to produce higher margin products (â€Å"Case Study 4.8 Elba Electronics† 128-129). III. Problem Statement Does the move to Southeast Asia and the closure of the Elba plant justified by financial and non-financial considerations? How does

Macro Economics - Supply Side Options Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macro Economics - Supply Side Options - Essay Example Classical economists therefore focus on endogenous supply-side causes of unemployment and will prescribe policies that affect the aggregate supply of labor such as reducing information asymmetries and removing constraints on worker's mobility to lower unemployment in the long-run. On the other hand, Keynesian economists view the labor market in the short-run assuming fluctuations in the economy; the Keynesian aggregate supply curve is horizontal where wages are "sticky" and not everyone in the labor force finds jobs. Thus, Keynesian unemployment is demand-driven and caused by variables exogenous to the labor market, such as economic recessions and decreases in output that alters aggregate demand causing disequilibrium. Keynesian economists who give importance to exogenous demand-driven causes of unemployment will therefore prescribe expansionary fiscal policies to stimulate aggregate demand such as increasing government expenditures and inducing consumption to restore equilibrium and lower short-run unemployment. Supply-siders focus on managing aggregate supply to stabilize short-run fluctuations, and increase output in the long-run. They begin with the implications that without structural policies to shift the aggregate supply curve outward, fiscal policies focusing on demand-effects cannot increase aggregate output in the long-run because of crowding-out effects; while at the same time causing inflation because despite the shift in the aggregate demand curve, the crowding-effect causes excess demand, thereby increasing prices. However, since structural policies are difficult to implement, supply-siders emphasize the supply-side effects of fiscal policies assuming that aside from demand-effects, fiscal policies have strong supply-side effects, which can shift both the short-run and long-run aggregate supply curves to the right, offsetting inflationary pressures while increasing aggregate output. Hence, supply-siders would advocate fiscal policies that reduce taxes affecting the labor force, such as an income tax cut because of its ability to stimulate aggregate supply by providing laborers greater incentives to work thereby increasing over-all productivity. Furthermore, the shift in aggregate supply offsets inflationary pressures in the long-run, such that if the supply curve shifts far enough, aggregate output can increase without increasing prices. Question 3: In reaction to Keynesian prescriptions that governments must take an active policy role in stabilizing the economy, Monetarists take a more passive stance regarding economic policy, advising that the Fed must simply allow money supply to grow at a constant rate, and make adjustments only if the rate which the full employment economy grows deviate from nominal targets. Hence, Monetarists prefer rules-based policy regimes as opposed to discretionary ones, where the margin for error is larger. The rationale for Monetarist prescriptions lies in the assumption that the economy is inherently stable, wherein disruptions within the economy are caused by wrong economic policies. Monetarists argue that the economy is better-off if policymakers, with their limited abilities, refrain from fine-tuning the economy. They emphasize the time lags present in implementing economic policie

Effects of Groupthink in an Organisation

Effects of Groupthink in an Organisation Introduction The paper aims to assess the relationship between groupthink and team performance. First, it will review the conceptualisations of groupthink to analyse the effects of groupthink in organisations, focusing how it is formed and its manifestation in organizational performance, especially in group decision making. Secondly, my study will explain whether or not groupthink affects organisational performance through an analysis of the existent theory by Irving. L. Janis and the empirical studies conducted to examine the groupthink and group performance link. Finally, my paper shows some recommendations which reduce negative impacts of groupthink in workplace. Within my study, I also will support ideas by giving implications about groupthink in organisations in the light of theory. In the past several decades, there has been a substantial increase in emphasis on organisation behaviour literature, focusing on group decision making (Branstatter et al, 1982; Kerr and Tindale, 2004). The utilisation of group decision making, conducted in different type of tasks, has been credited with various benefits including improved productivity and enhancement of the quality of work life (Troopman, 1980). However, many researchers also review a potential problem that occurs within groups and that can dramatically hinder group effectiveness from their performance. This disease can be referred to as ‘groupthink’, which is presented the first time in 1972 by Irving L. Janis. The main point of theory on which Janis has been suggested is that the poor decisions of group suffering from groupthink derive from a strong concurrence-seeking tendency that suppresses collective decision-making processes, and leads to fiascos (Janis, 1972). Based on his achievement, a large bo dy of research has shown a conscious awareness of the psychological phenomenon of groupthink as well as formulates some simple strategies to avoid it. A review of groupthink According to Janis (1972), groupthink is described as a â€Å"mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members’ striving for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative course of action† (1972, p.9). Based on this theory, it is suspected that groupthink occurs when group members’ motivation for unanimity and agreement such as consensus overrules their motivation to evaluate carefully benefits of decisions as well as expression of deviant or minority opinions (Janis, 1972; Robbins and Judge, 2013). Many studies have evidenced that groups and teams can develop a high level of cohesiveness which tends to result in better performance. However, a considerable disadvantage of highly cohesive groups is that their decision making ability can be drastically restricted by Janis’s groupthink hypothesis. Indeed, strong cohesive groups, where group members are friendly and respec tful of other’s opinions, can contribute to faulty decisions and a policy fiasco when such groups are immersed in poor decision making process under in-group pressures (Eaton, 2001). With the same view, in other words, Fincham and Rhodes (1999) argued that highly cohesive groups can create the pressures of conformity that reduce reflexivity, impeding members’ judgement and their ability to reach a correct decision. From this point, it is clearly seen that each member of a group finds it comfortable to be in agreement, following a positive part of the group, rather than to be an opposing force, even if this factor is potential to enhance the efficiency of the group’s decisions. This reveals a reality that individuals who have different opinions from that of the dominant majority have a tendency to withhold or modify their true feelings and beliefs, which leads to distort the decision making process (Robbins and Judge, 2013). In addition, Knights et al (2007) beli eved that groupthink can cause a disadvantage when learning activities stopped as any further development was largely stagnated by a consensus that was more based upon a withdrawal of respect than upon a useful critical insight to assessment of different information and alternative options. Therefore, when the group is attacked by groupthink, the problems are usually discussed and examined in an uncertain way, leaving many possible solutions and useful ideas (Knights et al, 2007). One of the clearest examples of groupthink which can be considered is the the explosion of the NASA Shuttle Challenger, 73 seconds after it launched in January 1986, killing seven astronauts. The disasters could have been easily prevented if the NASA team noticed the concerns from engineers on the readiness and safety of the Shuttle’s structure before it were launched (Moorhead et al, 1991). It could be concluded that groupthink impede the voices of members of the group who have their own opinions b ut are marginalised, and maintain an illusion of group unanimity, which may invalidate team performance and contribute in creating fiascos (Knights et al, 2007). In addition, many researchers studied that the effectiveness of directive leadership is also one of the factors related to groupthink (Flowers, 1977; Mullen et al, 1994). They claimed that directive leadership has a weak connection with information being considered by the group, the discouragement of dissent, fewer solutions being found and more self-censorship by members (Flowers, 1977; Leana, 1985; Moorhead and Montanari, 1986). Based on previous studies, Moorhead et al (1998) believed that individuals’ opinions may be prevented from group interaction if there appears a strong leadership and group members just only follow their leaders without sufficient critical evaluation. For example, if the leader of the group suggests unethical ideas, and the group cannot control the rules to prescribe ethical behaviour, poor decision may be shaped (Sims, 1992). Similarly, Huczynski and Buchanan (2013) concluded that if the group leaders consider their position from the beginning and ap pear to have a strong preference for a particular goal, the groups tend to support their leader’s idea and do not have a chance to suggest alternative information or solutions. Research on symptoms of groupthink Groupthink, in most of viewpoints, is considered as a threat of organization. Fortunately, Janis (1972, 1982) described eight symptoms categorised in three types of characteristics which were experienced from the fiascos and serve as the powerful tool for recognising the existence of groupthink. They are: overestimation of the group (illusion of invulnerability; belief in inherent morality), closed-mindedness (collective rationalisations, stereotyped images of out-groups), and pressure towards uniformity (self-censorship, illusion of unanimity, direct pressures on dissenters, self-appointed mindguards) (Janis, 1972; Hart, 1991). These symptoms, according to Janis (1972), are considered as a collection of a concurrence-seeking tendency that can fade group decision making process and lead to fiascos, and even disasters. In his research, concurrence-seeking plays a vital role in collective decision making process; but, it will become excessive when it occurs too early in a limited acces s. In addition, Hart (1991) pointed that the signal of excessive concurrence-seeking can be derived from the pressures toward uniformity, and concurrence-seeking takes places in the context of misguide policy from the other two types of characteristics. However, According to Choi and Kim (1999), not all symptoms of groupthink tend to be associated with the others. Their study evidenced that pressure on dissenters, collective rationalisations, and self-censorship tend to be positively associated with each other but negatively associated with the belief in the illusion of invulnerability, the group’s inherent morality, and the illusion of unanimity. From that point, they also suggested that groupthink symptoms reflect two different processes that may occur in collective decision making: the positive correlations between the illusions of invulnerability and unanimity with the belief in the group morality, contrary to the emergence of mindguards, self-censorship, pressure on diss enters, and stereotypes of outgroups. Similarly, Park (2000) examined symptoms of groupthink based on the groupthink model’s Janis and went to a conclusion that the symptom groupings tend to produce negative correlations across the divergent processes. This strengthens for the argument of Longley and Pruit (1980) that the symptoms of groupthink have a strong connection with defective decision making process which would qualify as high quality. How to avoid groupthink It is clearly seen that groupthink is an invisible barrier that causes negative effects on group decision making process and lead to serious consequences. However, Janis’s achievement on groupthink theory has paved the way for researchers finding methods to avoid this phenomenon. Macleod (2011) suggested that it is important for managers to foster group cohesiveness along with a shared sense of professional solidarity. At the same time, it is also important to create an impartial comfort zone in which each member of a group is encouraged to have an active voice in the exchange of ideas and in the evaluation of options. Moreover, relevant outside input should be welcomed as a means of providing diverse information and broadening the extent of collaboration. Conclusion In conclusion, a large body of research has examined the negative impacts of groupthink to organisation, focusing on group decision making. All of them are reviewed and examined meticulously from the Janis’s groupthink hypothesis, which claimed that groupthink is clearly seen as an enemy of creativity, bringing threats and major blunders (Simone, 2008). Indeed, groupthink leads to group decision making failures which come from the highly cohesive groups and the strong directive leadership (Flower, 1977; Leana, 1985; Hart, 1991). Developed from this point, before groupthink becomes a potential pitfall in group decision making, controlled attempts to understand its symptoms are not only desirable but highly necessary. If people can do that, the groupthink framework can be applied effectively to analyse defective decision processes and propose recommendations to avoid groupthink in work organisations. Therefore, it is necessary to have more research on the potential threats to ef fective group decision making caused by groupthink to get deeper insight into this phenomenon as well as improve the further ideas and continuous in-depth research for groups.

Merging Social Work and Social Advocacy in Response to the Plight of Un

Merging Social Work and Social Advocacy in Response to the Plight of Unaccompanied Child Refugees in the United States Introduction More than any country in the world, the United States has been a haven for refugees fleeing religious and political persecution in their home countries. Linked forever to the phrase inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," the United States, in the eyes of persecuted people throughout the world, has been idealized as a land of freedom and new beginnings. However, the changing face of refugees seeking asylum in the United States in the past several decades has exposed stark gaps in the legal, administrative, and social treatment of refugees. The majority of refugees in the early part of the twentieth century fled as families or in large groups. Recently, however, increasing numbers of children are fleeing their home countries alone. Currently, best estimates are that over one-half of the world's refugee population, or over 20 million, are children.1 Human Rights Watch, a watchdog non-governmental organization, estimated that in 1990 over 8,500 children, 70 percent of whom were unaccompanied, reached United States shores.2 While this figure is small relative to the total world estimate of child refugees, the lack of systemic or comprehensive United States governmental policies specifically geared toward assessing the asylum claims of children and their circumstances has become increasingly problematic. Continued human rights violations in China, worldwide genocide - as seen in Bosnia in the early 1990s and currently in Kosovo - and persistent civil wars in Sri Lanka and parts of Africa, have resulted in an increase of t... ...vler Center works with children and adults who are victims of torture, while a number of agencies, such as the Bosnian Refugee Center, provide support for specific ethnic groups. In terms of legal advocacy, the Midwest Immigrants Human Rights Center provides pro bono legal representation for adult and children asylum seekers. References Bhabha, J., & Young, W. (1998) Through A Child's Eyes: Protecting the Most Vulnerable Asylum Seekers. Interpreter Releases 75 (21), pp. 757-791. Center for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University. (1994) Twenty-five Human Rights Documents. New York: Columbia University. Ehrenreich, R. (1997) Slipping Through the Cracks. New York: Human Rights Watch. Immigration and Naturalization Service, United States Department of Justice. (1998) Guidelines for Children's Asylum Claims. (File: 120/11.26).