Comparison Piece Essay Example for Free

Comparison Piece Essay The discussion herein compares two stories which are The Odyssey and Much Ado About Nothing. The comparison shall take a look at one theme that is similar in both stories and will explain how the theme has been brought out in both stories. The theme selected is that Women are Powerful. In both stories, it is very clear that women are powerful. The power that is referred to herein is not physical but rather emotional. The power that women have over men makes them make mistakes some of which turn out to be costly. In Much Ado About Nothing, the main female character Hero seems to be at the center of all the controversy that goes on throughout the story. Claudio who had earned recognition by his army leader Don Pedro in the last couple of battles has his eyes on the daughter of the Governor of Messina, Leonato. Don Pedro, however, offered to woo Hero on behalf of Claudio (Shakespeare, p. 32). One cannot help the great efforts that the men in this story have put for the sake of women. Don John, the bastard brother Don Pedro makes Claudio believe that Don Pedro is in fact wooing Hero form himself and not for Claudio as agreed (Shakespeare, p. 24) In The Odyssey, Odyssey is believed to be dead after he failed to return from war. His wife Penelope has attracted many suitors all of who are interested. They all hope to get a chance to court even if she has made it clear that she does not want to remarry (Parks, p. 28). They are all patient and they are hoping that Penelope is going to change her and consider one of them. When Penelope is asked by the many suitors why she will not give them consideration and yet her husband is already, she argues that she needs to complete funeral arrangements (Lister, p. 14). They still wait even if the funeral arrangements do not seem to come to an end.

Role of the Drug Enforcement Agency

Role of the Drug Enforcement Agency Dhaquille Williams The Drug Enforcement Administration Every year thousands of Americans and foreigners are convicted for transporting and selling narcotics around the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the leading agency under the United States Department of Justice whose task is to fight against and enforce drug smuggling and use within the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, better known as the DEA, not only is in control of enforcing narcotics and controlled substances, but they also enforce Federal money laundering and bulk currency smuggling. (Federal Register 1.) The DEA is organized from the head of the DEA, known as the Administrator of Drug Enforcement, who is appointed by the president of the United States. A Deputy Administrator, the Chief of Operations, the Chief Inspector and three Assistant Administrators assist the Administrator. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s headquarters is set in Arlington, Virginia. â€Å"The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration is to enforce the controlled substance laws and regulations of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets. In carrying out its mission as the agency responsible for enforcing the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States, the DEAs primary responsibilities include: Investigation and preparation for the prosecution of major violators of controlled substance laws operating at interstate and international levels. Investigation and preparation for prosecution of criminals and drug gangs who perpetrate violence in our communities and terrorize citizens through fear and intimidation. Management of a national drug intelligence program in cooperation with federal, state, local, and foreign officials to collect, analyze, and disseminate strategic and operational drug intelligence information. Seizure and forfeiture of assets derived from, traceable to, or intended to be used for illicit drug trafficking. Enforcement of the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act as they pertain to the manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of legally produced controlled substances. Coordination and cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement officials on mutual drug enforcement efforts and enhancement of such efforts through exploitation of potential interstate and international investigations beyond local or limited federal jurisdictions and resources. Coordination and cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies, and with foreign governments, in programs designed to reduce the availability of illicit abuse-type drugs on the United States market through nonenforcement methods such as crop eradication, crop substitution, and training of foreign officials. Responsibility, under the policy guidance of the Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassadors, for all programs associated with drug law enforcement counterparts in foreign countries. Liaison with the United Nations, Interpol, and other organizations on matters relating to international drug control programs.† (Mission Statement 1.) The Drug Enforcement Administration was created in 1973, by President Richard Nixon. (DEA History 1.) Prior to the 1970’s, approximately only four million Americans had ever tried drugs, but by the early 1970’s, drug use in the United States started to increase, resulting in the Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA was not an overnight thought put in to action the next morning. The DEA rooted from several different developments dating all the way back to 1915 with The Bureau of International Revenue Department of Treasury. Along with three other developments The Bureau of Narcotics Department of Treasury, and The Bureau of Drug Abuse Control Food and Drug Administration Department of Health, Education and Welfare all became Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Department of Justice in 1963, which was later established as the Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice. In 1973, the DEA started off with 1,470 special agents and a budget of 74.9 million dollars. (DEA history 4.) By 1979, approximately twenty six million Americans were known to be regular drug users. (DEA History 25.) In nine years the number of Americans doing drugs almost tripled. The DEA wanted to take emphasis off of the drugs marijuana and cocaine and focus on the more addictive drug, heroine. Marijuana and Cocaine were looked at as a non-addictive, less serious drug. But, taking the attention off of the drug resulting in a widespread of usage and trafficking. In the mid 1970’s, Miami, Florida became the largest drug capital of the United States and the western hemisphere. Bringing in dangerous and violent drug traffickers from Cuba and Colombia and other Latin American countries. July of 1979, Dadeland Mall was the largest shopping mall in the state of Florida. In the middle of the day to men parked an industrial van and walked into a package liquor store and shot fire. Two men were gunned down, who were soon to be identified as a Colombian cocaine trafficker and his bodyguard. T his tragic incident opened the DEA’s eyes to the war on marijuana and cocaine in South Florida. By 1985, the DEA had moved up to 2,234 special agents and a budget of $362.4 million dollars. As the drug trafficking continued to grow more powerful every year, the need for a higher budget and more special agents grew as well. In 1985, the crack epidemic took over majority of the United States, resulting in much violence. By 1989, it was the largest concern of the DEA. Crack is cocaine based, cooked with baking soda and water. It can be made in any average kitchen. Crack is also much cheaper than cocaine, making it easier and faster to sell. The crack epidemic originated in Miami Florida, home of the cocaine trade, then gradually moved to New York, then Chicago and eventually out to the west coast. In 1986, President Reagan enforced a Drug Free Federal Workplace Program. Allowing federal agencies to set up programs to test its employees against illegal drugs. (DEA History 59). The early nineties, Americans considered the issue on drugs as a huge concern, spreading knowledge and awareness on drug abuse and drug trafficking throughout the nation. President George Bush focused and put in effort to target the supply and demand of the drugs in America. Bush called for the DEA to work with the counterparts overseas to reduce the supply of drugs. (DEA History 77). Crack and cocaine remain the number one challenge for law enforcement. In 1986, the DEA established a prevention program known as the Demand Reduction program to help fight and prevent illicit drug activity through the youth of the nation. Special agents of the DEA provide trendy drug information throughout their local communities to spread word about the most common drugs in the area and what harm each of the drugs possess, targeting the younger generation. This prevention program is targeted to the youth and their caregivers â€Å"The teen brain is still developing. The frontal cortex is the area of the brain that controls judgment, and as a teen, this part of the brain is not fully developed and usually doesn’t fully develop until around the age 25.† (Program overview 1.) â€Å"The longer a child prolongs using drugs, the lower the chances are of having drug addiction or abusing drugs.† (Program overview 1.) There are two different websites designed by the DEA provided to the teen youth and their caregivers. www.justthinktwice.com is a website dedicated to teens with tons of information about various drugs, recent news and media and the consequences of certain drug usage. The other website provided is directed to the parents and caregivers, www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com. This website provides parents and caregivers with valuable information on drugs that someone’s child can be exposed to, helping them identify warning signs of drug abuse and the harmful side effects of most commonly used drugs. Support initiatives to reduce the demand for drugs and give assistance to community coalitions and drug prevention initiatives. (DEA 3) The DEA has over fifteen different programs and operations to help the function of the DEA run as successful as possible. Operations such as Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, Southwest Border Initiative and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) all help attack drug trafficking and reduce the drug supply in the states as well as drug supply being transported into the states from other counties. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program was created by congress to provide assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement in areas of the United States where drug trafficking is at an high. There are twenty eight current HIDTAs, they are located in 46 states. The purpose of this program is to reduce the traffic of drugs by providing reliable law enforcement intelligence to law enforcement agencies the design of effective enforcement strategies and operations. (HIDTAs 1). â€Å"Mission Statement To reduce drug availability by supporting multi-agency task forces and facilitating intelligence-driven interdiction and investigation aimed at disrupting or dismantling international and domestic drug trafficking organizations and their harmful consequences. (HIDTA 1).† In order for an area to be considered as a HIDTA the area must be a center of illegal drug production, manufacturing, importation or distribution. Drug related activities in the area are having a large harmful impact on the area and surrounding areas. The Southwest border is the largest HIDTA in America. It consists of New Mexico, West Texas, South Texas, Arizona and the California Alliance Border Group. Their mission is to create a system working together to reduce drug availability from the Mexican border and destroying international and domestic drug trafficking and the harm that it may cause. The Drug Enforcement Administration offers many careers and opportunities. These careers are not your average everyday nine to five. These careers are challenging and exciting in more ways than someone is used to. Becoming a special agent for the DEA is the heart of the operation. Special Agents are the most talented and diverse of the DEA. Their goal is to get rid of illegal drug distribution, prosecute traffickers and get rid of any financial infrastructure of these organizations. (Occupation 1). This position takes skills, talent and specialized training, along with multiple responsibilities. Some responsibilities may involve investigating and helping prosecute violators of controlled substance laws abroad and in the United States, working with local, state, federal and foreign officials to assist manage drug intelligence programs, searching, seizing and arresting violators and assets affiliated with illicit drug trafficking. To become a special agent, there is an extensive, in de pth hiring process that may take up to a year or more to finalize. One must have qualification reviews, written assessments and interviews, medical examinations that include a drug test, polygraph examinations and full field backgrounds. Another career available in the DEA are the Diversion Investigator. Diversion Investigators are responsible for putting together investigations on the fastest growing drug issue, phony, Internet pharmacies. Being a Diversion Investigator is the most challenging career choices in the DEA field. In order to be a Diversion Investigator one must be able to investigate and gather data, research and analyze data, identify significant factors, and have great verbal and writing skills. A background in law enforcement or military is highly recommended and must have excellent hearing and sight for this position. (Occupations 2) The Forensic Sciences department of the Drug Enforcement Administration has three different branches. The forensic chemist is for the science wizards. Forensic Chemists goes to combat scientifically against illicit drug manufactures. Unusual compound drugs are constantly being composed and sold in the drug trade, forensic chemists use their intellect to break the compound down and analytically help enforce federal regulations in decreasing the distribution and abuse. The DEA recruits and hires forensic chemists from all levels of experience from highly experienced chemists to recent college graduates. A degree from a four-year accredited college or university with a major in physical science, chemistry, or engineering. (Forensic Chemist 1). The second division of the Forensic Sciences department is the Forensic Specialists. Becoming a Forensic Specialist is an opportunity to use state of the art examination techniques to form latent prints. Forensic Specialist have to provide testimo ny in courts of law and conduct training for law enforcement officials. In order to take this position, there are a few qualifications you must meet like experience performing print examinations, partial and imperfect finger prints, and assist in investigations. The third department of the Forensic Sciences department is the Forensic Computer Examiner. Becoming a Forensic Computer Examiner is a very challenging career, it is the base of digital evidence. Being a Forensic Computer Examiner calls to recover and analyze digital evidence from operating systems, databases and communication networks. This field takes more previous education than the other three, must obtain a minimum of a master’s degree but the DEA prefers a Doctorate Degree. The DEA also provides other careers in professional and administrative support, careers from accountants, attorneys, to Human Resources personnel. The DEA takes pride in their employees by providing long-term benefits to their employees. Federal employees are eligible for health and life insurance, retirement benefits, along with annual and sick leave and paid holidays. You can find a link to apply for any of these positions at DEA.gov The Drug Enforcement Administration started with a purpose to control and fight against drug smuggling and use within the United States and control the usage of illicit drugs. The DEA has done an excellent job at controlling this task while growing as one of the largest federal agencies for the government. The DEA started out with 1,470 Special Agents and a 75 million dollar budget and now in 2014 they are home of over 5,000 Special Agents and a 2.02 billion dollar budget. With the aid of High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas and the Demand Reduction Program the DEA is doing a fantastic job at controlling drug trafficking. Yet, with all of these states legalizing marijuana, one can not help but wonder what the future holds for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Works Cited DEA.gov / Home. DEA.gov / Home. U.S.Department of Justice, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. Welcome to the All-new GetSmartAboutDrugs.com. Get Smart About Drugs. Drug Enforcement Administration, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Welcome to the All-new JustThinkTwice.com. Just Think Twice. Drug Enforcement Administration, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. NM HIDTA Home Page. NM HIDTA Home Page. Drug Enforcement Administration, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

The Good and Evil Angelo of Measure for Measure Essay -- Measure for M

The Good and Evil Angelo of Measure for Measure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, Angelo emerges as a double-sided character.   Scholars have argued for centuries whether or not Angelo is a moral character or an evil character.   Those scholars who support the notion of Angelo as moral often cite the following facts: the Duke obviously trusts Angelo, Angelo is disheartened enough by the end of the play to offer a sincere apology, and Angelo tries to resist the temptation that Isabella presents.   On the other hand, others have argued that Shakespeare depicts Angelo as a purely evil man.   These critics emphasize Angelo's treatment of Marian, the Duke's possible suspicion of Angelo, his desire for Isabella, and his broken promise to Isabella.   By examining Angelo in both of these circumstances, it will become apparent that the most successful interpretation of Angelo's character is a combination of both of these facets.    Angelo depicts a few moral qualities throughout the course of the play.   The firs instance of Angelo's depiction as a possible moral figure occurs in Act I, scene i.   It becomes apparent here that the Duke has enough trust in Angelo to leave him in charge of his people.   The Duke tells Angelo that he has the power to "enforce or qualify the laws/ As to your soul seems good" (I.i.66-67), which demonstrates that he must feel some respect for Angelo.   Obviously, if Angelo does a poor job, it will reflect poorly on the Duke's judgment as a leader.   Therefore, it would appear to be a foolish move if the Duke left Angelo in charge and assumed that Angelo might do something disreputable (Rowse 360).   On top of this, the Duke's speeches demonstrate that he is an intelligent, sensitive man w... ...randes, Georg.   William Shakesperea.   New York: Macmillian Company, 1924, pp. 401-10 Parrott, Thomas marc.   Shakespearean Comedy.   New York: Russel and Russel, Inc., 1949, pp. 335-65. Raleigh, Walter.   Shakespeare.   London: Macmillan and Company, Ltd., 1965,,pp. 164-73. Rowse, A.L.   William Shakespeare; A Biography.   New York: Harper and Row, 1963, pp. 360-65.    The student may wish to begin the essay with the following quotes:    Lord Angelo is precise; Stands at a guard with envy; scare confesses That his blood flows or that his appetite Is more to bread than stone. [I.iii.353-56]    Man, proud man, Drest in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he's most assured, His glassy essence, like an angry ape Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heaven As makes angels weep. [II.ii.145-50]

The Stand Essay -- essays research papers

The Stand by Stephen King was a very detailed, and engulfing story about a possible end to mankind. This â€Å"extermination† is caused by a man-made variation of the flu that is 100% fatal and spread through the air. It wipes out 99% of the world’s population in a month, leaving around 1 million people in the entire United States. The story is about how the population is split between good and evil and the battle that goes on between the two colonies. The story is presented from many different point of views, because there are around ten to fifteen different main characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of all the characters, Harold Lauder is probably the most interesting and developed in the whole story. His personality changes drastically from one extreme to the other throughout the book....

Role of The Tannery in the novel Nectar in a Sieve Essay -- essays res

Question: What role does the tannery, in Rukmani’s city, have throughout the book? Explain. Also, be sure to discuss what effect it had on the people. In almost every novel, there is at least one culprit or menace. He or she usually causes problems and in more exciting works, ends up murdering one of the protagonists. Hence, in the erratic novel Nectar in a Sieve, which is set in India during the early 1950’s, there has been a troublemaker, just hidden and extremely indirect in his actions. â€Å"What’s his name?† one might ask. The answer: the tannery. This corporation alone forces Rukmani and her husband Nathan off their land, takes away Rukmani’s sons, and ultimately, kills her husband. By being the culprit in the book, the tannery symbolizes many important things such as how the area is changing and those who can’t adapt will flounder such as what happens to Rukmani and Nathan. The tannery shows India’s economic situation as well. The more businesses, the faster India’s economic structure will form, resulting in more political power for the country, but deteriorating the crop li fe. Lastly, the tannery depicts how farm life in India is slowly fading away and those who can not find other skills will fade away too. A major corporation opening in a small town is a sign that the tides are changing and if one can not keep up, he will drown. This is certainly the case in Nectar in a Sieve, being that the tannery opens up in Rukmani’s city. At the time, Rukmani and Nathan have no other skills than tilling the fields and when the tannery buys their land, they were left awestruck as to what their next move should be. Rukmani always had a hunch since the start of the book that the tannery would lead to their end. This quote shows that... ...ry provides stable wages and hope for promotion. This is more secure than working in a farm because even if there is a drought or the crops go bad, workers still earn a constant rupee a day to support their family. The tannery opening up in Rukmani’s small city and the steady rush of workers depicts how farm life in India will decrease in the next century. Rukmani overcame many hardships in the novel but her fight with the tannery is a loss. The tannery ultimately defeats her and takes away her husband. Alas, readers typically overlook the tannery as being the antagonist in the novel even though it frequently infuriated the lives of Rukmani and Nathan. Everybody has at least one tannery in their life, be it their boss, friend, coworker or even parent. Being able to overcome your mental tannery would grant you success in life, something Rukmani could never achieve.

Employee Participation Essay

Of all the subjects controlled by the societal, public, and employment strategy set by the European Union (EU), the intrinsic worth of implementing worker participation in the administration of businesses on a wide extent has turned out to be highly contentious over the years. The stipulations put forward by the EU, for example, equivalent opportunities for employees as that of employers, operational or working timing, and unusual contracts, all of them, time and again, have triggered disagreements amid employers. Despite the fact that an increasing number of organizations are turning out to be of interest in employee participation as a possible measure for expanding labor efficiency and trimming down nonattendance, staff resignation rate, and rate of recurrence of industrial disagreements. Considered as the most hostile and invasive, is that kind of employee participation, which outwardly inflicts constrictions on the management’s perquisites or their privilege for that matter. Traditional executives dread, though, that due to the pressures on an employee participation system, grounding on their temporary, peculiar interests would, among other things, steer to too much wage upsurge. These could possibly lead to a decline of internal principal on hand for investing or capital spending in the short run and for moving the available capital out of the country in the long run. It is much unexpected that there has been very slight economic evaluation of the present familiarity with employee participation. The majority of researches have dealt with the topic entirely from a philosophical, historical, or sociological perspective. (Svejnar, pp. 1, n. d. ) Recently, employee participation has grown into a central point in labor-management discourse and a significant matter on the European political arena. (Raskin, n. p. , 1976) In certain countries systemized work force has been revealing an urge for involvement in management, as a way of democratizing the whole business systems and policies. Lately, though, this gravity has intensified, nonetheless, creating numerous problems, which are in fact, compounded by a number of reasons, one, and a very major, of which is the utter assortment of standing official and legal frameworks within the associate states of the EU. Various Systems followed by the EU Member States Considering the member states of the EU, the employee participation and representation at executive level, for instance, is obligatory in private corporations situated in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and most Scandinavian countries. On the other hand, countries like France and the Netherlands practice the ‘hybrid form’, while there are still others like Greece and Spain, which allow for this kind of system only in the communal or public sector. In contrast, countries such as, Italy, Belgium and the UK constitute no stipulation at all. (EIRO, pp. I-IV, 1998) The principles and conventions regulating works councils and coalition representation at workplace or sub-executive levels evenly complicated. In the Scandinavian countries, Italy, Ireland and the UK, there happens to be ‘single channels’ of representation via the joint associations. In case of ‘dual channel’ system of representation, the employees are spoken for by work councils, which function beside the unions. In countries like France and Belgium, the manager presides over the work council; however in the majority of other countries, for example Portugal, the Netherlands, and Germany, the work councils simply contain employee representatives. On the other hand, in Ireland and the UK, employee representation has conventionally been identified merely on a voluntary base, even though elsewhere it is regulated by established rules or communal agreements. Rationales The concepts of a ‘democratic organization’, ‘employee involvement and ‘employee participation’ have sustained arguments and disagreements. The degree to which the management is ready to let their employees to take part in matters concerning decisions about their lives at work is in fact one of the most complicated, vibrant debated features of employment relations as they have developed in technologically advanced countries. All concerned parties differ in their interests and viewpoints. In general, the managers suppose that the employees should be assimilated into organization’s frameworks to make certain that they realize the organization’s intentions, targets and objectives and can add into its success. Unions, on the other hand, may possibly be keen to hold out their impact over the management’s decision making to making sure that their own priorities, for example power over work patterns, or in cases when employment patterns are stable, are suitably met. System Followed by Germany The system of employee participation is developed and regulated by the German co-determination law. This law making has its origin in the Weimar Constitution of 1919, which, grounded on a social-democratic philosophy, created constraints on personal rights over possessions and took care for the social privileges and entitlement to life of its people. Under the Article No. 65 of the very Constitution, it was publicly stated that the waged working staff was to be granted correspondence with managers in settling with salaries and working circumstances and to be allowed a full opportunity to express opinions when deciding the overall economic advancement. The 1920 Works Councils Act specified that organizations with no less than twenty workers ought to set up a works council made up of representatives opted for at workplaces, which consult with the board on the carrying out of business objectives. Two years later, the directive was revised to allow works council representation of a couple of their members in directorial management of corresponding organizations and restricted involvement in the board’s decision making process. These were the fundamental developments that molded the base for co-determination law. Both the Weimar Constitution and the Works Council were done away with as the Nazi’s rule made its entrance. The directive, on the other hand, was revitalized in the shape of the Coal, Iron and Steel Industry Co-determination Act of 1951. The Act was originally designed for the coal and steel firms employing greater than a thousand employees but then later, in 1976, the Co-determination Act enfolding all large organizations was legislated and is presently in effect. In case of major and significant organizations, the present structure grants for an equal number of twenty representatives to in the same way be represented by stockholders and employees, with the stockholders decided on at the general stockholders’ meeting. The worker representatives include delegates from workers’ associations and those chosen from all the different levels of workers. The twofold technique of industrial relations in Germany has maintained collective bargaining and the ascertaining of salary and specifications, not together with the subject of participation for example information release, discussions, meetings and co-determination. Here the industrial relations system has been portrayed as ‘sanctioned, integrated, and cooperative’. Focusing on the effects of employee participatory system in Germany, regarding the wages, both in short and long-run, the representation is said to be quite a fruitful one, because it gives evident examples of several participatory systems from the post World War II events to the Co determination law of 1951, which provided employees with 50% representation on the executive boards. The very Act is also said to have created the rank of a labor director on the management panels of all corporations. Despite of the fact that the employee participatory and representative groups in Germany were considered as distinct from the trade unions and the process of wage determination, an uncertainty comes up that whether their effect on wages was in fact missing. In real, there happens to be a considerable connection between unions and the employee representative groups in relation to their workforce, their objectives and activities. But without any reason, it is said that the union and board representatives diverge substantially in their opinions as to the influence of employee participation and representation on wages. Having a unique system of employee participation in corporate management, the German corporate system is said to have some gain. The very advantage appears when it is about effectively testing out and verifying mistreatments by the management. The German corporate system is a twofold one, where the administrative management performs the role of corporate surveillance, whereas the executive board accountable for execution. Originally, the Co determination Act was envisioned to arbitrate the possible disagreements or conflicting interests between the employees and employers and was highly in the favor of workforce. Currently it has been moving on, assuming to an increased level, the function of managing the corporate administration. Although there is some disapproval regarding the fact that the legislation has mislaid its essence with reported circumstances where the board treated employee representatives, in a way to high officials accommodated for and by them, it stays to be a considerable extent to elevate the understanding of societal responsibilities and obligations amid corporate managers and their movements for public causes. (Otsuka, pp. 3, 2006) System followed in the UK In the UK, the whole world is observed through a prism of collective bargaining by unions, which has provided industrial relations with an argumentative placement. Contrasting with the ‘sanctioned, integrated, and cooperative’ industrial relations followed in Germany, the UK’s system is ‘voluntary, dispersed, and opposition-based’. (William, pp. V, 1988) However, such divergences haven’t been taken much into consideration by the Commission of the European Communities, when it is time for them to propose systems of employee participation. In the year 1970, the European company statute and the Fifth directive were founded widely on the basis of the German model but did not have much appeal for the UK. Moreover, amid the important factors, particularly governments, point of views regarding employee participation have gone through periods of interest and aggression. Taking successive UK governments as instances, the governments in the 1970s, both the Conservative and Labour, were normally in favour of the propositions included in the European company statute and the Fifth directive for employee participation and representation at management’s level. But on the other hand, in the 1980s and 1990s, the Conservative governments were unbendingly against all systems of employee participation, even though these situations were, as a minimum, partly looked over when the succeeding Labour government, in 1997, endorsed the social chapter, and in so doing established European Works Councils into the UK. (Gold, pp. 2 , n. d. ) If looked upon in the past, the Commission has been prosperous in achieving approval for the system of employee participation when it is connected with certain areas of industrial relations. According to the 1975 directive on collective redundancies, the employers are required to notify employee representatives concerning the particulars and to refer to them with a view to pursuing an agreement. Then there was an ‘acquired rights directive’ of 1977, after that, the ‘health and safety framework directive’ of 1989, which provided the employees the privilege to acquire information on threat considerations and safety measures. More recently, the statute adopted in 2004, provides employee representatives in the organizations included several rights to information and consultation without any bias. However, the implementation of all these employee rights has time and again, proved challenging in the UK, because the commandments put away the characterization of ‘employee representatives’ up to the state’s legislation. Under the critical environment of sinking union membership, and prior to the arrival of legislative stipulations for union recognition, leave alone worker representation, this has implied that managers frequently do not possess representatives to advise or consult. In 1994, the European Court of Justice, brought forward two litigations against the UK for failing to suitably implement the directives passed in 1975, and the transfer of responsibilities, instructed that it was mandatory for all the EU states to establish appropriate systems for assigning suitable employee representatives. In the UK, the Bullock Committee was established by the government to assess the matter of executive-level employee representation, but managers and several other officials of the labour movement proved intimidating, and the Conservative governments voted for during the course of 1980s and 1990s ruled out any possibility of lawmaking on the issue, as it has a need of an undisputed, common vote on the Council. Nonetheless, a Green Paper was published in 1975, by the Commission, to inspect the major disagreements provoked. The Social and Economic Committee along with the European Parliament both argued upon the topic in detail. To close, the Commission assumed an amended text, in 1953, on the draft Fifth which has not been withdrawn officially up till now. Conclusion In my opinion, keeping in mind all the aforementioned prospects of employee participation and representation, the UK should certainly respect all the directives passed by the EU and all other Unions formed in coalition with all the European states and should give up its present times general framework, under which representation only occurs through unions, and which leaves large gaps in stipulation in those organizations where union membership is vulnerable and sometimes even non-existent. It is necessary for the UK to revive itself from being isolated in the Council, and should bring about measures in order to mobilise its blocking minority. Following the German twofold system, which is better in every way, and also being successful in introducing European Works Councils, it has been foreseen and seen respectively, by the UK employers themselves that this has enhanced their effectiveness in granting a medium for information exchange

Olive Garden Service Blueprint Essay

We chose Olive Garden restaurant to do our service blueprint on. There were various factors that helped us make our decision. The first factor was that it was a restaurant and we believe that restaurants have more key â€Å"wow points† than hotels. Also, the mood and emotions of the guest can be more easily influenced at restaurants. By constructing a service blueprint, we are able to understand exactly what the customer wants and how every point in their visit can be influenced by the staff, management, and restaurant operation. Another big factor in making our decision about choosing Olive Garden was the amount of evidence and information available to us regarding the restaurant. A larger operation, such as McDonalds or Denny’s would have an enormous amount of information available. But, by choosing a restaurant with larger amounts of information, the information would become lost in translation. There would so much information available, which would most likely not be consistent with what we wanted. There is an Olive Garden close to all of our houses, so we found it beneficial to pay a visit to the establishment to draw up other information. A third factor for choosing Olive Garden was its reputation. It is known for its food and its service, and we thought that we could conclude evidence that would show us why this restaurant is so popular. Everybody knows Olive Garden and the majority of people, who know it, love it. The three key factors about the Physical Evidence are: Host/Hostess stand, menu, and food/food appearance. The host stand is the first thing that the guest sees when coming to the restaurant. You must make sure that the host stand is properly organized and ready to take reservations and names. The guest wants to be sat in a timely manner and if they are quoted a 20-minute wait-time, they don’t want to have to wait thirty minutes. You must also hire very friendly people for the host stand. They are the biggest impact on starting the guest experience. If you have a very negative host, it could lead to the customer having a negative experience. The host has the ability to sway the emotions of the guest. The menu is the second biggest key to physical evidence. Customers who dine at Olive Garden want variety. The customers also want consistency. Some of your guest always wants to try  something new and the others get the same thing every time they dine at the restaurant. The menu must be consistent with all Olive Gardens and it also must have an evolving factor about it. The third factor is the food and the food appearance. The food appearance must be good enough to the corporate standards of the company. Most of their guests have been to a different Olive Garden before. If they are the guests that always gets the same menu item every time, they want to make sure that the food tastes and looks the same as before. The food must also be quality food. This means that the food must be able to please all members at the table. Since it is a chain, every lost guest is worth more than as if it was a single standing establishment. The food coming out cold could be a huge factor relating to a negative experience. There can be potential problem areas that must be identified in a service blueprint. One of the first slow points that may occur would be when the customer is greeted and put on a wait list. If a customer is not given a correct wait list time, this could result in slow delivery and a potentially upset customer. One of the most obvious potential problem areas of Olive Garden’s service blueprint is taking the food order. It is important that the correct food order is received, that the food is cooked as ordered, and is delivered to the customer in a reasonable amount of time. Since this area goes through at least three different channels, it is a key point where slow delivery can occur or the possibility that an incorrect order could get put through to the kitchen. One of the last fail points could be processing the bill. This can be a huge fail area due to the possibility of ringing up a wrong order, or splitting the check with different debit cards and cash. While there may be certain areas that can be prone to slow delivery or problems for the customer, there are solutions to address these areas and create a flawless experience based on the service blueprint. For example, wait times must be calculated correctly in order to assure a customer is given a correct time. It will cause a backup in the amount of people waiting and stir problems if someone is told that the wait is about 15 minutes, and they are waiting 25. It is better to give a little bit longer of a wait time just to give a little bit of flexibility. In regards to the food order process, the best possible alternative to these problem areas is to have the  server write down the correct order, repeat it with the guests, and ensure the order is cooked correctly before bringing it out to the customers. This is an important area to be precise in because the product of Olive Garden is their food, and service will lack credibility if the food is not brought out correctly. Finally, the last fail point that must be addressed very seriously is the processing of the check for the customers. This area is so important because it is the last interaction with customer and the last piece of physical evidence they have to take with from the experience. If this experience is not seamless and quick, it may ruin the whole experience. Because of this, the solution for the Olive Garden server is to be quick, efficient, and to double check with the customers on how they want the bill split (if they do). All these areas have simple solutions that can be easily overlooked and it is important to keep them in mind every day. Service blueprints can be used in an organization for marketing, human resource management, and operations. When designing a blueprint for marketing you should take into account what the customer actually sees or handles. If you are marketing free food to attract customers, you should also see how many steps are involved in providing that free food. Marketing is a tricky area in the industry. Many different items can fall under marketing and when designing a bluepr int you should mange all those items and areas. When designing the blueprint for human resources, you should focus on all personnel. You should include factors involving hiring new employees and maintaining current employees. Also, some human resource departments may also want to create another list of items relating to their relationship and personnel involving the unions. The managers should decipher what needs to go into the blueprint by creating a chart that lists all responsibilities and duties of the human resource department. The Operations blueprint will be bigger than other department’s blueprints. This is where the guest has the most contact with the employees and staff. There is also more physical evidence in this department than all other areas. The support process will be smaller in comparison with the contact person category. Making the blueprint has taught me a lot about the restaurant industry. I have noticed there are many factors of physical evidence that can affect the experience of a guest. I didn’t realize that parking could cause some guests  to get irritated. While at Olive Garden, I notice one of the employees was outside cleaning up the parking lot and making sure that there was no trash anywhere. I also noticed there are several points where a guest can be delighted. Something as easy as making sure the drinks are delivered as quickly as possible can lead to a guest getting that â€Å"wow† factor. Making sure that you have a proper support process is also something that affects the restaurant as a whole. In the process of the host stand, they should make sure that there is a proper reservations and seating system being used. While in the business world, I will make sure that all items on a blueprint will have a proper and effective support system. The only way you can effective ly mange people is by being able to manage them when you’re not around. This is an example of properly staffing, training, and creating systems for the employees to follow.