Employee retention connection model

Table of Contents Introduction Literature review Employee retention connection model Integrated retention System Critical appraisal Conclusion Reference List Introduction In the recent past, tremendous changes in the business environment have occasioned employee mobility in an unprecedented manner. This can be attributed to a number of factors. For example, economic globalization has availed limitless and very attractive opportunities for employees with the intention of optimizing their career goals and objectives within the shortest time possible.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Employee retention connection model specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In view of the danger of losing their most prized asset (human resource), employers have devised strategies geared towards motivating and encouraging employees to retain their current jobs in the organization. This report provides a literature review on employee re tention. In order to achieve this goal, the research paper considers conceptual models and systems under utilization by companies and organizations. Literature review Considering the massive losses experienced by organizations, Fitz-ens (1997, p. 3) emphasizes the need for organizations to embrace strategies and models that would motivate employees. According to Howart (2010, p. 2), underpayment and strained relationship with the management team coupled with unclear responsibilities and poor working conditions have been cited as some of the factors that make employees to consider leaving their jobs. To this end, an array of models has been put in practice by many organizations with mixed success rates. Using the Herzberg theory, Quaero Company embarked on improvement of its communication system and the development of flexible work schedules thereby resulting in retention of its talented and experienced employees in the face of increasing competition in the industry (Mitchelman, 2003 , para. 15). Provision of fairness and proper climate, as stipulated in the equity theory, is imperative in ensuring that employees realize their optimal potential as a requirement particularly when applying the Maslow hierarchy concept in the United States (Kreitner Kinicki, 1998, p. 54). The realization of the importance of human resources based on the training and support programs offered to them is crucial in improving organizational performance. The desire to apply integrative models in enhancing the commitment and motivation in the workforce is rife owing to changing trends in the business climate (Meyer et al 2004, p. 995). Kreitner and Kinicki (1998, p. 67) and Meyer et al (2004, p. 998) have asserted the importance of understanding the root causes of discontent in the workforce to help in the design of integrative and involving retention strategies. Furthermore, visionary leadership and the incorporation of motivation strategies which take into consideration the contributi on of employees should guide the organizations’ goals (Sheridan 1992, p. 1031).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employee retention connection model The model has influenced the banking and manufacturing sectors in coming up with retention strategies. There is need to ensure organization culture is aligned with the expectations of the employees particularly when taking into account the potential and impact of experienced employees on organizational performance. Studies conducted among technological firms have reinforced the notion that rewards and contribution are largely crucial in retaining employees and improving relations with the employers. In line with their ambitions, the ERC model provides the best opportunity for employees to go up the ladder while bolstering their competency and relevance in offering solutions to challenges in the organization (Competittive Advantage Consultants, 2003, para. 8). Integrated retention System Inducements and offering of career improvement opportunities in tandem with the integrated retention system model has contributed to better perceptions of employees with regard to their current job. On the other hand, Kreitner and Kinicki (1998, p. 47) noted that assessing the organizational climate as espoused by the Herzberg theory is important in improving the cultural practices in the long term. The fact that systematic assessment provides the best foundation to deduce the problems and loopholes while informing the designing of stimulants in the organization makes it an essential component. In line with the model, utilization of available evidence coupled with incorporation of contemporary business practices in training and capacity buildings of employees in industries bolsters and strengthens the overall capacity of employees (Elisa, Zhao Kay, 2009, p. 437). In addition, employees’ retention is improve d through concerted efforts aimed at rewarding and offering career development to employees . This ensures that productivity is maintained at its peak. Tailor- made rewarding schemes for college graduates in industrial firms while providing them with the Maslow needs is instrumental in retention and helping them conform to the cultural practices in the organization.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Employee retention connection model specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Critical appraisal The application of the ERC model in technology and service sector has not only placed them ahead of the other sectors but also provided benchmarks upon which the private sectors base their performance (Dessler 2008, p. 45). Nonetheless, failure to address and make provisions for hiccups and constraints in the system may prove costly (Michelman 2003, para. 6). This is especially the case when taking into consideration the dynamics o f the business environment (Competitive Advantage Consultants, 2003, para. 6). The integrated system of employee retention has proved effective and relevant mainly due to its recognition of employees’ retention as an integral component for the firm to succeed. However, its reliance on performance and rewards may prove ineffective in situations where the employees take time to adjust to the work environment Conclusion The ERC model provides managers and organizations with a crucial tool through which they can build retention programs for their employees. The fact that the model and the integrated system for employee retention makes provisions for tailor- made assessment and rewarding schemes makes it an effective employee retention tool. Majority of technological and service industries have embraced the model and the integrated system due to an increment in the number of opportunities available to the employees. Reference List Competitive Advantage Consultants, 2003, ERCâ€⠄¢s Retention Model. Web. Dessler, G., 2008, Human Resource Management. 11th International Edition. New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall. Elisa, M., Zhao, J. Kay, C. 2009. An exploratory study of US lodging properties’ organizational practices on employee turnover and retention. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp.437 – 458. Fitz-ens, J., 1997, The ROI of human capital: measuring the economic value of  Ã‚  Employee performance. Broadway, New York: American Management Association.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Howart, W., 2010, Employee retention. A discussion model. Web. Kreitner, R. Kinicki, A., 1998, Organizational behavior.4th Ed. Boston: McGraw Hill. Meyer, J., Becker, P., Thomas, E. Vandenberghe, C. 2004. Employee Commitment and Motivation: A Conceptual Analysis and Integrative Model. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 89, No. 6, pp. 991-1007. Michelman, P., 2003, Your new core strategy: Employee retention. Web. Sheridan, J. 1992. Organizational culture and employee retention. Academy of management journal, Vol. 35, No. 5, pp. 1036-1056. This report on Employee retention connection model was written and submitted by user Desiree Holder to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with the Letter T

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with the Letter T Chemistry abbreviations and acronyms are common in all fields of science. This collection offers common abbreviations and acronyms beginning with the letter T used in chemistry and chemical engineering. Abbreviations and Acronyms Starting With T T: Period of a waveT: Tera prefixT: Thyminet: timeT: TritiumTa: TantalumTaC: Tantalum CarbideTAC: Tri acetyl CelluloseTAG: TriAcylGlyceridetan: tangentTAN: Total Acid NumberTAS: Total Analysis SystemTAS: Total Alkali versus SilicaTAT: TriAcetone TriperoxideTb: TerbiumTBA: TertButylArsineTBA: 2,4,6-TriBromoAnisoleTBP: True Boiling PointTBC: 4-TertButylCatecholTBT: TriButylTinTBHQ: TertButylHydroQuinoneTc: TechnitiumTC: Temperature CompensatedTC: Temperature ControlledTC: Theoretical ChemistryTc: Critical TemperatureTCA: TauroCholic AcidTCA: TCA cycle (citric acid cycle)TCA: TriChloroAcetic AcidTCE: TriChloroEthaneTCF: ThiolCarbon FiberTCM: TetraChloromethaneTCP: Thermal Conversion ProcessTCP: TocopherolTCP: TriCalcium PhosphateTCP: TriChloroPhenolTCP: 1,2,3-TriChloropropaneTCS: Toxic Chemical SystemTCT: ToCoTrienolTCV: Temperature Control ValveTCVF: Two Chamber Vacuum FurnaceTD: Temperature DisplacementTD: Thermal DepositionTDA: Thermal Dilatometric AnalysisTDC: Three Degrees Centigra de TDG: ThymineDNA GlycosylaseTDI: Tolerable Daily IntakeTDI: Toluene DiIsonateTDO: Tryptophan 2,3-DiOxygenaseTDP: Thermal DePolymerizationTDP: Thymidine DiPhosphateTDP: Thiamine DiPhosphateTe: TelluriumTEA: Terminal Electron AcceptorTEC: Thermal Electric CoolerTEL: Tetra Ethyl LeadTFM: Total Fatty MatterTh: ThoriumTHC: Tetra Hydra CannabinolTHM: TriHaloMethanes TI - Thermal IndexTi: TitaniumTIC: Total Ion CurrentTIMS: Thermal Ionization Mass SpectroscopyTIP: TrisIsopropyl PhenylTl: ThalliumTLC: Thin Layer ChromatographyTLV: Toxic Level ValueTm: ThuliumTM: Transition MetalTMD: Theoretical Maximum DensityTMG: TriMethylGlycineTMMA: TetraMethylMalonAmideTMP: TriMethylPhosphateTMS: TriMethylSilaneTNB: TriNitroBenzeneTNT: TriNitroTolueneTNS: Test No EtherTOBSY: Total ThroughBond Correlation SpectroscopyTOC: Total Organic CarbonTOI: Table Of IsotopesTON: Table Of NuclidesTOX: ToxicTP: Triple PointTP: Transition PointTPE: Thermoplastic ElastomerTPM: Total Particulate MatterTR: Table RowTRAP: T artrate Resistant Acid Phosphatase TRFM: Time-Resolved Fluorescence MicroscopyTRP: TryptophanTS: Temperature SensitiveTSCB: TriSilaCycloButaneTSP: Thermally Stable PolycrystallineTSP: TriSodium PhosphateTSPM: Total Suspended Particulate MatterTSS: Total Soluble SolidsTST: Transitional State TheoryTT: Test TubeTTC: Triphenyl Tetrazolium ChlorideTTFD: Thiamine TetraHydroFurfurylDisulfideTTLC: Total Threshold Limit ConcentrationTTO: Total Toxic OrganicsTTP: Thymine TriPhosphateTTX: TetrodotoxinTU: Thermally UnboundTWMC: Time-Weighted Mean ConcentrationTWV: Total Water Vapor

Human Resource Management in Organisations - Shipyard Progres Essay

Human Resource Management in Organisations - Shipyard Progres - Essay Example Conclusion and Recommendations 11 References 12 Appendix 13 1. Introduction The evaluation of business plans is of critical importance for understanding the potential of a firm to secure its position in the market. The use of management systems that have been already tested in real market conditions can help managers to develop more accurate assumptions regarding their firm’s potentials both in the short and the long term. Balanced Scorecard is a management system focusing rather on long-term business goals and achievements. Different approaches have been used in the literature for describing the Balanced Scorecard; in accordance with Chi et al. (2011) the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) can be characterized as ‘a performance management system for assisting a corporation in actualising its strategy’ (Chi et al. 2011, p.224). From a different point of view, Rabbani et al. (2011) note that the BSC is based ‘on the critical success factor (CSF) concept of a limited se t of performance measures’ (Rabbani et al. 2011, p.1). The above approaches reflect the aims of Kaplan and Norton in regard to the use of BSC as a management system for measuring organizational performance. ... Reference is made to a specific firm: the shipyard Progres, a firm established in 1837 as part of the shipbuilding industry of Netherlands. Due to the radical changes in market structure and trends, the firm’s existing strategies need to be thoroughly reviewed and updated. Emphasis should be given on the management of staff but also on the management of the firm’s financial sector. The development of an appropriately customized Balanced Scorecard system could improve the monitoring of the firm’s strategies, helping to identify the key reasons of the failures in regard to the firm’s plan for expansion within its industry. Moreover, the specific system could help the organization to estimate whether the project under review, the purchase of an existing dry dock - which could be moored in Eemshaven harbour, is feasible and under which terms it could contribute in the firm’s growth. 2. Balanced Scorecard – usefulness, applicability and pitfalls a gainst Self-appraisal models The performance of organizations in the long term is difficult to be estimated with accuracy. The use of management systems, such as the Balanced Scorecard, helps towards the identification of a firm’s potentials within its market; in fact, the Balanced Scorecard, can offer to a firm’s managers the chance to evaluate the performance of their organization as being influenced by specific strategies and initiatives. From this point of view, the Balanced Scorecard can be characterized as a valuable management tool helping managers to develop a complete view of their firm’s current operational status but also of its perspectives in the future (Ba-Abaad 222009). The Balanced Scorecard has a

Analysis of the Movie The Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of the Movie The Women - Essay Example The major technicalities that will be studied in the paper from the source of the Crystal Allen character are presentation and representation acting, personalization, emotional life of the character and importance of casting etc. Presentational and Representational Acting The role of Crystal Allen in the story can be presentational acting at the second interval of the film. The technicality of presentational and representational acting has a variance in its context. Representational acting is merely noted in plays where the actors have to play more than one role. This is associated with the simple background and context to the story. In the presentational acting, it is quiet evident that the actor plays a single role with a customized setting. As studied by the authors Hagen and Frankel, â€Å"Formalized, external (Representational) has a strong tendency to follow fashion. Internal acting presentation rejects fashion and consequently can become timeless as human experience itself (H agen and Frankel, 2nd Chapter). This clarifies the position of characterization of Crystal in the movie. It should be noted that the character of Crystal has shown vibrancy by appointing villainous role. The nature is practical in real life and, thus, it does not challenge the conscience of the audiences. The director projects a different view of the character by appointing her villainous side mentioning a setting which is real. The audiences of the movie are able to witness the reality of relationships which might miss out on trust. There is no representational acting done so far by Crystal as the role remains customary where she is depicted as a vamp of the story. The change or transition in the context of her character becomes obvious when the director presents Crystal to become consciously unfaithful to her husband despite knowing that he divorced her wife in order to marry her. This shows that the presentational acting is up to the mark and indicates the audiences about the rea l slot which they might have around them. This is how audiences relate their lives with the stories of film (Cukor). Emotional life The character of Crystal Allen is relatively strong in the movie because she has a dilemma of keeping sincerity with her partner. On the front, it can be observed that she is a bad woman in the story but it should be noted that the negativity of her character in the film is merely because of emotional imbalance in her life. As per analysis of the character, it can be said that she was nothing in terms of personalization as she has been depicted to be a perfume stall sales girl who cannot have a true relationship with a rich guy. Seemingly, it’s her emotionally imbalanced life that she gets involved with a man who is already married to someone. This imbalance of her emotional life continues to affect other characters of the story making it easy to notice that, being an emotionally imbalanced woman, she is not accepted by the audience (Cukor). Furt hermore, the emotional imbalance in her life is noted to become severe when she gets involved in a relationship with Buck after marrying Steven. This clarifies that she is not satisfied at all being married to Steven. She seems to be satisfied emotionally with the materialistic environment. Her desires and aspirations are greatly materialistic making it evident that the role of Crystal is of the typical women who want to have all the comforts

Deviant Behavior Homework Chapter 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Deviant Behavior Homework Chapter 1 - Essay Example Indeed, irresponsible owners of guns have caused much misery to loved ones of those who died from shootings like the Virginia Tech case. Firearms are sold and trade at local gun shows, flea markets, internet and even classified ads. These transactions do not require a background check; thus, a convicted felon or a mentally ill person can usually obtain firearms in this undesirable manner. This practice must be stopped. We must let our elected officials know the Brady law needs to govern all firearm sales for both licensed and unlicensed dealers. The waiting period should be ten business days which would allow local agencies to do the necessary detailed background check and to communicate with all other states before a purchase is made. Florida has some of the weakest gun laws in the nation. There is no state limit on the number of firearms that can be purchased at one time. As a consequence, a gun trafficker can buy large quantities of guns from a gun store and resell them to criminals from other states with tougher gun laws. An individual should not be allowed to purchase more than one gun in a six-month period unless such person is a state licensed dealer. Unfortunately Florida has no existing state licensing or oversight system which makes it very difficult for law enforcement to monitor illegal firearms. Each state must have a gun dealer regulation which would hold a gun seller accountable for their actions and help prevent criminals and other dangerous people from obtaining guns. For those whose lives have changed because of the reckless use of a firearm, no law is ever enough. The second website presents the justification for possessing firearms. Indeed, the Second Amendment protects the rights of all Americans to bear arms for self defense. So, why should this amendment change? The National Rifle Association has spent millions of dollars on

Access To Humanities And Social Science Sociology Essay

Access To Humanities And Social Science Sociology Essay This essay will explore the concept of the family, and how it has changed over time. The family is an enduring institution over time and within different cultural settings such as nomadic, tribal, agrarian, industrial and post- industrial. The history of man is essentially linked to that of the family; for instance, the most powerful narrative of the western world is arguably the bible, and it gives the defining genealogy of mankind. A central theme of the bible is family history which links the main players from Adam and Eve through to Jesus himself, for instance; who doesnt know Jesus was from the line of David? It is, amongst other things, an extensive documentation of family. It is said that in pre-industrial Britain, the family had different a different social agenda and a different focus than that of the family in the industrial revolution that followed. Before industrialisation Britain was an agricultural country with most of its population working on the land. It is widely believed that the extended family was prevalent in these times. Social historian Philippe Aries (1962) suggested that children of this time were regarded as little adults who took part in the work place and were thought of as an economic asset. He argued that as their death rate was so high, there were difficulties in investing emotionally in children. In medieval society the idea of childhood did not exist; www.google.com/www.ehs.org.uk/society/pdfs/Hendrick%2015a.pdf On the other hand, Peter Laslett (1972-77), studied pre industrial family structures and suggested that neither kinship, nor the classic extended families were typical family structures in pre industrial Britain or America, he suggested the figures showed these families made up less than 10% of the family population in. After extensive research on family sizes in Britain he reversed the argument that the nuclear family came about in reaction to industrialisation, stating that the nuclear family was to be found in pre industrial Britain, and that there was evidence of the same in much of Europe, the nuclear family had economic, political and social consequences that prepared Britain and Europe for early industrialisation. He called the nuclear family of this time the western family. His studies also led him to conclude that the classic extended family was found more widely in Eastern Europe and in countries such as Russia and Japan. Anderson (1980) argued that there was a greater variety of family structure than Laslett implied in his research, implying pre industrial Europe was characterised by family diversity. Anderson used data from the 1851 census of Preston and concluded that 23% of the households of the working classes contained kin beyond that of the nuclear family, a much larger figure than that of Lasletts findings. Preston was largely reliant on the cotton trade in these times, and he concluded that in these times of hardship, resulting from spells of high unemployment, low wages, high death rates and overcrowded housing, large kinship networks would be beneficial to all parties. For example, the parents of spouses would often live in the same household, providing them with child care whilst they were out at work. In turn the grandparents were cared for. Andersons studies led him to conclude that the working class family of the mid nineteenth century acted as a mutual aid organisation. Anderson argued that industrialisation increased rather than decreased extensions of working class nuclear families. In1949 functionalist George Murdock published his studies on the institution of the family, looking at a wide range of societies (250) from large scale industrial, to small hunter gatherer societies. He concluded that a form of the family existed in every society. Murdock defined the family (1949) It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of sexually cohabiting adults.; Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition, pg 460. Murdock defined the family as living together, pooling its resources, working together, and producing offspring. He also thought of the family as functioning with at least two of its adult members conducting a sexual relationship, depending on the norms of its society. For example in Muslim countries it is allowed for the male to have up to four wives. Murdock defined the family as being a universal social institution. Functionalist views are often referred to as conservative thinking, preserving or maintaining the status quo. Arguments opposing functionalist theories emerge from Marxist and feminist ideology, as often in their fundamental nature, they will challenge or change existing perceived oppression and exploitation, with feminists exposing, or trying to change oppression of women, and in Marxist ideology, exposing and theorizing on the exploitation and oppression of the working classes. (1884) Engles studied the evolution of the family with a Marxist outlook. Engles argued that the monogamous nuclear family developed as the state passed laws to protect private property, and to enforce monogamous marriage. The nuclear monogamous family solved the problem of the inheritance of property, and gave men certainty as to the legitimacy of their heirs. Engels stated that the monogamous family asserted male supremacy; the express purpose being to produce children of undisputed paternity, such paternity is demanded because these children are later to come into their fathers property Engles (1972) first published (1884), Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition pg464. Marxist feminists see women as being unequal in society and in the family; they assert the inequality of patriarchal systems in society such as the family. This group of feminist psychologists see the problems facing women in society as being capitalist, but unlike Marxists, who concentrate on capitalism and its effects on the family, the Marxist feminist would focus on its effects on women. Speaking of housewives Benston commented (1972) The amount of unpaid labour performed by women is very large and profitable to those who own the means of production pg466. She would assert that the male member of the family pays for the running of a future work force (his children) and the financial care of his wife, and as a result, he is trapped in the cogs of capitalism. Talcot Parsons (1959-65b) was an influential Functionalist sociologist who asserted that the American family had, by this point in the evolution of the American society, been reduced to two main functions; the stabilisation of children, and the stabilisation of the adult personalities. Parsons identified the typical family in modern industrial society as the isolated nuclear family, and argued; as the society evolves and becomes engaged in processes of structural differentiation, the functions of the family are diminished. Parsons thought that as institutions develop within society, there would be a transfer of a variety of functions from the nuclear family to other structures of society, Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition pg47. The Education system, Health and Welfare systems were all seen as examples of this transference of functions. He argued that the isolated nuclear family helps to maintain and perpetuate the wider society. He continued that ascribed status that is given to its members within the family, directly contrasts with status that has to be achieved in society at large. It is because it is isolated it can manage this discrepancy; if it was not, extended tensions could arise. An example of this is the position Parsons gives to the male within the family, head of the family, which may contradict with a lower economic status outside the family, but it is managed within the isolated nuclear family. In an extended family, another male in the household who was on more pay than the spouse, would reduce that males status within his family. The family had become structurally isolated and family relationships were more of a matter of choice than blinding obligations. Parsons saw these existing functions of the nuclear family as being vital functions in maintaining the American way of life. (1976) Zaretsky gave a Marxist outlook; in researching the developments of the family in industrialised societies he asserted the family props up capitalism Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition p465. Zaretsky (1976) asserted that only with industrialisation, work and family life separated. He noted that the family was seen as a refuge in a terrible anonymous world of commerce and industry. But unlike Parsons, who was pro capitalism, he would say that the family perpetuates capitalism and inequality; in the unpaid labour of women, creating new labour forces, and in the family being a unit of consumption that allowed the bourgeoisie too prosper. Zaretsky saw socialism as the familys answer to the evils of capitalism. Marxist feminist Fran Ansley echoed the Marxist view point when she asserted wives play their traditional role as takers of shit, they often absorb their husbands legitimate anger and frustration at their own powerlessness and oppression. Hers was the view that married working class women cushion their husbands ill feelings at their powerlessness within the work place. There are three periods in the development of feminism; the first being political, mainly campaigning for womens rights to vote. The second period of feminist development was in the 1960s depicting the rise of the womans liberation movement which dealt with social and economic discrimination, with feminists of the time campaigning for womens rights and to change legislation. The third period is said to have continued from the second, but also in reaction to what had already been achieved by feminists through legislation. This period is said to have started in the 1990s and has continued to present times. There are different groups of feminists, who have differing opinions concerning womens issues and what is the best way forward for womankind. It is said that in modern times feminism has splintered into different groups, reflecting the needs of a multi cultural society. Addressing, for example, feminism from a cultural point of view; such as honour killings, and arranged marriages, w hich pose considerable problems for the agents of a host society. Different groups of feminist sociologists include liberal feminism; which is a less extreme form of feminism than others. Commenting on liberal feminism Susan Wendel remarks, one of the modern political goals most closely associated with liberal feminism is equality of opportunity which would undoubtedly require and lead to both; www.google.com /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal feminism. They see women as having equality, but would look at a womens ability to show or uphold her equality in the decisions and actions she makes. A liberal feminist would say that a woman needs to mould herself to fit citizenship in a social structure constructed in the interests of men. They also believe that socialisation needs to be addressed, as in its current form, it can often perpetuate the inequalities that women face in society; an example of this would be girls toys like dolls and prams conditioning them into their future role as ho use wives and mothers. Liberal feminist Jennifer Somerville (2000) sees our society as being much more equal in recent years. She believes that laws need to be passed to make heterosexual marriages more equal in order to address the family breakdown. Radical Feminists believe women are unequal in society. Women are exploited in patriarchal society. Some radical feminists believe the answer is separatism; meaning that men and women should live apart. Radical feminist Germaine Greer (2000) remarks on high profile family couples; her eyes should be fixed on him but he should do his best never to be caught looking at her. The relationship must be seen to be unequal Haralambos Holborn, Sociology Themes and perspectives Seventh edition pg 468. She argues that women seem oblivious to the misgivings of marriage but the inequalities soon become apparent, and that male sexuality requires the added stimulus of novelty. She points to the fact that three quarters of divorces in Britain are instigated by women, as evidence that women will no longer suffer in silence for the illusion of a stable family life. She sees this as a good thing for women. Difference feminist, Calhoun (1997) states that heterosexual relationships exploit women, and that gay and lesbian relationships reduce that exploitation. She remarks that gays and lesbians have historically been depicted as family outlaws. Calhoun sees another type of family outlaw; the unwed welfare mother. Calhoun thinks that these family outlaws have been blamed for the breakdown of the traditional family, and of a moral decline within society. Difference feminism has been influenced by liberal, Marxist and radical feminism and has connotations with post modern theories. But where Marxist, and radical feminist movements are insensitive to family variation. Difference feminists focus on these family variations and there effects. American Difference Feminist Linda Nicholson (1977) states that women can benefit from living in an alternative family, that other theorists and sociologists have over idealised the nuclear family and undermined the alternative family. Examples of alternative families are; families with a stay at home father, heterosexual families living outside marriage, step families and homosexual families to name a few. She points out that the nuclear family had only been the norm since the fifties, and that even then it was uncommon for groups such as the African American working classes. Nicholson says that changes in society such as Increased participation of married women in the labour force, and the growth of female-headed households were making this way of life increasingly atypical; Nicholson (1997) pg471. She sees benefits for women living in an alternative family; black women benefiting from mother centred families, as with no male presents, the women often group together forming strong support networks. Also in times of financial hardship, friends and kin act as a social insurance system, helping financially. Nicholson saw disadvantages for women in an alternative family as being; if the family did come into money, they would then be expected to, in turn, help their network of close friends and family financially, another disadvantage of this type of alternative family would be that children had no father figure, unlike in many middle class households. Nicholson also looked at the advantages and disadvantages of the nuclear family. Disadvantages are that with both parents having to work, the childrens upbringing can be negatively affected, and with such a structure, abused children often had nowhere to turn within a nuclear family. Nicholson would assert that an advantage of being in a nuclear family would be that there is a much greater chance of being economically successful as often, both parents are working, and that the nuclear family doesnt have to redistrib ute its wealth. Nicholson would argue that different families and households should be acknowledged because they suit women in differing circumstances. Examine the changing and diverse nature of the family in modern society; the modern family has become increasingly diverse in structure in todays modern western world. The nuclear family is no longer seen as the norm by many sociologists, and other family structures such as: lone parent families, matriarchal families, reconstructed families (step families), Homosexual families, mixed race families, and ethnic minority families, have become more common place in modern western societies. One form of family which has attracted criticism in recent years is the lone parent family. This type of family structure is now much more prevalent in the western world, in Britain alone, it is said that there has been a thirty per cent increase in lone parent families in the last ten years. Around a quarter of all families are headed by one parent in Britain today. The new right (modern functionalists) believe that the nuclear family is the ideal family structure, and view lone parent families and sa me sex families as harmful to society. From a new right perspective, lone parent families mostly have no father figure to financially provide for the family, making it financially dependent on the state. Also they would argue that the lack of a male role model is a negative force in the socialization process of children. Other criticisms of lone parent families and their financial reliance upon the state, it is argued, is that they have eroded the responsibilities of fathers, who are much more likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour. New right thinkers believe that single parent families have helped to create an underclass in Britains society: who see no need to work, who often live in poverty, whose children are more likely to under achieve in school, and are more likely to be involved in a wide range of social problems. The new right would go so far as to say that there is a generation of a young underclass of females who regard pregnancy as a ticket to receiving housing, an d financial support from the state, but others would say that this is a simplistic outlook and that it is unfair to stigmatise single parent families, or to blame them for the problems within society. Mary McIntosh (1996) pointed out that over recent years, the media in the United Kingdom have been reflecting a concern about lone mothers that amounts to a moral panic pg478. Also, it is mostly not the case that these, mostly teenage girls, get pregnant to be housed and supported by the state, as in most cases, they see a future with their partners, but the relationship breaks down. E.E Ceshmore (1985) speaking of the darker side family life and how it serves male interests asserted that the idea of breaking free of marriage and raising children single handed has its appeals pg488. She continued that it must be preferable for a child to grow up with one caring parent, than live with two warring parents. Another new form of family structure in todays Western society is same sex families. Recent changes in attitudes towards gays and lesbian behaviours and in the law (the UKs Civil Partnership Act of 2004) have enabled this new form of family. Often same sex households will define their households as chosen families, with more choices available than traditional heterosexual families, these families adopt their offspring in most cases, but there is the option of producing a child in a laboratory using donated sperm for some women. It has also been known for homosexuals to conceive children, and for gay couples to use a surrogate mother in order to start a family. Geffery Weeks (1999) stated; they choose whom to include in their family and negotiate what are often fairly egalitarian relationships pg484. Weeks goes on to argue that this type of family is based on individual freedoms, and participation within this family is a matter of bargaining instead of merely adopting the traditional roles within the traditional heterosexual family. Arguments against same sex couples come from the new right and religious groups who argue that the socialisation process of children within these families is undermined by the lack of an adult of the other sex in a same sex family. Generally it is seen as a threat to the traditional models of the heterosexual family. There have been different ethnic groups immigrating to the UK throughout the 20th century. These families have brought with them different norms and values, and different ways of bringing up their offspring. For example, Black Afro Caribbean families, whose structure is often fundamentally matriarchal (single Mothers rearing the children) provide economically for the unit. It is often the case that families originating from Southern Asia often contain extended families. Studies on British Asian families, Muslim: Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian: Hindu and Sikh, found that there was a continued emphasis on family loyalty and an effort to maintain traditional marriage practices such as arranged marriages. Ballard commented that this was because upon arriving in Britain, many Asians saw British culture as placing little emphasis on family traditions, or on maintaining kinship ties. These observations resulted in a strong desire to uphold their traditional family ways and try to insure that their children upheld these traditions also. British Asian families often have members of a third generation living in a household, mostly the parents of the mother or father. A Sikh tradition is that when the eldest son marries, his wife moves into the household to help care for the spouses parents. This tradition of collective responsibility can be beneficial to members of the family, and the wider society. For instance, the caring of elderly relatives and child care arrangement of the children are traditionally provided for within the family unit, therefore these families have no need to rely on the state financially. On the other hand it could be argued that women in these families are closely monitored and there is the potential for their exploitation, and their abuse in some cases. Honour killings for example, can be seen as an extreme cultural behaviour, which pose a serious problem in modern society. Different sociological groups have differing opinions regarding the changes in family structures, in changing attitudes towards what is the norm regarding the concept of the family, and the consequences these shifts have incurred. Some point to changes in the law in the sixties and 1970, The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and changes in legislation that made it easier to divorce. Some sociologists see these changes in legislation as a turning point which saw the start of the decline of the nuclear family as the norm. Germaine Greers book, The Female Eunuch, published in 1970, helped to bring womens liberation to a wide audience of young women. In it, Greer commented that opponents of the liberation of women were more clear sighted than those who believed that equality for women would not upset anything. She went on to say that, when we reap the harvest, which the unwitting suffragettes sowed, we will see that the anti-feminists were after all right. M Abbott/ Family Affairs/ pg121. Oth er sociologists believe that the breakdown of the nuclear family is not down to just these changes in legislation, but point to changes in norms, values and in attitudes in modern times. They point to the numbers of divorces, and assert that most people still believe in marriage as the ideal way in which to bring up a family, but greater freedom and expectations for women have led to the divorce rate rising. Sociologists such as Abbot and Wallice recognise increasing family diversity but view the decline of the nuclear family and of marriages as having been exaggerated by the New Right for political reasons. They assert that, seven out of eight children are born to parents living together, three quarters of whom are legally married. Only one in five children will experience parental divorce by the time he or she is 16. Pg508

My Big Sister :: College Admissions Essays

My Big Sister She was so concentrated on her task that at first she did not hear the quiet voice behind her. In one hand she held an enormous clear plastic bag, and with the other she was picking scarves off a display rack and haphazardly stuffing them into the bag. She worked quickly because after an hour in the town hall, she was ready to head home. An hour of speeches read in a passionate monotone had left her feeling a strange apathy. She usually enjoyed the annual Homeless Vigil, and had worked very hard to collect the hats and scarves she now treated with such indifference. Standing alone on the now empty stage and gazing out into the rows of decaying wooden chairs, she tried to imagine the people her work would help, but found she didn't really care. All she could think about was getting out of that old building and going somewhere with central heating. With a sudden clarity, she realized that she didn't want to be a part of this farce anymore. What did it mean if a few middle class families got together once a year to be preached at by a bunch of tired social service workers? They listened patiently for an hour, then donated a few bucks to assuage their consciences. They drove home in their foreign cars to their nice two story houses and ate a hot meal, confident that they had paid their dues to humanity. If they could be so easily satisfied, so could she. "Excuse me, ma'am?" Finally the voice got her attention, and she turned around. The small voice belonged to an equally small boy shifting nervously from foot to foot. "What is it, Hon?" she managed a tired smile. "I heard your speech tonight, about all those kids who don't have anywhere to live. You said that you were collecting clothes and stuff to keep them warm." "That's right. This time of year it is especially hard for them.