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Rogerian Argument Capital Punishment Essay - 641 Words

For years, politicians have been passionately debating the subject of the capital punishment, which has only served to create more divisions within our society. It is an extremely sensitive subject, and one that inspires strong emotions in both directions. Like abortion, gun laws, and the war on terrorism, capital punishment is an issue on which everyone is never likely to agree. If we examine some arguments presented from both sides, opponents of the capital punishment claim that executing someone is nothing more than an immoral, state-authorized killing which undervalues the human life and destroys our respect for our government which itself says that killing is wrong. But the supporters of the death penalty think that certain murderers†¦show more content†¦As we can see arguments from both sides hold some truth in them. So is it really hard to find a solution which would keep both sides happy? I personally believe that one such solution would be to have everyone’s DNA profile data-based at birth, which is in the reach of our modern technology, and use such database to catch criminals. I am sure that it would greatly reduce the risk of punishing innocent people. And I think that the high risk of being caught is much better deterrent for criminals than any other ones. For instance, if we look at peoples driving habits, as soon as they see spe ed camera signs they slow down and then again go over the speed limit as they pass the risk of being caught. Another possible solution might be to start introducing stricter disciplines from the bottom up, i.e. start with disobedient children at schools through teenage and adult hooligans. And only then we might be able to bring up a generation or two of disciplined people who might not need the threat of execution to deter them from committing violent crimes. Works Cited Facts About the Death Penalty. www.deathpenaltyinfo.org. 01 May 2008. 02 May 2008 http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/FactSheet.pdf. Why Abolish the Death Penalty? Amnesty International. Sept. 2007. 10 May 2008Show MoreRelatedWhy the Death Penalty is Ineffective1552 Words   |  6 Pages Why the Death Penalty is Ineffective The society constantly tries to reason with an effective way to respond to violence. Differences in opinion on the use of death as punishment arise from differences in religious, ethical, cultural, and morale perspectives. The role of death as a punishment for an offence has not been solved today, and remains a dilemma for the citizenrys political, legal, social, and religious thought. This is because an answer to the question is the death penalty effectiveRead MoreArgumentative Essay822 Words   |  4 Pagesinferring propositions, not known or admitted as true, from facts or principles known, admitted, or proved to be true. It clearly explains the process of your reasoning from the known or assumed to the unknown. Without doing this you does not have an argument, you have only an assertion, an essay that is just your unsubstantiated opinion. Argumentative essays are often organized in the following manner: 1. They begin with a statement of your assertion, its timeliness, significance, and relevance in

Relevance of Fit Between HR Strategy and Business Strategy Free Essays

Nadler and Tushman (1980) defined congruence or fit as â€Å"the degree to which the needs demands, goals, objectives and/or structure of one component are consistent with the needs, demands, goals, objectives, and/or structure of another component† (as cited in Boon, 2008). Fit between HR Strategy and business strategy According to U.S. We will write a custom essay sample on Relevance of Fit Between HR Strategy and Business Strategy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Office of Personnel Management (1999), fit between HR strategy and business strategy means to integrate decisions about people with decisions about the results an organization is trying to obtain. To be able to achieve fit between HR strategy and business strategy, the HR Managers have to identify the real goals of the business, the business way, how to reach the goals and the real needs of the business from Human Resources (Luke, 2010). Some management tend to put the needs of their employees first, but this is not what the business usually asks for. Fit operates vertically and horizontally (Scribner et al, 2008). Vertical fit refers to the alignment of HR practices with the specific organizational context, and horizontal fit refers to the alignment of HR practices into a coherent system of practices that support one another (Delery, 1998). Relevance of fit between business strategy and SHRM The central debate about fit between HR strategy and business strategy is one of the most important to emerge in recent years (Helen Newell and Harry Scarbrough, 2002). It hinges on two broad approaches: the ‘universalistic’ and ‘contingency’ (Natalie Turner, n.d). The universalistic perspective â€Å"best practice† argues that some HR practices are universally effective; regardless in which context they are implemented (Boom, 2008). These practices include items such as (Newell Scarbrough, 2002), employment security, selective hiring, self-managed teams or team working, high pay contingent on company’s performance, extensive training, reduction of status differences, and sharing information (Pfeffer Veiga, 1999). Pfeffer Veiga believe that if these policies are followed, they would always result in organisational success. The universalistic theory is also based on the assumption that HR practices observed in high-performing firms can be transformed to other companies with the same results (Armstrong, 2009). In contrast with universalistic thinking, contingency scholars argued that HR strategy would be more effective only when appropriately integrated with a specific organizational and environmental context (Chang Huang 2005). This approach infers that the choice of HR strategy depends on the firm’s business strategy (Newell Scarbrough, 2002). The approach is more akin to the idea of strategic fit because it claims that the optimal HR strategy choice depends on the unique characteristics of the individual organisation (Natalie Turner n.d), or the organisation’s strategy (Newell Scarbrough, 2002). For instance, a cost-reduction business strategy would require a different set of HRM policies than a strategy based on innovation. â€Å"An HRM strategy to fit with cost reduction might require deskilling, management control and downward pressure on wages. In contrast, one aimed at innovation would be likely to foster employee skills, autonomy and competitive wages† (New ell Scarbrough, 2002:28). Other models have also emphasised the relevant of fit between HR strategy and business strategy. These include the Matching model, Life Cycle model, Harvard Model, and the behavioural perspective. The matching model argues that human resource strategies have a tight fit to the overall strategies of the business (Association of Business Executives, ABE; 2010). The basic premise of the life cycle model is that, as organisation grows and develops, human resource practices and procedures must change to meet it needs (Armstrong, 2009). Authors of Harvard model argue that any inconsistency between internal human resource management practices and competitive strategy is likely to lead to role conflict and ambiguity that can interfere with individual performance and organisational effectiveness (ABE, 2010). The behavioural perspective infers that firm’s business strategy must be matched with the specific HR policies and practices, which will elicit particular sets of employee attitude s and behaviours to foster success (Wang Shyu, 2007). Baron and Kreps (1999) also argue that besides the fit between the individual practices, the HR system should fit with the broader context of what the firm is trying to do, such as the external environment, the workforce, organization’s culture, organizational strategy, technology of production and organization of work. According to Boxall (1992), â€Å"HRM cannot be conceptualized as a stand-alone corporate issue. Strategically speaking it must flow from and be dependent upon the organization’s (market oriented) corporate strategy†. Importance of fit between an organisation’s business strategy and its HR strategy Evidence have shown that to achieve superior organisation performance, there must be a distinct link between human resource strategies and organisations business strategies (ABE, 2010) An excellent example of a company that has matched its business strategy to its human resource strategy is the Lincoln Electric Company in USA. A producer of electrodes and welding machinery, Lincoln is also a cost leader. Lincoln focuses on hiring individually motivated, high performers. These individuals have their compensation tightly linked to their output with laid-down minimum quality levels. A substantial portion of the company’s profits is also distributed to employees at the end of the year based on an individual merit rating that is computed from output, ideas and cooperation, dependability and quality. Lincoln’s innovative HR strategy enabled it to gain, by 1995, a market share of 36% in the otherwise fragmented US market for welding equipment and supplies. (Source: Krishnan, 2005). Also, organisations are now using HR strategy to further strategic aims. For example, At Conventry Building Society, the strategic aim was to keep the business as it was – one of the few remaining mutual – but to reduce staff turnover. The society aligned its employee relations with its customer value, enshrined in the slogan â€Å"TLC not plc.† It switched from a traditional reward structure to a team-based pay and a benefits package called â€Å"TLC for staff† (Source: ABE, 2010). Factors that determine fit between HR strategy and business strategy Fit between HR strategy and business strategy is influenced by both external and internal factors. Some of these factors are discussed briefly below. Technological changes: Technological advances alter jobs, create new skills, make occupations obsolete, and revise what employees need to lean and be trained to do (Ozutku Ozturkler 2009). Legislation/regulations: For example, the National minimum wage introduced by labour party in England had a significant effect on costs which has led to changes in employment practices in some industries and changes to personnel policies (ABE, 2010). Employee knowledge and skills: Employees knowledge and skills directly affect the quality and performance of the HR system (Wright Snell 1998). Arguably, more knowledgeable and skilful employees will have competencies to understand and enact a variety of HR practices, such as those designed for a firm’s specific strategy (Wei, 2006). Culture: Several evidences have shown that culture plays a critical role in determining the right HR strategy to adopt. For example, when Lincoln Electric Company applied its HR strategy in ventures acquired outside the United States, it failed because of difference in culture both at societal and organisational levels (Krishnan, 2005). Life cycle stages: Organizations go through evolutionary life cycles, and the stage in which an organization finds itself in an industry affects the HR strategies it should adopt (Armstrong, 2009). Industry/sector characteristics: In analysing HR practices, classification of organisations as manufacturing and service firms is considered. This is because; different production processes necessitate different HR practices (Ozutku Ozturkler 2009). How to cite Relevance of Fit Between HR Strategy and Business Strategy, Essay examples

Classification of nigerian architecture Essay Example For Students

Classification of nigerian architecture Essay It portrays the Historical Style (represented by he European, Brazilian and North African Trends) through Traditional Architecture and the Modern Style (with the International Style, the New West African Style and the PostModern Trend). There is a very weak link between the Historical Style (including Traditional Architecture), and contemporary modern architecture of Nigeria. The Historical Style reveals how architects can draw inspiration from historical heritage as evidenced by the Regional Trend of contemporary Nigerian architecture. The author studied the work, ideas and aspirations of some leading architects in the country in order to see owe the trends and styles of this genealogy relate logically to the contemporary situation. The presentation of contemporary masterpieces gives a general overview of the recent situation and identifies the basic problems that the designers are facing. Keywords: Style: Distinctive or characteristic expression of architectural ideas, as of a specified period in history. Trend: To have a tendency or prevailing direction: general tendency. The period embraced by this presentation spans a few centuries starting from pre-colonial times and ending with recent developments. The genealogy s portrayed by a model of evolution in Nigerian architecture (Fig. 1). The inspirations were drawn from such architectural critics as Keno Tangent, Louis Khan, Dad Louis Hustle, Nikolas Vesper and Charles Senses to mention a few. This paper often relies on some recognized movements newly defined. UT some trends are A basic distinction in Nigerian architecture can be made between the North and the South, and this is best pronounced by Traditional Architecture and Traditional Style. The strongest influences on indigenous architecture were the introduction of Islam into Northern Nigeria, the return of the slaves from the Americas (especially Brazil), and colonization. The Historical Style consists of the European Trend followed by the Colonial Style. The Brazilian Trend evolved into the Brazilian Style while the North African Trend evolved into Sudanese Architecture. The blend of Traditional Architecture and Historical Styles formed Vernacular Architecture. Before considering the historical influences, a mention should be made of antiquity. The Nook civilization developed in the central part of Nigeria present territory between 500 BC and 200 BC. Possessing the knowledge of iron, these grassland people moved into the forest country (Clarke 1984) and that was when people Set up new homes at Fife and other places. The Hausa were then a number of different people. Although knowledge of the achievements of the Nook civilization is wide it is difficult to imagine the form of their settlements. On the contrary knowledge of the architecture of the Middle Ages is rather extensive. Outline1 3. 1 Traditional Architecture and Traditional Style2 3. 2 The European Trend and the Development of the Colonial Style3 3. 3 Brazilian Style4 3. 4 The North African Trend and the Development of Sudanese Architecture5 3. 5 Vernacular Architecture6 4. 0 Modern Style7 4. 1 International Style8 4. 2 Pure Modern9 4. 3 High-Troop10 4. 4 Low-troop 3. 1 Traditional Architecture and Traditional Style The more stable and enduring towns of pre-colonial Africa developed because of the intense ritual of market activity. Oliver (1976) called these cities pre-industrial cities, which were theatres of competition for the symbols of power and material well being. Initially, some towns emerged as collecting points for wandering immigrants who used their favorable locations as spiritual or cultural bases for subsequent territorial expansion. For the Hausa and Your, Durra and Fife respectively became spiritual springboards for the establishment of extensive empires. In a city like Kane, group masons and other specialized trades could be found in the past, basic elements off real building industry. From the 1 5th century, the mosque was one of the cost prominent buildings in Hausa towns. The basic house walls were often dad of mud. In the Your zone of Nigeria the chief Ads (Boobs) palace and the market place dominated the central areas of well-planned cities like Ill-elf (1 lath century), Leash and Kite. The populace lived in compounds each of which had a large house set in a square-shaped space bounded by a high wall. Some were more than a half-acre in size and provided living space for a large family and kinsmen. There was only a single entrance. Inside, the compounds were divided into numerous rooms. Until the early twentieth century, most of the compounds as well as the Boobs palace were roofed with thatch. The conclusion can then be drawn that in the Traditional Style the roofs of the houses were constructed to thatch, but quite early in the development to Northern Nigerian towns the thatched roof was replaced by the flat or dome-shaped mud roof (Fig. 2). The climate, human physiology and geography led to the development of curvilinear, conical and mud-roofed structures in the North and the rectilinear thatch-roof mud houses of the South (Daytona 1986, p. 5). Manner to the expansion of world trade. According to Payne (1977), Oh cash economy had developed and was well able to exploit the benefits of international trade for internal development. Three factors combined to make a radical transformation of the Nigerian scene in the 19th century the Muslim Jihads and Your civil wars, European exploration and missionary efforts, and a revolution in trade. The influence of Britain started mainly through the trade of slaves in the 18th century, which was however brought to an end in the middle of the 19th century. On Hacienda Luisita EssayThis style is well represented by the architecture created by architects of the older generation who ere trained abroad in modern ideas. This architecture is best portrayed by the term Pure Modern. The International Style is also represented in Nigeria by high rise buildings portrayed by the term High-Troop and by housing for the low income group referred to as Low-Troop architecture. More than one third of modern buildings in Nigeria urban centers belong to the International Style. The 51 buildings are designed here along with modern ideas with the use of clean forms like cubes, cuboids or compositions of simple geometrical solids. They explore the ideas of simplicity and functionality. 4. 2 Pure Modern Some of the young architects (foreigners) who were behind the first modern buildings came to Nigeria as to an unknown exotic country. All Nigerian practicing then were also educated abroad. They came with all the hopes and dreams the new generation had about modern architecture. Perfection was attained by Arc. Alumina in his Management House on Audio Taylor Street at Victoria Island in Lagos. It is only through working and reworking that the idea of a brain was embodied in architectural form. The design for the Faculty of Education in Abidjan by Deli Engage and Partners completed in 1976 UT unfortunately only partly built, is very simple. It pronounces the architecture of modern pioneers. Excellence was attained by James Cubit in the Senate Building at ANNUAL and Mobil Building- both in Lagos. National Oil Chemical Marketing Company Building (Eagle House) in Lagos and Broking House in Abidjan by Design Group Nigeria are valued here particularly for the first level which refer to human scale. Only on rare occasions one is able to perceive a whole the building is usually seen in pieces trot the perspective to a pedestrian. Buildings like the Attlee block on Abraham Await Road in Kane by Fem. Macedonia Associates having a perfect location constitute a strong accent with its polygonal shape on plan and its transparency contrasting with more solid concrete surfaces. Fem. Macedonia Associates are also the authors of BRI Building in APIPA, Lagos where they made use of reflecting surfaces to create an abstract image of piercing solids. In ANAL Towers at Marina in Lagos the bright white wall surfaces contrast sharply with elegant dark strips and wide window bands. This same idea is used by Multi-systems in the proposal for Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank at Baja. In conclusion it can be said that this presentation concerns very elegant but extremely expensive structures. There are numerous good examples because according to Perusal-gunshot (1993, p. 217) 36% of buildings in Nigeria were designed in the International Style and very many of them belong to the Pure Modern Trend. 4. 3 High-Troop A proud architecture High-troop architecture is an architecture of glass boxes. The buildings in that trend are extra modern and use high technologies, reflective glass and central air conditioning. To this group belong mainly banks and offices especially in Lagos. This roof will normally embrace buildings from five floors and above. The risk for people in such buildings starts beyond the reach of turntable ladders because the Nigerian fire fighting capacity is entirely ground based. The High-Troop trend does not necessarily follow Amnesia formulas for tall buildings. The buildings which explore different meanings are: IAMB Building, Victoria Island, Lagos (1985), by Incase Architects (Fig. 4), and First Bank Headquarters in Lagos (1982/83) by Ronald Ward Associates. The forms of the buildings are in contradiction to what the bureaucratic movement with pure forms ND curtain walls of skyscrapers in America represent. 2 Figure 4: High Troop. IAMB Building, Victoria Island, Lagos by Incase Architects. Source: Photograph by Arc. O. A. Dromedary. 4. 4 Low-troop The architecture of the masses Low-troop Architecture represents architecture to the masses, architecture of draughtsman, and low income estates reminiscent of monotonous housing estates in Eastern Europe. Here apart from lack of good aesthetics, the standard of living is very low. Common are Face me I face you apartments, bungalows or two-storey houses. When constructing, local materials and local labor re used. (Zoom, 1997). This architecture can be easily observed in cities and suburban areas and it shapes the landscape of Nigerian Architecture. This is probably the most challenging area for architects, to find ways and means to influence this architecture to make it more human but not more expensive. Here the call of Buena Associates for innovations is somehow answered by Triad Architects who designed screen wall elements (blocks), which allow for privacy and air penetration. They applied the blocks in the Political Party Offices all over Nigeria and even started its local production in Sudan. In James Cubit Architects buildings although air conditioning is assumed, and they use tinted or reflective glass usually there is a provision for cross ventilation as in Mobil Building in Lagos (1991) with its atrium. Cross ventilation is particularly valued in buildings by Deli Engage and Partners and by Niger Consultants. Climate plays a very dominant role in Alumina and Associates architecture. Alumina recognized the importance of vegetation and believed in incorporating water into design (Management House, Architecture House and Eke Meridian Hotel in Lagos).