Thursday, November 28, 2019

Bail Out vs. Bale Out

Bail Out vs. Bale Out Bail Out vs. Bale Out Bail Out vs. Bale Out By Maeve Maddox Reading A Presumption of Death by Jill Paton, (St. Martin’s Minotaur, New York, 2003), I was distracted by the author’s frequent references to the necessity of a pilot’s having to â€Å"bale out† of his aircraft. How odd, I thought, that such a spelling error would slip by in a book of this quality. Surely the expression should be spelled â€Å"bail out.† According to a UK source (The Phrase Finder), the choice between â€Å"bail out† and â€Å"bale out† depends upon one’s way of viewing the act of leaving the aircraft. The person who says, â€Å"bale out† is thinking of the parachuted person as a bundle being pushed out, like a bale of hay, whereas the person who says â€Å"bail out† is thinking of the act of pouring water from a boat. This explanation might make sense if all English speakers agreed as to the spelling of the water idiom as â€Å"bail out.† Apparently some British speakers prefer to â€Å"bale out† boats. Nearly 90 years ago, H. W. Fowler (Modern English Usage, 1st edition, 1926) took a stand for bail: bail is right, bale wrong, in the sense throw water out; the derivation is from French baille, bucket. Fowler made no pronouncement on how to spell the word for jumping out of an airplane, most probably because he hadn’t heard of it yet. The earliest OED citation of bail in that sense is an American source dated 1925. The first citation for â€Å"bale out† is dated 1939. Fowler’s successor Sir Ernest Gowers (Modern English Usage, 2nd edition, 1965) dismissed the relevance of etymology in favor of â€Å"differentiation†: bail out, bale out. The OED says that [the spelling bail] should be used for emptying a boat of water; bale is ‘erroneous’ because the derivation is from French baille, bucket. But, perhaps owing to an instinct for differentiation, popular usage prefers bale both for this and for making a parachute descent from an aircraft in an emergency. The OED now has an entry for bale in the sense of â€Å"To lade or throw water out of a boat or ship with buckets,† but explains its etymology as an â€Å"erroneous spelling of bail.† The Guardian/Observer Style Guide has adopted the spelling bale for both jumping from an airplane and for pouring water out of a boat: bail out a prisoner, a company or person in financial difficulty; but  bale out  a boat or from an aircraft. Other British news sources, however, seem to prefer bail: Daily Mail Incredible story of the Lancaster pilot who bailed out over Germany whose life was saved when a searchlight helped him find his parachute Mirror Bedfordshire plane crash: Photos of wreckage show pilot may have tried to bail out. BBC NZ skydivers bail out over Lake Taupo as plane crashes. Telegraph Amid the 70th anniversary commemorations this summer it can be disclosed that at least 200 pilots died â€Å"needlessly† in 1940 after bailing out over water. Even The Guardian mixes the two spellings in the obituary of Flight Lieutenant William Walker that appears in its US edition: the bale spelling appears in a photo caption and the bail spelling in the article that follows. The UK edition of The Guardian has â€Å"bale out† in the text as well as in the caption, but Walker’s obituary in both The Telegraph and The Independent has him bailing out. Finally, the Ngram Viewer grid shows â€Å"bail out† far above â€Å"bale out† in printed usage. Bottom line: If you don’t have strong reasons to do otherwise, stick to bail for exiting an airplane and for throwing water out of a boat. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating ConjunctionsThe Difference Between "will" and "shall"The Uses of â€Å"The†

Monday, November 25, 2019

Comparison of the United States and Saudi Arabian Banking Sector

Comparison of the United States and Saudi Arabian Banking Sector The banking industry play an important role in an economy; it forms the backbone of world economies thus when a country has a strong banking industry, it is more likely to have sustained development. The United States banking industry plays a major role in the world’s greatest/strongest economy; the industry is more inclined to conventional baking model and is regulated by federal and state governments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of the United States and Saudi Arabian Banking Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Saudi Arabia is one of the fast growing world economies with the largest Muslim population; the country’s banking sector is inclined more to Islamic banking system. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) in collaboration with the country’s central bank controls the sector. Banks, like any other business are affected by external influences and operations of the economy (Da lvinder 34-56). This paper undertakes an external strategic comparison of the United States and Saudi Arabian banking sector. To undertake this role, the paper will discuss various issues in the sector as guided by subtitles. Suppliers Alongside the core line of business, the main product that banks require is money of different currencies. According to banking act both countries, the central bank is supposed to offer some finances to the bank under the system of reserve policy. In the United States, the loan is offered to the bank at an interest payable after a certain period. It is the interests and the required reserve that the central bank uses to control inflation in the country. According to SAMA policy of operation this is in line with Islamic banking policy, the central bank advances some funds to the banks after a certain reserve has been kept with the bank. After the commercial bank has invested the money, then it shares some gains with the central bank; ion the case of a loss, then the central bank is also a party that suffers. Other than the central bank, both economies allow for mobilization of funds from the public then use the money for trading; in United States, money mobilized from the public attracts some interests while in Saudi Arabia there is sharing of profit depending with the kind of saving that a person has engaged in. Both countries are enjoying increasing corporate and individual depositors thus money is not a challenges despite the growing number of national and international banks. New entrants In modern era of globalization, both countries are facing an increasing number of new entrants in the banking sector; in Saudi Arabia, the sector is growing faster than that of the United States because of the past global financial sector that was believed to have started in the United States. The fast growth of Saudi Arabian economy is attracting an increasing number of investors who are willing to comply with Islamic banking rules.Advertis ing Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the United States, since the global financial crisis the banking industry is seen to be growing in the line of micro-finances and self-help groups, people have realized the need to pool their resources together and start some lending companies. Some of these investments are controlled by the countries Sacco policy while others operates behind scenes. Buyers The main source of funds for the banking sector are individual and corporate operating in an economy; in Saudi Arabia and the United States, the economies are having an increasing number of borrowers both corporate and individuals. The booming of the economies is offering the sectors an increasing demand for their services that is offered at a beneficial rate. In the United states, the influx of micro finances and international banks has reduced the margin of interest that the banks o ffer coupled with some of the monetary policies that the government enacted to cure the dangers of global financial crisis. On the other hand, the Saudi Arabian government, with the guidance of SAMA has reduced license barriers that have for long hindered the establishment of international banks in the economy; however, despite the removal, the conditions of Islamic banking has seen a number of international banks shy from investing in the economy. Substitutes The banking sector faces some substitutes from efforts of the government, and non-government organizations that are registered and mandated with the role of providing financial service in the economy. In the United states, one of the main substitutes that buyers of banking sector has is government grants and advances; they are funds that the government through various ministries offer to finances some projects in a company; in most cases the finances are meant for giant projects that will benefit the entire economy. Another ar ea that people get funds is from some multinational companies that have diversified their business to offer financial support; they include Toyota Motor Company with alongside the provision of financial services. Although SACCO’s can be argued as either player in the banking sector or otherwise, they are taking, a form that is offering substitutes to trader. Companies are mobilizing their employees and starting a self-help SACCO society that is competing with the banking sector. The benefit of the SACCO’s is even higher as they offer loans through the co-guarantee method and they have recorded high dividends that the interests paid by conventional banks.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of the United States and Saudi Arabian Banking Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Saudi Arabia, SAMA has locked a number of substitutes in the economy, however the government has some funds for differe nt developments of groups within the economy; for example there are some funds meant for the youth (Youth Fund) and others meant for women (Women funds). They are money that does not pass through the â€Å"normal† banking system but they offer substitutes to the service of the bank (Battilossi and Jaime 23-34). Socio-culture drivers The American banking system follows the conventional banking system where the bank gets money from the central banks at an interest, offers services at a fee and offer loan facilities at an interest higher than that charged by the central bank. The majority of the Americans adapt to the system which seems to be supported by the cultural believe in the economy other than the religious believe of the Muslims. To cover the minority citizens who have subscribe to Muslim religion, the economy has some Islamic banking companies that are used by the Islam’s in the country. In Saudi Arabia that happens to have over 95% of the population as Muslims, the support the Islamic banking system that seems made in line with the religious and cultural believe of the people. Other than of late where there has been minimal introduction of conventional banking, non-Muslims in the economy had been forced to adapt to the system (SAMA). Economic driver The United States has the world largest economy in GDP of $14.7 trillion in 2010; the economy has been maintaining an increasing rate of economic growth until the global financial crisis. In the economy, the improvement has resulted to an increased demand for banking services to both corporate and individual borrowers. This has lead to an increase in business for the sector of the economy. In 2006, Saudi Arabia had a GDP of SR799.9 -13824 and a nominal GDP of SR1.30trillion. This was a 12.4% increase in nominal GDP and 4.2% increase on GDP (Saudi Arabia Economic Statistics and Indicators). SAMA was a major participant in the move as banks savings and loans were increased accordingly. The bank maintained a peg of the country’s currency with United States Dollar and only changed the rate twice; it raised it by 25 basis points, from 4.75 by the end of 2005 to 5.0 at the start of first quarter of 2006.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By the second quarter, the repo rates were increased by 20 basis points to 5.20 (SAMA). In 2006, using the Consumer Price Index the inflation of the country had increased to 1.6% with money supply increase of 14.9 percent over the same period. Of late there has been a fast growth in peoples living standards as well as an increase in investments in the economy; this has created a need for the banking services thus the future of the industry is promising in both countries (Suleman 23-78). Technology driver The growth in technology has made some business changes in the banking sector; both the conventional banking and Islamic banking system in the Unites states and Saudi Arabia respectively have adjusted to the changes. In the United States, there has been an increasing move to automated banking system where banks are competing to have service offered via technology. For instance, there has been the growth of ATM (Automated Terror Machines), Internet banking, and mobile banking. In the Saudi Arabian, technology has been adopted to a certain extent in the economy, the banking industry is using technology to monitor the performance of advances made by the industry and is working hard to have customer get the service off the banks. There are growing number of ATM, mobile banking and e-banking systems. SAMA has of late being in the forefront advising the banks to adopt technology as a cost reduction measure and ensure that they are working in line with the regulations of the Islamic banking despite the adoption of technology (Schoon 12-34). Political and regulation driver The operation of the banking sector does not escape some political influences; they have been used to settle some political goals positively and sometimes negatively. In Saudi Arabia, SAMA is the main body that controls the operations of the banking sector, it is seen to have the upper hand and final say in the sector but there are some consultations with the central bank on policies that can benefi t the economy. In the United States, the banking sector is controlled by federal and state governments where they are expected to operate under the frameworks of the country is banking act of 1933; however, the act has been mended to fit changes in the sector. Conclusion External environments prevailing in an economy affect the banking sector; in the United States, the sector (conventional system) is gradually recovering from global financial crisis of 2007 and benefiting from increasing economic strength in the economy. The Saudi Arabian banking system (Islamic banking) is growing strong as the economy grows stronger; the country is opening its boundaries to attract foreign banks, this move is likely to increase competition in the sector. Battilossi, Stefano, and Jaime Reis. State and financial systems in Europe and the USA: historical perspectives on regulation and supervision in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2010. Print. Dalvinder, Singh. Bank ing regulation of UK and US financial markets. New York: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2007. Print. SAMA. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2010. Web. Schoon, Natalie. Islamic Banking and Finance. London: Spiramus Press Ltd, 2009.Print. Suleman, Hamdan. Banking system in Islamic countries: Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Stanford: Stanford University, 2006.Print.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Migration and Folk Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Migration and Folk Culture - Essay Example An environmental push factor that constitutes a reason to migrate for me would be the creation of a dump site in or around my location of residence. Dump sites are highly toxic and I would have to relocate to an environment that meets my preferences. Contrary to migration push factors are pull factors (Rubenstein 297). Economically, a better job or pay would constitute a significant reason for me to migrate. A social factor in the same regard would be cultural diversity. I would like to move in a culturally rich place where every single culture is appreciated regardless of its origin. An environmental factor in the same line would be a chance to live in a place that highly seeks to address global warming and climate change in general. That is, a place that would go beyond all odds to make a difference in addressing climate changes. A personal habit that I follow that does not necessarily constitute a popular culture is dressing in the view that I dress like an American. Dressing is not necessarily a custom or culture, but it has encompassed my personal habits in more or less the two aspects. The origin of this habit is America. A custom that I follow is associating the old people with wisdom. Old people may not necessarily be wise, although I have become accustomed to that. Various communities in the world can be associated with this custom although it is not popularly practiced. I also follow the culture of rushing against time. Time is a valuable resource especially in the Western countries, a scenario that does not bypass my attention and practice. Europe and America can be regarded as the origin of this rushing and time keeping

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Secondary Source Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Secondary Source Review - Essay Example the Russian Empire or within the Russian Army during the Seven Years War; due in part to the fact that most of the battles and exploits of the war did not take place within Russian territory of that time. Nonetheless, the shifts and changes that this level of Western exposure effected on the Russian Empire, specifically upon the military, paved the way for rapid success and development that would be effected during and after Peter the Greats reign as Tsar. The main source of primary material that is utilized was drawn from the art of the era and the sketches of officers and cadets that sought to capture in drawing the changes in tactics, dress, and discipline that were being effected on an army that had otherwise changed very little over the past several centuries. The addition of these sketches is essential in helping the reader t o visualize the changes not only in the way that troops dressed but with respect to the way in which military service was performed and the changes that existed between the new Western models and the older traditional model of military strategy and engagement that had been the staple of the Russian army for such a long period of time. The primary argument of the author is concentric upon the fact that even though most scholarship concerning the Seven Years War has been focused on Western Europe, important changes were also being exhibited within the Russian Empire of Peter the Great; changes that would ultimately lead this newly resilient Russian Empire to defeat the Swedish and claim further territory throughout Northern Europe. Moreover, the author also points to the understanding that it was the Seven Years War, and by extension Peter the Great that ultimately set the stage for Catherine the Great and the era in which this Tsaress would capitalize on the modernizations and improvements in tactics, approach, equipment, and training that Peter the Great had made as a means of expanding the Russian Empire to a degree not previously

Monday, November 18, 2019

Poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Poems - Essay Example The first main image that Bishop shows is stated by the narrator with losing some of the small things in life. Bishop states, â€Å"Lose something every day. Accept the fluster / of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. / The art of losing isn’t hard to master† (lines 4 – 6). These lines show the image of losing keys and present an image that relates to one looking for something that can’t be found. Bishop is able to expand on this image of losing names, watches and other smaller items. After this, there is a transition with the images as the center movement. The first image is of losing a continent, with the main image of the rivers that divide the regions. This all ties into the idea of losing â€Å"you,† which is the person that the narrator is speaking about. The main theme is related to the concept of losing another person and how this is similar to the images of losing smaller things. Bishop is able to create a sarcastic approach to the art of losing, specifically when it comes to losing another loved one. The poem, â€Å"Bully† by Martin Espada, also shows specific images in the poem to represent the bully. The main theme in this particular poem is to show how those in the current day forget about the past and become bullies to what has occurred. The first image described by Espada is the statue of Theodore Roosevelt, described with the nostalgic look and the horse that follows. The image that follows states â€Å"Puerto Rico has invaded Roosevelt / with its army of Spanish – singing children / in the hallways† (lines 8 – 10). The invasion and image that Espada creates shows how there is a loss of the past because of the children. The words used such as army and invasion work with the image to present this main concept. This leads into the last section, with the images â€Å"now children plot to spray graffiti / in parrot – brilliant colors / across

Saturday, November 16, 2019

British Trade Unions Experienced Rapid

British Trade Unions Experienced Rapid British trade unions experienced rapid membership growth in the 1970s, followed by a severe membership decline in the 1980s and 1990s and a subsequent stabilisation in membership numbers in the period since 2000. Critically evaluate the various economic, political, industrial and internal union factors which may have influenced these fluctuations; then assess, (with supporting evidence), whether British trade union membership is likely to grow or decline in the next five years. This essay will critically evaluate the various factors which influenced the re-curing decline and increase of the British trade unions from the 1970s to 2000. This essay will also analyse the decline and growth of the trade unions in the next five years. The real beginning of British trade unionism was established by craftsmen in the late eighteenth century who called themselves Friendly Societies. They focus on the individual employee or member by providing services, advice and representing individuals (Simms Charlwood, 2010). Trade union is any organisation, whose membership consists of employees, which seeks to organise and represent their interests both in the workplace and society and, in particular, seeks to regulate the employment relationship through the direct process of collective bargaining with management (Salamon, 2000). Trade Unions are central to employee relations in Britain and other countries. They have suffered loss of membership and other challenges throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Hollinshead et al (2003) states that trade Union membership increased during the 1960s and 1970s from (9.8million in 1960 to 13million in 1979). This was due to the growth in the public sector and white -collar work. Although the decline in trade union membership since 1979 has been among manual employees in the manufacturing sector, union membership suddenly change towards non-manual and public sector employees (Simms Charlwood , 2010). The sustained decline in membership in 1980s and 1990s was due to the int eractions among the composition of the workforce and Jobs, the roles of the state, employers and individual workers and of unions own structure and policies (Gall, 2004). These factors which attributed to the decline in membership will be studied separately but also recognize that there is a considerable interaction among them. On the measure of economic influence on unions due to the Global trade in developed countries, combined with the rapid technological change, have had important impacts in other countries including Britain (Freeman, 1995). Industrialization in other countries has had a massive impact on British trade unions this was due to the increase in competitive product markets that presented challenges to unions. Because of the competitive product markets it made it harder for unions to win concessions from employers. This causes the cost of unionization and collective action to be higher (Brown et al, 1997). Also a rise in unemployment in the 1980s was significant in reducing trade union membership. The shift in composition of the workforce and jobs played a role in union membership decline, particularly from 1970s. Also changes in gender composition had an impact on union membership (Simms Charlwood, 2010). This was due to the decline in manufacturing employment and rise of service sector whi ch led to the removal of the whole sections of highly unionised workforces employing mainly males. There are several reasons for not relying on compositional effects as the main cause of union decline. Union membership fell by 5million in the 1980s and 1990s. Research evidence from British social attitudes survey and labour force survey suggested that only between 1 million and 1-7million of this loss is attributable to the changed structure of the workforce and employment (Millward et al, 2000). Activities and policies of the state had a negative impact on British trade union membership for example legislation promoting or undermining union security, and its influence on the environment in which employers and unions operate. Carruth and Disney (1988) states that Union decline was triggered by the global recession of 1980. This affected Britain most because of the legal reforms of the conservative government and the way they managed the economy. Also, the environment in which the social partners conducted their activities was affected by the attack on public sector activities, the undermining of collectivism and a greater emphasis than previously on product market competition. Public sector unions faced privatisation such as the water, steel, coal and electricity industries and competitive tendering for services provided by local government, the NHS and civil services, which cost job losses in these highly unionised sectors (Hollinshead et al, 2003). Again, collectivism was d amaged by, for example, taking a million teachers and nurses out of collective bargaining and at the same time breaking up the central control of education and health by introducing local management of schools and health service trusts (Colling and Terry, (2010). Industrial relations legislation also affected union decline, by weakening union security and then outlawing the closed shop and interfering in check-off arrangements. The strike threat, a fundamental source of union power was weakened by laws which permitted a union to be sued and also introduced ballots prior to a strike and outlawed both secondary and unofficial action. This legislation both raises the cost of organising and reduces the costs employers face in opposing unions. Freeman and Pelletier (1999) calculated a legislation index according to how favourable or unfavourable various strands of labour law were to unions in each year. These changes in the law were shown to be central to the decline in density in the 19 80s. In 2000, the labour government introduced a new procedure by which employees could seek recognition of a union from their employer. This policy changes contributed in part to the unions slight recovery of union members. Although the policy has been criticised a research conducted by Income Data Services suggests that some 470 voluntary agreements between companies and unions were signed prior to the law taking effect. Furthermore, trade union policies and structure also affected membership, for example structural issues include moves to decentralization, the nature of mergers and multi-unionism. Also, policies regarding the manner in which unions interact with members, employers, potential members, and the state. In 1960 trade unions took a decision to withdraw such that shop stewards became responsible for collecting dues and members. However the shop stewards role was shortly submerged by their collective bargaining function. Such uneven bargaining outcomes, led to a loss of national voice (Bryson 2001). This may have weakened employers associations and coalitions among unions which could have improve the concentration of membership. Brook (2002) suggested that in the 1980s 10 unions with 250,000 members accounted for 60% of membership, but years later 11 unions with over a quarter of million members accounted for three quarters of membership. This fusion was aimed at raising market share, shuff ling of members around than generating scale economies which would release extra resources for servicing and organising. Also, more than one union in the workplace (i.e. multi-unionism) has a positive impact on industrial relations. Research suggested that when organisations have more than one union in the workplace it connects with fragmented bargaining, rather than single table bargaining, where productivity growth is lower and financial performance and strike record are worse than in similar workplaces with just one union (Simms Charlwood, 2010). . Ferner and Hyman (1992) Trade unions depend on their members for income, so when union member declined their income decreased. Due to these changes, unions made a decision to prioritize the representation of existing members rather than expanding into new areas. Policies towards members and potential members also affected membership decline due to the changing workforce increasing diversity, the move to services work and changing patterns of employment and changing lifestyle habits (Hollinshead, 2003). In 1980s the union movement demonstrated it most negative behaviour by opposing the industrial relations legislation despite the fact that the conservative government had a clear mandate and the public supported its proposals. Again some unions challenged the power of the state and they seem not to realise until it was too late the fragility of their situation. This lead to the state withdrawing its support for their activities and many employers followed the state. This lead to the rapid decline of members and unions bargaining agenda became hugely constrained. During the 1990s, TUC general secretary John Monks tried to create new sources of legitimacy power for unions by promoting the idea of a more Europeans style of partnership industrial relation (Heery, 1999). Politicians and policy makers did not support the idea that it will make any substantial impact on union fortunes. Again, many employers were reluctant to engage with unions in this way, and many activists were not comfor table with the idea (Hollinshead et al, 2003). Although the union movement improved in the 1990s it was too late to reverse the sustained loss of members. In 1997 Labour government came into power and repeatedly stated it would not repeal the anti-union legislation introduced in 1979. In addition the Labour Party distances themselves from trade unions which created it. Also the Labour Government took a stand towards public service reform, the level of the minimum wage, and the refusal to embrace more widespread employment rights such as those enjoyed elsewhere in the EU, for example the family friendly policies. They introduced the 1999 Employment Relations Act which sought to widen collective bargaining with unions being granted statutory right to recognition where they have over 50% of a workplace bargaining group. Individual rights have been strengthen by the introduction of the minimum wage, a maximum working week, the right to union representation at grievance and disciplinary hearings and reduction to 1 year of the unfair dismissal qualification period. Ewing (2003) states that the 1997 Labour Government has adopted a notably different, if still broadly pluralist approach, to its predecessors, in that it has assigned a far more comprehensive role to legislation, as opposed to collective bargaining, foe setting minimum employment standards. Also at the same time it has place tight restrictions on the trade union and industrial action whilst granting unions statutory powers to widen their spheres of collective bargaining. Furthermore, British trade unions attempted to address declining levels by placing great emphasis on membership recruitment and organizing new workers. Unions organises workers in workplaces where there has not been a union. It does it this by emphasising the different interests of workers and managers, and by showing how workers can pursue their interests by acting collectively. For example Unite union took a similar approach and has done some innovative work with low-paid cleaners in London, by building local networks and tapping into their local activism (Wills, 2005). This approach was influenced by ideas from America (Bronfenbrenner et al.,1998) and by mobilization theory (Kelly1998). It states that, the collective power of workers will force the employer to listen to them and take their interests seriously. However it is difficult to do this in the current social environment and also, it proves difficult considering the legal constraints on using their coercive power. Gall (200 4) reports that, there are challenges in recruiting workers and that it is often expensive and time consuming, successful outcomes are far from certain, again there is a risk that the employer may counter-mobilize. Secondly, in an effort to renew legitimacy power which declined in both government and many employers, unions decided to work in partnership with employers. Haynes and Allen (2001) states that partnership includes ideas of mutual acceptance of the legitimacy of each partner, cooperation, and joint decision making. Unions suggested that by getting employers to accept the right and legitimacy of the union to express the collective interests of workers, they union hope to use partnership to convince workers that their voices will be heard. Kelly (1996) argues that in using this approach workers may think that because the union works cooperatively with managers it is not an independent body that represents their interests. On the other hand, union may lose the ability to put the workers point of view effectively since it lacks or is unwilling to use its coercive power. Furthermore, employers and unions have benefited from Partnership in terms of increased job security, benefits in wages, and increased union density (Kelly 2004). Finally, In order to improve union membership rates, unions decided to provide better services to members. By expanding the range of services they provided in the hope that this would attract new members. Some example includes providing credit cards or discounts on insurance, but it proved ineffective it was not a priority for workers (Waddington and Whitson 1997). Looking to the past we saw that unions offered financial services such as forms of life insurance or assistance with funeral costs as they have been the most concern of workers. If unions fail to defend and promote their members interest, membership will decline. Finally, in spite of the extensive experiments with strategies for renewal, unions have not seem successful in creating new form of unionism adapted to the changed political, social and economical circumstance. A WERS surveys conducted have traced the decline of union membership and influence in British workplace over the course of 1980s and 1990s (Millward et al, 2000), however there are signs that the rate of decline has slowed in recent years (Grainger and Holt, 2005). The labour force survey indicates that the total number of unions members among employees in Britain actually increase from 6.7million to 6.9million between 1998 to 2003 (Hicks e t al 2005).The economy was expanding at the same time but, in contrast to earlier periods unions were broadly keeping pace. Again, 200,000 members were gained between 1998 and 2003; twice as many were lost between 2003 and 2009. Density fell two percentage points to reach 27.0% in 2009. Also the 2008/9 recession appears to have brought no change in membership decline. This is because the recession has not affected union jobs any more or less than non-union jobs to date. However, this may change if there are large scale redundancies in the public sector. This may result in a disproportionate share of the jobs that are lost can be expected to be union jobs which is likely to result in membership decline. Ferner and Hyman (1992) suggest that future union is likely to depend on the political climate and employer policy. It is hard to predict on the latter that most employers will be welcoming to unions as they were during the post Donovan period of industrial relations reform. This together in shifts in the employment structure suggests that, even with a favourable political situation, unions will find it hard to increase density levels. Nevertheless, some predict that the true turning point towards better fortunes for trade unions may still be some way away (Metcalf,2005). Though there are difficulties, one in three British workers are still members of unions, however the probability that working people will turn to trade unions to develop collective responses is very low (Simms Charlwood, 2010). In conclusion, British trade unions have developed from small localised organisations into complex national institutions and have played an integral and influential role not only in the workplace but also in society. Again, British trade unions have some grounds for cautious optimism in respect of their membership numbers. However, bearing in mind the enormous defeats and severe constraints in the past. Overall it seems trade union membership is unlikely to increase as they face a less supportive economic and political environment. Also, the new coalition government suggested they will introduce more legislation to restrict union ability to take industrial actions.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

journeyhod Journey into Hell in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Ess

The Journey into Hell in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   In Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness the environment is often symbolic as well as literal. The novel contains both the "frame" narrator, an anonymous member of the "Nellie", representing the dominant society, and more importantly the primary narrator, Marlow, who too, is a product of the dominant society. For the novel's narrator, Marlow, the journey up the Congo River to the 'heart of darkness' is reminiscent of Guido's journey into hell in Dante's Inferno, with these literary allusion always present, through forms of intense imagery. The landscape takes on a hellish nature and the wilderness is personified. Death is omnipresent and this is reflected in the death imagery used to describe the cities of Brussels and London, the Congo region and Kurtz' station. The hypocrisy of 'society' and 'civilization' is reflected in the author's description of the "sepulchral city".    The novel begins with the narrator, Marlow, and some of the ship's crew waiting at dusk for the tide to change so that their "cruising yawl" the 'Nellie" may enter the London harbour. The frame narrator expresses quite optimistic views on colonialism especially pertaining to London, which is described as the greatest city on earth, yet these opinions are then challenged by both marlow and the use of imagery. The coastline is described as being shrouded in "diaphanous folds" of fog... ...cityscape provide a physical setting which serves to reflect the psychological state of the narrator, Marlow and the evils of life, as well as forgrounding the journey of the narrator - mentally, emotionally, and intellectually. The environment particularly that of the Congo and of Brussels, reflect death, hypocrisy and even human's "profound heart of darkness".    Bibliography    Conrad, J. (1995). Heart of Darkness. London: Penguin Group.    Maes-Jelinek, H. Notes on Heart of Darkness    Jean-Aubry, George. Joseph Conrad: Life and Letters. Vol. 1. New York: Page, 1966.    Ed. Marvin. Conrad: Collection of Critical Essays. Mudrick. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1972. Â