Rephrasing Aging behaviour of 17-4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rephrasing Aging behaviour of 17-4 - Essay Example Continuously, layers of powder are deposited in a repeated cycle until the desired 3D structure is produced . DMLS process ensures production of parts that are fully dense and that require minimal post-processing activity. The DMLS process compares to another AM process popularly known as the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Conceptually, both SLS and DMLS are similar however, DMLS uses uncoated pre-alloyed metal powders for the sintering material, unlike SLS which utilizes coated metal powders or polymers . The final outcome of the DMLS procedure is characterized by fine or metastable microstructures , which at times may differ with the set international standards of conventional manufacturing. Moreover, further investigation into the mechanical properties of the microstructures resulting from the DMLS process is necessary to ensure that the structures produced are compatible and able to support the practical use they are intended. During the DMLS process, yielding begins at low values of about 600 Mpa due to the complexity of the process which results from the multiple constituents and interactions of the microstructure formation, especially precipitations. During the process, the structures may have large hardenings which may elicit discrepancies on the part of micro hardness and yield stress as a result of the strain induced transformation of the austenite. The austenite transformation occurs when the whole or part of the plastic field and the accumulation of twins is retained. The low twining probability in austenite may be attributed to the rapid nucleation of the martensite plates within the high twinned austenitic regions, which causes continuous strain-induced transformation along the plastic field. In addition, the accumulation of twins in the martensite affects the plastic flow providing increase in strain hardening ability . The presence of retained austenite material may significantly influence the mechanical composition

Online examination system Essay Example for Free

Online examination system Essay The cellular concept, cellular frequency planning, link control, handoffs, power control, traffic capacity, propagation modelling, digital transmission techniques, fading mitigation, multiple access techniques, wireless networking, examples of current and future wireless standards. Introduction and overview (1 Lecture) Introduction to Cryptography: (2 lectures) Terminology steganography, substitution and transformation ciphers, XOR,  one-time pads, Protocol Building Blocks: (3 Lectures) Communications using symmetric cryptography, one-way hash functions, communications using public-key cryptography, digital signatures,  Basic Protocols: (2 lectures) Key exchange, authentication, secret splitting, secret sharing, cryptographic protection of databases, Intermediate  Protocols: (2 lectures) Time stamping services, subliminal channel, undeniable digital signatures, Key Length: (2 lecture) Symmetric key length, public-key key length, comparing symmetric and public-key key length, Key Management: (3 Lectures) Generating keys, transferring keys, verifying keys, using keys, updating keys, storing keys, compromised keys, lifetime of keys, destroying keys, public key management,  Algorithm Types and Modes: (10 Lecture) Electronic codebook mode, block replay, cipher block chaining mode, stream ciphers, cipher-feedback mode, output feedback mode, choosing a cipher mode, block ciphers vs. stream ciphers, Choosing an Algorithm, Choosing an algorithm, public-key vs. symmetric cryptography, encrypting communication channels, encrypting data for storage, Security Models, Windows, Linux, Web, Cookies, Biometrics (gummy fingers), Tempest, Viruses, Firewalls, System/Comprehensive Security Analysis Text Book/s Stallings, W and Brown, L., Computer Security: principles and practice, 2nd edition, 2011 Reference Material William Stallings, Cryptography and Network Security, 4th Edition, 2005, ISBN-13: 978-0131873162 Kaufman, Perlman, Speciner, Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN-13: 978-0130460196 Other books will be used in the course if necessary. Department Of Computer Science Information Technology, HIC Jauharabad Campus Instructional Aids/Resources Assessment Criteria Class Assessment 35% Quizzes and Test 15 Assignment and Presentations 10 Attendance and Class Participations 5 Assignments + Quizzes Mid 25% If Required: Final 40% If Required: Total 100%

Jean Genet’s The Balcony Essay -- Literature Writing Papers

Jean Genet’s The Balcony The Methods of Cultural Appropriation in Jean Genet’s â€Å"The Balcony† The now-famous story of Jean Genet’s ascension to literary sainthood begins with an accusation. The young Genet, an orphan and an outcast in the rural Morvan, was subject to suspicion and, due to his dubious origins, finally accused of thievery. However, instead of shaking the label, Genet decided to embrace it to fulfill all the mordant potential that it promised. From this inaugurating act sprang the literary Genet. As Sartre says in his monumental study Saint Genet: â€Å"For him, to compose is to recreate himself†(584). As a result, Genet’s persona is as famous (or notorious) as his works are. Genet’s early initiation into a mental, if not physical, sort of underworld predicates his awareness of the problems of subcultural existence in a society ruled by signs, symbols, and rituals. His writing often focuses on the detailed qualities of inanimate objects, attributing meaning to them and in the process forging almost personal relationships with them. This is important because Genet is highly aware of the effects of the proliferation of images in the media and their uses for various interests. In his literary career, Genet moves from a consciousness of the importance of symbols and images in identifying and defining a particular subcultural milieu to an awareness of the ways in which these symbols can be appropriated by dominant culture, thus losing their subversive edge. It is in this way that dominant culture disarms potentially dangerous subversive or criminal elements. â€Å"The Balcony† illustrates to a superlative degree his awareness of image and symbol for subcultural elements and the danger of approp... ...ame time casts a leery eye towards the use of images to facilitate this process. However, by exposing the means of appropriation Genet allows leeway for re-appropriation, a way for subcultures to assert their own self-representation. This leads to a kind of cultural barter or negotiation between subculture and dominant culture; the methods of this barter must therefore become the primary concern of subcultures. Works Cited Genet, Jean. â€Å"The Balcony†. New York: Grove Press. 1966. Sartre, Jean-Paul. Saint Genet. New York: Mentor Books. 1963. Hebdige, Dick. Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Routledge. 1979. Plotz, John. â€Å"Objects of Abjection: The Animation of Difference in Jean Genet’s Novels†. Twentieth Century Literature, Vol. 44, No. 1. (Spring, 1998). 100-118. White, Edmund. Genet: A Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1993.

Human Resource Management and Nestle

Project Report of SHRM On Nestle Topic: Study of SHRM at Nestle Table of Contents 1 S. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Description Introduction to Company Mission, Vision & Goals of Company SWOT Analysis of the Company SHRM at Nestle Impact of Recession on Nestle Changing role of HR at Nestle VRIO Analysis and 5P’s approach HR Strategies that company should follow Page No. 3-5 6-7 8-10 11-21 22-23 24-25 26-29 30 1. Introduction of the company 2 Nestle is the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company. The company employs more than 280,000 people and has 456 factories in 84 countries. Nestle products are sold in almost every country in the world. Founded in 1866 in Vevey, Switzerland, where it is still based, Nestle has often been called â€Å"the multinational among multinationals†. Only about 1. 5 percent of its sales are generated in its home country, and all but 12 of its factories are situated abroad. The CEO is Paul Bulcke, and the General Management includes a Belgian, two Canadians, one Dutch, a Frenchman, a German, a South African/British, three Spaniards, one Swiss, one American and a SwissAmerican. Nestle is a truly public company with over 250,000 shareholders of which around one third are Swiss. No single shareholder owns more than 3% of the stock. US investors, who, together, hold over 30% of the capital, can purchase ADRs through a sponsored program. As the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company, Nestle is the worldwide leader in product categories such as soluble coffee, infant nutrition, bottled water, condensed and evaporated milk, ice cream, as well as chocolate and malt drinks, and culinary. The Group is also a co-leader in pet care. The Company is committed to delivering shareholder value through sustainable, capital efficient and profitable long-term growth. Over the past years it has concentrated on furthering organic growth and performance improvement HISTORY OF NESTLE Nestle was the result of a series of mergers of many small companies. In the mid-1860s, Henri Nestle, merchant, chemist and innovator, experimented with various combinations of cow’s milk, wheat flour and sugar. The resulting product was meant to be a source of nutrition for infants, who could not be breast-fed by their mothers. In 1867, his formula saved the life of a prematurely born infant. Later that year, production of the formula, named Farine Lactee Nestle, began in Vevey and the Nestle Company was formed. Henri Nestle wanted to develop his own brands and decided to avoid the easier route of becoming a private label. Henri also wanted to make his company global. Within a few months of the launch, Henri began to sell his products in many European countries. In the company’s initial years, Henri took various steps to facilitate research, improve product quality and develop new products. Meanwhile in 1866, two Americans, Charles and George Page had founded the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. The company launched a milk based infant food, which competed with Nestle’s products. In 1875, Daniel Peter, a friend and neighbor of Henri developed milk chocolate. Peter became the world’s leading chocolate maker, and later merged his company 3 with Nestle. The rivalry between Nestle and the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company intensified but ended in 1905, when the two companies merged under the Nestle banner. World War I created a new demand for dairy products. Nestle grew mainly by executing government contracts. The end of the war created a crisis for the company as people started using fresh milk again, instead of condensed and powdered milk. In 1921, Nestle recorded its first loss, which was partly due to the worldwide postwar economic slowdown. Louis Dapples, a Swiss banking expert restructured the company, streamling its operations and reducing the debt burden. In 1930, the Brazilian Coffee Institute approached Dapples, seeking new products. After eight years of research Nestle developed a soluble powder that revolutionized coffee drinking around the world. The product was launched under the brand name Nescafe and became an instant success. The onset of World War II speeded up the introduction of Nescafe. The beverage also became a popular drink among American servicemen in Europe and Asia. The end of World War II triggered off a new phase of growth for Nestle. Many new products were added as the company grew through acquisitions. After 1974, Nestle’s financial position deteriorated. Oil prices rose and growth in industrialized nations slowed down. The Swiss franc appreciated and the price of coffee beans and cocoa shot up. This situation was partially offset by Nestle’s rapid growth in emerging markets. In 1981, Helmut Maucher took over as CEO. His policies had a significant impact on Nestle’s style of functioning. Maucher pursued a two-pronged strategy to improve the company’s financial situation: First he embarked on internal restructuring and divestments; second he decided to continue with strategic acquisitions. Between 1980 and 1984, he divested a number of non-strategic or unprofitable businesses, amounting to nearly SFr8 bn. The divestments included certain food products that were not consistent with Nestle’s emphasis on high value added segments. To improve the company’s financial situation, he embarked on a cost-cutting exercise. While the employee strength was reduced significantly, the inventory and outstanding debt were brought down. In 1990, Nestle formed a joint venture with General Mills called Cereal Partners Worldwide to promote Nestle breakfast cereals. It covered 70 countries accounting for about 75 per cent of the breakfast cereal consumption outside the US and Canada. Nestle also formed a joint venture with Coca-Cola, called the Coca-Cola Nestle Refreshment Company, to market tea and coffee-based ready-to-drink beverages under the Nestea and Nescafe brands. In 1996, Nestle decided to end its 50-50 Clinic Nutrition joint venture with Baxter Healthcare and established Nestle Clinical Nutrition to provide orally consumed nutrition products to hospitals and nursing homes. Nestle opened the 20th century by merging with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company to broaden its product range and widen its geographical scope. In the new millennium, Nestle is the undisputed leader in the food industry, with more than 470 factories around the world. Nestle 4 launched a Group-wide initiative called GLOBE (Global Business Excellence), aimed at harmonizing and simplifying business process architecture; enabling Nestle to realize the advantages of a global leader while minimizing the drawbacks of size. The Company’s strategy will continue to be guided by several fundamental principles. Nestle’s existing products will grow through innovation and renovation while maintaining a balance in geographic activities and product lines. Long-term potential will never be sacrificed for shortterm performance. The Company’s priority will be to bring the best and most relevant products to people, wherever they are, whatever their needs, throughout their lives. 2. Mission, Vision and Goals of Nestle VISION OF NESTLE â€Å"Nestle’s aim is to meet the various needs of the consumer everyday by marketing and selling foods of a consistently high quality. † MISSION OF NESTLE 5 We strive to bring consumers foods that are safe, of high quality and provide optimal nutrient to meet physiological needs. Nestle helps provide selections for all individual taste and lifestyle preferences. † BUSINESS OBJECTIVES OF NESTLE†¢ Nestle’s business objective is to manufacture and market the Company’s products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners. †¢ Nestle does not favor short-term profit at the expense of successful long-term business development. Nestle recognizes that its consumers have a sincere and legitimate interest in the behavior, beliefs and actions of the Company behind brands in which they place their trust and that without its consumers the Company would not exist. †¢ Nestle believes that, as a general rule, legislation is the most effective safeguard of responsible conduct, although in certain areas, additional guidance to staff in the form of voluntary business principles is beneficial in order to ensure that the highest standards are met throughout the organization. Nestle is conscious of the fact that the success of a orporation is a reflection of the professionalism, conduct and the responsible attitude of its management and employees. Therefore recruitment of the right people and ongoing training and de velopment are crucial. †¢ CORE VALUES †¢ A prerequisite for dealing with people is respect and trust. †¢ Transparency and honesty in dealing with people are a sine qua non for efficient communication. This is complemented by open dialogue with the purpose of sharing competencies and boosting creativity. †¢ †¢ To communicate is not only to inform; it is also to listen and to engage in dialogue. The willingness to cooperate, to help others and to learn is a required basis for advancement and promotion within our company. 3. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS †¢ Parent support – Nestle India has a strong support from its parent company, which is the world’s largest processed food and beverage company, with a presence in almost every 6 country. The company has access to the parent’s hugely successful global folio of products and brands. †¢ Brand strength – In India, Nestle has some very strong brands like Nescafe, Maggi and Cerelac. These brands are almost generic to their product categories. Product innovation – The Company has been continuously introducing new products for its Indian patrons on a frequent basis, thus expanding its product offerings. Operated factories in 77 countries (all six continents), a truly global company. Considered the innovation leader in the global food and nutrition sector(3500 scientist in company R&D network) Low cost operators (beat the competition by producing low cost products, edging ahead with low operating costs) Offering thousands of local products. Have a great CEO, Peter Brabeck, and a very strong workforce. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ WEAKNESSES †¢ Exports – The company’s exports stood at Rs 2,571 m at the end of 2003 (11% of revenues) and continue to grow at a decent pace. But a major portion of this comprises of Coffee (around 67% of the exports were that of Nescafe instant to Russia). This constitutes a big chunk of the total exports to a single location. Historically, Russia has been a very volatile market for Nestle, and its overall performance takes a hit often due to this factor. Supply chain – The Company has a complex supply chain management and the main issue for Nestle India is traceability. The food industry requires high standards of hygiene, quality of edible inputs and personnel. The fragmented nature of the Indian market place complicates things more. Some of their product were positioned as too scientific, and consumers didn’t quite understand (i. e. LC-1 was a food and not a drug) †¢ †¢ OPPORTUNITIES 7 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Expansion – The Company has the potential to expand to smaller towns and other geographies. Existing markets are not fully tapped and the company can increase presence by penetrating further. With India's demographic profile changing in favor of the consuming class, the per capita consumption of most FMCG products is likely to grow. Nestle will have the inherent advantage of this trend. Product offerings – The Company has the option to expand its product folio by introducing more brands which its parents are famed for like breakfast cereals, Smarties Chocolates, Carnation, etc. Global hub – Since manufacturing of some products is cheaper in India than in other South East Asian countries, Nestle India could become an export hub for the parent in certain product categories. Health-based products are becoming more popular in the world, including in the United States Unaffected by current economic conditions (its share of the UK confectionery market rise to 15. 6 per cent with a 0. 5 per cent growth this year) THREATS †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Competition – The Company faces immense competition from the organized as well as the unorganized sectors. Off late, to liberalize its trade and investment policies to enable the country to better function in the globalised economy, the Indian Government has reduced the import duty of food segments thus intensifying the battle. Changing consumer trends – Trend of increased consumer spends on consumer durables resulting in lower spending on FMCG products. In the past 2-3 years, the performance of the FMCG sector has been lackluster, despite the economy growing at a decent pace. Although, off late the situation has been improving, the dependence on monsoon is very high. Sectoral woes – Rising prices of raw materials and fuels, and inturn, increasing packaging and manufacturing costs. But the companies’ may not be able to pass on the full burden of these onto the customers. Some markets they are entering are already mature Global competitors. There are intense competitions in the United States, especially yogurt market (General Mills) 4. SHRM at Nestle NESTLE – A HUMAN COMPANY 8 Nestle is a human Company providing a response to individual human needs throughout the world with specific concern for the well-being of both its consumers and its employees. This is reflected in its attitude and its sense of responsibility towards people. Nestle aims to increase sales and profits but, at the same time, to raise the standard of living everywhere it is active and the quality of life for everyone. Nestle is also convinced that it is the people who form the strength of the Company and that nothing can be achieved without their commitment and their energy, which makes people its most important asset. Involvement of people at all levels starts with appropriate information on the Company’s activities and on the specific aspects of their work. Through open communication and active co-operation, everyone is invited to contribute to improvements enhancing Company results and personal development. Therefore, we can conclude that the models that Nestle follows are: – High Performance, – High Involvement & – High Commitment. NESTLE’S SPIRIT â€Å"Making Big Investments in People† At Nestle India we make big investment in people, they are our top priority. For us, our people are the key drivers for our success. Nestle India provides its employees a dynamic professional environment bound by one spirit,’ The Nestle Spirit' and that makes Nestle India a great place to work. Nestle India is a vibrant company enhancing the quality of life of its consumers by offering them world class food products driven by Nutrition, Health and Wellness. At Nestle India your integrity, professional skills and performance is what matters. We trust our people and believe in giving early responsibilities and encourage them to actively contribute to the log term sustainable growth of the business. At Nestle India we believe in building leaders who can take on challenges, innovate and write success stories. Nurturing starts from day one on the job. Business dynamics and need directed training programs offer employees with opportunities to acquire and develop desired functional, people management and decision making skills enabling success at work. 9 As we achieve milestone after milestones we invite you to be part of this exciting journey and assure you that the exposure and experience would be unparalleled. NESTLE’S CORPORATE LEVEL STRATEGIES †¢ Product’s growth through innovation and renovation (while maintaining a balance in geographic activities and product lines). Long-term potential Build business based on sound human values and principles. Long-term commitment to the health and well being of people in every country in the scope of their operations. Business should be conducted by adhering to the values and management principles of the organization. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ BUSINESS LEVEL STRATEGIES †¢ Low cost – less price transparency is followed. Differentiation – to reduce the risk of complexity of supply chain and lower attractiveness for discounters. †¢ COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Research and development (R&D), Its product range Global reach and 280,000-strong workforce FOUR GROWTH PLATFORMS †¢ †¢ †¢ Nutrition Emerging consumers Premium goods and 10 †¢ â€Å"Out-of-home† goods. ALIGNMENT OF BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND HR PRACTICES Nestle is a company whose HR strategies or practices are developed by keeping in mind the Business objectives of the company and the strategies devised to run the business. The HR strategies are always in alignment with the business goals. Nestle is unique in the sense that it has been able to successfully inculcate its business objective as well as its core values, consistently in its employees day-to-day activities starting from recruitment till continuous performance appraisals. Product’s Growth through innovation and renovation To increase the product growth i. . productivity human resource strategies are adopted such as flexible, dynamic employees are attracted, selected and then trained and motivated to be more productive than the competition. One case in point is the Kit Kat manufacturing plant in York England, under the managership of Ian Jobson and, ultimately, Nestle CEO Peter Brabeck. In 1998, Time magazine reports, it took 38 man-hours to produce a ton of chocolate. This year, using a combination of robotics, automated packaging, and production-line improvements, the forecast production time is 23 hours. This decrease in production time was feasible because of process innovation. Adherence to the values and management principles of the organization †¢ Respect for other cultures and traditions Nestle embraces cultural and social diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of origin, nationality, religion, race, gender or age. Furthermore, Nestle believes that its activities can only be of long-term benefit to the Company if they are at the same time beneficial to the local community. In short, global thinking and strategies can best be expressed through local action and commitment. Diversity From creating hundreds of the world’s leading brands to offering an amazing variety of career options to our employees, it’s clear that Nestle’s businesses are exceptionally diverse. So it should come as no surprise that Nestle values diversity in the people working them just as much as they have diversity in their products. 11 It’s Nestle’s policy to p rovide an environment where respect is shown to all individual employees and where employees are valued, recognised and rewarded on the basis of their talent and their contribution rather than any consideration of age, gender, race, sexuality, religion or disability. As an organisation, Nestle is opposed to any form of unfair discrimination and believe that an inclusive approach will be of maximum benefit to all our employees as well as our wider business goals and the society in which we live. This ethos can be summed up in the following statement: We believe that to succeed we must recruit and retain talented individuals and value and respect the differences each of those individuals brings with them. In addition, we have a strong ongoing commitment to developing policies, procedures and practices that will actively promote equality of opportunity and optimise the abilities of our workforce. Decisions relating to the recruitment, employment, training, progression, assessment and retention of our people will always be supported by these principles of equality of opportunity. †¢ Nestle’s Culture Nestle is committed to a number of cultural values. These values come partly from its Swiss roots and have been developed during its history. They are also evolving so as to support the permanent reshaping of the Company. They can be described as follows: o Commitment to a strong work ethic, integrity, honesty and quality. o Personal relations based on trust and mutual respect. This implies a sociable attitude towards others, combined with an ability to communicate openly and frankly. o A personalized and direct way of dealing with each other. This implies a high level of tolerance for other ideas and opinions, as well as a relentless commitment to co-operate proactively with others. Openness and curiosity for dynamic and future trends in technology, changes in consumer habits, new business ideas and opportunities, while maintaining respect for basic human values, attitudes and behavior. o Like, open and flexible culture is ensured by way of providing training programs to employees at all the levels. 2 TRAINING From the factory floor to the top management, training at Nestle is continuous. And because it is mainly given by Nestle people, it is always relevant to the professional life. Throughout the world, each country runs its own training programmes (e-Learning, classroom courses, and external courses). Nestle provides the followingo Literacy training-to upgrades essential literacy skills, especially for workers who operate new equipment. o Nestle Apprenticeship Programmes. o Local Training Programmes-on issues ranging from technical, leadership, and communication and business economics. This kind of culture is also supported by decentralized structure of Nestle: Nestle is as decentralized as possible, within the framework imposed by fundamental policy and strategy decisions requiring increasing flexibility. Operational efficiencies, as well as the group-wide need for alignment and people development, may also set limits to decentralization. Decentralization: Nestle recognizes that its consumers have a sincere and legitimate interest in the behaviour, beliefs and actions of the Company behind brands in which they place their trust and that without its consumers the Company would not exist. Nestle believes that, as a general rule, legislation is the most effective safeguard of responsible conduct, although in certain areas, additional guidance to staff in the form of voluntary business principles is beneficial in order to ensure that the highest standards are met throughout the organization. o Nestle is conscious of the fact that the success of a corporation is a refl ection of the professionalism, conduct and the responsible attitude of its management and employees. Therefore recruitment of the right people and ongoing training and development are crucial. Nestle continues to maintain its commitment to follow and respect all applicable local laws in each of its Transparent performance appraisal systems and the freedom given to them to question their seniors benefit not only the employees but even the organization as a whole. 13 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT o Formal assessment by Line Managers and HR once in a year with feedback. o Subordinate can question an unfair evaluation. o Specific Key Performance Indicators have been enlisted by the HR department. o One of the important key performance indicators is achievement following the Nestle management and leadership principles. Remuneration structure and promotion criteria take into account individual performance. Emphasis on individual achievement Nestle’s emphasis on individual achievement is e vident from the kind of pay structure HR has designed for its employees and the company also incorporates practices like Job Enrichment and Job Enlargement, to motivate employees and to break the monotony of their job tasks. The correspondent herself works in both sales and brand management departments, which is an example of job enlargement. PAY STRUCTURE o Nestle strives to offer fair remuneration. Remuneration level is above the average in industry. The variable component of the salary is comparatively big to reward individual performance. In case of higher management level, the variable part is linked to individual & team target achievements. o o Nestle expertises in Recruitment Services, Talent Management and International HR, Learning and Development, Information and Administration, and Reward and Employee Relations. Nestle is recognized as recognized one of the most advanced HR functions within Nestle globally. Before implementing the HR practices/policies, Nestle get to the crux of the business issue and then find an HR solution. While practicing the HR policies, Nestle is focused more on people and organization strategies. RECRUITMENT SERVICES The Recruitment Services team in Nestle UK is recognized within Nestle globally as the benchmark in leading recruitment practices. That’s because at Nestle they don’t just fill jobs. 14 Instead, they work with the business to proactively identify and fill their talent gaps. Nestle Recruitment teams constantly stand back and work out new ways to attract the very best talent and keep ahead of the competition, but it isn’t always easy. The recruitment process at Nestle is clearly defined and is always in synchronization with the changing business needs. o People with qualities like dynamism, realism, pragmatism, hard work, honesty and trustworthiness are looked for. o Match between candidate’s values & company’s culture are recruited. o Recruitment for management levels take place in the head office by top management and all others at the branch level. The existing employees are promoted to higher posts as per the requirements. There are no lateral recruitments. Another source of recruitment is campus placements and human resource consultancies to look for the enthusiastic, motivated and fresh pool of talent. Decision to hire a candidate is finally taken by HR professionals only and no preference is given to external consultant. This is done to finally have the discretion power in the hands of Company. o People management policies, basic values & principles as elaborated in- Nestle management & leadership principles- The Nestle Management and Leadership Principles describe the management style and the corporate values of the Nestle Group, specifically in the area of interpersonal relations. Nestle human resources policy- This policy encompasses those guidelines which constitute a sound basis for efficient and effective HR Management in the Nestle Group around the world. – Nestle people development review-this policy throws light on Nestle’s culture and core values, different training programs and life of employees after work. R EWARDS AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS TEAM It consists of two expert sub-teams, each with specific responsibility for business-wide strategic and operational remits. Employee Relations sub-team provide business-wide advice and guidance to line managers and the HR community on individual employee relations matters and to HR Business 15 Partners on broader employee relations and change management issues, as well as developing and implementing Nestle’s policies and procedures in this area and undertaking relevant project work. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Nestle provides a very healthy working environment which is one of the reasons why Nestle’s employees state their commitment level to be very high. o Employee turnover is less than 5%. , which is considered to be very low for a multinational corporation. Nestle has an open culture & upward communication especially in case of grievance redressal is encouraged. o Work/Life balance is given importance, as illustrated in the Nestle Human Resource Policy document. o ‘Nestle Family’ annual events are organized by their HR department whereby employees along with their families are invited . o Emphasis is laid on safety of employees (Nestle Policy on Health and Safety at Work). CHANGE MANAGEMENT o Nestle has adjusted to the ever-changing external environment for the last 140 years since its inception 1866 without losing its fundamental beliefs and core values. It manages Change and drives sustainable profitable growth by following the policy of making gradual changes instead of making drastic and risky changes. o ERP implementation- In June 2000, Nestle SA signed a much publicized $200 million contract with SAP and additional $80 to install an ERP system for its global enterprise to help centralize a conglomerate that owns 200 operating companies and subsidiaries in 80 countries. While the ERP system was likely to have long-term benefits, the project touched the corporate structure and culture. The structure was decentralized, and it tried to centralize it. This was initially opposed by employees but with subsequent measures taken by the HR like training etc. , this has been successfully implemented. Reward sub-team; on the other hand focus on maximizing return on investment to deliver Reward that will motivate the employees to perform at the highest level as well as managing the overall Reward principles and processes including base salary, incentives and Flexible Reward. 16 REWARDS & INCENTIVES o ‘Passion to Win’ awards- These quarterly awards have been institutionalized to reward those who over-achieve their targets. Long-service Awards- To recognize employees who have been with the company for more than 30 years. o ‘Nestle Idea Award’- It was found from the correspondent that the company institutes Nestle Idea Award every quarter to recognize and award employees who come up with relevant and innovative ideas which have the potential of being implemented at Nestle. For all aspects of Reward Nestle apply the fundamental principles outlined below. Reward Principles †¢ Performance Driven – The level of your Reward is linked to your performance, hence the highest performers will see the greatest Reward. There is also a direct link between the performance of the business and the Reward we're able to offer Competitive – We benchmark all aspects of Reward to ensure we offer all our employees a competitive Reward package Inclusive – Our Reward programme is designed to reflect the valuable contribution which every employee makes, not just senior managers Flexible – We've made it our top priority to allow you to tailor the Reward you receive to your circumstances, whenever possible or practical †¢ †¢ †¢ BENEFITS The following benefits are provided to all employees, with no discrimination- Leave-Personal & Medical (fixed no. er year) – Children Education Assistance Scheme – Provident fund – Retirement Gratuity Scheme – Group Insurance & Accidental Insurance Scheme – Conveyance Reimbursements 17 – Residential Accommodation – Monthly health check-ups & free consultation for self & family etc. Talent Manageme nt and International HR Talent Management and International HR Team, on the other hand, focuses on developing the potential and careers of all the employees at Nestle, particularly those with high levels of performance and potential who are likely to be Nestle leaders of the future. The main task of this talent management program is to develop the framework and processes which will enable the company to identify and develop the potential of employees at Nestle. This program supports individuals with a clear career development plan to go on international assignments out of the respective locations such as Nestle’s international headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland, or to other Nestle markets around the globe. Learning and development Learning and Development Team is involved in development of cutting-edge interventions and supporting change through far-reaching development programmes such as our ‘Lead2Win’ programme. This team also helps the company to create and implement functional development programmes across the business, covering everything from manufacturing to supply chain. At Nestle Learning and Development means Continuous Improvement and Creativity and Innovation. Learning and Development is carried out by Continuous Improvement that leads directly on to Creativity and Innovation. This process generally involves two stages: i. A team of passionate and professional development experts is formed to create Core Skill Development Strategies that will enable continuous personal and professional growth across the business. After that, the strategies are tailored for each business area with the help of HR Business Partners and Business Directors. The next stage is to go online, where the trainees are able to take advantage of our vast learning and development intranet. This resource has been specifically designed to help trainees manage their own learning in an easy to use virtual environment. Once you're up and running there, you'll be able to focus on picking up new skills particular to your job and career ambitions with the help of our leadership development programmes, designed to create the leaders of tomorrow. i. Differentiation 18 Nestle follows differentiation strategy and to make it a success it has HR strategies aligned accordingly. To support the differentiation strategy, Nestle practices following HR strategies to support differentiation: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ They favour long term performance measures. Nestle does not favor short-term profit at the expense of successful lo ng-term business development. They believe in extensive trainings of their employees to keep the pace with changing environment and keep them updated with latest innovations At Nestle, equal and fair pay practices are followed. Nestle’s pay structure, rewards & incentives systems are also designed in such a way so as to promote creativity. Recruitment process is also totally based on hiring and recruitment of people who bring in new ideas. Broad career paths are provided to employees by a continuous process of career development and high employee participation prevails in the organization. 19 5. Impact of Recession on Nestle During this phase of recession, Nestle has faced a little bit of tribulations in terms of: †¢ †¢ Shipment growth: It has slowed down as shoppers switch from branded foods to retailers' private labels. The volume of goods sold: The volume of goods sold rose 2. 8 per cent in 2008, but, down from 4. 4 per cent in 2007, after Nestle relied on price increases to pass on higher raw-material costs. The whole onus of these two problems could not be bullied upon recession. Since the actual reason behind the second problem was increasing inflation. Even though it has been hurt by the weak dollar and tough competition in the United States. But, if we talk in general, then, Nestle has been labeled as a Recession proof company. Nestle, announced that they had a 69. 4percent profit in the year 2008. The year 2008 and the beginning of the year 2009 so far are considered as the worst recession the world is facing today. Each company around the world, no matter what they produce or what services they provide was having the greatest downfall on the sales and services. But even during the phase of recession, Nestle has a different story to tell. Nestle announced record breaking profit during the year 2008. The sales of Nestle products jumped up in huge numbers. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The net profit of Nestle in year 2008 was 15billion US Dollars. Net income rose to 18 billion Swiss francs in 2008 from 10. 5 billion francs. The profit was 69. 4 percent jump from the last year Sales rose 2. 2 per cent last year to 109. 9 billion francs, and organic revenue increased 8. 3 per cent in 2008, the fourth year that Nestle beat its forecast. Further, Nestle expects to carry on seeing growth in earnings over 2009 despite the global recession, using its strong 2008 results as a springboard for growth. 20 †¢ †¢ Nestle has granted an investment of 300 crore in the Indian market in 2008 and is about to double its investment in 2009. The goal of Nestle further is o achieve organic growth of close to 5 per cent, and to improve the EBIT margin in constant currencies further. Nestle would be able to achieve this goal through company’s internal strength. Nestle, which makes Nescafe coffee, Maggi soup and KitKat chocolate bars, also raised its global outlook for the year and its forecast for 2008 organic growth – which is to say from existing businesses – to â€Å"about 8 percent† from a previous target of at least 7. 4 percent. Nestle shares rallied from a near two-year low, jumping 5. 4 per cent. Nestle will spend four billion francs buying back stock this year after purchasing 8. billion (Dh27. 16 billion) francs worth in 2008. Nestle also said it will increase its dividend for the year by 15 per cent to 1. 40 francs a shar e. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Reasons behind the strong survival of Nestle even during the Recession Nestle amazingly survived the greatest and disastrous recession period of the world which gives the hope and message to many other companies. Some of the reasons have been pointed out that seems to have worked for Nestle to fight the recession: †¢ Innovation and â€Å"renovation of its brands and products† It seems to be a big driver in keeping Nestle afloat. In 2008 Nestle’s investment in research and development for food and beverages was up 15 per cent. Nestle survived recession because it was able to capitalise on â€Å"a wide variety of market conditions†, and that this gives it a competitive advantage. India is not in a downturn but probably a slowdown. The liquidity squeeze hasn’t affected the demand of consumer goods in the price range that Nestle sells. Therefore, Nestle was able to survive in India. The company survived recession and is now positioned for profitable growth both now and in the long term, because of its â€Å"defensive qualities as well as its strong growth credentials. If recession grips the world and despite the war in the Middle East, everyone will continue to need food. This means millions of people will continue to buy Nestle products, which include Nestle infant formula, Taster's Choice coffee and Stouffer frozen foods. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 21 †¢ †¢ â€Å"The key t o Nestle’s short-term performance is the degree to which the markets want to be in a safe haven situation. â€Å"Beyond that, over the longer term, there is a pretty positive earnings story in Nestle. Nestle is able to ride out the recession easily than its rivals due to its comprehensive range of products and wide geographical reach. 6. Changing role or HR The importance of the human resource function has become evident especially with the onset of global competition. Not only do human resource managers have to think more strategically and in step with corporate planning managers, they have had to address real and hard issues about the impact of intense competition on employment stability. It is one thing to think with executives on how the human resource section can support corporate activities. It is another to actually implement cost-savings policies with regards employment. To guard against the downside of global competition, the human resource managers must be more proactive in recruiting and maintaining a responsive and efficient work force. Planning should start at the early stages so that organizations do not bloat needlessly. Human resource managers must be able to map out human resource strategies such that flexible, dynamic employees are attracted, selected and then trained and motivated to be more productive than the competition. Human resource managers are no longer administrators or simply implementers. They should be recognized as strategic partners. Only then can they function well to help top management especially in a climate of economic uncertainty. Although, Nestle being a Human Company itself possess many of the above mentioned qualities that are supposed to be present in the managers of today’s time. But, according to the changes in the business patterns, globalization, and diverse business of Nestle and rapidly changing ups and downs in the economy. There are certain factors on which the role of the HR at Nestle is changing. The HR managers at Nestle along with professional skills, practical experience and result focus must possess the following qualities: †¢ †¢ They should be capable to motivate and to develop people, addressing all those issues that allow others to progress in their work and to develop their capabilities. They should be able to inhibit curiosity and open-mindedness as well as a high level of interest in other cultures and life-styles. This also includes a commitment to continuous learning and improving, as well as to sharing knowledge and ideas freely with others. 22 †¢ It is responsibility of the HR professionals to create a climate of innovation and to think outside the box. This implies the right to make a mistake but also the readiness to correct it and to learn from it. HR professionals should now be able to inculcate the willingness to accept change and the ability to manage it. They should provide international experience and understanding of other cultures. This will prepare the employees to face the challenges in global markets. †¢ †¢ 7. VRIO and 5P’s Analysis VRIO ANALYSIS This VRIO framework is the foundation for internal analysis. In order to lead to a sustainable competitive advantage a resource or capability should be Valuable, Rare, Inimitable (including non-substitutable), and Organized. Valuable A resource is valuable if it helps the organization meet an external threat or exploit an opportunity. If a resource helps bring about any one of these four things then it is aluable: Efficiency, Innovation, Quality and Customer responsiveness. Valuable resources of Nestle are: †¢ †¢ Human Resources Brand Name †¢ Research & development processes Rare A resource is rare simply if it is not widely possessed by other competitors. Rare Resource of Nestle is their uniqueness in Infant food products. The processes they use and the ingredients they use are rare. Inimitable A resource is inimitable and non substi tutable if it is difficult for another firm to acquire it or a substitute something else in its place. This is probably the toughest criteria to examine because given enough time and money almost ANY resource can be imitated. Even patents only last 17 years and can be invented around in even less time. Therefore, one way to think about this is to compare how long you think it will take for competitors to imitate or 23 substitute something else for that resource and compare it to the useful life of the product. Inimitable resources of Nestle are: †¢ Corporate Culture †¢ Values followed at Nestle †¢ Reputation Organized A resource is organized if the firm is able to actually use it. Generally, organization is frequently neglected by strategy because it often deals with the inner workings of firm management. But generally, it rarely happens that firms are not organized to exploit their valuable resources. However, if you analysis does turn up a valuable, rare, and inimitable resource that the firm is not taking advantage of, then the resources of the firm are not said to be organized. 5P’s at Nestle Philosophy Nestle’s Philosophy on Code of Governance Nestle India Ltd. is a subsidiary of Nestle S. A. f Switzerland and over the years it has followed best practice of Corporate Governance and adhered to practices laid down by the Nestle Group. Nestle India’s business objective and that if its management and employees is to manufacture and market the Company’s products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for consumers, shareholders, employees, business partners and the national economy. Nestle India is conscious of the fact that the success of a corporation is a reflection of the professionalism, conduct and ethical alues of its management and employees. In addition to compliance with regulatory requirements, Nestle India endeavors to ensure that highest standards of ethical and responsible conduct are met throughout the organization. The two most significant documents from the Nestle Group, which define the standard of behavior of Nestle India, are â€Å"Nestle Corporate Business Principles† and â€Å"Nestle Management and Leadership Principles†. Policy The Nestle policy is to hire staff with personal attitudes and professional skills enabling them to develop a long-term relationship with the Company. Therefore the potential for professional development is an essential standard for recruitment. 24 Each new member joining Nestle is to become a participant in developing a sustainable quality culture which implies a commitment to the organization and a sense for continuous improvement leaving no room for complacency. Therefore, and in view of the importance of these Nestle values, special attention will be paid to the matching between a candidate's values and the Company culture. Processes †¢ Administrative †¢ Training †¢ Recruiting †¢ Development †¢ Labor Relations †¢ Org Development †¢ Compensation and Internal Communication Programs Campus Recruitment Programs Internship Programs For graduate students, Nestle offer a summer internship in brand management for MBA students. Marketing Interns are challenged with leading integral aspects of our brands' marketing plans. This highly competitive program could also give you the opportunity to transition into a full-time position. Professional Development Programs Adequate training programs are developed at the level of each operating company capitalizing on the availability of local, regional or global resources of the Group. It is the responsibility of HR staff to assist the management in the elaboration of training programs. Following type of programs are conducted at Nestle: o Training programs enhancing the language skills of the employees. o Training programs aimed at developing and sharing best practices of the various management disciplines practiced in the Group. They also strive to strengthen corporate cohesion as well as to promote networking throughout the Group. o E-learning programs as a complement to or a substitute for formal training programs. Practices 25 The following HR practices take place at Nestle: †¢ Recruitment and Training Performance Management Rewards and Incentives Benefits Employee Relations Change Management Safety and Health The Nestle Operational Safety, Health and Risk-Management Strategy document illustrates that: – Nestle is dedicated to safe & healthy work environment. Regular safety assessments & audits take place by internal & external bodies. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 8. Hr strategies that nestle should follow Nestle should practice following HR practices: i. Communication Strategy: Nestle should adopt an effective communication strategy because in today’s changing scenario and in a dynamic organization like Nestle employees should be educated and trained about the change s taking place in the organization. This can be done through open house meetings and bulletins etc. Effective Training and Development: Training and development forms an important part of the practices followed at Nestle. It is an integral part of the corporate strategies. Most of the training programs conducted at Nestle are conducted by In-house trainers, whereas for some specialized training programs external trainers should be called. And employees should also be given the opportunity to attend the training programs abroad so as to give them a feel of global markets. Entrepreneurship strategy: Every employee needs to be an independent entrepreneur, who can generate ideas and bring them to reality by using the existing resources and support of the organization to create innovative and creative products and services. ii. iii. 26 iv. Recruit purposefully – The anticipated global shortage of workers has not gone away: it has just been postponed. The reason? Baby boomers are choosing to work a little longer because their retirement savings have been deflated. Once the market comes back fully, you should expect a mass exodus as the boomers leave the workforce. Companies who make severe staffing cuts and don't keep their HR people connected to potential hires will be caught severely short staffed. Savvy companies have a great opportunity right now to hire talented people who have been down-sized by other organizations. Cut High HR operation costs Leverage real time information for HR decisions: This would enhance the decision making process. v. vi. 27

Myra Levine Theory Critique

Introduction Myra Levine proposed a grand theory of energy conservation. Using the Chinn and Kramer Model for critique, this paper will describe the theory reviewing purpose, concepts, definitions, relationships, structure, assumptions, and rationale for selection. Then, the theory will be critically examined for clarity, simplicity, generalizability, accessibility, and importance. Energy conservation provides a unique framework for education and current practice. Well-defined concepts of environment, health, nurse, and patient can guide research.However, the theory has limited application to some areas such as health promotion and disease prevention. Further refinement of this theory would beneficially develop the knowledge base of nursing, guide practice, and contribute to favorable outcomes. Description of Theory Purpose Myra Levine was an experienced nurse and teacher who sought to educate medical-surgical students about major concepts in nursing. Levine wanted the focus of nursi ng to be patient-centered instead of task-oriented (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011).Also, like other early nursing scholars, Levine wanted to distance nursing practice from medicine (Meleis, 2012). Trophicognosis is a term Levine invented to replace medical diagnosis. Trophicognosis referred to nursing judgement arrived at by the scientific method; according to Meleis (2012) trophicognosis was a â€Å"useful beginning for the use of the nursing process† (p. 291). Concepts Levine based her theoretical concepts on her personal philosophy. Levine viewed man as â€Å"an ever-changing organism in constant interaction with an ver-changing environment† (Levine, 1969, p. 93). Levine believed individuals respond to their environment in a systematic way based on their perceptual systems. Therefore, Levine conceptualized nursing based on the idea that â€Å"an appreciation of these responses will conserve the patient’s resources, alter his environment to fit his resources, and be an extension of his perceptual systems when his own are impaired† (Levine, 1969, p. 93). Conservation is unique to Levine’s theory and is the primary concept (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011).Levine identified four conservation principles as a framework for nursing interventions and established the goal of conservation as adaptation (Meleis, 2012). Other important concepts included wholeness, organismic responses, adaptation, integrity, and perceptual systems. Definitions The conservation model clearly defines major concepts related to patients, environment, adaptation and energy conservation. Levine did not think it was an accident that the word â€Å"health† was derived from the Anglo-saxon word for â€Å"whole† (Levine, 1969).Levine saw patients as complete persons made up of dynamic systems that continuously seek a state of balance. Levine viewed health and disease as patterns of adaptive change along a continuum of dynamic processes within a perso n’s unique pathophysiology and environment (Levine, 1966). Both internal and external environments were described; the external environment was categorized as perceptual, operational, or conceptual. Conservation of energy was defined as the goal, or outcome, of nursing; the concept of conservation included maintaining a person’s social, personal, and structural integrity (Meleis, 2012).Relationships According to Levine, the patient’s health is dependent on the nurse-supported process of adaptation (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011). Nurses function as an extension of the patient’s perceptual systems, but work to end the dependence as quickly as possible (Levine, 1966). Structure The conservation model follows a linear progression from desynchronization to energy conservation to adaptation. As a patient-focused and goal oriented theory, success is measured by outcome-based criteria. Assumptions Levine presented many implicit and explicit assumptions throughout her theory development.Levine’s assumptions centered on the essence of the human experience, adaptation, and nursing. The most influential assumption was the wholeness and complexity of patients (Meleis, 2012). Rationale for Selection There are many reasons to study Levine’s Conservation Model. The concept of energy conservation is unique to this model. Levine believed in holistic care and supported patient’s rights to personally define their health (Meleis, 2012). The concept of wholeness is consistent with most modern philosophies of nursing. The World Health Organization definition of health is also consistent with Levine’s concepts.Many multidisciplinary concepts relate to adaptation, including physics, physiology, and neuroscience (Meleis, 2012). These concepts may facilitate future theory development and research. Finally, in the current socio-political environment, outcome-based theory will likely become increasingly relevant as reimbursement depe nds on patient outcomes. Critical Reflection Clarity Chinn and Kramer defined clarity based on ease of understanding and consistency of concepts (Meleis, 2012). Myra Levine precisely and accurately labeled her theory Energy Conservation.It is apparent that her pedagogical practices influenced definitions of main concepts. I think she was consistent in her operational definitions of the patient, the nurse, the environment, and adaptation. However, I agree with Meleis (2012) that the derived concepts of integrity, wholeness, and humanism do not have clear boundaries. Simplicity Some of the definitions are complex, but Levine maintained simple components consistent with the theoretical assumptions & propositions (Meleis, 2012). Although human responses are a complex phenomenon, Levine limited much of her paradigm to physiologic responses.I believe this limitation benefits the use of her theory for empirical approaches to research. Generalizability The theory of energy conservation seek s to provide a broad framework for nursing care. However, the pathophysiology-based foundation biases application to acute care settings. Likewise, the specificity of the conservation principles limits implications for practice. The theory emphasizes short term goals and treatment; it does not generate propositions for modern issues of nutrition, diversity, health promotion, long-term care, family care, or community health (Meleis, 2012).Accessibility Levine’s theory has been widely used to direct education, administration, research, and practice (Meleis, 2012). The theory provides a useful framework when energy conservation is important for patient recovery. Therefore, this framework readily applies to vulnerable patient populations. However, a lack of clear definitions, boundaries between concepts, and development of propositions reduces the theory’s testability (Meleis, 2012). Importance Practically applied, Levine’s theory most readily relates to acute care settings.However, within the grand theory of energy conservation, Levine asserted concepts that are still important today. Levine emphasized science, recognized wholeness, and acknowledged patients as partners in care (Fawcett & Swoyer, 2008). Empirical knowledge remains imperative to scientific development in nursing. Also, contemporary nurses widely accept the paradigm of holistic care. Person-environment interactions and life processes are additional ideas Levine presented which current nursing practice accepts (Meleis, 2012). ConclusionLevine’s Conservation Model has proven useful as a theoretical framework to develop educational curricula, guide practice, and improve patient outcomes. The theory application is limited to acute care settings and lacks well-developed propositions for research. However, the theory possesses many salient ideas which could encourage future research on environment, energy, and adaptation. Levine accepted the evolution of theories, acknowledgin g their potential for change and development (Meleis, 2012). I think Levine would be pleased that her ideas continue to be explored.

Book Summary of LIVING WITH CHINA essays

Book Summary of LIVING WITH CHINA essays This is a book Summary I did for an International Polictics Course. I do not wish to have my name published, because if the teacher found out I submitted it I would be expelled. I attend SUNY in NY, USA. I recieved an A on this paper. The only comments she made was that I needed to replace the Whichs with thats Living With China: U.S. -China Relations in the Twenty-First Century is a book edited by Ezra F. Vogel which assess the political, economic, and human rights issues which the U.S. must consider in developing a consistent and mutually beneficial foreign relations policy toward China in the twenty- first century. Tension between U.S.- China relations date back to World War Two. Additionally, the Tienanmen Square incident in 1989, further aggravated U.S.-China relations. Since the end of the Cold War, and especially since 1991, the United States has had no consistent foreign policy in regards to China. This book is a compilation of background papers, from numerous authors, which were written for the November 1996, American Assembly meeting whose purpose was to discuss and work to reach a consensus on U.S.-China relations. The essays deal with the issues that will mold future relations with China. The book consists of an Introduction, eight chapters and an Address to The American Assembly given by Senator Sam Nunn. The introduction gives a brief overview of political events and history which have led to the then current (1997) state of relations between the United Sates and China. In addition, it gives a concise, clear summary of what issues China and the U.S. agree upon and which issues they do not. The most notable disagreements between U.S. and China are over Taiwan and Tibet, and human rights. The introduction further goes on to include a summary of each chapter in the book. The eight chapters include topics on issues over Tawain, Tibet, Hong Kong, the Tiananmen Squar...

Domestic Violence in the Asian Community and Essay Example

Domestic Violence in the Asian Community and Essay Example Domestic Violence in the Asian Community and Essay Domestic Violence in the Asian Community and Essay Hypothesis Based on research and statistics, it is known that domestic force toward Asiatic adult females is permeant. â€Å"Twelve per centum of Asiatic and Pacific Islander adult females reported sing physical assault by an intimate spouse at least one time during their life-time ( Tjaden A ; Thoennes, 2000 ) † . Unfortunately, documented studies of maltreatment most likely under-represent the figure of abused adult females due to the close and victimizing nature of domestic force. Asiatic adult females may come from assorted cultural backgrounds, including Philippines, India, China, Korea, Thailand, and Japan to call a few. Domestic force is a lay waste toing societal ailment that occurs much excessively often, peculiarly more so in civilizations that emphasize the importance of continuing the household name. This ideation may frequently take to intermeshed households who emphasize positive household properties while minimising or even denying negative facets of the household environ ment. Further, stigmatising issues such as domestic force are most likely minimized or overlooked by other household members. In consequence, it may besides be true that Asiatic adult females are discouraged from trusting on friends outside of the household for support and aid. Positions of adult females in Asiatic states may besides lend to the rate of domestic force in Asiatic communities. Womans have historically been looked upon as less valuable, able and intelligent in comparing to work forces. This position of adult females, although slightly altered within most recent old ages, continues to be a planetary obstruction in the promotion of adult females. This position is peculiarly held strong in Asiatic communities, where it continues to be more widely accepted. Additionally, based on the positions of the Asiatic population, women’s advocator plans may be scarce or nonexistent. In countries where plans do be, it may be highly unpatriotic to the household to describe cases of maltreatment or any other negative happening within the household place. Based on what is already known about victims of alien force, the effects of domestic force appear to be dually lay waste toing. An environment that is foremost assumed to be safe and comfy is alternatively replaced by one that is tainted, of all time endangering and without consolation. Possibly the lone support system the victim may hold assumed to hold is now stripped from her and replaced with fright and solitariness.The effects of this type of isolation normally lead to decreased self-esteem and increased feelings of shame and guilt ; which may do a ripple consequence in many other countries of the victim’s life. Due to mistreat, she may experience she can non accomplish her educational and/or calling ends. She may be isolated from household and friends due to the perpetrator’s fear that they may happen out she is being abused. The victim may experience enormous shame and guilt for remaining in an opprobrious relationship and therefore, subjecting her kids to such a volatile environment.Last, and most critically, the maltreatment can take to the victim’s terrible injury and many times even decease. Literature Review In order to outdo understand the nature of domestic force, it is critical to advert that the population being addressed is non a homogeneous one. Rather, when depicting abused adult females, this description includes adult females who are physically and/or mentally handicapped ; it includes adult females who can and can non read ; and it includes adult females who do and make non talk the linguistic communication of the state they are populating in. It besides includes adult females who come from any gamut of financially impoverished to really flush backgrounds ; and adult females who may be housewifes caring for immature kids to highly successful calling adult females. Additionally, although the focal point of this piece of research relates to Asiatic adult females, it is valuable to observe that adult females of all ethnicities are at hazard of going victims of domestic force ( Yoshioka, 2001 ) . Domestic force advocators have investigated abusers’ forms so that victims and advocators can break grok abusers’ pathological behaviours. The rhythm of force is a portraiture of the cyclical behaviours of maltreaters. It is described as three chief stages. The first stage depict how the maltreater becomes progressively angry, which may include antagonising the victim, naming her names and take downing her. A really big portion of maltreatment is in the signifier of verbal and emotional onslaught. The maltreater may state the victim that she deserves the maltreatment and even province that she likes the maltreatment. He may state her that no 1 else would desire her. In the 2nd stage, the maltreater hurts his victim by bring downing physical and/or sexual acts toward her. Soon after violent episodes, the maltreater will apologise for aching his spouse and may do promises he does non mean to maintain, such as neer aching her once more or assuring to seek aid. The maltreat er may besides try to smooth over the state of affairs by showering his spouse with gifts. Unfortunately, the maltreatment does non halt at that place and alternatively, he will go on to reiterate the rhythm ( Domestic Violence Awareness Project, 2005 ) . Knowing that the abuser’s behaviours are portion of a maladaptive rhythm is utile in informing victims of this rhythm. In this manner, they do non get down to internalise the maltreatment and do non larn to believe that the abuser’s verbal, physical and sexual maltreatment is granted. Alternatively, understanding the abuser’s dysfunctional method of associating allows victims to impute the maltreatment to the maltreater alternatively of their ain defects. With this cognition, victims are able to mend from the maltreatment and recover a feeling of dignity ( Yoshiaka, 2001 ) . It is widely believed that Asiatic adult females of many parts are extremely susceptible to lives of subjection and servitude to their spouses. This belief is attributed to a assortment of cultural factors. It is hypothesized that adult females remain in opprobrious relationships due to the stigma that is placed on them if they leave their spouse. In order to continue household self-respect, regard and award, adult females many times do non talk out against opprobrious state of affairss. In fact, due to the powerful traditional patterns enforced within Asiatic communities, extended household members who do hold cognition of the maltreatment encourage adult females to digest the maltreatment. In a survey by Ho ( 1990 ) , she sought to analyze the impact of domestic force within the Asiatic population, specifically within Southeast Asians including Laotians, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese. The research worker found that the impact of traditional Asiatic values such as close household t ies, harmoniousness and order do non needfully direct the message that maltreatment is unacceptable. Alternatively, adult females are expected to play a submissive function that includes values of fatalism, doggedness and temperateness. Victims feel that if these qualities are maintained, they are demoing regard to their households and conveying them great award. Ultimately, victims feel they are honest adult females who are carry throughing their bridal responsibilities ( Ho, 1990 ) . Within the Asian-Indian population, the definition of relationship is about synonymous with matrimony due to the culture’s belief in ordered matrimony. Arranged matrimony is the pattern in which parents select their children’s future hubby or married woman. Potential couples are so allowed to supply their input about his or her possible hubby or married woman. A permanent matrimony is a symbolism of award and regard, which in bend reflects upon the full household. This is particularly of import for other siblings within the household, whose opportunities of being arranged depend greatly on their female siblings’ conformity to their hubbies. Additionally, for twosomes who have female kids, adult females may digest the maltreatment in order to protect their daughters’ â€Å"name† , or repute. Otherwise, if the household secret is exposed or the adult female leaves the relationship, a victim’s girl may neer hold a opportunity of acquiring marrie d because her household name is now tainted. Some Indian brides suffer dowry related maltreatment. A dowery is a material exchange given to the groom’s household by the bride’s household in exchange for the groom’s household ask foring the bride into their household. Sometimes, the groom’s household will demand more dowry money or other assets such as farm animal, autos or jewellery. If the demands are non fulfilled, the bride may be badly mistreated physically, verbally and sexually by her new groom and in-laws ( BBC Network, 2006 ) . The article Domestic Violence and Asian Immigrant Women by M. Yoshioka ( 2001 ) , explores the Asiatic community’s attitudes toward domestic force. The research worker besides desires to understand psychosocial factors sing domestic force within this population. Specifically, the survey was developed to look at three countries that involved abuser blessing of maltreatment: situation-specific blessing of force ; indorsement of male privilege ; and perceived options to mistreat. The scene of the survey takes topographic point in New York, which compels the research worker to present inquiries sing Asiatic families’ positions and battles with domestic force in the context of an immigrant state. Yoshiaka besides implemented an assessment tool that was specifically created to garner information about attitudes sing maltreatment titled, the Revised Attitudes toward Wife Abuse Scale ( RAWA ) , which was developed by Yoshiaka and DiNoia ( 1999 ) . In order to develop this appraisal tool, 650 studies of Chinese, Cambodian, Korean, Vietnamese, and South Asiatic grownups were gathered. Immigrant households contend with many obstructions. Abusive environments further complicate the hurdlings that exist for adult females who are taken out of their familiar fatherland elements. Based on these kineticss, victims of maltreatment in this type of environment are farther stray due to possible separation from household of beginning, linguistic communication barrier, and deficiency of cognition about the host country’s position of maltreatment and proviso of supportive services. Research workers found that it is a â€Å"complex interweaving of cultural, environmental, and interpersonal factors† that contribute to the possibility for domestic force within the immigrant population. They identify values such as privateness, award, temperateness, harmoniousness, and order ( Hofstede, 1984 ; Hu A ; Chen, 1999 ; Kirkbride, Tang, A ; Westwood, 1991 ; McLaughlin A ; Braun, 1998 ) as factors that may minimise the badness of domestic force within the civilization ( Ho, 1990 ) . Additionally, immigrants’ support system is normally left buttocks in their fatherland, which strips them of supportive household and friends who could otherwise support and advice victims. Further, they may non be knowing of the support services available in their host state. Another factor that contributes to isolation is a possible linguistic communication barrier ( Das Dasgupota A ; Warrier, 1996 ) . Lack of bid of the host country’s linguistic communication could b e perfectly lay waste toing and fearful for a victim who is already isolated from a support system and a familiar environment. Consequences from the survey showed that gender, ethnicity and informant to parental maltreatment were factors lending to greater credence of married woman maltreatment. Males were more likely to back maltreatment, peculiarly Kampuchean work forces when compared with Chinese work forces. Additionally, kids who witnessed their female parents being abused were more likely to see maltreatment as acceptable. Research workers made a concluding and important point, saying that although Asiatic immigrants are categorized within one class, there are evident differences in Asians’ positions of spousal maltreatment. Methodology In depicting domestic force toward Asiatic adult females and its effects, it was foremost necessary to depict what a victim is like. Unfortunately, the general public assumes that a beat-up adult female is most likely quite vulnerable in that she is uneducated, inactive and weak. Some even believe that a victim enjoys the maltreatment. Many people wonder why an abused adult female does non merely go forth her relationship. The world is that anyone could be a victim, irrespective of age, race, disablement position, fiscal position, and instruction. This is why it was of import to depict the profile of a victim at the get downing – to stress that thereisno typical profile. Anyone could go victim to mistreat by merely swearing that her spouse will care for her with regard. Victims could besides be male childs and work forces, nevertheless, for the intent of this research, this population was non addressed to any capacity. Additionally, cultural norms of other ethnicities were non explored due to the focal point of this research being entirely on Asiatic adult females. However, some of the surveies included in this research included comparative informations between Asiatic adult females and adult females of other nationalities. The rhythm of force was besides explained. It is a critical factor in understanding abusers’ behaviours for the intent of supplying services to maltreaters and particularly to supply victims with an apprehension of what they are sing and why. Many sick persons of domestic force are told what is deficient in them. Over clip, they begin to believe these falsehoods. In look intoing the elaboratenesss of domestic force and how it affects the Asiatic population specifically, it was of import to supply illustrations of assorted cultures’ norms sing the positions and intervention of adult females. Although all Asiatic countries’ cultural norms and sub-cultural foibles were non described within the context of this research, some cultures’ imposts were explored. Although it is of import to obtain an thorough apprehension about assorted Asiatic civilizations it is critical to admit that several foibles exist within each state, every metropolis and even every subculture. Therefore, it was of import to research research that explained this factor of civilization. Further, it is hard to generalise that one peculiar civilization or sub-culture has a set templet of norms, hence, descriptions of cultural norms were described with attention and consideration. It should be noted that when speech production of any given civilization, it is non to be assumed that the description entirely applies to each and every individual within a peculiar civilization. Therefore, application of cultural norms should be understood with the thought that no 1 civilization is wholly homogeneous. All in all, it is of import to hold a balanced apprehension of cultural norms that do non over-generalize a civilization and yet make take into consideration that there is a bulk position about most issues. General informations on domestic force was rather accessible. Many signifiers of information exist that aids in understanding the nature of maltreatment and its effects. There is besides a wealth of information about the type of support available to victims of maltreatment and culprits. The Internet is a plentiful beginning for happening local bureaus and support groups associating to domestic force. Information was besides discovered through assorted manners of literature – books, diary articles and magazines. Ocular media can besides be accessed via Internet, videotape, DVD and telecasting scheduling that advocates for victims’ rights and disseminates other information for advocators, victims and culprits. Due to the directed nature of this piece, it was necessary to non merely hunt for general information about domestic force, but alternatively, there was a demand for stuffs about domestic force within the Asiatic population. With this demand came the undertaking of happening out every bit much as possible about the many classs of Asians that exist and to besides happen the most sum of information about each class and sub-category. This was found to be a grueling undertaking, because contrary to belief, there are several categorizations within the class known as Asiatic. Intensifying this point was the deficiency of abundant information sing domestic force in assorted Asiatic cultural contexts. Additionally, small information was found about supportive services within many Asiatic communities, most likely due to the cultural positions sing maintaining personal information within the household and besides due to the accepting positions toward maltreatment. Fortunately, much of the information found did include the many aspects of force within the Asiatic population, such as proviso of statistical informations of how many adult females of assorted civilizations reported bridal maltreatment ; perpetrators’ positions about maltreatment ; prolongation of these positions due to cultural beliefs about maltreatment ; long-run effects on abused adult females and kids ; handiness of intervention ; intervention modes ; and Torahs that now protect adult females against force. Discussion The annihilating effects of domestic force have been brought into the head of popular civilization merely within the past 20 old ages ago. Since so, and likely long earlier on a smaller graduated table, advocators have been working smartly to service domestic force victims and expose the hideous nature of its effects. This has included carry oning research with adult females, kids and culprits ; trying assorted signifiers of curative modes to turn to the after-effects ; proviso of maltreater services ; and exposure of domestic force through written and ocular media. Through these attempts, victim advocators have provided support to 1000s of adult females who otherwise would either go on to populate a life of insulating desperation or instead, lose their lives to domestic force. Unfortunately, the sum of information and support services that are available vary widely based on victims’ geographical location, mostly due to the degree of tolerance toward domestic force. Naturally, the more a society believes an act is a offense, the more intensive the work toward stoping it. However, other factors exist that inhibit farther research toward stoping force against Asiatic adult females. Many Asiatic states are dreadfully impoverished and do non hold the agencies to either behavior necessary research nor supply protection and services to adult females and their kids. Victim advocates contend with many hurdlings under these types of conditions. Support is non available to make the necessary work involved. In back uping adult females who are or have suffered domestic force, the demand for many degrees of support is needed. Womans who are presently in an opprobrious relationship are most likely stripped of many basic demands and resources. For case, abused adul t females may non hold entree to fundss, a auto or other transit, nutrient supply, proper vesture and medical attention. In order for domestic force advocators to supply for these demands, they must hold the proper fiscal backup. With fiscal resources, nutrient larders could be created, medical attention could be made available, shelters could be built and transit could be provided to of import locations such as places of supportive household, friends, and spiritual establishments. For adult females who decide to go forth opprobrious relationships, services such as transitional life could be made available. Supplying a safe life environment would be paramount for Asiatic adult females, peculiarly due to the deficiency of support received by household members, immediate household included. If a adult female were to go forth her hubby to seek out the support of immediate household, the victim would be turned away in most instances and encouraged to return to the abuser’s place. This suggestion is based on the family’s involuntariness to disgrace the household name by holding a girl who left her hubby. Further, they do non desire to pique the groom’s household by exposing their disapproval toward the maltreatment. Womans who decide to go forth their spouse besides require extra support services such as referrals for educational and vocational services. If they have kids, they may necessitate child care services so that the adult females can se ek employment to back up themselves and their kids. Education related to cultural positions about maltreatment is besides necessary. It is of import to expose social norms that accept maltreatment. For an Asiatic adult female, go forthing her partner is straight contradictory to everything she learned about accomplishment of life ends since she was a kid. From childhood, many Asiatic parents clearly define their daughters’ function in society as kids, as striplings, and finally, as grownups. The ultimate end is to get married into a distinguished, successful household that is willing to accept a meriting adult female into their lives. Bing trained in this manner for basically all of their lives, it is frequently a complicated undertaking for an abused adult female to understand why she is worthy of doing her ain picks and populating her life in the manner she chooses, which includes being free of any degree of maltreatment. As stated earlier in the Method subdivision, it was mentioned that there was non ample research in the country of domestic force in the Asian community. This is non to state that there is non plenty to back up those who would wish to cognize more about domestic force. However, there seems to be a great demand for extended research and probe into the many civilizations within the Asiatic population and the effects of domestic force in these communities. By farther understanding the nature of maltreatment in this context, service suppliers are able to more efficaciously supply the type of services needed by Asiatic adult females. Decision Domestic force research in the Asiatic population is still in its babyhood. Sing that fact that domestic force has non been intended to for so long provides a clip frame that suggests that although there is non an copiousness of work toward go toing to Asian victims, there have been some concrete attempts in its patterned advance. Diging into the elaboratenesss of domestic force within this population is no easy undertaking, and will non be traveling frontward. There are many hinderances to deriving Swift and accurate information about Asiatic women’s agony, although it is desperately needed. One of the biggest hurdlings that have been discussed within this research is Asians’ cultural positions sing secretiveness of household problems. A adult female is non merely bewraying her hubby if she discloses maltreatment, but she is besides dishonoring both her in-laws and her household of beginning by upseting the household construction and name. Although some parents would supply their support in a state of affairs such as this, most would non. Therefore, the victim knows she has nowhere to travel. Not merely is household name at interest. Intensifying this force per unit area is the fact that adult females are non extremely regarded within most Asiatic civilizations. Therefore, no 1 considers her desires and demands. Alternatively, she must make as she is commanded, which normally involves carry throughing caretaking duties for other members of the household. A adult female in Asiatic society is considered likewise as a kid. She does non hold many accomplishments that would be utile other than family duties, she must be watched, and she is non knowing about many topics. Based on this mentality, how is it possible to penetrate that she may necessitate to be attended to properly? For any societal alteration to happen towards the intervention of Asiatic adult females, it is a necessity that positions of adult females themselves besides change. In speech production of adult females who suffer from spousal maltreatment, it is critical to discourse the effects of maltreatment of others in the place that are besides sing the maltreatment. Children are peculiarly susceptible to inaccurate methods of covering with life fortunes due to inexperience. Therefore, those who are besides sing maltreatment or even witnessing it learn that force is the reply to life’s obstructions. Further, kids of abused adult females do non hold high respect for their female parents due to their observation that she is being mistreated by their male parent. Therefore, they excessively learn to go opprobrious toward their female parents, and in bend continue to reiterate the rhythm of maltreatment. In kernel, they inherit this lay waste toing method of covering with life throughout childhood and on into maturity. Childs who were one time victims and/or informants of domestic maltreatment now become the culprits, merely due to the deficiency of co gnition that options exist. Intervention is perfectly necessary to protect abused adult females. However, for long-run addition, intercession is besides indispensable. Without an mentality toward the hereafter, there will be no terminal to force, but alternatively merely binding of hurting and agony that has already occurred. There is no warrant that bar work will diminish the prevalence of domestic force in Asiatic households, peculiarly due to strong positions opposing the thought of sing adult females every bit. However, there is great possibility that given clip, positions will alter and come on will be made. It is a hard yet brave and applaudable effort to try to eliminate maltreatment from the lives of Asiatic adult females. However, as seen within this research, the world presently remains that go forthing a relationship may non look to be the most appealing option for adult females who have received life-long preparation to give their lives to servitude to their partners. Additionally, they besides know that there are few positive options to go forthing their partner. They may be destitute with no support from their households of beginning. They have no beginning of fiscal or emotional support. They may put on the line of all time seeing their kids once more. And most unfortunately, they are jeopardizing their lives by trying to go forth. Thousands of instances are reported in the United States and United Kingdom saying that adult females have lost their lives to spousal maltreatment. In these states, most people agree that this is a atrocious calamity and work toward altering the hap pening of such flagitious offenses. Alternatively, Asiatic communities have really high tolerance and so credence of domestic force to the extent that really few people openly show their disgust against it. In fact, it is encouraged and applauded. It is seen as being a well-deserved and appropriate penalty. Womans can good anticipate being burned to decease on history of their parents’ inability to pay off the groom’s household. A adult female can be openly beaten without neither household nor aliens trying to set an terminal to it. How so can it be stopped? Ending an evil such as this without a sense of societal duty is highly hard. Further, work with maltreaters is about impossible, cognizing that this method of associating to spouses has been cultivated and accepted in the heads of Asiatic work forces. Furthermore, because the Asian community believes in deciding familial issues amongst each other, many maltreaters would non be receptive to reding. Even in the instance that an maltreater agreed to seek guidance, other household members may non be supportive of this type of declaration, alternatively sing it as disloyalty and forsaking of the household. Due to the copiousness of obstructions to stoping force in the Asian community, it becomes clear that maltreatment toward adult females within the Asiatic population will certainly be maintained for now. However, it is besides hopeful to province that advancement will be made, based on the advancement that has already been achieved. Although advancement is really slow and despite the many frights that they are postulating with, it is promoting to cognize that adult females have begun talking out against maltreatment. Mentions Asiatic Task Force against Domestic Violence. Boston, MA. asiandv @ atask.org. BBC Asian Network ( 2005 ) . Asiatic adult females and domestic force. www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/features/hh/awadv. Das Dasgupota A ; Warrier. ( 1996 ) . Domestic Violence in the South Asiatic Immigrant Community. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 9:3. 173-185. Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, USA. Domestic Violence Awareness Project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence ( 2005 ) . Domestic Violence Awareness: Action for Social Change. Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Ho, C. K. ( 1990 ) . An analysis of domestic force in Asiatic American communities: A multicultural attack to guidance.Women A ; Therapy, 9( 1-2 ) , 129-150. Hofstede, G. ( 1984 ) . Culture’s effects: International differences in work related values, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Kahle, L. R. ( 1983 ) . Social values and societal alteration: Adaptation to life in America. New York: Praeger. Kirkbride, Tang, A ; Westwood. ( 1991 ) . McLaughlin, L.A. A ; Braun, K.L. ( 1998 ) . Asiatic and Pacific Islander Cultural Values: Considerations for Health Care Decision Making, 23. Health and Social Work. Mullender, A. Rethinking Domestic Violence: The Social Work and Probation Response London: Routledge. 1996. Rodriguez, M ; Quiroga, S ; and Bauer, H.M. ( 1996 ) . Interrupting the silence: Battered adult females s positions on medical attention, 5, 3. Yoshioka, M.R. Domestic Violence and Asiatic Immigrant Women. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.columbia.edu/cu/csswp/research/desriptions/Yosh.htm. Yoshioka, M.R. , A ; Shibusawa, T. ( 2004 ) . Psychosocial Measures for Asian Pacific Americans. In A. Roberts A ; K Yeager ( Eds. ) , Evidence-based pattern manual ( pp. 488-495 ) . New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Yoshioka, M.R. , DiNoia, J. , A ; Ullah, K. ( 2001 ) . Attitudes toward matrimonial force: An scrutiny of four Asiatic communities.Violence against adult females, 7 ( 8 ) , 900-926. Tjaden, P. , A ; Thoennes, N. ( 2000 ) . Extnet, nature and effects of confidant spouse force: Research Report. Washington, D.C ; National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What Do ACT Scores Measure IQ Income

What Do ACT Scores Measure IQ Income SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips ACT scores are a fixture of the college admissions process, but what do they really measure? Are they a useful way to judge your abilities and potential? In this article, I’ll give you the details on what the ACT can and can’t measure and how to interpret your scores as a high school student. Do ACT Scores Measure General Intelligence? Since there are many different types of intelligence, this is a complicated question.High scores on the ACT might be derived from a high level of innate intelligence and a good education, but they might also be derived from relatively average innate intelligence and extensive prep work.ACT scores change dramatically based on students’ level of preparation, which separates them from scores on your basic IQ test. (Although IQ tests are also highly flawed measures of intelligence - I won’t get into that here!) A student’s ACT scores are subject not only to his or her level of intelligence, but also to his or her desire for improvement and overall academic drive.Since it’s possible to improve ACT scores through prep, they don’t always measure intelligence in the traditional sense. A student who has the motivation to prepare for the ACT and understands the stakes of the test demonstrates a form of intelligence just by providing such a strong display of conscientiousness. This is why it’s hard to make concrete judgments about whether the ACT can measure innate intelligence or not.It measures different qualities for different people depending on how they got to their scores. The ACT also isn’t as similar to traditional IQ tests as the SAT.The SAT was originally derived from an IQ test, and there are vestiges of that format left over on the current model.The ACT, on the other hand, was developed as an alternative to the SAT.Its goal was to test material that was learned in school, not just overall cognitive reasoning ability.For this reason, the ACT is generally a more straightforward test.Still, the ACT is more similar to the SAT than most people think.For example, the science section is really just a bunch of logical reasoning questions cloaked in largely extraneous scientific facts. This business must be science related! No one would use symbols for the elements just to make a bad pun that has nothing to do with what they're selling! The ACT, like the SAT, also runs into problems with social inequalities that cause poor students to score lower on the test regardless of â€Å"intelligence†.This disparity means that there are other major issues with claiming that the ACT can accurately measure a student’s intelligence level.Two students with relatively equal intelligence but different qualities of high school education may both take the ACT and end up with vastly different scores. Poor students are less likely to have access to expensive specialized prep programs and more likely to attend underfunded schools that provide a less comprehensive education.The fact that these students score lower means that the ACT is technically doing its job in measuring college readiness, but it also means that test scores could be preventing some intelligent but socioeconomically disadvantaged students back from reaching their full potentials. The intent of the ACT from the beginning was not to measure intelligence as a general quality but to measure what students learned in school and gauge their college and career readiness (a model that the College Board has tried to emulate on the latest version of the SAT).It's less of a measure of intelligence than it is a measure of college preparedness, and even then it doesn’t give you the entire picture.While innate intelligence certainly plays a role, scores are also affected by many other factors that don’t have much to do with a person’s overall cognitive abilities. Do ACT Scores Measure Career Potential? This is another tough question, because there are so many different career paths that you might take. In some of these fields, the skill sets that allow you to do well on the ACT might not be as relevant.Most people will need basic reading, writing, and mathematical skills in their careers (and in adult life in general), but it’s hard to say whether an exceptional score on the ACT means you’ll do any better in your career than someone who got an average score. One fact that we know for sure is that ACT scores correlate strongly with parental income.This means that students with wealthy parents are more likely to do well on the ACT. These students are also more likely to earn high incomes later in life.This benefit has less to do with their performance on the ACT and more to do with their socioeconomic status. Students with wealthier parents can afford specialized prep courses and don’t have as much trouble paying for expensive colleges.They end up with less debt and better access to the careers that interest them.There’s a long legacy of economic inequality at play here, and standardized tests are a part of that (although there are much bigger societal forces at its root). As I’ve said, however, the skills required to succeed in the job world are often different from the skills required to do well on the ACT.For this reason, your scores aren’t always the most accurate measurement of your career potential.They don’t tell you anything about your ability to manage other people or complete long term projects reliably. ACT scores provide a rough baseline measurement of your knowledge of math, language, and logic (I won’t say science because the science section is really just about logical reasoning).They can’t measure how well you’ll use these basic skills on a larger scale in more complex scenarios, and they can’t measure your interpersonal strengths. Ben, I hate to tell you this, but this entire notebook is just filled with the word "synergy" written over and over again. Are you ok? What Will Your ACT Scores Really Tell You? Should You Listen? It may or may not be useful for you to measure your abilities based on your ACT scores.In certain contexts and for certain students, they can be a helpful guide. In other scenarios, making judgments based on these scores is not productive. ACT Scores Are a More Useful Measurement If: You Plan to Apply to Colleges That Require Standardized Test Scores ACT scores are important if you’re applying to colleges that require you to submit test results.In this case, they can act as an accurate measurement of your likelihood of acceptance based on admissions statistics.By googling the name of a college in conjunction with the phrase â€Å"PrepScholar admissions statistics†, you can get an idea of where you stand and what your target score should be. Make a study plan that aligns with your goals for improvement so that you’ll have a better chance at being admitted to a college you love. You Have a GPA That’s on the Lower Side ACT scores are a more useful measurement for students with low GPAs because they can serve as a wake up call if they’re especially high or low. If you have a low GPA but a high ACT score, this is a red flag telling you that you're probably capable of doing better in school.It most likely means that if you put in more effort, you would be able to earn higher grades.It also tells you that you have the potential to succeed in college if you adopt better study habits.Your high ACT score is also going to be particularly valuable to you in the college admissions process, so it’s more important to pay attention to your scores and take them seriously. If you have a low ACT score and a low GPA, this is also useful because it indicates that you’re missing out on key concepts in your classes.This could be a problem when you get to college.It also means you might encounter issues in the admissions process depending on where you apply and how low your scores and GPA are in comparison to each college's expectations. A low ACT score combined with a low GPA might prompt you to take more drastic measures to remedy your problems in school.The ACT can give you that extra push to address underlying issues that could cause you problems in college and beyond. Your Score Is Especially High or Low For scores that are in the middle range (16-24 represents the middle 50 percent of test takers) the ACT is a more ambiguous measurement of academic ability. However, if your scores are very high or very low, the ACT may be a more useful measurement for you.A very high score means that you likely have strong reasoning abilities and are well-prepared to take on college academics.It also means that you’ll have a lot of choices in the college application process. A very low score means that you probably have some big gaps in your content knowledge and struggle with time pressure.It also means that you'll have fewer choices for college, so you should take your score into account when planning where to apply. Extreme scores are major indications of how well-prepared you are to take on academic challenges in college.Standardized tests like the ACT can tell you things about your overall knowledge and reasoning abilities that your grades in high school might spell out less clearly. If your scores are XTREME, you should consider them more strongly. ACT Scores Are a Less Useful Measurement If: You Plan to Apply to Test Optional Colleges or Go Into a Professional Job Training Program After High School If you don’t plan on applying to colleges that require you to submit ACT or SAT scores, you won’t need to consider the ACT as seriously as a measurement of your abilities.High scores can help you even at a test optional college, but they’re not a critical component of admissions decisions.You might still pay some attention to your scores to ensure that they’re not low enough to indicate any major gaps in your knowledge, but overall they're not as important for you. You Have a High GPA ACT scores aren't as critical of a measurementif your GPA is already very high.When I say "very high", I mean a GPA that indicates that you earned mostly As in high level classes throughout high school. Usually this would be between a 3.7 and a 5.0 depending on whether your school uses a weighted or unweighted GPA scale.As long as your ACT scores aren't extremely low (below the 25th percentile score of 16), they won’t kill your chances of getting into college. Judging yourself based on your scores when you already have a high GPA can be a bad idea because it might make you think less of your academic abilities.Many people struggle with time on the ACT, resulting in lower scores than their performance in high school would predict.It’s still a good idea to try and improve your scores if you’re looking to get into selective colleges, but in these cases you have to remind yourself not to take your scores too seriously as a measurement of your potential. Overall, You Shouldn’t Make Sweeping Judgements About Your Abilities Based on Your ACT Score Your ACT score isa limited measurement of specific academic skills, and it doesn’t give you a complete picture of your potential.Scores are a useful benchmark in assessing basic subject knowledge and deciding where to apply to college, but don’t make any assumptions about what you’re capable of accomplishing in life based on your scores alone.If you're worried about your scores, you can always improve with dedicated studying! What's Next? Working on improving your ACT score? Read this list of fifteen tips and tricks to help you do better with minimal extra study time. You should also check out this list of the ten best books for ACT prep if you're not sure where to begin in your studying. If you've taken the ACT multiple times, you may be wondering which scores colleges actually use in making admissions decisions. Read this article to find out which scores are considered most strongly by colleges. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points?We have the industry's leading ACT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and ACT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: