Sunday, May 24, 2020

History of the American Labor Movement

The American labor force has changed profoundly during the nations evolution from an agrarian society into a modern industrial state. The United States remained a largely agricultural nation until late in the 19th century. Unskilled workers fared poorly in the early U.S. economy, receiving as little as half the pay of skilled craftsmen, artisans, and mechanics. About 40 percent of workers in cities were low-wage laborers and seamstresses in clothing factories, often living in dismal circumstances. With the rise of factories, children, women, and poor immigrants were commonly employed to run machines. Rise and Fall of Labor Unions The late 19th century and the 20th century brought substantial industrial growth. Many Americans left farms and small towns to work in factories, which were organized for mass production and characterized by steep hierarchy, a reliance on relatively unskilled labor, and low wages. In this environment, labor unions gradually developed clout. One such union was the Industrial Workers of the World, founded in 1905. Eventually, they won substantial improvements in working conditions. They also changed American politics; often aligned with the Democratic Party, unions represented a key constituency for much of the social legislation enacted from the time of President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal in the 1930s through the Kennedy and Johnson administrations of the 1960s. Organized labor continues to be an important political and economic force today, but its influence has waned markedly. Manufacturing has declined in relative importance, and the service sector has grown. More and more workers hold white-collar office jobs rather than unskilled, blue-collar factory jobs. Newer industries, meanwhile, have sought highly skilled workers who can adapt to continuous changes produced by computers and other new technologies. A growing emphasis on customization and a need to change products frequently in response to market demands has prompted some employers to reduce hierarchy and to rely instead on self-directed, interdisciplinary teams of workers. Organized labor, rooted in industries such as steel and heavy machinery, has had trouble responding to these changes. Unions prospered in the years immediately following World War II, but in later years, as the number of workers employed in the traditional manufacturing industries has declined, union membership has dropped. Employers, facing mounting challenges from low-wage, foreign competitors, have begun seeking greater flexibility in their employment policies, making more use of temporary and part-time employees and putting less emphasis on pay and benefit plans designed to cultivate long-term relationships with employees. They also have fought union organizing campaigns and strikes more aggressively. Politicians, once reluctant to buck union power, have passed legislation that cut further into the unions base. Meanwhile, many younger, skilled workers have come to see unions as anachronisms that restrict their independence. Only in sectors that essentially function as monopoliesà ¢â‚¬â€such as government and public schools—have unions continued to make gains. Despite the diminished power of unions, skilled workers in successful industries have benefited from many of the recent changes in the workplace. But unskilled workers in more traditional industries often have encountered difficulties. The 1980s and 1990s saw a growing gap in the wages paid to skilled and unskilled workers. While American workers at the end of the 1990s thus could look back on a decade of growing prosperity born of strong economic growth and low unemployment, many felt uncertain about what the future would bring.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Ovids Account of Aphrodite and Adonis

The love goddess of the Greeks, Aphrodite, usually made other people fall in love (or lust, more often than not), but sometimes she, too, was smitten. In this story of Adonis and Aphrodite, which comes from the tenth book of, the Roman poet Ovid summarizes Aphrodites ill-fated love affair with Adonis. Aphrodite fell in love with lots of males. The hunter Adonis was one of these. It was his good looks that attracted the goddess and now the very name Adonis is synonymous with male beauty. Ovid says that by Aphrodites falling in love with him, the mortal Adonis avenged the incest between his parent Myrrha and her father Cinyras and then he caused Aphrodite intolerable grief when he was killed. The original act of incest was provoked by unquenchable lust caused by Aphrodite. Note the geographic locations of cult sites that Aphrodite is accused of neglecting: Paphos, Cythera, Cnidos, and Amathus. Also, note the detail of Aphrodite flying with swans. Since this is part of the work on physical transformations by Ovid, the dead Adonis is turned into something else, a flower. Also worth noting: Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite V. This hymn tells the story of Aphrodites love affair with the mortal Anchises.Aspects of Venus (Aphrodite) Ovids Story The following is Arthur Goldings translation from 1922 of the section of the tenth book of Ovids Metamorphoses on the love story of Adonis and Aphrodite: That son of sister and grandfather, whowas lately hidden in his parent tree,just lately born, a lovely baby boyis now a youth, now man more beautiful825 than during growth. He wins the love of Venusand so avenges his own mothers passion.For while the goddess son with quiver heldon the shoulder, once was kissing his loved mother,it chanced unwittingly he grazed her breast830 with a projecting arrow. Instantlythe wounded goddess pushed her son away;but the scratch had pierced her deeper than she thoughtand even Venus was at first deceived.Delighted with the beauty of the youth,835 she does not think of her Cytherian shoresand does not care for Paphos, which is girtby the deep sea, nor Cnidos, haunts of fish,nor Amathus far-famed for precious ores.Venus, neglecting heaven, prefers Adonis840 to heaven, and so she holds close to his waysas his companion, and forgets to restat noon-day in the shade, neglecting the careof her sweet beauty. She goes through the woods,and over mountain ridges and wild fields,845 rocky and thorn-set, bare to her white kneesafter Dianas manner. And she cheersthe hounds, intent to hunt for harmless prey,such as the leaping hare, or the wild stag,high-crowned with branching antlers, or the doe.--850 she keeps away from fierce wild boars, awayfrom ravenous wolves; and she avoids the bearsof frightful claws, and lions glutted withthe blood of slaughtered cattle.She warns you,855 Adonis, to beware and fear them. If her fearsfor you were only heeded! Oh be brave,she says, against those timid animalswhich fly from you; but courage is not safeagainst the bold. Dear boy, do not be rash,860 do not attack the wild beasts which are armedby nature, lest your glory may cost megreat sorrow. Neither youth nor beauty northe deeds which have moved Venus have effecton lions, bristling boars, and on the eyes865 and tempers of wild beasts. Boars have the forceof lightning in their curved tusks, and the rageof tawny lions is unlimited.I fear and hate them all. When he inquires870 the reason, she says: I will tell it; youwill be surprised to learn the bad resultcaused by an ancient crime. -- But I am wearywith unaccustomed toil; and see! a poplarconvenient offers a delightful shade875 and this lawn gives a good couch. Let us restourselves here on the grass. So saying, shereclined upon the turf and, pillowingher head against his breast and mingling kisseswith her words, she told him the following tale: Story of Atalanta My dear Adonis keep away from allsuch savage animals; avoid all thosewhich do not turn their fearful backs in flightbut offer their bold breasts to your attack,1115 lest courage should be fatal to us both.Indeed she warned him. -- Harnessing her swans,she traveled swiftly through the yielding air;but his rash courage would not heed the advice.By chance his dogs, which followed a sure track,1120 aroused a wild boar from his hiding place;and, as he rushed out from his forest lair,Adonis pierced him with a glancing stroke.Infuriate, the fierce boars curved snoutfirst struck the spear-shaft from his bleeding side;1125 and, while the trembling youth was seeking whereto find a safe retreat, the savage beastraced after him, until at last, he sankhis deadly tusk deep in Adonis groin;and stretched him dying on the yellow sand.1130 And now sweet Aphrodite, borne through airin her light chariot, had not yet arrivedat Cyprus, on the wings of her white swans.Afar she recognized his dying groans,a nd turned her white birds towards the sound. And when1135 down looking from the lofty sky, she sawhim nearly dead, his body bathed in blood,she leaped down--tore her garment--tore her hair --and beat her bosom with distracted hands.And blaming Fate said, But not everything1140 is at the mercy of your cruel power.My sorrow for Adonis will remain,enduring as a lasting monument.Each passing year the memory of his deathshall cause an imitation of my grief.1145 Your blood, Adonis, will become a flowerperennial. Was it not allowed to youPersephone, to transform Menthes limbsinto sweet fragrant mint? And can this changeof my loved hero be denied to me?1150 Her grief declared, she sprinkled his blood withsweet-smelling nectar, and his blood as soonas touched by it began to effervesce,just as transparent bubbles always risein rainy weather. Nor was there a pause1155 more than an hour, when from Adonis, blood,exactly of its color, a loved flowersprang up, such as pomegranates give to us,small trees which later hide their seeds beneatha tough rind. But the joy it gives to man1160 is short-lived, for the winds which give the flowerits name, Anemone, shake it right down,because its slender hold, always so weak,lets it fall to the ground from its frail stem.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction Free Essays

Course: Research Methodology (BT21603) Lecturer: Dr. Zakariya Belkhamza Name of Members| Matrix Numbers| Signatures| Rachael Ubu| BB11110489| | Nurul Hidayah Binti Ariff| BB11110460| | Annie Thien Li Len| BB11110055| | Nicole Chow Soo Yee| BB11110372| | Surianti Binti Abidin| BB11110579| | Khuzaimah Binti Mohd Nurung| BB11110242| | Jazmiah Jamaluddin| BB11110209| | Mazlinah Binti Majid| BB11110310| | Siti Munirah Bte Abd Malik| BB11160816| | Wang Qin| BB11170684| | 1. 0 Research Topic Factors that affect customer satisfaction in the hotel industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2. 0 Research Background The English word â€Å"hotel† derives from the French word hotel (coming from hote meaning host). It refers to a townhouse which is any building that is frequented by seeing visitors. A hotel is an establishment which provides lodging for a paid short term basis. Kotler (1996) defined customer satisfaction as â€Å"the level of a person’s felt state resulting from comparing a product’s perceived performance or outcome in violation to his/her own expectations. † The importance of this study is to gain knowledge on customer satisfaction and the problems resulting in lack of customer satisfaction in the hotel industry. According to Alex Hisaka (2011), the importance of customer satisfaction can have an impact on your business and if you don’t start paying attention you’ll lose an opportunity to make a customer happy. Customer satisfaction with hotel properties has been identified as one of the factors leading to the success of a tourist destination (Shih, 1986; Yau and Chan, 1990; Stevens, 1992; Mok et al. , 1995). Research into customer satisfaction in the service industry has increased dramatically in recent years (Peterson and Wilson, 1992). Customer satisfaction has long been an rea of interest in academic research. Hunt (1975) considers satisfaction an evaluation on which the customer have experienced with the services is at least as good as it supposed to be. For demographic characteristic, nearly 46 percent of the respondents had stay at Medium- Tariff hotels, 42 percent at High-Tariff â€Å"B† hotels and 12 percent at High-Tariff â€Å"A† hotels. The finding clea rly demonstrates that the services encounter or customer-employee interaction is a major determinant affecting travels’ perceptions in relation to service quality, resulting in their likelihood of returning to the same hotel. . 0 Customer Satisfaction Customer Satisfaction * Service Quality * Room Quality * Service Quality * Room Quality Research Framework 4. 1 Research Problem Hotel industries nowadays are facing one of the most important challenge is to provide and maintain customer satisfaction. Kandampully (2000) Service quality has become a factor important in the overall tourism experience and one which ultimately dictates the success of the tourism business. According to Lewis and Booms (1982), service quality is measure of how well the service delivered matches customer’s expectations. A part from that, room qualities also becomes a factor that can influence customer satisfaction in the hotel industry. Room qualities are important considerations for travel in-lodging selection. It includes cleanliness of room, comfort of bed, and quality of in-room temperature control and quietness of room. (Knutson, 1988; Barsky and Labagh, 1992; McClearly and Weaver, 1992; Gilbert and Morris, 1995; Heung et al. , 1996). Positive relationship can make a higher commitment of customers and increase their rate of return. Long term relationship between customers and hotel is becoming more important as the positive correlation between overall satisfaction levels of visitors and their abilty to return to the same hotel. Since most previous research found out that most study on customer satisfaction in hotel industry focused in Hong Kong, United States and other European countries, where there’s a lack of Malaysian study focusing in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Therefore, this research will focus on customer satisfaction in hotel industry in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 4. 0 Research Objective 1. To investigate the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction 2. To investigate the relationship between room quality and customer satisfaction References 1. Choi T. C and Chu. R, 2001, determinant of hotel guests’ satisfaction and repeat patronage in the Hong Kong hotels history. 2. K. s. (kayne) Chan, 1998, journal of hospitality and tourism research. Tutorial 1 Research Methodology 1) What research is all about? 2) Describe the characteristic of scientific method (What is scientific research? ) 3) What is problem statement? How to write a problem statement Answers 1. Research is about doing or making a study in a specific area of interest. According to Saunders, research is defined as something that people undertake in order to find things out in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge. 2. Scientific research is the development of a theory that is then tested through a series of propositions. The characteristics of scientific research are that firstly, we would have to create a hypothesis about the relationship between two variables. Second characteristic is that by using the hypothesis, we would have to test it through a series of propositions. Thirdly, we would have to examine the logic of the hypothesis by comparing them with existing hypothesis relating to our hypothesis. Fourth, we would have to collect appropriate data to measure the variables. Fifth, if the results of the analysis are not consistent with the problems, the hypothesis is rejected and the theory is false. Lastly, if the results are consistent then the theory is true. 3. Problem statement is analyzing the problems related to the hypothesis. By asking the correct problem statements, we can ensure that we can relate the problems to the hypothesis. How to cite Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction, Essay examples

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Climatic Change And Its Effect On Society Essay Example For Students

Climatic Change And Its Effect On Society Essay Climatic Change and Its Effect on SocietyThere has been a significant climatic change that has taken placethroughout the years on Earth. These changes have effected society in more thanone way. However, there is nothing society can do about the long term influencesof climatic changes. Society has tended to address the short term effects ofclimatic changes that influence the global temperatures within the life span ofpresent generations. The following will show how climatic changes does effectsociety, health, and economics. Society depends a lot on natural resources for various aspects. First ofall, society depends largely on forests to supply trees which in turn supplywood for construction. Other resources include oil and animals (livestock). Inthe focus of wood, there is the Western Canadian Boreal Forest which is a largeproducer of wood for the United States construction industry. However, climaticchanges has had large and impacting effects on the construction industry. Compared to eastern Canada, the southern boreal forest region of western Canadahas a relatively dry climate. Thus, drought effects are one of the majorconcerns being addressed by researchers in this region. climate modellers havepredicted a large increase in temperature for this region, which could lead toeven drier conditions and enormous stresses on vegetation in the westernCanadian boreal forest. This type of impact was observed following the 1988drought it experiences, when there was a die-back of aspen over extensive areasof the aspen parkland in Western Canada. Associated with this drought was adrying up of large lakes in the region. Another potential impact for the regionis a major increase in forest fires. This is due to the fact that fire frequencyis closely linked to moisture levels which are expected to decrease underclimatic change. Thus, it is noticed that with increased climatic change thefuture that this forest has in supplying lumber is decreasing, and theconstruction industry will face a slight drawback due to this. In this it isnoticed that, with a drawback in the construction industrys output, will alsoeffect the economy and society. The economy will effect society and the decreasein output means a decrease in jobs, which in effect hurts society. Contrary to the example of the forests in Canada, is the informationfound on its agriculture. Because average temperatures are expected to increasemore near the poles than near the equator, the shift in climatic zones will bemore pronounced in the higher latitudes. In the mid-latitude regions ( 45 60latitude ), the shift is expected to be about 200-300 kilometers for everydegree Celsius of warming. Since todays latitudinal climate belts are eachoptimal for particular crops, such shifts could have a powerful impact onagricultural and livestock production. For example, in the Canadian prairies,the growing season might lengthen by 10 days for every 1oC increase in averageannual temperature. Another example (Taken from sources on the net) is the impact of climatechange on water. Now, water is a survival of mankind, in general, but almost forall life. Thus, if water was effected by climatic changes, so would society,health, as well as economics be impacted by climatic changes. In areas whereclimate change causes reduced precipitation, freshwater storage reserves,primarily in the form of groundwater, will steadily shrink. Areas where moreprecipitation was not matched by increased evaporation would experience floodsand higher lake and river levels. An increase in extreme events such as droughtsand floods would undermine the reliability of many critical sources. Diminishedsnow accumulation in winter would reduce the spring run-off that can be vital toreplenishing lakes and rivers; a 10% decline in precipitation and a 1-2oC risein temperature could reduce run-off by 40-70% in drier basins. Worseningdroughts combined with the over-exploitation of water resources would cause sa ltto leach from the soil, thus raising the salinity of the unsaturated zone (thelayer between the ground and the underlying water table). In coastal zones, alowered water table would also draw salt-water from the sea in the freshgroundwater. At the same time, higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphereare expected to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis in plants, which couldin turn cause more rapid evapo-transpiration. Together, these various effectswould have extremely negative consequences for river watersheds, lake levels,aquifers, and other sources of freshwater. As it is seen in the informationfound, such consequences would in reality effect society, agriculture, andeconomics. Society, would have lower levels of freshwater, agriculture wouldalso have lower levels of freshwater to survive on. Because of this, the economywould be effected since more work will need to be enforced to revitalize thesources of freshwater, or find more. .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 , .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .postImageUrl , .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 , .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:hover , .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:visited , .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:active { border:0!important; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:active , .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052 .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uea211da1e06deb5fadc315bd97444052:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Compare and Contrast:Martin Luther King Jr. EssayIt can be seen through these previous examples, that society is effectedby various forms of climatic change. Thus, if society is effected, so is thehealth of people within the society, and economics is also effected. Itbasically is like a continual cycle that persists with a relation betweenclimatic changes and the effects it has on society, health, and economics.