Dresden, a city lost Essay Example For Students

Dresden, a city lost Essay Dresden: A City LostDresden was once called, Florence on the Elbe, before the far reaching devastation supported during the war and was numbered among the most excellent urban areas on the planet, noted for its design and incredible craftsmanship treasures. Just before February 13, 1945, phosphorus and high hazardous bombs crushed the city. Everybody was persuaded, that there would be no assault here. (Owings, 191) Dresden was of no methods a chief military point, moreover, most of its occupants really accepted that they would bear the war safe. At first, the supposed thinking for Dresden being shelled appeared to be connected with the activity known as Thunderclap. Dresden was just one of the setbacks subsidiary with this the activity. This activity was actuated to lessen German non military personnel assurance. As per a mystery report dated, August 02, 1944, the simple standards of the move, Thunderclap was that an assault must be conveyed in such thickness that it forces as about as conceivable a hundred percent danger of death to the person in the territory to which it is applied. (Was the Bombing of Dresden Justifiable, 7) Collectively, between 35,000 to 135,000 people are evaluated to have lost their lives. The report expressed further, the absolute load of the assault must be, for example, to create an impact adding up to a national disasterthe target picked ought to be one including the greatest affiliations, both customary and individual, for the entire populace. (Was the Bombing of Dresden Justifiable, 7) Furthermo re, The territory chose should grasp the most elevated thickness of populace. (Was the Bombing of Dresden Justifiable, 7) Dresden was Germanys seventh biggest city, what's more, by February 1945 outcasts escaping westbound before the propelling Soviet military powers had multiplied Dresdens populace. An extra guessed reason for the express destruction of this capital of Saxony on the Elbe River was that evidently German soldiers were experiencing Dresden to battle the Red armed force. Thusly, the USSR mentioned the British and Americans to initiate a besieging ambush on Dresden to ruin the German soldiers other than there is not really any proof to show this relocation of troops toward the Eastern Front. It was expressed in 1953 by a German paper, Suddeutsche Zeitung that, The clarification of the Americans that Dresden was shelled, on Soviet guidelines, to obstruct the development of troop fortifications through Dresden, is an away from of the realities. It would have been basic fo r the RAF to have crushed the railroad among Dresden and the Czech boondocks. (Was the Bombing of Dresden Justifiable, 5) Although, as indicated by David Irving, the author of The Destruction of Dresden, the Russians deny this. (Was the Bombing of Dresden Justifiable, 5) Ultimately the executing explanation for the mass demolition of this city that was initially a Slavic settlement called Drezdane indisputably crushed its occupants. At the point when the rushes of assaults showed up there was never be a way out. More than thirteen hundred British and U.S. planes dropped in excess of 3,000 tons of high dangerous bombs and combustibles which began a firestorm. Any living being gotten outside was burned. A significant number of the individuals in basements choked, at that point consumed. Temperatures took off as high as one thousand 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Low flying planes machine-gunned the escaping populace along the banks of the Elbe River. The specific number of losses will never be known. An aggregate of twenty 7,000 houses and 7,000 open structures were devastated. The accompanying selection is from an article by Robert L. Koenig who presents a correlation between disasters endured by Dresden and by Hiroshima. The article expresses that, The firebombing of Dresden was the most extreme of the European war, murdering somewhere close to 35,000 and 135,000 individuals a number difficult to affirm in light of the fact that such a large number of bodies were singed without being tallied or recognized. By correlation, the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima murdered in any event 80,000 Japanesewhich helped end the war against Japan, the firebombing of Dresden had pretty much nothing, assuming any, military importance in closure the war in Europe. The principle focus of the associated planes was Dresdens noteworthy focal city and rail yards, instead of the ventures and military settlements somewhere else in Dresden. (Koenig, 1)Prisoners of war from numerous grounds met up that morning at such and such a spot in Dresden.(Vonnegut, 213) A POW, Thomas Jones, who had dealt with the cleanup of the destroyed city reviewed, There more likely than not been a few hundred little children, all dead, in a heap ten feet highpeople would at present be staying there dead, on seats, weeks after the shelling. Marry drag bodies into the lanes, heap them up by the hundreds, pour gas on them, and consume them. No one was tallying. (Koenig, 3)In end, it is inconceivable whether the justification for the shocking activities examining with the besieging of Dresden or any city is completely reasonable in a snapshot of war. An announcement by Robert Saunby, the central associate of Sir Arthur Harris, the president of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, in 1963, communicated a few questions of the bombarding of Dresden. His announcement is as per the following; the shelling of Dresden was an incredible disaster none can denyit was one of those awful things that occasio nally occur in wartime, realized by a disastrous blend of conditions. .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 , .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .postImageUrl , .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .focused content zone { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 , .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:hover , .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:visited , .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:active { border:0!important; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-change: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; haziness: 1; change: obscurity 250ms; webkit-progress: murkiness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:active , .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:hover { darkness: 1; progress: mistiness 250ms; webkit-progress: darkness 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .focused content region { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .ctaText { fringe base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: striking; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; text-improvement: underline; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; outskirt: none; outskirt span: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; textual style weight: intense; line-tallness: 26px; moz-fringe range: 3px; text-adjust: focus; text-embellishment: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-stature: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/basic arrow.png)no-rehash; position: outright; right: 0; top: 0; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db 8bf555b7f8e1 .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u38152c5cfacc8d95d0db8bf555b7f8e1:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: Eutahnasia Essay

Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself and Alice Fulton’s You Can’t Rhumboogie i

Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself and Alice Fulton’s You Can’t Rhumboogie in a Ball and Chain At the point when I read verse, I frequently will in general take a gander at its significance and second at how it is composed, or its structure. The mix-up I make when I do this is in accepting that the two are isolated, when, truth be told, frequently the importance of verse is bolstered or even characterized by its structure. I will talk about two sonnets that exemplify this nearby association among significance and structure in their focal utilization of symbolism and reiteration. One is a tribute to Janis Joplin, written in 1983 by Alice Fulton, entitled â€Å"You Can’t Rhumboogie in a Ball and Chain.† The second is an area from Walt Whitman’s 1,336-line magnum opus, â€Å"Song of Myself,† first distributed in 1855. The symbolism in every sonnet varies in reason and impact, and the rhythms, however made through redundancy in the two sonnets, are very unique too. As I arrive at the finish of every sonnet, in any case, I am left with an incredible huma n nearness waiting in the words. In Fulton’s sonnet, that nearness is the live-hard beyond words Janis Joplin; in Whitman’s sonnet, the nearness made is a part of the artist himself. Alice Fulton’s present day sestina â€Å"You Can’t Rhumboogie in a Ball and Chain† discovers solidarity in the redundancy of comparative pictures all through the shut structure sonnet. These pictures hold together to make a one of a kind and upsetting image of the youthful stone symbol Janis Joplin. Tended to straightforwardly to Joplin, the sonnet carefully follows the sestina structure: six-line refrains, trailed by a three-line â€Å"envoy.† The unmistakable element of the sestina is that a similar six words close the lines of each verse, basically changing request as indicated by a set example starting with one refrain then onto the next. I envision that to compose a sestina, the artist... ...he sonnet around a solitary figure: Fulton puts Joplin at the focal point of her sonnet, while Whitman’s wonderful world is drawn around and even inside himself. Both catch crude subtleties of human life and hopelessness in their symbolism. Both use redundancy to characterize a sporadic yet unmistakable musicality. However the two sonnets beat out their rhythms in particular and totally various measures, leaving me with two ground-breaking figures, made by the poems’ structures, which have their own motivation and structure in the bigger world past verse. Works Cited Fulton, Alice. â€Å"You Can’t Rhumboogie in a Ball and Chain.† Approaching Poetry: Perspectives and Responses. Ed. Subside Schakel and Jack Ridl. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1997. 128-29. Whitman, Walt. â€Å"Song of Myself.† 1855 ed. Walt Whitman’s â€Å"Song of Myself.† Edwin Haviland Miller. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1989. 9-11.

Sex Therapy With Sensate Focus

Sex Therapy With Sensate Focus Relationships Print Sex Therapy With Sensate Focus By Elizabeth Boskey, PhD facebook twitter linkedin Elizabeth Boskey, PhD, MPH, CHES, is a social worker, adjunct lecturer, and expert writer in the field of sexually transmitted diseases. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Boskey, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Susan Olender, MD on July 27, 2017 Susan Olender, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Learn about our Medical Review Board Susan Olender, MD Updated on January 09, 2020 Peter Cade / Getty Images More in Relationships Spouses & Partners LGBTQ Violence and Abuse In This Article Table of Contents Expand What Is Sensate Focus? Sensate Focus Exercise Sensate Focus Uses Effectiveness Find a Sex Therapist View All Back To Top Sex therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is used to help individuals and couples address sexual problems. Sex therapy is talk therapy, not hands-on therapy. In a sex therapy session, everyone in the room remains fully clothed, and there is no touching. Sex therapists may recommend getting physical exams in order to rule out medical causes of sexual problems. Some may also encourage the use of sexual surrogates for individuals who are working on sexual problems and do not have a partner to practice with. However, sex therapists do not perform medical exams on or have sexual interactions with their clients. What Is Sensate Focus? The technique of sensate focus was initially developed as a sex therapy technique by Masters and Johnson in the 1960s. It involves a series of behavioral exercises that couples do together in order to enhance their intimacy and connection. There are seven elements that serve as the foundation of sensate focus. These are:  Mutual responsibility between partners for addressing sexual needs and concernsInformation and education about sexual function and sexual activityWillingness to change attitudes about sexGetting rid of sexual performance anxietyHelping couples improve communication around sex and sexual techniquesReducing problematic behaviors and sex roles in the relationshipHomework to help couples change their sexual relationship for the better Two of the most important elements in the success of sensate focus are an acceptance of mutual responsibility and a willingness to do homework as prescribed by the sex therapist. Mutual responsibility is critical because it frames sexual difficulties as a problem of the couple instead of a problem of the person who has been identified as the patient. Structured homework assignments are the component that separates sensate focus from other behavioral techniques. The hallmark of sensate focus is that it temporarily takes stressful behaviors off a couple’s sexual menu. Then, with the sources of stress removed, the therapist prescribes a specific recipe of steps to follow to improve the couples sexual lives. An Example of a Typical Sensate Focus Exercise Two of the principal goals of sensate focus are reducing performance anxiety and improving communication. A typical early homework assignment for a couple where one partner is experiencing erectile dysfunction might go something like this: I want you two to find two nights over the next week where you can spend at least an hour together. One of you will arrange the date on the first night, the other on the second. Whoever is arranging the date will set up the bedroom with clean sheets, nice light, and pleasant music that you two find relaxing. Before your date, youll each take a warm shower to relax. Since youve told me youd prefer to be wearing underwear for this first exercise, youll do that. Then, the person setting up the date will help their partner get comfortable on the bed. Theyll then spend half an hour exploring and enjoying the sensation of touching their partners body. For now, were going to avoid touching genitals, as we want to keep this experience low stress. After a half hour, you will switch. Then the other partner will have a chance to do the same type of exploration. The goal of this homework is not to give your partner a massage. Instead, its to find enjoyment in touching, and being touched, without any expectations. Thats why its important to communicate throughout this date. Tell your partner what you like and what you dont like. Let them know what feels good, and if theres anything that makes you uncomfortable or that youd like them to stop. Conditions Sensate Focus Is Used For As a component of sex therapy, sensate focus  has been shown to be effective at treating a number of different types of sexual dysfunction in women and men, including:?? Pain during sexPremature ejaculationErectile dysfunctionArousal disordersDesire disorders Sensate focus is a couples-based intervention. It can be used for couples of all different ages, gender identities, and sexual orientations. Much of the research has been for heterosexual couples. Still, many therapists have adopted it for same sex and diverse orientation couples. Is Sensate Focus Effective? There is a lot of research examining the use of sensate focus, alone or in combination with other techniques,  to improve couples’ sexual satisfaction.?? Studies suggest that sensate focus is useful not just for addressing specific sexual problems but also for helping to improve sexual satisfaction in couples with more general dissatisfaction. The technique has also been used as a component of sex therapy for people dealing with sexual difficulties as a result of medical conditions, such as breast cancer. Sensate focus is well-accepted by sex therapists and other physicians working with sexual dysfunction. Thats particularly true when it is used in combination with good education about sexual performance and function. Sensate focus is a very safe technique, and most individuals find it easy to follow. That is, in large part, because sensate focus is specifically designed as a slow and gentle process of reducing performance anxiety and stress around sexual activity. Many sex therapists report that sensate focus is a straightforward and effective way to increase intimacy and connection among couples, same-sex and opposite-sex alike.?? However, not all couples or individual therapists are comfortable using sensate focus. Its a technique that requires a great deal of comfort with discussion of explicit sexual topics. Thats not something everyone has. How Can I Find a Sex Therapist? There are several ways to go about finding a sex therapist. The most affordable is often to search the provider list for your insurance company. Look for a behavioral health practitioner who specializes in sex therapy. You can also search therapist listings, like Psychology Today, for sex therapists and cross-reference that with your insurance list. Finally, the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists maintains a list of sex therapists on their website at AASECT.org. AASECT certified sex therapists are required to undergo both training and clinical supervision  in sexual health and therapy techniques. Be aware that not all sex therapists take insurance. The cost of sex therapy is likely to vary depending on where you live. That said, sex therapy is often time-limited. Pure sex therapy is generally expected to last no more than 10-12 sessions. However, the number of sessions you need will vary depending on the problems you are looking to address and whether you are seeing a sex therapist for general therapy as well.

Fallacies A Logical Fallacy - 1741 Words

A logical fallacy is false or misinforming opinions that prove nothing. At times fallacies seem to be sound, and often have lots of persuasive control, even after it’s undoubtedly exposed as being untrue. Fallacies are not always deliberate, still yet we find them all over the place, like commercials for an example. Though there are several logical fallacies, four logical fallacies generally found in advertising are amphiboly, appeal to authority, appeal to emotion, and non sequitur (logic). Fallacies should not be allowed in advertising because they create more harm than good; alcohol commercials make drinking appear fun but do not always show the consequences of drinking too much and some commercials even use scare tactics to sell products. When a reason contains a fallacy, it is invalid; the conclusion is no longer acceptable, but the listener may not notice what went wrong. There are many ways arguments can go wrong and many fallacies. Some occasionally appear or are unlikely to deceive; others more undoubtedly mislead, especially when people do not examine carefully what is being said. â€Å"Fallacies are put into two groups: formal and informal. A formal fallacy is a type of inaccuracy in the logical structure of an argument. An informal fallacy is basically a flaw in logical form.† The reason may have such a flaw, but when it is put in a correct logical form something else emerges as the real problem. One type of informal fallacy is the argument from ignorance; assumingShow MoreRelatedThe Is A Logical Fallacy?877 Words   |  4 Pagessupport it†¦ but your ideas may be ruined by what is called a â€Å"logical fallacy.† What exactly is a logical fallacy†¦? Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that undermine the logic of your argument (Weber). There are a vast number of different types of fallacies, including Begging the claim, Sweeping Generalizations, slippery slope, hasty generalization, Ad hominem, red herring, and circular argument. Many of these types of logical fallacies can be witnessed throughout the media, whether it be in aRead More Logical Fallacies Summary and Application Essay1297 Words   |  6 PagesLogical Fallacies Summary and Application What do you see when you look at Begging the Question, Hasty Generalization, and Appealing to Emotion? When you initially look at these three categories they may not seem to have too much in common. However, when you look deeper you will see that in fact, they are all different types of logical fallacies. Logical fallacies are errors of reasoning, errors that may be recognized and corrected by prudent thinkers (Downes, 1995). The following quote helpsRead MoreThe Logical Fallacies875 Words   |  4 PagesWhat are logical fallacies, evidence, and error in misconceptions? The report will identify nine logical fallacies. If all evidence in an argument appears to be true, still the disputation may be invalid if the logic utilized is not sanctioned (â€Å"Logical Fallacies,† 2014). Another name for it is called logical error, in philosophy. There are many fallacies to be aware of when making a sound argument. The nine logical fallacies are Mere assertion/Circular reasoning/Ad homi nem, Red herring/Pseudo-questions/FalseRead MoreLogical Fallacies. Logical Fallacies Can Be Found In Many1288 Words   |  6 PagesLogical Fallacies Logical Fallacies can be found in many forms of persuasions, in infomercials, political debates, common discussion, everywhere. Although Logical Fallacies are very common, they mar our arguments and should be avoided. In order to avoid them we must first learn to recognize them. To fully understand Logical Fallacies, we will look at the definition of Logical Fallacies, some examples of Logical Fallacies, classifications of Logical Fallacies, and finally why we should, and how weRead MoreLogical Fallacy Julius Caesar877 Words   |  4 Pageswith evidence. Ex. 1: â€Å"Cats are meaner than dogs.† Ex. 2: â€Å"Most people find church boring.† Ex. 3: â€Å"Homework is easy.† http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-generalization.html Logical fallacy: Errors in reasoning used by speakers or writers, sometimes in order to dupe their audiences. Use: Logical fallacy was used in Julius Caesar when Antony and Brutus spoke upon Caesar’s death. Antony was th e one to stoop down and flip Brutus’s words, however he did indeed use money to gain their trustRead MoreLogical Fallacies Exercise3117 Words   |  13 PagesAnswers to fallacy exercise, Part 2. I. Identify the fallacies of sufficiency committed by the following arguments, giv ­ing a brief explanation for your answer. If no fallacy is committed, write no fallacy.1 1. The Daily News carried an article this morning about three local teenagers who were arrested on charges of drug possession. Teenagers these days are nothing but a bunch of junkies. Hasty Generalization – not enough examples. 2. If a car breaks down on the freeway, a passing mechanic isRead MoreFallacies And Fallacies Of Fallacies1006 Words   |  5 PagesWade brueggeman Professor Mcginty English 1301 9 July 2015 Logical Fallacies Have you ever wondered if something is actually making you genuinely laugh or if it is just always laughed at so you feel like you must laugh at at? Sometimes people are so accustomed to the things around them that they are just going through the motions. Now fallacies are common errors within reasoning that will ruin the logic of your argument. They can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are oftenRead MoreAnalysis Of Max Shulman s Love Is A Fallacy 964 Words   |  4 PagesAnti-man Max Shulman’s â€Å"Love is a Fallacy† is an essay about a young man who gets more than he bargained for after trying to teach a gorgeous woman about logic. The narrator is portrayed as a law school freshman who is looking for a possible wife, suitable for a lawyer’s career. Polly Espy is the desired woman. Polly also happens to be the narrator’s roommate, Petey Bellows’ â€Å"girl†. So that the narrator can make his move on Polly, he barters an agreement that he will give Petey the raccoonRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence : Argument And Persuasion Essay1769 Words   |  8 Pagesmade with all the wrong evidence; however, he built the argument in such a way to rally a people for war. The Declaration of Independence is a well-written example of argument and persuasion with its use of structure as a whole, use of specific fallacies, and use of appeals. Foremost, when looking at the Declaration there needs to be an understanding of who the audience is. The most prominent person who would be reading this document would be the king himself, King George III. When looking at theRead MoreRhetorical Devices And Its Effect On Our Lives1191 Words   |  5 PagesAs critical thinkers, it is imperative that we have the ability to take fallacies into account - especially when it comes to advertisement. It is very easy to become influenced based on how products, such as food, liquor, diet supplements, and even toothpastes are presented to us. Some products may appeal to different aspects of our lives, this is done by the use of rhetorical devices. In other words, rhetoric devices are â€Å"used to influence beliefs or attitudes through the associations, connotations

Abortion And The Issue Of Abortion - 2577 Words

The history of abortion in the United States is more complex than most people imagine. Abortion and issues surrounding abortion are involved in intense political and public debate in the United States, law varies from state to state with regards to state legislature of abortion. Until 1973, the control of abortion, was almost entirely in the hands of the government of the state. (Vile. M. J. C, 1999, P203) The focal legal debate surrounding the issue of abortion is whether a foetus has a basic legal right to live, which turns on to the question on when a foetus is potentially a person (when it becomes viable ) and therefore should be ultimately protected from this point. Pollitt identifies that to have the legal right to have an abortion, was a transformative event for women’s liberation: it saved women from death and injury; and enabled them to commit to education and work. It also changed how women saw themselves; as mothers by choice not by fate.’ (Kennedy. S, 2014, P56) This essay will critically discuss the role and variety of actors involved in the discussion of abortion in the United States, and the impact they have politically, socially and economically, by critically exploring relevant theory. First, the position of abortion today, is not the same in every state, currently California, Oregon, Montana, Vermont and New Hampshire allow qualified non-physician health professionals, for example, nurses or midwives to carry out abortions in the firstShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Abortion And Abortion Essay1567 Words   |  7 Pages The issue of abortion is a controversial one; there are arguments on both sides of the debate. In 1973 the national case of Roe v. Wade, sparked political decisions that created a national right to abortion. Further, Roe v. Wade declared that unborn children are not `persons nor are they entitled to the same constitutional protection as `born children (Baird, Rosenbaum, 2001). However, Roe v. Wade did not end the debate, nor, did it stop both sides for continuing the fight for their individualRead MoreAbortion Is A Issue Of Abortion1697 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion is a very touchy subject in our society. In the U.S. it is legal to abort a fetus up until the twenty fourth week. An abortion is the ending of a pregnancy before birth, which results in the death of an embryo or a fetus. Many people consider abortion as cruel as murder. Although some say abortion is in there own hands and is there own decision, others believe that no one but God has the right to take someone else s li fe. People that support abortion do not consider an unborn fetus a personRead MoreThe Issue Of Abortion And Abortion876 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion is one of the most debatable and controversial issues that exists in our society. An abortion is a medical procedure that terminates a pregnancy before 24 weeks. People who call themselves Pro-Life feel that it is the government’s responsibility to preserve all life, regardless of concerns for the pregnant woman’s health, or for the quality of the life of the child. The Pro-Choice argument feels that a woman should have the choice when it comes to what they wish to do with their own reproductiveRead MoreAbortion : The Issue Of Abortion1411 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures performed in the United States each year† (Abortion Overview and History). It is the termination of a human pregnancy, which is often performed during the first twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy. Th e topic of abortion seems to be a major issue in todays time. There are many people who are for it and many people who are against it. Religion has a lot to do with the side that people take on this issue. Many people see abortion as committing murderRead MoreThe Issue Of Abortion And Abortion1115 Words   |  5 Pagesjust give you up and kill you? Approximately 125,000 abortions occur per day. 1.1 million U.S. abortions each year. Nearly 1 in 4 (22%) of pregnancies end in abortion. 50% of women now seeking abortion have had at least one previous abortion. The U.S. abortion rate is among the highest of developed countries. 51% of abortions are performed on women less than 25 years of age. Approximately 1/3 of American women have had an abortion by age 45. Abortion disproportionately affects black and Hispanic womenRead MoreAbortion : The Issue Of Abortion Essay777 Words   |  4 Pagestheir whole future is demolished. In today society, the issue of abortion is very controversial i n the United States. Abortion is the ending of the early pregnancy. Many people said that aborting or killing an unwanted child is should be against the law. Everyone has the right to live, whether it’s a fetus, an embryo or just a newly fertilized egg; Abortion is a murder, and it should be illegal because it’s killing a helpless human being. Abortion is one of usual medical procedures performed in the URead MoreAbortion : The Issue Of Abortion1455 Words   |  6 Pagesstates could not restrict the right for a woman to have an abortion. Although more than forty years have passed, the controversy surrounding abortion rages on. Many different arguments are used in order to attack or defend abortion. It’s important to look at each of these from as objective of a lens a possible to keep bias, while unavoidable, to a minimum. Essentially each side of this argument boils their points down to be as follows, abortion should be included in a woman’s constitutional right toRead MoreAbortion And The Issue Of Abortion1946 Words   |  8 Pagesways of looking at the issue of abortion are most easily categorized into five major points, legal precedence, birth control issues, human rights, religion and when life begins. Based on both empirical and moral claims, a wide spectrum of views supporting either more or less lega l restriction on abortions has emerged in America. While advocacy groups define the issue through its constitutionality and its moral views represented by their constituents, politicians define the issue by party lines, generallyRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue Of Abortion Essay2668 Words   |  11 PagesAbortion is terminating a pregnancy before the fetus has been born. Abortion has been and still is very controversial and has had an increasing amount of cases all over the world. In 2000 there were over one million abortions in the United States (Harper, et al., 501). Abortion is one of the most common procedures women undergo. According to the current abortion rates about thirty percent of women will have an abortion by the age of forty-five (Jones and Kavanaugh, 2011). Most abortions are attributedRead MoreAbortion : The Issue Of Abortion1212 Words   |  5 PagesThe topic of abortion has been an ongoing debate for many years. According to ProChoice.org, abortion was l egal in in the days of the early settlers. At the time that the constitution was adopted abortions were legal. Abortions were openly advertised and performed before the first fetal movement (13-16 weeks from the start of a women’s last period). The concern for abortion started in the late 1800’s when immigrants were coming into the country in large numbers and the fear was that they would produce

Making People to Vote Free Essays

I believe there are many ways to get people to vote, but I believe the main way is through education. When people are educated on a subject, they know about it and what to do with it. A lot of people are uneducated on voting, so they don’t know things, like how to register and where to vote. We will write a custom essay sample on Making People to Vote or any similar topic only for you Order Now If we educate the public on voting and the benefits of it, more people would vote. This essay will discuss some of the possible ways of educating the public on voting. One way would be to make an educational commercial aimed towards the younger people in our society. Kind of like what Rock The Vote did, but more informational. My commercial would inform people how to register, how to find out where the voting booth is, along with all the set backs of not voting. I would talk about how you’re giving up your freedom by not voting, because you’re letting someone else decide who should be in charge. I would also make it very clear that everyone’s vote matters! That’s another big problem, each individual feels that they can’t make a difference, because â€Å"they’re only one vote†. I would also talk about the importance of knowing the people running in the elections and what they stand for, because if you’re uneducated, you really won’t make a difference. This is basically what I would talk about and it would definitely be aimed towards younger people. Another way to get people to vote would be to have a required educational program in high schools, that teaches kids every thing they need to know in order to vote. This would work very well, because it would teach younger people how and why to vote. You could also discuss candidates, how to find out about them, and what they stand for. Another way would be to educate people through fliers and brochures. This would be a lot harder and wouldn’t reach as many people, but it would still educate some. A better way would be through a national magazine that talked about the importance of voting and the candidates that are currently running. This would work very well, because you would be educating people and getting them excited to vote. Overall, there are many ways to get people to vote, but I personally believe that voting comes through education. I believe the best way to increase the voting, is to increase the education of it among younger people. How to cite Making People to Vote, Papers

Manipulative Advertising Essay Example For Students

Manipulative Advertising Essay Business EthicsMay 4, 1999Final ExamManipulative AdvertisingAccording to Tom L. Beauchamp, manipulative advertising limits free and informed action (472). It is sort of like convincing customers to purchase something, but it is based on incorrect or inconclusive information. Advertisers use attractive rates, enticing images, and a variety of forms of suggestion to hinder or block reasoned choice (479). One example is phony discounting where retailers present fake percentage markdown from suggested retail prices that are imaginary or artificially inflated (472). The customers are mislead into thinking they are actually receiving a bargain. Use advertisements to manipulate people is sinister because normal peoples freedom to choose freely is taken away. The important thing to remember is that it is not what was said and or done by the advertiser, but how a person (people) respond to what is trying to influence them. It is somewhat like lying, but it is the truth stretched out so far th at it never seems to reach a lie. Some advertisers do lie and are held accountable in the sense that their business suffers because of it, but for the most part manipulative advertising is very common and well practiced especially in the United States. A very sad point concerning manipulative advertising is that advertisers, advertise to everyone including those very vulnerable people. Children as well as those with a weak state of mind, such as the mentally ill and many others in addition to normal people fall into the cunning face of manipulative advertising every day. It is understood that the more profitable a business is the longer they will be in business. It is a shame that most business use advertisements to falsely lure customers to their products or to their businesses in order for them to purchase their product and, or service. Although some companies give their customers a warranty, others do not and the companies do not have to replace the product every time something goes wrong with it if it is stated in the agreement. Manipulative advertising can have very detrimental affects. Such ways that this type of advertising can be detrimental is by labeling and or misusing words such as cholesterol free, fat free, fresh and low sugar. The health risks that people can put themselves in by using falsely advertised labels can be fatal. Today, in the food industry there are hundreds of thousands of competitors. To remain competitive, companies realize that their are increasing number of illnesses and deaths due to poor eating habits. The food companies try to target these people that are watching their diet (usually a large percentage of the population) and tries to attract them with words such as fat free and sugar free. With stricter regulations being passed by the Food ; Drug Administration (FDA), companies have to be more careful in what they put in their foods (chemicals, additives, ingredients) and how they label them. A company can put fat free on a cookie and be completely honest about it, but customers dont realize that it is probably high in something unless, like sugar -unless it is a rice cake. Foods that have subtracted the one unhealthy point (fat), usually add something else that may not be better than what was originally in it (sugar). If sugar is replacing the fat, it doesnt make much of a difference because sugar will simply turn into fat if it is not used immediately. So, in the end, fat free doesnt necessarily mean that a person will get no fat from this food, it just means that it wont go in their mouth as fat, but it will be converted to fat later on if they dont expend the energy. Another negative impact that manipulative advertising can have is bringing people into debt. Some p eople buy things without asking all the right questions. For example, I had a credit card offer with a 4% APR rate on purchases, transfers, etc but it was only for the first 3 months, after 3 months it was going up to 21%. If I had not asked the right questions or read the fine, extremely small print on my booklet I would have never known. Some people dont speak English, some people cant read and some dont even know what questions to ask. They then fall into the trap of being manipulated by advertisements like these, showing low rates but raising them in a short period. The advertising industry could and should change its techniques for manipulative advertising. If a company is trying to sell a product no one wants, they should not make the product and, or make the service look attractive when it is just a not true. This is seduction and falsifying information. I believe in advertising to let consumers know what products are out there, but to give them a true sense of what the produ ct is all about and what the product may be able to do for them. To convince people to buy a product or service which they dont need, cant afford, or the full product information was withheld should be illegal. All of the benefits and the drawbacks of a product or service should be readily available (which sometimes is), but should also be made aware to the person with the purchasing power.

Bated vs. Baited

Bated vs. Baited Bated vs. Baited Bated vs. Baited By Sharon The expression with bated breath is recorded as appearing for the first time in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice towards the end of the 16th century. It refers to having subdued or restrained breathing because of some strong emotion. The verb to bate, which means reduce the intensity of; take away; or lower in estimation or amount (an archaic usage), has long since disappeared from common use. So its no surprise that its often misspelled as baited. According to Merriam Webster, bait means to persecute, harass or lure. Heres an example to illustrate the two meanings: She waited with bated breath to see if he would take the bait. Here are some quotations illustrating their usage: the end of the year approaches, practically everyone in the fashion, beauty and interior design industries waits with bated breath to see what Pantone will proclaim as the official color for the upcoming year. (www.chicagotribune.com) the world - or at least, the American public - waited with bated breath on Thursday for the National Archives to release its final batch of records related to the assassination of (www.usatoday.com) Channel and blue catfish are good on hot dogs, shrimp, Spam, and frozen shad. Yellow catfish are good on juglines baited with live perch. (www.chicagotribune.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Talking"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?Present Participle as Adjective

Ethical Issues Related to Reproduction Essay Example

Ethical Issues Related to Reproduction Essay Example Ethical Issues Related to Reproduction Essay Ethical Issues Related to Reproduction Essay Ethical Issues Related to Reproduction Ethical issues Abstract The current developments in the medical technology combined with the declining influence of religious morality in the community have made the church encounter different issues associating to life and death, which were additionally nonexistent in the past or were of comparatively associated with varying happenings, in our traditions. It is vital to handle these matters, and provide some outline in relation with the laws of the scriptures. It is not our concern to address these matters profoundly, but to offer sufficient foundation for the ethical decision-making. It has been defined that about 10-15 percent of married couples in the world are infertile, an extra 10 percent have few children than they expected. Childlessness is a burden to most people and couples currently. Nothing could be done to correct or cure infertility in the past, but in the modern days, there are even more other alternatives than needed because of the advances in medical technology. However, there are moral and ethical repercussions embedded in these processes, which makes these practices undesirable. Introduction Assisted reproduction (ARTs) is one way of having children without necessarily engaging in intercourse. Many individuals who opt for ARTs because of infertility and other approaches of curing their infertility have become futile. Some individuals with no fertility challenges choose ARTs to reduce the risk of transmitting some genetic turmoil. However, many scholars have taken different sides on the usefulness of the approach. Some encourages its use with minimum reservation, stressing on the gains they provide the infertile couples and woman who desire to reproduce without a partner of the opposite sex. Those supporting ARTs claim that the community ought to respect personal decisions concerning reproductive issues, referring to the official and ethical rules of individual dependency and lack of proofs that ARTs leads to substantial damage (Scott, 2000). Those opposing have demonstrated concerns on some given aspects or effects of these technologies. They are worried that too much application of ARTs in the society would result to children being products of manufacturers as per the parent’s condition, instead of distinct individuals to be adopted and loved unconditionally. On the other hand, the process is too costly implying that the approach will only help the rich because they can afford such expenses, while the poor will remain with the problem. In addition, the method is still undergoing investigation hence, it is not clear whether the ARTs processes are entirely safe for both the mother and the offspring or not. Connection between reproductive cancers and hormones are known, but women taking these procedures have not been assessed to analyze their risk to these dangers (Wennerholm et. al, 2000). The world has entered into a new age where babies can scientifically be developed in a Petri dish using the sperm of a man and the egg of a woman, then the ensuing embryo transferred to a second woman’s womb for gestation. By the application of fertility drugs and regular inspection, the embryo can develop in to a full baby that can then be given back to the parents who initiated the process, i. e. he persons who donated the sperm and the egg for the procedure. This is what surrogacy is all about. Starting with the idea of creating the child in a test tube and transferring to the womb is in itself shocking as much as ethics are concerned. Infertile couples consider this the best method of having children, but the natural birth and baby development are not followed. Children ought to develop na turally and seek to inherit the genes of its parents, but in this case, the baby has genes from three different people. The other thing is the issue whereby a woman requests another woman womb at a cost. Individuals paying medical costs for a third party purportedly carrying their child, and who may at last refuse to give out the baby, engage in unethical ways (Storey, 2011). Sperm and egg donations also have some ethical issues in that both donors have some rights as pertaining to their donations. The clients have a right to be updated on the disadvantages their sperm or egg has with the likely complications that may result in case someone decides to purchase them. Ethically, that is not an acceptable practice has babies should develop naturally in their initial stages without being investigated for defects and other complications. On the other hand, sperm and egg banks are highly selective as to who should donate them. For instance, in California Cryobank accepts only graduate donors from  some universities. The procedure of the reproduction should not have such selection procedures. In contrast, those banks that do not have restrictions may allow someone to donate several times, which the children being created because of purchasing the sperm may come from one individual hence, resulting to related babies. The difference between ultra selective donor banks and those, which cater for the population that is more â€Å"normal,† put up some ethical issues. Ethical dilemmas surrounding surrogate parenting Surrogate parenting has many dilemmas especially regarding the relationship and ownership of the baby. The most common is the conflict of interest among the commissioning parents and the surrogate mother. Under this condition, it should be clear as to who should have full rights of the baby. Screening the concerned couples for proper identification of the surrogate mother should be carried out to reduce some of the dilemmas. Another dilemma may result when the surrogate mother feels that she is being exploited by the couple and not being well compensated. In such a case, she may end up refusing to let go of the baby and instead seek a court injunction. In addition, the traditional and cultural variances existing in the society has some complications regarding this form of bringing up the children. Women who volunteer as surrogate mothers are considered not complete by other cultures and this need to be resolved because it can affect the development of the child later in life (Storey, 2011). A family is usually made up of father, mother, and the children. However, in this case, the children have different parents attached to them. This makes the definition of a family not to be inclusive as we have a third person claiming and having links to the child. A child in a family definition has only one biological mother and one biological father. Because both mothers have a linkage to the child, it leaves room for the definition of the family to include such exceptional cases when defining a family (Storey, 2011). B. elective abortion Selective abortion is moral because the multiple surviving embryos may cause more harm to the mother before and after birth. For instance, the conception of such embryos may compete themselves for the reduced requirements provided by the mother, leading to retarded development since they would not get enough. In case, all the embryos are left to live, the society should be able to cater for all their needs especially helping the mother and the fam ily in financial terms to raise all the children at a go. The society should also provide basic amenities such as specific training schools for the mental retarded, and support them as much as they can (Bouchard et. al, 1995). Those with defects should be provided with aiding machines or tools that can enable them move from one place to another. For those who are willing, they should also volunteer to take up the responsibility of medical expenses and other requirements prescribed by the healthcare officers. c. Ethical issues surrounding abortion Abortion, for many years, has been illegal in most countries, but nowadays people are fighting for it to be legal. However, in religious beliefs, any form of terminating human life is murder, regardless of whether it is a fetus, infant, or purportedly minor members of the society like the handicapped and the old. Abortion is murder, and it breaches the sacredness of God’s given life. Christians believe that life starts at conception and God alone has the right to take it. Nevertheless, pro-choice supporters claim that restricting abortion raises the occurrences of unsafe abortion, since the accessibility of professional abortion can minimize such cases. Sometimes, those incidences result to maternal mortality. The ethical discussion concerning abortion normally rotates on matters of whether the fetus can be given any rights especially the right to life and whether the woman has some rights over her body. In some places, abortion is only allowed if the life of the mother is in danger, or if the fetus is deformed (Bouchard et. al, 1995). Conclusion Reproduction starts with the interaction between the opposite sexes, after which embryos can develop. Modern technologies have reduced the challenges of childlessness through the various inventions, although some individuals still do not appreciate the God-given life, ending up killing others through abortion. Abortion is of two types: direct abortion is never morally accepted while the indirect abortion, which occurs due to some unavoidable events, is allowed as a way of saving the mother. The pro-life argue from the Christian point of view and have to follow the doctrines, for it is the foundation of their living. Any form of birth control is, therefore, unacceptable as it leads to depriving someone life and is morally wrong in the society. Illegal abortion is also extremely risky as it may endanger the life of the mother, as well. References: Bouchard L, Renaud M, Kremp O, Dallaire L. (1995). Selective abortion: a new moral order? Consensus and debate in the medical community. International Journal of Health Service, 25 (1) 65-84. Scott, G. (2000). Ethical Issues and Assisted Reproductive Technology: Human Reproduction. 15, (1) 944-948. Storey, G. (2011). Ethical Problems Surrounding Surrogate Motherhood. Retrieved on June 16, 2011, from yale. edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2000/7/00. 07. 05. x. html

The Practice of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Practice of Management - Essay Example The manager I am going to write about in this paper is the person whom I used to report while working in the marketing department of a reputed company. I used to work for that company as a marketing executive. In my whole professional career I worked under quite a few mangers, but this particular manger was undoubtedly the worst. He lacked all essential managerial skills. The most basic skill a manager should have is the ability to lead a team. Not surprisingly, this particular manager also seriously lacked this skill. I am now going to explain all the requisite skills a good manger should have in relationship to the manger I used to work under who seriously lacked all those skills.   Planning is surely the first step in achieving a goal. Planning is a holistic activity that requires a lot of thinking. It can be defined as setting goals and determining a course of action for attaining those goals. While planning, a manger must take the available resources, time and objectives into consideration. Planning marketing strategies call for scanning the competitive environment. Environmental scanning can be done through research and marketing intelligence. Without a clear understating of the competitive environment, a successful planning can not be formulated. Moreover, planning also requires allocation of resources and time for implementation of the plan. The success of a plan is measured how effectively and efficiently a goal has been achieved. This particular manager had a complete lack of skill in planning.

International Relations - International Development (Proposal Outline) Essay

International Relations - International Development (Proposal Outline) - Essay Example As a matter of fact, women in general are kept at lower than secondary level and in most of the societies despite her services mainly to families that are also unpaid. In all, women has been given less privileges on social, political, and economic power than they deserve as compare to men with one and only reason of being Woman. Moreover the prejudice has strengthened itself and women, in many parts of the world especially developing countries, are growingly deprived of the fundamental rights as human being. Economic marginalization of women refers to the disadvantage and deprivation that woman is accounted for against man on the economic fronts. Economic marginalization include all aspects such as poverty, deprivation from decision making rights and positions with respect to economic matters and more importantly access to economic resources. The menace of oppressing human being with gender inequality, in general and economic oppression in specific, also didn’t allow more adva nced sections of the nations that claim to be leaders in development. For instance, only 12 companies from fortune 500 are led by women; down from the count of 15 than previous year (CNN, 2011). Countries that are taking leading positions of growth as emerging nations i.e. China with an average growth rate of above 8% in global financial crises time; vulnerability and marginalization of women has increased with increase in migration from rural to urban areas for their economic growth. These women, though, got freedom from low wage paid job at farm but faces in cities more difficult situation of inequality such as harassment and other city- version of marginalization including job discrimination, salary gap and opportunity inequalities etc (Tam, 2006). Evidences from developed and emerging nations when hold such situations it then gets self explanatory the condition prevailing in developing nations such as India and Pakistan. The two countries being the cultural hub of the South East Asia hold more tightly those old ignorant values that favored the dominance of men even in most educated sections of society; depriving women of social, cultural, public and economic earning as well decision making (Nelasco, 2012). Recently in two conferences, women have asserted despite trade liberalization and globalization, women are growing becoming the victim of unemployment, underemployment, migration for livelihood to urban and overseas etc. All these have put multiplied impact on women inequality with deteriorating food insecurity; labor intensive industries taking advantage of cheap labor with influx of large number of women mainly with their families for jobs and hence, posing high insecurity reasoning the huge labor pool. Given below are some statistics that presents start realities of discrimination against women (Nelasco, 2012) Importance of the women empowerment â€Å"When we empower women, we empower communities, nations and the entire human family.† —U N secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon (UN Women, 2011) For effort related to reduce this inequality social sciences has presented immense literature; however, the affectivity has only gained success to the point that UN sections realized the importance of fact that world shall now develop awareness regarding women empowerment and year 2011 UN marked inaugural of formal efforts for women empowerment (UN Women, 2011). CEO of UN-Women (Women Empowerment section of UN) has vision of this section to have future

Key Distinctions Between Positivism And Phenomenology

Key Distinctions Between Positivism And Phenomenology The purpose of research is simple according to Francis Dane (1990: 212) in that it is a means by which we seek to acquire knowledge and understanding by answering questions about the world. Knowledge is a very important concept which is closely related to the concept of epistemology; defined as the study or theory of the origin, nature and limits of knowledge (May, 2001). The theory of Positivism is an epistemological position that concerns the application of the methods of the natural sciences to the study of social reality and beyond (Bryman, 2004). Smith (1998) states that Positivist approaches to the social sciences . . . assume things can be studied as hard facts and the relationship between these facts can be established as scientific laws. For positivists, such laws have the status of truth and social objects can be studied in much the same way as natural objects. The general elements of positivism, adapted from Bond (1989), Easterby-Smith et al (1997), and Hughes (1994) are concerned with methodology, value-freedom, causality, operationalisation, independence and reductionism (cit May, 2001). Basically, all research should be quantitative as it is only such data that can be the basis for valid generalizations and laws. In order for facts to be measured quantitatively, concepts must be operationalised accordingly. The choice of what to study, a nd how to study it, should be determined by objective criteria rather than by human beliefs and interests. Positivism also addresses that the aim of research should be to identify causal explanations and fundamental laws that explain human behavior. Positivists also believe that the role of the researcher should be independent of the subject under examination and also, if problems are reduced to their simplest possible elements then they will be better understood (Bryman, 2004). Positivists therefore most commonly use close ended questionnaires and structured interviews when conducting research as they best suit the requirements embraced within this theory of knowledge. The theory of phenomenology can be used in contrast to Positivism as it concerns the question of how individuals make sense of the world around them. Alfred Schutz (1962) states The world of nature as explored by the natural scientist does not mean anything to molecules, atoms and electrons. But the observational field of the social scientist social reality- has a specific meaning and relevance structure for the beings living, acting, and thinking within it. By a series of common sense constructs they have pre selected and pre interpreted this world which they experience as the reality of the lives. It is these thought objects of theirs which determine their behavior by motivating it. The thought objects constructed by the social scientist, in order to grasp this social reality, have to be founded upon the thought objects constructed by the common sense thinking of men, living their daily life within the social world. (cit Bryman, 2004) This firstly illustrates that there is a fundamental difference between the matter of natural science and social science. It asserts that human action is meaningful and it is thus the job of the social scientist to gain access to peoples thinking and actions to interpret them from the persons point of view. Phenomenology places great importance on Webers concept of verstehen and thus has an empathetic approach towards the research sample (May, 2001). Phenemenologists focus on meaning and understanding and therefore do not generate or test hypotheses (deductivism) as positivists do; nor do they focus on collecting facts that provide laws. An example of a phenomenological study is that carried out by Foster (1995) who used participant observation and semi structured interviews in the Riverside area of London. Official statistics, of which positivists approve, illustrated extremely high levels of crime. Foster however, as a phenomenologist wanted to measure the human attitudes to crime in the area. Her findings can be contrasted to the areas statistics as she found that residents did not perceive the estate to be of a high level crime, nor did they feel insecure or unsafe (Bryman, 2004). Question Two With use of examples distinguish between qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Distinguish between nominal, ordinal and continuous quantitative data and discuss briefly how these might all be used in a research project. Qualitative data emphasizes words rather than quantification in the collection and analysis of data. Qualitative data is mainly carried out by phenomenologists and used for inductive reasoning (Bryman, 2004). It involves collecting written or verbal information of the variables that the researcher is interested in. This data is more descriptive than numbers and can be obtained through questionnaires, focus groups, interviews and discussions (Fulcher and Scott, 2003). As it emphasizes the ways in which individuals interpret their social world, it is rejected by most positivists. Although qualitative research is typically associated with generating theories it can however be employed for testing theories as Adler and Adlers study (1985) on the exploration of educational attainment and sports participation illustrates this (Bryman, 2004). Qualitative data can often be hard to analyze as it involves studying often lengthy and complex documents but overall, it has a deeper richness and me aning than empirical data. In contrast to qualitative data is that of quantitative data. This data describes something in numbers and thus emphasizes quantification in the collection and analysis of data (Bryman, 2004). This numerical data is carried out mainly by positivists and thus embodies the view that social reality is an objective reality. Quantitative data enables information to be easily tested and analyzed in order to provide statistics and facts such as official statistics. Questionnaires and telephone surveys consisting of structured and closed ended questions are ways in which this data is carried out. Although quantitative data enables generalizations to be made and trends to be found, it does however lose the value of meaning as it consists merely of numbers rather than description and explanations. Data can either be nominal, ordinal or continuous. Nominal data consists of a variable with no implicit order such as race, sex or religion. This data therefore can be counted but cannot be ordered or measured (May, 2001). Nominal data can be used in a research project by for example, coding males as zero, females as one or coding the marital status of an individual as Y if they are married or N if they are single. This must however be planned and carried out carefully as confusion and lack of clarity when analyzing the data can occur. Ordinal data however is different to nominal data in that it may counted and ordered but it cannot be measured. Ordinal values can therefore be ranked as they have a natural order; age or level of satisfaction are examples of ordinal variables (Bryman, 2004). For example, if a group of people were asked to taste varieties of biscuit and classify each biscuit on a rating scale of one to five, representing strongly dislike, dislike, neutral and so on, a rating of five indicates more enjoyment than a rating of four, illustrating that such data is ordinal. Continuous data however concerns variables that can take any possible value. This data can be counted, ordered or measured continuous and may include, for example height, weight or temperature. Question Three Discuss the importance of reliability and validity in the operationalisation of concepts in research. Compare a focus group, an individual semi structured interview and survey in terms of the ease with which reliability and validity may be assured. Reliability refers to the extent to which a measurement instrument yields consistent, stable and uniform results over repeated observations or measurements under the same conditions each time (Fulcher, 2003). Validity however refers to the accuracy and truth of the data and findings that are produced. It refers to the concepts that are being investigated, the people or objects that are being studied, the methods by which data are collected and the findings that are produced (May, 2001). A study is valid if and only if it tests what it sets out to test. There are several different types of validity which are face validity, content validity, criterion-related validity, construct validity, internal validity and external validity (Bryman, 2004). Data can be reliable without being valid. Those that support qualitative methods argue that quantitative methods lack validity but are often reliable. Qualitative methods are criticized for being unreliable and unsystematic as there is no way of replicating the study and checking the reliability of the findings. Thus positivists whose concepts need to be operationalised in a way that enables facts to be measured quantitatively, place great importance on the reliability of data as it enables them monitor trends over time and to use them as a future secondary data source. Surveys such as questionnaires are considered as being reliable as there is a much lower risk of subjectivity or bias when compared to, for example, interviews or a focus group. Surveys, whether they consist of closed ended questions or matrix questions, often lack in validity however as the researcher might not have measured exactly what was intended to be measured. For example, if a researcher posted out questionnaires on the perception of crime, applicants might not be able to answer to answer questions fully only by ticking certain boxes. On the other hand however, a semi structured interview would be more valid than a survey as it specifically aims to allow the respondent to voice their opinion and have an equal input into the conversation. Personal interviewing is also better suited for difficult or sensitive issues rather than for example a focus group as an interview is more intimate and provides the respondent with the opportunity to open up. A semi structured interview howe ver can be unreliable as well as unrepresentative as if the interviewer approached another individual to participate in the same interview, their views may be completely different to that of the original interviewees. As there are a multiple people in a focus group, however, the data attained is often therefore more valid than in an interview. An advantage of a focus group is that challenges can be made to contrasting view points which cannot be done in an interview. The validity of a focus group can be challenged however if a number of people dominate the conversation as it does not provide everyone with an equal opportunity to speak. Focus groups are slightly more reliable than a semi structured interview but not as reliable as a survey. Therefore, for research to both reliable and valid many researchers employ more than one method of research such as carrying out surveys and conducting focus groups. This is known as triangulation (Fulcher, 2003). Question Four Select one of the three sets of research case studies presented at the end of the module guide. Critically assess the research presented. Your answer should make reference to validity and reliability of methods; it should detail any additional information you might require, why this may be required and what if any reservations you might have regarding the study. (Please refer to appendix One for the details of case 3) It is evident that case three entitled Do we need to educate people to question authority more carefully given evidence of inappropriate obedience is valid, as it quite simply tests what it was set out to test. The mere fact that ninety percent of subjects were prepared to apply shocks of up to 450 volts because they were asked to do so by a person of authority of which over half (twenty six out of forty) of them did just that confirms the cases validity. Internal validity is prominent in this case as the independent variable that is the distribution of electric shocks, has an effect on the dependent variable that is the subjects. The validity of the study is also increased as the sample is quite large since it consisted of forty subjects. Had it have been a smaller sample, there would have been a high chance that a completely different set of results could have been obtained. Given that the reported data was qualitative as the research method employed was that of observation and thu s that the likelihood of stable or uniform results being produced in a repetition of the experiment is low, it is clearly evident that the study lacks reliability. However, if for example the researcher had asked the subjects to complete a questionnaire after the experiment, then the data would have been classed as being reliable. There is one major ethical concern with this experiment as the subjects were informed that they were required to give electric shocks to other human beings. This is clearly inhumane treatment; therefore the researcher should have altered the experiment in order to avoid this. Another concern with this experiment is that there is no mention of a control group as we are only informed of the experimented group, that being the forty subjects. This is necessary to monitor the effectiveness of the variables in an experiment. Another concern is that although some of the subjects may have been sweating and were nervous this may have been due to the fact that they were being observed in an abnormal environment and not due to the effects of the carrying out of the experiment. Being in such an environment may therefore affect the validity and reliability of the data. Additional information on the comments made by subjects concerning the experiment would be beneficial as would more information o n actually educating people on questioning authority. Overall, the study was a success in that it sought sufficient data in relation to answering the proposal. The reliability of the experiment however was threatened because of factors such as the research method employed (observation). More information could have been disclosed in the data regarding the subjects reactions and comments. The experiment should also have not focused on the unethical issue of giving electric shocks.

Habeas Corpus

In this essay the subject of Habeas Corpus and what events that take place to have Habeas Corpus to he suspended by executive orders from the President’s of the United States. The circumstances, that transpired that empower certain presidents to have such authority gave down by Congress, to implement the extreme acts to protect our Nation. The two most important issues for our country are to keep National Security and Public Safety.But in the time war or an act of aggression on United State soil, Presidents have to use his commander and chief obligations without a lot diplomatic procedures. The objective of this essay is to give three of the most historical suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 handed down from England, and to give what action were taken and how the writ of Habeas Corpus was re-instated by congress. On the final explanation, how right of Habeas Corpus and why inmates use this as the final resources to petition for re-investigate cases and the courts do n ot wrongfully imprison innocent people.Habeas Corpus and Why It Can Be Suspended From Detainees Habeas Corpus is a writ that was formed as Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 and is used to keep and individual from being unlawfully imprisoned. It is not to established guilt or innocence. In the history of Habeas Corpus, in the United States, Presidents had used their war-time executive order power to suspend Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 and/or declared martial law in some of the cases researched. Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George W. Bush are the most prominent names in concerning suspension of Habeas Corpus.In civilian courts, the U. S. Supreme overseer’s petitions for Habeas Corpus, but most cases are for prisoner’s death role or prisoners that are serving life sentence for murder, rare, or three-strike offenders. In all of this, suspension of Habeas Corpus Act of 1679, decisions were made carried out, and supported by legislative and judiciary branches of government to keep threat of National Security or public Safety, those said right to Habeas Corpus, should be suspended for those being detained. President Abraham Lincoln, in his first hours of his Presidency, was already responding with the start of the U.S. Civil War. Maryland was leading towards siding with the confederacy. Since Washington D. C. is encircled in the States, it was most important to have the state of Maryland, to be loyal to the union. Without this, Union troop movement, in Maryland, to defend the White House, would be impossible. The war would have gone in a Confederate victory. With all that, President Lincoln was facing to protect National Security; He issued an order to military commanders suspending Habeas corpus during the Civil War, which allowed the military to arrest and detain persons without trail for an indefinite time.Congress later passes a law suspending Habeas Corpus, (2005). After the Civil War was over, one detainee named Lambdin P. Milligan , who was charged with conspiracy, and sentenced to be hung. He appealed his case and the U. S. Supreme condemned President Lincoln’s order having military jurisdiction over civilian outside the war zone (1999). President Franklin D. Roosevelt, after Japans’ surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the Declaration of War on Japan, exercised his executive authority. In the beginning of the U. S. ngagement in World War II, President Roosevelt was concerned with Japanese people residing in the United States. Because of the way Japan orchestrated the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and then a U. S. Territory, the threat of National Security was everywhere (1999). President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued orders authorizing the establishment of â€Å"military areas† from which dangerous persons could be expelled or excluded. This order was issued to designate the West Coast, a military area and to remove and imprison one hundred-twenty-thousand Japanese Americans in â€Å"relocati on location centers† for the duration.With the seriousness, then of national Security, of danger the U. S. Supreme Court upheld the order of relocation, during the war. In more modern times, on September 11, 2001, terrorists’ attacked the United States at New York City (World Trade Center) and Washington D. C. (Pentagon). Upon those attacks, congress authorized President George W. Bush authority to use force to fight a war on terrorism. President Bush issued orders, in October and November 2001, to mobilize National Guard and Army Reserve Units and ordered the detention Enemy Combat Personnel.President Bush held military trials for suspected terrorists. Many of these prisoners would be detained for an indefinite time. Even after President Bush presidency was over, most of his anti-terror policies are still being enforced, â€Å"because, well, they seem to have prevented further attacks. † In closing, Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 is essential to the due process of a trial, at a certain date, certain place, and certain time, for a court to examine the charges or release of custody from a detention center.In cases of extreme circumstances of a felony charges, which is a threat National Security and Public Safety the writ of Habeas Corpus should be suspended. When the authority of such punitive action is exercised, dangerous persons are out of harm’s way of the innocent by-stander. But for the wrongfully accused, it is their last chance to petition to the U. S. Supreme Court to review their case and possibly re-trial to prove detainees innocence. Habeas Corpus Habeas Corpus. The name of this play is quite strange, it made me think of death (corpse), maybe a hideous corpse. My first impressions when I heard that we were going to see the play were very confused. Written by Alan Bennett, Habeas Corpus was a play written by a playwright I had never heard of before, so I had no real expectations. The impressions I did have were completely different from the play I was presented with at the Theatre by the Lake. The theatre is in an idealistic setting in the heart of the Lake District, which is a main tourist area in the U.K., so this means that the majority of audiences will be mainly tourists on holiday and so will be from a wide range of backgrounds and a lot of different age groups. The venue was useful in the setting of the play. The set used a holiday theme and this was very effective and fitted in well with the plot of the play too. I didn't know anything about the director, so I couldn't think what sort of drama forms he might use. The performance spanned April to November, so I don't think that the time of year it was presented in is important, as it would be for example a pantomime at Christmas, but it just so happened to be on in the busiest time of the tourist season, so the holiday theme was appropriate here too. The play was performed on an end-on stage, of average size with a proscenium arch and a large apron, which was used effectively throughout the performance to help the actors communicate directly to the audience. The set was arranged around an acting area painted in white upon the stage, this was so the entire audience could see the whole play without missing any action on the extremities of the stage. However this meant that when an actor made his/her entrance they had to reach the area before they could deliver their line and move on and off with speed. In the middle of the area, there was the main piece of furniture, a white psychiatrists' chair that doubled up as a bench, bed, sofa and part of the pier. This was achieved by painting the bottom with a wood planking design, same as the stage to create an easily adaptable but bland stage not to detract from the actors' performance. The backcloth was a board surrounded with different colored lights, the purpose of which I will explain later. The main reason was to make a postcard/cartoon effect in the middle was a picture of the sea with stuffed seagulls mounted on the front, to add to the surrealist feel. To portray the doctors house, there were three cartoon pictures came down from the ceiling one a skeleton, to remind the characters that death is always looming, a typical old man to remind them that we are all getting older and closer to death and a busty young woman with an hourglass figure to remind them to seize the moment. The plot was very complicated and I feel the best way to explain it briefly is to name the main characters and their role in ‘life'. Dennis- a confused, sexually deprived, geeky young man who is a typical hypochondriac and thinks he is going to die, but is desperate for love (mainly sex) before he does. He falls in love with the voluptuously beautiful Felicity a rich young woman whom wants to use Dennis by marriage before he dies to annoy her mother, also sex mad. Dr Wicksteed is Dennis' father and a perverted doctor who likes nothing more than slyly touching up young rich paying patients, namely Felicity and is desperate for love before he dies. His wife Mrs. Wicksteed is in love with the head doctor Sir Percy Shorter, who doesn't love her any more but finds lust in Felicity who turns out to be his daughter. There are also extra characters like Connie Dennis's Aunt who is very pathetic (until she gets her wonderbra). She is engaged to The Perverted Vicar who preferred her when she looked like a boy. He also stared up the skirt of Felicity's Mother on the train, she had a war time affair with Sir Percy. Connie fal ls in love with the Wonderbra salesperson that is chased by Mrs. Wicksteed. Finally, there is the Suicide fanatic, a non-paying patient who is always trying to end his life via hanging throughout the play but finds no sympathy. The narrator is the Wicksteeds' family cleaner Mrs. Swabb, who guides us through this otherwise confusing play with humour. Not surprisingly, the main theme in this play was sex and relationships. There were also: – marriage – love – death – promiscuity as main themes. The play was set in the early 1970's when the promiscuous society was just becoming accepted. It was also very obviously a farce and a comedy even though it touched upon serious themes. The costumes reflected the characters that wore them. For example Dennis wore orange checked flares and a jumper too small for him, this symbolizes his inexperience and how he is still very much a youth, underneath he wore a dull red flowery shirt that went well with a purple jacket he used for the wedding. His make up was just spots all over his face and gel in his hair to make him appear greasy and unclean. All the characters wore colorful clothes, which stood out against the bland background apart from Connie who in the beginning wore brown unexciting clothes. This made her appear the same age as Dennis even though she was meant to be his Aunt. In the end though, she appeared in a spangled mini dress with fur and high heels, this showed that since she found love with the salesperson she had ‘come out of her shell'. Lighting was a main feature of the performance. For most of the time, there was just a main spotlight focusing on the acting area. . For special effects the lights I mentioned earlier, surrounding the backdrop were very important. In love scenes (e.g.-Where Connie and Sir Percy dance the Tango) the lights illuminated the stage in a soft red glow and when there was a game show section in the performance where they flashed on and off in different colors like a fairground. I found this very effective and it added variety to the performance. Sound was used very little in the production. One very effective use of sound and motion was when Connie opened her Wonderbra. Because it was made from the same material as the Apollo space crafts the music came on as the Apollo Mission Theme Tune and the actors ‘swooped' down to see the content of the box in very slow motion. This was both comical and made it interesting. The only other music was to dance to and a heartbeat in the quiz. Also there were bombing sounds to resemble the blitz when Felicity's mother was telling the story of how her and Sir Percy met. It gave the impression that you were there in the action as it was happening like when you were a child watching a good film. The rest of the actors were very still so they did not detract any attention from the story. Some of the drama forms used were subtle but worked well. Here is my favorite: -Still imaging- they made photographic poses around the centre of attention to focus our attention to the person and so we could see everyone in a way that was pleasing to the eye, colorful and interesting also this is related to the postcard theme of the set design. All the actors were very believable but not in a normal way. You know that they were too stereotypical to be true and that it was a farce but they still came through as real people. All the characters stood out to me in their own special way, and you could relate to all of them in some way so this made them interesting to watch. If you think about it, the farce comes out of laughing at your own faults and how stereotypical we are as much as we want to think we aren't. This was the most important thing in the play, the way they looked at society was original. I really enjoyed Habeas Corpus, it was thought provoking and made you look at yourself in a different light. It made me laugh and delivered a serious message at the same time- don't waste your life and seize every opportunity you get. Habeas Corpus Habeas Corpus. The name of this play is quite strange, it made me think of death (corpse), maybe a hideous corpse. My first impressions when I heard that we were going to see the play were very confused. Written by Alan Bennett, Habeas Corpus was a play written by a playwright I had never heard of before, so I had no real expectations. The impressions I did have were completely different from the play I was presented with at the Theatre by the Lake. The theatre is in an idealistic setting in the heart of the Lake District, which is a main tourist area in the U.K., so this means that the majority of audiences will be mainly tourists on holiday and so will be from a wide range of backgrounds and a lot of different age groups. The venue was useful in the setting of the play. The set used a holiday theme and this was very effective and fitted in well with the plot of the play too. I didn't know anything about the director, so I couldn't think what sort of drama forms he might use. The performance spanned April to November, so I don't think that the time of year it was presented in is important, as it would be for example a pantomime at Christmas, but it just so happened to be on in the busiest time of the tourist season, so the holiday theme was appropriate here too. The play was performed on an end-on stage, of average size with a proscenium arch and a large apron, which was used effectively throughout the performance to help the actors communicate directly to the audience. The set was arranged around an acting area painted in white upon the stage, this was so the entire audience could see the whole play without missing any action on the extremities of the stage. However this meant that when an actor made his/her entrance they had to reach the area before they could deliver their line and move on and off with speed. In the middle of the area, there was the main piece of furniture, a white psychiatrists' chair that doubled up as a bench, bed, sofa and part of the pier. This was achieved by painting the bottom with a wood planking design, same as the stage to create an easily adaptable but bland stage not to detract from the actors' performance. The backcloth was a board surrounded with different colored lights, the purpose of which I will explain later. The main reason was to make a postcard/cartoon effect in the middle was a picture of the sea with stuffed seagulls mounted on the front, to add to the surrealist feel. To portray the doctors house, there were three cartoon pictures came down from the ceiling one a skeleton, to remind the characters that death is always looming, a typical old man to remind them that we are all getting older and closer to death and a busty young woman with an hourglass figure to remind them to seize the moment. The plot was very complicated and I feel the best way to explain it briefly is to name the main characters and their role in ‘life'. Dennis- a confused, sexually deprived, geeky young man who is a typical hypochondriac and thinks he is going to die, but is desperate for love (mainly sex) before he does. He falls in love with the voluptuously beautiful Felicity a rich young woman whom wants to use Dennis by marriage before he dies to annoy her mother, also sex mad. Dr Wicksteed is Dennis' father and a perverted doctor who likes nothing more than slyly touching up young rich paying patients, namely Felicity and is desperate for love before he dies. His wife Mrs. Wicksteed is in love with the head doctor Sir Percy Shorter, who doesn't love her any more but finds lust in Felicity who turns out to be his daughter. There are also extra characters like Connie Dennis's Aunt who is very pathetic (until she gets her wonderbra). She is engaged to The Perverted Vicar who preferred her when she looked like a boy. He also stared up the skirt of Felicity's Mother on the train, she had a war time affair with Sir Percy. Connie fal ls in love with the Wonderbra salesperson that is chased by Mrs. Wicksteed. Finally, there is the Suicide fanatic, a non-paying patient who is always trying to end his life via hanging throughout the play but finds no sympathy. The narrator is the Wicksteeds' family cleaner Mrs. Swabb, who guides us through this otherwise confusing play with humour. Not surprisingly, the main theme in this play was sex and relationships. There were also: – marriage – love – death – promiscuity as main themes. The play was set in the early 1970's when the promiscuous society was just becoming accepted. It was also very obviously a farce and a comedy even though it touched upon serious themes. The costumes reflected the characters that wore them. For example Dennis wore orange checked flares and a jumper too small for him, this symbolizes his inexperience and how he is still very much a youth, underneath he wore a dull red flowery shirt that went well with a purple jacket he used for the wedding. His make up was just spots all over his face and gel in his hair to make him appear greasy and unclean. All the characters wore colorful clothes, which stood out against the bland background apart from Connie who in the beginning wore brown unexciting clothes. This made her appear the same age as Dennis even though she was meant to be his Aunt. In the end though, she appeared in a spangled mini dress with fur and high heels, this showed that since she found love with the salesperson she had ‘come out of her shell'. Lighting was a main feature of the performance. For most of the time, there was just a main spotlight focusing on the acting area. . For special effects the lights I mentioned earlier, surrounding the backdrop were very important. In love scenes (e.g.-Where Connie and Sir Percy dance the Tango) the lights illuminated the stage in a soft red glow and when there was a game show section in the performance where they flashed on and off in different colors like a fairground. I found this very effective and it added variety to the performance. Sound was used very little in the production. One very effective use of sound and motion was when Connie opened her Wonderbra. Because it was made from the same material as the Apollo space crafts the music came on as the Apollo Mission Theme Tune and the actors ‘swooped' down to see the content of the box in very slow motion. This was both comical and made it interesting. The only other music was to dance to and a heartbeat in the quiz. Also there were bombing sounds to resemble the blitz when Felicity's mother was telling the story of how her and Sir Percy met. It gave the impression that you were there in the action as it was happening like when you were a child watching a good film. The rest of the actors were very still so they did not detract any attention from the story. Some of the drama forms used were subtle but worked well. Here is my favorite: -Still imaging- they made photographic poses around the centre of attention to focus our attention to the person and so we could see everyone in a way that was pleasing to the eye, colorful and interesting also this is related to the postcard theme of the set design. All the actors were very believable but not in a normal way. You know that they were too stereotypical to be true and that it was a farce but they still came through as real people. All the characters stood out to me in their own special way, and you could relate to all of them in some way so this made them interesting to watch. If you think about it, the farce comes out of laughing at your own faults and how stereotypical we are as much as we want to think we aren't. This was the most important thing in the play, the way they looked at society was original. I really enjoyed Habeas Corpus, it was thought provoking and made you look at yourself in a different light. It made me laugh and delivered a serious message at the same time- don't waste your life and seize every opportunity you get.

Staff Development and Performance Appraisal in a Brazilian Research Centre

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www. emeraldinsight. com/1460-1060. htm Staff development and performance appraisal in a Brazilian research centre Cristina Lourenco Ubeda and Fernando Cesar Almada Santos ? Staff development and appraisal 109 ? ? University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil Abstract Purpose – The aim of this paper is to analyse the staff development and performance appraisal in a Brazilian research centre.Design/methodology/approach – The key issues of this case study are: the main organisational changes which have taken place over the last decades; the aspects of the organisational structure that have either contributed to or hindered competence-based management; the development of necessary researchers’ competences related to main projects and processes and the way of appraising the development of their competences.The analysis of this paper was carried out considering the following phases: strategic plannin g, speci? cations of projects and processes, competence-based management and performance appraisal of researchers. Findings – Although integration was found between the performance measurement and strategic plans de? ned by the research centre, competence-based management is still centred on individuals and based on their tasks. The link between researchers’ competences and their social context is not considered.Originality/value – Feedback from the results of research projects and recycling of organisational processes would allow the studied organisation not only to identify the individual competences necessary for each activity, but also to improve the relationship between professional growth and innovation brought about by competitive strategies of companies. Keywords Competences, Innovation, Human resource management, Performance appraisal, Research organizations, Brazil Paper type Case study IntroductionCurrent competitive markets are highly in? uenced by t he markets being globalised, technological innovation and stiff competition. Competence-based management appears in this scenario as an approach to human resource management which provides interaction between human resource systems and a company’s strategy (Santos, 2000; Schuler and Jackson, 1995; Meshoulam and Baird, 1987). Technological changes require companies to develop human competences as an important factor to achieve success and have competitive advantage (Drejer and Riis, 1999).The main objective of developing competences is to enable people to assimilate the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for their jobs (Sandberg, 2000). Strategic human resource management has attempted to link its practices to innovation strategies of companies which deal with changing, unpredictable and demanding markets (Hagan, 1996; Huselid et al. , 1997; Mills et al. , 1998; Jayaram et al. , 1999; Drejer, 2000a; Ray et al. , 2004). Human resource management consists of systems such as selection, staff’s performance appraisal, career management, compensation and motivation practices.European Journal of Innovation Management Vol. 10 No. 1, 2007 pp. 109-125 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 1460-1060 DOI 10. 1108/14601060710720573 EJIM 10,1 110 All these systems may favour or hinder the development of competences which are necessary for a company’s strategy (Sandberg, 2000). The systems in human resources may help a company to increase its competitiveness by implementing competence-based management. Models for competence-based management have been widely used in order to align individual abilities with core competences of a company.A structure of competences is basically understood as a link between people’s development and a company’s strategy. Competence-based management uses a structure of competences to align its strategic objectives with its key processes in human resource management (Le Deist and Winterton, 2005). The aim of thi s paper is to analyse a Brazilian research centre by reinforcing the main challenges of implementing competence-based management in this centre which deals with innovation.Its mission is to develop solutions for sustainable development of Brazilian agribusinesses by creating, adapting and transferring knowledge and technology to bene? t society (Ubeda, 2003, p. 50). This research is relevant because: . it highlights the production and transfer of technology as a distinct factor in terms of innovation which allows companies to achieve a leading position in international markets (Fleury and Fleury, 2004); and . the development of competences which is directly linked to market demands is analysed (Mans? ld, 2004; Schroeder et al. , 2002; Hagan, 1996; Drejer, 2000a; Drejer and Riis, 1999). As a consequence, this analysis is based on a theoretical proposal concerning the development of individual competences which reinforces performance appraisal as a tool to identify and monitor staffâ €™s competences, as well as taking into account a company’s core competence and external demands. The paper is based on three relevant topics: (1) Working competitively involves placing high value on people, considering their experiences, ideas and preferences.Their participation in organisations is necessary because employees and managers have to discuss a company’s objectives together. (2) Encouraging employees’ participation means creating opportunities to offer people a collective perspective concerning the signi? cance of their professional practice and a way of being part of the future. (3) It is fundamental to consider not only the staff’s speci? c quali? cations needed for the positions in the organisational structure, but also their knowledge, experiences, skills and results for future innovations. Individual competences which are identi? d by performance appraisal in all the hierarchical levels of an organisation are important aspects concer ning the success of a company’s competitive strategy. Once the company is aware of the individual competences needed for each process, it can identify new ways of developing its human resources by changing the focus of its human resource systems. An integrated model for human resource management with a business-oriented strategy uses individual competences as a reference for the systems in human resource management, such as selection, training and development, compensation and career management.Taking this into account, Dutra (2001, p. 27) says that: . . . organisations and people, side by side, create a continuous process of competence exchange. A company transfers its assets to the people, enriching and preparing them to face new professional and personal situations, inside or outside of the organisation. Its staff, in turn, while developing their individual abilities, transfer their learning to the organisation, providing it conditions to cope with new challenges. Competen ce-based management Competence-based management has a direct effect on the future performance of its human resources (employees, managers and directors).It also considers attitudes, values, personal characteristics and relationships in teams which are necessary for innovation and not only the knowledge and skills required for completing their jobs (Conde, 2001). Therefore, competence-based management is a strategic practice which aims at increasing the global performance of a corporation by increasing the individual performance of its employees (Hagan, 1996). It is necessary to identify factors which produce differences between individuals according to the results of their jobs and experiences (Moore et al. , 2002; Drejer, 2000b).For this reason, every company which strives for competitiveness in its market recognises that competence-based management and performance appraisal are strategic functions, as this has brought about innovation by recycling companies’ processes and i ndividuals’ activities (Bitencourt, 2004; Drejer and Riis, 1999; Houtzagers, 1999; Baker et al. , 1997). Competence-based management creates opportunities for effective strategic human resource management. However, without performance appraisals, both for individuals and teams, a company can neither monitor its own development nor the progress of its staff’s performance.As a consequence, it cannot develop or manage its individual competences (Ritter et al. , 2002; Robotham and Jubb, 1996). Therefore, the main objectives of competence-based management are: . to guide managerial decisions related to providing employees with the resources necessary for them to carry out their work satisfactorily, as well as to meet their training needs; . to plan staff’s activities and identify the work conditions that in? uence their performance; . to guide the company’s human resource policies and guidelines; and . to reward, promote and even punish, warn or ? e employees. Development of individual competences When considering social interaction between people and objectives, competitive strategy makes use of a formal structure to exchange information and human resource management that provides guidelines for selection, job design and evaluation, performance appraisal and rewards (Devanna et al. , 1984). A competitive strategy formulation must be based on the strongest competences of a company. Constant progress of competences creates opportunities for systematic Staff development and appraisal 111 EJIM 10,1 112 re? ement and reformulation of competitive strategy and, by doing so, new ways can be identi? ed to develop competences (Fleury and Fleury, 2004). Developing individual competences is cyclical. According to environmental demands, companies de? ne their competitive strategy and core competences in order to channel their energy into their speci? c characteristics and, consequently, to adopt human resource systems that support the identi? cation and management of their individual competences. In this paper, development of individual competences is considered as a way of supplying information to other systems and processes.First of all, the company must: . establish what the strategy and organisational competences are; . de? ne the speci? cations of products and processes; . study the perspectives of necessary individual competences for each speci? c process; and . plan and carry out performance appraisal (Figure 1). When competence-based management is integrated into a company’s strategy, one can observe the relationship between identifying personal competences and main human resource systems: selection, training and development, compensation and career management.Companies which integrate competence-based management into strategic planning become able to make use of some tools, such as a balanced scorecard in order to measure the organisational performance in four balanced perspectives: ? nance, customers, internal processes and staff’s learning and growth. Kaplan and Norton (1997) highlight the importance of creating a strategic feedback system to test, validate and modify the hypotheses which are incorporated into strategic business units. When cause and effect relations are incorporated into the balanced scorecard, they allow executives to establish short term goals which re? ct their best expectations in de? ciencies and impacts and consequently affect performance measurements. From the feedback obtained by performance appraisal, supervisors and employees can identify what the necessary skills and knowledge are for activities to be developed, and what type of training is necessary to improve project management. Competence and human performance Individual competence associates explicit knowledge, personal skills and experiences with individuals’ results and judgement of organisational values which are obtained in ? their social context (Hipolito, 2001, p. 1; Fleury and Fleury , 2000; Zari? an, 2001; Sveiby, 1998). It considers the production and handing in of results which are linked to employees’ mobilisation, that is to say, it incorporates the value added by them to business, as shown in Figure 2. Ubeda (2003) emphasises that competence involves the individuals working closely in a team by doing practical activities, as well as their daily routine which results in a constant â€Å"know how to learn†. The individuals must be apt to take the initiative and assume responsibilities to cope with professional situations which they come across.This responsibility is undoubtedly the counterpart of decentralising decision making. Individuals will not give orders anymore, but they will individually assume the Staff development and appraisal INNOVATION 113 STRATEGY F F Mission Objectives E E E CORE COMPETENCES D B D SPECIFICATIONS OF PRODUCT AND PROCESSES A C E B A INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCES K C K PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Figure 1. The competence developm ent process Source: Ubeda (2003, p. 50) responsibility for evaluating a situation, the required initiative and the effects that will inevitably arise from this situation.Therefore, a person or a team (when accepting responsibilities) accepts to be judged and be appraised for the achieved results in terms of performance for which they are responsible. They commit themselves to producing and handing in results of their activities. Thus, it is not possible to consider competence without presenting the logic behind human performance, as performance appraisal guides the development of individual competences according to business needs (Moore et al. , 2002; Lawler, 1995). The use of competences means rethinking the procedures of staff’s appraisal because: . . each individual becomes aware of which result must be reached and how it can be achieved. The competences form the basis of the language used to de? ne the expected behaviour which enables performance and improvement to be car ried out (Conde, 2001, p. 80). EJIM 10,1 114 INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCE SKILL Know how to do something PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY Results ATTITUDE Intend to do something POTENTIAL Knowledge Figure 2. The individual competence concept Source: Hipolito (2001, p. 81) According to Dutra (2001, p. 33), one of the most dif? ult issues concerning people management is to de? ne and appraise performance in terms of the results to be handed in by a determined person, company or business. Performance appraisal makes it possible to identify three individual aspects that interact between themselves: development, effort and behaviour (Figure 3): Each aspect must be dealt with in a different way, concerning not only the way to appraise, but also the actions which follow the appraisal. In general, companies mix these three aspects and emphasise effort and behaviour.At the current moment, staff’s professional growth is the most important aspect of performance and it is worthy of special attention (Du tra, 2001, p. 35). Dejours (1997, p. 54) highlights performance appraisal as evaluating a job that can take place in two ways: evaluating usefulness and social relationships. Evaluating the technical, social or economic usefulness of the individual is linked to the workplace and the person who does it is generally in a hierarchical position (boss, manager or organiser) to appraise the usefulness.Evaluating social relationships is related to the alignment of the job and production with standards which have been socially established by peers in the same hierarchical level which enables the individual to belong to a collective group. This evaluation is related to the job and its activities. What is appraised and evaluated is the job and not the individual. From the perspective of the human factor theory proposed by Dejours (1997, p. 55), this is an essential point because an individual’s contribution to the job effectiveness makes recognition and compensation possible.PERFORMANC E APPRAISAL BEHAVIOUR DEVELOPMENT EFFORT Figure 3. The three aspects of performance appraisal Source: Dutra (2001, p. 35) Recent studies point out models of performance appraisal based on behaviour and attitudes, but not only the ones focused on the analysis of functional features of each job (Moore et al. , 2002). They reinforce the increasing in? uence of technology, functional requisites and organisational learning in terms of developing competences (Drejer and Riis, 1999). According to Zari? an (2001, p. 121), nobody can compel individuals to be competent.A company can only create favourable conditions for their development. Thus, motivation becomes a key element in terms of developing competences. It is necessary for the employees to feel useful and be able to assume responsibilities. The individuals will be more motivated as they consider that the practice of their competences also contributes to the development of their projects and perspectives. Performance appraisal as an i nstrument to identify employees’ competences Competence-based management is supported by organisational competences that directly in? ence an individual’s competences, which are necessary for carrying out tasks and processes and, then are considered in performance appraisals. Consequently, the feedback concerning the data from these appraisals enables the whole organisation to recycle strategies and competences. Many authors highlight the dif? culty of measuring the impact of developing competences regarding a company’s performance (Mans? eld, 2004; Moore et al. , 2002; Ritter et al. , 2002; Drejer, 2000a; Sandberg, 2000; Hagan, 1996). This situation is worsened if the individual metrics of each work process are thought to be measured.Becker et al. (2001) emphasise that performance appraisal systems are incoherent in terms of what is measured and what is important. When implementing a company’s strategy, human resource managers have to be able to understa nd exactly how people contribute to a company’s results by being valuable and how to measure this contribution. This situation only takes place if these managers really participate in the development of a company’s strategy. These authors state that satisfactory performance appraisal produces two types of results: 1) it improves the decision-making processes of the sector responsible for human resource management by focusing its activities on the aspects of the organisation that contribute to the development of a company’s strategy; and (2) it provides a better allocation of resources, de? ning direct relations between human resource investments and strategic assets of a company. Developing competences in a research centre Aiming at evaluating competence-based management in practice, a case study in a research centre located in Brazil was carried out.This organisation is a unit of a Federal public research corporation which consists of 37 research centres, three national service centres and 11 central unit of? ces and is present in almost all the States of the Brazilian Federation. This corporation has invested in training and quali? cations of its staff since it was founded. In 2003, there were a total number of 8,619 employees. Out of 2,221 researchers who work in this corporation, 45 per cent have a master’s degree and 53 per cent a PhD. Staff development and appraisal 115 EJIM 10,1 16 The studied research centre is responsible for developing new technology which can facilitate the life of producers and agricultural workers in the country. The organisation was chosen because it has implemented a performance appraisal system which aligns the development of its products and processes with human resource management. Methodology An empirical study was undertaken from February to November, 2003 using the following data collection instruments: interviews with opportunities for participants’ comments and analysis of documents.Sev en professionals from this research centre were interviewed: four employees of the human resource area, the associate head of the research centre and two researchers. The participative observation of the researchers, the interviewees’ comments and the documental analysis provided a personal and close contact with the organisation identifying institutional materials, norms, routines and programs developed by the professionals. The key questions of this case study focus on: . the main organisational changes which have taken place over the last decades; . he aspects of the organisational structure that have either contributed to or hindered competence-based management; . the development of necessary researchers’ competences related to main projects and processes; and . the way of appraising the development of researchers’ competences. The case study The studied research corporation experienced some organisational changes over time that had clearly de? ned its busin ess-oriented strategy. There is a real concern about integrating this strategy with human resource management, however, the performance appraisal system shows an irregular historical background.The investigated corporation was founded in the 1970s, a period of outstanding economic growth in Brazil. Moreover, the Brazilian government supported the training of experts in research in public organs and in the agricultural sector (Ubeda, 2003). At that time, the corporation did not experience either ? nancial or human resource problems because the objective of the Federal government was to form a vanguard institution in its ? eld. The research guidelines of research were de? ned by the corporation’s headquarters and then followed by the research centres.The corporation’s concern about integrating strategies with human resource management increased from the 1990s onwards, as well as plans to implement a structured performance appraisal system (Table I). The research centres were regionally located according to product lines and were set up to solve local problems. These units followed and carried out nationwide policies, as well as guidelines de? ned by the corporation’s headquarters. At this moment, there was no concern about performance appraisal.From 1988 onwards, due to the current Federal Constitution being approved, public institutions became more concerned about the strategic management of the appraisal of processes and results, not only of the organisation but also of the individuals. Period Institution’s organisational scenario 1970s Development and consolidation of the studied corporation Employment and development of human resources Availability of ? nancial resources for project development Modernisation of management Application of strategic planning Focus on resultsAnalysis of global scenarios Rede? nition of the research centre’s mission and vision Formulation of a global policy for the organisation consisting of res earch policy, businesses’ policy, and business communication policy Focus on the customers Organisational re-structuring of processes and projects 1988-1992 1994-1998 1999-2003 Source: Ubeda (2003, p. 69) Aiming to follow these changes of organisational and technological paradigms, the studied organisation started to adopt strategic planning principles in its institutional culture and drew up its ? st corporate plan for 1988-1992. In 1991, the corporation initiated a process of organisational change, using strategic planning techniques, focusing on their operations and processes in the market, guiding research projects towards solving social problems, and not only exclusively towards the progress of pure science, attempting to ? nd an increase in ef? ciency and effectiveness to continue being competitive and to guarantee its sustainability (Nader et al. , 1998).From 1994 onwards, a new system to appraise individual job performance was created and integrated with both strategi c planning and the institutional management system of the whole corporation, as well as with the operational plan of each research centre. To remain competitive and to guarantee sustainability, the corporation adopted a process of organisational change based on a management model drawn on results and customers’ requirements, as well as having been supported by the balanced scorecard methodology (Kaplan and Norton, 1997).From 1997 to 1999, the institution started implementing a new strategic management model in order to provide guidelines which really showed what was de? ned by the corporation. Therefore, the entire organisation’s staff would work in favour of the de? ned goals (Sentanin, 2003). Within its job structure, the institution manages its human resources by linking the achievement of the proposed goals of its annual operational plan to negotiating the proposed activities for each employee in the performance appraisal system.The performance appraisal system, be sides being an instrument to recognise achieved results, is also used to identify human competences, which are important for research, and is a basis for selection, training and compensation practices in research centres. Concerned about meeting the needs of its customers, the corporation de? nes its strategic objectives and conveys them to its research centres that incorporate them into the annual operational plan. These units establish important processes to ful? the proposed goals in the performance appraisal systems of researchers, and consequently, researchers develop new practices and technology (Figure 4). Staff development and appraisal 117 Table I. Organisational scenario of the studied corporation EJIM 10,1 118 Corporate Strategic Plan Plan of Each Unit Annual Operational Plan Figure 4. Performance strategic management process in the organisation studied Performance Measurement Strategic Planning F E E D B A C K Strategic Management Model Based on Processes Performance App raisal Source: Ubeda (2003, p. 82)In each research centre, there is an internal technical committee which co-ordinates research regarding themes and developed projects. This committee analyses pre-proposals and proposals of projects and processes of its unit with technical, operational and ? nancial criteria. Thus, each new project undergoes evaluation and approval of the committee. Once a project is approved, it can be developed, and after it is concluded, it is evaluated once again to re? ect on the results, assuring both the commitment of its staff and the quality of its technical projects and processes.The units’ type of structure is ad hocratic, according to Mintzberg’s (1983) terminology, because it consists of teams which develop the approved projects, as well as them being concerned with innovation and always centred on the development of new products and processes. The head of research of each unit co-ordinates and appraises the performance of the projects whi ch are carried out. The structure of this centre is the re? ection of its strategies, since it attempts to create an integration of specialties using its project teams with the aim of competitiveness and customer satisfaction.As for the job structure, there are two functional careers: research and support for research. Data analysis, results and implication of this research Research on competence-based management was focused on performance appraisal because it is an important instrument to identify human competences based on the innovation strategy of the studied centre. In this performance appraisal system there is explicit planning of the following activities: . what the results of the jobs are expected to be; . ow the product should be presented and what the standard of performance is expected to be; . . when the deadline for the product to be presented is; and feedback of the results of the jobs. However, since 1994 when it was implemented, the performance appraisal system has u ndergone modi? cations to improve its methodology, attempting to make its participants aware of the need for periodic dialogue and monitoring the activities, as well as for the impartial and speci? c appraisal of the activities planned in relation to the availability of means to carry out these activities.The planning of employees’ activities must be made according to the goals of its unit, area or sector, and to the projects under the responsibility of the studied research centre (Ubeda, 2003, p. 82). Performance appraisal must consider the employee’s individual competences and the results of the job which were de? ned in strategic planning. Competence-based management aims at guiding managerial decisions, the processes of professional development, as well as planning the human resource systems.An analysis of the development of competences in the Brazilian research centre was carried out by comparing the main theoretical issues of the literature with practices of the organisation which was studied (Figure 5). Firstly, the strategic objectives (item 1 of Figure 5) of the studied organisation were formulated according to the corporation and unit’s missions and the corporation’s objectives. A synthesis of the theoretical issues concerning organisational competences (item 2 of Figure 5) is presented as follows: . eveloping organisational competences is based on the internal abilities of companies (Wernerfelt, 1984); . these competences consist of skills, abilities and technology which enable a company to meet the speci? c needs of its customers, that is to say, to achieve a competitive advantage superior to competitors (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994); Staff development and appraisal 119 FORMULATION OF STRATEGY (1) Objectives are defined according to the corporation and unit’s missions and the corporation’s objectives PRACTICES OF THE STUDIED ORGANISATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCES (3) ISSUES OF LITERATURE ONORGANIZATIONAL C OMPETENCES (2) ISSUES OF LITERATURE ON INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCES (4) ISSUES OF LITERATURE ON PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL (6) F E E D B A C K PRACTICES OF INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCES OF THE STUDIED ORGANISATION (5) ITEMS OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IN THE STUDIED ORGANISATION (7) Core of this analysis: researchers Focus of the performance appraisal: researchers’university degree qualifications Figure 5. Analysis of the development of competences in the research centre EJIM 10,1 . . 120 they require an understanding of competitive advantage mechanisms which may be used over time.When competitive strategies are being developed, companies have to make the best use of their speci? c features (Grant, 1991); and a competence can be de? ned by considering four elements and their relationships: technology, people, organisational structure and organisational context (Drejer and Riis, 1999). The main features of organisational competences practised in the researched company (item 3 of Figure 5) were: . focus on the internal ability of research in agriculture and breeding; . support for competitive agribusinesses development in the global economy; . ncouraging the development of agribusinesses with the sustainability of economical activities and environmental balance; . diminishing environmental imbalanced aspects of agribusinesses; and . supplying raw materials and food which encourage the population’s health, improving the nutritional level and quality of life. Individual competence issues in the literature (item 4 of Figure 5) may be summarised as follows: . individual competence links explicit knowledge, skills and experiences of individuals to the results and judgements of value built within their social ? etwork (Hipolito, 2001; Fleury and Fleury, 2000; Zari? an, 2001; Sveiby, 1998); . individual competence can be explained altogether by the skills (to know how to do something), attitudes (to intend to do something), knowledge (to understand why to do something and sea rch for solutions) and results (to produce and come ? up with the solution) (Hipolito, 2001); and . in order to develop complex competences, complex systems involve not only many people in different areas of the organisation, but also interlocking technology.It is very dif? cult to understand and imitate them because they are very dependent on people and technology (Drejer and Riis, 1999). To develop individual competences in the research centre (item 5 of Figure 5), the following initiatives were carried out: . stimulating and rewarding creativity; . seeking effectiveness, developing actions with a focus on the achievement of results and solutions with compatible and competitive costs; . planning the company for the future by strategically positioning its resources and abilities; . eing committed to honesty and ethical posture by placing high value on human beings and dealing with all groups of society with respect; . attempting to meet the particularities of customers’ dema nds by following the principles of total quality; . stimulating leadership when creating, adapting and transferring knowledge, products, services and technology; . . . . encouraging partnerships with other organisations and individuals; developing partnerships in terms of science and technology in agribusinesses; striving for scienti? c rigour, using scienti? methods in research, caring about the exactness and precision of procedures in all the phases of the process, and not tolerating bias in results; and supporting teams which deal with problems in a systemic way in order to attain the ? nal objectives of their jobs. With regards to the issues presented in the literature on performance appraisal (item 6 of Figure 5): . the three main aspects of performance appraisal are people’s development, effort and behaviour (Dutra, 2001); . models for performance appraisal are based on behaviour and attitudes, and not only on the speci? functional analysis of each job (Moore et al. , 2 002); and . technology, functional requisites and organisational learning in? uence the development of competences (Drejer and Riis, 1999). However, the main items of performance appraisal in the studied organisation (item 7 of Figure 5) are limited to: . researchers’ ability of monitoring the projects being carried out; . researchers’ scienti? c publications, such as articles, proceedings of congresses and scienti? c journals, books and chapters of books; . production and transfer of technology; and . publicising the research centre’s image.Although there is integration between performance appraisal and strategic plans de? ned by the research centre, competence-based management is still centred on the individuals, and it is also based on their tasks and not on the individuals linked to their social context, as previously pointed out by Moore et al. (2002), Zari? an (2001), Drejer and Riis (1999) and Dejours (1997). The previous fact is also a result of the dif? culty in measuring innovation and the degree of the development of a research project. Until the moment the research project does not achieve the proposed objective, it is dif? ult to quantify how much this research has progressed over time. All the risks are assumed and the decisions are centralised by researchers who coordinate the project teams. These facts took place because of the studied organisation which did not manage to deal with complex competences in a decentralised way. Although this research centre is a reference in Brazil, the competence notion of this institution recognises only the scope of skills (to know how to do it) and knowledge (information and experiences), not considering the scope of the attitudes (to intend to do it).The organisation only recognises competences based on a university degree quali? cation, and does not include the initiative and the responsibilities necessary to cope with complex situations. It does not centre the development of individual competences either on speci? c projects or on integration and team work. Staff development and appraisal 121 EJIM 10,1 122 Project management and performance appraisal are centred on the main researchers’ skills and knowledge, minimising the importance of the competences of the other members of the research project team.However, it is important to mention that the quantitative criteria of performance appraisal do not only re? ect the concern about customers’ satisfaction, but also guide the distribution of resources and the human resource policies of the studied institution. Performance appraisal does not consider either the team aspect or the concept of feedback structured by 360 degrees appraisal in which all the staff appraise and are appraised by their superiors, subordinates and colleagues (Borman, 1997). Employees are appraised by their superiors in the studied centre.The results of the performance appraisal system contribute to strategic planning, however, the o rganisation and superiors are not appraised by the employees. In addition, an investigation into the organisational atmosphere was not made. There is not a channel for the feedback of performance appraisals which could result in both the development of researchers’ competences and the innovation process of this centre. The processes in which technology is transferred and research is carried out are not de? ned according to the guidelines and parameters of this research centre, but they are de? ed by the corporation. Regarding cultural aspects, there is a great resistance and incredulity of the performance appraisal systems and the development of competences, despite the employees being already familiar with the appraisal systems of the research projects. Considering this incredulity, the appraisers do not take the role of planning and monitoring individual jobs. â€Å"There is always something more important and more urgent to do than ‘to sit down with somebody to plan actions related to the individuals’ job and his/her respective performance† (Nader et al. 1998, p. 17). In Table II some theoretical references are compared with the investigated institution’s practice. This is an approach combining the presence of the aspects of: competence (skills, attitudes, knowledge, production and handing in), Competence-based management elements in the studied organisation Table II. Elements of competence-based management in the organisation studied Performance appraisal integrated with strategic planning Performance appraisal integrated with human resource systems Development of skillsDevelopment of knowledge Development of attitudes Consideration of the social context of project teams Development of competences according to production and delivery Performance appraisal based on results Use of balanced scorecard to establish and rede? ne goals Participation of all members of a research project team in the performance appraisal through 36 0 degrees performance appraisal Concern about employees and researchers’ professional growth considering all the elements of competenceFeedback of appraisals in terms of attitudes, opportunities of professional growth and social context to develop new strategies Source: Adapted from Ubeda (2003, p. 95) Present Absent X X X X X X X X X X X X the performance appraisal model, and the strategic integration of processes with human resource management. Conclusions When dealing with current competitive markets and needs for technological innovation, as well as stiff competition for new market niches, competence-based management is really a strategic practice adopted by companies to attain competitive advantage in order to serve the customers quickly and ef? iently. As a consequence, the alignment of human resource management practices and business strategies is of fundamental importance to company’s competitiveness, and it emphasises people as a distinct resource for success. Thus, competence and human performance help the development of projects and internal processes. Competence-based management is carried out based on identifying individual competences, using performance appraisal of results from an individual’s job.It is based not only on the competitive strategy and the organisational structure, but also on processes and projects of a company. It is also a reference for managers’ decisions concerning the selection, training and compensation policies of a company’s staff. To implement a consistent performance appraisal system which is capable of appraising the competences of each employee, it is necessary to check which knowledge, skills and attitudes should be developed in order to improve the internal processes of the organisation, without remaining focused only on jobs and tasks.In this case, the research centre is basically just concerned with its operational plans whose main reference is striving for productivity. However, it was observed in practice that the development of individual competences does not link the performance appraisal system to the collective and social approach of competence-based management, and it also does not include the scope of attitudes in order to integrate strategic planning, its monitoring, performance appraisal, the feedback of results of a research project and the improvement of processes.It is exactly this feedback, if well managed, that makes a difference, not only when identifying individual competences necessary for each activity, but also in the possibility of sharing professional growth concurrently with innovation and competitive strategy of companies. Feedback linked to the organisation’s strategy could increase the integration between all its organisational units and levels possible. 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Corresponding author Cristina Lourenco Ubeda can be contacted at: [email  protected] com. br ? To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: [email  protected] com Or visit our web site for further details: www. emeraldinsight. com/reprints Staff development and appraisal 125