Tom's Shoes Link to Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tom's Shoes Link to Society - Essay Example He was hurt by this condition and felt the need to do good and help those children he saw in the streets. He promised himself that he was to do anything possible to help these children hence Blake and his team decided to take a financial risk and started shoes manufacturing company. He decided that, for every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is donated to the needy child in the society (Schermerhorn 148). Furthermore, children not only in Argentina, but also across the world that many live under poverty life and cannot even afford even the basic needs. These children walk barefoot hence get infected by soil diseases, which go through their bare foot. Most children are likely to get sores, cuts and other injuries that later become serious wounds increasing the infections of diseases to their bodies. In order to avoid these shoes play an essential role in preventing children and even adults in poor rural areas from getting infected from these diseases. On the other hand, children from poor families do not go to school due to lack of shoes, which is part of school dress code. Meaning these children will not go to school to get the education that will help them better their future. Therefore, TOMS has promoted education since many children who never went to school because they lacked shoes now can go to school and there is a reduction in the high spread of soil diseases that infect the p oor in society. The company dispersed ten thousand pairs of shoes to needy children in Argentina in the year 2006. It has also distributed shoes to needy children in over 40 countries across the world among them Rwanda, USA, Argentina, South Africa, Rwanda, Haiti among many other developing countries. As a result, the organization has attracted many donors and has received grants and funds from them. This made the company expand its business and

Research analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research analysis - Essay Example Research questions in the article are two. The first covers the omissions in the postpartum depression careespecially those covering medical-surgery departments while the second research questions deals with reasons identified by postpartum depression practitioners for their failure to deliver particular services. The questions remain consistent with the topic chosen for research. One of the most essential conceptual underpinnings is the quick comprehension of important concepts in the introduction. The author explains the relationship between insufficient staffing and the delivery of poor postpartum depression services(Kelly, 2008)). The author clearly indicates in the introduction that the paper seeks to delve into this area in addition to finding out why nurses do not offer efficient services as health practitioners. The author protects the rights of the people who took part in the study. He elaborates on the method of data collection as well data analysis clearly for any reader to comprehend the procedures. Findings from the research are listed in the findings section. Expression of themes in the article identifies various reasons explaining the inefficiency of nurses. The author aligns the specific tasks for nurses to the themes and the entire framework of the study. The article delves into the effects of Lavender and Rosemary essentials on test-taking anxiety among graduate nursing students. High stress levels are factors that contribute to ever-increasing number of dropouts in this course. Sanatorium care focuses on managing stress levels among patients. In this case, it minimizes the intensity of the signs of the stress as opposed to attempting to treat the effects albeit vainly. The author of the article undertook extensive measures to conduct a literature review on the topic picking information from the current literature materials as well as past articles. In reviewing the literature, the

Concept of Homeostasis

Concept of Homeostasis Explain the Concept of Homeostasis (P5) The main concept of homeostasis is to maintain a constant environment inside the body. It does this by controlling certain systems throughout the body, keeping it at the normal environment. Although external influences can have a negative impact on this environment, homeostasis will then make the body react to these influences by correcting it back to the norm level; this is known as negative feedback. Negative feedback is how homeostasis keeps these systems throughout our body in balance. The process of negative feedback is when receptors in the body detects when something is off balance or wrong, this then triggers the receptors to send a message to the effectors in the body. Effectors then cause a reaction in the body to restore the balance back to the normal environment. Although the receptors will keep sending these signals to the effectors until the balance is completely restored back to normal. That’s why it is called negative feedback as it’s something negative happening to the body. Homeostasis constantly maintains the environment of four main systems throughout the body, these systems are: Heart Rate Breathing Rate Body Temperature Blood Sugar Levels Heart Rate The circulatory system is made up of blood vessels, such as arteries and arterioles; these vessels takes oxygenated blood from the heart to the thin-walled capillaries which is where exchange of oxygen and nutrients takes place and vessels known as venues and veins return the now deoxygenated blood back to the heart, this is an ongoing cycle. Nutrient molecules then leave the capillaries to be taken up by the cells, and waste molecules are transferred off by the cells and then are received by the capillaries to be taken away. Capillaries thrive in all parts of the body; blood is composed into two parts: formed elements and plasma. All of the produced elements donate to homeostasis; Oxygen is consumed throughout cellular respiration, this is a process that provides energy for metabolic activities. The body fights infection to keep the body unharmed and prevents it from giving way to diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. Plasma, too, donates to homeostasis. The nutrients required an d the wastes given off by cells are carried in plasma. Nutrients then leave the plasma through the capillaries and wastes enter the plasma at the capillaries. Breathing Rate When the body breathes in air, oxygen is inhaled into the alveoli of the lungs this is where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. Blood inside the pulmonary artery is oxygen-poor and holds a higher concentration of carbon dioxide. As blood passes through the capillaries close to the alveoli, oxygen is diffused into the blood and carbon dioxide then diffuses out of blood into the alveoli. Then after, carbon dioxide is exhaled by moving from the alveoli to the nose. As the blood within the pulmonary vein is oxygen-rich and holds a lower concentration of carbon dioxide, it is clear that carbon dioxide has been exported for oxygen as blood passes through the lungs. The respiratory centre, found in the medulla; which repeatedly releases nerve impulses to the diaphragm and the muscles of the rib cage. In its relaxed state, the diaphragm is dome-shaped, but upon stimulation, it contracts and lowers. Also the rib cage moves upward and outward, therefore the thoracic cavity increases in size and air pressure within the expanded lungs lowers and is instantly rebalanced by air rushing in through the nose. When the respiratory centre stops sending out stimulatory nerve impulses, the diaphragm and rib cage return to their original positions and exhalation occurs. There are chemoreceptor’s next to the respiratory centre in the medulla oblongata that are quickly responsive to the carbon dioxide content of the blood, and chemoreceptor’s in aorta and carotid arteries that are responsive to both the carbon dioxide content and the pH of the blood. When the carbon dioxide concentration rises or when the pH lowers the respiratory centre is stimulated and the breathing rate increases. Body Temperature The body is able to maintain a normal body temperature of 37Â ° C even if the external temperature ranges between 16Â ° C and 54Â ° C. The metabolic activity of cells is the heating system of the body because cellular reactions give off heat as a side-effect. When the body is resting, body heat is produced mainly by the heart, liver, brain, and endocrine glands but when the muscles are active they produce many times the heat produced by these organs. Therefore, increased muscle activity, such as by rubbing hands or stamping feet are used as a short-term measure to raise body temperature. On a long-term cause, the hormone thyroxin is produced by the thyroid gland stimulates cells to a higher metabolic rate. An expecting is that the persons living in a cold climate will have a higher metabolic rate than those who live in a reasonable climate. The regulatory centre for body temperature, found in the hypothalamus, is responsive to temperature changes within the arterial where blood is flowing. Depending on the body temperature, the regulatory centre produces the adaptive responses, and body temperature then increases or decreases. The body cools when blood vessels near the skin are dilated and the warm blood passing through them this loses heat to the atmosphere by radiation. Sweating also cools the body because as it evaporates, the body loses heat. If body temperature falls too low, the body will begin to shivering. Shivering requires nerve impulses to be sent to the skeletal muscles. In cold temperatures, people wear clothing which traps an insulating layer of warm air next to the body to recompense for a lack of body hair. In warm temperatures, clothing is worn to protect the body against the burning rays of the sun, but such clothing should be loose so that heat may still be lost by radiation. Blood Sugar Levels Glucose is an important substance in the body as it is the main source of energy for all natural functions and is in fact the only form of energy which can be used by the brain and central nervous system. The level of blood glucose in the body is important, as if blood glucose levels drop or rise dramatically there may be serious consequences such as hypo- or hyperglycaemia which can both cause death. Therefore it is necessary for blood glucose levels to be regulated and this is achieved through homeostasis. To work effectively homeostasis has an effective receptor that detects this. If the levels are too high the receptors would send a signal to the pancreas to control the concentration of the glucose in the blood. The pancreas would then produce a hormone called insulin, which causes the glucose to be transport from the blood into the cells. This lowers the concentration of glucose in the blood if it becomes too high. This process usually happens after we eat a meal that is rich in carbohydrate such as, sweets, rice, pasta, bread or potatoes. Bibliography GCSE Bitesize (2011) Homeostasis [Online] Available on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_aqa_pre_2011/homeo/homeostasis1.shtml Accessed on 23/03/15 Biology Innovation.co.uk (2011) Homeostasis [Online] Available on:http://www.biology-innovation.co.uk/pages/human-biology/homeostasis/ Accessed on 23/03/15

Heartbeat of a City: The Influence of Soccer in Rome :: Free Essays Online

Heartbeat of a City: The Influence of Soccer in Rome The first time I went to Italy the taxi driver that picked my parents and I up at Rome’s Fiumicino airport had his radio turned to a station playing a Serie A soccer match between two Italian powerhouse teams, AS Roma and Turin’s Juventus FC. At first I just assumed the low-level, even sound of the announcers voice was merely a talk radio show, but as I heard the excitement in his voice build as each team became closer to scoring, and the background sounds of the crowds chanting and singing for their teams I began to understand the phenomenon that calico, the Italian word for soccer, was in Italy. Literally the heartbeat of a nation whose history has been tumultuous to say the least, soccer has been a mainstay in Italian culture for generations. Known as the world’s most popular sport, professional soccer has helped create and define different groups of people around the world for longer than a century. The hoopla surrounding teams, geographic areas fans dwell in, and political ideals associated with individual clubs have carved an identity for millions of supporters whose heart and soul becomes dedicated to their favorite players, stadiums, and coaches. Soccer teams and their fans can give us a window into how people can be divided and defined by their allegiances and ideals, and why those with similar views band together to create a familiar environment for themselves. Large questions still remain about the role of soccer in today’s world. Why do people in Europe and abroad become so dedicated to their teams, over all other cultural factors like politics, clubs, and organizations? How does soccer affect Italian and Roman political allegiances, and how does the commitment of each team’s fans affect the Roman urban space, the policies and reactions of the Italian government, and each other? By uncovering and defining the importance of soccer in Rome, I am arguing that Roman soccer fans are not only divided by team colors and name, but also by geography within the city, political allegiances, and social differences. I am also arguing that the importance of soccer represents far more than an interest in a game, but a representation of all that a Roman citizen, as well as the majority of all Europeans, live for and love.

“Success is ninety-nine percent failure.” – Soichiro Honda

Firstly, there are many standards in defining â€Å"success†. According to the Dictionary. com, success is the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. It means that each person has his or her level of success, which means some people would think they are success when they earn a large amount of money; some would prefer a high social status; some would consider as having a happy family or achieved their personal goal. â€Å"Failure†, on the other hand, it is a feeling that people are disappointed when their goal or achievement cannot be reached. To be able to reach achievements, failure could be use as a stepping-stone toward success. In other words, â€Å"Failure is the mother of innovation. † The underlying implication shows that each failure is a step along the road to success. People should experience what they have learnt from failure; once they failed they could use the failure as a lesson and learn from what they have failed, use it to gain experience and move toward success. For instance, every person cannot run before they learn how to walk, and they must have the feeling of pain for improvement, and they also need to learn how to stand up wherever they fell. Thomas Edison said,† Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. † He had tried more than 1000 experiments before he came up with a successful invention. His deafness did not disturb him from investing, and he did not give up and even thought the deafness could help him more concentrate. His example is one of the best to represent that one should never give up before success. If this quote put into marketing, one marketing strategy will not bring us to be success and never be the best way to run a business. As the market keeps changing internationally from time to time, companies should not give up to innovate new strategies to fulfill customers’ needs or improve their products regarding the market changes. When the companies suffered from economic downturn, some of them will choose to close down; however, some of hem will try to develop new market strategies to stay in the market if they can think from other aspects. Conclusion In conclusion, â€Å"Success is ninety-nine percent failure† is extremely related to human beings, it is because everyone may not be successful if they do not failed in their life. Everyone has different meaning of success, but people should not give up when they failed, they should to have solution to overcome problems.

Factors Affecting Development

Skinner views are that children learn language through imitation, and they copy from how their parents talk. He thought that children learn mostly through positive and negative reinforcement. When an adult feels as if the child is learning how to say a word from their babble such as ‘baby’ they will repeat it continuously so that in the end result the child will learn how to say the word. (6-12 months) Bowlby thought that a mother and a new born would need to bond with close contact for a good long term development.His views were that babies wanted to be close with the main parent/carer at all times to feel safe and when it was achieved, the babies constant need for attention would stop. When the baby is put in a new environment or separated from their main carer they will feel unsafe and start their crying for attention so they can be close with their carer again. This theory is called ‘attachment’. (0-3 months) Darwin believed that children were born with basic emotions; babies learn appropriate emotional responses from watching other people around them and observing how they react to things.They check their parent’s facial expressions or body language before responding positively or negatively to a situation (Squire 2007:105). (0-3 months) Schaffer views were that there were three stages of development in infancy, in stage 1 it showed that the baby was more drawn to people than inanimate objects and would smile more around a human than if left with inanimate objects like toys. In stage 2, the baby will be around 3 months and will be able to recognize the difference between their parent/carer and other strangers, babies may not mind being held at this stage because they’re too young to see the strangers as a threat.In stage 3, around 6 months a baby will form a stronger bond with their main caregiver and will try to seek attention. The child may become distressed when their carer is out of sight and will also cry around strangers because they may be scared. (0-3 months) Piaget believed that children learnt through first-hand experience and discovering things and exploring rather than just being told or shown. He thought that that the parents/carers should make sure that they are providing resources to help the child develop further.Letting children play freely will benefit the child as long as there are boundaries put in place to make sure it is safe for the child to explore e. g. if the child was playing outside in the garden, they will need to be supervised because they may hurt themselves or eat something they shouldn’t. The gates should also be checked to make sure that the child can’t get out. (1-2 years) Vygotsky believed that the level of development for a particular child was known as ‘the zone of actual development' but he thought that a child was capable of more if encouraged and assisted by their parents.The difference between the two levels was the ‘zone of pr oximal development ‘Adult intervention is necessary if the child is to move on from one level to the next. For example if a child is learning how to stand up without holding onto anything the next step would be for their parents to assist them in taking a few steps with them or providing a walker for the child to learn independently. (2-3 years) Factors affecting developmentSmoking while pregnant will cause the baby to have low birth weight and there will be a higher change of you’re the baby being stillborn. There will also be a higher chance of cot death. Smoking may cause miscarriage or premature birth. Smoking around new-born can affect new-borns even though they are outside the womb because they are inhaling second hand smoke, it can cause severe respiratory diseases and it can delay growth of their lungs.  (0-3 months)Children in the age range of 7-12 mostly socialize with their own gender because they go through the stage when they may dislike the opposite gend er and think there gender is the best. The NIH Study shows that girl’s brains develop before than a boys brain does and that girls reach maturity before boys. (7-12 years) Children living in better conditions are more likely to have a healthy lifestyle which affects their physical development, they will be more likely to be able to go on a lot of holidays, pursue hobbies like music and dance and art.They will be more likely to have the clothes that everybody wants and the school may be in an area where there are better schooling opportunities which will increase the chance of emotional stability. Children living in poverty are unlikely to have poor housing, diet and education. There may be higher crime rates in the area which would influence the children’s social and emotional behaviour. They may also have fewer chances to join clubs or join into hobbies they like or to go on holidays. (3-7 years)

Mobiization of America for WWI essays

Mobiization of America for WWI essays The mobilization of America for war was both an arduous and dispute ridden process. With many in the United States still opposed to intervention at the start of the war, financing it and managing it on a material level, as well as gaining public support for an overseas campaign were at the very least an impossibility. In the end, the task fell at the hands of the President, Woodrow Wilson First on task for Wilson was to arrange for a financial base to support the war. This process was slowed by progressive powerhouses within the American political system. Among those who opposed federally imposed taxing were politicians such as Robert M. La Follette and Hiram Johnson. Men like these opposed government measures that would benefit large business interests, whom they largely blamed for Americas entrance into the war. They were afraid that the war would return power to big business interests whom they had been fighting to wrest power from for years. They mainly feared that with the return of big business power the progressive reforms they had managed to make would be blotted out. Furthermore, they held moral objections to war, and were reluctant to support it. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, they saw themselves as protectors of the poor, which led them to oppose many taxes proposed by Wilson and his wartime government. Such taxes opposed were excises and nuisance taxes, which added to the prices of chewing gum, soft drinks, cars, and theater and movie tickets. The progressives, led by La Follette, supported taxes on those who stood to profit from the war. This meant increased income taxes for those of high income, excess profit taxes, and taxes on tobacco and alcohol. In the end, the powers that be were forced to submit to the progressives firm stance on these issues and congress passed a compromised piece of tax legislature. Along with several excises, the new bill served to tax small incomes (above $5...

White Paper Essays

White Paper Essays White Paper Essay White Paper Essay Seem l: Internet and Web Technologies Rules: Case study and white paper both should be submitted in soft copy format. Any one case study topic and one white paper topic can be selected from the list given below. Expected format for both: Title page including names, division (A/B), PRNG numbers and photographs of the students Table of contents Actual material Summary References Abbreviations if any If the format is not maintained or any of the above details are omitted, 25% marks would be deducted. Length of the case study/white paper is not important. Originality and sincere efforts are more important. Groups of two students each can do this. All referenced material needs to be acknowledged. If the submission is copy-pasted from other sources, no marks would be given. Copying each others case study/white paper would also result into zero marks for both groups (copying group as well as original group). Last date for submission would be Saturday, 21 September. The CRY can email me a single zip file or give the submissions on a CD. Submissions made after this deadline would result into zero marks. Viva would be conducted on this later. Case Study Impact of digital media on the reading habits of people Comparison of various e-book readers in detail Social networking: Is it a fad? Does social networking really help in making democracy stronger? Piracy and the Internet Digital music and copyrights Comparison of various FTP servers available in the market The future of Internet standards What is new in Internet protocols Video streaming technologies

Analysis, segmentation and marketing mix of Apple

Analysis, segmentation and marketing mix of Apple Introduction The aim of this report is to analyse the current position of the company which includes the products, current strategic position, and current financial strength. Different types of marketing tools are used in this report. PEST analysis and Porter’s five force model for looking into the external environment. SWOT analysis for looking into the internal environment of the organization. This report also looks into market segmentation and the marketing mix of the product. Apple was first introduced by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976 to market and sell the Apple personal computer kit. The first computer kits were hand built and was kept for a public display first at the homebrew computer lab. This computer kit consisted of Motherboard with RAM, CPU, and some video chips. Since then apple have come a long way in the market all over the world and they are one of the leading companies in electronic products. This can be known with the informat ion given below: Current Strategic Position Apple believes in continuous improvement and they look into all the key sectors like environment, health and safety management systems and the quality of our products, processes and services. Looking into the Principle and goals of Apple, Apple has set out their own principles where they look to meet all the health and safety requirements, promote energy efficiency, and their main goals are; innovation is the most important thing for apple, to increase the number of sales of the product in the education field, providing new and user friendly software for the customers, and last but not the least providing high quality products to the customers. Looking into the current strategic position of Apple, with the introduction of its own operating system, hardware, software application, and with a completely new design, Apple looks to meet all the customer requirements like new products, ease of use, and an innovative design of the product. Apple is currently focusing on, brand awareness and improving the product by increasing the financial investment on marketing and advertisement, they are looking at expanding the retail segment by opening more number of stores all over the world, they are looking at keeping it up with the competition by implementing a cost leadership strategy, and they are looking to continue the reputation of being the leader in innovation for new technology by implementing product differentiation strategy. Looking into the current finance position of Apple, on October 19, 2009 Apple announced the financial results for the year 2009. The company posted revenue of $9.87 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.67 billion. These results can be compared to the revenue of $7.9 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.14 billion in the previous year quarter. International sales also helped 46% of the quarter’s revenue. Gross margin is 36.6% when compared to the previous year quarter which was 34.7%. Appl e reached 17% increase when compared to the previous year quarter by successfully selling 3.05 million Mac computers during the quarter. PEST analysis and Porter’s five forces are very important tools to establish the external environment of Apple:

Bereavement Support Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bereavement Support Group - Essay Example I have a husband and 2 other children (ages 8 & 6). Im shocked, I feel sad, lonely, and isolated, especially being away from my country and my family. Im struggling in my studies and also being forced to continue to deal with everyday life once again as if nothing had happened. Through my exploration, research and groups I am able to present what I have found among those dealing with the grief process and support groups. Support groups commonly were found to share certain traits and built on certain underlying principles and theories while also allowing freedom to stray from those boundaries set by society and prior studies as to what is expected and what the actuality of the situation is. Backgrounds among those who participated in one group study included nursing, social work, counseling, pastoral care, and genetics (Supiano, & Vaughn-Cole, 2011). Foundation of trust is key to any support group; establishing & maintaining trust is directly related to the leader & the leader’s style, ability to communicate and also their sensitivity to each within the group and where they are in the healing process. Group facilitators are educated in numerous ways and come from many professions. They must be able to utilize open ended question to draw out members to share. Previous experience with death, grief, bereavement, and loss are important. Many group leaders have themselves experienced grief and loss. Health care setting students who participated in and organized a group were comprised of 80% who had person prior direct experience with grief and loss. Chronic sorrow can result when there are no coping mechanisms learned, it is persuasive, misunderstood and usually a continuing and resurgent grief. Though it more often related to a long term illness or dementia there is also persistent cases in those who have found no closure. Chronic sorrow is instigated by trauma and events such as the loss of a child and bereavement are very traumatic experiences (Roos,

Specific Strategies Used by JetBlue Research Proposal

Specific Strategies Used by JetBlue - Research Proposal Example Almost all information can be accessed online and it would, therefore, save a customer the need to have to go to the customer care service desk to always make inquiries and get assistance. People would opt for saving when making choices other than just having empathy for a given brand. The use of social network has enabled Jet Blue to effectively influence buyers and maintain good and lasting customer relationships. Jet blue gives critique to customer’s voices and that is what lead to the establishment of the software that helps the analysts to have better insights of feedbacks obtained from customers. This helps in making critical decisions driven to ensure full customer satisfaction in the bid to fight competition from other airline service providers (Parekh, 2012). Marketing is a process which involves all the necessary steps to ensure final sales. It involves planning, pricing, promotion, distribution and sales that ensure the satisfaction of both the customers and the producers, in terms of profits and consumer satisfaction. The general concept of marketing lays emphasis on selling satisfaction other than just selling the products. It involves determining the needs and wants of customers and giving out more desirable outcomes than any other competitors, in trying to achieve the organizational goals. JetBlue as an airline company acts to provide customers with the best flight services and this they achieve through a number of ways such as offering compensations and seeking customer feedbacks after service delivery (Brizek, 1998). This makes it clear that the airline is giving more concern about the kind of products they offer. They measure whether their outcomes are close or up to those desired by their customers. The type of products offered is the key concern for this organization. It is for this concept of products that they are going far in trying to save costs for their customers by conducting online marketing and providing full information and inquiries through their network. This is done in order to facilitate quality products in terms of the services.

Should Feminists Be Against Pornography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Should Feminists Be Against Pornography - Essay Example Sometimes, it has also been the issue of equal rights between male and female and who is worth to have more power. The various issues arising out of feminism have also invited many theorists as well as political reformers formulate theories related to feminism which has been eventually linked up with politics. The research will investigate the different perspectives and issues related to pornography a subject closely linked with feminism, and whether the two go hand in hand. The issue of feminism is sometimes seen to be taking a liberal approach, which is again recognized as liberal feminism. Liberalism essentially refers to a differentiation of the body from the mind, overhauling the role of mind in defining human nature, while denying the importance of bodies. Precisely because it denies any connection between mind and body, liberalism assumes too many similarities between men and women. (Ring, 1991, 28) Women and men are no different from each other, and are treated equal irrespec tive of having two different bodies is what the liberalists believe. This ideology also has resemblances with Marxist theorists. According to Marxism, there is practically no difference between men and women. ... (Ring, 1991, 28) Looking from the Marxist approach, the body does not assume any significant image and even liberal feminists also share the same view. Whether one is a man or a woman holds no significance in the Marxist world. Instead, it is far more important to see whether one belongs to the upper class or the lower class based on his economic status. It denies any difference based on gender, and refutes any conflict that might be related to what rights a woman can enjoy as compared to her male counterpart. Considering from this angle, a woman has as much rights to wear clothes as a man, irrespective of how much part of her body the clothes might reveal. Following this perspective, one can notice the difference if one visits a capitalist country like USA and a country like UAE who believes in a more radical approach like difference between genders are strongly existent. In other words, a woman in USA would feel quite comfortable in exposing clothes like bikinis at a beach, while a woman from UAE might consider it unthinkable. However in the 1960s, feminists have been active in responding to the issues of the use of veil in Islam apart form issues like female genital mutilation carried out in Africa and female infanticide in Asia. However Marxist feminists believe that the two genders are equal but â€Å"we do not deny that men are the agents of women’s oppression, or that, within the framework of existing social relations, men benefit form it, both in material and psychological terms† (Marxism, Feminism & Women’s Liberation, n.d., 1). These feminists also hold that these gains are â€Å"petty, hollow and transitory† involving high costs. In this context of

Pen Marked Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pen Marked - Essay Example This discussion is an application of the steps of critical thinking in Penn-Mart case memo or case study. Before applying the steps of critical thinking in Penn-Mart case study, it would be important to outline the benefits of critical thinking. Browne and Keeley (2014) notes that critical thinking helps individuals react decisively, review and critic a presented material. In this respect, applying critical thinking in Penn-Mart memo forms the basis for its review and criticism. Based on the writers articulation of ideas and conclusions, the reader can either accept or reject the presented material. The first step of critical thinking as presented by Browne and Keeeley (2014) is identification of the issue and conclusion of the subject matter. In other words, this step involves identification of the argument, hypothesis and the projected or anticipated communication. To identifying the issue, Browne and Keeley (2014) advises that one ought to reflect and raise questions in regards to what the writer is responding or reacting to. In this respect, the issue in Penn-Marts case is the escalating expenditure in terms of healthcare benefits for the employees. Conversely, there must also be the identification of the conclusion in critical thinking. This involves a reflection on what the author of the material is seeks to establish (Browne and Keeley, 2014). In this case, the conclusion of Penn-Mart case can be deduced from the objective of the proposed "Get Well" program. It is the belief of the writer that improving employees awareness of their individual health status and subsequent ly assisting them identify health problems that could be alleviated or lessened by means of individual improvement approaches would significantly reduce the costs incurred by Penn-Mart through healthcare benefits. The writer clearly defines the issue and conclusion. The second step of critical thinking is identification of the rationale (Browne and Keeley, 2014). This

Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Art history - Essay Example Aerial perspective is the technique of creating a work of art that shows how atmospheric conditions influence perception of distance objects. Objects closer to the horizon have lighter tones, and less detailed than objects far from the horizon. A good example is looking at the sky whereby the part directly above a person looks bluer, but looking towards the horizon the color fades and appears lighter. Evidence of application of aerial perspective can be seen in architectural drawings such as a city plan. Artists realized that moisture and dust in the atmosphere caused the light passing through it to scatter. The most scattered is the short wavelength, which is blue, and the least scattered is the long wavelength, which is red. This results in far looking objects to appear bluer, paler, and hazier. Landscape painters utilized this principle to present the atmosphere between the viewer and distant objects such as mountains. The atmosphere makes distant objects appear with less distinct edges and outlines than objects nearer to the viewer. Among the first painters to utilize this technique was Leonard Da Vinci who invented the term aerial perspective. In the painting of by Masaccio, Tribute Money, there is evidence of change in color and value of the composition as the viewer’s eyes move from the foreground backwards. As the viewer looks backward, the hills in the painting become lighter and lighter, and also bluer. Moreover, the objects in the background appear cooler than the foreground objects.

What is he demographic transition and why is it important today Essay

What is he demographic transition and why is it important today - Essay Example As the birth and death rates are identical in this phase therefore this phenomenon results in a very slow population growth and the population remains almost stationary over the period of time. The high death rates at this stage are imputed to lack of knowledge about disease prevention and shortages of food supply. Since in the days of yore, there was a lack of clean drinking water, scarcity of good food hygiene, and ineffective sanitary systems therefore it resulted in very high death rates. Diseases pertaining to water and food such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea were discerned as fatal diseases and they were common killers at those times. A handful of child survived their early stages of life. Similarly, high birth rates at those periods are ascribed to all the factors that are linked with high fertility. Since the death rates among the children remained high therefore mothers craved for new children and there was no question as to the need for children even if the measures to control them had existed. The second stage of demographic transition (beginning of industrialization) observes a rapid decline in the death rate while the birth rate remains at the same level. As a consequence of this, the gap between deaths and births grows wider which in turn increases the population of the country. The drastic decline in death is ascribed to different factors. Firstly, economies observe massive improvements in their food supply furnished by higher yields as farming processes are refined and improved. Such improvements include crop rotation, selective breeding, and seed drill technology (Montgomery 2005). Secondly, development in country’s infrastructure improves the transportation system and hence it saves from death due to starvation. Finally, there are substantial improvements in the realm of public health, specifically during the

Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Art history - Essay Example Aerial perspective is the technique of creating a work of art that shows how atmospheric conditions influence perception of distance objects. Objects closer to the horizon have lighter tones, and less detailed than objects far from the horizon. A good example is looking at the sky whereby the part directly above a person looks bluer, but looking towards the horizon the color fades and appears lighter. Evidence of application of aerial perspective can be seen in architectural drawings such as a city plan. Artists realized that moisture and dust in the atmosphere caused the light passing through it to scatter. The most scattered is the short wavelength, which is blue, and the least scattered is the long wavelength, which is red. This results in far looking objects to appear bluer, paler, and hazier. Landscape painters utilized this principle to present the atmosphere between the viewer and distant objects such as mountains. The atmosphere makes distant objects appear with less distinct edges and outlines than objects nearer to the viewer. Among the first painters to utilize this technique was Leonard Da Vinci who invented the term aerial perspective. In the painting of by Masaccio, Tribute Money, there is evidence of change in color and value of the composition as the viewer’s eyes move from the foreground backwards. As the viewer looks backward, the hills in the painting become lighter and lighter, and also bluer. Moreover, the objects in the background appear cooler than the foreground objects.

Tanglewood casebook Essay Example for Free

Tanglewood casebook Essay 1) Recruitment Guide Position: Store Associate Reports to:Shift Leader Qualifications:High school diploma or equivalent, Some college course work preferred 1 year retail experience preferred including experience in customer service Relevant Labor Market:West Washington Timeline:Week of 1/8Conduct interviews with qualified candidates 1/24Targeted hire date Activities to undertake to source well-qualified candidates: Post job opening on company website and on in store kiosks Request company referrals  Contact local colleges to notify them of available positions and see if they know of any students looking for employment Contact staffing agencies, if necessary, to fill position with temporary associate that may want to permanently work for the company Staff members involved: HR Recruiting Manager Department Managers Potential peers Budget: $3,000-$4,500 2) The store associate position is one that mainly deals with assisting customers, be it to find certain products, deal with issues, or to just make their experience a pleasant one while dealing with the daily operations of the store. The open method to recruiting means that we are casting a wide net to catch any applicants that we can and see what we get. It’s possible that we may get exactly what we are looking for, but it’s possible that it may just be wasted resources. I recommend the targeted method to recruitment, which means that we are going to go for a specific group of people with specific KSAOs. By using the targeted method we will address some of the staffs concerns about hiring new store associates. The first concern was to reduce turnover; by casting a smaller net, but getting more qualified individuals we may eliminate some of the turnover. This will also help with the lag time, which was the second issue, in that there will be less applicants to sift through, thus letting us get to the more qualified candidates more quickly. This will help us target the applicants we want, which were college to middle age individuals with at least a high school diploma, preferably some college course work, with retail and customer service experience. By getting employees that already have customer service experience, they will already know what they are getting themselves into and what the expectation may be. Hopefully this will also help to acquire people who fit into the culture and are looking for a career and not just a job. By using online applications with specific requirements we will better be able to target these applicants. The same goes for staffing agencies, though costly, we will more effectively acquire qualified individuals. Employee referrals may be a good way to keep up employee relations and morale, but it may not lead to the type of individuals we need. The same goes for open applications. 3) In Western Washington, the highest one year retention rate compared to the amount of applicants hired was by job service agency, followed by employee referrals. This seemed to be effective for them, because the most qualified individuals fell into the referral category, however the total cost was significantly higher for employee referrals at this site, though after a year of survival ended up being the most cost effective method of hiring. In Eastern Washington, the referral method came out the most effective as far as retention rates went, followed by the kiosk method. Following the same trend as the Western Washington region, these individuals seemed to be the most qualified. Again similar to the previous region it also was the most expensive as far as total cost went, but the most effective as far as cost per first year of survival. In Northern Oregon, the agency method had an extremely high retention rate after the first year of hire, followed by the kiosk method. In this region the kiosk method was the most expensive followed by hiring agencies. The hiring agency was the most effective after the first year of hire. In Southern Oregon, a similar trend happens compared to Northern Oregon. The agency method has a the highest post one year retention rate, followed by the referral method. And similar to Northern Oregon, it is the second most expensive as far as total cost goes, but the most effective as far as post first year hire cost is concerned. 4) It would be ineffective to follow the same hiring methods for all four regions in that in both Oregon based regions the best recruitment method seems to be agency based and in the Washington regions the referral method is most effective. If the company attempted to force all regions to have the same hiring standards they would incur higher cost, less effective recruitment methods, and would obtain less qualified individuals. 5) It has proven true for the company that cheaper is not always better, therefore getting the cheapest labor will not yield the most effective customer service. It would be beneficial to rate employee performance in accordance to high, middle, and low performers and to discuss with them how they feel they are doing in conjunction with suggestions on yielding better performance. Better performance should come with some type of reward, for example an extra vacation day, a more desirable assignment, or an annual pay increase. It also would be beneficial to employees to have additional training in customer service issues in order to prepare them for what issues they may run into. As far as the bottom line hiring requirements go, at least a year of customer service related experience should be required for employment. As previously stated this will ensure that these new candidates will know what to expect from their job, and what expectations an employer would have of them. (Please refer to question 2 for how managerial concerns will be addressed.) 6)  The targeted method would be aiming at a specific group of candidates. They may say that they are searching for a candidate with some completed college coursework and customer service experience looking to work as a store associate at Tanglewood. It also should state that if the associate seems promising they may be put on the fast track to management if they desire. The realistic method gives a real view of what the job would entail. It may say something like dealing with day to day store issues including customer complaints. It gives an employee a real look as to what they may be doing, but some argue that it may turn away good potential candidates before they actually have the opportunity to experience both the good and the bad. The branded recruitment strategy is searching for a candidate that will fit into your brand. They may say looking for a self starting individual who wants to be part of not just a company, but a family. By doing this employees feel a tie to the company’s brand and want to work for the company and not just the job. Work Cited Heneman III, Herbert G., Judge, Timothy A., and Kammemeyer-Mueller, John D. Staffing Organizations: 7th Edition. Middleton: Mendota House, 2012. Print. Kammemeyer-Mueller, John. Tanglewood Casebook for use with Staffing Organizations: 7th Edition. Middleton: Mendota House, 2012. Print.

Overview: Working with Pediatric Patients

Overview: Working with Pediatric Patients OBJECTIVES The main purpose in learning how to work with pediatric patients is to have a clear idea of the potential challenges a medical assistant may encounter when dealing with this patient population. There are many topics to cover, including but not limited to: Understanding correctly the language used within the different pediatric age groups, learning how to effectively communicate with toddlers, adolescents and parents along with finding best practices to proper document basic and vital pediatric information like: height, weight, circumference measurements, pulse, respiratory rates, blood type screening, as well as body motor developing, sensory and language milestones throughout the patient growth. Other important skills to learn are immunization guidelines along with the proper time in which vaccinations have to be administered. At the same time, describing appropriately and effectively different signs and changes during puberty, including secondary sex characteristics. Last, but no least, providing parents with education guidelines for safety along with discussing social issues that are affecting our youth’ health today. Pediatric age classifications and proper communication Although often we may perceive the word â€Å"pediatric† as babies or toddlers, this conception is wrong. In reality, when we refer to pediatric we are covering from new born through 18 years of age. The medical assistant must be knowledgeable in all stages and must be able to handle the challenges these bring forth. The following terms are critical to understand and it is imperative to learn how they are related to one another in communication skills, patient/parents education and documentation. The age ranges are classified as follows: Newborn.- It is the initial period following birth Neonate.- It is the first month of life Infant.- It is the first year of life Toddler.- From the first year of life to preschool age Child.- It often starts with school attendance into the middle childhood Adolescent.- Puberty starts here, reproduction is possible and development of secondary sex characteristics It is highly recommended to practice appropriate communication based in the patient’s age and the patient’s family. Speaking down to or over the head of an individual often creates barriers in the patient responses. It is very important to speak the language that both, the patient and his/her parents understand. When talking to a parent is vital to remain professional and call by their name, in the other hand, when talking with small children who often have not developed verbal interactions, it may be appropriate to communicate through expressions or motions. When speaking with older children or adolescent, communication barriers may come up. Never assume a meaning or intention. Always attempt to clarify what a patient is communicating; it is valid to consider that the patient may be testing the caregiver’s reactions to words or phrases. Communication, if appropriately used, can be a major tool for great evaluations and examinations. It can increase the patient confidence to the healthcare provider and as result; enable high quality health care to the patient. Infant/Toddler Measurements Infants and toddlers grow at an impressive velocity, therefore accurate and consistent measurements are highly necessary to evaluate normal or abnormal development patterns. This practice is helpful in identifying any potential health issues in which early detection will be the key to prompt prevention procedures Height and weight measurements in children at young age can be a clear indicator of potential health issues. Therefore, the medical assistant must be proficient in obtaining and recording this vital information. Being accurate is essential, especially during the early years. Indicators of questionable health may be determined based not only on initial size, but on growth pattern or trends. The National Center for Health Statistics provides charts for height, weight and head circumference. These charts use percentiles, which compare the child’s measurements with an average range of growth for children in the United States. Many factors come to play when assessing measures, one of them is familial stature, gestational age at birth, and chronic disease. When measuring the height of an infant is recommended to get another person to help, when possible, children under 2 years of age are measured in a horizontal position with the body fully extended, although a â€Å"caliper† (an instrument used to measure the distance between two points) is used by most practitioners, some clinics still use a tape measure to complete this task. Children with two years of age or more can be measured while standing. This procedure should be done by removing the patient’s shoes and having the patient’s heels, back and head in the same plane, it is a good practice having the patient standing against the wall. The same can be obtained with the use of an upright physician’s scale. Weight measurement gives another way of asses the pediatric patient’s growth and development, as with height, accurate measurement documentation is used based in the statistics chart provided by the NCHS (National Center of Health Statistics). Young infants are weighed directly on an infant scale, ideally they should be weighed naked or in a diaper. Any item on the scale, aside of the child should be considered to add or subtract when taking measurements. As children get older, techniques must adapted to the patient’s comfort, young children can be weighed in their underwear and using a standing scale. As they go into school age, a gown can be worn for more comfortable and accurate evaluation. The weight of the gowns and/or underwear do not have to determine at this age because of the constant fluctuation of ounces in these children would not be significant as they would for an infant. In the other hand, the use of accurate equipment is much more important and vital. Head circumference and chest circumference is another source of health evaluation. Knowing the traceability of the cranium and the brain is critical in the kid’s health. Abnormally large or small head size must be monitored. Patient’s may encounter macrocephaly which is an abnormally growth of the head circumference larger than 97th. Percentile. Before jumping to conclusions, familial or generic trends need to be considered. In the other hand, microcephaly, the abnormally small head may also indicate a pathologic condition, such as chromosomal disorder. When the head is measured, it is important to always measure the same area at all times; it is recommended to it just above the eyebrows. The information can document in either inches or centimeters according to office protocol. The chest measurement may or may not be done due to various locations being measured. This procedure is an additional calculation that is used to identify low birth weights in preterm babies and may also be used when there is a suspicion of lung or heart disease Pediatric Vital Signs Obtaining vital signs can be challenging at times, bold pressures are usually not taken until the age of two. Cuffs are used to measure blood pressure and they come in a variety of size and themes to make this task as pleasant as possible for the patient, although the use of new or unfamiliar equipment is often traumatic for a young child, many offices acquire equipment that is appealing to children. A good practice is to allow the child to safely touch and test the sphygmomanometer and stethoscope as well as mock with either a doll, stuffed animal or to a parent. The pulse in the young child varies with age and growth. The young infant or toddler may be very active, thereby increase the pulse rate. The primary location for measuring pulse in infants and young children are different than the location in adults. The radial artery is normally used to check on older kids and adults, at the same time, for infants and young children, the femoral or brachial arteries are the choices for patients of this age group. Another way of measuring pulse is through auscultation which is listening to the heart with stethoscope Respirations in the infant and toddler can be measured with the pulse. The rates will vary, depending on the level of activity or illness. Let’s keep in mind that a fever can elevate the respiratory and pulse rates. Obtaining an accurate body temperature is another skill that is essential for medical assistant. Fevers are very common in pediatric patients and they are more frequent compare to adults. There various methods to measure body temperature. In children and adolescents, auditory or aural readings are quick and relatively comfortable. Infants with two months of age or less are best evaluated with a temporal thermometer. Another option is obtaining rectal temperature reading. Pediatrics measurements and vital signs are key evaluation tools for identification of any potential disorders Pediatric Development Aside of the measurements discussed earlier, other areas of growth and development include motor, sensory and language development. There are different milestones that indicate acceptable growth and development patterns. These milestones are used a guidelines to determine the normal growth in children, especially during the first two years of age, it is important to keep in mind that some children reach these sooner or later compared to others, however this is completely normal. Motor development usually includes three areas of growth: reflexes, gross motor and fine motor skills, Reflexes refer to automatic responses to any stimulation. The following are the most common reflexes: Breathing, sucking, rooting, swimming, grasping and moro. Gross motor skills include motions such as rolling, scooting, crawling and walking. Fine motor skills develop utilizing smaller movements, these include touching, grabbing, poking, pulling, and pinching. Sensory Development are related to vision and hearing senses along with the deep perception and motion assessment. Any single area that exhibits impairments will affect the growth in other areas of development. Visual development involves increasing distances in sight as brain matures. Color perception also develops as the child grows. In the other hand, hearing improves in normal development as the child matures Language Development from infancy forward, the child begins with noises that elicit response. These become words, phrases and finally sentences. The timing in which these occur may be different due to educational and environmental circumstances Visual and Auditory screenings are conducted as way of measurement the sensory development and to avoid potential problems that can be treated and corrected. Prior to school age some visual milestones are evaluated: blinking, fixation on objects, coordination of eye movements, and reaching for objects, shaking ere movements and wandering eyes. Hearing screening in the newborn and infant begins. Lack of hearing is often interpreted as intellectual delay. Clues include responses to loud noises, facial expressions and turning head toward noises. As the child matures, more formal testing of hearing can be completed. Audiometric equipment can be used for this purpose. Vaccinations or immunizations have been recommended by the World Health Organization in a constant effort to prevent the spread identified diseases. History shows that infectious diseases have led to worldwide epidemics and studies show that the infant fatality rate decrease due to the use of vaccinations, UNICEF studies show that these include smallpox, whooping cough, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, HIB, hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella Pediatric visits include schedules of specifics vaccinations from the country in which the patient lives. The medical assistant is usually responsible for administration of these vaccinations, either orally, topically, or by injection. It is the job of the medical assistant to educate patient regarding the risks and side effects of each individual vaccine. As well as direct them to websites in which they can learn more about this topic. Documentation of the vaccine given must be through, the type, the lot number, the method of administration, and location of injections is placed in the patient record or immunization log. It is an important job of the medical assistant performing pediatric injections. Proper skills need to be developing for the comfort and safety of the patient to avoid physical or emotional trauma. Most pediatric injections are given intramuscularly. An important part of the medical assistant job is to calm the patient before and after the injection. Blood screenings are done to all infants through their capillaries and they may occur within the first seven days of life. Some blood screening is done if symptoms are present or it the presence of family disease. These could be â€Å"sickle cell anemia†, â€Å"IRT†, â€Å"Hypothyroidism†, â€Å"Homocystinuria†, â€Å"Ketonuria†, â€Å"and Galactosemia†. Circumcision or removal of foreskin of the penis is very common on newborn infants while they are still in the hospital; however there are occasions in which due to unforeseen circumstances this procedure is done in the pediatrics’ office which could turn in complications. Adolescent Care could be very challenging for the medical assistant. This is when the secondary sex characteristics become more obvious. At this age in when youths could show manners of independency and even exploration of new avenues such as drugs, alcohol and other substances. Communication could also be challenging with care giver. The communication could persuade embarrassment and nonprofessional. It is important to remain nonjudgmental and at the same time show empathy and professional company. Adolescent can present hug concerns for their height and weight due the influence of society and media with unrealistic and unhealthy standards, therefore the importance of being sensitive when discussing with young people about normal height and weights Puberty brings sexual changes and reproduction becomes a possibility. During this time estrogen and progesterone hormones are increasing in girls. In the other hand, boys will have the increase in the production of testosterone. Secondary sex characteristics are the visual changes seen when boys and girls as they grow to become adults. These are features that are not necessarily related to reproduction, these are voice changes, breasts, shoulder widening and facial hair. Behavioral and Mental Health Issues such as depression, eating disorders, abuse, suicide are thought to be primarily for adults, however they can also occur in the pediatric patients. The health professional must be aware of these signs and symptom in order to provide diagnosis and treatment to these problems

General George Patton :: Free Essays

General George Patton was one of the most colorful Gen.s of the Second World War which inturn gave him the nickname â€Å"old blood and guts† (Patton history channel).In this paper I will show you the many interesting fact a bout Patton. George Patton was born in San Gabriel in California in the year 1885 He was educated â€Å"at the U.S. Military Academy†(Patton,George Smith Encarta).In 1909 at his graduation â€Å"he was commissioned as a second lieutenant†(Patton,George ENCARTA 1of 1) In 1917 he served as â€Å"aide-e-camp to the American general John Pershing On Pershings expedition to Mexico†(Patton Encarta 1 of 1). However,in France during WWI Patton opened a â€Å" tank training school and commanded a Tank brigades†(Patton, ENCARTRA 1 of 1). In ’42 & ’43 he commanded U.S. forces in â€Å"Morocco, Tunisia,and Sicily†(Patton ENCARTA 1 of 1).In that company there is a â€Å"notorious incident in which the hot-tempered general slapped a soldier suffering from battle fatigue detracted from his [ Military] record†(history channel 1of 1). Here are some fameist quotes from Patton (Dans Quote Page Patton ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity." -General George S. Patton "Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack." -General George S. Patton "Do your damnedest in an ostentatious manner all the time." -General George S. Patton "Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom." -Genreal George S. Patton "Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." -General George S. Patton "Courage is fear holding on a minute longer." -Genreal George S. Patton These quotes came from DANS QUOTE PAGE (THANKS DAN). In early ’44 he was given command of the famous Third Army. His â€Å"controversial †¦ outspokenness ,uncompromising standards, and aggressive combat strategy, he played a key role in the headlong Allied armored thrust to Germany. Patton is best know for his

Free Essays - The Metamorphosis of Holden in Sallingers Catcher in the Rye :: Catcher Rye Essays

The Metamorphosis of Holden in Sallinger's Catcher in the Rye In J.D. Sallinger's Catcher in the Rye, is based on the sullen life of Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old teen-ager is trying to find his sense of direction. Holden, a growing adult, cannot accept the responsibilities of an adult. Eventually realizing that there is no way to avoid the adult life, he can only but accept this alternative lifestyle. What Holden describes the adult world as a sinful, corrupted life, he avoids it for three important reasons: His hatred towards phonies and liars, unable to accept adult responsibilities, and thirdly to enshrine his childhood youth. Holden uses the word phony to identify everything in the world that he rejects or encounters with. People are too talkative, too quiet, or dissimilar. Holden, himself, believes he is this perfect person, but no one believes that he is. This is why Holden believes he is surrounded by "phoniness." For example, Ossenburger of Pencey Prep, emphasizes that "he talked to Jesus all the time, even when he was driving his car." Holden thinks this is a load of crap and asserts, "'that killed me. I just see the big phony bastard shifting into first gear and asking Jesus to send him a few more stiffs" (17). Holden sees why he would pray to Jesus, only to send him some more dead bodies to get more business. Not only do phonies bug Holden, but liars and crooks. Another example is Sunny and Maurice, the elevator boy. Maurice offers Holden a prostitute for the night, "Innarested in having a little tail t'night" (90)? Holden decides to take up on this offer, and later that night, as promi sed Sunny knocks at his door. After entering the room, Holden cannot make a decision to sleep with the prostitute, an example of Holden clinging on to his childhood. He instead pays the prostitute for her trouble getting to his room, but after leaving, she barges back in with Maurice, complaining of how little she got. Maurice roughs up Holden and gets to his money, where Holden thinks more deprecate towards phonies and liars. Realizing what a real phony and liar people bound to be growing up, he decides to avoids the real world Free Essays - The Metamorphosis of Holden in Sallinger's Catcher in the Rye :: Catcher Rye Essays The Metamorphosis of Holden in Sallinger's Catcher in the Rye In J.D. Sallinger's Catcher in the Rye, is based on the sullen life of Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old teen-ager is trying to find his sense of direction. Holden, a growing adult, cannot accept the responsibilities of an adult. Eventually realizing that there is no way to avoid the adult life, he can only but accept this alternative lifestyle. What Holden describes the adult world as a sinful, corrupted life, he avoids it for three important reasons: His hatred towards phonies and liars, unable to accept adult responsibilities, and thirdly to enshrine his childhood youth. Holden uses the word phony to identify everything in the world that he rejects or encounters with. People are too talkative, too quiet, or dissimilar. Holden, himself, believes he is this perfect person, but no one believes that he is. This is why Holden believes he is surrounded by "phoniness." For example, Ossenburger of Pencey Prep, emphasizes that "he talked to Jesus all the time, even when he was driving his car." Holden thinks this is a load of crap and asserts, "'that killed me. I just see the big phony bastard shifting into first gear and asking Jesus to send him a few more stiffs" (17). Holden sees why he would pray to Jesus, only to send him some more dead bodies to get more business. Not only do phonies bug Holden, but liars and crooks. Another example is Sunny and Maurice, the elevator boy. Maurice offers Holden a prostitute for the night, "Innarested in having a little tail t'night" (90)? Holden decides to take up on this offer, and later that night, as promi sed Sunny knocks at his door. After entering the room, Holden cannot make a decision to sleep with the prostitute, an example of Holden clinging on to his childhood. He instead pays the prostitute for her trouble getting to his room, but after leaving, she barges back in with Maurice, complaining of how little she got. Maurice roughs up Holden and gets to his money, where Holden thinks more deprecate towards phonies and liars. Realizing what a real phony and liar people bound to be growing up, he decides to avoids the real world

Shifting Experiences of Work and Non-Work Life

Work, Employment & Society http://wes. sagepub. com/ Life after Burberry: shifting experiences of work and non-work life following redundancy Paul Blyton and Jean Jenkins Work Employment Society 2012 26: 26 DOI: 10. 1177/0950017011426306 The online version of this article can be found at: http://wes. sagepub. com/content/26/1/26 Published by: http://www. sagepublications. com On behalf of: British Sociological Association Additional services and information for Work, Employment & Society can be found at: Email Alerts: http://wes. sagepub. com/cgi/alertsSubscriptions: http://wes. sagepub. com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www. sagepub. com/journalsReprints. nav Permissions: http://www. sagepub. com/journalsPermissions. nav Citations: http://wes. sagepub. com/content/26/1/26. refs. html >> Version of Record – Feb 17, 2012 What is This? Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 Beyond redundancy: article Life after Burberry: shifting experiences o f work and non-work life following redundancy Work, Employment and Society 26(1) 26–41  © The Author(s) 2012Reprints and permission: sagepub. co. uk/journalsPermissions. nav DOI: 10. 1177/0950017011426306 wes. sagepub. com Paul Blyton Cardiff University, UK Jean Jenkins Cardiff University, UK Abstract This article sheds new light on neglected areas of recent ‘work-life’ discussions. Drawing on a study of a largely female workforce made redundant by factory relocation, the majority subsequently finding alternative employment in a variety of work settings, the results illustrate aspects of both positive and negative spillover from work to non-work life.In addition, the findings add to the growing number of studies that highlight the conditions under which part-time working detracts from, rather than contributes to, successful work-life balance. The conclusion discusses the need for a more multi-dimensional approach to work-life issues. Keywords part-time work, po sitive/negative spillover, redundancy, re-employment, work-life balance Introduction Recent discussion of the relationship between work and non-work life – much f it focused on the notion of work-life balance – has tended to give preference to two aspects of that relationship over others. First, there has been a marked tendency to consider the impact of work on non-work life to a much greater extent than vice versa. Second, as Corresponding author: Jean Jenkins, Cardiff University, Aberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU, Wales, UK. Email: [email  protected] ac. uk Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 27 Blyton and JenkinsGuest (2002: 260) has pointed out, there has been an equal tendency to explore ‘work-life conflict’ rather than examine possible positive associations within that relationship. For Guest (2002: 263), this reflects a widely held view that over the past generation the pressure of work has be come a more dominant feature of many people’s lives, as a result of among other things perceived increases in work demands and a widespread expectation to show commitment by working long hours (see, for example, McGovern et al. , 2007; Perlow, 1999).Coupled with the growth in female labour market participation, particularly among women with dependent children, this is seen to increase pressure on non-work activity by reducing the time and/or energy available to fulfil outside responsibilities. Where the possibility for positive ‘spillover’ (Staines, 1980) between work and nonwork life has been examined, this has mainly been undertaken by social psychologists, generally approaching the issue both from an individual perspective and with the non-work focus primarily on the family.Examples include studies that have identified a positive association between an individual’s job satisfaction and their satisfaction with family life (for example, Near et al. , 1987 ). Less attention has been addressed to more aggregate levels of analysis more typically explored by sociologists, such as the influence of the work group or workplace community on life outside work (for a notable exception, see Grzywacz et al. , 2007, and for earlier sociological accounts, see Horobin, 1957; Tunstall, 1962).Yet, despite the attention given to the potential for positive spillover of individual-level factors, even among psychologists the clear direction of travel has been to examine possible conflictual rather than beneficial relationships between aspects of work and non-work life. In their meta-analysis of 190 studies of associations between work and family, for example, Eby et al. (2005) found almost three times the number of studies focusing on the unfavourable effects of one sphere on the other, compared to those considering possible favourable effects.Even more starkly, of all the studies examining the effects of work on family or vice versa, less than one in fi ve of the studies entertained the possibility of the relationship being characterized by both favourable and unfavourable effects. A recent study involving a largely female manufacturing workforce made redundant by factory relocation, most of whom subsequently found alternative employment in a variety of work settings, allows for examination of some of the neglected aspects of the relationship between work and life outside work.In several respects the nature of this study in terms of the workplace and its location – a large clothing manufacturer, Burberry, in the Rhondda Valleys of South Wales – is somewhat distinctive. In earlier times the plant had been one among a cluster of factories in its locality, but the decline of coal and manufacturing meant that it had become the biggest employer for a relatively isolated community in an economically depressed area. Thus, while in operation, the factory exerted a considerable impact on the non-work lives (both in terms of fa mily and community) of its workforce.Indeed, there was a symbiotic relationship between community and workplace in our case that resonates with Cunnison’s (1966) earlier garment factory study. Such windows on the interaction of factory and community are becoming increasingly rare in the context of manufacturing decline in the UK and the changing nature of what a ‘workplace’ has become. The study provides insight into the journey of a redundant manufacturing workforce into new Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 28 Work, Employment and Society 26(1) mployment in the contemporary labour market. In this, there are clear points of reference to be drawn with Bailey et al. ’s (2008) study of redundancy at the MG Rover plant at Longbridge, Birmingham, UK, even though that study dealt with respondents from a quite different demographic and skills base. Manufacturing employment in Britain has typically involved workers employed fulltime and this pattern also prevailed in clothing factories, including our case (see Kersley et al. , 2006: 78; also Phizacklea, 1990: 66).Factory closure and the paucity of good jobs in the immediate locality gave workers limited choice and the subsequent employment experience of many of our female respondents (the majority of whom were over 45 years of age) involved part-time jobs in the service sector. Their responses usefully contribute to discussions (led by Walsh, 2007; Walters, 2005; Warren, 2004, among others) on the extent to which (and conditions under which) part-time working may contribute to (or detract from) a successful work-life balance.It is evident from the present sample that both part-time employment – particularly the lower incomes deriving from that work – and the lack of stability in the hours worked, had a significant negative impact on different aspects of non-work life. What emerges is a picture that highlights the obstacles to positive sp illover in part-time, low wage service sector occupations which fail to offer workers stability and security in terms of contracts, hours or earnings.To explore these issues, the remainder of the article is divided into five sections. First, the context of the study is outlined: the nature of the community and the closure of the factory that was the focus for our enquiry. Second we describe our investigation and our maintained connection with a sample of the workforce made redundant and their trade union representatives. The third and fourth sections trace the changing nature of the relationship between workplace and life outside work: the shift from a largely positive o a more problematic association as employment experiences altered. While the third section examines the association between Burberry and broader features of workers’ lives, the fourth explores work and non-work experiences of workers following the Burberry closure. This fourth section explores, among other thi ngs, the effects of parttime working and unpredictable work hours on the families and social lives of our respondents.The final, fifth section reflects on the findings and underlines the value of work-life enquiries adopting a more context-sensitive and multi-dimensional approach to the interconnections between work, family and community. The context: the locality and the factory This study centres on the experiences of women and men employed by Burberry, until the closure of its manufacturing plant in South Wales in 2007. The Burberry factory studied was located in Treorchy, a former coal-mining town in the Rhondda Valleys.This region saw ‘permanent structural change’ during the last quarter of the 20th century, due to the acute decline of coal mining and steel (Williams, 1998: 87, 121). Regeneration has been a regional government priority but the relative geographical isolation of valley towns like Treorchy presents particular challenges for individuals in travelling for work and also for agencies charged with attracting alternative sources of investment (Bryan et al. , 2003).Founded in 1939, the factory changed ownership more than once, with Burberry being a customer throughout its history and taking full ownership in the late Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 29 Blyton and Jenkins 1980s. At its height, the factory employed 1500 employees and though employment levels had contracted to around 300 by 2007, it remained a key employer in the area. As was the case in Cunnison’s (1966) study, the community outside the workplace entered the factory gates in the form of amilial ties, friendships and long-established associations and over time the plant had acquired a strong local identity as an example of the surviving manufacturing sector and a bastion of ‘jobs in the Valleys’. The factory’s workforce was overwhelmingly female, reflecting the gender profile of the clothing sector gener ally (Winterton and Taplin, 1997b: 10). Low levels of recruitment in latter years had resulted in an ageing workforce, with the majority of workers at the factory being 45 years or older.As part of a ‘buyer-driven’ global value chain (Gereffi, 1994), the British clothing industry has experienced structural change associated with outsourcing and outward processing of production (Jones, 2006: 101). While Burberry had formerly set itself apart from the trend to off-shoring by ‘focussed differentiation and niche marketing’ (Winterton and Taplin, 1997a: 194) of its high value garments as ‘quintessentially British’, in 2006 it joined the ranks of other producers and gave notice of its intention to relocate the Treorchy plant’s production to China in the interests of cheaper labour costs.The shock of the notice of closure was deeply felt in a community with limited prospects of alternative work and within a workplace with a strong social networ k. In his earlier study of garment workers, Lupton (1963: 72–3) comments that factory life was made tolerable by the sociable groupings that evolved within their walls, and that workers’ attachment to the company ‘sprang very largely from [their] emotional attachment to the small group of friends rather than any love for work that had little intrinsic value, or for their employer’.As well as the loss of these sorts of relationships, the Burberry workers also feared the loss to the local community of a factory which had, over its 70-year history, become emblematic of secure employment and was regarded, as one respondent commented, as a ‘guaranteed job †¦ a job for life’. Thus, when Burberry made its announcement, the workforce reacted with outrage and disbelief. A fierce campaign attracted considerable media attention, but the plant closed in March 2007 (for a discussion of the closure campaign, see Blyton and Jenkins, 2009).For the majori ty of our respondents, closure meant the end of their workplace community and the rupture of friendships and associations that had been built up over lifetimes. It also meant entry into a new world of job search or enforced ‘retirement’ in the context of low pay and limited choice. The study Using survey, interview and observational methods, we have examined several aspects of the redundancies, and individuals’ subsequent employment experiences, over a longitudinal research period which had key stages in 2007, 2008 and 2009.The research began in January 2007, and initially concentrated on the workers’ campaign against closure of the plant. Regular interviews were held with full-time and lay union representatives, and shop-floor staff, and a short survey was issued to employees in February 2007, while the plant was still open. A further survey of the effects of redundancy was issued in March 2008 (one year after plant closure) and interviews with union repr esentatives have continued up to the present. In addition, the authors attended various public and trade union meetings and workers’ reunions occurring since the plant closure. Downloaded from wes. sagepub. om at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 30 Work, Employment and Society 26(1) As the initial 2007 survey sought information specifically on employees’ response to the union campaign against closure, it has only a limited contribution to make to this article’s focus on the effects of redundancy. The 2008 survey and interviews conducted in 2009 provided the main sources of information about the effects of redundancy. It was in this phase of the research that the focus was on workers’ employment experiences since redundancy as well as aspects of their previous employment and comparisons were drawn between life ‘before and after Burberry’.The 2008 survey was posted to the homes of 191 former shop-floor staff (all the staff we were able to s ecure home addresses for) and 80 usable replies were received (a response rate of 42%). Reflecting the lower levels of recruitment at the factory in latter years, 70 per cent of the respondents were 45 years or older (74% were married or living with a partner, and 70% had no children living at home). Of the 80 respondents, 71 (89%) were female. The full-time union representative for the largest union in the plant, the GMB,1 estimated the ratio of female to male employment within the factory at 80:20.Employment records could not be obtained to verify this estimate but it was a good reflection of the profile of shop-floor union membership, which stood at around 80 per cent density. In January 2009, the 28 respondents to the 2008 survey who had indicated their willingness to participate in ongoing research were contacted and asked to participate in interviews about their experiences since redundancy. Eleven agreed and semistructured interviews took place, focusing on their experiences while employed at the factory and the way their lives had changed in the two years since the closure.Interviews took place in respondents’ own homes and lasted, on average, one hour and 40 minutes. Two interviewees were male, nine were female. Despite the predominance of female respondents in the survey and interviews, male workers at the plant participated in all phases of the research in rough proportion to their representation at the workplace, and work-life issues for both men and women in the study were negatively impacted by low paid, insecure work in the prevailing labour market environment.In terms of its representativeness and relevance for wider social enquiry, it is acknowledged that this study has many distinct features in terms of workplace and location, but it contributes to the building of generalizations (see Gerring, 2004: 341, 352) in two areas. First, Burberry’s own cost-focused rationale for closure highlights the workings of the garment value chain and the fact that low paid female workers in a mature economy are now ‘too expensive’ to manufacture garments – even those at the high end of the retail market.Thus, what is examined in this case is a particular instance of the ‘new forms of inequality’ (Glucksmann, 2009: 878) which result from an international division of labour where labour is casualized and ‘recommodified’ in the service sector of the global north (see Standing, 2009: 70–78) as manufacturing relocates for cheaper people and more favourable regulatory regimes elsewhere. Second, the respondents’ experiences of job search contribute to analysis and understanding of the contemporary British labour market and the increasing phenomenon of nvoluntary part-time working, particularly among women (Yerkes and Visser, 2006: 253). In this respect, Bailey et al. ’s (2008) study of job search and re-employment of Longbridge workers is a useful comparator for th e present enquiry even though their respondents differed from the Burberry workforce in that 90 per cent were male and were mainly professional, skilled, semi-skilled or technical workers. The Longbridge results indicate that, post-closure: Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 31 Blyton and Jenkins igher earning occupations were more likely to travel for work and were consequently much better placed to cope with job loss; men were more likely to find alternative full-time jobs; redundant workers needed ongoing support and training; women were more likely to be found in part-time employment in the service sector; and those workers moving from manufacturing into public services in education, health and social care (as did the majority of the Burberry respondents) reported the largest decline in salary, which Bailey and colleagues (2008: 54) refer to as a particular indicator of ‘growing labour market polarization and inequality’.In det ailing key factors in successful efforts at re-employment, Bailey et al. ’s findings help to illuminate what was absent from the demographic and skills profile of the Burberry respondents and highlight the factors which limited their prospects for re-employment. It is evident in the Burberry case that low paid, full-time female manufacturing workers classed as unskilled became low paid, part-time service sector workers out of necessity not choice.The majority of workers could not travel for work due to a range of factors, among which low earnings, job insecurity and the close intersection between their work and non-work lives were prime considerations. While it was perhaps the very legacy of poor pay and the marginalization of women’s work as ‘unskilled’ at the Burberry plant which presented the greatest challenges for e-employment, the factory had undoubted compensations: it offered a working week that had fixed boundaries of time and effort, perceived jo b security, norms of employment that followed women’s life patterns and strong sociable groupings, all of which allowed workers to make positive accommodations between their paid and unpaid working lives. In the contemporary ‘low-skilled’ labour market outside the plant, most of these compensations were absent and the combined effects of low hourly rates of pay and unpredictable part-time hours in their changed employment eroded any positive spillover from work.The following sections examine these factors in greater detail. The changing relationship between work and life outside work: Burberry and community integration As the majority of employees and our respondents were female, a key issue in the findings related to the intersection of paid and unpaid work in the lives of women workers. Working near to home in a close-knit workplace had helped women manage the integration of their work and non-work lives in various ways; these were explored in interviews at the time of the closure, in unstructured discussions at public events, and in the interviews conducted in 2009.Five factors in particular were most commented on in relation to ways in which the factory was positively interconnected with the lives of the workers in the community. First, frequent reference was made to the advantages of the workplace’s proximity to their homes: No bus fare to pay, on the doorstep. I could leave the house at 25 to eight and be clocking on at a quarter to. We used to finish at 4. 40 and I’d be home by 4. 45. I could get on with my ironing before tea. I absolutely hated it the day I started, but it was so convenient – you’d finish at 4. 0 and be home at five. Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 32 Work, Employment and Society 26(1) This proximity was also helpful in coping with unforeseen domestic emergencies: We didn’t earn a lot but I had a job where I was near to home. I could cope w ith all the commitments in my private life, if my mother was taken ill [for example]. The second most commonly referred-to factor was the reliability of the company as a source of employment, with relatives able to ‘have a word’ with Personnel to secure employment for other family members.Interviewees referred to relatives made redundant several times from other manufacturing jobs before getting ‘security’ in a job at Burberry. Many had several members of their family working at the factory. It was like a family – when I started work, my mother worked there, her sister worked there, my father’s sister worked there, my own sister worked there and I had two or three cousins there. Out of the 14 houses in my street, 10 of them had Burberry workers living in them.Such was the prevalence of familial ties throughout the plant that one interviewee commented that her husband always referred to his mother by her first name when inside the factory, sayi ng that there was no point in calling her ‘Mam’ because ‘there were so many mothers and children on the shop-floor’. A number of people met their future spouses at the plant and patterns of life-time work within the factory traditionally facilitated exit and re-entry into work, following childbearing.The expectation of a job being available resulted in many women giving up work to have families, in the knowledge – accurate up to the last years – of re-employment at a later date. A third advantage for life outside work was perceived to be the factory’s predictable working hours. Almost all staff (over 95%) at Burberry were employed full-time, with the factory operating Monday to Friday, 7. 45 a. m. to 4. 40 p. m.As one respondent commented after the closure, she ‘really missed the Monday to Friday routine’ – this routine being something else that was seen to compensate for the low wage rates paid at the factory (and a routine absent from many jobs subsequently obtained, as discussed below). Fourth, many references were made to the social aspects of work, with interviewees and survey respondents using terms such as their ‘Burberry family’ and ‘one big family’, where they saw their neighbours every day.Though aspects of the work routines were reported as ‘strict’, the work atmosphere was clearly punctuated by ‘all the laughs’ they had, and the everyday chat. Comments on the latter included: Officially we were supposed to start at 7. 45 but some of us used to go in 15 minutes early for a chat before we started work. Once you’d done your number [piecework target] you could take a break and go upstairs to the toilets for a chat.As in Lupton’s study (1963: 72–3), the workers did not idealize the tensions or the work of factory life at the Burberry plant, which was hard and low paid, particularly for the majority of female workers who earned little more than the national minimum wage. Comments about their ‘Burberry family’ were made alongside derogatory remarks about Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 33 Blyton and Jenkins their former employers. Thus nostalgia for factory life was reserved for memories of events and those friendships and people that had characterized workers’ experience of employment at the plant.There were also more organized social activities such as charity fund-raising events, works trips and parties which were clearly valued (and missed) and, in combination with the informal relations between workers, had contributed significantly to the ongoing contact with others in the community. In addition to these four aspects of positive connection between work and non-work life, respondents identified two further, related attributes of their work that had relevance for life outside the factory.First, several commented on the skills they had acquired at Burberry and the positive feelings that this had given them (‘pride at being a Burberry worker’). Examples of reported skills were numerous, including the interviewees who pointed out ‘hand-sewers’ still working at the plant in 2007, and indicated their level of skill in comments such as ‘we used to prove the methods’ (‘proving a method’ involved transferring a design from planning into full production, something necessary from time to time with difficult garments, and requiring considerable expertise).Several referred to the national awards for excellence won by the factory, to the long hours they had worked beyond their contracts, and being always keen to ‘get the work out’. Closely associated with the pride in their skills, a number of respondents reported an acquired status that reflected responsibilities held within the factory which they felt had been undermined by job loss. The quest to maintain social status and social identity has been recognized in studies of redundancy among men, such as former steel workers (Harris, 1987: 36).From several ex-Burberry respondents came comments that they were shocked to find themselves treated in the job search process as ‘low skilled’ or ‘unskilled’ (as a result of generally lacking certified or accredited qualifications), with their former status within the plant often being replaced by alternative employment in junior-level service sector jobs. One interviewee, for example, who had held supervisory responsibilities at Burberry, commented that her next employer (the retail chain Argos) entrusted her with virtually no responsibility: ‘they didn’t know me or what I’d done’.In their study, Bailey et al. (2008: 50) comment on the crucial influence of the local labour market for re-employment, together with accredited skills, the need for ongoing training support and help with travelling for work. Our findings lead us to agree that the propensity to travel and retrain for work are key determinants of success in job search, and this former supervisor at Burberry was an example of what occurs when low paid, insecure, unpredictable work makes travel too costly.Though she had taken advantage of short-term training courses offered by local employment services, she was unable to gain recognition for the skills she had acquired over 40 years of factory working and had been able to obtain only two temporary jobs since factory closure. She described the consequent effects on her sense of purpose and identity and the negative physical and emotional effects of being a ‘job-seeker’ for the first time in her life in her mid-50s, as ‘devastating’ and the cause of depression.All told, our respondents (even those who said they had grown to enjoy their new employment and were earning more) expressed regret at the loss of the social factors that have been d iscussed in this section, which constituted significant compensations for the comparatively low wage rates at the Burberry plant. After closure, the legacy of years of low pay and particularly the marginalization of women’s work as ‘unskilled’ meant that Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 34Work, Employment and Society 26(1) job search was an activity that prioritized the local labour market. Once workers entered new forms of employment, however, they did so without the supporting structure of the social network and sense of identity that (for them) had defined the experience of being a Burberry worker. The changing relationship between work and life outside work: redundancy, re-employment and social isolation The vast majority of the redundant Burberry workers restricted their job search to their own locality.This choice was partly facilitated by the building of a new Wal-Mart Asda store, along with the availability of care work with the local authority. Data from the local Job Centre Plus confirmed our finding that the majority of Burberry workers prioritized proximity of alternative employment over other factors such as remaining in similar occupations or moving for alternative manufacturing opportunities elsewhere. The context of low pay made relocation financially unrealistic, even if it had been desired. In 2007 the local jobs market was dominated by part-time hours, relatively low earnings and little perceived security.These criteria fall far short of an incentive to move established households and lose the support network of family, community and friends. As well as the risk of not finding better or secure employment elsewhere, workers faced the constraints of the housing market and the low property values characteristic of deindustrialized areas, which effectively trap people in regions of high unemployment (McNulty, 1987: 42). Relocation was therefore an unrealistic option for the majority of our respondents, but this did not prevent it being proposed for consideration during the process of job search.One male interviewee recounted his first visit to a local Job Centre Plus, where he was faced with a question he found outrageous: Do you know the first thing they [Job Centre staff] said to me was, ‘Are you prepared to move? ’ Can you believe that? Why would I want to move away? I said no, I wouldn’t. This reaction was typical of the majority of our respondents. While the plant was still open but under notice of closure, Burberry provided employment consultants to help with job search and vacancies were posted on the factory notice-board.One interviewee described how she and other workers used to ‘have a laugh’ about the jobs being advertised hundreds of miles outside Rhondda, many of which were also part-time at minimum wage rates. Several interviewees commented (during the run-up to closure and in later interviews) that they regarded the posting of such jobs as not only ridiculous but also a cynical ploy to misrepresent their situation, feeling that Burberry could claim it was doing all it could to meet its responsibilities to a workplace community that could find alternative work if only it took up the opportunities the company had researched on their behalf.For workers though, not only relocation but the option of daily commuting was constrained by the precise nature of work available. The costs and difficulties of travel for variable shifts and short daily hours spread over 24 hours and five or seven days of the week were not likely to be sustainable on a low income. All these factors made relocation and travelling for work to different degrees economically impracticable. Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 35 Blyton and Jenkins Table 1.Summary of patterns of work and earnings for former Burberry workers one year after redundancy Respondents Male (n=9) Female (n=71) As % of total respondents 11% 89% Working patterns prior to factory closure, March 2007 No. and proportion employed full-time 9 (100%) 68 (94%) Working patterns following factory closure, March 2008 No. of respondents in paid work 7 46 No. and proportion employed full-time 7 (100%) 19 (41%) No. and proportion in part-time work 0 27 (59%) Proportion of respondents in paid work, 28% 23% eporting an increase in weekly earnings Proportion of respondents in paid work, 71% 56% reporting a fall in weekly earnings All (n=80) 100% 77 (95%) 53 26 (49%) 27 (51%) 24% 59% At the time of our 2008 survey, just over two-thirds of the respondents were in paid work with the remainder divided roughly equally between those who had retired and those still seeking employment. The majority of those in work were in the same job that they found on leaving Burberry, while 15 respondents had had two or more jobs since their redundancy.The areas of paid work entered by our sample were mainly in the manufacturing, home -care or retail sectors; two-thirds of respondents in paid work entered relatively low-skill service sector employment. Table 1 highlights the study’s findings on the nature of re-employment patterns. Just over half of the respondents in paid work were employed part-time, on hours ranging from six to 30 per week (and with a mean and mode of 20 hours).Most (88%) of those with part-time jobs reported that their actual hours varied week by week. Those in care work and retail jobs were especially likely to hold part-time contracts with variable hours. The care contracts, for example, typically began as (effectively) zero-hour contracts with no hours guaranteed until a training period was completed. After that, just 16 hours per week were commonly guaranteed, though workers could be asked to work as many as 30 hours in a week depending on demand.The same was true of retail work, though attaining a 30-hour week was far less common in that sector. For many, their parttime status (ra ther than their hourly rate of pay) was the principal reason why their weekly earnings were lower than they had been at Burberry. In several subsequent interviews, respondents commented that making ends meet while working part-time was only made viable by supplementary state benefits and that part-time employment dominated available opportunities rather than being a chosen option.Both from survey responses and interview comments, it was also clear that many were subject to working time patterns that not only varied from week to week but were also highly unpredictable, in terms of both timing and duration. For those on variablehours contracts, their shifts could be scheduled during the daytime, evening or weekends, and for many their forthcoming weekly schedule was known only at the latter end of the previous week. In interviews, the majority of respondents commented on the difficulties Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 6 Work, Employment and S ociety 26(1) created in their home lives by the variability and unpredictability of their new work commitments. One interviewee, for example, employed full-time as a hotel receptionist in 2008 had had her hours cut to 20 per week when interviewed in 2009, and she received just ? 120. 00 gross weekly pay. Though contractually her employer undertook to issue shift patterns and times one month in advance, in practice working patterns were given to her weekly. Shifts ran from 7 a. m to 3 p. m. , 10 a. m. to 6 p. m. , and 3 p. m. o 11 p. m. , and it was quite normal to have to undertake ‘back-to-back’ shifts finishing at 11 p. m. and starting work again at 7 a. m. She commented that the ‘worst thing’ about the job was the timing and unpredictability of the shift work: You can’t plan anything. I’ve just had to cancel a dentist’s appointment because they’ve called me in for a shift and I can’t make another appointment because I w on’t know what I’m working next week. Without her parents’ help, this interviewee commented that she could not have coped with caring for her daughter.It was family support that allowed her to achieve any sort of balance, however imperfect, between her paid and unpaid working life and the tax-credit state benefit (effectively acting as a subsidy for a low paying employer) was an essential factor allowing her to afford to travel to work and keep her employment. A further example of the negative impact of unpredictable hours concerned another respondent who now worked for the local authority (via their care work agency) and was a married mother of two children.Her employment was typical of work in this sector in that it began (in 2007) as a zero-hour contract, with actual hours of work determined wholly by demand. She received notice of her hours each weekend, for the following week. Her shifts were normally based on notional patterns of 8 a. m. to 10. 30 a. m. an d 4. 30 p. m. to 6 p. m. over a seven-day period, but she never knew exactly how many hours she would be given (or which days she would work) for the week ahead. As a new employee, in common with all new recruits, she was classed as ‘casual’ and therefore had no guaranteed hours of work.The interviewee explained that this meant that she sometimes had four hours’ work for a week, but that this could just as likely be twenty or thirty, depending on what her supervisor assigned. ‘Permanent’ status was necessary to attain guaranteed minimum income equivalent to 16 hours’ work per week. As a ‘casual’, she said that planning her income or any sort of family event was impossible; even knowing her hours one week in advance did not help as ‘they can call you, phone you, any time and ask you to come in’.And as a worker hopeful of allocation to a permanent team and reliant on the support of her line manager, this interviewee did not feel she had the scope to refuse any such request. In January 2010, she had still not been upgraded from casual status and could depend on just three hours’ work a week. Unpredictable work patterns were not the sole preserve of women workers. Men were more likely to obtain full-time work but, anecdotally, were more prone to lay-off or seasonally influenced working patterns.One of our male respondents found a seasonal, 40-hour a week job marginally above the national minimum wage rate after several months of unemployment. With no security of contract or predictability of hours, he worked entirely according to the employer’s demand. In the summer he could work as many as 65 hours a week, reducing to 20 at other periods, and was laid off altogether in Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 37 Blyton and Jenkins the coldest months.Hours of work were notified one week in advance, but were frequently subject to change on the day. He re garded placing his time completely at the employer’s disposal as essential to keep his employment. This interviewee had a history of 30 years of regular employment at Burberry and commented that his new working life was a source of anxiety for the future. Jobs with such variable and unpredictable hours have become common in sectors such as retailing (Backett-Milburn et al. , 2008; Henly et al. 2006; Lambert, 2008; Zeytinoglu et al. , 2004) and care (Henninger and Papouschek, 2008; Rubery et al. , 2005). It is also clear that further variability occurs in ‘real time’ as employees are requested at short notice to stay on, or leave early, to reflect particular work circumstances. For management, this access to variable hours offers a means of deploying labour to shadow fluctuations both in demand and available staff but for the people we were interviewing, this variability and unpredictability had many drawbacks.In particular these disadvantages included: a general uncertainty over their work schedule, making it difficult to plan activities outside work; for some, increased problems of organizing childcare and maintaining a consistent care arrangement; a disruption to domestic routines such as meal times; and a lack of stable income as earnings fluctuated with actual hours worked. In the 2008 survey, questions were also asked about changes in other areas of respondents’ non-work lives since the factory closure. Responses to a question about socializing and friendships since the closure showed a marked deterioration.Almost three in five (58%) indicated that this aspect of their life had got worse, compared to 30 per cent saying it had stayed the same and a minority reporting an improvement. In subsequent interviews, several commented that they saw friends and neighbours much less now that Burberry had closed and female interviewees remained emotional about their changed situation even two years after the closure: I miss the company †¦ I can pick the phone up and speak to people, but it’s not the same. Now, I have no social life. There are no friends passing here nd although people say they will keep in touch, they don’t. A similar picture was evident in relation to community involvement. Over two in five of the survey respondents reported a decline in their community involvement since the factory closure, compared to approximately one in seven who reported an increase (the remainder reporting no change). Both in comments on the survey and in interview comments, several references were made to having ‘less money for going out’, compared to former full-time earnings at Burberry.This was especially the case for part-time workers. Those working part-time were more likely (compared to their counterparts in full-time jobs) to indicate that both their level of friendships and community involvement had deteriorated in the time since the factory closure. From comments in interviews, it was ev ident that reduced involvement with friends and the community were issues related to the break up of the workplace community (which had acted as a conduit to wider community involvement), lack of income and the consequence of more fragmented work patterns.Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 38 Work, Employment and Society 26(1) Conclusion While other responses made by the former Burberry workers indicated that the clothing factory was far from an ideal place to work, the factory nevertheless engendered a strong sense of workplace community which in turn extended to various aspects of workers’ non-work lives. As a consequence, the workplace had a number of positive spillover effects into the non-work lives of its workforce.The frequency of interpersonal contact, access to employment for family members, the sense of pride, skill and status that the work generated and the proximity of work to home: all were seen to create a beneficial effect on the workers’ lives more generally. The way that, for many, these factors later diminished, further underlines what the workers had gained from working at Burberry. Subsequent work, much of it part-time and/or with irregular and unpredictable hours, undermined the stability of contact, interaction and social life that had prevailed hitherto.Widespread reductions in earnings exacerbated this situation with less disposable income to spend on a social life. These insights into work to non-work spillover contribute to the work-life debate in two ways. First, they underline the limitations of couching the discussion, as has been common, in terms of the negative impact of work on non-work life. It was clear among this group of workers that their former work experience at Burberry had generated various positive spillover effects, these only diminishing as they moved to other employment after the factory closed.Second, as was discussed at the head of the article, any attention tha t has been given to positive spillover from work to home has focused largely on the influence of individual work-related variables such as job satisfaction. Aspects of these individual-level factors were certainly present among the ex-Burberry workers: a sense, for example, that the status acquired through responsibilities in the factory also had meaning in the non-work community.Importantly, what the present study underlines are more group level, sociological factors positively affecting areas of non-work life: the importance, for example, of interaction among the workforce, reinforced by chat, gossip and ‘having a laugh’. Further, the way the factory represented a source of family, rather than solely individual, employment and the proximate location of the factory in the Treorchy community further reinforced a sense of community both inside and outside the factory.The study’s findings also contribute to the discussion on the extent to which parttime working can contribute to work-life balance or, put differently, the way part-time work reflects a preference for a particular balance of time between work and non-work (Hakim, 2000). Several authors (for example, Walsh, 2007; Walters, 2005; Warren, 2004) have already pointed to the shortcomings of using part-time work as an indicator of a preference and a strategy for achieving work-life balance – noting in particular that this fails to take into account the heterogeneity of part-time work and that, for ome, working part-time is not a means to achieve work-life balance but rather a source of low pay and poor-quality jobs. The present study further underlines the need for a more differentiated view of part-time working. In our sample, while many working part-time in principle had more time available for non-work activities – even when taking longer travelling times into account – this did not translate into more time for friends or community activity. On the contrary, part -time working was associated with work-life Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013 9 Blyton and Jenkins impoverishment for this group more than work-life balance. For most of those on part-time contracts who had been used to working full-time, part-time work was an undesirable consequence of the kind of paid work available within the local labour market. The lower earnings that the part-time jobs generated and the variability and unpredictability of many working patterns detracted from, rather than contributed to, the quality of workers’ non-work lives. Overall, these findings signal the value of a nuanced approach in discussions around ‘work-life balance’.In focusing on the associations of work to non-work life, this article has identified the ways in which associations may be positive or negative and has indicated that the nature of those associations may vary over time and from one context to another. As a result of tracing t he subsequent employment experiences of the former garment workers in this study, it became clear that there is a continuing need for wider recognition not only of the heterogeneous nature of part-time work, but also the reasons why people are working part-time and the degree to which it is a voluntary, employeedriven choice.It was also clear that variable and unpredictable work patterns may exert a significant deleterious influence on the ability of workers successfully to organize and fully enjoy their lives outside work. Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the union representatives and former Burberry employees who participated in this research. We would also like to express our gratitude to the editor and three anonymous referees for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article. 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In: Taplin IM and Winterton J (eds), Rethinking Global Production: A Comparative Analysis of Restructuring in the Clothing Industry. Aldershot: Ashgate, 1–17. Yerkes M and Visser J (2006) Women’s preferences or delineated policies?The development of p art-time work in the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. In: Boulin J-Y et al. (eds) Decent Working Time: New Trends, New Issues. Geneva: International Labour Office, 235–61. Zeytinoglu IU, Lillevik W, Seaton IMB and Moruz J (2004) Part-time and casual work in retail trade: stress and other factors affecting the workplace. Relations Industrielles 59(3): 516–43. Paul Blyton is Professor of Industrial Relations and Industrial Sociology at Cardiff Business School and Research Associate in the ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (BRASS) at Cardiff University.His research interests include employee responses to organizational change, working time and work-life balance. Recent publications include The Sage Handbook of Industrial Relations, co-edited with Nicolas Bacon, Jack Fiorito and Edmund Heery (Sage, 2008); Ways of Living: Work, Community and Lifestyle Choice, co-edited with Betsy Blunsdon, Ken Reed and Ali Dastmal chian (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010); Reassessing the Employment Relationship, co-edited with Edmund Heery and Peter Turnbull (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) and Researching Sustainability, co-edited with Alex Franklin (Earthscan, 2011).Jean Jenkins is a lecturer in HRM at Cardiff Business School. Her research interests include labour conditions and unionization in the global garment sector, working time and union-management partnership. Recent publications include Work: Key Concepts, with Paul Blyton (Sage, 2007). Date submitted January 2010 Date accepted November 2010 Downloaded from wes. sagepub. com at University of Bath on March 21, 2013