Hiring an Effective Staffing Manager

Abstract This paper examines the attributes needed to hire an effective staffing manager, compares human resource planning for a large international bank and for a local police department as well as evaluates the processes behind recruitment effectiveness.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hiring an Effective Staffing Manager specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through globalization and the process of outsourcing and offshoring, employee teams are no longer isolated to merely being within the same building, state or country, rather they are now scattered across a wide breadth of countries, regions and business cultures which staffing managers need to take into consideration. It is based on this that this paper will tackle the various characteristics needed in hiring an effective staffing manager, the inherent differences between a local and international organization and how to measure recruitment effectiveness. Hirin g a Staffing Manager When it comes to hiring a staffing manager for an organization, the following are the key skills and attributes I would focus on when deciding on a proper candidate: Capacity to understand the requirements of a job The most important capacity for any staffing manager is the ability to understand the needs of a job versus the type of employee candidates that would apply for it. A job’s requirements are not limited to the skills needed in order to perform it well; rather, they extend to the capacity of an employee to be able to understand the various nuances and key details needed to be able to do a job well. Such an attribute is often gained through experience and, as such, it is necessary for a staffing manager to be able to determine how an employee’s experience correlates into being able to meet the requirements of the job that is available successfully. Being able to create an effective hiring strategy Another of the requirements needed by a sta ffing manager for an organization is the capacity to develop an effective hiring strategy. What must be understood is that most large enterprises have a relatively high churn rate as compared to smaller organizations due to the sheer amount of employees that work there. As a result, it is often necessary to replace a percentage of a company’s employees on a yearly basis.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An effective staffing manager should be able to examine the staffing needs of the company versus its regular employee churn rates and come up with a hiring strategy that ensures that a constant stream of employees are able to replace those that leave while at the same time ensuring that the company does not hire too many workers. This can help to reduce operational losses as a result of having an insufficient workforce. Other examples of effective hiring strategies that a staffing manager needs to take into consideration are the type of medium they would utilize in order to hire employees. Within the past 15 years the internet has created a means for the HR departments of companies to reach out to a broad selection of employees through websites such as LinkedIn.com. Taking this into consideration, a staffing manager might consider using traditional means of getting prospective new hires (i.e. through newspaper ads) or use the internet, which is far cheaper. The ability to determine which strategy would be the best and most affordable for the company is one of the qualities needed in a staffing manager. Hiring Experience within a Particular Industry In explaining the intricacies in hiring practices, Moeller Harvey (2011) state that â€Å"no two industries are equal† in that a staffing manager in one particular industry cannot be unilaterally placed into a whole different industry and be expected to be able to do their job well without a few years of experience. Moeller Harvey (2011) explain that employee candidates in various fields of expertise each have their own different nuances and unique skills that they bring to the table. However, there are subtle differences in their aptitude that only experienced staffing managers are able to discern and are thus able to place the correct employees in the right teams (Moeller Harvey, 2011). One example of this can be seen in the case of hiring a game designer for a gaming company, there are different specializations that need to be taken into consideration such as an individual’s expertise in the programming language that will be utilized, the platform that will be used for development as well as their knowledge in developing new applications to suit the needs of the company. Due to the various technicalities associated with game development, it would take an experienced staffing manager in this industry in order to determine whether someone is a right â€Å"fitâ⠂¬  for a particular position.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hiring an Effective Staffing Manager specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If you took a hiring manager that was experienced in hiring people for call centers and had them develop a hiring strategy for the gaming company that was just mentioned, it is likely that they would put in place ineffective strategies (Guthrie Olian, 1991). It is based on this that when hiring a new staffing manager, it is important to determine how much experience they have within the industry that the company operates in. Comparing Human Resource planning for a large international bank and for a local police department While banks and police departments have a similar need for personnel in order to handle day to day operations, their organizational structure is significantly different, thus necessitating different human resource planning strategies. First and foremost, the org anizational structure of most international banks is more horizontal rather than vertical as compared to a local police department. Vertical organizations, such as police departments are â€Å"militaristic† in their organizational structure since a clear emphasis is placed on the structure of authority and how it results in the distribution of tasks. This can be seen in its use of titles such as captain, chief, etc. wherein a pyramidal structure of authority is implemented with little in the way of horizontal authority and capacity for shared responsibility for particular activities. While banks do have a similar leadership structure, as seen in the case of vice presidents, presidents, CFO, CEO, etc., the fact remains that its organizational structure is more horizontal in terms of task delegation and employee job roles. This can be seen through its various departments, units and resource divisions where there is a certain â€Å"overlap† in terms of authority, operatio nal guidelines and shared practices. Also, the main â€Å"luxury† so to speak for banks is that they can often hire and then train personnel and place them into particular positions. This means that they can source potential employees from a vast pool of potential candidates whereas police departments, with their clear emphasis on rank, cannot practice the same human resource development strategy and have to rely on a limited pool of candidates who have the correct rank despite other candidates showing a greater deal of aptitude and skill for a particular position. Thus, when it comes to human resource planning the main difference is that placement for local police departments is usually based on achieved rank regardless of skill whereas for an international bank hiring practices are based on perceived skill and capacity to do a job regardless of what sort of â€Å"rank† they used to have. Another difference between the two organizations comes in the amount of personne l needed.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For large international banks, it is normally the case that they would need substantial amounts of personnel in order to keep operations running while the amount of personnel needed for a local police department is usually much smaller. Police departments can usually source personnel from local residents or through graduates of a police academy that is nearby whereas international banks have to take into consideration international locations and source personnel from a wide array of countries. There are also skill specializations that need to be taken into consideration wherein banks often need a more diverse array of employees with skill specializations (i.e. business development, accountancy, customer service, etc.) as compared to a police department that does not have the need to specialize in as many different kinds of operations. The last, and certainly one of the most important differences between the two organizations, is the fact that police departments have two classificati ons of personnel (i.e. civilian and police officer) whereas banks have just one (i.e. an employee). The reason behind this dual method of employee classification is due to the nature of law enforcement agencies (i.e. enforcing social law and imposing order) resulting in the need for civilians to handle the day to day operations as seen in the case of the HR department of most precincts which are composed of civilian personnel. This, of course, creates a far more distinct human resource planning endeavor as compared to banks since the HR department has to balance the needs of the precinct between its police and civilian personnel whereas a bank just concentrates on its one type of employee classification. Evaluating Recruitment Effectiveness When it comes to evaluating recruitment effectiveness, this can be analyzed through: employee churn rates, proper alignment with job requirement, meeting a company’s hiring goals, and job performance (this can be seen through supervisor re ports). Employee churn rates This term refers to the rate of employees leaving a company versus the amount who enter or stay. Based on the work of Hilditch-Roberts (2012), it was noted that churn rates are often a good indicator of effective recruitment practices since it is the responsibility of the HR department to hire people that they know would be able to stay for a significant period of time within a company (5 years or more). The problem with high churn rates in companies is that this can create severe problems in operational performance given the time needed to hire a new employee, train them to be able to do the job properly, and help them integrate into the company culture (Hilditch-Roberts, 2012). As a result of nonperformance within a specified job role (whether managerial, upper management or lower-tier employee), this limits the capacity of a company to be able to provide services or manufacture products effectively. It is based on this that when examining the effectiv eness of the recruitment methods utilized by an HR department within a company, the employee churn rate would be one of the first indicators of either the presence of good policies in hiring employees that would help to raise the operational performance of a company or the presence of adverse policies that result in employees staying for a relatively short period of time (i.e. 1 year or less) resulting in operational losses. Alignment with Job Requirements Another method of evaluating recruitment effectiveness is to examine whether the individual that was hired has the proper skills and experience that are required by the job. As explained by Blasco Pertold-Gebicka (2013), when it comes to examining the effectiveness of the hiring practices employed by a company, it is necessary to determine whether proper care and attention have been made towards aligning an employee’s skills and capabilities with the requirements of the job. Blasco Pertold-Gebicka (2013) go into more deta il in regard to this perspective by explaining that one of the current practices utilized in most companies has been a form of role integration wherein instead of having two employees doing two different jobs, it is often the case that job roles are combined into a single job to save money on employee salaries and benefits. As a result, job requirements often require a more diverse skill set requiring HR departments to implement more stringent hiring guidelines (Blasco Pertold-Gebicka, 2013). Failure to do so often results in reduced operational effectiveness on the part of the employee, which is an indicator of ineffective recruitment practices. Operational Performance of a Company Another means of determining recruitment effectiveness is by examining the overall operational performance of a company based on the adherence of employees to their performance metrics. Within the past decade, one of the ongoing trends when it comes to measuring employee performance and thus their eligi bility to be promoted to different positions within the company has been through the use of metrics of performance (Carter, 2004). These are often numerical based means of measuring the performance of an employee via the amount of work accomplished within a particular period of time, the number of orders fulfilled, the amount of sales made, etc. Basically, metrics can be thought of as a statistically proven means of determining the â€Å"worth† of an employee based on the level of work they do for the company. Woodka (2011) explains that it is the correlation of employee scores based on their rates of performance with the expected level of operational performance set forth by the company that helps to determine whether the company is performing at an operationally adequate level. If the metrics by which employees are measured show that they are underperforming, then this would reflect on the overall operational performance of the company (Woodka, 2011). If there are low level s of operational performance which can be traced to employee performance and not to external factors (i.e. changes in consumer tastes, natural disasters, etc.), then it can be stated that the recruitment practices that have been implemented within the company are ineffective and need to be changed since the employees that have been hired are not performing at an adequate rate by the company’s standards. Examples of instances where this occurs can be seen in the call center industry and the retail industry wherein the statistical basis between employee performance and their expected output by the standards of the company can be seen more easily. Reference List Blasco, S., Pertold-Gebicka, B. (2013). Employment policies, hiring practices and firm performance. Labour Economics, 2512-24. Carter, M. R. (2004). The ABCs of staffing decisions. Nursing Management, 35(6), 16. Guthrie, J. P., Olian, J. D. (1991). Does context affect staffing decisions? The case of general managers. P ersonnel Psychology, 44(2), 263-292. Hilditch-Roberts, H. (2012). A best practice guide for hiring consultants. Strategic  Direction, 28(3), 3-5. Moeller, M., Harvey, M. (2011). Inpatriate Marketing Managers: Issues Associated with Staffing Global Marketing Positions. Journal Of International Marketing,  19(4), 1-16. Woodka, M. (2011). Staffing solutions. A manager’s guide to labor cost management.  Long-Term Living: For The Continuing Care Professional, 60(8), 24-26. This essay on Hiring an Effective Staffing Manager was written and submitted by user Math1as to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Brisoes Homeware Essay Example

Brisoes Homeware Essay Example Brisoes Homeware Essay Brisoes Homeware Essay International Business Programme Introduction to International Business Disclaimer: The information furnished in this report is purely for academic purposes and in no way does it reflect the firm’s position in reality. Prepare by Jason Word Count: 2018 excluding references Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Findings 4 2. 1 Briscoes Homeware 4 2. 1. 1 Company Background and Current Operations 4 2. 1. 2 Reasons for Expansion 5 2. 2 Target Market Selection 6 2. 2. 1 Aspects of Business Environment in China 6 2. 2. Comparison of China and Japan 7 2. 3 Entry Mode Selection 8 2. 3. 1 Comparison of Entry Modes 8 3. Conclusion 10 1. Introduction The main scope of this report is based on the current position of Briscoes Homeware and the economy environment of Asian countries. Also entry methods of foreign investment are being analysed for the choice of entering a foreign market. Recommendations based on personal point of view were stated for Briscoes Homeware in order to avoid risk s of foreign investment. 2. Findings 2. 1 Briscoes Homeware *2. 1. * Company Background and Current Operations 2. 1. 2 Reasons for Expansion 2. 2 Target Market Selection 2. 2. 1 Aspects of Business Environment in China In China, Chinese concept of Face has something to do with the image or credibility of the person to dealing with. People should never, insult, embarrass, shame, yell at or otherwise demean a person. In ancient times, a Chinese warrior chief, after losing a battle, may commit suicide because he has lost face. While this may no longer occur, the concept of face remains alive and well in China. Awareness of face and its impact is an extremely important cultural issue. 2. 2. 2 Comparison of China and Japan 2. 3 Entry Mode Selection 2. 3. 1 Comparison of Entry Modes Exporting is the marketing and direct sale of goods in foreign country, which is a traditional way of approaching foreign markets. It offers a company the complete control over production to reach the target market with a low-cost initial investment. In contrast, the low-cost manufacture and high cost of transport or tariff might create a barrier for products exporting. Franchising is an independent operator buying an existing business from the owner to gain the right to distribute its products, techniques, and trademarks in a particular way that required by the franchisor. It could cause difficulties to the franchisor to monitor the operational activities and procedures of a foreign franchisee. A wholly owned subsidiary refers to a firm as the foreign investors own 100 percent of its shares. Entering a wholly owned subsidiary requires knowledge of foreign management with high risk and commitment. It can help the firm to avoid problems of integration and retain full control of its operation. 2. 3. 2 Selected Entry Mode Justification 3. Conclusion 3. 1 Summary Briscoes Homeware is one of the largest retailers in home ware appliance in New Zealand. The revenue and profit are under the negative effect of the financial crisis since 2008. China is the most appropriate place for its expansion as the target market since the large population as the potential consumer, and the low labour cost as the clear advantage over Japan. After comparison of several entry methods for Briscoes Homeware to set up business in a foreign market, joint venture would be more appropriate than other entry modes. The knowledge of local environment and the business linkage are the main advantages of Briscoes Homeware to form a partnership with local firms. 3. 2 Recommendations In China, even the living standards have improved substantially; the incomes and consumption of average household still remain quite low in rural areas. Urban areas with higher purchase power of potential customers would be the ideal location of Briscoes Homeware to set up new stores. Choose the right partner is the key factor of success in a joint venture. Collecting information of candidates’ linkage and experience in local business environment should be carried out as well as examining their distribution network and facilities. Before Briscoes Homeware makes the decision to choose a suitable partner, certain period of time is required to conduct the research on local firms. 4. References Briscoe Group Ltd. (2009). Director Profiles. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from briscoegroup. co. nz/content. asp? cont=directors Briscoe Group Ltd. (2009). Annual Report: For the Period End 25 January 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from briscoegroup. co. nz/documents/BR2590%20Ann%20Report%2009%20V10. pdf Dallas, N. (2007). How to Do Business in China: 24 Lessons in Engaging the Dragon. NSW: McGraw-Hill. McGregor, J. (2005). One Billion Customers: Lessons _From the Front Lines of Doing Business in China_. New York: Free Press.

Work Motivation - A Jumeirah Group case study Essay

Work Motivation - A Jumeirah Group case study - Essay Example Additionally, the concept was that the employees can be only motivated by providing sufficient salary and bonuses. However, due to a variety of new factors including technology, such have considerably changed the work motivation theory held previously. In that context, Richer & Vallerand (1995) argue that workers nowadays seek to satisfy their intrinsic as well as their extrinsic needs; the former are satisfied when employees accomplish achievements while the latter are achieved when they are given an attractive pay, job security, bonuses and promotion. Additionally, undoubtedly, it is the sincere and motivated employees’ contribution that has sufficient capacity at the strategic management level to change the entire landscape and bring a superior and exceptional performance for the organisations and put a particular level of effort for a certain period of time towards a particular direction (Singh,2010). Leadership Leaders own a very dynamic personality and charisma. They con siderably vary with one another. This variation according to Goleman (2000) defines at least six different leadership styles. Further, on the leadership topic, Goleman (2000, pp. 78-79), highlights that leaders do not rely on one particular leadership style; they constantly use most of them in different measure and in different business situations. Six practical leadership styles are: coercive, requiring immediate compliance; affiliative, creating emotional attachment and harmony; authoritative, directing people towards a vision; democratic, building agreement and consensus through participation; coaching, developing people for the future; pacesetting, developing and expecting self-direction and excellence (International business coaching, 2009). In the Jumeirah Group, the... Work Motivation - A Jumeirah Group case study Within the environment of an organisation, work motivation consists of fulfilling the needs of workforce by motivating employees to behave in a way to achieve the expected organisational goals from the role of the employees. Various organisations adopt different ways to measure and assess the current level of motivation. Various reasons may require the organisations to do so. First, by knowing the current level of motivation, an organisation becomes in a position to determine its current and potential changes in its human resource policy. If the results of a survey suggest that currently, most of the employees are not having the required level of motivation level. In that case, this may put some negative impacts over the work related duties. And the employees would not be able to fulfil the organisational requirements. Consequently and aggregately, the organisation would not be in a position to attain its corporate strategic objectives. This would put some stress over the organisatio nal goals and objectives that would not be met if the current level of motivation persists in the employees. In the subsequent part of this essay, work motivation is going to be further examined; and it is followed by a critical analysis over the employees survey carried out by the Jumeirah Group. Organisations succeed with motivated employees. It is the role of motivated employees who put their best efforts and energy in the management of an organisation in a way to ensure the achievement of objectives. Previously, it was understood that employees could only be satisfied with an attractive salary.

Public Health Seminar unit 8 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Public Health Seminar unit 8 - Research Paper Example The quest motif is therefore used in the film. The character of plastic bag represents the victim, the weak or vulnerable character who succumbed to the forces of the world (Silverblatt, Ferry & Finan, 2009, p. 194) such as the monsters (animals), winds, rains, and tides and who needs the protection of an outside agent such as his maker. The images are used as an art through mythical symbols that provide clues and cues for the viewer. For instance, water and air (primal elements of nature) has been used in the film. Water may symbolize the birth of the plastic bag in the pacific vortex for he found his belongingness for objects like him, death because of possible destruction from tides, and purity of his love for his maker. On the other hand, the air may represent his freedom and an accompanying force towards the achievement of his goal. The film is symbolic in nature and I can relate to the story because it deals with the meaning of life, contentment, and happiness. Moral dilemma ma y be present depending on the interpretation of viewer. For instance, I think that the plastic bag’s need to belong will give him happiness but it turned out in the ending that death would give him happiness. If we would apply it in reality, does this film encourage euthanasia or suicide when the situation provokes, even if it is against the morality of the society? This is because the film addressed happiness both in terms of

CRIMINAL DISCUSS 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRIMINAL DISCUSS 7 - Essay Example For a defendant to be considered a person with diminished capacity, they must demonstrate a reduced mental capacity. This could be from a disease, mental retardation or substance abuse. Anything that keeps the person from determining right from wrong can be a cause for diminished capacity (http://law.yourdictionary.com/capacity). In order to prepare a legal defense for a person suffering from diminished capacity, I would begin with documenting the cause for the diminished capacity. If the defendant was a steroid user, I would create a history or steroid use. How long have they been taking them? Where did they come from? Why did they start using them? I would then research the possible effects of steroid use in order to prove that steroids can affect a person’s mental capacity. Once this has been researched, I would connect the effects of steroids and the person’s crime together to show that the defendant was not able to distinguish right from wrong during the time of the crime. I would have to prove that the defendant was experiencing the effects of steroids at the time of the crime. It would also be pertinent to have an expert on the effects of steroids as a defense witness during the trial process. As the paralegal on the case, I would research experts in the field in order to select the best one based on the defendant’s crime. In terms of diminished capacity, I think there should be two different levels. One is for people who truly have a mental issue such as developmental delays or mental retardation and one level for those who choose to purposefully alter their mental state by using substances. I agree that if a person has a diminished capacity due to something that has altered their state of mind, they should still be convicted. I also like the idea that they will be convicted of a lesser crime. That seems fair to

Looking At Heroic Code In The Iliad English Literature Essay

Looking At Heroic Code In The Iliad English Literature Essay In book 9 of The Iliad, the greatest example of heroes, Achilles, questions in mid-way about the heroic code. However, it is just a shattering start for the process in seeking another point of view about what and how to construct a real hero. Through a miserable loss and ability to relate to other characters in the book, finally, Achilles ends up that process with a lesson: Rather than the honor gained in the battle, a hero is also inspired by the connectedness to other people, fighting for the survival of their city, families and companions. Achilless suspicion about the true value of heroic code brings up a new perspective to the Iliads readers, showing them how the heroic world may look from the position outside it. Initially, it seems to make sense that Nothing is worth my life, not all the riches/ They say Troy held before the Greeks came, (9.415-16) Achilles said, when he has plenty of possession, and those honor-conferring material gifts are not a worth-while compensation for the loss of his life on the battle. Also, it is hard to object when he criticizes the pointlessness of the heroic system: Coward and hero get the same reward:/You die whether you slack off or work. (9.326-27) However, those arguments are only subjective and associated with blindness. The speech of Phoenix, one of the ambassadors and Achilles beloved old tutor, fully answers Achilles concern and points out what Achilles cannot see. He tells the story of Meleager, a man who was wronged and refused to defend his country. He retired in his room wi th his beloved wife and stayed out of the fighting until the moment when his city was about to be destroyed. He realized that his wifes safety could be threatened if his country lost in the war. Therefore, he returned to battle and fought for his city, but at that point Meleager just won little honor. Phoenixs story responds to Achilles accusation that gifts are inadequate compensation for fighting by showing that there are still other reasons besides honor why people lose their lives for fighting. That is because of their family, their close friends, and any bonds of friendship in a small community. At this point, the family concept and the interrelation between individuals become revealing as an integral aspect of heroic code. This idea slowly develops in further Book through Achilles relationship to others on a personal basis. It is only after Patroclus death that Achilles realizes what is missing in his previous accusation, which also highlights those above newfound perspectives of human connectedness. A hero, of course, must fulfill his status in combat on the battlefield, to get honored for himself; besides, it is stressed that he has to respect his family, show loyalty to his friends, and protect his comrades. Achilles learns this precious lesson after a miserable loss: A mist black grief enveloped Achilles/He scooped up fistfuls of sunburnt dust/And poured it on his head, fouling/His beautiful face à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (18.23-26) The word envelope is used sophisticatedly as, like a letter is covered underneath another thick paper, Achilles gets stuck in a confusing thinking stream about if his own honor is an ultimate purpose he is seeking for throughout all his lie, or his close relationship with companions matters more to his true heroic value. He gets lost. He conflicts with himself. The image of self-w illed man with strong accusation at the beginning disappears; instead, that man is acting unconsciously: He scooped up fistfuls of sunburnt dust/And poured it on his head, fouling/His beautiful face à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (18.24-26) Beautiful face is a nice metaphor for the image of an ideal hero which Achilles mistakenly overvalues for himself, and dust can be understood as the force for Achilles to break against that monument and reach the underneath true heroic code. Now, Achilles begins to see life and relationships with other people from a mortal point of view. Patrocluss death is a strong reminder of those other reasons for fighting that Achilles forgets in his initial undermining of honor. In a material human world, heroes may treasure the reward and social status as a consequence of winning the fighting, but they are also motivated by the patriotism for the city they protect and by the love for family and friend they deeply involve. Family and deep bond of friendship also take part in constructing the moral aspect in a real heros character. This excites the readers profoundly besides many bloody brutal killing scenes throughout the book. In the scene Priam takes ransom to demand Hectors corpse back for a proper burial, the readers can witness a new side in Achilles behavior that never plays out before: full of sincere kindness and sympathy. Compared with the intense savagery when Achilles cruelly drags Hectors corpse around the walls of Troy, this move entirely surprises the readers. Priam huddled in grief at Achilles feet, cried/ And moaned softly for his man-slaying Hector. (24.547-49) Homer uses the verb huddle, somehow in contrast with high status of Priam, a king, to demonstrate that death is no barrier to the honor and glory achieved in life. Priams begging does not dishonor him; instead, he does that in the name of his family member. This action truly captures Achilles pity and breaks down his resistance. Achilles knows that his fate is to die at Troy and never return home in Phthia. He realizes how desperate his father, Peleus, feels once he knows that heart-breaking news of his son, which might happens to Priam if Achilles does not return Hectors corpse to him. And Achilles cried for this father and/ For Patroclus. The sound filled the room. (24.550-51) Just only any object that is visible and have weight can fill up a space, but Homer uses that verb for the sound to show that, this time, Achilles tear has value because he already learns his mistake in self-absorption and changes himself to care for other peoples feelings. Finally, he reaches to his identity as a mortal, letting go of his previous bitter outrage, and sharing the grief of loss with other mortals. Generosity, or forgiveness, also constructs a real hero. This is a precious lesson that Achilles learns till the end. The Iliad, set aside all of the brutal killing scenes, is a work deeply concerned with the true value of heroic system. Specifically, the questioning of Achilles in Book 9 brings up a new insight for the Iliads readers. The heros brilliant performance in the battlefield is fundamental to maintain his status. Furthermore, he had to fulfill his responsibility in accordance with his family, friends, and community in general.

The English Renaissance :: essays research papers

The English Renaissance The term renaissance is a French word meaning â€Å" rebirth† The English renaissance marked changes in people’s values, beliefs, and behavior. The English Renaissance changed the way people think about life and culture. There were five reasons why it changed the way people think is â€Å"humanism, trade and exploration, scientific developments, the printing press, and the Reformation. I’ll briefly go over one by one how these five reasons changed and created a rebirth of culture and learning in England. Humanism: the humanists studied Latin and Greek classics to discover new answers such as â€Å" what is a human being?† â€Å"What is good life† and â€Å"how do I lead a good life† Humanist aim was to use the classics to strengthen, not discredit, Christianity. Humanist also believe that Christian teach people how to live and how to rule. Printing press: The invention of printing press transformed the way information was exchanged during the renaissance. Before this only imfortmation was exchanged thorough books written by hand. The Hand written books was expensive and very rare. Than to inventor Johannes Gutenburg the books were printed easily and cheaply though the press and wrote his first book the Latin bible, at Mainz, Germany around 1455. The books were more available and more people read than ever before. Trade and Exploration: People started to wonder out to the known world with their ships. John Abot explored the northeast coast of North America, 1497. Vasco Da Gama explored the India and the cape of Good Hope, 1498. Balboa crosses Isthmus of Panama and sights the Pacific Ocean. Magellan leads a first expedition to circum-navigate the globe. Hernando Cortes conquers Mexico, destroying Aztec Empire, 1521. British East India company founded for trade with Asia, 1600. First permanent English settlement in North America established at Jamestown, Virginia, 1607, and the Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, 1620. Scientific Developments: Renaissance was a time when people argued facts with the bible. An astronomer name Nicolaus Copernicus published a theory that planets orbit the sun, 1543. This true fact out raged the Church, because they told all the people that earth is the center of the universe and everything else went around. Galileo in 1609, first study the sky with a telescope. He invented a telescope and studied the moon and also argued to the church that sun is the center of the universe. Everyone thought that he is lunatic.