Ford Motor Company: Organizational Agility Essay

Ford Motor Company has recently experienced a problem with regard to a fraudulent e-mail which notifies consumers that the company has chosen them as the winner of a Ford Edge Jeep and that they can claim their prize after they have deposited a certain amount in a bank account. The company immediately issued a statement within a few days saying that the notifications are not from the company and that the e-mails are scams designed to acquire personal information from unwary individuals, especially from the consumers of Ford Motors. Moreover, the company released a public statement claiming that the company is not in any way connected with the e-mails circulating over the internet inasmuch as the company has not granted either authority or permission to use the name of the company, its trademark and its intellectual properties in order to engage in such a scam. The company noted that the e-mails may be a form of â€Å"phishing† activity, and advised the consumers to simply delete the message and avoid replying. In terms of demonstrating environmental responsiveness, the Ford Motor Company has formulated a way in order to reduce greenhouse gases used in painting vehicles by as much as 15 percent. The new paint technology is not only â€Å"environmentally sound† but also efficient in terms of cost such that painted automobiles are more durable and look more beautiful than before. The technology used is a combination of â€Å"advanced chemical formulation of high-solids† with a â€Å"three-wet application process† which uses paint shop that is more earth-friendly as compared to traditional vehicle paints. Apart from the reduction in CO2 emissions from the painting of vehicles, the new paint technology also boasts the benefit of a decrease in VOCs or volatile organic compounds by as much as 10 percent. The company states that it can save money in the production of the vehicles and lessen the completion of painting an automobile by a fifth of the total time previously estimated. More importantly, there is also a great reduction in the amount of conventional paint used in the painting process. Even if the Ford Motor Company has already used the new painting technology, the company is still gathering data for wider application. The monitoring of the automobiles over the next year will give the company more data which will enable them to gather â€Å"long-term rollout plans† for the pioneering paint technology that they have developed. In fact, the company has already won international acclaim in France for the new paint technology. The concepts of Total Quality Management apply to the Ford Motor Company in terms of how it handles the current environmental requirements in the industry. Instead of abandoning or taking a step back from the automobile industry, the company opted to stay ahead of the rest by developing tools which will meet the environmental demands of the time. The ability to manage the company efficiently and effectively in such a pressing circumstance is equally significant to the ability to enact the company visions and progress on them through time. The company acts by not resorting to isolated departments in handling the issue at hand. Rather, the company makes the full use of its structured departments in order to arrive at a better approach in providing the suitable method to address the environmental issues typically attributed to automobile companies. That is, Ford Motor Company’s efforts to develop the new paint technology incorporated the input coming from the production department to the conception department. Post-production departments also share a role in assessing the actual impacts of the new paint technology which allows for the acquisition and accumulation of new data which can be used as basis for great improvements in the future.

Great Education Leaders

From Corporate America to the Classroom Jon Williams University of Phoenix From Corporate America to the Classroom Leadership by definition is a person who guides or inspires others. In corporate America, we can consider Jack Welch a true pioneer in defining leadership. Jack Welch was able to lead and make General Electric a very competitive enterprise in the world (100 Ventures) during the 1980s. Jack Welch is bringing his lifelong management skills to a new online university program (Glader, 2009). Biography Jack Welch was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1935. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering.In 1960, Jack Welch joined General Electric and worked his way through the ranks to become the Chairman and CEO of GE, making him the eighth and youngest leader (Woopidoo- Biographies- Business Leaders). During his 20 year reign of General Electric, one of Americas largest and most well known companies Jack Welch's management skills became almost legendar y (Woopidoo- Biographies- Business Leaders). His no nonsense leadership style gave him a reputation of being hard, but fair when making business decisions and his style of leadership has been used a model in corporate America. His techniques have been studied and implemented in the U.S. Army (Day, 2001). Jack Welch’s success was the ability to effectively communicating keys ideas, and constantly repeating them to ensure all employees shared the organization’s goals. Goals In order to become a leader, people should lead more and manage less. As a leader, goals or vision must be created to ignite an organization and make those goals into reality (100 Ventures). Do not micro manage instead inspire others to execute the goals of the organization. Jack believed in seeing change as an opportunity. Change is going to happen and the willingness to change is actually strength.Much has been said and written about Jack Welch and his success. Many managers struggle daily to lead a nd inspire their subordinates to perform. In order to close the gap in a lack of leadership in the business world, Jack believes in educating then next generation of leaders (Glader, 2009). Education Jack has partnered with Chancellor University and plans to use his methods of teaching leadership. Chancellor University will name its Master of Business Administration program â€Å"The Jack Welch Institute. † Jack says the MBA program will integrate his philosophy and human resources into a 12-course curriculum designed for managers (Glader, 2009).Conclusion Since retiring in 2001, Jack, 73, has taught management classes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Glader, 2009). He has written many books about leadership and has shared his success throughout his life. The one key lesson from Jack every manager should practice is, â€Å"Genuine leadership comes from the quality of your vision and your ability to spark others to extraordinary performance,† (100 Ventures) . References 100 Ventures. (n. d. ). 25 Lessons from Jack Welch- Business Leadership and New Management Secrets. Retrieved December 26, 2009, from eCoach: http://www. 1000ventures. om/business_guide/mgmt_new-model_25lessons-welch. html Day, D. H. (2001, April). Leadership Development: A review of Best Practices. Retrieved December 26, 2009, from U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavior and Social Sciences: http://www. dtic. mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc? AD=ADA391440;Location=U2;doc=GetTRDoc. pdf Glader, P. (2009, June 22). The Jack Welch MBA Coming to Web. Retrieved December 26, 2009, from The Wall Street Journal: http://online. wsj. com/articles Woopidoo- Biographies- Business Leaders. (n. d. ). Jack Welch Biography. Retrieved December 26, 2009, from Woopidoo Web Site: http://www. woopidoo. com/biography/jack-welch. htm

Reflection paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Reflection - Term Paper Example Among the services offered is diagnosis of various complications. We also carry out therapy after diagnosis of the diseases; additionally the hospital has a pharmaceutical department that offers all types of medications as prescribed by medical professionals. The hospital is also, of late, establishing a research center. The research center will focus on the trending medical complications such as cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and blood sugar level and pressure complications (Armstrong, 2014). The hospital is seeking to partner with other big hospitals to provide a state of art services to children medical complications. Additionally, through the agencies that provide vaccination, the facility is seeking to partner with them so that it can also take part in the vaccination process. The administrators of the hospital usually partner with medical personnel to boost the services offered to the patients and also help in motivating the professionals for better service delivery. Through the partnership and good relationship, the facility has significantly reduced the cost of health services. The human resource department of the facility has set the hospitals goals, and they measure the progress of the hospital by looking at the progress towards the achievement of the goals. The Recruiter ensures that people who are recruited to work in the facility are well qualified and possess the necessary skills. Consequently, the hospital boasts of having the most qualified medical profess ionals in the city. The entire staff is also highly disciplined and upholds respect and transparency of the highest level. Also, the hospital has partnered with other Agencies to provide community-based service delivery. The services offered are a give back to the society, and it includes educating the community on methods to promote health safety and free medical services to the community. The need of the patients facilitates the hospital mission. Working towards facilitating good

Immigration in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Immigration in the United States - Essay Example Once immigration was taken for granted in the US policy but now, immigration policy occupies a significant space in the political agenda of both, the democrats and the republicans. This paper will explore the perspectives of the various segments of the society like employers, US Citizens and immigrants on the immigrations policies and its altogether impact on the US Immigration Policy, while discussing this, we will also analyze the propaganda used by both the political parties. The employers have always been the keen advocates of the policies in the favor of the immigrants. It is so because; these immigrants ensure the constant supply of the cheap labor. (Katel 2005)They are usually willing to work at lower wages and perform those activities which the US residents don't want to perform like working the farms, restaurants, gas stations etc. That's why; especially the states like Texas and Arizona are strong advocates of the immigrant - favoring policy. (Arizona Secretary of State Proposition 200)Thus it is quite obvious, higher the influence of these employers on the government, the more immigrant favoring policies are expected. Their most strong argument is the fact that cheap labor supply ultimately reduces the cost and thus benefiting the society in general. The US citizens, on the contrary, argue that though it... igrants are engaged with, but the additional burden on tax payers, in order to provide the public utility services to those immigrants is far higher than the reduction in cost.(Kelly 2005) Moreover, they also argue that immigrants are the continuous threat to their employments and above all, their security. The later apprehension has been boosted up sharply in the post 9/11 scenario and the political factions advocating strict immigrant policy used this 'fear factor' to propagate and convince the legislators for constringent immigration policy. Position of President Bush and Current Administration When George W Bush became the president, the illegal immigration was at height and none of the constitutions were able to deter the influx of illegal immigrants. The situation called for a constitutional reform to address the issue. The 9/11 attacks and then the 9/11 commission's report in 2004 highlighting "systemic weaknesses" in border-control and immigration systems, further strengthened the need. All this led to the formation of the 'Fair and Secure Immigration Reform Guidelines'. These guidelines formed the basis of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform. That was further reiterated in Bush's statement of Nov 28, 2005 on 'Securing America Through Immigration Reform'. Comprehensive immigration reform has three major parts: Securing the Border Improving Enforcement of Immigration Laws within The United States Creating a new Temporary Worker Program http://www.immigrationreformnow.org/immigrationreformnow/#CIR Position of Republicans and Democrats: The republicans and the democrats represent two separate ideologies. Democrats believe in helping people of the world and thus expending this support even to the non-Americans. This fundamental ideology makes it obvious

Job Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Job Application - Essay Example Since the job does not entail decision making, the resume instead exude enthusiasm in addition to education and skills that the job could provide practical experience to what I learn in school. The application for a Sales and Marketing Manager is different. The approach is more centered on my experience on how I exceeded my career objectives in addition to my initiative to think of ways that could contribute more to the employer’s bottom line. My educational background is deferred last because this is already given in this kind of position. What is highlighted instead is my capacity to produce result because this is what is important to employers. The language of the two resume also differs. In the application for a Sales and Marketing Manager, the tone is more self-assured to inspire confidence in the prospective employer that indeed I can meet marketing objectives. The application for Administrative Assistant is more enthusiastic and exudes willingness to learn for the prospective employer to have an impression that I am a good employee. This is to my express intention to apply for the post of an Administrative Staff of which you advertised Last Sunday in the newspaper. After going through the qualifications indicated in your advertisement, I believe I am more than qualified to assume the post. I have two years of college at Acme University taking up Business Administration. I have taken up subjects in Accounting and Human Resource making me familiar with costing and dealing employee relations. I am also proficient in preparing reports and is literate in Microsoft productivity tools such as MS Office, Excel, Powerpoint and MS Project. Should you find interest to discuss the details of my qualifications, I would be more than happy to come for an interview at your convenient time. My telephone number is 124-567-8900 and I can be reached between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This is to express

Family in Europe History Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Family in Europe History - Coursework Example The Gratian solution to this problem was to suggest that marriage occurs in two stages, the first when consent is made and the second following intercourse. Although marriage was valid and binding after consent, it was made more intimate and complete only after intercourse. While this validated Mary and Joseph’s marriage, it still indicated their marriage wasn’t totally complete because, of course, Mary was a virgin. As a result, this solution didn’t satisfy the Christian concerns. The Lombard solution relied on semantics. Rather than suggesting that simple consent was necessary, Lombard suggested that this consent had to be made in the present tense, which distinguishes it as a marriage contract, therefore making Mary and Joseph’s marriage complete. This was distinguishable from a betrothal simply because it was uttered in the present tense; betrothals were made in future tense. Because it satisfied both concerns regarding how to distinguish marriage from betrothal and validated the marriage of Jesus and Mary, this definition of marriage was accepted, but it also introduced a significant shift in family power as regional lords, the church and the parents all lost the ability to forbid marriage, retaining only the power to disapprove of it. The agnatic lineage traces family kinship ties through the father’s line only. The women were completely ejected from the equation and any sense that the matrilineal line is the only sure line of descent was lost. This caused women to lose a great deal of their worth. As mentioned, they were no longer important to the family line other than to provide the means of acquiring the next generation. This loss caused them to also lose any claims of inheritance or particular care within their childhood family unit. Once they were married, they ceased to be of any importance to their birth family at all as any of their labors and the children they bear then belong to the family of the husband. By removing half of

Pros and cons of globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Pros and cons of globalisation - Essay Example Similarly, for centuries, people and business have invested in enterprises in additional countries. If we analysed the term "globalization" has acquired substantial affecting force. No doubt, some view it as a procedure that is useful a key to future world fiscal expansion and also inevitable and irreparable. According to the global experts there are so many questions concerning globalization like when did it commence, who supports, who alongside it or does technology effects globalization We will scrutinize these questions and attempt to find the greatest answers. Let's take a quick tour of globalization is a broadly used and hotly discussed subject which has numerous definitions. It can simply be defined as the compression of the world. However, globalization is too complex to be described with a single definition. Here are some more definitions to understand the subject better: According to the WTO report, globalization is the homogenization of people's tastes as well as demand patterns just about the world, due to augmented access to global communication of information regarding products and services as well as amplified access to transportation of products and people crosswise borders.(Hammond & Grosse,2003) Globalization can be explained as Adam Smith did as, "the growth of opulence," meaning when constraints on people's competitiveness are removed, then progress will flourish, with each individual looking to get better his or her lot. Globalization is The Process According to the expert analysis globalization is the procedure by which businesses generate value by leveraging their resources and ability across borders, as well as includes the organization of cross-border manufacturing and marketing strategies * Globalization is the rising integration of economies and societies around the globe. * A social procedure in which the restraint of geography on social and educational arrangements recede as well as in which people become gradually more aware that they are receding ( Waters, 1995). * Globalization is a procedure (or set of progression) which embodies a revolution in the spatial organization of social dealings and transactions, produce transcontinental or interregional flows as well as networks of activity, dealings as well as power. Technology and Organization According to the expert analysis globalization is a procedure of interaction and incorporation in the midst of the people, companies, as well as governments of dissimilar nations, a procedure driven by international trade as well as investment and aided by information technology. Global Value According to the expert analysis it is helpful for media reforms to obtain place, in order to reduce the harmful communal and economic effects for the nations it is moving. The onus is therefore located on the governments and media practitioners to plan remedial events. This process may not be an simple one due to the information the global media, is certainly propelled by globalisation. Hence the state of affairs worsens because each day the world becomes additional of a worldwide village. However apathy is not the method to go, changes have to be made to downplay the damaging effects of global media

Everyone can agree that a stable family background is most likely to Essay

Everyone can agree that a stable family background is most likely to deliver the enviroment that children need - Essay Example A stable family background, founded on marriage, and constituted of a mother and a father, provides the optimal environment for the child. It is the institution of marriage which provides the foundation for a stable family. Research has led to the consensus that â€Å"Families based on marriage are, on an average, healthier, wealthier, and more stable than any other family forms† (Civitas web site). Marriage contributes to the stability of the family and to the well-being of both adults and children in a plethora of ways. It ensures a mutual sense of responsibility towards the children and the sharing of resources. Children have a good relationship with their married parents, mainly due to the time spent together. Marriage increases the probability of the children themselves entering into stable marriages. Economically, marriage is linked to higher income and thus, a higher standard of living for the child. Children of married parents achieve greater academic success, earn university degrees and have high-status employment. These children also enjoy better physical health, have lower rates of alcohol and drug ab use, have fewer mental health problems, are less likely to indulge in delinquent behavior and are at less risk of experiencing child abuse (Civitas web site. Factsheets on the Family). The traditional family structure, composed of the two birth parents, contributes best to family stability and child well-being. Single parent families, which may be the result of bereavement, separation, divorce or bearing children outside wedlock, fail to meet the material and psychological needs of the child. Children of lone mothers have higher chances of living in poverty and deprivation, of getting into trouble at school, playing truant, being excluded and dropping out, having adjustment and socialization problems, being subject to physical, emotional or sexual abuse, indulging in smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, of running away from home and of becoming

Class, Democracy and Resistance In Contemporary Thailand. What is the Dissertation

Class, Democracy and Resistance In Contemporary Thailand. What is the red shirt yellow shirt conflict about - Dissertation Example It then proceeds to explore why, if the Red Shirts are indeed representative of those who have been oppressed by an elite urban-centric Thailand, support is being given to a leader like Thaksin Shinawatra who, by all showing, is a rent-seeking and corrupt politician. It uses class and resistance as lens by which the red shirt and yellow shirt phenomenon may be understood and seeks to unravel tha complex dynamics that underlie Thai-style contemporary politics. II. Introduction The image is a searing one, and has captured the attention of a global audience. Outside Siam paragon, one of Bangkok’s gleaming edifices, a man stands with his fist clenched. He has the weatherbeaten face of a rural farmer from northern Thailand and he is in a red shirt. The picture captures the audience because of the juxtaposition it presents: the two faces of one country. On the one hand, as represented by the posh mall that is the Siam Paragon, it is a modern and bustling economy, well on its way to Capitalist-style development. On the other hand, it is a simmering hotbed of discontent, with rural labourers coming to the center so that their voices may finally be heard. This contradiction lies at the very heart of the Red Shirt and Yellow Shirt conflict in Thailand. This paper aims to discuss the political conflict in Thailand between the Red Shirts and the Yellow Shirts in Thailand, a conflict that has led to many dramatic scenes being played out before the international media but whose underlying themes and issues remain hidden from the Western spectator. There is much myth-making that has helped both sides along: with one side demonizing the other and glorifying its own, and people seeing only what they choose to see. The conflict illustrates the complexity of Thai politics, and the stark class injustices and inequality that have attended the so-called Land of the Free. On the one hand, there is a group who has long been a victim of historical injustices and seeks to be hear d by the center and it does so by supporting a strongman whose political career has been riddled by charges of corruption and misfeasance in public office (see: Chaturon, 2009). On the other hand, is a group affiliated with the â€Å"People’s Alliance for Democracy† (PAD) who professes support for the King and who levels on Thaksin the charge of not being respectful enough to the Thai Monarch, but who represent the elite and middle class in Thai society and to the lower classes in rural Thailand (Chaturon, 2009), partially responsible for the gaping inequalities in the political economy of Thailand by protecting the status quo from which they benefit. Andre Vltcheck (2010) puts it succinctly: Imagine that you are Thai and poor, as most people in this country still are. Imagine that you are aware of your social position, as most poor Thais are, and that you are educated and understand the complexities and hidden meanings of political life of your country, which most Tha is do not. You have basically two alternatives if suicide or emigration is not the option: to support the outrageously elitist aristocracy and the army (many of whose members now paint themselves

The Removal of the Compulsory Retirement Age Essay Example for Free

The Removal of the Compulsory Retirement Age Essay However, our superannuation system is in a transition phase, and some the details of the changes are contained in the table below: Age regulations and qualifications governing superannuation and social security systems 55| Age to which superannuation entitlements are compulsorily preserved. From age 55, preserved superannuation becomes available upon retirement. For people aged 55 to 60 years, Regulations under the  Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993  (SIS regulations) define retirement as permanent withdrawal from the workforce. A phased increase in the superannuation preservation age to 60 is to begin in 2015 and will affect people born after 30 June 1960. By 2025, people born after June 1964 will be subject to a preservation age of 60 years. | | People aged 55 years and over can access a range of social security pensions and benefits depending on their circumstances, e. g. Disability Support Pension, Newstart Allowance, Carer Pension and Widow Allowance. From September 1997, superannuation assets of those aged 55 and over were taken into account under the income and assets tests after 9 months on income support (pending legislation). 60| Under SIS Regulations, after age 60, retirement may be taken to have occurred upon cessation of a period of gainful employment even if the person intends to re-enter gainful employment. Current qualifying age for Mature Age Allowance. | 61| Womens current qualifying age for age pension. The age pension age for women is being slowly increased to 65 over the next 17 years (reaching 65 years in July 2013). | 65| Mens qualifying age for age pension. | 70| From 1 July 1997 people were allowed to continue to contribute to a regulated superannuation fund up to age 70, provided they are gainfully employed for at least 10 hours per week over the year. | http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_is_the_workplace_compulsory_retirement_age_Australia http://www. alrc. gov. au/publications/2-recruitment-and-employment-law/compulsory-retirement Most people retire at 55 years or over. According to the  Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average age Australians intend to retire is 63 for men and 61 for women. Compulsory retirement at 65 was made unlawful in South Australia in 1993. It is against the law to dismiss staff because of their age unless there is an occupational reason to be a certain age. Most staff cant be forced to retire because of age except: * judges and magistrates must retire at 70 * Australian Defence Force personnel must retire at 65. The average retirement age is likely to increase as we have an ageing population. More workers will move into retirement age and fewer will enter the labour market. As a result, there will be a shortage of workers. Governments and many employers are already trying to encourage workers to stay on longer by offering assistance to older staff and options like  phased retirement. You can retain your staff past retirement age by offering  phased retirement or flexible working conditions. http://www. eoc. sa. gov. au/eo-business/employers/staffing/dismissing-retrenching-and-retiring-staff/retiring-staff/when-do-staf The likelihood of being retired increased with age. For those aged 45-49 years, just 5% were retired, compared to 16% of 55-59 year olds, 68% of 65-69 year olds and 87% of those aged 70 years and over. In 2010-11, 63% of men aged 45 years and over were in the labour force, 33% had retired, and 3% were not in the labour force but had not yet retired. In contrast, 50% of women aged 45 years and over were in the labour force, 39% had retired and the remaining 5% were not in the labour force but had not yet retired. The average age at retirement from the labour force for people aged 45 years and over in 2010-11 was 53. years (57. 9 years for men and 49. 6 years for women). Of the 1. 4 million men who had retired from the labour force: 27% had retired aged less than 55 years; 53% had retired aged 55-64 years; and 20% had retired aged 65 years and over. The 1. 8 million women who had retired from the labour force had retired on average at a younger age than men. The ages at which women retirees had retired from the labour force were as foll ows: 57% had retired aged less than 55 years; 35% had retired aged 55-64 years; and % had retired aged 65 years and over. Of the 2. 2 million retired people who had worked in the last 20 years, 94% had held a full-time job at some stage. For nearly three-quarters (72%) of those who held a full-time job, their last job held prior to retirement was full-time. The remainder worked part-time before retiring. http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[emailprotected] nsf/Latestproducts/6238. 0Main%20Features1July%202010%20to%20June%202011? opendocument;amp;tabname=Summary;amp;prodno=6238. 0;amp;issue=July%202010%20to%20June%202011;amp;num=;amp;view= ttp://jobsearch. about. com/b/2013/03/08/too-old-to-get-hired. htm In advanced and developing economies, ageing populations and low birth rates are emphasising the need for retaining and sustaining competent older workers. This paper examines human resource and governmental policy and practice implications from the contradictory accounts directed tow ards those workers aged over 44 years, who are usually classi? ed as ‘older workers’. It focuses on a key and paradoxical impediment in the workforce retention of these workers. Using Australia as a case study, this paper argues that policies and practices to retain and sustain workers aged 45 or more need to de-emphasise the term ‘older workers’ and reconsider how human resource management and government policies, as well as practices by workers themselves, might pursue longer and more productive working lives for employees aged over 45. It seeks to elaborate the paradox of the (under)valuing of older workers’ contributions and provides direction for retaining and supporting the ongoing employability of these workers. It concludes by proposing that government, industry bodies and sector councils that seek to change employer attitudes will likely require a dual process comprising both engagement with older workers and a balanced appraisal of their worth. Alone, subsidies and/or mandation may well serve to entrench age bias without measures to redress that bias through a systematic appraisal of their current and potential contributions. In addition, to support this transformation of bias and sustain their employability, older workers will likely need to exercise greater agency in their work and learning. Quite consistently across international and national surveys, a pattern emerges of employers and managers holding older workers in low esteem which appears quite entrenched. Indeed, managers’ assessments of older workers are consistently negative, seemingly irrespective of appraisals of their actual performance (Rosen and Jerdee 1988). The evidence from studies across Europe and North America commonly report that employers are far more likely to fund the training of the young and well educated, rather than older workers (Brunello 2001; Brunello and Medio 2001; Giraud 2002). Truly, some northern European countries adopt more positive attitudes towards and claim a strong sense of obligation to older workers as exercised through a set of national policies and practices (Bishop 1997; Smith and Billett 2003). Yet, it is noteworthy that elsewhere the ways in which employers distribute and fund developmental opportunities for their employees, is resistant to legislated (Giraud 2002) and mandated measures (Bishop 1997). Instead, the privileging of youth (and perhaps never more so than when they become a scarce commodity within ageing populations) is that which shapes employers’ decisionmaking about the distribution of sponsored workplace-based opportunities for learning. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1251This suggests that government intervention by pressing or subsidising employers to employ older workers will not be suf? cient, unless the attitude of employers can in some way be transformed. Australian studies of attitudes towards older workers report similar ? ndings to those reported elsewhere. One study concluded that ‘regardless of the perceived more positive qualities of older workers , employers appear to prefer to recruit employees in the younger age groups for most employee categories’ with ‘minimal interest in recruiting anyone over 45 years for any job and no preference for anyone 56 years or older’ (Steinberg, Donald, Najman and Skerman 1996, p. 157). Despite the increasing recognition of the looming labour shortage at that time and following it, such attitudes appear to have been slow to change. Yet, such attitudes are quite potent. Taylor and Walker (1998, p. 44) concluded that ‘workplace perceptions about older workers (and different groups of older workers) may directly in? uence not only their prospects for gaining employment but also their prospects for development and advancement within an organisation’. A 2003 guide by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) identi? ed numerous ‘readily accepted negative stereot ypes of mature-age workers’, including their lacking motivation and enthusiasm, being close-minded, more susceptible to injury and illness, having outdated skills, less capable, unwilling to take on new training or challenges, risk averse and having less potential for development (p. 2). Yet, the issues raised by the BCA (2003) pose dif? culties in generalising about employer attitudes and practices. In a telephone survey of some 1000 enterprises in the business services sector, which included computer, legal, accounting and employment services, Bittman, Flick and Rice (2001) found no clear pattern of negative attitudes towards employing older workers. They claimed (p. vii) that ‘despite [employers’] reputation for favouring younger, risk-taking innovators, the study revealed a preference for a diverse workforce of intelligent, reliable, team workers with industry rather than computing experience’. However, Gringart, Helmes and Speelman (2005) claim the methodology used in that study did not allow respondents to systematically stereotype workers on the basis of age. Moreover, the business service sector may well be one of those better disposed to employing and supporting older workers than many others, as its work may be more age tolerant than others. Across a range of industries, a survey of 8000 Australian employers found the most proactive recruitment for mature age workers was in the ? ance sector (47% of ? rms), compared with only 32% in information technologies and 24% in telecommunications (Deare 2006). This kind of difference indicates that employer attitudes are not uniform in their application or intensity, across industry sectors. For instance, in their 2001 study, Gringart and Helmes found that older female jobseekers were discriminated against more than males. Yet, 4 years later, the researchers (Gringart et al. 2005) found no signi? cant gender difference. They concluded rather baldly that the sample of 128 ‘hiring decision makers’ in businesses of up to 50 employees was generally unlikely to hire older workers. These studies indicate that employer attitude is central not only to recruiting and retaining older workers, but also in advancing support for maintaining their employability through opportunities to further develop and apply more widely the knowledge they have learnt. Indeed, Howell, Buttigieg and Webber (2006, p. ) concluded that senior management’s support for diversity and effective utilisation of older workers as part of the retail workforce resulted in age-positive practices by those managers who supervise older workers. Nonetheless, in its own way, this kind of endorsement indicates, ? rstly, the importance of attitudes being premised on the basis of informed accounts of performance and not age bias and, secondly, that these attitudes can change. 1252 S. Billett et al. Such change in attitudes would n eed to be broadly applied across decision-making in businesses. For instance, the BCA (2003, p. 8) claimed that voluntary retirement is often seen as a workforce management tool, but that such policies are often based on age alone, and that consideration is not given to the employees’ skill and experience pro? les. The depth and pervasiveness of the employer discrimination against older workers are illustrated further in the BCA’s (2003, p. 11) ? ndings which suggest that recruitment agencies may actually practise ‘ageism’ when shortlisting applicants for their clients, a claim denied by the agencies (Hovenden 2004). Certainly, some of these agencies promote mature age employment through their websites. One of them commissioned a report on the implications of the ageing population in the Australian workforce that described ageism as ‘a particularly insidious form of discrimination’ (Jorgensen 2004, p. 13). Recommending that employers needed to confront their own prejudices, Jorgensen also suggested (p. 13) that ‘policy approaches that deal with ageism also need to be carefully framed so as not to stigmatise older workers, isolate younger workers or impose obligations on older workers who simply do not have the health or desire to continue in full time or part time employment’. It follows from here that in the current social and ? nancial environments, speci? c and targeted policies and sustained initiatives are likely to be required to change attitudes about older workers’ occupational capacities and employability across their working lives. However, these initiatives will need to overcome a range of societal and workplace barriers for the maximum retention of and full utilisation of these workers’ capacities. Key barriers here include a societal preference of privileging youth over age across countries with advanced industrial economies. This preference manifests itself in workplace practices of not only favouring the employment of younger workers, but also directing far more resources towards their development than older workers, among other groups (Brunello 2001; Brunello and Medio 2001). These preferences seem powerful and enduring. Even evidence suggesting that older workers are as capable as other workers and have the very attributes employers claim to value, seemingly fail to change management’s views, i. e. f those who employ and make decisions about workers’ advancement and access to development opportunities. Some might argue that this preference will change as older workers become an increasingly common element of the workforce and a necessity for employers. Countering such a claim is the prospect that a scarcity of younger people may well lead to greater enterprise competition for and sponsorship of younger and well-educated workers and more intense resourcing of these workers and away from o lder workers. Moreover, despite the growing presence of older workers in the Australian workforce over the last 20 years, little appears to have changed in terms of employer preference or workplace responses to their growing participation. Salient here is the comparison of older workers with women workers. Despite their increasing participation in the workforce, women workers across a range of national workforces have struggled to secure worthwhile work conditions, despite legislative arrangements associated with equal opportunity (Cavanagh 2008). Therefore, unless signi? ant changes occur in both the attitudes towards and Australian employers’ practices, older workers may well increasingly struggle to secure worthwhile work, and opportunities for the development and advancement required to retain them in socially and economically vital work and improve their effectiveness in that work. Indeed, there are potentially strong negative consequences here. Consequences of negative employer attitu des and practices There are both personal and societal costs of employer attitudes and practices that discriminate unreasonably against older workers. These costs include the limits in range of The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1253employment options for these workers and dif? culties becoming employed. Indeed, a consequence of policies designed to promote a deregulated and ? exible labour market is the growing distinction between ‘core sector jobs’ (‘good’ jobs that require high skills, offer decent wages and provide bene? ts such as support for training and development) and ‘peripheral sector jobs’ (‘dead end’ jobs that require few skills, offer poor wages and few bene? s, as well as little in the way of job security) (Kossen and Pedersen 2008, p. 5). Given such a bifurcation, the great risk is that older workers will be seen as only being employable in the peripheral sectors. This may well be particularly true for the range of options that are available for many older workers. Challenging the notion of meritocracy in the labour market, Kossen and Pedersen ( 2008, p. 6) cite research indicating that older workers who have been excluded from employment ‘experience far greater dif? culty in rejoining the core orkforce’. The point here is that older workers may have greater dif? culty securing worthwhile work when they re-enter the workforce. Indeed, the negative attitudes that older workers experience may well contribute to the widespread ‘culture’ of early retirement in Australia (Encel 2003) in which workforce participation by those over 55 is considerably lower than in many other OECD countries (ABS 2007) as these workers fail to ? nd meaningful employment, and withdraw from the labour market. A recruiting agency (Adage, n. d. 1) concluded that mature age workers are more likely to ‘experience the compounding effect of being out of the workforce resulting in being seen as less employable’. Another agency reported that nearly three-quarters of 2000 baby boomers surveyed believed that it is nearly i mpossible to get a job after age 45 (Brinsden 2007). The studies cited above, along with a range of other research ? ndings (see OECD 2006a, 2006b; Syed 2006; Kossen and Pedersen 2008) con? rm that age prejudice is alive and well in Australian workplaces, and likely play out most heavily on those who are currently out of employment. Consequently, a priority for policy is to ? nd ways of supporting unemployed older workers’ re-employment, and in worthwhile work, and ? nding ways of praising their worth that can transform the attitudes of their employers. Yet, others suggest that factors other than age alone play key roles in decision-making, particularly that such decisions are based on a business case, not on ageism. In an Equal Opportunity Commission seminar, Ranzijn (2005, p. 1) argued that ‘in general, age discrimination is not a function of a negative attitude towards older workers, but based on an implicit cost/bene? analysis’. The OECD (2006a, 2006b, p. 10) also noted that a dif? culty for employers with older workers is ‘wages and non-wage labour costs that rise more steeply with age than productivity’ and also that there are ‘shorter expected pay-back periods on investments in the training of older workers as well as their lower average educational attainmentâ€℠¢. Perhaps, because of such imperatives, Encel (2003, p. 4) warned that age discrimination is ‘commonly covert and evasive and easily masked’. Similarly, Bittman et al. (2001, p. 6) reported to an Australian House of Representatives inquiry into older workers’ unemployment that the latter were consistently advised that they were ‘over quali? ed for lower positions and under quali? ed for higher positions’. Whatever the reasons advanced by employers for not retaining or employing mature age workers, Ranzijn (2005, p. 8) pointed out that the changing demographics of the workforce will inevitably mean that employers will have to resort to older workers in order to maintain productivity, a point also made by the OECD (2006b) based on a multi-nation survey. However, such a pragmatic and expedient premise may not be the best one to proceed with. Despite becoming increasingly essential for the production of goods and services, older workers will continue to be seen as ‘last resort workers’: at the bottom of employers’ preferred kind of workers (Quintrell 2000). Employees categorised in this way will often be a low priority for employer-sponsored development opportunities and support in the 1254 S. Billett et al. workplace (Billett and Smith 2003) of the kinds required to retain them and further develop their capacities. Hence, even if the government supports the re-employment of older workers, it is likely that within the workplaces the opportunities are still likely to be shaped by a cultural preference where youth is championed and privileged, and where age is seen as a natural decline (Giddens 1997). Therefore, older workers cannot be con? dent of being afforded the kinds of employer support required to maintain their workplace competence and successfully negotiate work transitions. Moreover, given the privileging of youth, it is unlikely that older workers will make demands for employer-funded training, lest they reinforce the sentiment of being a liability. Analogously, Church (2004) refers to disabled workers who have particular needs for support, yet are strategic and cautious in their demands for workplace support, including that from their co-workers, lest they be seen as liabilities in cost-conscious work environments. Nevertheless, the widely held view among employers that older workers are less able and in? xible, and offer limited return on developmental opportunities is questioned by data arising from informants with direct experience of these workers. McIntosh (2001), for instance, notes that enterprises actually employing older workers value their contributions in quite distinct ways: survey responses of nearly 400 American employers and human resource development managers characterised older workers as: (a) being ? exible and open to change, (b) ha ving up-to-date skills, (c) interested in learning new tasks and (d) willing to take on challenging tasks. Furthermore, 68% of the respondents concluded that training older workers costs less or the same as training their younger counterparts; 57% reported that age does not affect the amount of time required to train an employee (14% disagreed) and 49% believed that older workers grasp new concepts as well as younger workers (18% disagreed). In all, this survey portrays older workers as ideal employees, which confounds the sentiment behind practices that distribute employer-funded support away from these workers. The exercise of this sentiment may also re? ect the contradictory and confusing discourse that many older workers experience and try to understand in the workplace: they are essential to maintain the production of goods and services, yet discriminated against in terms of the opportunities afforded them. Despite the suggestion in the survey reported by McIntosh (2001), few studies effectively describe the reaction and role of older workers to the changing nature of work processes. Indeed, McNair, Flynn, Owen, Humphreys and Wood? ld (2004) claim their surveys indicate that most workers reported not being given assistance to negotiate new work roles and new work as their work life transforms. Hence, this reinforces not only the lack of support, but also the need for and apparent success of these workers being able to independently develop their capacities. Consequently, policies and practices by government, industry bodies and industry sector interests may have to interweave both suppor t for older workers’ re-employment or continuing employment, with processes that also attempt to transform the views and perspectives of employers. Yet, sitting in here also is the need to develop and support these workers’ capacities to be agentic learners, i. e. in line with their own interests and intentions (Billett and vanWoerkom 2006). Direct subsidies may well indeed reinforce the perspective that positions older workers as being de? cient and worthy of societally incurred subsidies, and places employers as being only able to employ and promote the interests of these workers when such subsidies are available. It would then seem that policies and practices are needed to both engage employers with older workers and promote their worth to employers in a way which incrementally in? ences their decision-making. It is these kinds of engagement and development that will be required to both overcome and transform well-entrenched preferences. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1255All of the above points to the importance of identifying what has to be done to effectively retain older workers and develop their employability. Added here is the prospect that the fewer available younger workers will be in high demand and, as such, are unlikely to select low-status occupations such as aged care. Hence, and as noted, a key consideration for approaches to improving policy and practice for older workers is shifting employer attitudes towards a more positive accounting of the capabilities and potentialities of these workers. Policy reform is needed to respond to engage and inform to secure such a shift. Therefore, it is helpful to identify what has been done to bring about such changes, policy wise. References Adage (n. d), ‘Why Adage Targets Mature Professionals,’ www. adage. com. au Ainsworth, S. (2001), ‘The Discursive Construction of the Older Worker Identity: A Re? ction on Process and Methods,’ Tamara: The Journal of Critical Postmodern Science, 1, 4, 29–46. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004), ‘Paid Work: Mature Age Workers,’ Australian Social Trends, series, catalogue no. 4102. 0, June 15, Canberra, ABS. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007), ‘Skilling Mature Age Australians for Work,’ Year Book Australia, ca talogue no. 1301. 0, February 7, Canberra, ABS. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008), ‘Population Projections – a Tool for Examining Population Ageing,’ Australian Social Trends series, catalogue no. 4102. 0, June 15, Canberra, ABS. Australian National Training Authority (2004), Increasing the Vocational Education and Training Participation and Achievement of Older Workers: Ideas for Action, Brisbane: ANTA. Billett, S. (2010), Promoting and Supporting Lifelong Employability for Singapore’s Workers Aged 45 and Over, Singapore: Institute for Adult Learning. Billett, S. , and Smith, A. (2003), ‘Compliance, Engagement and Commitment: Increasing Employer Expenditure in Training,’ Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 53, 3, 251–269. Billett, S. , and vanWoerkom, M. (2006), ‘Older Workers and Learning Through Work: The Need for Agency and Critical Re? ction,’ in Promoting Lifelong Learning for Older Workers – an International Overview, eds. T. Tikkanen and B. Nyhan, Cedefop Reference Series 65. Luxembourg: EUR-OP, pp. 177–189. Bishop, J. H. (1997), ‘What We know About Employer Provided Training: A Review of the Literature,’ Research in Labour E conomics, 16, 19–87. Bittman, M. , Flick, M. , and Rice, J. (2001), ‘The Recruitment of Older Australian Workers: A Survey of Employers in a High Growth Industry,’ UNSW, Report for Department of Family and Community Services, Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney. Brinsden, C. 2007), ‘Mature-age Workers Pessimistic Over Future,’ The Australian, 9 July, online. Brunello, G. (2001), ‘On the Complementarity Between Education and Training in Europe,’ IZA discussion paper 309, Forschungsinstituit zur Zukunft der Arbeit- IZA, Institute for the Study of Labour, Zurich. Brunello, G. , and Medio, A. (2001), ‘An Explanation of International Differences in Education and Workplace Training,’ European Economic Review, 45, 2, 307–322. Business Council of Australia (2003), Age Can Work: A Business Guide for Supporting Older Workers, Melbourne: BCA. Cavanagh, J. (2008), ‘Women Auxiliary Workers’ Learning and Discovering â€Å"Self† Through Work,’ in Emerging Perspectives of Learning Through Work, eds. S. Billett, C. Harties and A. Etela? pelto, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishing, BV, pp. 67–82. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 1259Church, K. (2004), ‘Dancing Lessons: A Choreography of Disability in Corporate Culture,’ Paper presented at the WALL Annual Meeting, Toronto. Colebatch, T. (2009), ‘Retirement by 70 a Fading Hope for Many,’ The Age, 25 February, online. Deare, S. (2006), ‘IT and Telecomms Inactive on Mature Workers,’ ZDNet Australia. www. zdnet. com. au/news/business/soa/IT-and-telecomms-inactive-on-mature-workers/0,139023166, 139251015,00. htm Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2008), ‘Outcome 8: Workforce Participation,’ DEEWR Budget Statements – Outcomes and Performance. www. deewr. gov. au/ deewr/Publications/Budget Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (2005), Workforce Tomorrow, Canberra: DEWR. Dymock, D. , Billett, S. , Martin, G. , and Johnson, G. 2009), ‘Retaining and Sustaining the Competence of Older Workers: An Australian Perspective,’ Paper presented at the conference, Lifelong learning revisited: What next? June 24–26, Stirling University, Scotland. Encel, S. (2003), ‘Age Can Work: The Case for Older Australians Staying in the Workforce,’ A report to the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Business Council of A ustralia, Sydney. Giddens, A. (1997), Sociology (3rd ed. ), Cambridge: Polity Press. Giraud, O. (2002), â€Å"Firms† Further Training Practices and Social Exclusion: Can Industrial Relations Systems Provide Greater Equality? Theoretical and Empirical Evidence from Germany and France,’ in Education, Training and Employment Dynamics: Transitional Labour Markets in the European Union, eds. K. Schoman and P. J. Connell, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 300–303. Gringart, E. , Helmes, E. , and Speelman, C. (2005), ‘Exploring Attitudes Toward Older Workers Among Australian Employers: An Empirical Study,’ Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 17, 3, 85–103. Hovenden, D. (2004), ‘Fishy Memories on Ageing Workforce Crisis,’ Human Resources Magazine. www. humanresourcesmagazine. com. au/articles/15/0c019a15. asp Howell, S. Buttigieg, D. , and Webber, W. (2006), ‘Management Attitudes to Older Workers in the Retail Sector,’ Monash Business Review, 2, 3, 1–10. Jorgensen, B. (2004), The Ageing Population: Implications for the Australian Workforce, Sydney: Hudson Global Resources and Human Capital Solutions. Kossen, C. , and Pedersen, C. (2008), ‘Older Workers in Australia: The Myths, the Realities and the Battle over Workforce â€Å"Flexibility†,’ Journal of Management and Organization, 14, 1, 73–84. McIntosh, B. (2001),An Employer’s Guide to Older Workers: How to Win Them Back and Convince Them to Stay. ww. doleta. gov/Seniors/other_docs/EmplGuide. pdf McNair, S. , Flynn, M. , Owen, L. , Humphreys, C. , and Wood? eld, S. (2004),Changing Work in Later Life: A Study of Job Transitions, London: University of Surrey, Centre for Research into the Older Workforce. Naegele, G. , and Walker, A. (2006), A Guide to Good Practice in Age Management, Dublin: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Naughtin, G. (2008), ‘Social Inclusion and Older People,’ in Social Inclusion Down Under: Symposium Proceedings, Brotherhood of St. Laurence. www. sl. org. au/naughtin_symposium_ paper_26Jun08. pdf Neville, I. (2008), ‘The Australian Labour Market: Challenges and Resp onses,’ Seminar presentation, Canberra, Labour Supply and Skills Branch, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. www. gemspl. com. au/bipartite2008/Proceedings/ Ivan%20Neville%20Presp. pdf NSW Labor (2008), ‘Supporting Older Workers,’ 9 July, NSW Labor. www. nswalp. com/blog/358/ supporting-older-workers Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2006a), ‘Live Longer, Work Longer: A Synthesis Report,’ Summary. Paris: OECD. www. oecd. org/els/employment/olderworkers. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2006b), Live Longer, Work Longer: A Synthesis Report, Paris: OECD. Price, R. , and Colley, L. (2007), ‘Assessing HR Strategies for Retaining an Aging Workforce,’ in 15th International Employment Relations Association Conference: Working Lives, Working Choices, July, 9–13, Canterbury, England. Queensland Government (2008), Experience Pays Pack, Brisbane: Department of Employment and Industrial Relations. 260 S. Billett et al. Quintrell, M. (2000), ‘Older and Wiser; or Just at the End of the Line? ’ Westminster Studies in Education, 23, 19–31. Ranzijn, R. (2005), ‘Discrimination Against the Older Worker: Psychology and Economics,’ Paper presented at seminar, ‘Of Working Age,’ May, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Sydney. Rolland, L. (2007), ‘Ageing and Work in 2030: In or Out of Our Hands? ’ Paper prepared for forum, ‘Ageing 2030 – Creating the future,’ Sydney, NSW Government. Rosen, B. , and Jerdee, T. H. 1988), ‘Managing Older Workers’ Careers,’Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 6, 37–74. Smith, A. , and Billett, S. (2003), Enhancing Employers’ Expenditure on Training, Adelaide: National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Steinberg, M. , Donald, K. , Najman, J. , and Skerman, H. (1996), ‘Attitudes of Employees and Employers Towards Older Workers in a Climate of Anti-Discrimination,’Australian Journal on Ageing, 15, 4, 154–158. Syed, J. (2006), ‘Older Workers in Australia: A Policy Perspective,’ Journal of Economic and Social Policy, 1, 11, 21–43. Taylor, P. , and Walker, A. (1998), ‘Employers and Older Workers: Attitudes and Employment Practices,’ Ageing and society, 18, 641–658. The Treasury (2010), ‘Australia to 2050: Future Challenges,’ (Intergenerational Report), Canberra, Australian Government. Tikkanen, T. (1997, May), ‘Consequences of Unemployment on Professional Competency,’ Paper presented at the Nordic Conference on Adult Education, Trondheim, Norway. Tikkanen, T. , Lahn, L. , Ward, P. , and Lyng, K. (2002), Working Life Changes and Training of Older Workers, Trondheim: Vox. an Dijk, T. A. (2008), Discourse and Power, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Victorian Government (2005), ‘The Ageing Workforce,’ The State of Working Victoria Project, Information Paper No. 4, Melbourne. Weller, S. (2007), ‘Discrimination, Labour Markets and the Labour Market Prospects of Older Workers: What Can a Legal Case Teach Us? ’ Work, Employment and Society, 21, 417â⠂¬â€œ437. Wooden, M. , VandenHeuvel, A. , and Cully, M. (2001), Barriers to Training for Older Workers and Possible Policy Solutions, Adelaide: DETYA/NILS, Flinders University The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 22, No. 6, March 2011, 1248–1261 Employees. Theyre the one thing that businesses everywhere have a need for. And not just employees, but employees who are honest, responsible, dependable, loyal, focused, organized and mature. Is this too much to ask? U. S. employers spends millions of man hours each year placing ads, prescreening and interviewing candidates, and hiring and training workers, only to find that many of the employees they hire work for them for just a ew months only to decide they dont want to just be a clerk anymore or feel something betters come along as they work their way up the corporate ladder. So where can businesses find a dependable, steady workforce that has no plans to move up and out? A workforce dedicated to the job at hand and that takes pride in its work? Who will cost them less to hire, train and maintain? The answer? Older workers. Below are twelve reasons why hiring older workers can he lp you maintain a reliable, dedicated workforce and provide a significant cost savings for both the short and long term. . Dedicated  workers produce higher quality work, which can result in a significant cost savings for you. Stories abound of highly committed older workers finding others potentially costly mistakes regarding everything from misspelling of client names to pricing errors and accounting mistakes. 2. Punctuality  seems to be a given for older workers. Most of them look forward to going to work each day, so theyre likely to arrive on time and be ready to work. 3. Honesty  is common among older workers, whose values as a group include personal integrity and a devotion to the truth. 4. Detail-oriented, focused and attentive  workers add an intangible value that rubs off on all employees and can save your business thousands of dollars. One business owner I know once told me that one of his older workers saved his company more than $50,000 on one large mailing job. The 75-year-old clerical worker recognized that all the ZIP codes were off by one digit. Neither the owners mailing house nor his degreed and highly paid marketing manager had noticed it. 5. Good listeners  make great employees because theyre easier to trainolder employees only have to be told once what to do. 6. Pride in a job well done  has become an increasingly rare commodity among younger employees. Younger workers want to put in their time at work and leave, while older employees are more willingly to stay later to get a job done because of their sense of pride in the final product. 7. Organizational skills  among older workers mean employers who hire them are less likely to be a part of this startling statistic: More than a million man hours are lost each year simply due to workplace disorganization. 8. Efficiency and the confidence  to share their recommendations and ideas make older workers ideal employees. Their years of experience in the workplace give them a superior understanding of how jobs can be done more efficiently, which saves companies money. Their confidence, built up through the years, means they wont hesitate to share their ideas with management. 9. Maturity  comes from years of life and work experience and makes for workers who get less rattled when problems occur. 10. Setting an example  for other employees is an intangible value many business owners appreciate. Older workers make excellent mentors and role models, which makes training other employees less difficult. 11. Communication skillsknowing when and how to communicateevolve through years of experience. Older workers understand workplace politics and know how to diplomatically convey their ideas to the boss. 12. Reduced labor costs  are a huge benefit when hiring older workers. Most already have insurance plans from prior employers or have an additional source of income and are willing to take a little less to get the job they want. They understand that working for a company can be about much more than just collecting a paycheck. Any business owner whos hesitant to hire an older worker should consider these twelve benefits. Older workers unique skills and valuesand the potential savings to your company in time and moneymake hiring them a simple matter of rethinking the costs of high turnover in a more youthful workforce vs. the benefits of experience and mature standards older workers bring to the mix. You simply do not have the time or resources to deal with high employee turnover. The next time you need to make a hiring decision, you should seriously consider older workers: Their contribution to your company could positively impact your bottom line for years to come. Stephen Bastien isa business consultant and an expert on leadership and managing employees. Hes the author of  Yes, One Person Can Make a Difference  and  Born to Be. Having started several successful businesses, his current venture, Bastien Financial Publications, provides businesses with the latest developments on fast-growing and distressed companies nationwide through his daily newsletters. Visit his site  for more information on his financial publications, books or consulting services. Read more:  http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/167500#ixzz2QXXcMEQO

Impact of Smartphones on Students

Impact of Smartphones on Students Problem Statement With the advanced technology nowadays, smartphone is viewed as a important device and an integral part of the Malaysian society. According to The Sun Daily Report, a last year concluded analysis revealed that Malaysias smartphone penetration has increased to 63% in year 2013 from 47% in 2012, while tablet penetration has increased almost three times to become 39% from 14% (Afrizal, 2013). University students are among the highest contributors to the increasing number of smart phone sales (Jacob Isaac, 2008). However, often use of smartphone can become a habit or dependency of student and indirectly affect their lifestyle. There are several general aspects of lifestyle have been categorized, such as health, education, psychology, socialization and security, in which may be in the positive side or the negative side. Regarding impact of smartphone in business field, Rashedul Islam, Rofiqul Islam Tahidul Arafhin Mazumder (2010) states that the drastic growth of the businesses during past few years is mainly because the rising use of smartphones and the mobile application. Smartphone has made the feature of advertising business sector becomes interesting and effective. However, the negative impact of smartphone is towards the PCs market as shown in survey result of year 2011, smartphone’s shipment in that full year was 487.7 millions, exceeds PCs with 17.63%. Smartphones nowadays are much more fomidable than the PCs that 10 more years ago, people are now using the smartphone to check news feed, status update and photo posting as well (Mogg, 2012). Microsoft-Intel Alliance as the long dominated of PCs also faced pressure to get into the market of mobile device. Soon, PCs may be replaced by smartphone as smartphone seems to have a optimistic growth in the future although there is still millio n sales of PCs in every year (eWeek, 2012). Accordingly health surveys regarding smartphone done by Sarwar Soomro (2013), most of the users in USA use smart phone to search for the information and facilities related to health. Many health mobile applications are available stimulate users for prescription management, encourage other options of treatment, offer price comparison and verification of prescriptions as well. However, Russian and Eastern European scientists issued the earliest reports that low level exposure to RF radiation of smart phone could cause a wide range of health effects, including behavioural changes, effects on the immunological system, reproductive effects, changes in hormone levels, headaches, irritability, fatigue, and cardiovascular effects (Russian National Committee, n.d.). In addition, research of World Health Organization suggested this behaviour is similar to a compulsive-impulsive disorder, whereby an inability to access the services are associated with negative health consequences, including wi thdrawal and depression and other negative repercussions such as social isolation and fatigue (WHO, 2011). According to Coleman (2013), smartphones can also contribute to the deterioration of our eyes, squash our spines, give us saggy jowls, damage our hearing, damage our sleep cycle and cause dark circles under our eyes. Meanwhile, in term of education, Sarwar Soomro (2013) indicated that smartphone has provided society to be exposed towards huge amount of educational and learning purposes due to internet availability and increasing demand of smartphone. Regarding the survey of King (2012), majority of the American adults think that smartphone usage contributes a positive impact towards the youth’s education in America, eg. E-readers for study purpose. Students with the help of technology are able to access educational programs (Font, 2013). For instance Dell has launched Youth Learning (an alphabetization initiative) which support the learning programs. Besides that, smartphone provides a basic human need to help students relieve their boredom and decompression between tasks (Shawn Knight, 2012). However, there is some negative impact of smartphone dependency on education. Over dependency of smartphone can leads to addiction, means although there is no real need’s communication, still hope to have constant communication with outside through social network. (Lee, 2012). According to the The Times of India: Health, (2013) experts said that our memory will be reduced and cognitive thinking will be killed when using the smartphonealthough it makes the life more convenient and easier. People now depend much on the search engine through smartphone cause them to become poor thinker and getting more lazy than before. For impact onto psychology, based on another research of Sarwar Soomro (2013) conducted, there is a positive impact onto human psychological, smartphone is used for reduction of tension work life. Nowadays, keep update with the latest news is very vital process for reducing tension. However, negative impact of smartphone dependency exists. Spending more than seven hours a day using smartphones and experiencing symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and depression when cut off from the device is considered as addiction (Nam, 2013). Students who are addicted to smartphones not only distract themselves from studies, but also damage their interpersonal skills. According to Sarwar and Soomro (2013), addiction to smartphones affects our quality of sleep as well as creates friction in our social and family life. For lifestyle of socialization, the survey of Yi-Fan Chen done in U.S. College shows that students have several strong socialization motives for using the mobile phone to contact both family and friends (CHEN, 2007). Smartphone features, for examples, text to speech, GPS and social Websites, people can easily remain integrated with society especially those with special needs and elderly age (Sarwar Soomro, 2013). However, the report of Amanda (2012) shows that over dependent of smartphone brings the impact of there is only 35% of the teens who owns a smart phone have face-to-face socializing outside of school. According to Teoh (2011), Americans are socializing and spending the average time of 2.7 hours per day on their mobile device. The time people used to socialize via mobile device is twice of the time spending on eating and is more than one third of time spending on sleeping per day. For impact of smartphone on security, Sarwar Soomro (2013) stated that safety of children can be known by parents with the availability of Internet connection through a Smartphone. Furthermore, by setting up password security, it can protect the sensitive data inside the smartphone and also restricts access in case the smartphone was lost or been stolen. (BullGuard Security Centre, 2013) According to Enisa’s report (2010), the data leakage from smartphone may affected our assets throughout such as personal data, corporate intellectual property, classified information, financial assets and etc. If smart phone user lost the smartphone, for example, every information like address, e-mail, log data in web browser, SMS (Short Message Service) and etc. can be exposed if there is no appropriate security solutions (Smith, 2011). Next target for criminal attacks likely will be smartphone and social networking site (Sarwar Soomro, 2013). According to WhoCalledMyPhone.Net (as cited in Darrell, 2013), 24% of smartphone users check their phone while driving, which can directly cause accidents or fatal accidents. In short, smartphone has contributed positive impacts to human, but too much dependent on smartphone also cause negative consequences. Hence, our study will put more effort on the impacts of smartphone dependency into lifestyle. Smartphone brings impact to various fields such as business, health, education, psychology, socialization and security as well. However, during our research, the target of study area is among undergraduate students in UUM. Hence, some fields are not suitable for students for instance business. In short, there are only five lifestyles which will be used for our survey, include health, education, psychology, socialization and security. References Afrizal. (2013, September 5). Malaysia’s smartphone penetration rises by 16%. The SunDaily. Retrieved March 2, 2014 from http://www.thesundaily.my/news/820932 Amanda, L. (2012). Teens, Smartphones Texting. Pew Research Center’s Internet American Life Project , pp. 1-34. BullGuard Security Centre. (2013). Eight ways to keep your smartphone safe: Mobile Security. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://www.bullguard.com/bullguard-security-center/mobile-security/mobile-protection-resources/8-ways-to-keep-your-smartphone-safe.aspx CHEN, Y.-F. (2007). The mobile phone and socialization: The consequences of mobile phone use in transitions from family to school life of U.S. college students . Journal of Cyber Culture and Information Society , pp. 1-152. Coleman, C. (2013, July 21). How your mobile can give you acne†¦not to mention asaggy jaw and sleepless nights. Daily Mail. Retrieved March 18, 2014, fromhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2372752/How-MOBILE-acnemention-saggy-jaw-sleepless nights.html?ITO=1490ns_mchannel=rssns_campaign=1490 Darrell, R. (2013). The impressive effects of smartphones on society (infographic). Bit Rebels. Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.bitrebels.com/technology/the-effects-of-smartphones-on-society/ eWeek, September 5, 2012, †Intel Microsoft Influence Declining as Smartphones Tablets Rise Analysts 342948†, http://business.highbeam.com/137475/article-1G1-301713950/intelmicrosoft-influence-declining-smartphones-tablets ENISA (n.d.). Top Ten Smartphone Risk. Retrieved 17 March 2014, from http://www.enisa.europa.eu/activities/Resilience-and-CIIP/critical-applications/smartphone-security-1/top-ten-risks Gehi, R. (2013, December 3). Your smartphone is destroying your memory. The Times of India. Retrieved 23 March, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Your-smartphone-is-destroying-your-memory/articleshow/19412724.cms Jacob, S.M. and Isaac, B. (2008).The mobile devices and its mobile learning usage analysis. Proceedings of the International Multi-conference of Engineers and Computer Scientists, Hong Kong, Vol. 1, March, 19-21, pp. 782-87. King, R. (2012). Mobile devices have positive impact on education, survey says. Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/mobile-devices-have-positive-impact-on-education-survey-says/68028 Knight, S. (2012, September 26). Retrieved March 17, 2014, from http://www.techspot.com/news/50310-smartphones-cure-boredom-but-is-that-necessarily-a-good-thing.html Lee, C.-s. (2012). Smartphone addiction: disease or obsession? Retrieved March 18, 2014, from Korea Times: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2012/11/298_117506.html Md. Rashedul Islam, Md. Rofiqul Islam,Tahidul Arafhin Mazumder. (2010). Mobile Application and Its Global Impactà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-, International Journal of Engineering Technology, IJETIJENS, Vol: 10, No:06, http://www.ijens.org/107506-0909%20ijet-ijens.pdf Mogg, T. (2012). â€Å"Smartphone sales exceed those of PCs for first time, Apple smashes record†. Digital Trend. Retrieved from http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/smartphone-sales-exceed-those-of-pcs-for-first-time-apple-smashes-record/ Nam, I. (2013, Jul 23). A rising addiction among youths: Smartphones.Wall StreetJournal (Online). Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://eserv.uum.edu.my/docview/1411097432?accountid=42599 Russian National Committee on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection , Sanitary Rules of the Ministry of Health (Russia): SanPin 2.1.8/2.2.4.1190-03 point 6.9. Sarwar, M., Soomro, T.R. (2013, March). Impact of smartphone’s on society. European Journal of Scientific Research, 98 (2), 216-226. Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.europeanjournalofscientificresearch.com/ Smith, M. (2011). A Practical Analysis of Smartphone Security. Salvendy (Eds.): Human Interface, Part I , pp. 311–320. Font, S. (2013). How smartphones narrow the achievement gap in education. Retrieved 23 March 2014, from http://mobileworldcapital.com/en/article/78 Teoh, L. (2011). Mobile Stats 2011: 91% Use Mobile Phone to Socialize. Retrieved 16 March 2014, from http://www.biztechday.com/mobile-stats-2011-91-use-mobile-phones-to-socialize/ WHO. (2011). Mobile Phone Use: A Growing Problem of Driver Distraction. Journal of WHO , pp. 1-50.

Uses of Marijuana :: Free Essays Online

Hemp is a very useful plant. The reason why it is illegal today seems an easy question to answer, right? Because of the effects that it causes on the brain and body. Right? Wrong! The reasons why hemp was made illegal were reasons that the public were never exposed to. Before 1883 about seventy-five to ninety percent of the world's paper was manufactured from hemp bast fiber. The United States Department of Agriculture first proposed making paper from hemp pulp in the early 1930's. Although production had to wait until someone invented a machine that would separate the hemp pulp from the fiber cheaply. Meanwhile, Dupont Chemicals, Hearst Paper and Timber, and several other companies had developed a new way to make whiter paper out of trees. Just when they got all their patents and business going in 1936, someone invented the hemp 'decorticating' machine. This threatened to put all the tree companies out of business, because of the fact that hemp paper is cheaper to make. A huge sum o f capital was tied up in making tree pulp paper and shipping it for sale. Most of the tree-paper companies were very powerful and had many connections with the government. So in 1937, they launched a country-wide campaign to put a prohibitive tax on hemp. This was the first 'Reefer Madness Movement' and when we began to call cannabis-"Marijuana". At that time no one knew that marijuana was really cannabis hemp. The only knowledge about hemp that the public knew had been obtained from the many fabricated stories. All the public knew was that it was "the killer weed with roots in hell", because of the supposedly harmful effects that it had on the human body and mind, which by the way have all been reaserched again in depth and the previous conclusions of the effects of marijuana on the human body and mind, have all been disproven. Because of this most American's did not know where their clothes used to come from because synthetic fabrics had just becom popular. The first Levi's blue j eans were made from the hemp plant. I will including the following information in my paper; the many useful uses of hemp as a perspective product for the future, products such as; fiber, rope and twine, canvas, cloth and cotton, how it can replace our dependence on our forests for our paper products, and finally how easily it can be cultivated.

Cloned stem cells may give you a new lease of life Essay -- Biology

Cloned stem cells may give you a new lease of life (A new lease of life means â€Å"an opportunity to improve someone’s future†) Summery Paragraph The name of my article is â€Å"Cloned stem cells may give a new lease of life† I found this article in the â€Å"New Scientist† magazine. It was published on November 8, 2002. The article is telling us about how to use therapeutic (treatment) cloning to take adult cells from a human body, create cloned embryos (animal or plant in the early period of its development before it is born or grown) and remove stem cells that can turn into a wide range of tissues (a bunch of cells forming an animal or plant. Like the heart, brain, muscles, and lungs are some examples of tissues). When they tried this experiment on two cows, one cow was given drugs...

Indus Valley Civilization.

Indus Valley Civilization. The earliest traces of civilization in the Indian subcontinent are to be found in places along, or close, to the Indus river. Excavations first conducted in 1921-22, in the ancient cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro, both now in Pakistan, pointed to a highly complex civilization that first developed some 4,500-5,000 years ago, and subsequent archaeological and historical research has now furnished us with a more detailed picture of the Indus Valley Civilization and its inhabitants.The Indus Valley people were most likely Dravidians, who may have been pushed down into south India when the Aryans, with their more advanced military technology, commenced their migrations to India around 2,000 BCE. Though the Indus Valley script remains undeciphered down to the present day, the numerous seals discovered during the excavations, as well as statuary and pottery, not to mention the ruins of numerous Indus Valley cities, have enabled scholars to construct a reasonably plausible account of the Indus Valley Civilization.Some kind of centralized state, and certainly fairly extensive town planning, is suggested by the layout of the great cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The same kind of burnt brick appears to have been used in the construction of buildings in cities that were as much as several hundred miles apart. The weights and measures show a very considerable regularity. The Indus Valley people domesticated animals, and harvested various crops, such as cotton, sesame, peas, barley, and cotton. They may also have been a sea-faring people, and it is rather interesting that Indus Valley seals have been dug up in such places as Sumer.In most respects, the Indus Valley Civilization appears to have been urban, defying both the predominant idea of India as an eternally and essentially agricultural civilization, as well as the notion that the change from ‘rural’ to ‘urban’ represents something of a logical progression. The I ndus Valley people had a merchant class that, evidence suggests, engaged in extensive trading. Neither Harappa nor Mohenjodaro show any evidence of fire altars, and consequently one can reasonably conjecture that the various rituals around the fire which are so critical in Hinduism were introduced later by the Aryans.The Indus Valley people do not appear to have been in possession of the horse: there is no osteological evidence of horse remains in the Indian sub-continent before 2,000 BCE, when the Aryans first came to India, and on Harappan seals and terracotta figures, horses do not appear. Other than the archaeological ruins of Harappa and Mohenjodaro, these seals provide the most detailed clues about the character of the Indus Valley people. Bulls and elephants do appear on these seals, but the horned bull, most scholars are agreed, should not be taken to be congruent with Nandi, or Shiva’s bull.The horned bull appears in numerous Central Asian figures as well; it is also important to note that Shiva is not one of the gods invoked in the Rig Veda. The revered cow of the Hindus also does not appear on the seals. The women portrayed on the seals are shown with elaborate coiffures, sporting heavy jewelry, suggesting that the Indus Valley people were an urbane people with cultivated tastes and a refined aesthetic sensibility. A few thousand seals have been discovered in Indus Valley cities, showing some 400 pictographs: too few in number for the language to have been ideographic, and too many for the language to have been phonetic.The Indus Valley civilization raises a great many, largely unresolved, questions. Why did this civilization, considering its sophistication, not spread beyond the Indus Valley? In general, the area where the Indus valley cities developed is arid, and one can surmise that urban development took place along a river that flew through a virtual desert. The Indus Valley people did not develop agriculture on any large scale, and con sequently did not have to clear away a heavy growth of forest. Nor did they have the technology for that, since they were confined to using bronze or stone implements.They did not practice canal irrigation and did not have the heavy plough. Most significantly, under what circumstances did the Indus Valley cities undergo a decline? The first attacks on outlying villages by Aryans appear to have taken place around 2,000 BCE near Baluchistan, and of the major cities, at least Harappa was quite likely over-run by the Aryans. In the Rig Veda there is mention of a Vedic war god, Indra, destroying some forts and citadels, which could have included Harappa and some other Indus Valley cities.The conventional historical narrative speaks of a cataclysmic blow that struck the Indus Valley Civilization around 1,600 BCE, but that would not explain why settlements at a distance of several hundred miles from each other were all eradicated. The most compelling historical narrative still suggests tha t the demise and eventual disappearance of the Indus Valley Civilization, which owed something to internal decline, nonetheless was facilitated by the arrival in India of the Aryans.

Robert Frost Selected Poems – ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening’ – Analysis and Appreciation

Robert Frost was born in San Francisco on the 26th March 1874 and died on the 29th January 1963 in Boston. He was one of America's leading twentieth century poets and won many awards and honours, including four Pulitzer Prizes. When Frost was eleven, he moved to New England, where his interest in poetry came during his high school years at Lawrence, Massachusetts. He studied at Harvard from 1897 to 1899, although he did not get a formal degree. During his life, he went through many occupations such as working as a teacher and cobbler. He also managed a farm that his grandfather had bought him, but when this failed he decided to sell it and used the money to take his family to England, where he could devote his time to writing poetry. By the time he returned to the United States in 1915, he had written and published a number of collections and became one of America's most celebrated poets. With each new book – including ‘Mountain Interval' (1916), ‘New Hampshire' (1923) and ‘Steeple Bush' (1947) – fame and publicity amplified. I do not read much poetry, although I particularly favour the writings of Robert Frost. Many of his poems including ‘The Road Not Taken' and ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening' focus on images and descriptions of the natural world. However, they mainly concentrate on conveying a much deeper, more intense message. The teachings of Robert Frost are often very emotional. I very much enjoy reading his poems and trying to interpret their true meanings. I found that writing this essay made me understand the poems that I had already read many times even more clearly. ‘The Road Not Taken' is a very thoughtful and meaningful poem. The traditional but experimental and unique verses attract readers to the poem, as they are different from other poems. When first read, ‘The Road Not Taken' comes across as a simple poem based on intricacies of nature. It is clear from the first stanza that it is a poem that aims to paint a detailed picture of a peaceful road that leads into a yellow wood. However, with further readings and analysis, one can easily see that there is a much stronger, deeper meaning behind the smoothly woven words, common in many of Frost's poems. The poem's appeal lies in the extended metaphor and extended imagery, devices used very strongly to convey an important message about the twists and turns of life. ‘The Road Not Taken' is Frost's portrayal of the challenging choices that one is forced to make in life. I believe that every reader can relate to the poem and although the message is very strong, it is quite easy to interpret as it's readers can compare the poem to their own experiences. As the narrator is walking, he encounters a fork in the road. Both the roads ahead diverge â€Å"in a yellow wood†. The uninvited predicament causes him to pause and carefully ponder over his choices – â€Å"long I stood†. He has no desire to quickly rush into a decision and wants to be sure as to which road he takes. He â€Å"looked down one as far as† he could, to help him make his decision as to which road he will take, but both bend away into the undergrowth. If the reader compares this stanza to real life, they can see that the narrator has come to a point in his life when he has to make a very important decision. He has two choices in front of him that, at a glance seem very much alike (both diverge in a yellow wood). He calmly gathers his previous experiences and resources, showing that he is very much a perfectionist. However, he is unable to find any help that will give him an insight into the future. In life, we try to determine the outcome of ou r choices but it is very unlikely that we will be able to say exactly what will happen to us – we can only depend on assumptions based on our previous experiences and any insight we may have on other people's experiences. After looking down the second road and finding that it was â€Å"just as fair†, the narrator decides to travel through it because it was â€Å"grassy and wanted wear†. Once he had taken the road and begun travelling, he realised that the â€Å"passing there had worn them really about the same.† Taking the road less travelled by describes his personality. He seems to be an individualist and does not wish to take the more commonly used path and be influenced by other travellers' experiences. By taking the less commonly used road, the traveller sums himself up as being adventurous and daring, he is not afraid to try new things and likes to take risks and gambles. However, when he realised that other people had also been bold enough to take the less-travelled road, he may have felt a bit let down. Every reader can relate to this sort of situation. We all want to be unique, and want to boast about being brave enough to try something new. However, most probably there w ill be someone who has tried it before us. In stanza 3, it is clear that both roads â€Å"equally lay† and that there was not a less-trodden road. However, the man tries to convince himself that there is a difference in the two roads. He wavers slightly as he realises that his initial interpretation of the two roads was somewhat inaccurate, but retrieves his confidence by saying that he will return to the fork sometime in the future – â€Å"Oh, I kept the first for another day† – to see where the first road will lead him. At this point, the reader is introduced to the traveller's ego as he shoos away the truth that he could be wrong, by saying that it doesn't matter†¦he can always come back if things do not go to plan. â€Å"Yet knowing how way leads on to way/I doubted if I should ever come back†. Here, he acknowledges the harsh realities of life, which do not allow one to trace their footsteps back to the origin. All people when making a choice, say that they can always try the other option later on if need be. Frost teaches in lines 14 and 15 that, in life and the journey through the woods, there will be many other forks where new choices will have to be made. There will almost certainly never be time to return to the same spot again. The narrator is walking through ‘the road not taken' and looks into the future â€Å"with a sigh†. He wonders what it will bring – will he be successful and reach his destination or not? There is an element of doubt in his mind – what if? What if he had taken the more common road, what would have happened? When people make choices in life, they always question the future. They hope that what they are doing will result in victory. If one succeeds in their goals, the chances are that they will never look back. On the other hand, if one does not attain their goal, they remember the other options they had and wish that they had chosen one of those, even though that may have also not worked. The traveller continues to think about the future as he walks and meets other forks (challenges), and considers what he will tell people about his choice†¦ â€Å"Two roads diverged in to a yellow wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference† ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening' comes across as very pensive and serene, describing, as many of Frost's poems do, tranquil images of nature. Although the poem does not have any direct metaphors and similes, there is a clear use of extended imagery which is the main poetic device in the poem although it takes a couple of reads before one can see it, unlike the subject of nature which can be seen in the first few lines. It is a beautiful poem with a very strong message about life and how it forces people to work and strive away until there is nothing left to fight for. The first stanza enlightens the reader of the setting and mood of the poem. A man is travelling through woods when he stops to observe the natural world around him. He knows the person â€Å"whose woods these are† and knows that â€Å"his house is in the village†. The poet's tone and mood appears dismal as he states that the person in the village â€Å"will not see me stopping here/To watch his woods fill up with snow†, although he does not hint why this could be. From this verse, the reader can gather that the narrator is trying to reach a destination, his tone and mood suggesting that maybe he does not wish to go there. The woods are obviously special to him as it causes him to pause at such a desolate place on a snowy evening. The line, â€Å"His house is in the village, though†, indicates that the woods are away from the village and any civilisation. The woods are lovely and peaceful, but they are isolated too. In stanza 2, the reader can identify some examples of extended imagery. The coldness of the night (â€Å"frozen lake†) and description of it being â€Å"the darkest evening of the year† may describe the way he feels as well as his surroundings. â€Å"My little horse may think it queer/To stop without a farmhouse near† indicates that the poet is aware that he does not have time to stop and stare at the woods filled with snow, even though he does not want to leave. In life, people are always busy doing things. They often wish to stop and reflect, yet the demanding circumstances around them forbid them to do this, and they are forced to battle away with the day-to-day chores. ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening' seems to give this sort of message. In stanza 3, the man has still not moved on and his horse is becoming more and more confused as to where they are. He â€Å"gives his harness bells a shake/To ask if there is some mistake†. The horse keeps hurrying Frost by shaking his bells, upsetting the narrator's thoughts and short break. Even in such a beautiful, soothing place, where the â€Å"only other sound's the sweep/Of easy wind and downy flake†, the traveller is not free from interruption and disturbance. One can easily relate to this – when people try to relax for a little while, away from all the work, others around them seem to think that he or she is being lazy and hurry them along. In the same way, the horse cannot understand as to why Frost is not doing anything, even though it is so cold and dark. The traveller conveys his feelings towards the woods, saying that they are â€Å"lovely, dark and deep†. However, he sadly sighs, admitting that he cannot stay as he has â€Å"promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep†. Maybe the journey that the traveller is travelling through is the journey of life, the one common journey that all human beings have to travel. He has made many promises and has many goals that he wants to achieve in life. Frost implies that it will be a long time before he sleeps, sleep maybe being a metaphor for death as this is really the only time when one is free from the daily circle of work and unrest. In ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening' the description of the night being cold and dark emphasises the fact that even in the most impossible situation, one has to struggle on and on until the end. The poem shows that even an animal like the traveller's horse will hurry you if the work is not done. Also, the choices that one makes in life have to be achieved if success is to be met. No matter what happens, humans have to keep on fighting all the problems and distractions until everything is done. In life, people find rest and freedom very late in life. By the time they have finished all the work and attained all their goals, they are very old and probably cannot enjoy the good things life has to offer. True happiness and rest comes only with death. I think that Frost tries to convey all these messages through the profound images in the poem. I like ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening' very much, as the multi-layered and poignant messages, in my mind, hold a lot of tru th. The emotional and passion-arousing teachings give the poem a very strong identity and cause me to stop and reflect, while comparing them to my own experiences. When comparing ‘The Road Not Taken' and ‘Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening', I find that they are very similar in a number of ways. In both the poems, the woods encountered are travelled into unintentionally. For example, in ‘The Road Not Taken' the man is walking when he suddenly faces a fork in the road that leads into yellow woods. In ‘Stopping By Woods†¦' the traveller is travelling on horseback on a snowy, dark evening as he passes peaceful, wild woods that belong to someone in the village. This could be a metaphor for unknown, unfamiliar circumstances. Even though one would think that the narrator is a different person each time, both travellers seem very similar. The traveller that takes ‘the road not taken' is different from others. He seems to be a cool, level-headed, unbiased man who likes to take risks and try new challenges. The man who encounters the woods on a snowy evening is also different from others. Despite the cold and darkness, he insists on staying in the woods for some time. He loves the sense of desertion and loneliness and wants a break from the hustle and bustle of work. The dark and deep woods seem to reflect on him, revealing his dark emotion and depth of character. Both men are peculiar in their actions and views when compared with the majority of people, their deep thinking much the opposite to most of the impulsive minds of today. Both of the poems written by Frost have the use of extended imagery, giving them the ‘Robert Frost's poetry' stamp straight away. Although the poems themselves are simplistic, plain and candid, they have very deep, significant and emotional messages, which teach readers the harsh realities of life. The poems provoke and challenge one's existence, bringing the true meaning of his words home to the reader, making them so beautiful and unique in their way.