Apartheid in South Africa Essay Example for Free

Apartheid in South Africa Essay The Apartheid legislation was a system of governance that made a huge impact in South Africa in the 20th century. It was introduced by the national party after they were elected in the 1948 election. It was a form of segregation that discriminated against the races in South Africa. It was the law in South Africa for 46 years. The Apartheid sparked lots of internal resistance with violent riots and protests taking place by groups of people. Nelson Mandela was a leading force in the opposition on Apartheid and did everything in his powers to destroy it. His voice was heard all over the country when he was the leader of Anti Apartheid movements and when he was in jail. Apartheid Legislation had a detrimental impact on society in South Africa. It was pioneered in 1948 by the newly appointed national party of South Africa when they came to power. The struggle for the end of Apartheid was long lived as it lasted until 1994 when the National party lost the election. Apartheid was the segregation of the South African people into different race groups such coloured, white, Asian and Indian. Residential areas were segregated as well as Education, medi-care, beaches, and other public areas. Although the residential areas and other public facilities were separated, the quality of living for the blacks was substantially less than that of which the whites enjoyed. Sports in South Africa were also majorly affected as South Africa was banned from some international sports such as cricket. Women weren’t left out of the equation as they struggled to gain proper rights and freedoms as most of the men experienced. Black people or natives, over time, were deprived of their citizenships and forced to live in tribes with their own people away from the city. Numerous laws were made that affected the black people immensely and stripped them of their rights and freedoms. Apartheid struck society hugely at the time of its induction and changed the way life was lived. Many factors contributed to the severity of Apartheid, no more so than the new laws that were created shortly after its introduction. These laws were made to discriminate directly against the blacks of South Africa and create white supremacy. As a result of these laws many black people in the community struggled for basic rights and freedoms. The first powerful law to be created was the  Preservation of Separate Amenities Act 1953. This law separated all parts of society from blacks and whites. The separation wasn’t equal and as a result of this the black people got the inferior side of every facility. This was the separation of every aspect of society from beaches and parks to toilets and shops. The main aim was to exclude citizens from Premises, vehicles or services based on their race. The best facilities were reserved for the white people. Education was not spared as another law was made (Bantu Education Act 1951) that restricted black children from receiving the same education as the white children. The government at the time thought that the career opportunities for black kids were limited and they were best to learn skills that would help their families in their tribes. As of that day, the black children received a substantially lower level of education than the white children of South Africa. The government spent six times as much money on white education which only made up about 20% of the country at that time. Nelson Mandela valued Education so highly in his views and once said that â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. [1] Both of these laws helped to create a large gap in society between the black and white people, one being very much better off than the other. Apartheid in South Africa aimed to strip the black people of all their rights and freedoms. This was achieved by two controversial laws. The Abolition of passes act 1953 and the Bantu Homeland act 1952. The abolition of passes act forced black people to carry identifica tion with them at all times. A pass included a photograph, details of place of origin, employment record, tax payments, and encounters with the police. It was a criminal offence to not be carrying a pass when encountered by a police officer. Africans were frequently harassed for their passes and countless numbers were arrested for it. Local citizens burned them or didn’t carry them as a sign of protest. Mass protests by blacks by not carrying their passes lead to the murder of 69 in the ‘Sharpeville Massacre’. The Bantu Homeland act was the second law that took everything away from the blacks. Through this law, the white government declares that the lands reserved for black Africans are independent nations therefore, not being a part of South Africa. In this way, the government was able to strip millions of blacks of their South African citizenship and force them to become residents of their new homelands. Blacks were then considered foreigners in white-controlled South Africa, and needed passports to enter. Blacks only entered to perform jobs that assisted whites. The law was made to ensure that the White people of South Africa would inhabit most of the main areas of the country leaving the Blacks to live on the outskirts in shocking conditions. A quote by an influential student leader Steve Bantu Biko The blacks are tired of standing at the touchlines to witness a game that they should be playing. They want to do things for themselves and all by themselves. [2] suggests that the blacks were sick of having no place in society and want their own rights and freedoms which was the obvious feeling at the time. This law is a huge violation of human rights and really emphasised the affects of the new government regime at the time. The Anti Apartheid movements were influential movements that fought for the destruction of Apartheid legislation in South Africa. They were a worldwide movement that aimed to abolish South Africa’s government system of Racial Apartheid. The anti Apartheid movement came into action both within and outside South Africa. The ANC was the first movement to be created. A second organization Split from the ANC and called themselves the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). They used civil disobedience, strikes and protest marches to oppose the apartheid legislation. After the ‘Sharpeville Massacre’, when police opened fire and killed 69 protestors, the direction of the movement changed. The ANC decided to adopt armed resistance against the state. This sparked many protestors to speak out. Both Organisations were banned after this Massacre and it forced them to move into hiding and continue their operations in private. They created an armed military wing ‘Umkhonto we Sizwe’ lead by Nelson Mandela and planned attacks on the state. After their first attack, their leader Mandela was sent to jail for life along with a few other leaders. At the trail to his sentence Mandela he said We are not anti-white, we are against white supremacy †¦ we have condemned racialism no matter by whom it is professed. [3]This quote shows that Mandela wasn’t racist and just wanted quality and proper human rights. Many bouts of protest broke out in South Africa after the massacre and trial, mostly by school students, and groups were made to speak out against the Apartheid legislation. The movement were starting to gain momentum and there voices were being heard further around the world. The Anti Apartheid movements were the cor nerstone to the destruction of Apartheid legislation. The movements are the reason for the popularity loss of Apartheid and the rise of Nelson Mandela as a civil rights activist. The Arrests and killing of influential members of the movement only sparked up a bigger, more aggressive reaction and more people wanted to get involved in the cause. The black conscientious movement was made by black tertiary students in 1971 and represented black pride. This idea of black pride empowered many South Africans to believe that they are a strong people and can fight for their rights. Students in Soweto in 1979 rose up against Apartheid inspired by many around them. While in protest 29 were killed and many injured by police opening fire. This sparked more and more people to rise up against the state. Labour unions played a massive role in the struggle against apartheid. In 1979 as a result of the protesting, black trade unions were legalized which was a massive win. At the same time church groups also spoke out against the evils of Apartheid. All of these people were inspired by the actions of the Anti Apartheid movements that went before them. Thabo Mbeki a South African Politian summed up the views of many South Africans at the time by saying â€Å"South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black or white. [4] This view was felt across the country by the struggling black people. The ANC and PAC affected most of the population of South Africa in some way and help get rid of the Apartheid legislation. They were the cause for the changes that took place in society over the years. Nelson Mandela played arguably the biggest role in the destruction of the Apartheid legislation in South Africa. Working with the ANC he S poke out against Apartheid and the injustice to his people. Mandela worked hard as the leader of the ANC and planned many protests on the state to help push for the abolishment of Apartheid. He was one of the most influential speakers of his time and many oppressed people heard his voice loud and clear. Under apartheid Mandela served nearly 27 years in prison but he never gave up the fight. When Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island he continued his work and teachings. In South Africa and around the world, Nelson Mandelas anti-apartheid messages gained in popularity. This meant that his voice was heard by more and more people. Many tried to free him when he was in jail. Support for Mandela was so immense that he was able to be equitted of his charges and released in 1990. Before he was released the PM of South Africa at the time said As soon as he renounces violence and undertakes not to start violence in South Africa, government will release him. [5]The quotes suggest that the government did not want any further violence from his demonstrations in the near future otherwise he would be kept in jail and if he showed no signs of violence he would be let out. This shows trust between the two. He was able to become the leader of the ANC once again and was a leading force in South Africa. He was able to negotiate a multi-racial election in 1994 where his party won. He became prime minister and with this he abolished Apartheid legislation. In his Inaugural speech as prime minister he says â€Å"Today we are entering a new era for our country and our people. Today we celebrate not the victory of a party, but a victory for all the people of South Africa†[6]. This optimism really highlighted his attitude towards life and freedom and is why he was such a loved and influential leader. Without his voice throughout the country and the world, South Africa would have struggled to get out the Government legislation that was Apartheid Apartheid legislation in South Africa was immensely influential on society. It was one of the worst legislations to ever be put down by a government. The black community of South Africa was severely affected by this legislation with most of their rights and freedoms stripped off them. As a result of the laws and other factors, the majority of the native South Africans lived a lift without the freedom and rights that most enjoy today. Nelson Mandela with the help of the Anti Apartheid organisations pushed to stop the legislation in its tracks. He was eventually successful with his peruse of freedom and because of this he is one of the most influential men to have ever lived.

The Introduction To The Event Management

The Introduction To The Event Management You are the event manager for large company in the entertainment business. You have been asked by the managing director to write a briefing paper for a group of interns who have been recruited to help arrange a large festival. You were asked to explain the importance of planning and administering an event of this topic from the media or their own business practice but have no formal knowledge about it. Your briefing paper needs to concentrate on the topic above, explaining the rationale for managing the event. Your briefing paper must deal with. Why an action plan is necessary for any event. Techniques that can be used to monitor progress The importance of monitoring and evaluating each stage of the planning cycle The role of event manager when building and leading a team The importance of incorporate lead time into the schedule. INTRODUCTION Events are growing with the passage of time which are using for many purposes like promotion of business, culture, sports, tourism, political and charity. Events are very important part of society because event shows their culture and tradition. So event manager should be very careful regarding what he is presenting. As event manager I have to organize musical event for large company in entertainment business. Managing director asked me to help a group of interns in organizing the musical festival and explain them complexities and difficulties in planning, implementing and arranging of different stages of musical event. Show event managers different qualities and characteristic to interns which will help them in future life as event manager like leadership, planner, problem solver and team work etc. Define event manager Event manager is person who plan and execute event. Event manger is creative, good leader and team builder. The successful completion of an event depends upon the knowledge and skills possessed by the event manager in handling the event. The ability of the event manager to perform the entire task in a most appropriate manner would lead to the success of the event. However, the task of a event manager is not an easy one. It comprises of lots of complexities and difficulties, which need to be handle with great care. Why an action plan is necessary for any event? Action plan is very important and necessary for any event success. Without action plan nobody knows where he is going, how to achieve the goal, what to do, when to do and how to do it. For event manager action plan is first and most important step to begin. I am event manager of large company in entertainment business. I have given the task to arrange large music festival and for that first I am making action plan which is given below. Music festival Budge Booking of venue Booking of music bands Interior designing Health and safety Catering Security Ticket price Promotion Music festival Music festival will be family festival. There will be no age restriction because music is for everyone and everyone has right to enjoy. Also if anyone wants to come and we put age restriction he will feel ignorant, his thinking about us will be change in wrong way, he will never listen our company music again so we have to very care regarding all this things. We have to spared love and peace through music because music is for everyone. Budget First we should know about how much budget we have to make all arrangements. We should set the budget for everything separately like venue booking, catering and booking of band, security and promotion. So we all know how much we have to arrange all these things within budget. Booking of venue As we plan an indoor music festival because of cold weather in December in Birmingham so we decides to book symphony hall Birmingham. It has its own parking .symphony hall exists in city centre of Birmingham. Hall is walking distance to railway station, coach station, taxis rank and about half hour drive from airport .so it is perfect venue for music festival. Booking of music bands After booking of venue we know date which is 29 December so we have to book music bands which are available on 29 December and also within our price range. Interior designing As now we know there is capacity of 2200 people are going to gather for music festival so we have make sitting arrangement and also decorate its interior with some extra colourful lights on stage as well as on audience to make it more batter for enjoyment. Health and safety Health and safety is very important we have carefully check heating system as well as fresh air to maintain the level of oxygen. We have to arrange ambulance and first aider in any case emergency he should be always there during the music festival. We also have to check fire alarm smoke detectors are in proper working condition. Catering We have to order for catering for 2200 people like sandwich, burger, drinks and snacks etc. make a separate corner for this whomever feels hungry take food at any time in interval as well as during the music festival. Disable audience In our venue there are about fifty seats for disable persons. We are going to make special arrangement for them so they also enjoy music festival with other people because they also have right to live and enjoy. Security Security is very important for event. Security play vital role in success of the musical event and without security we cant handle the crowd and run the event smoothly. For security we need about two three security guards for checking the tickets. More security guards are around the stage for the music band safety and some security guards around the end of sitting area for keep eyes on crowd. Close circuit cameras are also used for security purpose which are very helpful for security. Ticket price After calculating all the expenses we have to decide ticket price as we know the how many tickets we have to sell. Set ticket price which makes us profit as well as in audience range. Promotion After doing all hard work we have to promote the event which is most important for its success. We have to do advertisement in news paper, television, internet, school, colleges, universities and public places. Techniques that used to monitor progress Monitoring is defined as to keep track of implementation process. There are different techniques which can be used to monitor progress like reporting, meeting, communication, feedback, graphic presentation and project schedule chart. Reporting Reporting is very useful technique to monitor progress like booking for venue if two or three persons are going venue checking in different location. After checking the venue all of them make report about their venue details and price for and the venue availability send report back to manager so reports will helpful for manager to make decision. Meeting The next technique for monitoring progress is regular meeting during preparation of music event. In these meeting everything is going to discuss for progress like in which part we are going right pace on right track and on other hand in which part we are lagging behind. In one way or other we have check everything and rebadged if needed. Graphic presentation The next technique for monitoring progress is graphic presentation. In graphic presentation two things are compared like time and work progress. This show a line is drawn from start which goes on with the passage of time and work, which shows how we are progressing in event. Communication Communication is next technique which is very helpful for monitoring progress. Communication can be done in lots of ways like mobile phone, internet, meeting, feedback etc. If we are using mobile phone for monitoring progress we are going to ring that person and asked how much work he has done and how much left and also how long it going end so in this way we know work progress in minutes. Project schedule chart Project schedule chart is given below. Chart involves different stages of event management. http://www.kudosmatrix.co.uk/Images/chart.gif The importance of monitoring and evaluating each stage of the planning cycle For event manager monitoring and evaluating each stage is very important. Event manager should always keep monitoring and evaluating the planning cycle thats how event manager comes to know where we are leading and where we are lagging behind. Where we are spending the money and how much money we are spending. Is money within the budget for that or we are spending more than our budget. For booking of venue is it booked within our set budget or it takes more money for booking of venue if so that will going to affect other areas of planning cycle. Same thing for booking of musical bands so we have to keep monitoring for making sure it remain within the range of set budget. We have to monitor and evaluate security system is it working, is it in proper order if not we have fix this up within time and keep checking. The role of event manager when building and leading a team Event manager should be good leader and should know how to make a good team and how to work with team and lead them to success. Characteristic of good manager as leader are given below. Manger focuses on Goals and objective Telling how and when to do Shorter range planning Organized and structure in working Manager is autocratic in decision making Restraining Maintaining Conforming Imitating Administrating Directing and controlling Procedures Consistency Risk avoidance Bottom line is that good manager is doing the right things. Event manager as a leader should be good in communication so there is no gap between him and employees. If manager is not good in communication so there is lots of confusion between employees that will surely affect his work progress and quality as well. Event manager should also be good in prioritizing the work. Event manager should make to do list so that important work should be done in time and so that less important work should not take more time, in this way both time and cost can be saved. The importance of incorporating lead time into the schedule. The lead time is very important in schedule as well as in planning. Lead time means that time limit for doing things. If we are going to plan musical event in 28 December so thats mean we have about eight weeks in our hands. For booking of venue the lead time is one week so we have to arrange venue within one week to proceed ahead. Then we have seven weeks left after booking of venue. In these seven weeks we have to book music bands, catering and security also we have to promote the music festival event and also make preparation for it. We have to book music bands in second week and also make other preparation in this week. So now we have left six weeks. We have to do all preparation and setting in next two weeks time. We have to very careful with time because we are going to promote the event for about minimum three weeks for the success of the music festival. Conclusions Music festivals and other events are very important in to now days busy stressful life. Music festivals should be arrange in regular intervals which will very helpful to slightly divert mind from work and will fresh up the mind. Music festivals also bring people close to each other because in todays busy nobody has time for other so it provides opportunity to meet other people. I recommended music festival to the people for enjoyment and to know about the custom and traditions of the socity.

Training During The Current Global Recession Management Essay

Training During The Current Global Recession Management Essay The report attempts to find out the possible effects of cutting down the training budgets and deferring training programs during the current global recession as suggested by the senior management. Current and past literature has been reviewed to explore if training is a luxury during the current global recession. Research shows that although during the time of recession when a large number of companies are cost cutting, laying off employees, and compromising on training, Asian firms unlike western companies are focusing on training and development of their employees. In spite of the economic recession; there is a call for managing and attracting the talented employees efficiently. Employers, who will be able to pull the top talent and take on them, quickly build their capacity, hold on to them by providing advancement and development prospects, and direct employees input in line with the broader organizational strategies, will not only survive the current recession but also emerge fr om it with a distinctive advantage. Through training, such employers communicate trust in the employees and thus attain employees commitment and engagement. Moreover the trained employees will be motivated and skillful enough to cope and serve their employers with the rapidly changing knowledge based economies. Training will be an investment whose profit will be earned in post recession period. Thus it can be concluded that in the current global economy, the need for training of the employees has never been greater. Human resource management should chose relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees. The blend of various methods can make training cost effective as well as beneficial in increasing productivity of the organization. Introduction Global recession is a phase, faced by most of the countries, all over the world. This economic recession has led to bankrupty of many companies. Companies have been lossing billions of dollars and firing millions of people. Analysts are of the view that this is not the first time and the last time that the global economy is going through recession. (Himachali, S. 2009). Since the Great Depression of the late 1920s, the world economy has experienced recession about every decade or two and, typically, this was followed by steady growth, driven mostly by the many ensuing innovations. Therefore it can be implied that this recession is likely to follow a similar pattern (Ndahi, H. B. 2009) Companies are trying hard to survive by cost cutting, laying off employees and compromisng on employee training and development during recession (Himachali, S. 2009). The global recession is a challenge during the time when there is the globalization of economy; expansion of knowledge based economies and more industries being centered on knowledge-based activities are now offering increased support services. Jeff Immelt CEO of GE believes that during the time of recession just holding on until things get back to normal is an error for most companies what we are seeing now is the new normal, the new world order (Charan 2009). The present report reviews current and past literature to explore if training is a luxury during the current global recession. The report will look at the possible effects of cutting down the training budgets and deferring training programs during the current global recession as suggested by the senior management. It is hypothesized that Training increases productivity of an organization during the current global recession. Review of literature will imply whether or not the managements decision to cut down on the training budget and defer any training programs is justified or not. Here the variable Training is defined as systematic development of the knowledge, skills, and expertise required by a person to effectively perform a given task or job (Patrick, 2000). Landy (1985) defined job training as a set of planned activities on the part of an organization to increase the job knowledge and skills or to modify the attitudes and social behavior of its members in ways consistent with the goals of the organization and the requirements of the job (p. 306). Where as the other variable Productivity of an Organization is defined for the present study as organizational performance in terms of revenue generated, product quality, customer service, optimal performance, customer relations and business reputation. Role of Training of Employees in Productivity of an Organization The goal of training is for employees to master the knowledge, skill and behaviors emphasized in training programs and to apply them to their day-to-day activities (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Training can increase employees knowledge of foreign competitors and cultures, which is critical for success in foreign markets. It helps ensure that employees have the basic skills to work with new technology, such as robots and computer assisted manufacturing processes. It helps employees understand how to work effectively in teams to contribute to product and service quality and ensures that the companys culture emphasizes innovation, creativity, and learning. It ensures employment security by providing new ways for employees to contribute to the company when their jobs change, their interests change or their skills become obsolete. It prepares employees to accept and work more effectively with each other, particularly with minorities and wo men. (I.I Goldstein and P. Gilliam, 1990). There is sufficient evidence that training increases job knowledge and skills and in turn, this results in better employee performance (Colquitt, LePine, Noe, 2000; Goldstein Ford, 2002). More over the research shows that the learning can contribute to self-efficacy and job satisfaction (Allen, Poteet, Lentz, Lima, 2004), which in turn can raise organizational performance (Patterson, Warr, West, 2004; Riketta, 2008). A good deal of research has linked individual learning with job performance (Colquitt et al., 2000; Salas Cannon-Bowers, 2001). There is an evidence to suggest that learning engagement can result in greater work role flexibility and willingness to learn new skills (Birdi, Allan, Warr, 1997). Training can be used to foster higher levels of commitment and satisfaction. Several HRD studies confirmed that training practices could enhance employee commitment (Meyer Smith, 2000; Whitener, 2001). Satisfaction with workplace training in an employees overall job experience is crucial. Ranstads 2001 North America Employment Review survey of twenty-six hundred American and Canadian employees found that 80 percent of respondents said receiving training that increases their skills and abilities was a key component of what they looked for in jobs (What Drives, 2001). In fact it has become an important characteristic of the new employment relationship. Roehling, M. V., Cavanaugh, M. A., Moynihan, L. M. Boswell, W. R. (2000) systematically assessed current thinking regarding the nature of the changing employment relationship through a content analysis of the practitioner and academic literatures and reported that the two most frequently mentioned characteristics of the new employment relationship are employers responsibility to provide training, education, and skill development opportunities, and employees responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities to develop and maintai n their skills. Nevertheless the global economy of today makes ongoing learning important throughout an employees career. Employees must continue to learn and grow on the job simply as a requisite for continued employability (Schmidt, S. W., 2007). Significance of Training at Manegerial Level Training shouldnt be confined to employees only. Recession brings stress and many businesses are under threat from the poor psychological state of their  stressed managers during the  global recession.  As stressed executives are more inclined to make wrong decisions that driven by their short term survival but are  not in the  companys strategic direction thus they end up ultimately damaging their business productivity and progress. Thus Managers and leaders need to be trained in this time of stress to trust their intuition and make meaningful decisions based on what is important for their business in the long term. (Zeus and Skiffington, 2004). Organizations are now realizing that workplace expertise is crucial to maintaining optimal performance and adapting to change in todays dynamic business world (Herling, 2000; Krohn, 2000). Training in the principles of social interest, democracy, and encouragement can assist managers in developing the leadership skills to foster collaborative and participative workplaces. Managers educated in participative management typically create satisfied, committed employees (Soonhee, 2002). Employer-employee relationship largely depends upon how well trained mangers are and their effective leadership qualities. Hogan (2002) noted that 60% to 75% of the employees in any organization report the worst or most stressful aspect of their job is the relationship with their immediate supervisor. According to Goldsmith (2004), employees interpersonal competence becomes more important as they achieve more visible leadership status. Most job candidates are hired based on their technical and functional abilities, but these skills recede into the background as individuals assume more prominent leadership positions. Annette Ryan, director of The Effect believes that although business leaders prior to the recession looked like leaders, but actually they were just managing in the good times. The recession demanded leadership skills, not management skills, and so these people came under a lot of pressure. Ryan says the companies that weathered the storm best are those with leaders who c ould make the hard calls, appropriately (SamGanankkan, S. 2010). Impact of Recession on Training Recession has been defended differently by various economies. Top performing economies, including the US and UK, are reducing focus on knowledge development, coaching and mentoring, and other human capital investments, with more firms reporting a decline than an increase in investment in staff development in 2008 (Clarke, M. 2009). The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (2008) also reported that firms that were investing earlier in the year are now cutting back investments in plants, machinery and training due to the pessimistic outlook for sales, orders and exports. However, by comparison, in Asia, according to the Economist Intelligence Units Business Outlook Survey, Asian companies are instead taking measures such as cutting business travel costs, reducing inventories and streamlining other budgets to cope with the recession. A minority of Asian firms (just over 40 percent) said that they would cut their training budgets in response to the recession, which was low in the order of priority compared to other measures. This contrasts with the industrialized countries, where a larger number of firms are cutting investments in employees rather than increasing them. (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). These findings suggest that emerging market countries will be well-positioned to overtake industrialized countries when the economy improves (Clarke, M. 2009). Impact of Deferring Training during Recession Deferring training means communicating to the employees that there are no long-standing prospects in the company. Moreover it may lead to assertive competitors picking up cream of the company leaving behind less capable employees. Thus companies that can afford to keep training, as part of their regimen will position themselves well for a rebound (Girard, K., 2008). The studies show that this lack of investment in training is detrimental. According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, compiled by Klaus Schwab and Michael Porter for the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, an inadequately trained workforce was a highly rated problem-factor in doing business in the US, the UK and many other European countries. In comparison, fewer felt this was a major concern in developing markets such as China, India and South East Asia. According to analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC), businesses are already losing  £19 billion annually because of employees not having sufficient knowledge to do their job correctly. This statistic is staggering and particularly detrimental during hard economic times (Clarke, M. 2009). Employee misunderstanding, resulting from a lack of training and knowledge assessments, can be very costly for businesses; not only in terms of time and money, but also customer relations and business reputation. Additionally, a lack of knowledge and understanding of corporate and industry regulations could potentially result in high costs for the company. Business regulations seem to be constantly changing within every industry, across all sectors, and if employees are not conducting their business in compliance with new laws and policies, they are putting their company at risk of being fined and incurring other such penalties (Clarke, M. 2009). According to the survey of Monster resource center, employers are becoming increasingly tasked with how to handle present workplace changes and managing employees in the short-term. However, the companies that invest in their people now will be a step ahead in retaining their top talent (Monster World wide, inc 2009). Significance of Training During Recession Recession is a perfect time to invest even more in the training and retraining of workers to take on the new challenges of the current financial crisis, and for improved productivity when the economy recovers. The fact that all sectors of the economy are affected by the crisis means that all enterprises will require workers who are skilled, innovative and adaptable to help their company emerge from the crisis strong enough to compete in the global market. Therefore, investing in education and training of human resources should be a priority for every enterprise public and private (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). History shows that in the first few months in an upturn, hiring quickly becomes a front-burner issue, so in fact its a better option to save costs in hiring by investing in nurturing the skills and talent of employees. Investing in employee training during a downturn has the added benefit of improving staff loyalty, commitment and building high-performing teams (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). Chartered Institute of Personnel and Developments (CIPD) Recruitment, Retention and Turnover survey found out that Employers are choosing to focus on retention rather than recruitment in response to current resourcing issues. The report revealed that 73% of organizations find a lack of necessary specialist skills remains the key resourcing challenge, whilst 56% of employers are tackling this by concentrating on retention strategies such as training and career development opportunities with 75% of employers saying that additional training to allow internal staff to fill posts was the most effective recruit ment initiative. (Hesselschwedt, P. 2009). Training and development doesnt only mean to build the capacity of the employees for efficiently performing tasks in the work place. From employees perspective it means respecting and trusting individuals for what they are. According to Kelly International Workforce Survey (Kelly Services, Inc., 2010), during recession the issue of salary and benefits is of secondary importance for all generations. In answer to the question what one factor would be most likely to cause you to leave your organization, most respondents from various regions regarded lack of opportunities for advancement to be the reason for leaving organization. When respondents from various regions were asked as a result of the economic recession are you more loyal to your employer? If yes, why? Most of the respondents regarded positive management (56-70%) to be the reason to stay loyal to the employer, whereas a significant number (37-38%) regarded it to the training and development. It shows that managers training is very significant so that they can impart influential leadership skills. When considering whether to remain in or quit their job, younger workers have a much greater interest in the possibility of career advancement, while more mature workers predominantly focus on the quality of management ( Kelly Services, Inc. 2010). Studies have shown that for small and medium-sized enterprises formal training is not preferred due to high cost for training (Curran et al. 1997; Westhead and Storey 1996), uncertainty and short time horizon (Westhead and Storey 1996), loss of trained employees to other employers due to lack of internal promotion opportunities. Therefore informal training is opted as it is less costly, can be easily integrated into daily operations of the small firm, and is focused on employees specific needs (Hill and Stewart 2000; Curran et al. 1997). Large organizations during recession are facing the similar issues such as uncertainty and difficulty managing finances for training. But as the research for the small firms show that In spite of these seemingly legitimate reasons for preferring informal training, it is argued that failure to provide adequate formal employee training retards development of sustained competitive advantages in small and medium-sized enterprises (Stewart and McGoldrick 1996; Garavan, Costine, and Heraty 1995). And this significance of providing formal training can also be implied to large organizations during recession for high productivity. Need for training has become inevitable since companies today are challenged to expand globally. Because of the increase in global operations, employees often work outside their country of origin to work with employees from other counties. Cross cultural preparation training to educate exaptriates who are to be sent to a foreign country to conduct business successfully in the global market place is vital so that employees must understand the business practises and the cultual norms of different countries (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Knowledge Based Economies and Need for Training in Post Recession Economy Analysts are of the view that after recession; customers, competitors and suppliers will have different expectations and behaviors, so business strategies must anticipate and adapt to the new challenges and opportunities (Welch and Welch 2009). Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 sketches new dimension of the world economy which is now experiencing globalization, knowledge based economies are being expanded and more industries that were previously not centered on knowledge based activities are now offering increased support services. Firms that do not obtain or maintain necessary skills through workplace education will find themselves excluded from the global value chain (Gorg, Greenaway and Kneller 2008). There are many dimensions in which firms must develop their capabilities, including in the use of new technology, production methods and engagement with global supply chains and networks. No less important is a commitment to investment in learning and development to ensure empl oyees and management are confident, competent and skilled to carry out their roles (Clarke, M. 2009). With the expansion of knowledge-based economies investment in knowledge will be essential in creating competitive advantage in the future (Fauth and Brinkley 2009). All this put a heavier emphasis on training of employees so that they are able to seek knowledge. Thus a lack of investment in people and their knowledge development will threaten the ability of leading industrialized countries to maintain global competitiveness in the post-recession economy (Mizen, P. 2009). Cost Effective Training Methodology During Global Recession Employees can be trained through e-learning, self study, video based training, instructor led training, simulations, apprenticeship, case study, interactive videos, team building and adventure learning, distance learning and job shadowing etc. Although the research shows that the methodologies which involve an instructor or coach were preferred significantly such as instructor-led training, one-on-one training, and job shadowing (Schmidt, S. W., 2007) more than the more solitary methodologies such as computer-based training, or self-study including video-based training (Nordhaug, 1989) as participants prefer a high degree of interaction between an instructor or coach and a student or students (Schmidt, S. W., 2007). But it is expected that the use of training technologies will increase dramatically in the next decade as technology improves and becomes cheaper; companies recognize the potential cost savings of delivering training via desktop computers (M. Van Buren, and W. Woodwell, J r., 2000), especially during and after recession. New training technologies can lower delivery costs and increase flexibility in delivery. (Gupta, H. U. 1996) for example, training delivered by an instructor at a central location requires employees to spend time away from their regular jobs and incurs employee travel costs. Lower delivery costs can be realized by using satellite-based training or distance leaning in which training programs are transmitted via satellite to several locations. Also use of CD-ROM or web base training gives employees the flexibility to participate in training on 24-hour basis at home or work though use of personal computers. (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). These methodologies can be safely used during recession. An advantage of distance learning is that the company can save on travel expenses. It also allows employees in geographically dispersed sites to receive training from experts who would not be otherwise available to visit each location. E.g. the research and development group at 3M found considerable cost savings by using video conferencing to conduct an eight week class on imaging technology that involved instructors from Europe and USA. (Nadeau, M., 1995 B. Flipczak and B. Leonard, 1996). Without video conferencing the class wouldve cost $100,000 making it too expensive. With video conferencing the course cost only $13,000 (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Similarly the self-directed learning requires fewer trainers, reduces costs associated with travel and meeting rooms, and makes multiple site training more realistic. In the same way, although employers have to pay highly for developing interactive video programs and purchasing the equipment yet this is offset by the reduction in instructors costs and travel costs related to a central training location. At Federal Express, interactive video has made it possible to train 35,000 customer contact employees in 650 locations nationwide, saving the company millions of dollars (Hannum, W.H. 1990). In the same way, e-learning trainees are more engaged through the use of videos, graphics, sound and text, which appeal to multiple senses of the learner. Besides enhancing the training experience e-learning can reduce training costs and time. It brings geographically dispersed employees at their locations reducing travel costs (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Recession can be an Opportunity Similarly, Lynda Gratton suggests that recessions provide the space for new ideas to flourish while the economic effects can be dire, in the long term recession can have a positive effect on work and working habits (Gratton 2008). For many companies, times of turmoil offer new business opportunities, but taking advantage of them requires fast response, aggressive attitudes, and serious changes to the corporate status quo (Thornton 2009). Visionary leaders will emerge from the recession strong, with an educated and skilled workforce, because they would have invested in training during tough times. They would have realized that education and training constitute a bridge to entering and competing in new market conditions in the global economy (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). Recession is the right time to focus on innovation and creativity. An emphasis on greater market research (which is often neglected because of complacency when times are more profitable) would definitely pay off. Creating new products or services can open the gates for new consumers of products or services. Training is an investment not an expense. Despite any recession, it should be maintained as a continuous process to ensure organizations remain competitive and productive. (Rao, M. S. 2009). Conclusion Thus through the review of literature significance of employee and managers training has been highlighted. Workplace expertise is vital to sustain optimal performance and adapting to change in todays changing business world. Although companies are cutting down training due to global recession, yet research shows that inadequately trained workforce has affected business detrimentally. It is better to spend on retention rather than recruitment, as right after recession highly skilled staff will be required to compete in the global market. Moreover training employees is an investment that leads to staff loyalty and commitment. During recessions, organizations can find ways and means to cut down on unwarranted expenditure elsewhere other than training. Human resource management can chose relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees. The blend of various methods can make training cost e ffective as well as beneficial in terms of increased production and improvements in product quality or customer service, raise in organizational performance in terms of greater revenue generated, maintenance of optimal performance, sustained customer relations and business reputation, saving company from the risk of being fined and incurring other penalties. Thus the hypothesis Training increases productivity of an organization during the current global recession is proved to be correct. Therefore training during recession is not a luxury; rather its a necessity. Hence the organizations management is not justified to cut down on the training budget and defer any training programs. In fact recession can be an opportunity for employees to spend time learning and for employers to gain a competitive edge. Recommendations Following recommendations are made for the organizations training program for management as well as employees during recession. The organization should map out the cost effective training related activities and the processes used to accomplish them methodically. Relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees can be used. These methods can be used in a combination to maximize benefit and reduce cost. Need assessment should be done before planning training so that training objectives are in line with the organizations strategic goals. The planning process should be initiated with an audit of existing activities and measurement of new employee performance and of turnover outcomes. Whereas the outcomes should be defined and regularly evaluated (Holtan III, E. E, 1996). It is suggested that the organization should focus on collective learning during the time of recession. The organization should take steps to generate, disseminate and retain knowledge about itself. The managers should be trained extensively and through the acquired knowledge, capacity of the other workers should be build. The trainer employees should be appreciated when they are able to share and transfer their knowledge and skills with other employees. As past studies have shown information sharing as a way of involvement, to be linked to better business performance (Gibson, Porath, Benson, Lawler, 2007; Law Ngai, 2008; Lin, 2008). Organizational training can further be used to enhance team learning. It is suggested that training should be provided at managerial level and later trained managers should disperse this learning in team to other members. This will be not only cost effective but would result in stronger shared mental models that can improve performance as Marks, Zaccaro, and Mathieu (2000) and Marks, Sabella, Shawn Burke, and Zaccaro (2002) demonstrated in an experiment. It is proposed that the employees can be trained through the orientation programs learning in the workplace apart from job-training programs. During recession period, apart from the formal training, orientation sessions can be useful and less expensive. Through orientations employees can be trained for short-term period in which they can be provided basic information and the social cues. (Holtan III, E. E, 1996). A part from the formal job training, employees can be facilitated for workplace learning activities which may include all learning activities that occur in the workplace itself, such as on-the-job training, social learning, and informal learning. HR should evaluate employees after these formal and informal learning and should grant employees certificates provided their skills are developed. Moreover the organization should enhance and develop existing training programs because they will help reveal employees learning and areas that need more consideration. According to Clarke (2009) this kind of information helps to prepare future employees for their roles and saves companies the time and money that would otherwise be lost in misplaced and ineffective training programs. Due to the fast changing business scenario and economy, unpredictable market situation and global competition, during the period of recession or after that it is very important that the organization is transformed into a learning organization. It is not unrealistic to visualize for a learning organization that facilitates the learning of all its members and continuously transforms itself [Pedler, Burgoyne, Boydell, 1991]. This can help to increase competitiveness through generative learning that is forward looking and reduces the major shocks of change, through close relationships with customers and other key constituents that allow for mutual adjustment, and through the ability to quickly reconfigure and reallocate resources based on environmental change (Slater Narver, 1995). It is suggested that the organization should use assessment programs to identify the top employees to determine which employees are the most valuable for the business and should be retained. Such employees should be given extensive training and their capacity should be build to train other employees. As employing trainers within the organization would be more cost effective.

Rising of the Earths crust is responsible for Producing Earthquakes :: Geology Earthquake

Rising of the earth’s crust is responsible for producing earthquakes, Submission of report for publishing. Earthquake is caused due to the movement of the land is a myth. The most important thing that is missing in this view is that there is no explanation for why earthquake occurs in the center of the land instead of the peripheral area. Actually the land is rising in different places. This is the reason why earthquakes occur only in the central parts of the land. To be specific, after an earthquake occurred on September 30th of 1993, in the village named Killari, it was found that the land had risen about three feet in height. This shows that the rise of the land is the cause of the earthquake. Earthquake is the effect of the rise of the land On September 30th 1993, the earthquake that hit the village, killari, situated in central part of India resulted in the death of more than eight thousand people and raised the land surface about three feet high. This elevation was seen in an area of around two kilometers. Why did the earthquake occur? The quake occurred only in killari, situated in central India and left two kilometers of land area raised. This proves that the earthquake occurred only due to the rise of the land. Apart from this, the pictures taken by the satellite before the quake showed that the temperature of killari had also risen and the pictures taken after the quake showed it to be normal. After the earthquake occurred, on the borders of Andhra and Karnataka white colored smoke emitted from the ground. Why did the land rise? Why was the temperature more? Why did the land emit white colored smoke? We know that the molten rock material called magma is found inside the earth as we have seen it coming out through volcanoes.

Pojmans View on Merit Essay -- Philosophy, ethics

In this paper, I will attempt to elaborate on situations where actions have a fitting response to deeds performed. It is my understanding of Pojman's view of which I agree, that "Every action in the universe has a fitting response" (Pojman, 1999, p. 96). I also agree that "Evil deeds must be followed by evil outcomes and good deeds by good outcomes" (Pojman, 1999, p. 96). Take for instance if you commit murder, I feel that you should be put to death. Yes, I know some people may argue this fact but just think about the grieving family of the person who is no longer alive, they are in pain and they suffer while the person who committed murder is still alive. This is why I feel the one who committed the crime should be harshly punished, That person did not think of the hurt that it would cause there family or loved ones so in turn the one who did the crime should be put to death as well. Now I know this will now make two grieving families but again think of the main family at hand. I feel just putting the person in jail is not good enough because they are still living, mean while the other person did not have a chance and is now dead. I also feel why should we as citizens pay for a murderer to be alive in jail and able to stay alive watching TV when the other person is not able to do anything. Yes this is cruel punishment but again it is also just as cruel to commit murder with out legal and just cause. Here are a few more examples of Evil and Punishment: Rape: If a person rapes another person, say it is a male doing the act then I feel it should be a severe punishment. The punishment should be castration of the penis. This form of punishment would prevent the person from doing such act again and not allow then to have... ...hey did serve for us and our/their country and they did their best. It should not matter if they were hurt or not and it should not matter if they only served 4 years or less, No matter what they should receive benefits. I feel a good way of showing our men and woman appreciation is to help them say a marriage happens I feel the military should help out with at least half, and if the person dies they should pay for the entire funeral. To me that really would show appreciation to them for what hey did. Any person who serves should be recognized and rewarded as for what they did they did for us and their country and they did not have to do it at all. So in conclusion yes, I would agree with Pojman we do deserve what get rather it be good or evil/bad. Works Cited Pojman, Louis P. Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong. 5th edition. Thomson Nelson. Toronto: 2005.

Is Social Networking an Effective Marketing Tool Essay

Marketing Strategies Many businesses have started to incorporate market strategies as a way of increasing profitability. Small business can create market strategies to target their market more effectively and have a competitive edge over competition. Lyndon Simkin, (2000) stated â€Å"If the â€Å"right† opportunities are pursued, customers are properly probed, the â€Å"right† customers targeted with a marketing proposition designed to give a business an edge over its rivals, it is highly likely that customers will be satisfied, market share will rise in core target markets and profitability will accordingly support a viable future.† Having a strategy in place will allow you to set objectives such as increasing your share of the market that your business currently is in. Market strategies for small businesses are to develop the growth of the company. Analysing you target market and introducing a way in which you can target this market. The following are how marketing strategy allows business to set objectives Current product/current market Market penetration is a strategy of increasing your share of existing markets. You might achieve this by raising customers’ awareness of your products and services or finding new customers. Current product/new market Market development is a strategy of finding and entering new markets with your current product or service range. The new market could be a new region, a new country or a new segment of the market. New product/current market Product development is a strategy for enhancing benefits you deliver to customers by improving your existing products and services or developing new ones. New product/new market Diversification is a strategy that usually carries high costs and high risks. It often requires firms to adopt new ways of doing business and so has consequences far beyond simply offering new products/services in a new market. It is therefore usually a strategy to be adopted when other options are not feasible. http://www.is4profit.com/business-advice/sales-marketing/marketing-strategy.html Marketing Tools Online There are many marketing tools available for businesses to use and utilising the best one to fully create brand awareness for your product is vital. Geoffrey J. Simmons, (2007) realises â€Å"Companies are finding that they are having to redefine their marketing and branding strategies due to the unique characteristics of the internet and its capacity to change old rules.†. Due to the growth of users using internet, marketing tools have been developed so that businesses can market their products online. Marketing online has been as an important way for business to create brand awareness and target customers effectively. Online advertisement is now seen as the most effective way of marketing therefore many different ways have been introduced to advertise on the internet. Amalesh Sharma, (2011) stated â€Å"The development of data intensive instruments, transformation of societal and relationship management, optimization of Search engine marketing, exclusive networking and other online resources are eliminating the traditional form of marketing.† Search Engine Optimization Marketing Search engines are seen as essential way of companies to be seen by potential customers. Kristin Kennedy, Bonnie Brayton Kennedy, (2008) stated â€Å"The key to being found by the right people at the right time lies with search engines. There are essentially two ways a customer will find a business site via a search engine, through an organic or a pay-per-click (PPC) listing.† Using a search engine you are allowing yourself to be found new customers but search engines don’t offer differentiation so many of your competitors can be listed alongside you therefore not giving your business the competitive edge. Search engine optimization can be a less effective way for small business as it is marketed alongside big companies which was found out by Kristin Kennedy, Bonnie Brayton Kennedy, (2008) they stated a â€Å"small manufacturer of gold jewelry will probably not get top billing over Tiffany’s on the organic list, unless they spend a significant amount of time and money on developing their web site design and advertising.† E-mail Marketing Small businesses have been using email marketing as a way of marketing their products and reaching out to the target market. Anita Jackson, Ray DeCormier,stated â€Å"E-mail offers a promising tool to enhance brand loyalty as it helps marketers keep in touch with their customers on a regular basis at low cost.† Small businesses are using this method to create and reach out to their target market. Using this mthod to market their business and product to create more brand awareness. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0263-4503&volume=17&issue=3&articleid=854456&show=html http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1061-0421&volume=13&issue=7&articleid=857868&show=html http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1751-5637&volume=12&issue=4&articleid=1937676&show=html Do you feel other ways of online marketing would benefit your company more? http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0263-4503&volume=18&issue=3&articleid=854495&show=html ) Lyndon Simkin, (2000) (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0263-4503&volume=25&issue=6&articleid=1628110&show=html#idb72) Geoffrey J. Simmons, (2007) .†( http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1751-5637&volume=12&issue=4&articleid=1937676&show=html ). Amalesh Sharma, (2011) Kristin Kennedy, Bonnie Brayton Kennedy, (2008) (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0140-9174&volume=31&issue=10&articleid=1746719&show=html)

Spontaneous Generation and Cell Theory

Spontaneous Generation and Cell Theory 1. Tradition thought is very hard to overcome- even with solid evidence to support new ideas * Social pressure has effect on acceptance of scientific ideas and technological advancements * Science is a social/political enterprise * New ideas often met with resistance * Sometimes ostracisms, persecution, death * Microscope helped to overturn some strange ideas * Disease processes * â€Å"spontaneous generation† Attitudes and skills of scientific inquiry (questioning, predicting, observing and recording) are required to provide unbiased and factual info * Investigations must follow ethical guidelines and results must be reproducible under controlled conditions * Example of way that science, technology and society are linked is found in development of the current understanding of the way living cells function * Microscope provided technology to explore the world of microscopic particles and organisms * Then possible to obtain evidence for or against generally accepted opinions or theories about living thingsSpontaneous Generation 2. Believed that life can emerge from non-living matter 3. A superstition- people unaware of microscopic forms of life * e. g. mice created from mixing wheat husks with sweaty undergarments * Maggots and flies emerge spontaneously from raw meat * Francesco Redi * Example of scientific method * Believed flies laid eggs on meat * Experiment to prove hypothesis Limited access to meat (air, no fresh air, flies, no flies) 4. Idea that life could emerge spontaneously from non-living matter = widely accepted from time of the Romans through to the 19th century * Even in time of Robert Hooke and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek * Believed that to produce mice, you put a sweaty underwear and husks of wheat in an open jar and after 21 days, the sweat and husks would combine and change the husks into mice 5. 668, Francesco Redi (Italian physician and poet) questioned belief that maggots appeared from raw meat * He believed that flies laid their eggs in the meat * Set up experiment to test his hypothesis * Set out flasks containing raw meat but some were sealed, some were covered in gauze and some were open to the air * Controlled the access of flies to the meat * Maggots were found only in the flasks that were open and accessible to flies to lay their eggs * Despite evidence, idea of spontaneous generation still thrived 6.John Needham (proving that living things could be produced from non-living matter) boiled chicken broth and put it in a flask and sealed it * Everyone accepted that boiling killed micro-organisms since boiling was a common method of removing substances that would make one ill * However, in his experiment, micro-organisms continued to appear * Suggested that there was a life force that produced spontaneous generation 7.Lazzaro Spallanzani (Italian priest) claimed that there were micro-organisms in the air that were responsible for the new growth * Re-did Needham's experiment but drew off the air in the flask, nothing grew in the remaining broth * Critics suggested that all Spallanzani had shown was that air was required for spontaneous generation to occur * Spontaneous generation theory continued to be accepted 8. 859, French Academy of Sciences announced a contest for the best experiment to prove or disprove spontaneous generation * Louis Pasteur used the work of Needham and Spallanzani with important change * Before boiling meat broth in flask, Pasteur heated the neck of the flask and bent it into an â€Å"S† shape * Air could reach the broth but micro-organisms and other particles would get caught in the S- bend * Nothing grew in this broth but if the flask were tipped so that the broth reached the S-bend in the neck, moulds would later appear 9.Pasteur controlled his experiment in that he used the same broth, same type of flasks and same light and temperature conditions * Controlled variables (conditions that are held constant throughout an e xperiment): broth type, flasks type, light, temperature * Manipulated ariable (condition deliberately changed in an experiment): access of dust to the flask * Responding variable (condition that changes in response to the manipulated variable in an experiment): ability to grow mould in the broth * Had experimental control, a part of the experiment which the manipulated variable is not changed in any way from its normal condition * Flask in which dust had normal access to the broth after boiling * Result: moulds occurred * Experiment treatment Prevent the access of dust to the broth, resulting in evidence of no growth of mould * To allow access of dust to the broth very briefly, resulting in evidence of mould growth * Strong evidence that says that spontaneous generation doesn't occur, but also that micro-organisms are found in the air * His work opened new doors to microbiology, immunology, biochemistry and gave credibility and new importance to the processes of conducting controlle d experiments, maintaining detailed records of observations, and connecting results to conclusionsThe Cell Theory 10. Importance of cell as the functional unit of life was recognized with the improvements in lens technology and increased number of observations made by scientists in several countries 11. 1833, Robert Brown identified an important cell structure, the nucleus, in study of orchids * Saw an opaque granular spot within the cell * Others had seen it too but he was the first to recognize at this cell structure must have something for cell function 12. 1838, M. J.Schleiden observed that all plants were composed of cells and he proposed that the nucleus was the structure responsible for the development of the remainder of the cell * Discussed his work with a friend (Theodor Schwann), who was studying animal physiology * Schwann believed that there must be similarities btwn plant and animal tissue * When Schwann searched for opaque spots in animal tissue, he found structures t hat resembled the cells that botanists were studying in plant tissue and the nucleus structure that Brown and Schleiden had identified 13. 839, Schleiden and Schwann proposed the cell theory as a result of observations of plant and animal specimens through the microscopes * All plants and animals were composed of cells and that the cell was the basic unit of all organisms 14. 1859, cell theory was further extended by Rudolf Virchow's statement that all cells arise only from pre-existing cells Cell Theory 15. All living things are made up of one of more cells and the materials produced by these cells 16. All life functions take place in cells, making them the smallest unit of life 17.All cells are produced from pre-existing cells through the process of cell division 18. Applies to all living things regardless of size, shape or number of cells involved * Subcellular particles (viruses and prions) fall into category that is neither living nor non-living although they may exhibit certai n characteristics of living cells 19. Evidence in support of cell theory came from Pasteur's experiment to investigate the concept of spontaneous generation in micro-organisms * Cell theory has become the cornerstone of the study of biology