Human Resource Management (HRM) in Cement Industry

Human Resource Management (HRM) in Cement Industry In this research we are trying our best to provide a framework to optimally utilize the valuable manpower resource. 1.10 CORE VALUES OF LUCKY CEMENT LIMITED (2009) At Lucky Cement we comprehend our core values to be the most significant factor leading to the existence and growth of this prestigious organization. How we accomplish our mission is as vital as the mission itself. Thus these values are not only on paper and pen but lounge deep in the heart of each individual working or associated with lucky cement. These values are reflected within the name of LUCKY itself: They are as follows. L = LEADERSHIP We dont just innovate industry practices we are defining the way business will be done in the future. We are pioneers. U = UNDERSTANDING Whereby we understand the demands of cement industry at a global level, parallel to the needs of people, associated with us in one way or the other. C = COMMITMENT One word that sums it all at Lucky Cement is the commitment of people to quality, relationship and most importantly our customers, who can never be disappointed at any cost. K = KONSTANT The most important element to balance any equation worldwide, at Lucky Cement we assign the value of Konstant with consistency of profits, as profits are required to sustain and grow any organization. They are in-turn the ultimate measure of efficiency. Y = YOU This attitude is a built-in character. At lucky cement we always maintain, You first, Me last approach, not only to please but to delight our employees, shareholders, customers, and all the other people who expect a result from Lucky Cement. Lucky Cement Ltd produces 25000 tons of cement per day with about 4000 employees working in this industry. This industry plays an important role in a sustained economic growth of the country. Sponsored by well known Yunus Brothers Group one of the largest export houses of Pakistan, Lucky Cement Limited currently has the capacity of producing 25,000 tons per day of dry process Cement. Lucky Cement came into existence in 1996 with a daily production capacity of 4,200 tons per day, currently is an omnipotent cement plant of Pakistan, and rated amongst the few best plants in Asia. With production facilities in Pezu (Production capacity: 13,000 Tons per day) as well as in Karachi (Production capacity: 12,000 tons per day), it has the tendency to become the hub of cement production in Asia (2009) Lucky Cement Limited is managed by the team of professionals, who are committed and dedicated to fulfill the mission and vision of the organization. Two production plants and five marketing offices are managed by the staff strength of then 1800 permanent employees throughout Pakistan. Production Sales Volume Performance: During the year under review, our Company achieved all time high volume of production and sales as enumerated in the table below: A comparative analysis of sales volume of the industry vis-à  -vis our Company is as The analysis of the market share of Our Company is as under: Financial Performance: A comparison of the key financial results of Our Company for the year ended June 30, 2008 with the same period last year is as under: Sales Performance During the year under review our company achieved an overall net sales revenue growth of 35.43% as compared to same period last year. Increase in revenue was attributed due to both increases in volume by 19.75% and net retention by 15.68%. Our Company continued to focus more on exports because of strong establishment of its brand in various export markets with higher retention margins. The domestic sales registered a negative growth of 6.38% because of higher exports made by the company which registered a growth of 116.29%. The ratio of sales revenue from exports was 54.43% whereas the local sales accounted for 45.57% during the financial year under review. The average combined net retention prices per ton improved by 13.10% over the comparative period last year. The prices in the international markets remained robust whereas the prices in the domestic market were under pressure, however in the last quarter the prices started increasing because of substantial increase in production c ost coupled with duties and taxes increased by the Government in federal budget Cost of Sales The major cost of production for cement manufacturing is the energy cost which constitutes 68.77% of the total cost of production. The energy cost is further divided into heat energy and power energy which constitutes 44.12% and 24.65% respectively of the total cost of production. As a matter of fact, the international prices of coal and oil have increased manifold during the year under review which have badly affected the cost of production both in Pakistan and abroad. The international prices of coal were approximately US$ 80 per ton by end of last year which has now increased to US$ 210 per ton by the year ended June 30, 2008. The prices of furnace oil have also increased tremendously which have also affected the cost of production. Except loose cement sales, the cement is packed either in paper bags or polypropylene bags. The increase in the prices of paper and the polypropylene in the international markets have also increased the cost of cement bags substantially. Similarly, the other cost factors have been increased either because of inflation, oil prices and depreciation of Pak Rupee for imported items. We are pleased to report that, our Company has taken various measures to mitigate the impact of increase in cost of production. Resultantly, the production cost per ton of our Company was only increased by 18.89%. Gross Profit Our Company achieved a gross profit rate of 25.73% for the year ended June 30, 2008 compared to 29.35% gross profit rate achieved same period last year. However, the gross profit in term of absolute value was increased by 18.71% because of the volumetric growth. Finance Costs The finance costs was reduced substantially from Rs.186 per ton last year to Rs.23 per ton during the year ended June 30, 2008 mainly because of interest rates hedging executed by the Company by entering into cross currency swaps agreements with the banks. These hedging transactions allowed the company to offset positive interest differential between KIBOR and LIBOR against the total financing cost of the Company. On the other hand, these swaps exposed the Company to currency risk for depreciation of Pak Rupee but at the same time ever increasing exports of the Company provided a natural hedge against these swaps transactions to mitigate the currency risk. As you know the economic and political scenario of the Country started deteriorating from November 2007 resultantly the Pak Rupee lost almost 12% of its value by June 30, 2008 as compared to June 30, 2007. Due to the depreciation of Pak Rupee our Company on the one hand incurred exchange loss of Rs.800.359 million on cross currency swap but on the other hand realized exchange gain of Rs.277.816 million on realization of GDR proceeds and export sales. Distribution Costs Distribution costs incurred by the Company were in-line with the increase in the volume of export sales. The percentage of distribution costs to net export sales was 12.51% for the year ended June 30, 2008 compared to 11.66% last year. Deferred Taxation During the year under review, the deferred tax provision amounted to Rs.456.53 million was reversed out of the total provision of Rs.1,515.54 million created in prior years due to higher ratio of local sales. Since the ratio of exports has increased which are covered under presumptive tax regime on which no deferred tax provision is required, therefore to that extent deferred tax was reversed. Contribution to the National Exchequer Our Company contributed a total amount of Rs.3.907 billion (2007: Rs.4.137 billion) to the Government Treasury in shape of taxes, levies, excise duty and sales tax. In addition to that our Company earned precious foreign exchange of approximate US$ 150 million during the year under review from exports besides bringing foreign investment of US$ 109 million against the issuance of GDRs in the international market. We briefly describe the problem at hand in the following paragraphs. 1.20 The Problem Domain This research work is concerned with adaptation of Optimization Techniques to utilize the manpower resources in a best possible way in cement industries with reference to Lucky Cement Ltd, Pezu, Pakistan. In this research we are trying our best to develop a framework how to utilize the manpower resources optimally in industrial sector, especially in cement industries. Literature review reveals that no exact attempt has been made by researchers, although much relative work has been done in one or in the other form. 1.30 Aims and Objectives The basic objectives of the research work can be summarized as below: To develop a questionnaire for finding decision-making parameters along with their weights To prepare a group of models that can depict the research work clearly To validate the Symbolic Model through test data To publish the results of the research work Nationally as well as Internationally Similarly, aims of this study are given as under: To prepare a standard knowledge acquisition tool for facts finding To develop a framework that might work just like a pedagogical device for students as well for researchers To pinpoint the importance of human resource utilization, so that govt. and other organization may know the importance of this valuable resource To prepare a baseline for further research in this field To minimize the cost of production in cement industries To apply the model in other industries 1.4 Scope This study is limited to the application of Optimization Techniques to Manpower resources in cement Industries with respect to Lucky Cement Ltd, Pakistan. However, it can be applied to all cement industries in Pakistan and in the rest of the world. Test data will be chosen from the different plants of Lucky Cement Ltd, Pakistan, which is the largest cement industry in the Asia. This research work is a multidisciplinary approach, which will combine the knowledge of experts of various fields of sciences, like, Management, Economics, Operations Research/Quantitative Techniques, Computer Science, Information System, Decision Theory and Statistics. 1.5 Justification of the Study The whole universe has been created by Almighty Allah for humanity, while human, as stated earlier are given the power of intelligence. So the first and foremost job of human being is to know their importance in the world and how to utilize this most valuable resource. Each and every thing in the universe has some value and importance whether we have knowledge about it or not yet but men have the capability to mobilize the remaining resources of the universe. Intelligence people can utilize these resources in a best possible way to fulfill their unlimited wants. Among all the inputs to any system i.e. Management, Money, Material, Men, Machinery, Mansion, Message etc the most important one is the Man who is responsible to operate and activate these resources economically, efficiently and effectively to achieve maximum utility. That is why when managerial staff makes rational decisions; right information at the right time and in right form is required to them. Hence research is required to find out ways and means of optimum utilization of the manpower resource in the industrial sector in general and in cement industries as special. Literature Review Manpower planning is truly an interdisciplinary activity rooted in such diverse fields as economics, psychology, law and public administration, industrial relations, computer science, and operations research. National manpower planning is the integral portion of macro-economic planning which attempts to achieve maximum utilization of human resources in terms of societal goals (Bib09). The closest reference to the expression optimal utilization of resources is value-for-money. According to this universally-recognized concept, all business processes are characterized by the use of a group of inputs (resources), which are transformed (activities) into outputs (results). The optimization of resources is based on three characteristics: economy, effectiveness and efficiency. The economy of resources consists of acquiring resources of the required quality, at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner. The effectiveness of resources is aimed at ensuring the adequacy of resources relative to business needs and their appropriate use. The efficiency of resources is measured by the attainment of an organizations business objectives (Bettm). Various optimization techniques for Integrated Renewable Energy Sources have been reported in the literature like: (i) Linear Programming (LP) (ii) Geometric Programming (GMP) (iii) Integer Programming (IP) (iv) Dynamic Programming (DP) (v) Stochastic Programming (St P) (vi) Quadratic Programming (QP) (vii) Separable Programming (Se P); (viii) Multi-objective Programming (MOP); (ix) Goal Programming (GP); (x) HOMER; (xi) VIPOR; and (xii) Hybrid 2, etc (A.K. Akella, M.P. Sharma and R.P. Saini, 2007). In the USA, for example, the Presidents Commission on National Goals issued the following list with its attendant implications for manpower needs: improved living standard, capital expansion with emphasis on transportation and utilities, urban development, social welfare, health coverage, education, transportation, national defense, research and development increases, international aid, space exploration, agriculture, manpower retraining, area redevelopment to promote full employment in regionally depressed regions, and development of natural resources (Bib09). Boxall, Purcell, and Wright distinguish among three major subfields of human resource management (HRM): micro HRM (MHRM), strategic HRM (SHRM), and international HRM (IHRM). Micro HRM covers the sub functions of HR policy and practice and consists of two main categories: one with managing individuals and small groups (e.g., recruitment, selection, induction, training and development, performance management, and remuneration) and the other with managing work organization and employee voice systems (including union-management relations). Strategic HRM covers the overall HR strategies adopted by business units and companies and tries to measure their impacts on performance (Mark L. Lengnick-Hall, Cynthia A. Lengnick-Hall, Leticia S. Andrade, Brian Drake, 2009). Broadly stated, manpower planning is the process to ensure that the right people are at the right place at the right time in sufficient numbers to efficiently accomplish anticipated tasks. Indeed, the field can be viewed as embracing information systems, management participation, and mathematical modeling largely represented by the disciplines of computer science, organization theory, behavioral science, and operations research (Bib09). Strategic human resource management (SHRM) focuses on aligning internally consistent human resource management (HRM) practices to build employees knowledge, skills, and abilities in an effort to support competitive strategies and achieve business objectives. SHRM is gaining increasing importance because strategic management, in a knowledge-based economy, emphasizes that employees are considered to be a primary component for attaining a competitive advantage. SHRM is gaining increasing importance because strategic management, in a knowledge-based economy, emphasizes that employees are considered to be a primary component for attaining a competitive advantage HRM practices create procedures that institutionalize the building of employees knowledge, skills, and abilities throughout the organization to promote valued, unique, and difficult to imitate organizational competencies which support competitive advantage (James D. Werbel, Samuel M. DeMarie, 2005). Project scheduling techniques under human resource constraints are referenced with the objective of minimizing project duration, and a proper human resource allocation algorithm standing on multi-project scheduling, with a heuristic procedure for searching out approximate optimal allocation, is adopted. A forward/backward scheduling technique is the primary allocation algorithm; it evaluates maximal and minimal labor power allocations for activities (al., 2006). Analysts develop strategy for allocating limited manpower resources based on command priorities, historical utilization data, and analysis of mission and functions. Analysts should have thorough knowledge of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES) documents or systems, the Structure and Manpower Allocation System (SAMAS), command plan, and TAADS for use in distributing and tracking approved allocations by budget program and organization (Man09). 2.1 Welcome to the global village MIS Theres no doubt that the world of work as we know it is rapidly changing. Even as little as fifteen years ago, the times were calmer than they are today. Back in 1973, with the first oil embargo, U.S. businesses began to realize the important effects that international forces had on profit and lost statements. The world was changing rapidly, with other countries making significant inroads into traditional U.S. markets. Unfortunately, U.S. business did not adapt to this changing environment as quickly or adeptly as they should have. The result was that U.S. Businesses lost out in the world markets and have had to fight much harder to get in. Only by the late 1980s done U.S businesses begin to get the message. But when they did, they aggressively began to improve production standards, focusing more on quality and preparing employees for the global village (The production and marketing of goods services worldwide). It is on this latter point that human resources will have the biggest effect (David A. Decenzo and Stephen P. Robbins, 2002). Computer and information Technology has converted the world into a globe and definitions of different terminologies have been changed such as: Market was defined as a place where two parties comes and make transaction, but due to Internet, no place is required for dealing making transactions. Every thing can be made at home i.e. purchasing, selling, bank transactions etc. T. Lucey (Lucey, 1991-1992) define MIS as The combination of human computer-based resources that results in the collection, storage, retrieval, communication use of data for the purpose of efficient management of operations for business planning (Lucey, 1991-1992). 2.2 Problems with MIS: In developing countries such as Pakistan, Different problems are faced during improvement in any field with respect to MIS. T. Lucy generalized all the problems in to six categories (Lucey, 1991-1992) Lack of management involvement with design of MIS; Narrow and /or inappropriate emphasis of the computer system; Undue concentration on low level data processing application particularly in accounting area Lack of knowledge management of computers; Poor appreciation by information specialists of managements true information requirements and of organizational problems; Lack of top management support; 2.3 Knowledge Requirements for MIS: As there are new concepts techniques are developed and also developing with respect to the solution of the problems. T. Lucey figure out the major areas of knowledge with respect to development operation of MIS (Lucey, 1991-1992). General Systems Concepts Management Functions Levels The Nature of Data Information Communications The Influence Of Information Technology Planning Decision Making Methods Techniques Control Principals Feedback Feed forward Organizational Structures and Processes Knowledge Requirements for the Development   Operation of MIS T. Lucey also describes the information system in outline as shown in the figure (Lucey, 1991-1992); Data Capture Data Data Processing File Storage Processed Data Data Communication Processed Data Users Users Processing/ Understanding Users Memory/Knowledge base I Information Actions/ Decisions/ Changes etc Information System in Outline Mehmet describes and evaluates seven methods of fore-casting requirements by industry and occupation: Econometric method Productivity method Trend projection method Employers survey method Method of forecasting specialized manpower requirements inter-area comparisons method Elasticity of factor substitutions method. (O., 1965) Ahamad and Blaug (Ahmad B. and Blaug M.) point out that manpower forecasting is still in its infancy yielding crude and often useless results. All too many models are still based on the woefully lacking fixed-coefficient approach pioneered by Fames utilizing productivity, education and participation ratios. The predominantly demand-oriented approach, the assumption that ratios are independent of technological growth, changes in industry output and education standards, and the failure to accommodate substitution effects have contributed to make the models suspect as serious undertakings (S, 1962). Broadly stated, manpower planning is the process to ensure that the right people are at the right place at the right time in sufficient numbers to efficiently accomplish anticipated tasks (E.W., 1967). Wlkstrom (W.D, 1971) identifies seven contributing factors: Rapidity of technological change. long lead time for training and development, tight labor market, demographic changes (e.g., lower birthrate during depression produced decrease in 35-44 age group), manpower coming to be viewed as critical corporate resource, government influence through programs and contracts, Manpower planning is becoming accepted as integral part of corporate planning. The last point only serves to attest to the complexity of manpower planning as an integral component of corporate planning a vast and ill-defined field in its own right. As Lorange (Lorange.P, October 30 November 2, 1974) comments in his survey: I am left with the uncomfortable feeling that somehow it is difficult to fit the bits and pieces together. There seems to be considerable lack of consensus in the literature when it comes to such central issues as the nature of planning systems, what constitutes relevant empirical areas of research, etc. Also, the common vocabulary seems to be surprisingly small and too often lacks adequate definitions. The research design frequently seems to be sloppy, particularly in neglecting to state assumptions when limit the universality of the sample. 2.4 Models: There are different models that are used for planning and decision making. T. Lucey Defined the model in simple words Model is any simplified abstract of reality. It may be physical object such as architectural scale model or it may be what is termed as symbolic model. These are representation of reality in numeric, algebraic, symbolic or graphical form. Business model are symbolic models which represent the organization operations by set of logically linked arithmetic algebraic statements. These models are used to enhance a manager analytical ability. T. Lucy broadly classified the models used for management purpose (Lucey, 1991-1992). Computer Based Management Models Simulation Models -Enable Different Conditions to be Explored Optimization Models -e.g. Linear Programming (Useful for deriving the best solution in certain structured Probabilistic Models -Incorporate Uncertainty by Allowing Multi-Point Estimates Deterministic Models -Assume Certainty by using single point Estimates decisions usually at Tactical operational Levels) (Useful for Exploring Risk Uncertainty and Complex Relationships Provide answers to What If? Questions can be useful at all levels) 2.5 Model Development: According to T. Lucey To develop a model which is realistic and has adequate predictive qualities is a collaborative effort between management and information specialists (Lucey, 1991-1992). He Key points are: The model should have a purpose and be objective oriented. Model building is an iterative, creative process with the aim of identifying those variable and relationships which must be included in the model so that it is capable of predicting overall system performance. It is not essential or indeed possible, to including all variables in a model. The variables in a model of greatest importance are those which govern, to a greater or less extent, the achievement of the specified objectives. These are the critical variables. The best model is the simplest one with the fewest variables that has adequate predictive qualities. To obtain this ideal there must be a thorough understanding of the system. The management who operate the system have this understanding and must be involved in the model building, otherwise over elaborate and overly mathematical models may result if the model building exercise is left to systems professionals. OR Systems Expertise Model Development System being Studied, including Management and Personnel, Physical Resources, Inputs and Outputs etc Model Objectives Management Know How Raw Data Model Validation and Testing Implementation Of Decisions Management Review of Model Results Processing of Model Management Model Results Decisions Optimization: James. O Brien defined optimization as It is a process of finding optimum value for one or more target variables, given certain constraints. Then one or more other variables are changed repeatedly, subject to the specified constraints, until the best value for the target variable are discovered (O Brien). Mer P. Martin define optimizing as The process of seeking the best possible choice (C Merk P. Martin, 1991) Purkiss (Purkiss) developed a linear programming (LP) model for hiring, firing, and redeployment of workers in the British Steel Industry. Assuming constant flow rates, his model minimized manning costs (over manning, under manning, and current level). Purkiss acknowledged the difficulty of determining cost coefficients and agreed that it is preferable to have hierarchically structured sub-objectives. Morgan (RW) proposes an LP model for the Royal Air Force in which he minimizes costs associated with recruitment (advertising and training) , redundancy, over manning, and pensions by controlling manning levels, promotions and redundancies subject to establishment and flow constraints. While it might seem to the uninitiated reader the LP models currently dominate the field, this is not necessarily the case. In many instances, aggregated simulation models precede more complex work. Another approach is entity simulation modeling in which individual records are stochastically aged during a simulated time horizon (Piskor, 1976). 2.7 Reasons for Using Models T. Lucey summarized the reasons into three main categories (Lucey, 1991-1992); The model is cheaper. Study and redesign. Specialized assistance. Research Methodology The plan of the study has the following stages: Problem Identification Development of a Questionnaire, Data Gathering Data Analysis Data Modeling Testing and Results Publication of Results Documentation Data Collection Analysis The expected results of this study may be: A data gathering tool in the form of a Questionnaire A group of models, like, Conceptual Model, Physical Model, Symbolic Model etc Results and Information for Decision Making Thesis and results Publications

Media Essay -- Papers

Media Essay The word quiz possibly originates from the Latin word "Qui es?" meaning "who are you?" it was also used to define a droll or eccentric person. Later it came to mean a practical joke, we therefore know the word "quiz" is of an uncertain origin. Wireless radio shows first became popular in 1934, it bro8ught with it a strange new programme called "The Symington's soups film star competition programme". This was the first quiz show broadcasted and proved to be very popular. Contestants would follow on screen instructions, write down answers and send them in to the show; winners received vouchers for powdered soup. The BBC's first quiz is believed to be on the "children's hour" programme in November 1937. Called regional round the position of authority was taken by uncle Mac. A correct answer from one lad was rewarded with the compliment 'that's absolutely wizard'. Very soon after this the first BBC quiz for adults was broadcast and was called "Trans-Atlantic quiz". In 1955 ITV formed a large number of quiz shows that became popular such as "take your pick" and "double your money". However in the 1970's and 80's limits on prize money were imposed by TV watchdogs and the maximum prize would be the equivalent of a small car every four shows. Therefore if more questions resulted in too many minis's being won, then the pre-recorded shows had to be screened out of sequence to space out the "big prizes. In the 1990's the birth of quiz shows with huge amounts of money such as "who wants to be a millionaire" and the "weakest link" became popular, some people criticise these are making the nation greedy by offering hu... ...erent occasions and for the first few times it is enjoyable to watch however after that it just becomes repetitive and boring. I feel that the possible million pound prize money is a very unique selling point as there are no other shows where u can win that much in one sitting. Yet I don't feel that the show would be as interesting without that much prize money. For how long the show has been on and the amount it could have given away it has only handed over one million pounds four times. Seven people have viewed the million pound question but decided not to risk it and have simply left with  £500,000. Overall throughout 344 shows and 15 series they have only given out 40 million pounds which isn't much considering over the years they might have had to pay out much more if everyone achieved the million pound mark?

Aboriginal Suicide

Suicide and Healing: Aboriginals Overcoming the Hardships and Barriers Aboriginal peoples have had to endure many tragedies throughout history, which has affected them emotionally and mentally. It is no wonder that this group of people are amongst the highest suicide rates in Canada (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1995). This is a look at those tragedies and how it is tied in with suicide, also mechanisms used by Aboriginals to start the healing process. Definition of Suicide amongst Aboriginals Suicide and its roots in Aboriginal communities is said to be one of the many outcomes of colonialism and are matters of great concern.The impact of someone dying from suicide affects the family and the community. Many contributing factors of suicide and its attempts in both Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal are as followed: sexual abuse, family violence, solvent abuse, addictions, lack of proper leadership, deterioration of family structure, etc. Studies have shown that the rate of sui cide of all age groups amongst Aboriginals is 2 to 3 times higher than compared to the rate of non-Aboriginals. When it comes to the youth it is 5 to 6 times higher.This could be due to the fact that Aboriginal communities are so close knit that when one commits suicide it causes a ripple effect. That being said we must take into consideration that, â€Å"suicide is not just a problem in itself, but the symptom of deeper problems† (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1995, p. 2). Residential Schools In the early 19th century the Canadian government took it upon themselves to educate and care for the Aboriginal peoples. They thought that the best way in doing so was to assimilate Aboriginals with Christian beliefs, the English language and Canadian customs.Their idea was that Aboriginals would take their adoptive lifestyle and teach it to their children, with the notion that the native traditions and practices would be diminished or completely abolished within a few genera tions. The Canadian government felt that children were easier to mold than an adult (N. A. , 2010). They wished to minimize the amount of contact a child had with his or her parents and elders, so Aboriginal children were forced to relocate off reserve to a boarding school. Here the children would learn how to survive in mainstream society, and forget who they were and what their culture had taught them.The schools were not geared toward academics, but sought to train them in manual labour and industrial work. These Aboriginal children were forced to live, work and learn in unsafe conditions; due to the fact that facilities were not up to par, and the cheapest of supplies were used to erect the buildings (Kirmayer et al. , 2007). The church officials used punishment to humiliate, undermine and cause pain to the children. For instance, upon arriving at the residential school the children were assigned numbers that would identify them and given severe haircuts; hair has tremendous sym bolism in many Aboriginal cultures.Many of the children were sexually abused, and in most cases it did not stay closeted in the residential schools, but made its way back to the communities where the victims would then become the perpetrators (Kirmayer et al. , 2007). Indian agents saw the Aboriginals extended family living as unfit and unnatural, and sought to shape them into a ‘normal’ nuclear family. Aboriginal children were taking from their homes and placed in residential schools, which were usually located a significant distance off reserve. This made it nearly impossible for the families to visit one another.The children were allowed to write letters in order to keep in contact with their family, but the letters were looked over by the school officials to ensure no complaints were being made about their harsh treatment. This form of assimilation had a harsh impact on aboriginal community, culture and society. It also took a toll on the parenting practices amongst many of the Aboriginal peoples (Kirmayer et al. , 2007). Impacts of Residential Schools When the law that allowed government officials to take Aboriginal children out of their communities passed, the effects were tragic.Many of the surviving adults are still tremendously traumatised, that they find being a good parent and community member troublesome (Alberta Health, 1995). The amount of abuse that Aboriginal children had to endure during those dark times has been connected to the current suffering of their communities. A lot have turned to alcohol and other substances to deal with their pain; this in turn causes dysfunctional family units and communities. Many of the former students cannot speak their languages and more or less feel too ashamed to teach it to their own children.This is because the staff took it upon themselves to punish ever child who acted or spoke like an ‘Indian’. When the children returned home there was a communication failure with their elders, because they were too ashamed to speak in their language; reasons stated earlier on. Since they could not communicate to one another the opportunity to respect their elders and learn their language and culture diminished. The gap on communication also led to a rejection of their traditional values and beliefs, because the elders were the teachers of the community.While attending the school a significant amount of students were victims to sexual abuse at the hands of educators, fellow students and administrators. But, the abuse didn’t stop there the victimized students began internalizing, normalizing and even recreating the sexual abuse within their own communities. They themselves sought the power those of authority once had on them. This in turn added more dysfunction to the family ties with Aboriginal communities. The parents whose children were taken from them felt guilty, like the children blamed them for the reasons they were being taken, they no longer felt needed anym ore.Some may say this is the reason many turned to alcohol and drugs (Kirmayer et al. , 2007). Jealousy and greed were taught in the schools and missions. You fought for bread, you fought for clothes. There was no love involved. You were taken from your family and held in the missions for 10 months straight. The mothers and dads couldn’t exercise their love. Now there are lots of people, who don’t know how to raise kids, because this is what they went through, and that’s what they pass on, because that’s the only thing they know (Alberta Health, 1995, p. 9). The 60’s ScoopThe term Sixties scoop refers to the adoption of Metis and First Nations children that took place during the 1960’s. The name was derived due to the fact that during that decade the number of adoptions that took place in Canada was the highest in its history, in most cases children were literally scooped up from their families and community without the consent of their pare nts and fellow band members. During this time government officials and social works saw the Aboriginal peoples as unfit and could not adequately provide the children with what they needed.One of the reasons they thought this was because their houses were not similar to the Euro-Canadian houses for example; children ate wild meat and bannock and rather than having their cupboards stocked full of food, Aboriginals simply hunted and gathered what was needed. Many of the Aboriginals who were affected saw the removal of their children as a deliberate act of cultural genocide (Sinclair, 2011). About 70% of the children taken from their families were placed in non-Aboriginal homes, many of these homes denied them of their heritage and culture.A vast majority of the foster families told the children they were of a different race such as Italian or French, rather than telling them where they had originally come from. A lot of the children suspected they were of Aboriginal decent, but could n ot confirm it. This was due to the Government policy that birth records could not be issued unless both the child and parent had given their consent. Many of the children floated from foster family to foster family and never really experienced true stability.On numerous occasions Aboriginal children went from loving, caring and well intentioned Aboriginal families; to places of slave labour and physical, sexual and emotional abuse. For, abuse of any kind was not uncommon and usually covered up, to hide just how unjust the government was (Hanson, 2009). Impacts of The 60’s Scoop Many of the children experienced marginalization, identity confusion, attachment disorders, emotional emptiness, abuse, self-hatred, racism and even substance addictions. These experiences later affected their family units and communities, because they were taught that this was right.A study done in Prince Albert penitentiary found that 95% of incarcerated Aboriginals had been in foster care as a child . Also, a vast majority of surviving children are sexually exploited or live on the streets. This tragedy was yet another blow that language and culture amongst Aboriginals peoples had to endure (Kirmayer et al. , 2007). Linking Tragedy to Suicide As stated earlier both of these tragedies have led to further cases of physical and sexual abuse, but there are links between them and the high number of suicides in Aboriginal communities as well. Studies have found hat mental illness, family breakdown and child abuse are higher in those who have experienced these tragedies than those who haven’t. Some of these mental health problems have been diagnosed as residential school syndrome or RSS, some may say that the government spends too much time trying to diagnose them rather than trying to fix the problem. Aboriginal peoples not only suffered during these times, but the long lasting effects still reside with them today. So, Aboriginal peoples are still suffering. In fact, these neg ative consequences have a substantial impact on Aboriginal families and communities.Although many have not been able to cope with their pain, some have gone on to live healthy and successful lives. The many types of abuse these children faced have been very traumatic, and studies have shown that separation from families has the severest impact on one’s mental health. Suicide itself is associated with emotional deprivation, separation of families and losses in early life. That being said, when the children were separated from their families and taken from what was familiar to them during both of these tragedies spoken of earlier, they became high risk (Kirmayer et al. 2007). There are 4 families of related factors of suicide within Aboriginal communities, they are: * Psycho-biological factors- which are the various mental disorders linked with suicide. * Life history or situational factors- which are the trauma one faces in early childhood, dysfunctional family, unable to rela te or trust both peers and members of authority, absence of spiritual and religious beliefs, imprisonment and substance abuse. * Socio-economic factors- unemployment, poverty, stability, prosperity and low class status. Culture stress- the loss of norms, values and beliefs there were originally to taught to one in their own culture (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1995). Aboriginal Healing Processes Every community and Aboriginal individuals are unique in their own way. But, the beliefs these communities and band members hold are quite similar. In these communities the care and love everyone has for one another is tremendous, they feel a sense of belonging within the larger universe. When looking at any issue within a community the Aboriginal peoples believe that ou can’t just look at one aspect of a person or community, but rather the total person, total community and total environment. In order for a person to be healthy they must take care of themselves as a Ã¢â‚¬Ë œwhole’. For Aboriginal peoples this means that the mind, body, soul and emotional spirits must all work together in order for one to be healthy. They also believe in the circle of life, that in order for the human race to progress we must follow the values of balance and harmony.Traditional healing is very important in the Aboriginal culture, in fact many traditional healers are now working within hospitals all across Canada. But, there are many hardships facing these healers such as; finances, conflict with hospital staff and even Aboriginals who do not value this approach (Alberta Health, 1995). What happens in one stage of a person’s life is interconnected with every other aspect of his or her life. Although many of the children who survived these above tragedies do not remember what happened or do not wish to think about it, they must try to heal and explore in order to keep on surviving.As children, there are limited options, but as an adult we have choices to ov ercome these hardships, whether we choose to or not is totally up to oneself. In order to survive one must follow a positive path and take the following steps into consideration: * Acknowledge that they have been hurt * They must ‘own’ these feelings of hurt and pain. * Explore and try to remember what happened to them. * Learn to share these feelings with people who care and are not judgemental. * Make choices that will help you live in a more positive lifestyle (Mussell et al. 1993). Some may say that the government succeeded in bringing down the Aboriginal peoples, but they are wrong to think that they will stay down. Many Aboriginal peoples have gone on to live happy healthy lives and will continue to teach their children these ways. But, in order for the people to survive we must help and try to live balanced lives free of racism and hate (Alberta Health, 1995). Healthy communities are our greatest resource. But there are barriers that prevent us from experiencing good health and they are often as a result of our own lifestyles.Most of us have the knowledge of how to enhance our own health but knowing does not always translate into doing. Enhancing our health may require lifestyle change and habit changes, and that is difficult. It is easier to do things that make us feel good if we have resources available and support from those around us and our community (Alberta Health, 1995, p. 68). References Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. (1995). Choosing life: Special report on suicide among Aboriginal people. Ottawa, ON: Canada Communication Group.Alberta Health. (1995). Strengthening the circle: What Aboriginal Albertans say about their health. Edmonton, AB: Aboriginal Health Unit Alberta Health. Kirmayer, L. J. , Brass, G. M. , Holton, T. , Paul, K. , Simpson, C. , & Tait, C. (2007). Suicide among Aboriginal people in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Mussell, W. J. , Nicholls, W. M. , & Adler, M. T. (1993). Making meaning of mental health challenges in First Nations: A Freirean perspective. Chilliwack, B. C. : Sal’I’Shan Institute Society.Sinclair, R. (2011). Origins Canada: Supporting those separated by adoption; The 60’s scoop. Retrieved from http://www. originscanada. org/the-stolen-generation/ N. A. (2008, May, 16). Residential schools: A history of residential schools in Canada. Retrieved from http://www. cbc. ca/news/canada/story/2008/05/16/f-faqs-residential-schools. html Hanson, E. (2009). Sixties Scoop: The sixties scoop & Aboriginal child welfare. Retrieved from http://indigenousfoundations. arts. ubc. ca/home/government-policy/sixties-scoop. html

Was Alexander the Great Greek - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1668 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/04/16 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Alexander The Great Essay Did you like this example? Alexander the Great has been dead for centuries but the debate regarding his ethnicity is alive and well. Was he Macedonian or Greek? or both or neither and why does this even matter? This requires an examination of the historical, geographical and political practices of his time. The question of why his ethnicity matters is at its core, a question of the significance of cultural identity. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Was Alexander the Great Greek?" essay for you Create order The desirable traits exhibited by Alexander the Great, if claimed by a people, create a positive sense of self-esteem and belonging. The Greek vs Macedonian perspective is easily the most heated current debate. This parochial Alexander is either a fiercely Macedonian despot capable of both genocidal murder and humanitarian propaganda in pursuit of his interests, or a Greek crusader eager to empower his civilization by Hellenizing the world. (Liebert 544) However, the actual man is far more complex and interesting than either of those rather narrowminded views. But, why all this fighting over a historical icon who lived 25 centuries ago? The modern nation of Macedonia takes great pride in claiming Alexander the Great as their own prodigal son. Similarly, the nation of Greece is extremely proud of Alexander the Great, viewing this inspirational leader as an integral piece of their cultural identity. A brief examination of Alexander the Greats accomplishments helps to explain why he is so jealously coveted. To begin, in rather broad strokes, Alexander the Great was one of if not the, greatest conqueror in the world. At just twenty years old, his father was assassinated and Alexander became King of Macedonia. By thirty, Alexander had conquered and controlled an empire that stretched from Greece to India. His conquests included the Persian Empire which was one of the largest and most powerful empires in the world during his time. (Tharoor Time) At thirty-two, Alexander became ill and died. Modern historians, contemporary writers and even his comrades in arms, could not then and cannot now agree on the cause of his death. Was it some form of foul play such as poisoning, did he perish due to an old wound from the battlefield, or did he succumb to a disease such as malaria? (Schep 72-77) Although the exact cause remains unsettled, one thing is clear, in just a little over a decade, he took what was a backwater kingdom in the Greek world and altered the course of history. At the time of his death, Alexander the Great was undefeated in battle, had conquered vast swaths of the known world at the time, and had spread Hellenistic culture across the entirety of his vast empire. This occurred because he employed clever tactics in new territory. First, he conquered the territory, established cities, and then, sent colonists into the territory to populate it and turn the cities from essentially garrisons into actual cities. These cities and the people who lived there served as beacons of Hellenistic culture and caused it to spread, influence, and mix with the local cultures it encountered. The hold that the Hellenistic culture took was incredibly strong and its influence can be seen across many civilizations and cultures. Alexander has featured internationally as a hero a new Achilles and a visionary. The more earthy musings of Hamlet, in the graveyard scene, are just one chauvinistic illustration of the fact that Alexander has featured in the literature of s ome 80 countries (Cartledge BBC) As shown in that quotation, a figure as important as Alexander the Great would have been great through simply warfare, but his decisions to spread Hellenistic culture through cities and the colonists ensured that he would grow to be larger than life. In a word, Alexander the Great was impressive. As with most, if not all, impressive figures, different groups desire to claim them as one of their own. However, in most cases the figure is easily identified to a single group, be it a nation or organization, Winston Churchill? British. Julius Caesar? Roman. This process is not quite as easy when it comes to Alexander the Great, as multiple groups with similar names classify him as their own. The majority of this conflict comes from the nations of Greece and Macedonia. The issue arises because depending upon your perspective, each of their claims to Alexander the Great has at least some validity. In order to examine these claims, it is important to first define whether Ancient Macedonians, of which Alexander was a member, were Greek or not. There are several criteria that come into play here. First, were the core founders of Macedonia Greek? The answer to this question is yes. The founders left the city of Argos which was indisputably Greek to migrate to the area which would become the kingdom of Macedonia. It then follows that the decedents of this group, the Argead Dynasty of which Alexander the Great was a member, could, at least be considered to have Greek lineage. However, although one could consider Alexander the Great and other members of the ruling class to have Greek heritage, the mainland Greeks did not always view things this way. They disapproved of considering Macedonians Greeks, thinking them to be uncultured and even primitive in comparison to what they would consider mainland Greeks. A more extreme form of this prejudice occurred when King Alexander I, a relatively recent ancestor of Alexander the Great and then King of Macedonia attempted to compete in the Olympics. At this time, the only people who were allowed to compete or participate in the Olympics were Freeborn Greek Men. Groups of mainland Greeks argued Alexander I was not Greek and thus, ineligible to participate in something as sacred as the Olympics. This challenge to the Greek ethnicity of both the Argead House and the Macedonians remained a leitmotif throughout the Classical period (480-323), and sport was one of the means by which they answered that ethnic question. (C hristesen and Kyle 333) However, this position did not prevail, at least among the official Olympic judges known as the Hellanodikai. They decided in favor of Alexander I after he was able to prove his lineage traced back to Argos. Alexander I used sport, and specifically the Olympics, to identify with the Greeks (Christesen and Kyle 332) The support of the Hellanodikai was very important to Alexander I because they were trusted, considered wise, and fair. Their endorsement gave a good deal of legitimacy to the Macedonian royaltys claim of being Greek. Modern Macedonia has a large amount of pride derived from their claim that they are descended from Alexander the Great and ancient Macedonia as a whole. They have named their capital airport Alexander the Great International Airport and in that airport, the Macedonian government has erected a massive statue depicting Alexander the Great on a rearing horse. One experiences this tribute shortly before driving into town on the (no prizes for guessing) Alexander the Great Highway. (Slattery LA Times) The claim Modern Macedonians lay to Alexander the Great is a simple one. He was born in Macedonia, he was crowned king of it when his father Phillip the Second was assassinated, and he ruled it until his death. However, the modern Greek counter to this argument by pointing out the borders of Modern Macedonia and Ancient Macedonia are not equivalent. In fact, Modern Greece has its own province in the north of the country called Macedonia. Moreover, contained within modern Greece are both the place of Alexanders birth, the city of Pella, and the resting place of Alexanders father Phillip the Second. In response, the Modern Macedonians argue that during Alexanders life the borders of Ancient Macedonia greatly extended far beyond both Modern Macedonia and Modern Greece. So, what was Alexander the Great? Was he Greek? Macedonian? A hybrid of the two? Im really not entirely sure. One could say that he was born as a Macedonian, from the kingdom of Macedonia, and theres a country of Macedonia today so they should have the greatest claim. There is also the possibility of Greece having the greatest claim to him. He spoke Greek, was tutored by the Greek philosopher Aristotle and spread the Hellenic culture far and wide across the world. Was he an amalgamation of both Greece and Macedonia, taking bits and pieces from both and as such, a figure far too complex to be claimed by one of those two nations. There are many ways to define it, from saying that someone who was such a larger than life figure and who drastically changed the course of civilization as we know it doesnt definitively belong to any one culture but by the scale of their impact and influence. There are those who would wonder why any of this matter at all. To this I say that key founders and other figures are an important part of a nations cultural history and national background. In reference to the current nations of Greece and Macedonia there are many points of contention in regards to history, economic issues, and ethnic/racial conflict. These range from territorial claims, to blocking European Union membership. All of these together are very important issues. However, they are also very complex and hard to digest issues. In both countries claiming Alexander the Great as their own has become a way of putting one up over the other country. By settling this seemingly minor conflict in a manner satisfactory to both nations it can be a point of unity and international brotherhood, moving towards fixing other issues by having something to build on. In quoting Alexander the Great himself, I wish you to prosper in peace. May all mortals from now on live like one people in concord and for mutual advancement. Consider the world as your country, with laws common to all and where the best will govern irrespective of tribe. I do not distinguish among men, as the narrow-minded do, both among Greeks and Barbarians. I am not interested in the descendance of the citizens or their racial origins. I classify them using one criterion: their virtue.