Social Services And The Social Work Field - 1365 Words

In this paper, I will be discussing of an organization that caters social services and contributes to the social work field. In addition, I will go in details where the organization is financed from and what is the mission of the organization. Moreover, I will discuss of the structure that the organizations conduct to accomplished their missions and explain the organization s different services provided under their organizations umbrella. Furthermore, I will discuss of the organization accountability to their services, overall impact, and the power in organization. Lastly, I will explanatory the workers role in the organizations and discuss of my overall experience referring to my future social work profession. To begin with, the organization I have chosen to discuss is Keystone Community Services located at 2000 Saint Anthony Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104 along with multiple other locations. Keystone Community Services is a public organization that was established in 1939. When Keysto ne Community Services was first found it initial ambition was to be a neighborhood-based community in Saint Paul, Minnesota. As the growing organization expanded their services variety, funding sources was an important factor of the organization to ensure stability to keep providing great services. Keystone Community Services is financed by business partnership, private funding, grants, and donations. Business partnership funding sources are a great contribution to the organizations,Show MoreRelatedCareer As A Career Choice942 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. I chose to seek a degree in this field because I find this to be a very rewarding career choice. To obtain a degree in a career that essentially makes a difference in people’s lives is extremely important to me. I have worked as a medical assistant for over 10 years, and although I love my job I would like to work closer with the people that I serveRead MoreSocial Work Reflection1338 Words   |  6 Pages What is self-reflection? According to Yip (2006), â€Å"social work students are encouraged to undergo self-reflection. It is a process of self-analysis, self-evaluation, self-dialogue, and self-observation. Under appropriate conditions, social workers’ self-reflection can be very constructive, resulting in self-enhancement. However, under inappropriate conditions, social workers’ self-reflection in reflective practice can be destructive and create problems forRead MoreSocial Work For The Medical Field1580 Words   |  7 PagesFor many years I have developed an interest in the medical field, in helping people who are at very crucial times in their lives. I have known that I do not want to pursue to be a doctor or a nurse, but rather a professional with in that field who can aid others and follow up on the responsibilities and make them priorities, just as much as doctors make the patients’ health their point of focus. I have also expressed interest in Child Welfare, which aligns very w ell with my personal experiences.Read MorePros and Cons of Different Fields in Social Work871 Words   |  4 PagesEarning my bachelor’s in human services will lead into my career in the field of social work. The field of social work is nothing new: Simon Patten coined the term social workers in 1900 (Robert 1995). Literature on aspects of the field, how to get involved in social work, and what type of work a social worker performs will be included in my research. For the purpose of this review, I will focus my research on current information, 2008 to current. The major theme of my research includes lookingRead MoreA Social Worker Coordinator On The United States920 Words   |  4 Pagesbehind the decision to become a certified Military Service Members, Veterans and Their Families – Advanced Social Worker (MVF-ASW). Even though this career does not involve being on the front lines, I can still provide direct services to the children of active duty service members as they navigate the extended deployments, frequent moves and strained familial relationships. Even though this particular credential is not mandatory to work as a youth services coordinator on a military base, it is recommendedRead MoreA Study On Child And Family Development Essay1530 Words   |  7 Pagesto the social work field with various different career opportunities (Child and Family Development | Academics | Western Michigan University, n.d.). The ultimate goal of obtaining this degree and working in the social work field is to help improve the quality of life of individuals and their families within a dynamic community. The profession of a Social Worker originated in the 19th century. With the demise of the feudalism, the rising level of poverty was seen as a menace to the social orderRead MoreThe Social Work Field Work Performance1198 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction According to CNN Money the social work field is the one of Americas most overworked and underpaid professions. Essentially, they work hard and do more with very little resources. When the Great Recession occurred in 2007 the tax revenue declined. States have made spending cuts, drained reserves, and reduce necessary services. Majority of the programs targeted was that of much need social workers and nurses. Usually in lower income areas where families are affected the most. How can weRead MoreSocial Workers : A Social Worker995 Words   |  4 Pages270,000 child, family, and school social workers; 142,000 healthcare social workers and 110,000 mental health and substance abuse social workers† (Social Services). When added together the total number of social workers in 2013 comes to 529,000. Because of this, many people have been positively affected by social workers. A social workers job is to help people solve and cope with their problems in everyday life (Bureau of Labor). A nyone considering becoming a social worker should consider the preparationRead MoreTruman W. Smith s Vision1256 Words   |  6 Pagesprovides medical care for children and adolescents with severe physical and intellectual impairment conditions. The TWSCCC provides 24-hour skilled nursing care, 24-hour Respiratory Therapy services, Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy, Licensed On-site teachers, and a large variety of specialty care services (Truman W. Smith). The facility offers a viable and solicitous option for parents who are unable to take of their chronically ill children in their home, and for children who have been placedRead MoreThe Medical Social Worker Professional Essay1163 Words   |  5 Pages I interview Ms. Diameteria S. Damon. She is a medical social worker professional. I choose Diameteria because she works in the healthcare industry and she has great experience and knowledge. She has work experience in mental health services, hospice, and children and fami ly services. Diameteria has received a Certificate in North Carolina Child Welfare Collaborative from formal training in multi-systemic family therapy, as well as brief support therapy. Diameteria has an education and professional

The Great Depression Roosevelt s New Deal, Federal Loan...

The Great Depression was the longest and deepest depression in American history. It started in 1929 and ended in 1939 (Szostak). The reasoning for this would be: Stock market crash, bank failures, reduction in purchasing across the board, American economic policy with Europe, and lastly drought conditions. All were Jurassic conditions that led America into this horrid depression (Kelly). The government however came up with certain acts and programs to help get us out of this depression. The government programs that helped Americans during the Great Depression were Roosevelt’s New Deal, Federal Loan Act, and the Agricultural Marketing Act. Roosevelt’s New Deal was a major part in helping end this depression. It was a multitude of acts that were passed, such as: Securities and Exchange Commission, Civil Conversation Crops, Works Progress Administration, National Recovery Administration, Federal Emergency Relief Agency, Agricultural Adjustment Act, Homeowners Loan Corporat ion, Tennessee Valley Authority, National Labor Relations Act, Social Security Administration, Soil Conversation Act, Fair Labor Standard Act (Great D., New Deal). Although there is a lot of acts that were passed, there are some that were more important than others. One being the Civil Conservation Crops Vass 8 (CCC) which gave those who did have a job, work. By building bridges, cleaning up campsites, making fire trails, and to construct dams. Putting over 2 million men to work (WPA). The Federal EmergencyShow MoreRelatedGreat Depression and Its Causes1256 Words   |  6 PagesThe causes of the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s has been argued about for generations. Most people agree on several key topics and that it was the severity and length of time the Depression lasted that was actually the most remarkable. Hoover made many noteworthy attempts to try and solve this crisis, yet in the end it was President Roosevelt and his New Deal, that brought many Americans hope for the future. The first factor in the start of the Depression was the lack of diversityRead MoreHoover And Roosevelt s Actions During The Aftermath Of The Crash Of 1929792 Words   |  4 Pagesadministrations attempt to deal with the economic stagnation, social hardship and psychological impact of the depression? What needed to be fixed and which approach proved more successful? In your essay you should address not only the underlying economic and social problems that both administrations had to deal with and the various corrective measures they adopted, but also the underlying philosophical approaches of Hoover and Roosevelt and their supporters. The Great Crash also known as Stock marketRead MoreEssay about Roosevelt Vs. Hoover and the Great Depression1658 Words   |  7 PagesRoosevelt and Hoover The Great Depression drastically changed Americas definition of Liberalism. Prior to the onset of the depression, in the roaring twenties, policies of laissez-faire were considered liberal, radical, revolutionary, and even democratic. This was due to the fact that revolution was a horrifying notion and not until after the laissez-faire and the system of free market fails in the 1920s do people begin to look about for alternatives. The time when people starting to seek alternativesRead More Causes of The Great Depression Essay1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Depression It is said that the cause of the catastrophic stock market crash known as the great depression was due mostly to uncontrolled political and industrial systems otherwise known as capitalism. However, the timeline leading up to the Great Depression proves that many other factors played a role in the stock market crash that occurred in the decade of the 1930s. So lets take a look at rather four, factors contributing to the great depression that we will further discuss inRead MoreEssay about The Great Depression in America1866 Words   |  8 PagesThe 1920’s in America The 1920’s was a very prosperous period for many Americans. Food production increased 64 percent, worker productivity increased by 40 percent, electricity sales doubled, fuel consumption more than doubled, and pay was increased for many industrial workers (Davidson, 2008). With the soaring economy and new items hitting the shelves all the time, American consumers were living the high life. Even if you wanted something and did not have the money you could simply get it on creditRead More Agricultural Subsidies: Their Original Purpose and Impact Today1921 Words   |  8 PagesAgricultural Subsidies: Their Original Purpose and Impact Today Contents Introduction: What are Farm Subsidies? 3 Government Intervention in Agribusiness 7 The Reality 9 Works Cited 12 â€Æ' Introduction: What are Farm Subsidies? The Agriculture sector has changed monumentally over the past century in response to vast economic change and technological advancements. Farm subsidies are various forms of payments from the federal government put in place in an effort to stabilize pricesRead MoreEssay about Main Features of The New Deal4123 Words   |  17 PagesMain Features of The New Deal In 1929, the stock market collapsed causing a worldwide economic depression, destroying America’s economy with many people losing their life savings therefore thrusting them into unemployment and poverty. Unemployment reached highs of over 13 million whilst the GNP for the country reached as low as $58 billion, compared to the $100 billion+ pre depression figures, because demand and production fell so dramatically. People were forced outRead MoreThe Depression, Recession, and Business Cycle Essay example2039 Words   |  9 Pagesthe millions is a great example of history repeating itself. How did it happen, did we know it was going to happen, and was there anything that could have been done to prevent it? There are a multitude of questions that could be asked, with the most important of them all, will it happen again? In just the past two hundred years, the United States has seen â€Å"Black Friday† in 1869, â€Å"The Great Depression† in 1929, and the most current recession of 2009. Recessions, depressions, inflation, economicRead MoreMidterm Review Essay9272 Words   |  38 Pagescontributed to explosive economic growth during the Gilded Age EXCEPT: Question options: | a) | availability of capital for investment. | | b) | a growing supply of labor. | | c) | abundant natural resources. | | d) | low tariffs. | | e) | federal land grants to railroads. | | | 1 / 1 point | 2.) By 1890, the majority of Americans: Question options: | a) | worked as farmers. | | b) | worked as independent craftsmen. | | c) | worked in the mining industry. | | d) | wereRead MoreMixed Economy7299 Words   |  30 Pagesof violence force. The results have been exactly what one would predict: starvation, poverty, and the slaughter of millions. | A mixed-economy is always in flux. The regulations never produce positive results, because they always force people to act against their own interests. When a particular policy fails, it is propped up by other regulations in the hopes that more control will produce better results. Sometimes the results are so destructive they must either be removed, or the people must be

Human Emotion in Equilibrium Essay Example For Students

Human Emotion in Equilibrium Essay For the purpose of creating a peaceful society, the antagonist, Father, who is ruler of Libria in Kurt Wimmers film Equilibrium (2002), eradicates the true source of mans inhumanity to man ones ability to feel. In this way, he believes as humankind is one, war is gone and hate is a memory. However, without feeling, it has no point for humans to exist, and Libria becomes simply a seemingly placid society, where citizens are not content with their lives at all. Mary OBrien, who is arrested for violating the law of Libria says, To feel is as vital as breath. And without it, without love, without anger, without sorrow, breath is just a clock ticking (Equilibrium 29:39). Having feeling, emotion, and expression is indispensable for human beings since the origin of mankind, but sometimes, having them ignites rage, wars, and conflicts. After all, it is basically the natural process they have to go through. Equilibrium is set in 2072 in Libria after the World War III. Father believes as long as people become emotionless, there will be no more war, thus enacting the law that people are required to take the daily injection of Prozium, which temporarily takes away peoples feelings. Whats worse, Grammaton clerics are obliged to execute sense offenders, people who refuse to take the injection. All emotionally stimulating items are also prohibited, such as art, literature and music. One of the rebel clerics Errol Partridge says, Everything that makes us what we are traded away (Equilibrium 16:55). As he is caught by another elite cleric John Preston reading a book The Poetry of William Butler Yeats. Partridge states that life is meaningless without feelings and the exact meaning of humans existence is merely of nothing. Somehow, Preston is not able to understand Partridge under the circumstances that he is emotionless, and therefore he kills him. Afterwards, Preston is assigned to destroy the underground society, where sense offenders gather. The turning point appears as Preston accidentally drops his Prozium and decides not to take it again. Actually, what makes his decision is because Father arranges that Prestons Prozium to be changed to a Placebo, which enables Preston to feel and seduces him to stop taking Prozium. In this way, Preston may seek to join the underground society and then Father is able to decimate all of the sense offenders. Instead, Preston plots with the Resistance to assassinate Father in order to return the society to what it should be, the emotional world. As we look at David Abrams Animism and the Alphabet, he makes quite a few points on how much human sense is significant in his essay Animism and the Alphabet. Without sensory experiences, pictographic, ideographic writing and even the phonetic alphabet can never be generated. Also, Abram believes that with the advent of technology, people rely on it day after day, and therefore, the interaction between people may decrease. To explain this situation, first of all, they begin to substitute machines for workers, so there are fewer and fewer interactions between humans. Furthermore, with the rapid development of the Internet, the way people communicate with each other alter as well. They tend to utilize the convenience of the Internet to reach each other instead of face-to-face contact. Our own perceptions and thoughts are being shifted by our sensory involvement with electronic technologies, since any thinking that seeks to discern such a shift is itself subject to the very effect that it strives to thematize (Abram 44). With regard to Equilibrium, in which people without feelings live for themselves, not caring for others, we can draw to a common conclusion that the interactions between human beings are necessary; otherwise, it will become a self-oriented world. The first thing to learn about emotion is that it has its price- a complete paradox. But without restraint, without control, emotion is chaos (Equilibrium 1:10:54). For fear of any clash or estrangement caused by emotion, it is suppressed by Prozium. Nonetheless, as people in Libria comfort to the authority, all of them do not have any identical personality or characteristic. .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa , .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .postImageUrl , .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa , .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:hover , .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:visited , .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:active { border:0!important; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:active , .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u58c3ec1429684f5af92122bc72dd87fa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Themes of Fear in Batman Begins EssayEvery day, people live with no excitement, no freshness, and no love in a routine. As a consequence, contact zone, including ideas, interests, histories, and attitudes of others (497) defined by Mary Louise Pratt in her essay Arts of the Contact Zone, will not generate as well, for people are all in conformity without any uniqueness. Pratt believes as people with different cultures, beliefs, and ideas intersect, trans-culturation thus engenders. Unfortunately, there is no transculturation in Libria, for people do not even have their own identities. To make matters worse, as the contact zone disappears, theres no connection among humans. Then what is the purpose of living in the world if we cannot feel toward anything or anyone? I live to safeguard the continuity of this great society. To serve Libria (Equilibrium 29:15), Preston answers Mary when she asks her why he is alive, and then she disparages him by saying Its circular. You exist to continue your existence. Whats the point? ( Equilibrium 29:24). From this perspective, provided that we do not feel, we are literally alive for ourselves, for we no longer concern anything around us. It is ironic that Preston is even emotionless when his sense offender wife, Viviana, is sentenced to death. At the point when Mary is about to being processed, he asks to see the record of his wife being incinerated. The fact that he has no reaction when seeing his wife leaving him shocks him, and thus he decides not to lose his lover again, rushing to rescue Mary. Yet, it is too late. In the plot where Clerics discover there is a pack of dogs raised by the Resistance, they brutally shot each of them in case anyones emotion is evoked. Surprisingly, one of the dogs sneaks out to Preston, who is full of emotion at that time. The moment the dog licks Prestons face arouses his pity, which makes him not let go of it. Even though we are not able to communicate with dogs, we can somehow understand each other through our emotions. It is ridiculous that even dogs have feelings, while people in Libria lack them. I particularly understand how Preston feels when witnessing innocent dogs killed by those cold-blooded clerics. I have a dog named Kuri, which is a kind of Japanese breed Shiba Inu. I left him in my hometown Taiwan this August because I come to Boston for further education at Northeastern University. He has accompanied me for two years so far, and we have deep feeling for each other. When I speak with different tones, I think he can understand me based on my emotions. Kuri has many expressions or actions. To elaborate, when he is curious or confused, he would keep moving his head to one side and another repeatedly. And when he is angry, he would begin to wrinkle his face. I regard this as his warning in case he bites me. Most importantly, although we dont communicate by a specific way, the contact zone between us can still lead to mutual understanding to some extent. The most touching thing to me is that whenever I am not in a good mood and burst into tears, he always comes to my side and leans on me, staying with me until I feel better. Despite the fact that we are unable to communicate directly, I believe at some points, we still understand each other through the emotion. I believe that Equilibrium is entitled to demonstrate the balanced, equal, and stable society which Father intends to create and conceives of it as a utopian community. However, the truth is that even though Father blindly thinks it is utopian, Librians are actually suffering in the dystopian world without any freedom to feel. We humans should be grateful to experience emotion, to feel the world, and to enjoy its wonderfulness. Despite the fact that the fluctuation of emotion can sometimes lead to unpredicted consequences, we stil l need to appreciate its existence. Without feeling, we cannot sense anything from the natural world nor from the people surrounding us. As a result, our lives will be banal. .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d , .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .postImageUrl , .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d , .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:hover , .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:visited , .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:active { border:0!important; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:active , .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua0ff197ba7ba9d2c67b4d956207f4f2d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Film Overview - Remember the Titans EssayBibliography: Abram, David. Animism and the Alphabet. Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers. Ninth Edition. Ed. David Barthlomae and Anthony Petrosky. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins 2011. 28-62.Print Pratt, Mary Louise. Arts of the Contact Zone. Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers. Ninth Edition. Ed. David Barthlomae and Anthony Petrosky. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins 2011. 485-498.Print Equilibrium. Dir. Wimmer Kurt. Perf. Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs. Dimension Films, Miramax Films, 2002. Film.

Weighing the Cost of Choosing Between Family or Faith free essay sample

The outcome of this paper is to explore the extent of their applied faithfulness. What Did Jesus Mean? Jesus said in Matthew 10:37 â€Å"Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. † This Scripture baffles many, what is Jesus saying? We must love Jesus not only more than our families but more than our own lives. The moment we become Christs followers, our own lives and wills become forfeit; we die with Christ to sin Rom 6:3-4 and choose a path that could lead any day to our execution for Christs name (Mt 16:24). Although we today in the United States of America may speak convincingly of our cross as the need to put up with Aunt Anna or a roof that is leaking, undeniably taking up the cross in Jesus day, meant being forced to bear the instrument of ones execution past a taunting mob to the site of ones impending death as a condemned criminal, literally taking up one’s cross to death. We will write a custom essay sample on Weighing the Cost of Choosing Between Family or Faith or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Shouldn’t the promise of eternal life be adequate inspiration for any who genuinely believe Jesus claims- doesnt it make sense that the greatest earthly longevity pales in comparison with eternity-but we sometimes prove less dedicated than we suppose? (26:41) Yes, even the first disciples were not at the outset prepared for such a demand (26:56) But, this does not alleviate the level of commitment our Lord seeks from us: if we want to be followers of Jesus, we must be ready to  die. If I rate my life in this world more than I value Jesus and the life of the eternal world, I cannot be his disciple. What Did Jesus Mean in Luke 14:26? Luke 14:26 states â€Å"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. † These are powerful words and  very perplexing. Surely He did not mean hate. The word in the Greek Miseo  is used with several lenses of meaning. Conferring with  Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,  I found that it is factually used for â€Å"malicious feelings toward others.    But it is also meant to be used to tell â€Å"of relative preference for one thing over another, by way of expressing either aversion, from or, disregard for the assertions of one person†¦to those of another. †Ã‚   The key in understanding this kind of â€Å"hate† for earthly family members that Christ speaks about dwells within an understanding of an â€Å"aversion from† and â€Å"disregard for. † We ca n notice Jesus attention turns almost totally to his disciples. The leadership warned and rebuked. But what does following Jesus really require? This makes it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because triumph will not come easily. This passage is unique to Luke, though verses 26-27 are like Matthew 10:37-38. It is significant that this passage is addressed to large crowds. Jesus offered himself to all, but he also was honest from the very beginning of his teaching about what the journey would entail. What Jesus asks for is first place in ones heart. That is what successful discipleship requires. Jesus calls for a follower who literally be willing to  hate in comparison to Jesus -his mother and father, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, even his own life. The point of the specific list is that no other relationship is first for a disciple. Hate is used symbolical and suggests a priority of relationship. Jesus must be first. Yet, does this mean we must literally hate our own parents, wife, children, etc.? Notice that Jesus says we must even hate our own lives. Clearly this is not absolute or literal. Are we not told to love others as we love ourselves, and no one hates his own flesh? see again Matt. 22:36-40; Eph. 5:29). Hate here does not mean to have no love at all nor to keenly seek the harm of others. All Bible passages must be explicitly compared to other passages within the Bible in its’ entirety. Many other Scriptures command us to love everyone (Matt. 22:36-40). Unquestionably that includes our family. Ephesians 5:22-25 commands men to love their wives, and Titus 2:4 commands wives to love their husbands and children. Clearly, then, Luke 14:26 does not literally mean to hate our family members. At times the Bible uses the term hate in a relative sense. Genesis 29:31 says that Jacob hated his Leah his wife, but verse 30 shows that this really means he loved Rachel, his other wife, more than he did Leah. So hate is used in a comparative sense to explain loving one thing or person less that we love another spoken in Genesis 25:34. This is the point in Luke 14:26. Jesus is not telling us that we are to have malice or ill will toward our family. That would oppose clear Scripture passages. Instead, Christ is saying that we must always put Him ahead of our families. Our love for Christ must be superior than our love for anyone or anything else. Matthew 10:37 helps to enlighten Luke 14:26. Jesus said, He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. We may never truly be faced with completely giving up our relationship with our loved ones to please the Lord, and we may never be required to actually die for His cause, but we ought to be willing to do so. Many have had to do these things. Including Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs in 202 A. D. in Carthage Rome. Even if we dont actually end up having to give up our family, their desires must always come second to the will of Jesus. And even if we dont physically die for His cause, we must devote our lives to seeking His cause above all else. This is what it means to bear our cross and follow Him as is written in Luke 9:23-27. Jesus straightforwardly says that people who are not willing to pay this price clearly cannot be His disciples. They may think they are disciples, they may look just like disciples to others, and no one may be able to know the truth until judgment day. But Jesus does not approve of luke warm hearted followers to be true disciples, despite their appearances. No reason to even try to start serving the Lord, without a genuine , whole-hearted commitment, for seeking His will above all else. More Bible verses that connect what has been discussed include also verse 33 below. Cf. Matthew 6:19-33; 10:34-39; 16:24-27;Luke 12:15-21; John 6:27,63; Romans 8:5-8; 12:1,2;; 1 Timothy 4:8; 6:6-19; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 8:5; 10:3,4; Colossians 3:1,2; Galatians 2:20. The next step is to be aware that such demands of Jesus are to a world already convinced of its rightness that they aggravate that worlds hostility. [1] The world will say how an we possibly choose anything over our family? But, remember, the only words that a Christian must listen to are the very words spoken by Jesus. Jesus commands us to choose faith in Him. Although Jesus values families (5:27-32; 15:4-6; 19:4-9), the division his mission brings is predominantly evident in families (compare 10:21; 1 Cor. 7:16; of course more people prefer to quote Acts 16:31). Jesus example demonstrates how this division is accomplished: although we are harmless (Mt 10:16; 12:19-20), Gods agents proclaim the kingdom uncompromisingly and thus face hostility from others (13:57). Jesus mission separates us from the values of our society, and society responds with persecution. Jesus selects these specific examples of in-laws because young couples generally lived with the mans family. Jesus matters more than the approval or even the civility of our family (10:37). Many viewed honoring ones parents as the highest social obligation for many, God alone was worthy of greater honor (Deut 13:6; 33:9) The bottom line is that according to Scripture, to follow Jesus means to follow Jesus, not anyone or anything else. A disciple is a learner, and the primary teacher is Jesus. It is total loyalty that Jesus is looking for, given the rejection and persecution that are found ahead. If his followers care more about family than about Jesus, when families are divided under pressure during persecution, they will likely choose against Jesus. This is what lies behind Jesus remarks. Discipleship is not possible if Jesus is not the teacher. This is exactly what is meant by bearing the cross and following after Jesus. This is  the  issue of discipleship. If learning from Jesus means following him, then it also means experiencing the rejection he experienced and therefore bearing the cross he bore. We cannot learn from Jesus without being willing to walk this narrow path. Discipleship is basically uncompromising allegiance. To follow Jesus is to rely on him alone. Christ continues to tell us that when we willingly accept the call to be a son or daughter of God that is when our earthly family members will  stand in the way as we begin our walk with God. Consciously or unconsciously, they will obstruct us. Remember it was Jesus Christ that referred to them as the blind and the dead walking. Perhaps some family members seem to have our best interest at heart, Christ says they are enemies endeavoring to frustrate His plan for our new lives in Him alone. Look closely, you will see their plans for–exactly how we should act towards them, it is always about them. God has made His plans for how we are to occupy our minds with His thoughts. As a result we have to choose God’s thoughts for us and â€Å"disregard† their self-centered world, around which they are wanting us to spin. We must do an about face or turn away  our minds and hearts from focusing them instead of Christ. Simply put, they are in contrast to the high calling; they are interference and must be put on the back burner when we are forced to choose between Christ and them. We must set Christ and His plan as the top priority and not antagonistic family members. In a word, we must separate ourselves from them. In the next verses Christ continues teaching, and illustrating the actual cost, the actual price we are required to be ready to pay for discipleship. For He immediately asks, â€Å"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? †Ã‚   For  you may come up short and not be able to finish the project. He wants us to be able to face the question and ask â€Å"Exactly what will it cost me to be serious about following after Christ? â€Å" Are you fully aware that it just may cost a major blow up with a family member? Make sure you understand that it could cost you a husband or your wife. It very well may cost you your relationship with a daughter or a son. Truly following Jesus Christ exactly the way He wants us to follow Him may cost us someone we love. â€Å"For how can two walk together, except they be agreed? And â€Å"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion has light with darkness? Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord† (II Cor 6: 14-17). When weighing the cost it takes to be His servant , He says, â€Å"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that  forsakes  not all that he has,  he cannot be my disciple† (Luke 14: 33). The â€Å"all that he has† here is the life on this earth mentioned previously, his earthly father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters. Christ is teaching us that we should ignore, completely turn away from, and in so doing forsake earthly family members if they are constantly being used by Satan to turn us from fulfilling our calling. We must still love them, pray for them so they may know the truth, repent, be set free and turn toward God. This is not optional, it is a must to be willing to listen to Christ’s words over and above their advice. We must take heed, He did warn us about all this. He said, â€Å"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother†¦and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household† (Mt. 10: 34-36). The Martyrdom How can it be that Vibia Perpetua would willingly enter the Carthage arena on March 7, 202 A. D.? Where did this fearlessness to face a wild maddened cow come from? The diary she left writes that Perpetua had just been baptized to confirm her Christianity weeks prior to her martyrdom. 1] Perpetua recorded how she was arrested, put on trial, sent to prison and killed along with Felicitas her servant and four others. This diary shares how they were all placed in detention, found guilty as charged for admitting Christianity. Perpetua prison diary is remarkable because it reveal on paper this fir-person experience of death by martyrdom. [2] This is not just any diary; Perpetua is known to be the earliest Christian female author. Because of this brave woman’s’ writing the reader can actually get a picture of third century Christianity and details of martyrdom within the North African Christian church. This prison diary of Perpetua known as the Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas, has three There are three main sections of interest. The first component includes her personal viewpoint handwritten [3] an introduction and conclusion authored by perhaps Tertullian in Carthage, and finally an anonymous bystander who actually describes the martyrdom as witnessed. [4] It is hard to deny the impact of reading a Martyr’s experience. Such accounts of knowing God and his grace undoubtedly are purposeful. Like so many of the Bible characters have revealed, each story can edify and encourage every true believer of Christ. Many Christians share their stories of faith and gestures in love, but dying for Christ in martyrdom magnifies the clash that occurs in the spirit realm between the kingdom of Jesus Christ and principalities of darkness. Each narrative of martyrdom is explicitly set for its time and place. The end result is the ultimate wager between obedience to human authority or God Almighty. The story includes five catechumens: meaning of this word is that these five individuals had only just professed Christ and were getting ready to be baptized. Among the five arrested is Felicitas the handmaiden of Perpetua a twenty-two year old noblewoman of Rome. Perpetua is richly born into an important family, properly married and still breast-feeding her infant son is convicted as well as three men named Secundulus, Saturninus and Revocatus. [5] Then the very leader of this baptismal class, Saturus willingly joins this group. Why they all are convicted at the community trial within the Forum? The conviction was based on their decision to refuse to burn incense of sacrifice to the Roman gods. As a result they all became sacrifices to wild beasts themselves in celebration of the Emperor’s sons’ birthday. [6] Perpetua said to Vibius, her father, said I, Do you see this vessel lying, a pitcher or whatsoever it may be? And he said, I see it. And I said to him, Can it be called by any other name than that which it is? And he answered, No. So can I call myself naught other than that which I am, a Christian? [7] Clearly this noblewoman’s problem begins at home with her family, before there is ever a conflict with the culture of Rome. Perpetua’s father has obviously made sure that his daughter was educated, and taken care of in a socially accepted marriage. Indeed Perpetua could read and write and think and debate, perhaps this was much more than her father counted on when he deemed to satisfy his absolute authority of the Roman household. Perpetua loved her father and mentioned that it pained her to see him suffer but she also wrote that her father hurt her faith because of his love. [8]. In Perpetua’s house and every Roman household each child at birth was placed at the feet of the father to find out if it would be accepted or rejected. Still the father-daughter bond was considered special and close. [8] Still there is tension in this relationship as the father begs Perpetua to remember her various responsibilities, Perpetua’s education is evident as she clearly wins in reasoning and debating with her prominent father. It is at this point that Perpetua completely disregard the very order of society within family or state. Her ability to reason and reveal spiritual reality by speaking with everyday theory places her in a superior role of teacher as her father becomes her student. We have know way of knowing whether father or daughter could have recognized they were living out the writing of Socrates as before their eyes â€Å"the quintessential principled prisoner of conscience and a martyr to truth†[9] was played out. Sadly Perpetua’s father’s only response is that of tears of rage. Perpetua write about the four different times that her father comes to her trying to speak that he might be able to â€Å" move all creation† to change her mind , but Perpetua responds by writing her father spoke as if speaking â€Å" arguments of the devil† himself. 10] Writing all the way up to her trial she records that her father and governor get together to beg, as the very symbol of family and state. Exclaiming, think of â€Å"your father’s grey hairs†¦ the infancy of the boy †¦ sacrifice for the prosperity of the Emperor’. †[11] The reader learns that in order for Perpetua to obey Christ, she has to disregar d her responsibilities to family, state and religion. A Roman woman is to have allegiance to all loyalties just mentioned. Here Perpetua proves to be a citizen of the kingdom of Christ, a child of God, a member of His eternal family. Yet, this is not an easy price for Perpetua to pay, as she recognizes her father loves her and this increases her sadness , as she understands there is no â€Å"rejoice at my passion† [12] Perhaps this is too much to expect of a pagan father? To rejoice at the martyrdom of your Christian daughter is an unlikely tradition in Rome. Yet Perpetua was able to do exactly that. Of course, not everyone is born to be a martyr. This could even look to be coincidental as onlookers suddenly recognize the â€Å"blessed deacons,† and give even to care for the martyrs and their needs as prisoners, in the very arena, without facing imprisonment themselves. 13] Many perceived Martyrdom to be an individual calling. [14] To basically never seek after martyrdom but if it is God’s will, receive a personal invitation to share in the sufferings of Christ and enjoy the guarantee that Christ would never leave and supplies all necessary strength to endure to the end. [15] A true martyrâ⠂¬â„¢s thinking can be seen in the courageous maid Felicitas. She is literally about to give birth with one month to go when she is arrested with the baptismal class. When she does indeed end up giving birth in prison she is taunted by one of the prison keepers who has the nerve to ask such a remarkable women that if she find childbirth painful then just what â€Å"wilt you do when you are thrown to the beasts [16] Felicitas responds like a true martyr unconcerned full of faith, telling the guard that she knows â€Å"I myself now suffer that which I suffer, but there another shall be in me who shall suffer for me, because I am to suffer for him. † [17]. Wisely spoken by a woman that knew it was indeed God’s fight. Felicitas unquestionably spoke with the faith of a martyr. Knowing God would be actually fighting this battle inside each martyr. Thus exclaiming Martyrdom is no less than a battle against Satan himself. Just like when Stephen, witnessed the heavens open and a vision of Jesus beside the Father happen before his very eyes in Acts 7:56. Likewise was it understood that the Holy Spirit was part of the learning experienced by the martyr that got them ready for their persecution. All the more likely that the brother of Perpetua would want her to request to have a vision from God. Hoping this vision would reveal if they would live or die. Perpetua wrote in great confidence that she made it a habit to â€Å"converse (d) with the Lord†. [17] As a result indeed she receives a vision. This makes me think of â€Å"You have not because you ask not †in James 4:3 or â€Å"Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Matthew 7:7. So, why is it any surprise that such a faithful woman would receive exactly what she asked for? The vision Perpetua gets tells of the nature and the expected result of the battle she must fight. In this first vision it is a reminder of Jacob’s ladder. She writes of a ladder of bronze that has sharp objects on either side. At the base is the devil in the image of a serpent. Satrurus is in the dream and waiting at the top, waving for Perpetua to follow, but cautioning her about the serpent. Of course Perpetua is of great faith, so in her dream she basically looks straight at the serpent and says an- I don’t think so. Actually, Perpetua says, In the name of Jesus Christ, that serpent can not harm her. Guess what happens? Even in her dream Perpetua’s wisdom to call out the name of Christ fearlessly cause the serpent to tremble. Then this serpent obediently raises its head to the level of the very first step on this ladder. This is written in Genesis 3:15 and Perpetua remembers that she treads on the very head of Satan and easily climbs up the ladder. At the very top she is greeted by a man with white hair wearing clothing like a shepherd actually milking one of the sheep. [18] This is told to her brother who realizes what it means. There is no longer any reason to hope to remain alive in this world. As if to stop wasting their time expecting to be rescued from martyrdom. [19]. There is one last vision, the night before the martyrdom is to take place. Perpetua sees herself ripped of all clothing, actually fighting within the body of a man. She is going up against clearly an â€Å"Egyptian† that is â€Å"ill-favored† The gladiator master of ceremonies proclaims if the Egyptian triumphs Perpetua is killed, If she is the winner, Perpetua will receive a branch of green with gold apples. During her dream she talks about how the Egyptian tries to trip her, but she basically walks on his head like the vision where she steps on the serpents head. She wins and is given the branch of apples as the victor. Awakening from the dream she reveals the interpretation of understanding she will fight not the wild animals but against the devil himself and defeat him. 20] As these are the very last words she has written in the diary, Perpetua is motivated through the Holy Spirit revelation to face the arena. Now Perpetua write to hand over the pen, by saying let him write who will about the games from this moment on. [21] After all of the visions, why should there be any surprise that Perpetua is not concerned about the dawn of the day of her martyrdom? From that day on the narrator says they proceed from the prison to the arena in a public march, being obviously cheerful and bright of countenance; if trembling at all, it was for joy, not fear. Perpetua is the last to follow in this literal walk of faith; the writer described her as â€Å"glorious† in presence, appearing as a genuine spouse of Christ. As a â€Å"darling of God; at whose piercing look all cast down their eyes. †[22] Perpetua saw herself as a man in her dream, but the writer expresses that what is visible is as a courageous noblewoman never looking down as was expected. Instead, Perpetua is seen looking straight ahead with a â€Å"piercing† stare. Then comes Felicitas, the maiden who just had a baby the day before overjoyed that her baby was survived. Now Felicitas is relieved that she may be given the opportunity to â€Å"fight with the wild animals, †¦from blood to blood, †¦ midwife to the gladiator, †¦ after her travail in a second baptism. †[23]   Ã‚   The first battle waged in the arena is a verbal one, started by Perpetua herself. As they enter through the gates, they find they are supposed to be dressed in costumes, as mockery of their Christian faith. It is Perpetua who speaks for them. The writer says, â€Å"The noble Perpetua remained resilient to the end, and would not. For she said: For this cause came we willingly unto this, that our liberty might not be obscured. For this cause have we devoted our lives, that we might do no such thing as this; this we agreed with you. † As usual, Perpetua’s argument here, is so logical and persuasive, the writer states, â€Å"Injustice acknowledged justice; the tribune suffered that they should be brought forth as they were. † And â€Å"Perpetua began to sing†, as is she was indeed already walking on the Egyptian’s head. [24] The first battle is won with words. Now the martyrs will win with the same joyful countenance they displayed in the parade of faith. There was no sign of entering submissively as if they were guilty hoping for a last resort, they enter by their own choice, clothed in rebellion as they face the governor Hilarian who condemned them. â€Å"You judge us, and God you. † The crowd is enraged and demands them to be scourged. The Christians then actually â€Å"gave thanks because they †¦were to receive some of the sufferings of the Lord. †[25] The writer says, â€Å"The devil had made ready a most savage cow, prepared for this purpose against all custom; for even in this beast he would mock their sex. The reference to the devil is evocative of her dream when she realizes that she is battling not the animals but Satan. Other references to the dream emerge, as the women are brought out into the arena naked, except for a net. The body displayed is not that of a man but of â€Å"a tender girl,† and Felicitas is beside her, a nursing mother having given birth only a day earlier. The crowd could not h andle the sight of the women, actually ‘shuddered† and Perpetua and Felicitas were sent back to be dresses in robes. [26] Next the women are left to face the â€Å"savage cow. The crowd is watching keenly the behavior of Christians in the arena, and most especially this Christian noblewoman and her maid. The writer describes what they saw. Perpetua is thrown first and â€Å"when she had sat upright, her robe being rent at the side, she drew it over to cover her thigh, appearing to be concerned with modesty not of pain. Next, looking for a pin, she likewise pinned up her disheveled hair; for it was not meet that a martyr should suffer with hair disheveled, â€Å"lest she should seem to grieve in her glory. †[27]. How does a Christian woman die? She could not allow her self to die with rent robes and disheveled hair, as if she were in sorrow, but with hair pinned up and dressed for this moment of victory and glory. When Perpetua stands up, she sees her maid, fallen, and â€Å"she went up and gave her hand and raised her up. And both of them stood together. † Social order is no longer relevant here. The noblewoman raises up her servant as her very sister in Christ and they stand side by side. In Christ there is no slave nor free. The watching crowd now sees a picture of a new world order. 28] Perpetua goes back to the Gate for amnesty. There fellow Christians wait for her and stand by her side. She seems to be coming awake from her sleep, perhaps from shock, or as the writer explains, â€Å"in the Spirit and in ecstasy,† not recalling anything that has happened. She asks when they are to be thrown to the mad cow and is certain that this has already been done, only when she sees some of the markings of the maulin g does she believe. She shouts out to her brother and says three words before she is taken to the latform to be killed by the sword. She says, to stand fast in the faith, love one another; and â€Å"be not offended because of our passion†[ 29] Christians were given invites for a close encounter of the suffering of the martyrs in intent to detract them from their faith. â€Å"Be not offended because of our passion,† [29] says Perpetua. The result of the encounter was not quite what the Romans were counting on. There was no frightening them away. Yet, it was the very courage and gentle peace of the martyrs that actually confirmed their astounding faith. The ones to change were often the pagan witnesses, soldiers and prison officials, who saw the example of the martyrs and were drawn to their faith. [30] Is this not similar to what we have many times read about in our Holy Bible , where the chosen most faithful ones lead the unbelievers straight to Christ? Still these martyrs have one more chance to prove the very nature of their faith, as they head straight to the platform in expectation of receiving the final stroke of the sword. With the entire crowd witnessing, the martyrs actually kiss each other, to symbolize the act of rites of peace they desire to accomplish in martyrdom. 31] Perpetua is executed by an inexperienced swordsman who stabs her on the collarbone causing her to cry out and then Perpetua guides his hand to place the sword in the correct position on her throat. The writer says that so great a woman could not have been slain had she not herself have willed it. [31] Conclusion After exploration, I can conclude that Per petua and Felicity were indeed faithful to Christ unto death. One of the many proofs includes the various onlookers that came to believe as a result of such great faith visible within these martyrs. Therefore they were even indeed victorious in their death. It may seem strange to say victory in death, but that is the way of the kingdom of God. The devil is defeated. The power of the old order is doomed. The audience saw the beginnings of something new, the kingdom of heaven signified by love, joy, courage, and the kiss of peace. They saw people who could not be intimidated or separated from the Lord they loved. This they saw, the work of the Holy Spirit within these brave martyrs. Anyone reading about these extraordinary deaths is bound to be amazed at the physical and mental strength of the martyrs. Sickly and undernourished as they endured weeks in prison, they not only survive their first attacks in the arena, they also manage to find the energy to stand up again and again before the crowd, even walking to their place of execution. Perpetua’s having to help the inexperienced swordsmen in her own death proves not only that she believes in her heavenly reward, but also highlights that fellow faithful Christians should not be upset by her suffering. [32] These amazing young Christian women illuminated an unshakeable conviction and singleness-of-purpose. This shined forth from the time of their arrest to the time of their death. They knew that the power of God, or the Holy Spirit, was indeed present within them, and that their martyrdom had purpose from start to finish. Yes it would honor them in paradise, but most of all it would bring non-believers to faith in the Lord. [33] Perpetua’s leadership abilities are indeed striking. A young educated patrician mother, who forsakes family loyalty, challenges the authorities to treat her comrades more humanely, reassures the faithful, and dies courageously. Not to discount the likewise striking bravery of Felicitas who faithfully followed both as a servant to Perpetua and a servant of Christ. After reading such accounts it is undeniable that these women where great. St. Augustine recognizes that the woman, in spite of her debility and physical limitations, can have the integrity and unusual strength to face adversities and death with the strength of the spirit, as in the case of Perpetua and Felicity, popular martyrs of Carthage in Africa, whom the Bishop of Hippo admired and talked about in his sermons. 34] For the modern women of the 21st Century having difficulty finding female role models within the early church, â€Å"The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas† will provide what no other literature can: The oldest personal testimony by a Christian woman writing her encounter with the Holy Spirit. Perpetua and Felicitias by living with the purpose to stay focused on Christ, inspire many to seek what their names, Vivia Perpetua a nd Felicitas, represent so beautifully: Happy, eternal life in the Spirit. [35] No wonder Tertullian said, â€Å"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. † [36] It is powerful to remember this story. It tells of God’s powerful acts in the early days of the Christian church. It tells of God’s powerful victory through our sister Perpetua. Thus we are all to remember it is not about our individual lives it is our lives being used to powerfully glorify our God. As a result of Perpetua and Felicitas’s life we can say as is written in Philippians 4:20 â€Å"To our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever.

buy custom State Constitution essay

buy custom State Constitution essay Like the constitution of any other state or national government, the Texas Constitution establishes the fundamental and crucial laws under which all of its citizens are governed (Texas Statutes 1). However, it is notable that the Texas Constitution significantly differs from almost all the constitutions in the U.S. This is mainly due to the fact that the Texas Constitution has been redesigned, changed, recreated, amended as well as overdone as a whole. Consequently, this has made this Constitution to be long, even more than that of the United States - a factor that has given room for many misunderstandings, leading to frequent amendments. This paper will analyze the key differences between the Texas Constitution and that of the State of Vermont. Some of the key differences to be looked at will include the structure, format, organization, content, number of amendments as well as the ease or difficulty of amending and changing the constitution. The Historical Background of the Texas Constitution It is notable that Texas has had a total of seven constitutions in its history. Every of these constitutions have certain fundamental principles shared with the U.S. Constitution. Some of these fundamental principles in its structure include separation of power into three distinct branches of the government, democratic governance, and system of federalism. Yet, every of these different constitutions have substantially reflected their time and the prevailing political culture of Texas. The first constitution that governed Texas was the Constitution of the Coahuila y Tejas from Mexico in 1827. This was followed by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836, drafted after Texas declared independence from Mexico. The third constitution, Texas State Constitution, was written in 1845 in response to admission of Texas to the union. In 1861, the state withdrew from the union and joined the Confederacy, thus drafting the forth constitution. The fifth, sixth and seventh constitutions we re written in 1886, 1869, and 1876 respectively. Generally, the current Texas Constitution is among the longest of all the state constitutions. Since its adoption, 653 amendments have been proposed, of which 72.58% were approved by the voters (Hill 89). Organization and Format There are significant differences between the Texas Constitution and that of State of Vermont. One of the significance differences is the organization. As compared to other constitutions, the Constitution of Texas starts wih the preamble that is followed by other 17 Articles. Unlike the Vermont Constitution, Texas puts the bill as Article 1. The bill of rights usually reflects the framer fear of the abuses of the government more than the constitutions of other states. This is then followed by powers and organization, found in Articles II through V. Article VI exhaustively covers elections and voting, while Articles VII and VIII (eight) cover taxation, education, and revenue. It is notable that Article VII significantly limits the amount of revenue, which can be spent in the field of education and dedicates some funds for that purpose. Articles IX through XVI exhaustively cover wide range of topics, including land use, property rights, railroads, local governance, and personal debts a mong other aspects. Finally, Article XVII, which is the last article of this Constitution, covers the modes in which the Constitution can be amended. On the other hand, Vermont Constitution is divided into two major chapters. The first chapter is the Declaration of Rights to inhabitants of this state. It was drafted in 1777 and is divided into twenty one Articles. Some of the articles include right to emigrate, martial law, and trial by jury among others. The second chapter is plan or the frame of government, outlining all the structure of governance. The chapter also details the three notable branches of the government, elections, militia, and impeachments among other provisions. Based on this, the formats of these two constitutions vary significantly. The one of Texas is only divided into Articles, 17 in total, with no distinct chapters. On the other hand, the Constitution of Vermont is divided into two parts. Part 1 is the constitutional history of Vermont, having three subtopics, namely adoption of the Constitution, council of the censors and the ten year time lock. The second part is the Vermont Constitution and commentary, w hich is divided into chapter one and chapter two. Chapter one is in its turn divided into twenty one Articles, while chapter two is divided into different sections. Content and Structure The two constitutions also vary in terms of the content and structure. The Texas is remarkably lengthy, more than the Constitution of the United States itself. In 2009, Texas Constitution had more than 98,000 words. The main reason for this is the fact that early Texans were enormously scared of overly controlling government. Therefore, when the Constitution of Texas was drafted, they tried to create no loophole in this Constitution, by eliminating all the gray aareas in politics. As a result of this large content of the Constitution, it has become hard for the politicians to function effectively as some of the parts contradict each other, mainly due to its structure. On the other hand, Vermont Constitution is one of the shortest constitutions in the United States, with only 8, 9295 words. Consequently, the reduced content of this Constitution has allowed politicians to function effectively. Generally, the well-managed content of Vermont Constitution has resulted into development, as the government does not require amending the Constitution in order to enact new laws (Hill 15). Changing and Amending the Constitution By far, it is easy to amend the Texas Constitution as compared to that of Vermont. This is based on the fact that Texas has relatively low bar for amending the constitution. The Constitution also takes high restrictive view of all powers held by the state government - a factor that has significantly demanded for alterations and addition. While Vermont Constitution has been changed for only 19 times since creation in 1793, that of Texas has been amended for more than 456 times, not counting the 176 times of amendments that were enormously defeated by the voters. The State of Vermont Has the Better Constitution In my own opinion, the State of Vermont has a better and more practical Constitution as compared to that of Texas. As indicated above, the large content of the Texas Constitution has hindered growth of this state. This is due to the fact that the government has to keep on amending the Constitution in order to enact laws and policies, especially those dealing with the emerging challenges of the 21st century. The Constitution of Texas has had very many amendments, - a factor that has enormously disorganized this Constitution. Consequently, it has become hard for the three branches of the government to perform effectively, thus hindering growth. Furthermore, the Constitution has a lot of fear of unknown, such as that of political corruption, as well as a lot interests in the existing constitution. This is unlike the Constitution of Vermont, which allows the government to develop new policies without necessarily making changes to the existing constitution. From the above information, it is clear that Vermont Constitution is far more superior as compared to that of Texas. One can see that the Texas Constitution is either poorly drafted or is too specific, thus demanding frequent amendments Buy custom State Constitution essay

The Night essays

The Night essays The Night by Elie Weisel is a non fiction auto-biography. His special qualification for writing this is that he lived through it. He has won the Nobel Peace Prize, and he has written Dawn, The Accident, and The Town Beyond the Wall. He won the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in improving the living conditions and promoting the understanding and acceptance of Jews around the world. I am not sure if this is a recent publication or a classic, but it was copyrighted in 1960. The book is organized in chronological order, it starts at the beginning of the war and when he is leaving for the concentration camp, and it ends when he is leaving the camp and is saved. The authors topic is the Holocaust. His main ideas are the events that occurred in his life during that year. He tells the happenings of someone living through the Holocaust as a Jew in a concentration camp. He starts the book by giving a quick overview of his childhood. He tells of the important people in his life, and he says the tips he got about what was to come that he had ignored. His siblings were ...There were four of us children: Hilda, the eldest; then Bea; I was the third, and the only son; the baby of the family was Tzipora... He had not gotten along so well with his father during his childhood. Someone he knew, named Moshe the Beadle, was the first one from his community who got a taste of the war. He came back to tell everyone about it and to warn them, but they ignored him. ... Jews, listen to me. Its all I ask of you. I dont want money or pity. Only listen to me.... he would cry out. Not even Eliezer believed him though. He would listen to be polite, and to give him a chance, but it didnt seem realistic to him. They finally realized their mistake when Eliezers father got the news of deportation. ... I have terrible news, he said at last, Deporta...

24 hours surviliance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

24 hours surviliance - Case Study Example As such the paper would be discussing the surveillance of the current facility with regard to various measures that are needed to adopt to feel safe and protected. The surveillance is very important part of security measure for the multistory building which has multiple exits. The major objective of the surveillance is monitoring of intruders and suspects who could pose threat to the safety of the people inside the complex. Hence, the facility/ building and surrounding area would be under surveillance. CCTVs would be installed in all the areas of critical importance that would be interconnected and feed into the main control room. All the rooms, stairs, elevators, lobby areas, hallways would have CCTV and spy cameras. The two restrooms and cafeteria would be excluded from the surveillance but nevertheless, their entrance would be guarded by security guards and CCTV cameras. The cameras would also be installed on the strategic positions in the ground and parking to monitor the activities of people moving around the campus. The installation of CCTV cameras on a closed network would be centrally monitored by the control room continuously. Around 11 CCTV monochrome cameras would be used across the rooms and public places like elevators, stairs etc. They would also be equipped with alarm system that would be connected to the main security office which would have direct connections with the local police station. Moreover, the complex would also be guarded by 4 fully armed security guards. It is envisaged that appropriate identity cards would be issued to permanent members and visitors would be given token which would monitored electronically. These are important aspects that are designed to alert security officers to burglary/ theft in progress or identify suspects hanging around in the building, open ground or parking places so that crime can be prevented. Surveillance is key factor in security issues that helps

Virtual Community Research Methodology Dissertation

Virtual Community Research Methodology - Dissertation Example How strong can this sense of community be? 4. What kinds of cultural identity have been formed in this virtual community? Research Method The data collection method that I will be using is ethnographic interviews and an analysis of the website. In this case, the structured interviews consisted of asking the Respondents 20 open-ended questions, which are found the Appendix C. The Respondents were encourage to expound upon their answers in a concrete way, and give as much detail as possible in their answers. In order to find the right respondents, I visited the popular discussions on the site to see the interactions which occurred among various topics. After this, I posted 10 general questions (Appendix A). These questions were posted individually within a period of seven days. Fifteen respondents were observed. From all the Respondents, I followed the profiles of each user to personally determine whether they pass the first criterion of having maintained a distinct Chinese culture. Th e criteria for determining if the user maintained a distinct Chinese culture was by evaluating their point of view to ascertain if their viewpoint was oriented towards Chinese culture or towards the culture of the host country. Afterwards, the shortlist of 15 users was identified based on the duration of their usage and membership on the website. They were sent an invitation to participate in the study further through an interactive interview conducted through emails or instant messaging platforms of their choice. They were also asked the following questions in order to qualify them for the second criterion – that traditional media does not play a significant role in his daily life (Appendix B). Based on the responses to these questions, I selected ten users who display the second criterion the most. That is, they exhibit interest in getting the latest updates about China, and the Chinese people and culture at large, and that they do not get this information from traditional media. Furthermore, they exhibit knowledge about the fifth question’s subject matter, not only through their actual subscriptions and affiliations, but through their expression of interest to get connected and develop deeper understanding. After ten users were selected based on the criteria mentioned above, I proceeded to schedule the interactive interviews. The questions which were asked in the interview are in Appendix C. These happened within a period of one month. I also allowed the respondent during the time to deliver a meaningful personal account of experiences, and the flexibility to do it at his or her own pace. With regards to the website analysis, I examined the website carefully, then grouped the website categories into themes. These themes fit under the rubric of the four research questions which were asked, then fit into subthemes within these four research themes. The subthemes were as follows: a.) Common cultural practices b.) How having a common homeland conn ects users c.) Connection through current Chinese events d.) Connection between Chinese living throughout the globe d.) Connection through activities and services. These themes fit under the larger themes and larger questions regarding the sense of community and the strength of community, plus the cultural identities which are formed by the ethnic community. How these subthemes fit into the larger theme is that these themes focus upon how the Chinese users of

European History 1914-to present Essay Example for Free

European History 1914-to present Essay The period that immediately followed the First World War was marked by the autocratic regimes in Austria, Germany and Russia being replaced by republics as they were overthrown. There seemed to be a promise of an era of democracy as the seven states that had all been newly created adopted the republican form of government giving the impression that democracy had finally been found after the First World War. However, this did not last as after only two decades, a form of dictatorship took over most of the democratic European countries. While some countries became communists, others took to fascism which resulted to totalitarian form of government (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). In totalitarianism individuals had absolutely no freedom in their life as all political, intellectual, social, cultural, economic and even religious and spiritual activities were subordinated to the authority of the rulers and the government. This form of rule was characterized by the rulers of the government as a central power controlling all the aspects of the citizens lives through force and repression such that those who held views that were different from the ideologies of the rulers and had different practices in the mentioned aspects of their lives were considered to be against the state hence enemies. Totalitarianism was manifested through mass-media that was state controlled, one party state in which the party controlled everything that went on in the state, mass surveillance accompanied with state terrorism and restricted free discussion or criticism especially of the governmental ideologies. In European countries such as such as Russia under Stalin and Germany under Hitler, totalitarianism and the practices of the government received overwhelming support from the citizens (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). The support was however not spontaneous, it required the rulers to be charismatic so that he would be able to draw support. The rapid development in infrastructure especially communication and transportation played a great role in the rise and spread of the totalitarianism and growth of its popularity amongst the citizens in the countries in which it was practised. This paper seeks to discuss totalitarianism and the reasons for its rise in Europe in the early 20th century. Totalitarianism is characterized by the state pursuing some goal that is special such as conquest of a certain region, exclusion of all others who hold different ideologies from those ones of the state or industrialization. All resources of the state usually are directed and focussed on achievement of these goals regardless of their cost. Anything that furthers the attainment of the goal is fully supported while the things that threaten to foil this achievement are rejected. It is a form of obsession that triggers an ideology that explains and describes things in terms of the intended goal, justifying all obstacles that could arise and all the forces that may struggle against the state in achieving the desired goal (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). This results to the state getting popular support from the citizens which gives it the power to practice any form of governmental actions. Anyone opposing the goals or ideologies of the state is considered evil and political differences within the state not allowed. Achievement of the goal is never acknowledged even in the event the state actually gets to achieve it. This is because totalitarianism is entirely founded on the ideology of achieving the goal such that in the event the goal is achieved then it should cease to exist. The pursuit of specific goals by different leaders for the states they ruled is considered to be the main reason for the rise of totalitarianism in Europe. As mentioned earlier, fascism was one of the main reasons for totalitarianism. This ideology was common in Germany and Italy. It originated with Mussolini Benito in his rule over the country. This ideology in which the proponents advocated for the creation of a single party state was a reaction against equality, liberty and fraternity that were being proposed by democratic nations such as France and Britain after they won the war. Fascists argued that nations and races usually are in a conflict in which only the strongest and the healthiest survive. Apart from being healthy the strongest also survive by asserting themselves against the weak through repression and in combat (Griffiths 2005). These governments prohibited and suppressed opposition and any form of criticism to the government. In Germany, races that were not German such as the Jews, Slavs and individuals who were either sick or disabled were targeted for execution as Hitler’s government sought to have a nation of pure healthy Germans. Fascism claimed that a nation was the race and hence sought to execute everyone who was not of the race of the rulers (Griffiths 2005). Fascism is also characterized by respect and love for collective organization in which individuals work together to achieve a certain goals and ideology. This formed totalitarianism in Italy and Germany. In which the citizens were organized against other individuals of other races that were considered a threat to achieving a nation that was formed of one superior race. Nazism was movement mostly in Germany which was is also referred to as National Socialism. This movement sought to spread the ideologies of Adolf Hitler’s government in Germany and the world as a whole. Nazism is argued to be a form of fascism as its characteristics are the same as those ones of fascism as it featured racism, expansion and obedience/loyalty to one leader. Hitler expected everyone to be loyal to him and executed anyone who defiled his orders. Nazism also had theories about other races which portrayed them as inferior to German Aryans and a threat to its existence hence the necessity to get rid of them. This led to the massive execution of the Jews and the disabled Germans as they were considered unfit for survival according to fascism. This ideology is therefore one of the reasons for the rise of totalitarianism in Germany and most of its neighbouring nations (Klaus Vondung 2005). Bolshevism-Stalinism was the reason for the rise of totalitarianism in Russia. Bolshevism was a movement formed by professionals who believed in military control over the country and democratic centralism such the party (Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) took form of internal hierarchy in which individuals from other groups were not allowed to lead the party. Only these members made decisions and any party that was formed to challenge Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party it was purged (Worley, Morgan Laporte 2002). This movement greatly supported single party state and is believed to have caused the rise of Stalinism. Stalinism refers to the form of government used by Joseph Stalin and those who were allied to his ideologies (Worley, Morgan Laporte 2002). This ideology is sometimes referred to as red fascism as it is a form of fascism. Stalinism refers to a form of governance that is characterized by oppression of the citizens and extensive spying by the government so that individuals can not criticize or form movements to overthrow it. This system was also characterized by purging in which those who were opposed to the government ideologies were sent to prison camps or sometimes killed. The state used propaganda and established some form of cult around a leader who was a dictator so that he would have absolute control over the communist party and maintain control over all the citizens of Russia. Apart from the mentioned countries, Austria also participated in the rise of totalitarianism by supporting Nazism and Fascism. Its Prime Minister Kurt Waldheim is said to have assisted Germany in transporting Jews to dearth camps. Several other Eastern and Central European countries also got obsessed with the fascist movement (Klaus Vondung 2005). This included Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Lithuania and Croatia. The fascist movements in these countries were all characterized racism specifically against the Jews whom they associated with communism which they greatly despised. Spain is the only country which though fascist never got obsessed with race and believing in the ant-Jewish conspiracies that characteristic of German’s Nazism. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe during the early 20th century was mainly due to fascism. Both Nazism and Bolshevism-Stalinism which were the main movements in Europe at this time and are all forms of fascism which emphasizes on the power of the state over the citizens. A significant characteristic of these movements is racism in which each state believed in being occupied by only those who were of its race hence eliminating those who belonged to different races or had different practices than were contrary to the ideologies of the ruling government. The most affected race in Europe was the Jewish. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe can therefore be solely attributed to fascism. References Gardner, H. , Kleiner, S. Mamiya, C. , (2005). Gardners Art Through The Ages: The Western Perspective. Sidney: Cengage Learning. Griffiths, R. (2005). Fascism second ed. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. Klaus Vondung, K. (2005). The Apocalypse in Germany, Columbia and London: Univ. of Missouri Press. Redles, D. (2005). Hitler’s Millennial Reich: Apocalyptic Belief and the Search for Salvation. New York, NY: New York Univ. Press. Worley, M. , Morgan, K. Laporte, N. , (2002). Bolshevism, Stalinism And The Comintern: Perspectives On Stalinization. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Careful, He Might Hear You :: essays research papers

Careful He Might Hear You, by Sumner Locke Elliot, is a complicated novel, revolving around the story of a six year old boy named PS and his search for personal identity amidst the conflicts of his closest relatives. The narration of these conflicts, as well as the history behind their origins, forms the basis of the novel, and while the different types of relationships between the characters are not the main focus of the novel, the author links them with each of the characters’ sense of identity and their personal desires. Careful He Might Hear You is a book about people finding their true identities, and the truth or imbalance of the relationships that result from this. Through comparison and contrast, Sumner Locke Elliot highlights the flaws in each of the relationships presented, and the ramifications these have on the individuals involved; their present lives and their probable futures. The first significant relationship presented in the novel is that between PS and his Aunt Lila and Uncle George. PS sees himself solely as Lila and George’s child and this perception that he has on himself directly influences the nature of his relationship with them. Being a six year old child yet to develop his own personal sense of identity, PS trusts implicitly in Lila and George and believes, in his innocent naive way, that they will always do what is best for him. This is not so much carelessness on PS’s part, as an ignorance of any other type of upbringing and love than that administered to him by Lila and George. His unawareness of the outside world and any other style of life but his own causes the power of their relationship to be solely in the hands of Lila. PS’s innocence and trust in Lila becomes one of the major contributors to the clash which develops between Vanessa and Lila once Vanessa takes partial custody of PS. The nature of the relationship Vanessa demands from PS is so entirely different to that of Lila that PS finds himself torn between two women who, with their secrets, lies and constant quests for the upper hand, disrupt his own sense of personal well-being and security. This inner disquiet and uncertainty causes PS to change, and the nature of the relationships he hold with both his Aunts changes with this. These changes run parallel to PS’s emerging sense of identity, and the highlight, in the end, how important it is to be sure of who one is and what one wants in order for one’s relationship with other people to work.

Organizational Behavior Model of Grameenphone

Introduction Organizations are collections of interacting and inter related human and non-human resources working toward a common goal or set of goals within the framework of structured relationships. It is a great opportunity to study about the leading mobile operator company, GrameenPhone and their organizational behavior model which is concerned with all aspects of how the company influences the behavior of individuals and how individuals in turn influence the company. * Origin of the ReportThe BBA program under the department of Business Studies offers a course named â€Å"Organizational Behavior† (MGT 251) which requires every group to submit a report on a general management related topic determined by the course instructor. The report under the headline â€Å"Organizational Behavior Model† has been prepared to serve that purpose. * Objectives of the Study Several objectives to conduct the study are: * To study about organizational behavior. * To study about the Ma nagerial Activities To be informed about the levels of organizational behavior and its importance from the view of organizational point * To learn about each potential outcomes of effective functioning of the organization as well as inspiring employees towards their job. * To build a bridge between the theoretical & practical education of marketing. * Methodology To prepare this report we have used all the managerial data, different official documents as well as papers available of that particular institution which were made for the relevant field(s). Accompanying material: Describe How Own Behaviour Could Promote Effective Interactions With Children and Young PeopleWe have taken help from some employees of GrameenPhone who helped us to enrich this topic. We also talked to our teachers about it and they have also helped to improve and enhance the report. * Limitations We have faced some usual constraints during the course of our preparation for the report. The major limitations are as follows: * Information is not available: The data required for sufficient analysis for preparing the report was not available. We could not get all the data from a single source. * Lack of skills: Our skill is not sufficient, that is why we could not present it more attractivelyThe Company Overview Grameenphone is the leading telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh. With more than 27 million subscribers (as of October 2010) Grameenphone is the largest cellular operator in the country. It is a joint venture enterprise between Telenor and Gra meen Telecom Corporation, a non-profit sister concern of the internationally acclaimed microfinance organization and community development bank Grameen Bank. Telenor, the largest telecommunications company in Norway, owns 55. 8% shares of Grameenphone, Grameen Telecom owns 34. 2% and the remaining 10% is publicly held.It signed its license agreement with the Government on 11 November 1996 and began operations on 26 March 1997. Grameenphone was the first company to introduce GSM technology in Bangladesh. It also established the first 24-hour Call Center to support its subscribers. With the slogan Stay Close, stated goal of Grameenphone is to provide affordable telephony to the entire population of Bangladesh Managerial Values of the company Garmeenphone always tried to keep promises from its inception till today, which has bought a different dimension to its managerial techniques.Best Network Coverage, well built management, Efficient and Effective Manpower- all these brought the com pany to its destiny. Promises can be made easily; but keeping those promises is much harder than it previously. GP has come across with those promises very successfully with its Outstanding and Specialized Managerial Techniques. Grameenphone is always being respectful to others; especially to the prominent social Personalities those who directly motivating themselves into various social, economic, educative and other positive field with eye-catching role-play.GrameenPhone is the official sponsor of Bangladesh cricket team. Only this example may easily indicate the inspired to raise-up this kind of inspirations. Mission of the company Mission of GrameenPhone is to Leading the industry and exceed customer expectations by providing the best wireless services, making life and business easier. Vision the company GrameenPhone exists to help customers to get the full benefit of communications services in their daily lives. The company wants to make it easy for customers to get what they wa nt, when they want it.They are here to help. Product and Service Offered by the company Mobile telephony Grameenphone was the first operator to introduce the pre-paid mobile phone service in Bangladesh in September 1999. It offers followings pre-paid subscriptions. * Smile pre-paid: Smile is a general package provides widest coverage & clarity of speech keep user connected anytime, anywhere at an affordable rate. * Djuice: Djuice is a popular international brand, exclusively designed for young generation which provide full of fun and entertainment elements. Xplore Post-paid: Xplore is for someone who wants freedom and takes decison independently. With Xplore user can experience flexibility. * Business Solutions: Business Solutions is a complete, quality business communications service from grameenphone designed especially for business community in Bangladesh. It can provide user a customized soluation. Other Services * Internet: Grameenphone provides internet service in its coverage area. As it has EDGE/GPRS enabled network, any subscriber can access to internet through this network.Grameenphone was the first mobile operator in Bangladesh to offer EDGE services to its subscribers. * Bill Pay: A service to enable users to pay their utility bills Electricity/Gas through mobile. * Cell Bazaar: Services to enable users sell or buy products through mobile or internet. * Various other services like Stock Information, Instant Messaging, SMS Based Alerts/Services, Voice-based Services, Downloads, Music, Cricket Updates, Web SMS, and Mobile Backup etc. Organization Behavior Model An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal.Organizational behavior is concerned with all aspects of how organizations influence the behavior of individuals and how individuals in turn influence organizations. Organizational behavior is an inter-disciplinary field that draws freely from a number of the behavioral sciences, including anthropology, psychology, sociology, and many others. The unique mission of organizational behavior is to apply the concepts of behavioral sciences to the pressing problems of management, and, more generally, to administrative theory and practice. Model is an abstraction of reality.A simplified representation of some real-world phenomenon. Basic OB model include three level are individual level, group level and, organizational system level. These three basic levels are analogous to building blocks; each level is constructed on the previous level. For example, group concepts grow out on the foundation laid in the individual section. Each level holds several factors that make a complete organizational behavior model. Individual level’s factors are Biographical characteristic, personality, emotions, values, attitude, ability, perception, motivation, learning which leads to individual decision making.Group level includes group decision making, leadership and trust, group structure, work team, power and p olicies, communication and conflict. Organizational system level holds Organizational structure, organizational culture and human resource policies. Fig: OB Model OB Model from the view point of Grameenphone Organizational System Level * Human resource policies GrameenPhone is the pioneer in the field of human resource management, employee care and competence development in Bangladesh. GrameenPhone is currently employing approximately 5000 people of which 84 % is under 31 years old.The employees are spread out in six office zones throughout the country, with Dhaka being the largest with 3561 employees. Most of the staff has university backgrounds within fields such as management, marketing, economics, finance and engineering. The turnover rate of employee in 2006 was 8%, and a preliminary 4% so far for 2007. The number of resignations peaked in 2005 when new operators penetrated the market and offered higher salaries to GrameenPhone employees, but this was still relatively low. One could argue that low turnover rates are a good indicator of a healthy work environment.Human Resource Development GrameenPhone offers employee guidance on several stages, in addition to a general introduction for new employees. At junior management level, GrameenPhone in collaboration with the British Council offers in house training in basic management skills and workshops. Furthermore management training at junior and middle levels is offered in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management. Finally for senior management GrameenPhone offers a module based program in cooperation with Stockholm School of Economics. This program is custom made for GrameenPhone.Employee Benefits In addition to a relatively high salary, GrameenPhone employees are offered several bene? ts. In an annual survey comparing 10 competitors and similar companies in other industries, GrameenPhone identifies the wage distribution and bases its own wage levels on those in the upper quartile. As a part of the employee policy, GrameenPhone is also providing monthly education grants to children of all employees‘until the age of 21. This grant is a ? xed monthly sum for each child. In compliance with the local legislation GrameenPhone is bu? ding a pension fund for its employees.In addition to the required minimum level, GrameenPhone also invests in provident funds. 10 % of the employee‘s salary is paid on a monthly basis into the fund. All employees are entitled and covered by health and medical insurance. This also applies to family members. Code of Conduct Upon entering the company, all employees must sign a code of conduct. The document presents guidelines for proper conduct and ethical behavior. It is divided into four parts: Firstly, general guidelines describe the rationale behind this document, namely the importance of communicating corporate values and for employees to adopt them.This section includes broad, overarching topics such as human worth, working environmen t health, loyalty and confidentiality and reporting/disclosure among others. The second section refers to the relationship with customers, suppliers, competitors and public authorities. The main message here is that all stakeholders should be treated with respect and that unethical interaction, such as receiving expensive gifts and services are unacceptable. The third section looks at the employee's private interests and actions in relation to the company.Here political activism and other external duties are encouraged up to the level where it will not interfere with their work at GrameenPhone. The last section emphasizes that all misconduct or indeed suspicions of such activity must be reported immediately. It ensures the employee that no reprisals will be undertaken towards them. In other words: whistle-blowing is allowed and promoted. Organizational Culture Organizational culture is a system of shared values, assumptions, beliefs, and norms that unite the members of an organizati on because it reflects, â€Å"What it's like to work here. This becomes apparent through the visible level of the culture, the espoused values that are not observe but rather explained and justified, and through the core beliefs that are widely shared through the organization. Importance of Organizational Culture A. Employee Self-Management – Induce employees to behave in a particular way without close supervision or formal mechanisms, many of which are informal and unspecified. B. Stability – Cultures creates a sense of continuity in the midst of change and intense competitive pressure. C.Socialization – The process of internalizing or taking organizational values as one’s own. The Culture of Grameenphone Ltd. also known as THE GP WAY is â€Å"how GP is doing business† — it’s all about itemizing and reinforcing their vision & values, leadership expectations, codes of conduct and governing principles in GP’s daily life at work and deliver upon the brand promise — Stay Close. The Employee Relations team is responsible for ensuring vibrant Organizational Culture, sustaining GP as the preferred Employer Brand in the country.Human rights Grameenphone supports the internationally proclaimed human rights including UN declaration and conventions on human rights. Employees shall respect the personal dignity, privacy, and rights of each individual interact with during the course of work and shall not in any way cause or contribute to the violation or circumvention of human rights. Working Environment Gramcenphone provide a professional workplace with an inclusive working environment including the international Labor Organization's core conventions.Grameenphone is opposed to discriminatory practices therefore, no direct or indirect negative discrimination have taken place based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, language, religion, legitimate political or other opinions, national o r social origin, property, birth or status. Occupational Health, Safety and Employee security Grameenphone is careful about the field of health, safety and employee security to promote good health and safe working environment in compliance with internationally recognized standards.Employee shares the responsibility for achieving this goal. GP always do their outmost to control hazards and take necessary precautions to prevent accidents and occupational diseases. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining Grameenphone recognizes the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining in mature labor environments. In such environments Grameenphone allow its employees to freely elect representatives among the employees, unless this would represent a breach of national laws and regulations.Such employee representatives shall be allowed to carry out their functions unhindered at the work place. Loyalty, impartiality, conflict of interests and related party transa ctions Grameenphone respects the individual employee’s right to a private life and private interests. But it demands openness and loyalty to the Company and the Company's interest. Conflicts of interest, wherever possible have been avoided. Confidentiality Every employee in the Company has a duty of confidentiality by law and written agreement.The duty of confidentiality also applies after the conclusion of employment or contractual relationship with Grameenphone for as long as the information is considered to be of a sensitive nature or in any other way confidential. Private interest and actions An employee of Grameenphone shall not hold another position or carry out work for others during working hours without prior express written permission from his supervisor. Political activity Grameenphone does not give support to political parties, either in the form of direct financial support or paid working time.Employees who take part in political activities will be granted leave from their work in accordance with the law and any agreements. Organization Structure The following organogram shows the organizational structure of Grameenphone including hierarchy of authority and responsibility. Group Level GP believe in group task that’s why they separate every department and sub department with group. This group is assigned different or similar task to which helps the department rune fast and smoothly. In Grameenphone there are groups from top level to the bottom.This helps the company to take itself in a proper destination Leadership In the organogram of GP, we can see every department has a leader and as well as every team and every department has its own leader. Some top leaders of GP * ? Tore Johnsen(CEO) * ? Mr. Raihan Shamsi (CFO) * ? Mr. Arnfinn Groven(CPO) * ? Mr. Arild Kaale(CMO) * ? Mr. Kazi Monirul Kabir(CCO) * ? Mr. Mahmud Hossain(CCAO) * ? Mr. Tanveer Mohammad(CTO) Communication The AoA of the Company requires the Board to meet at least four times a year or more when duly called for in writing by a Board member.Dates for Board Meetings in the ensuing year are decided in advance and notice of each Board Meeting is served in writing well in advance. The roles of the Board and Chief Executive Officer are separate and delineation of responsibilities is clearly established, set out in writing and agreed by the Board to ensure transparency and better corporate governance. To that end, GP has also adopted â€Å"Governance Guidelines for Chief Executive Officer†. The CEO is the authoritative head for day-to-day management in GP.He acts to reasonably ensure that GP develops and conducts business as per the Articles of Association, decisions made by the Board and shareholder, as well as according to Grameenphone Policies and Procedures, and applicable regulatory legislations. Team work Business is like a game of chess. Every move matters. Time is precious. The location and movement of each piece is a must-know for one to win the game. Today's competitive and fast changing business world demands the same. With Grameenphone’s â€Å"Team Tracker†, employee can locate his/her workforce and direct them towards the achievement of your business goals.Team Tracker is a new value-added solution for the Business Market. This solution will help bring about efficiency to the value chain of organizations having field employees. Managing field operations & directing field employees towards the business success has always been a concern for field managements like National & Regional Sales Managers, Area Managers & Distributors. With the services of Grameenphone’s Team Tracker, organizations can now locate its employees, assign tasks to them digitally & also receive task updates electronically.The system is robust enough to handle data for even a thousand employees. Features of the Service: * Real-time overview of outdoor employee movements on the map * Location based task delegation and proact ive workload allocation * Instant task status update * Business Reports generation on Employee Location & Task status based on organizational hierarchy By using this solution, a company is expected to gain: * Faster Actions * Excellent planning and precise workforce management * Efficient workload assignment to lead to greater employee satisfaction * Cost EfficiencyIndividual Level Motivation The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But that's easier said than done. Motivation practice and theory are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself.And there lies the problem In Grameenphone as we all know that it’s a government organization so they not give such motivational package which an employee get in private organization . But without motivation package no employee give their maximum to the organization . some motivational package which Grameenphone give there employee free telephone facility, promotion and so on. Dealing with other factors: Employee Training Employee training is the planned effort of an organization to help each employee learn the job related behaviors and skills they will need to do their job properly.It is a set of planned activities that the organization will have their employees complete in order to increase their job knowledge and skills and to have them get accustomed to the attitudes and social atmosphere of the company. It will help the employee to be familiar with the goals of the organization and the job requirements. There are typical steps that go into a training program. These are outlined below. 1) Conduct Needs Assessment: A need is described as a â€Å"gap† between what is currently known and what will be needed now and in the future.These gaps in knowledge could be between what an organization expects to happen and what actually does, how employees are performing on the job and how the organization desires them to perform, and existing skills and desired skill level . In order to conduct an assessment there are some analyses that must be done * An organizational analyses determines the effectiveness of an organization, where training is needed and under what actually does, how individual employees are performing on the job and how the organization desires them to perform, and existing skills and desired skill level .In order to conduct an assessment there are some analyses that must be done. * An organizational analyses determines the effectiveness of an organization ,where training is needed and under what conditions the training will be conducted. * A task analysis is used to provide data about a job or group of jobs, and the knowledge, skills ,attitudes and abilities that are needed to achieve optimum performance. This information can come from job descriptions, task analyses, employee questionnaires and interviews, performance evaluation, and observation of the workplace. Finally, person analysis analyses how well an individual employee is doing their job and determines which specific employees need training and what kind of training. The methods of this kind of analysis include employee questionnaires and interviews, performance evaluation, skill and knowledge testing and the observation of behavior and results. 2) Implement Training Methods: Now that the analysis has been done, the training method needs to be chosen. The two most frequently used training methods include:* Lecture: Lecture involves one-way communication, from instructor to learner -the learner is passive in the process. On-the-job-training: This method involves such methods as apprenticeship and mentoring, where the employee is actively engaged in the type of work they will l ater be doing on their own. * Programmed instruction: This is a form of instruction that is pre-programmed and then delivered methodologically to an individual. This form of instruction is self-paced -the employee determines how fast they will learn and complete the steps and it is often completed more quickly than group training. It can be delivered via a computer and can be costly toprepare. Simulations: This sort of training involves an employee being placed into a simulated situation of what may occur in real on-the-job situations. Techniques include: Case studies where trainees analyze a problem outlined in a report and offer solutions; role playing where simulated roles are acted out; and behavioral modeling where trainees observe proper work behavior and then role play it. Part of the implementation of the training is making sure that the training is actually teaching the employees the skills they will need – this is known as the Transfer of Training.A more technical d efinition is: the extent to which the knowledge, skills or attitudes learned in the training will be used or applied on the job. There are ways to increase the probability of what employees are being trained will really relate to their actual job behavior. To do this, one can maximize the similarity between the training situation and the job situation, provide a variety of examples when teaching skills and reward trained behaviors and ideas on the job. 3) Training Evaluation:Training evaluation is used to evaluate the reactions of the learners, measure the learning that occurred, assess on-the-job behaviors, identify business results that are due to the training and calculate if the investment in training has had any return in the gains of the company. Business results can be measured in â€Å"hard† data and â€Å"soft† data. Hard data are measures of productivity, quality, material costs, absenteeism and turnover and customer satisfaction. Soft data is items such as j ob satisfaction, teamwork, and organizational commitment on the part of the employeesBiographical characteristics, personality and emotions perception ability, and value attituds this things in are depends on person to person. Although gpaminphon follow a selection process to choose an employee with positive Biographical characteristic ,personality and emotions perception ability ,and value attitudes Selection & Recruitment: (From external source) * Management consultant * Advertisement * Management institute * Recommendation * Deputation personnel Selection process * Job analysis * Initial screening * Application bank * Test * Interview * Reference check * Medical final and Recommendation Roster Management: Working time is different for full time employees and part time employees. Very often it has been seen that part time employees do not get enough flexibility in their work schedule. It’s very hard to get leave or bring change in roster. Resource Management need to give mo re focus on part time employee too as they are not less competent in comparison to any full time employee. It will create a more harmonious work environment and it will also improve the motivation level of the employees. * Remove frequent changes in process: Frequent changes in process make the employees confused.It also hampers the business performance. It increases the service delivery time and produces low customer satisfaction. To reduce the hassles for both agent and customers it is quite important to adopt a flexible and user friendly process. * Establish strong coordination among segments: Coordination among systems helps to serve customer in the very exact way it has been designed. Other than that it creates conflict and misunderstanding scenarios among segments. People from different segment have their own point of view. So it needs to be ensured that all of them have common platform to carry their job Responsibility in right manner.Conclusion Maintain organizational behavi ors leads an organization to manage its function smoothly at the same time enable it to attain its goal. Through the transfer of technology, managerial expertise and effective business model Grameenphone have established an advance policy for their organization and their employees. This in turns plays a significant role to make the company as a leading mobile operator company. References * http://en. wikipedia. org * http://www. scribd. com * http://managementhelp. org * http://www. grameenphone. com