Human Resource Management Contribution To Organisational Success

Human Resource Management Contribution To Organisational Success The aim of SHRM is to ensure that an organisation has the skilled, committed and motivated employees it needs to achieve sustained competitive advantage. A number of strategies to achieve this objective have been developed. One strategy follows the resource-based theory which emphasises that investment in people adds to the value of the company by achieving a strategic fit between resource and opportunities to effectively deploy those resources to obtain added value. Another approach is the high-performance management one, whereby processes are developed in areas such as productivity, quality, customer service, growth and profitability through the peoples skills and enthusiasm within the organisation. Another model is the one of high-commitment, where there is a reduction in layers of management, increased flexibility of job descriptions, and a reliance on team working and disseminating information, leading to primarily self-regulated behaviour of the employees. There is also the hig h-involvement approach which engages employees views as partners in the organisation aiming to create a mutual understanding of what is to be achieved and managing people to ensure it is achieved (Armstrong 2006). Holbeche (2009) in discussing SHRM theory states that it has evolved from two distinct conceptions of the link between employee motivation and behaviour and company-level performance outcomes. Researchers distinguish between hard traditional HRM and soft, committeemen-focussed HRM. Hard HRM reflects a contingency approach based on the assessment of the best way to manage people in order to achieve business goals in the light of contextual factors. This approach is founded on HRM seeking to improve efficiency by enforcing employee compliance by, for example, basing employee rewards on some measurable criteria. This approach suggests that for any particular organisational strategy there will be a matching HR strategy. In contrast, soft HRM focuses on a high-commitment-high-performance approach to the management of people. Commitment approaches to HRM aim to shape attitudes by forging a psychological link between organisational and employee goals, emphasising the need for management to recognise employees as significant stakeholders in the company. Increasingly, businesses are moving away from basic product manufacture and service and into more elaborate and complex activities which require the extensive use of information or knowledge. Strategic responses to the new knowledge economy require new forms of training and learning and development is a core business of SHRM. The advent of electronic or e-learning has become increasingly relevant in a context where more and more workplaces are dominated to computer technology, improving the development of knowledge which can be applied to benefit the employee, customer and the organisation. BP offers a blend of e-learning and structured knowledge sharing services allowing individuals to self-manage their learning either on a self-initiated means of web-based training, with fully supported online learning, or informal e-learning through communication, information retrieval and peer cooperation (Harrison 2005). SHRM has a role to play in ensuring that business planning and the planning of suitable employees match. Bohlander and Snell (2009) argue that strategic planning involves a set of procedures for making decisions about the organisations long-term goals and strategies. Human resource planning, by comparison is the process of anticipating and providing for the movement of people into, within, and out of an organisation. Overall its purpose is to help managers deploy their human resources as effectively as possible, where and when they are needed, in order to accomplish the organisations goals. SHRM combines strategy planning and HR planning and plays a leading role in human resources deployments and activities that enable an organisation to achieve its strategic goals. There are cost benefits for an organisation which has strategic focus on human resource planning. Sims (2002) relates that SHRM planning can provide a number of direct and indirect benefits for an organisation. Benefits of SHRM planning include the fact that HRM costs may be lower because management can anticipate imbalances before they become unmanageable and expensive. More time is available to locate talent because needs are anticipated and identified before the actual staffing is required. Development of potential managers can be better planned. Suitable HR policy development can aid the competitive position of a company. An organisations mission and values through their desired competitive strategy and can be supported by a set of SHRM policies and practices which drive the required employee behaviours in alignment with the business goals. This is illustrated by Southwest Airlines who utilise their organisational culture to competitive advantage. This involves an extensive selection process for hiring flight attendants whose profile fits. This includes casting type exercises where applicants are examined against a psychological profile that distinguishes outstanding flight attendants with a focus on customer satisfaction (Beardwell et al 2004). Strategic involvement a forward-looking view of employee development and career planning is a time focussed approach. SHRM which focuses on organisational practices that lead to knowledge transfer and the creation of future solutions as opposed to practices which merely correct past errors. As an example a software development company is entirely reliant on its human capital, their knowledge and skills to generate profits. The SHRM strategy which focuses on how to recruit suitable staff, and enrich and share their knowledge base to meet clients requirements will have a positive business impact (Swart et al 2005). According to Torrington et al (2008), three theoretical approaches to SHRM can be identified. The first is based on the concept of the one best way of managing human resources to improve business performance. The second focuses on the need to align employment policies and practices with those of business strategy so that the business will be successful. This approach is based on an assumption that different business strategies will require different types of HR strategies. A more recent approach is based on the perceived value of human capital. This focuses on the quality of human resources available to the organisation and their ability to learn and adapt more quickly than their competitors. The perceived importance of people as a business asset was emphasised by Barclays Group who were keen to demonstrate that their financial results were related to their people strategies ad improvements in staff satisfaction. This focus on human capital and competitive advantage is not applicable in all forms of employment, for example it is of little relevance for organisations in the public sector. There are detractors who view the HR function as lacking in the necessary business knowledge to be accepted as a strategic partner. Many do not fully accept the involvement of SHRM in contributing to business success. Loosemore et al (2003) despite numerous studies into the nature of HRM and what it represents, it still remains a widely criticised and ambiguous concept. Most importantly, its contribution to organisational performance remains unclear and is not well understood. Critics allege that rather than adding value to the business through its strategic integration with managerial objectives, the reality is that SHRM can remain a disappointingly mechanistic function. They suggest that the theory of SHRM represents a false and unobtainable image for personnel managers to aspire to, because aligning so many competing needs within a single approach is bound to be problematic. Brewster and Larsen (2000) argue that the central theme of SHRM is the link between organisational strategies and the HR function. The focus is on the place HRM has or does not have in the overall process of strategic decision making in the organisation. SHRM points towards a strategic orientation of the HR function and functional areas themselves. Here the focus is on the existence of HR strategies and on the strategic direction of core functional areas such as recruitment and selection, training and development, appraisal and compensation. Direct integration of SHRM requires the immediate participation of members of the HR department and /or HR issues in the formal or informal decision process at the strategic organisational level. Indirect integration emphasises that goal-oriented influencing of organisational decision makers that can shape the strategy processes. In European countries, personnel or HR specialists rarely reach the very highest positions in employing organisations which would enable them to make such a directly influencing contribution. SHRM has a lack or metrics which could provide a meaningful record of their strategic contribution. Price (2007) questions the effectiveness of the human resources function as a strategic partner, citing the measurement of HR success as potentially faulty. One common approach is the use of the balanced scorecard which includes a range of HR measures as well as the traditional financial and other metrics such as time to hire, cost per hire, and percentage of appraisals completed. These metrics, while important are not the role of strategic partnership and reinforce the view of HR as an administrative function. SHRM is not universally accepted in all cultures and this affects international firms in particular. Contractor (2002) discusses the joint venture experience of western companies in Japan. He relates that HR practice and competitive strategy of multinational companies in Japan showed clearly that the execution of a winning strategy in the Japanese market was often severely handicapped by the deficiencies in the human resource system. The capability gap between strategic requirements of the business and the support provided by the HRM system was evident independently of the products and industries where joint ventures were involved. Dubrin (2008) argues that while business strategy addresses the financial priorities of the organisation by identifying what business the company should be in, product direction, profit targets and others, human resource planning addresses the question of what skills are needed for success of the business. Planning helps to identify the gaps between current employee competencies and behaviour and the competencies and behaviour needed in the organisations future. SHRM planning contributes by estimating how many people and with what abilities the company will need to create in the foreseeable future, for future turnover and those likely to remain long term. In addition SHRM plans the recruitment, selection and retirement or redundancy of employees, and once hired, the training and development needs to ensure a continued supply of people with the right skill sets. SHRM can contribute to business success by focussing their efforts on development of people in line with a strategic analysis of the key influences on the present and future success of the organisation, the influence of threats and opportunities in the business environment and the competencies and strengths of the organisation. Strategic HR development (SHRD) in this situation includes analysis of current skill levels available within and external to the organisation which might affect current and future business goals. SHRD would consider the core competencies of the organisation in terms of human capabilities in existence or which might be developed, and how these might be deployed. Choice of strategic options open to the organisation in terms of products or services could be assessed against the ability of SHRD to recruit staff and train them to meet the requirements of the strategic options selected. (Wilson 2005). An agile SHRM function which is in tune with the changing business environment is an asset to a company. Jackson et al (2008) argue that understanding the nature of the organisational and external environments is core to managing human resources strategically. To recruit the right people with the right competencies and to keep these people motivated to do their best work, managers and HR professionals alike need to understand the demands and nature of the business. A computer company that competes by continually offering innovative products and services is likely to manage people differently than a retailer that competes by offering low-cost goods or a manufacturer that competes by offering the best quality possible. Furthermore, each of these companies may change is approach to managing human resources as economic and social conditions change. An SHRM function which can deliver such flexibility can contribute especially in times of business change. Armstrong (2000) relates that the concept of sustainable competitive advantage as formulated by Porter (1985) arises when a company creates value for its customers, selects markets in which it can excel and presents a moving target to its competitors by continually improving its position. According to Porter, three of the most important factors are innovation, quality and cost leadership. The ability to gain and retain competitive advantage is crucial to a businesss growth and profitability. However, Porter recognises that all these depend on the quality of an organisations human resources. An organisations HR strategies, policies and practices are a unique blend of processes, procedures, personalities, styles, capabilities and organisational culture. One of the keys to competitive advantage is the ability to differentiate what the business supplies to its customers from those supplied by its competitors. Such differentiation can be achieved by having higher-quality people than those competitors, by developing a nurturing the intellectual capital possessed by the business and by functioning as a learning organisation. The SHRM approach of focussing on changing attitudes and behaviour of employees in pursuit of competitive advantage successfully is borne out by a quote from the National Westminster Bank who stated that in strategic terms our fundamental reason for being in this position is that in a competitive world it is acknowledged that products do not differentiate you and its easy to buy technology. What actually gives the bank the competitive edge is the people that serve the customers. Kew and Stredwick (2005) discuss the role of the HR function in company ethics. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly a differentiating factor in some customers relationship with companies. The theory on ethics and CSR suggests that the ethical policy can only be meaningful if it permeates all the activities of the organisation, and if everyone within the organisation internalises it, rather than pay lip service to it. This suggests that HR in its role of helping to identify the values of the organisation has a clear contribution to make. HR has the experience with values, and is well placed to canvass opinions across a wide range of stakeholders to enable it to draw up a code of ethics. This ethical behaviour extends to the concept of the psychological contract (CIPD 2003b, pp18-19). This defines the implicit deal between employer and employees, as distinct from the formal deal contained in the contract of employment. Conclusions The contribution of SHRM to the success of an organisation is effective in a number of areas such as the newer knowledge industries where the concept of people as a business asset is foremost. However, there is little evidence that SHRM is effective at the basic level of actively participating in strategic formulation at board level. It is more involved in the implementation of strategic business decisions. There are sceptics as to the effectiveness of SHRM as a concept and as to the functions ability to be a business partner. The rapidly changing business conditions means that types of employees required and their skills in aspects such as knowledge management has placed more emphasis on a strategic HR function. Successful SHRM is agile, has the ability to forward plan, recruit strategically, manage the balance of employees and develop by training and reward the competencies necessary for the modern business environment.

Virgil and Dante Essay example -- Virgil Dante Inferno Essays

Virgil and Dante In the note to Canto V regarding Francesca and Paulo, the Hollanders exclaim that â€Å"Sympathy for the damned, in the Inferno, is nearly always and nearly certainly the sign of a wavering moral disposition† (112). Indeed, many of the touching, emotional, or indignation rousing tales told by the souls in Hell can evoke pity, but in the telling of the tales, it is always possible to derive the reasons for the damned souls’ placement in Hell. However, there is a knee-jerk reaction to separate Virgil and, arguably, some of the other souls in limbo from this group of the damned, though, with careful perusal of the text, the thoughtful reader can discern the machinations behind their damnation. Although the dynamic between Virgil and Dante shifts dramatically through Purgatorio, throughout the Inferno, Virgil is the teacher and Dante the pupil, often bordering on an almost father-son relationship. It is the Roman, in Canto V, who asks the famous guiding question, â€Å"What are your thoughts?† (V.111), forcing the Florentine to pause and reason through what he is learning. Again, in Canto XXIV when Dante begins to weary, which is of little wonder: the poem begins at dawn with Dante lost from already being â€Å"so full of sleep† (I.11), Virgil manages to revitalize Dante’s spirits, calling for him to â€Å"Cast off sloth† (XXIV.46) and â€Å"Get to your feet† (XXIV.52), while reminding him of the â€Å"longer stair that must be climbed† (XXIV.55), Purgatory, which lies only a mere ten cantos ahead. Unarguably, this close relationship which forms between the two poets makes the reader’s heart pity Virgil’s damnation. This pity is doubled when one considers Virgil’s special situation: he is in Limbo, the circle of the virtuous pagans, thos... ...le to consider that Dante has erred in his placement of Virgil, noting how successfully that works with the rest of the allegorical levels. Perhaps then the answer and the problem which demands this answer, lies not with Dante or the poem, but within the reader. It is easy to identify with Dante, a man riddled with flaws; Virgil then becomes closer as a father figure. Thus, all the complex emotions wrapped in the bizarre web of paternity are translated onto Virgil. When one sees Virgil, one sees oneself; one sees one’s father. The damnation of the Roman I puzzling, paradoxical, and confusing, but not unjustified: many other souls in Hell fall under the same category. That to pity Virgil is to pity the part of ourselves which fears damnation and to pity our family before considering justice, is a lesson which can only be learned in the fire and ice of Hell. Virgil and Dante Essay example -- Virgil Dante Inferno Essays Virgil and Dante In the note to Canto V regarding Francesca and Paulo, the Hollanders exclaim that â€Å"Sympathy for the damned, in the Inferno, is nearly always and nearly certainly the sign of a wavering moral disposition† (112). Indeed, many of the touching, emotional, or indignation rousing tales told by the souls in Hell can evoke pity, but in the telling of the tales, it is always possible to derive the reasons for the damned souls’ placement in Hell. However, there is a knee-jerk reaction to separate Virgil and, arguably, some of the other souls in limbo from this group of the damned, though, with careful perusal of the text, the thoughtful reader can discern the machinations behind their damnation. Although the dynamic between Virgil and Dante shifts dramatically through Purgatorio, throughout the Inferno, Virgil is the teacher and Dante the pupil, often bordering on an almost father-son relationship. It is the Roman, in Canto V, who asks the famous guiding question, â€Å"What are your thoughts?† (V.111), forcing the Florentine to pause and reason through what he is learning. Again, in Canto XXIV when Dante begins to weary, which is of little wonder: the poem begins at dawn with Dante lost from already being â€Å"so full of sleep† (I.11), Virgil manages to revitalize Dante’s spirits, calling for him to â€Å"Cast off sloth† (XXIV.46) and â€Å"Get to your feet† (XXIV.52), while reminding him of the â€Å"longer stair that must be climbed† (XXIV.55), Purgatory, which lies only a mere ten cantos ahead. Unarguably, this close relationship which forms between the two poets makes the reader’s heart pity Virgil’s damnation. This pity is doubled when one considers Virgil’s special situation: he is in Limbo, the circle of the virtuous pagans, thos... ...le to consider that Dante has erred in his placement of Virgil, noting how successfully that works with the rest of the allegorical levels. Perhaps then the answer and the problem which demands this answer, lies not with Dante or the poem, but within the reader. It is easy to identify with Dante, a man riddled with flaws; Virgil then becomes closer as a father figure. Thus, all the complex emotions wrapped in the bizarre web of paternity are translated onto Virgil. When one sees Virgil, one sees oneself; one sees one’s father. The damnation of the Roman I puzzling, paradoxical, and confusing, but not unjustified: many other souls in Hell fall under the same category. That to pity Virgil is to pity the part of ourselves which fears damnation and to pity our family before considering justice, is a lesson which can only be learned in the fire and ice of Hell.

The Many Symbols in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- GCSE English Litera

The Many Symbols in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare used clothing both symbolically and as a vehicle of character definition. Clothes were often used in Macbeth's case to symbolize his titles.   Symbolic clothing is identified when Ross tells Macbeth of his new title Thane of Cawdor when Macbeth does not know of the Thane's treason, Macbeth: "The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in Borrow'd robes?" (I, III,108) Symbols using clothing such as borrowed robes, disguises and cross-dressing are found in several plays where they betray a range of situations from sheer mischievousness to dark, treasonable or murderous plots. The symbol appears again when Banquo and Macbeth are discussing whether the witches' prophecy about Macbeth becoming king will come true as well, "New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold But with the aid of use. (I,III,144)" Later, when Macbeth shares the news of his promotion with Lady Macbeth, he speaks with a clothing metaphor again, "Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not case aside so soon. (I,vii,33-34)" Again it is mentioned in (V,ii,21) by Angus, "Nothing in love; now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe Upon a dwarfish thief." Blood as a symbol in the play assumes many different meanings as the story progresses, ranging from virtuous honour to the guilt of murder. The first reference to blood occurs in (I,ii,1) when Duncan meets the bleeding sergeant and remarks, "What bloody man is that?" The man is bleeding after having fought to protect the noble Malcolm, which makes the blood a symbol of honour. Blood symbolizes another virtuous trait when it appears again in ... ...mples of this in world dictators, military juntas and corporate criminals. So Macbeth can be seen as having contemporary significance. We may now ask why the works of Shakespeare enjoy an undiminishing acceptance in most countries of the world and an aura of immortality. It is perhaps because we see in Shakespeare the mirror of the human condition with which we may all identify and gain a sense that in some strange way his plays belong to us.      Works Cited I. The Tragedy of Macbeth New Haven: Yale University Press Revised 1954 II. Shakespeare's Macbeth Total Study Edition Coles Editorial Board 1990 III. Holinshed R. Historie of Scotland (2nd Ed. Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland 1587) "Historie of Scotland" IV. Paul. Henry N. The Royal Play of Macbeth 1950 pp. 213-17 V. Bradley A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy 1912 pp. 468-9   

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Essay -- Medical Science Scientific Medicine E

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, is a self-limiting disease characterized by areflexia and acute progressive motor weakness of at least one limb. Other symptoms include motor weakness of the extremities and face, loss or reduction of deep tendon reflexes, decreased sensation throughout the body,ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia. In severe cases respiratory failure and autonomic dysfunction may occur. Respiratory failure results from the demyelination of the phrenic and intercostal nerves. Consequently, the person loses the ability to inhale and exhale. Autonomic dysfunction resulting from the demyelination of the sympathetic and vagus nerves can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, tachycardia, postural hypotension, and hypertension. Analysis of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) shows increased protein concentration with few cells. Other tests reveal a decreased nerve conduction velocity resulting from segmental demyelination with mononuclear cell infiltra tion. In 70% of the afflicted individuals, the symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) occur within two weeks following infection. Clinical diagnosis is based on the presence of albumino-cytological dissociation in the CSF. Following the onset, motor weakness progressively deteriorates for four weeks and may lead to respiratory failure and cardiac instability. If either respiratory failure or cardiac abnormalities occur, the patient will be placed in the intensive care unit and closely monitored. Eventually the person's condition will cease to deteriorate, and he/she will enter a plateau period of two to four weeks during which little or no change will occur. Following the plateau stage, the patient will gradually rec... ...Guillain Barre syndrome following immunisation with Haemophilusinfluenzae type b conjugate vaccine. Europ. J. Pediatrics, July 1993, 152(7): 613-614. Hartung, H. P. Immune-mediated demyelination. Ann. Neurology, June 1993, 33(6): 563-567. Hund, E. F., Borel, C. O., Cornblath, D. R., Hanley, D. F. & McKhann, G. M. Intensive management and treatment of severe Guillain-Barre syndrome. Crit. Care Medicine, March 1993,21(3): 433-446. Rostami, A. M. Pathogenesis of immune-mediated neuropathies. Pediatrics Res., January 1993, 33(1 Suppl): S90-94. Sharief, M. K., McLean, B. & Thompson, E. J. Elevated serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Ann. Neurology, June 1993, 33(6): 591-596. Willison, H. J. & Kennedy, P. G. Gangliosides and bacterialtoxins in Guillain-Barre syndrome. J. Neuroimmunology, July 1993, 46(1-2): 105-112.

Courthouse Visit

After calling the Calendar Department and scheduling my visit for May 7, 2014 at 9 am, went to the Santa Clara County Superior Civil Court on 191 N SST SST, San Jose, CA 951 13. SSL entered the building, was greeted by several court officials wearing badges. Proceeded to empty my pockets, remove my watch and belt and then walked through a metal detector. There's something about putting your belt on in a public setting that is fascinating. The bulletin board indicated that the trial I was to attend was taking place in Department 8 on the third floor of the building. Seed the elevator to get to the third floor and walked through the double doors into the courtroom. The bailiff immediately recognized me as a student. Judge Maureen A Flan was the presiding judge for the trial. Further research for the case showed that the case (#1 JOVANOVICH) was filed on November 2, 2010 by Austria Limited against several different people and entities in the matter of fraud. From ha TTL gathered, both t he plaintiff and defendants were in business together attempting to build a company that specializes in hosting data centers on ships for security purposes.There was a lot of money involved and the plaintiff may or may not have been siphoning money from the company's capital funds. Two witnesses were called to the stand during my visit, Mr.. Kenneth Choc and Ms. Lillian Valued. Each spent a lot of time reviewing exhibits. Mr.. Choc is one of the defendants who owns one of the businesses involved in the case. He was being asked about a lot of different p paperwork he did and emails he sent. Ms. Valued is the Assistant Branch Manager for CitiBank in Saratoga.She reviewed bank statements and wire transfer documents that involved both pa reties. Honestly, it was hard not to fall asleep. I was very uncomfortable sitting for the entire two hours Of questioning. Also felt bad for the attorneys who had to stand awkwardly because they were also trying to lean closer to the microphone so they could be heard. At first, I didn't even think the judge was paying attention. It looked like she was doing her own thing as the witnesses were questioned, but occasionally she would chime in and it was then clear that she was busy taking notes of her own. Hint the biggest upset to me was the lack of gavel usage. Overall, it was a good experience. Not only does a courthouse visit give a person more motivation to keep their nose clean but it was also an eye opener for anyone, like myself, who would like to go into business for themselves. Choose your partners wisely and always keep everything documented. Court Official Interview Name and title of person interviewed: Robert Mencken, J. D. , Attorney at Law How long have you served the courts? Almost 6 years Where did you go to school?Baylor University School of Law What was your most memorable moment on the job? Would say when recently I helped a couple that was being sued get an agree meet from the other side that dropped the case. I t is what they wanted from the beginning Eng, and I was really glad to get it for them. What was your most challenging moment on the job? When had a client lie to me, to which I put my own reputation on the line for, and then found out about the lie (that he had not done drugs, when in fact he had, and he drug test confirmed it).It was a learning experience, which makes me much more care u', but also less trusting. It's both a good thing that it happened, and a shame that it had t o. How has the court system changed in the past few years? In my state it has changed significantly because of tort reform and politics. Tort reform has affected the way that lawyers analyze cases, what cases they take, and who at the future Of the profession is going to be. Politics is always a force Of change where Jud gees are either appointed or elected, because politics ultimately are what get them into office.And the practice of law changes based upon the beliefs of the judges that are info arcing an d interpreting that law. What recommendations would you make to students who want to become De actuated? If you mean students that might want to be lawyers, I would say make sure the tatty really do want that. Observe how lavaÐ’Â »years act and what they do in court. Make sure t hat you want to do all of the things that lawyers do, not just the â€Å"fun† or â€Å"glamorous† ones. And of course, study hard, and make good grades. It makes a huge difference whew n you're applying for law schools.

A Comparison of Berrypicking and Sense-Making in Human Information Behavior

In today’s society, people are inundated with information from a variety of sources, including television programs, radio shows, newspaper articles and the Internet. Daily exposure to this new information provides the opportunity to further our knowledge and understanding of a subject by doing further research but what is the most effective way to go about doing so? Two different approaches based on Human Information Behavior (HIB) have been modeled which help identify individual’s information-seeking behavior and provide guidance for creating systems which make searching for information a successful proposition.The two approaches that will be examined in this paper include the â€Å"Berrypicking† model proposed by Marcia Bates and Brenda Dervin’s methodology â€Å"Sense-Making†. These two principles vary widely in their scope but are complementary as systems to aid in an information search. Berrypicking Before the late 1980’s, the universal model in information retrieval (IR) research was referred to as â€Å"one query, one use†.According to Marcia Bates, real information searching by an individual does not always conform to the â€Å"one query, one use† method that had been assumed. Bates states that with the development of more sophisticated computer systems that evolved over time, a new design based on the way that regular human beings in real-life situations perform searches for information was necessary (Bates, 2005). She presented a model of the Berrypicking search, and then proposed a variety of design features for users of online systems and other information systems.In Marcia Bates’ model of Berrypicking, information seeking behavior is modeled as an â€Å"evolving search† (Bates, 1989) whereby the search starts with one query, but is modified at various points based on the information returned by that initial query. The final result may not match the original query, because new inf ormation introduced during the search process may identify alternate paths to follow in finding the most accurate data in the least amount of results.Bates compares this process to â€Å"real life† searching in manual applications such as footnote chasing, citation searching, journal runs, etc. (Bates, 1989). She used such searches to form the basis of a system that would allow users to follow these same manual processes within electronic files. Bates provides a number of applications for Berrypicking in her article; unfortunately most are outdated due to today’s advances in technology. The process she outlined, however, is still in use for a number of applications today. One example of Berrypicking involves a typical Internet search.A user might begin the hunt for information by using a popular search engine, but the results returned often provide hyperlinks within pages which then takes the user on a different search down an alternate path. Each new click provides th e opportunity to revise the original search, ultimately leading the user to a new set of results. Bates argues that Berrypicking should not be considered browsing, because while browsing allows a user to redirect their searching, it is more random and undirected, whereas Berrypicking is an integrated part of the information seeking process.Bates (1989) also identifies Berrypicking as searching within the individual’s â€Å"Universe of Interest† (or what information they are interested in seeking) in their own â€Å"Universe of Knowledge† (which includes what they may already know to get them started on their search) but this model does not hold up to the example of a typical Internet search due to the all-inclusive nature of the world wide web. Any query online could provide results that may be outside of an initial universe of interest by exposing alternate concepts or ideas and thus enhancing the search process.The inclusion of Figure 3 (Bates, 1989 ) in this model seems to be a rather weak one; perhaps due to the fact that the Internet has evolved so much since the introduction of this model in 1989. Sense-Making Alternately, Brenda Dervin’s Sense-Making Methodology delineates the behavior an individual follows when he seeks to fill a gap in his understanding of information rather than the searching steps that occur to reach it. Sense-Making endeavors to explain how â€Å"the individual defines and attempts to bridge discontinuities or gaps† (Dervin, 1992) in information.Dervin likens this process to a person crossing a bridge. In this case, an individual attempts to fill a gap between himself and the other side. The decisions he makes as well as his responses to the situation will determine how this person actually maneuvers. Sense-Making focuses on examining the capacity of the user to impact the flow of information between systems and users. This methodology has a wide applicability because it does not attempt to model specific information-seeking behavior but rather the thought process that occurs in conjunction with it.In her article Dervin offers several examples of ways in which this approach has already been used. In one example researchers attempted to understand where a gap existed in communication from a community library and its Hispanic population. After many failed attempts to reach this population through usual publicity efforts, researchers formulated a Sense-Making methodology in the form of a questionnaire that targeted a group of users at the library and asked them the specific question, â€Å"How were you helped? † (Dervin, 1992).This question gave the researchers a better understanding of the needs of this community by delving into their thought processes: â€Å"It helped us to see patrons from a different point of view; to understand them better† (Dervin, 1992). Through an application of the Sense-Making methodology this library was able to fill the discontinuity b etween the library and its Hispanic patrons by listening to the needs of the targeted population. The challenge in using the Sense-Making approach to eradicate a gap is that the behaviors exhibited may not be understood until after the event is over.Comparison and Contrast Dervin would argue that one way to understand the fundamental differences between Berrypicking and Sense-Making is to examine the different ways that theories can be used to define them. Theory, when used to describe the Berrypicking system, would most closely match what Dervin calls theory of the first kind, or that which â€Å"results from observation† (Dervin, 2005). Theory of the second kind is defined as the broader theories that direct the observation process; they are also known as metatheories.However, Sense-Making does not fall into this category. Sense-Making is an attempt to link theories of the first kind with theories of the second kind, or what Dervin (2005) calls theory of the third kind â₠¬â€œ methodological theory. As a new methodology underlying the relationship between the theory that directs observation and the theory that results from observation, Sense-Making is highly powerful in its capacity to call into question earlier research methods and conclusions.An important aspect in studying HIB is the focus on the user, rather than the system. Each of these two approaches explains the core concepts behind user behavior and work methodologies rather than attempting to conform human behavior to fit an existing system. Both ideas are concerned with analyzing the way an increased focus on users can impact information systems and aid the unrestrained flow of information.Berrypicking is a fairly narrow model, representative of a specific type of HIB (searching) and it has limits in applicability to other types of information-seeking behavior. Sense-Making has a broader application, because the methodology is also part of a theory (theory for methodology) which can be use d to study various types of HIB. Dervin argues that users should be viewed as moving through a space-time continuum using multiple strategies and systems as they attempt to make sense of their world and address gaps in their knowledge.Tonyia Tidline (2005) notes in her dissertation Making Sense of Art as Information, â€Å"Sense-Making has great utility for shifting researchers’ focus from categorization to process, a focus that might better reflect the intricacies of information behavior†. Tidline asserts that Brenda Dervin’s ideas about information needs and the methodology of information-focused research are not effective by themselves, but become so when used in combination with other methods and theories to improve how we observe, analyze and understand information behavior (Tidline, 2005).Consequently, the Berrypicking model, when used in conjunction with the Sense-Making methodology would be complementary and allow for the achievement of better results in those designing systems for IR. Berrypicking could be used as part of Sense-Making/gap-filling process by a user, because each new evolution of the search could fill a new gap or satisfy a discontinuity in our reality. Conclusion Theories or models provide us with a way of understanding and identifying HIB.In our daily lives we have an endless number of opportunities to interact with information. Some of this behavior is obvious, but not always. At times our need for new information is only required to bridge the gap in knowledge of something we do not understand. How we attempt to obtain that understanding depends on our circumstances and resources and how well we use each. This paper examined two approaches to HIB: Marcia Bates’ model Berrypicking and Brenda Dervin's methodology Sense-Making.Both of these approaches were designed to help researchers understand and better assist users in their exploration of information, whether their need is to search across multiple types of resources or to better communicate about unfamiliar topics. As systems designers endeavor to develop products that assist users in the search for information, they will be well served to grasp a greater understanding of HIB and consequently, the principles behind Berrypicking and Sense-Making. Individuals who seek further understanding of the world and its plethora of information will profit immensely from this well-rounded approach.

Subramainaya Baharathi

Introduction: Subramaniya Bharathi the Poet of Tamil Nationalism & Indian Freedom â€Å"He who writes poetry is not a poet. He whose poetry has become his life, and who has made his life his poetry – it is he who is a poet. † – Bharathy Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi was born on 11 December 1882 in Ettiyapuram in Tamil Nadu. Bharathi died on 11 September 1921. In a relatively short life span of 39 years, Bharathi left an indelible mark as the poet of Tamil nationalism and Indian freedom. Bharathi's mother died in 1887 and two years later, his father also died. At the age of 11, in 1893 his prowess as a poet was recognised and he was accorded the title of ‘bharathi'. He was a student at Nellai Hindu School and in 1897 he married Sellamal. Thererafter, from 1898 to 1902, he lived in Kasi. Bharathi worked as a school teacher and as a journal editor at various times in his life. As a Tamil poet he ranked with Ilanko, Thiruvalluvar and Kamban. His writings gave new life to the Tamil language – and to Tamil national consciousness. He involved himself actively in the Indian freedom struggle. It is sometimes said of Bharathi that he was first an Indian and then a Tamil. Perhaps, it would be more correct to say that he was a Tamil and because he was a Tamil he was also an Indian. For him it was not either or but both – it was not possible for him to be one without also being the other. Bharathi often referred to Tamil as his ‘mother'. At the sametime, he was fluent in many languages including Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Kuuch, and English and frequently translated works from other languages into Tamil. His (among all the languages we know, we do not see anywhere, any as sweet as Tamil) was his moving tribute to his mother tongue. That many a Tamil web site carries the words of that song on its home page in cyber space today is a reflection of the hold that those words continue to have on Tamil minds and Tamil hearts. His – was Bharathi's salute to the Tamil nation and many a Tamil child has learnt and memorised those moving words from a very young age – and I count myself as one of them. Bharathi was a Hindu. But his spirituality was not limited. He sang to the Hindu deities, and at the same time he wrote songs of devotion to Jesus Christ and Allah. Bharathi was a vigorous campaigner against casteism. He wrote in ‘Vande Matharam' : – – We shall not look at caste or religion, All human beings in this land – whether they be those who preach the vedas or who belong to other castes – are one. Bharathi lived during an eventful period of Indian history. Gandhi, Tilak, Aurobindo and V. V. S. Aiyar were his contemporaries. He involved himself with passion in the Indian freedom struggle. His ‘Viduthalai, Viduthalai' was not only a clarion call for freedom from alien rule but also addressed the need to unite a people across caste barriers – ! ! ! ! . Bibilography He saw a great India. He saw a n India of skilled workers and an educated people. He saw an India where women would be free. His – expressed the depth of his love and the breadth of his vision for India. Bharathi served as Assistant Editor of the Swadeshamitran in 1904. He participated in the 1906 All India Congress meeting in Calcutta (chaired by Dadabhai Naoroji) where the demand for ‘Swaraj' was raised for the first time. Bharathi supported the demand wholeheartedly and found himself in the militant wing of the Indian National Congress together with Tilak and Aurobindo. Aurobindo writing on the historic 1906 Congress had this to say: â€Å"We were prepared to give the old weakness of the congress plenty of time to die out if we could get realities recognised. Only in one particular have we been disappointed and that is the President's address. But even here the closing address with which Mr. Naoroji dissolved the Congress, has made amends for the deficiencies of his opening speech. He once more declared Self-Government, Swaraj, as in an inspired moment he termed it, to be our one ideal and called upon the young men to achieve it. The work of the older men had been done in preparing a generation which were determined to have this great ideal and nothing else; the work of making the ideal a reality lies lies with us. We accept Mr. Naoroji's call and to carry out his last injunctions will devote our lives and, if necessary, sacrifice them. † (Bande Mataram, 31 December 1906) Many Tamils will see the parallels with the Vaddukoddai Resolution of 1976 which proclaimed independence for the Tamils of Eelam – the work of older men determined to have ‘this great ideal and nothing else' and the later determination of Tamil youth to devote their lives, and ‘if necessary sacrifice them' to make that ideal a reality. In April 1907, he became the editor of the Tamil weekly ‘India'. At the same time he also edited the English newspaper ‘Bala Bharatham'. He participated in the historic Surat Congress in 1907, which saw a sharpening of the divisions within the Indian National Congress between the militant wing led by Tilak and Aurobindo and the ‘moderates'. Subramanya Bharathi supported Tilak and Aurobindo together with ‘Kapal Otiya Thamilan' V. O. Chidambarampillai and Kanchi Varathaachariyar. Tilak openly supported armed resistance and the Swadeshi movement. These were the years when Bharathi immersed himself in writing and in political activity. In Madras, in 1908, he organised a mammoth public meeting to celebrate ‘Swaraj Day'. His poems ‘Vanthe Matharam', ‘Enthayum Thayum', ‘Jaya Bharath' were printed and distributed free to the Tamil people. In 1908, he gave evidence in the case which had been instituted by the British against ‘Kappal Otiya Thamizhan', V. O. Chidambarampillai. In the same year, the proprietor of the ‘India' was arrested in Madras. Faced with the prospect of arrest, Bharathi escaped to Pondicherry which was under French rule. From there Bharathi edited and published the ‘India' weekly. He also edited and published ‘Vijaya', a Tamil daily, Bala Bharatha, an English monthly, and ‘Suryothayam' a local weekly of Pondicherry. Under his leadership the Bala Bharatha Sangam was also started. The British waylaid and stopped remittances and letters to the papers. Both ‘India' and ‘Vijaya' were banned in British India in 1909. The British suppression of the militancy was systematic and thorough. Tilak was exiled to Burma. Aurobindo escaped to Pondicherry in 1910. Bharathi met with Aurobindo in Pondicherry and the discussions often turned to religion and philosophy. He assisted Aurobindo in the ‘Arya' journal and later ‘Karma Yogi' in Pondicherry. In November 1910, Bharathi released an ‘Anthology of Poems' which included ‘Kanavu'. V. V. S. Aiyar also arrived in Pondicherry in 1910 and the British Indian patriots, who were called ‘Swadeshis' would meet often. They included Bharathi, Aurobindo and V. V. S. Aiyar. R. S. Padmanabhan in his Biography of V. V. S. Aiyar writes: â€Å"All of them, whether there was any warrant against them or not, were constantly being watched by British agents in Pondicherry. Bharathi was a convinced believer in constitutional agitation. Aurobindo had given up politics altogether†¦ and Aiyar had arrived in their midst with all the halo of a dedicated revolutionary who believed in the cult of the bomb and in individual terrorism. In 1912, Bharathy published his Commentaries on the Bhavad Gita in Tamil as well as Kannan Paatu, Kuyil Paatu and Panjali Sabatham. After the end of World War I, Bharathi entered British India near Cuddalore in November 1918. He was arrested and imprisoned in the Central prison in Cuddalore in custody for three weeks – from 20 November 20 to 14 Dece mber. He was released after he was prevailed upon to give an undertaking to the British India government that he would eschew all political activities. These were years of hardship and poverty. Eventually, the General Amnesty Order of 1920 removed all restrictions on his movement. Bharathy met with Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 and in 1920, Bharathy resumed editorship of the Swadeshamitran in Madras. That was one year before his death in 1921. Today, more than 80 years later, Subaramanya Bharathy stands as an undying symbol of Indian freedom and a vibrant Tamil nationalism. P. S. Sundaram in his biographical sketch of Subramania Bharathy concludes: â€Å"Though Bharathi died so young, he cannot be reckoned with Chatterton and Keats among the inheritors of ‘unfulfilled renown'. His was a name to conjure with, at any rate in South India, while he was still alive. But his fame was not so much as a poet as of a patriot and a writer of patriotic songs. His loudly expressed admiration for Tilak, his fiery denunciations in the Swadeshamitran, and the fact that he had to seek refuge in French territory to escape the probing attentions of the Government of Madras, made him a hero and a ‘freedom fighter'. His lilting songs were on numerous lips, and no procession or public meeting in a Tamil district in the days of ‘non-cooperation' could begin, carry on or end without singing a few of them†¦ Bharathi's love of Tamil, both the language as it was in his own day and the rich literature left as a heritage, was no less than his love of India†¦ When he claims for Valluvan, Ilango and Kamban, Bharathy does so not as an ignorant chauvinist but as one who has savoured both the sweetness of these writers and the strength and richness of others in Sanskrit and English†¦ â€Å"(in Poems of Subramania Bharathy – A Selection Translated by P. S. Sundaram, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd, 1982) Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiar was one of the greatest Tamil poets, a prolific writer, philosopher and a great visionary of immense genius. He was also one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement. His national integration songs earned him the title â€Å"Desiya Kavi† (National Poet). His patriotic songs emphasize nationalism, unity of India, equality of men and the greatness of Tamil language. Bharathiar was born on December 11, 1882 in Ettayapuram, which is now part of Thoothukudi District. Bharathiar was educated at a local high school where his talents as a poet were recognized even at the age of 11. He had voracious appetite for learning ancient and contemporary Tamil literature and had gifted intellect to derive astonishing truths from ancient poems. At the age of 22, he became a Tamil teacher at Setupati High School in Madurai and the same year he was appointed as Assistant Editor of a daily newspaper called â€Å"Swadesamitran†. In 1906, he was editor of a weekly magazine called â€Å"India†. By 1912, Bharathiar was already a legend in South India and his political meetings were attracting multitudes of young patriots, ready to join the non-violent movement for attaining freedom from the British rule. Bharathiar died on September 11, 1921, at the young age of 39. The legacy of the poet however endures forever Literary Works The following collections published by Bharathi piracuralayam, Triplicane, 1949 contains shorter pieces: thEciya keethangal – 57 poems thoththirap pAdalkal – devotional songs, 66 pieces vinayakar nanmanimaalai, kannanpattu -23 pieces pirapadalkal – 30 pieces autobiography in verse form: svacarithai (49 st. ), bharathi arupathu (66 st), cinnacankaran kathai puthiya aaththiccudi, paappapattu (1914, 16 quatrains) pancali capatham – narrative poem in 1548 lines rose – gnana ratham, 1910 short narrative pieces aaril oru pangku,1911-12 Cheeezzzz: The Tamil poet, Maha Kavi Subramaniam Bharathiar, familiarly referred to as Bharathi, has been a real life hero. His extraordinary power was his poetry, his weapon of choice- his pen. He wrote at a time when his country was crying out for reform. Though many may remember him for inspiring h is people to seek freedom from alien rule, he also spoke out for the freedom and equality of the Indian woman – his damsel in distress – in a time when they were barely acknowledged for their existence. The mid 19th century was a time when the Indian woman had absolutely no rights and their relationship with their husbands were close to that of Master and Slave. Women were not thought important enough to pursue studies, as their role was more as the dutiful wife at home. Bharathi was first among the growing school of Renaissance poets during this period who insisted that the only way for a country to grow was through empowering its women. â€Å"Aanum Pennum nigarrenak kolvathaal Ariviloanki ivvagayakam thalaikumaam† Taken from his poem Puthumai Penn (New Woman) the line evokes that â€Å"When we realize that man and woman are equal, this world will flourish with knowledge†. From religious hymns to inspiring nationalist anthems and poems shattering without hesitation every social taboo that was held close by conventional South Indians, Bharathi voiced his opinion without hesitation in a lyrical style that has not even been surpassed by literature that followed his period. Among his well-known poetry is Oadi vilayaadu paapaa. While a poem of instruction for children it also hints to all ages on accepting people as human beings and not on their caste or creed. Jaadhigal illaiyadi paaapaa, Kulath thaalchi uyarchi sollal paavam paapaa Neethi uyarntha mathi kalvi Anbu niraiya udayavargal meloar paapaa â€Å"There is no caste little one. It is a sin to categorise people as high and low caste. Only those who possess justice, intelligence and education and great love are of a high caste† Thus he included the Tamil woman in his fight for freedom who, in one of his essays he called â€Å"Slaves who remain conservative and orthodox† as they were â€Å"not permitted to make their own choices†. Woman as a mother was Bharathi's favourite theme and the book ‘Woman in Modern Tamil Literature' by Loganayagy Nannithamby says that â€Å"Bharati who envisages women as the incarnation of Sakti [Parasakti – the great Goddess or the Mother-Goddess] says in one of his essays on philosophy: As a man, all the female deities you pray to, represent the latent powers of Parasakti hidden in women like your mother, wife, sister and daughter. Bharati's idealist views later turned to more down-to-earth, reformist views with the seeping in of Northern influences like the coming of the Brahmins and Puranas, which was slowly deteorating the status of the woman of the South. He argued that if women's freedom were to be deprived, man would perish along with it and that men were not to monopolize freedom. Aettayum pengal thoduvadhu theemaiyendren niyirunthavar Maaynthuvittar Veetukkullay pennaip pooti vaippoam endra vindai manithar thalai Kavilnthaaar â€Å"Those who thought that women should not touch books and learn have died! Those surprising people who said that we have to lock women in homes to do their duties, have put their heads down in shame. † His hope for women included a librated free woman who thought independently and used her knowledge, like men, for the betterment of the country. His wife Chellamal Bharati, in her biography of her husband related incidents when she says how her husband put all social barriers to the wind and clung to her arms while walking boldly next to her (Brahmin women were required to walk a few steps behind her husband). Nimirntha nannenjum naer konda paarvaiyum Nilathinil yaarukkum anjaatha nerigalum Thimirntha gnanach cherukkum iruppadhaal Semmai maadhargal thirambuvathillaiyaam† â€Å"With upright heart and steadfast look and ideas that are not afraid of anyone in the world- the woman does not falter as she has the delight of wisdom. † This great poet died on September 11, 1921 after being trampled by an Elephant when he went seeking blessings at t he temple. He was thought of as such an outcast at the time that only seven people attended his funeral. But his poetry, which belied his time, caused the birth of new ideas and the emancipation of the status of the woman in India today and remains as inspiration to millions of people around the world. Cheeezzzz: and This is the great Hero's Photo. Subramanian T. R subbu: Fantastic TRIBUTE to our GR8T Poet n Freedom Fighter Shri. MAHA KAVI SUBRAMANIA BHARATHI indeed†¦ Good to see that you shared with all our friends here my dear Ramya Ponnu O0 On this day Let's Have our Gr8t Rememberance of his contributions to the society ! :noteworthy: subbu