Strategic Plan for a Non-Profit Organization Coursework

Strategic Plan for a Non-Profit Organization - Coursework Example Our organization would be a forum for people, facing mental illnesses and disturbance in their lives. On this regard the title set for the organization is â€Å"Foundation of Behavioral Health & Services†, a facilitation center for behavioral health and mental stability. Vision and the Cause of Origin Our mental health organization is going to be a behavioral health treatment institution, an institution which facilitates people with mental sickness, instability, or disturbance becoming barriers to face life deepest challenges or dejections. It would be a complete non-profit based organization that provides training and guidance to the people to meet societal challenges like ignorance, mistreatment or discouragement. This stands out as a vision for the organization, a vision to flourish peoples’ lives and their living situations. Plan for Investment and Fund Raising There are many people who would like to see a behavioral health institution to grow and thrive in the stat es of Indiana, like people in the medical health profession or in the behavioral health services. There are many psychologists, school professors or rehabilitation facilitators who would like to be part of a non-profit mental health institution like ours. These are the ones who can support and raise some funds to develop the organization within the states region. Several counseling schools could also invest on, and for the institution which is just for the people and community, Government would also become part of it to support its special noble cause. Apart from all there are many bureaucrats who can be part of the investment, bringing basal investment which is required to open the doors of the institution and laying the initial foundation. Indiana is one of the largest States in the US having a population of around 6 to 7 million people. Among such huge population there are definitely lots of chances to generate the initial funds and investment required to give a birth to the newe r organization. City of Columbus is a mega city of the states of Indiana, where the plan is to set the headquarters of the organization. The city itself can generate a lot of investment in the start, which would be sufficient enough to lay the foundation of the organization. Hierarchy and New Positions To open a non-profit organization which is devoted to a special cause, there is a must need to bring specialists to serve the cause and vision of the organization. For a non-profit behavioral health institution, we would acquire specialists from psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry or further detailed subjects like co-counseling, cognition or cognitive psychology. All of such departments would be opened for newer positions, for those who are experienced and those holding the fresh diplomas or degrees. Initially there would be three major departments including psychology, psychiatry, and behavioral counseling where each department would be aligned with 6 major working positions. It wo uld be a decentralized structure, where decisions will flow from top to middle level management and then to the executive staff to complete the task. Apart from operational departments, Accounts and Administration would be further functioning department in the setup, which would be responsible for managing the day to day records of the patients. Board of Directors Top leadership plays a crucial role in the functioning of a non-profit organization or institution. Their decisions are effectual for the entire hierarchy structure of the organization. We as foundation of behavioral health and services rely on bright leadership, visionary and thinkers. The team of board of directors include Mr. Robert De Sousa (a specialist in Expressive Psychiatry), James

Sport law and society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Sport law and society - Essay Example Politics, history, sociology, economy, accounting, media, entertainment, nationalism, racism, gender issues, drug abuse and unhealthy competition have all become part of almost all the sports. No doubt there are many negative aspects; but there still remain a few very positive factors in every form of sports that makes it divine even today. The pure competition, the thrill of enjoyment of playing and watching both do not fail to take us back to the days of Athens sports when sports was played for crystal clear enjoyment and sporting spirit. It has also become a rich language of nationalism and differentiation. It represents the national aspirations and standoffishness both. The pride involved is because of the nationalistic dimension, which sometimes can go overboard, if not properly controlled. When we talk about the controlling, we unwittingly venture into the arena of Sports Law. EXPANDING REGION OF SPORTS Today, sports come under the banner of social psychology and its theories of communication, inclusion and wellbeing of the society. A society which encourages sports activities at any levels like regional, national and international, is regarded as a healthy society that can face playful, ethical and healthy challenges. As a bridge of communication, builder of friendship, resurrector of healthy bodies and minds, and as promoter of strong and competing outlook, sports is unparalleled. It is nothing new that sport has not remained as pure happiness any more and is increasingly getting commercialised which has created both advantages and disadvantages. There are other connected problems that could create or spoil a perfect social atmosphere. Still sports is considered to be one of the highpoints of human life even in the days of early Roman or Greek civilizations. Sports implies some kind of physical activity that could improve the mental or physical prowess of the participants and enjoyment of the onlookers. The competitions are not considered to be a show of enmity, but of happy competition. The 'Spirit of the Game' is the main slogan here. LEGAL SCOPE Although sports should be ideally played in good-humoured and pleasant atmosphere, every country knows today that sports has to be bound by national and international laws that should be respected by all the connected teams and countries. Any deviation from this law is punishable and the rough play, foul mouthing, un-sportsman-like behaviour, hooliganism by fans are all controlled through civil and criminal laws of the land and through the international sports law. Rough sports should be contained and there has to be a realisation that roughness in sports should not go beyond a certain limit. Adventurous sports could be curtailed by law if there is definiteness about its causing body injury for participants, onlookers or both. INTERNATIONAL LAW International sports law is growing steadily in recent years and has shown that it could be very effective1. It has advocated the efficiency of non-judicial remedies which could be tried before approaching the Courts and Tribunals and in some cases, non-judicial remedies could be more effective and less taxing2. But any attempt to flout the rules and regulations of international sports law could end up in embarrassment and perplexity3. At the same time, there is an increase of conflict between national law and international

French Revolution Essay Example for Free

French Revolution Essay I hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Thomas JeffersonPolitical rebellion takes place when the people of a country feel it is essential that a change in government is made. Different nations have different ideas about the responsibilities of government, and as a result there are many possible reasons for political rebellion. John Locke, an English medical doctor and philosopher who lived until 1704, published his liberal theories about government, property, and the rights of man, in his book Second Treatise of Government. Edmund Burke, a writer with a legal background who spent his life involved in English politics, published his opinions about revolution in 1790 in his book Reflections on the Revolution in France. Both Locke and Burke support political rebellion, but Lockes belief that politics are based upon abstract natural rights drives his support for the complete dissolution of government in the event of rebellion, while Burkes belief that rights and morals are derived from the conventions of society makes his support for rebellion more reserved and conditional. This comparison is significant to any individuals considering revolution as a means of changing government. The outcomes of rebellion can depend on the underlying beliefs driving it, and both writers positions are useful to establish the underlying reasons for revolution, and some of the risks involved depending on the extent of the change. Locke believes that before we form civil society by consenting to establish government, we live in a State of Nature. He describes this pre-political state as,a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending on the will of any other man. (Locke, 1980, p. 81)The State of Nature is ruled essentially by human nature. Liberty, equality, self preservation, reason, and property are the most prominent principles that Locke feels are innate to humans. Locke explains how nature intended for all men to be equal,creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same facilities should be equal amongst another (Locke, 1980, p. 8)Locke comes to the conclusion that humans are self preserving in the State of Nature, through his observations that we are attracted to pleasure and have aversions to pain. He believes that God gives us these attractions and aversions that preserve us, because we are essentially all the property of God. This limits the perfect freedom present in the State of Nature. Since we belong to God, we do not have the liberty to destroy ourselves. Although we are not all born with property (except through inheritance which Locke fully supports) the ability to acquire property is present in the State of Nature, for it is attained by our labor and resources. Our self preserving instinct produces a great desire among us to protect property that we have attained, therefore measures taken to protect our property are considered just. Since government does not exist in this state, individuals have the right to uphold the law. Locke believes that any individual, who breaks the laws of nature, proves that he is not ruled by reason and equality, as the rest of the inhabitants in the state are. Breaking the law can be defined as doing harm to innocent others, this includes stealing property or acts of physical harm. These offenders are dangerous to mankind, and their peers must invoke punishment, every man hath a right to punish the offender, and be the executioner of the law of nature. (Locke, 1980, p. 10)Punishment in the State of Nature takes on two distinct forms: reparation and restraint. Only the victim of the crime committed is entitled to reparation, to compensate for the damage he has received. Restraint is the method used to ensure that the crime will not be committed again, usually by causing repent. Since there is no judge to decide to what extent offenders should be punished, it becomes a decision based on the instinct and reason of the individuals involved. Locke outlines some details about invoking punishment to make this individual license more clear, every man, in the State of Nature, has a power to kill a murderer, both to deter others from doing the like injury, which no reparation can compensate, and also to secure men from the attempts of a criminal, who having renounced reason, the common rule god hath given to mankind, hath, by the unjust violence and slaughter he hath committed upon one, declared war against all mankind (Locke, 1980, p. 11) While Locke gives complex details about this theoretical pre-political state, Edmund Burke does not believe it exists at all. Burke believes that we are born into civil society, and that the qualities Locke describes in the State of Nature, are not innate, but are derived from societal institutions. for I have in my contemplation the civil social man, and no other. (Burke, 1987, p. 522) Since our rights develop from experience, compromise, convention, and reason (which is learned) natural and abstract rights do not exist in a universal sense. Burke believes that such abstract ideas about natural rights are too simple to fit into the real world, and if something were true, it would have to possess the ability to be contextualized. in the gross and complicated mass of human passions and concerns, the primitive rights of men undergo such a variety of refractions and reflections that it becomes absurd to talk of them as if they continued in the simplicity of their original direction. The nature of man is intricate; the objects of society are of the greatest possible complexity; and therefore no simple disposition of direction of power can be suitable wither to mans nature or to the quality of his affairs. (Ayling, 1988, p. 210)Burke also fears that abstract rights, expressed by philosophers such as John Locke, place too much emphasis on individualism, restricting essential human affections. Burke believes that affections preserve society; for it is the respect, love, and admiration of the past, those around us, and those who are not yet born that solidifies traditions and institutions. On the scheme of this barbarous philosophy laws are to be supported only by their own terrors and by the concern which each individual may find in them from his private speculations or can spare to them from his own interests our institutions can never be embodied, if I may use the expression in persons, so as to create in us love, veneration, admiration, or attachment. But that sort of reason which banishes the affections is incapable of taking their place. (Burke, 1987, p.68) Burke does believe that we posses liberties, but that they are flexible and particular to each society. These liberties are exercised through societal institutions, so if the institutions are erased then so are our liberties. In the following quote, Burke explains his conception of the rights of man, by listing rights that are specifically satisfied by institutions such as law courts, hospitals, and educational facilities. Men have a right to do justice they have a right to the fruits of their industry, and to the means of making their industry fruitful. They have a right to the acquisitions of their parents; to the nourishment and improvement of their offspring; to instruction in life, and consolation in death. (Burke, 1987, p. 51)Burke and Locke agree that humans have a need for government. Locke explains chaotic anarchy as the dark time in the State of Nature, the tragedy of the commons. This situation occurs after currency has been created in the State of Nature, leaving individuals free to accumulate money. The demise of the golden age (the era of harmony) is brought about by property disputes, greed, and insecurity. When the inhabitants of the State of Nature realize that they will not be able to cure the inconveniences of the state (the insecurity of property and inability to settle disputes due to lack of impartial judges) they realize the need for government and learn a system of political rationality. Burke uses the example of the French revolution to illustrate the need for organized government. He believes that the state is an organic body; it can be adjusted but if it is destroyed total chaos is likely to result. Although the French attempted to set up new governments such as the National Assembly and later the National Convention, they were short lived and unstable. The French revolution brought about periods of anarchy, a state of a suspended constitution, overturned laws, destabilized economy, and the closing of essential institutions. The violent era known as the Reign of Terror is certainly comparable to Lockes tragedy of the commons. When Napoleons Coup detat took place in 1799, the French people were desperate for an organized government to bring an end to the terror and re-build their society. Locke stresses the importance of the social contract that occurs during the transition from the tragedy of the commons to civil society. Political power is manifested peacefully by a voluntary agreement between the people and the sovereign or ruling body. Burke does not acknowledge this specific moment of consent that Locke professes, but Burke values a consent of a more tacit nature. Burke attributes given consent far back in history, At some time or another all the beginners of dynasties were chosen by those who called them to govern. (Burke, 1987, p. 13) and he implies that consent to the government is inherited though generations. we transmit our government and our privileges in what we improve we are never wholly new; in what we retain we are never wholly obsolete adhering in this manner and on those principles of our forefathers In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood, binding up the constitution of our country with the dearest domestic ties, adopting our fundamental laws in to the bosom of our family affections, keeping inseparable and cherishing with the warmth of all their combined and mutually reflected charities our state, our hearths, our sepulchres, and our alters. (Burke, 1987, p. 30)Burke might say that by being born under any government, we are naturally subjects to it since we inherit the choices of our forefathers. Locke disagrees with this, taking into account that children can not be completely free, yet he still insists that there is a specific time in each persons life where they must give consent to the government in order to become part of the body politic. a child is born a subject of no country or government. He is under his fathers tuition and authority, till he comes to the age of discretion; and then he is a free man, at liberty what government will he put himself under, what body politic he will unite himself to (Locke, 1980, p. 63)Property is sacred to both writers. Locke and Burke agree that the main function of government is for the protection of our property. The government is also responsible for protection from external attack and from each other. Locke speaks of why men give up some of their natural liberties, such as punishing offenders, to the government, for the mutual preservation of their lives, liberties, and estates, which I call by the general name property. (Locke, 1980, p. 66) Burke also defends property as an important liberty, it is the property of the citizen, and not to the demands of the creditor of the state, that first and original faith of civil society is pledged. (Burke, 1987, p. 94) Locke believes that government, the protector of our property, has no right to confiscate it, The supreme power cannot take from any man any part of his property without his own consent: for the preservation of property being the end of government (Locke, 1980, p. 73) And Burke agrees with him by expressing his distaste for the massive amounts of church property that were confiscated by the National Assembly in the French Revolution. we do not approve your confiscation of the revenues of bishops, and deans It is in the principle of injustice that the danger lies (Burke, 1987, p. 133) He explains how the governments violation of property rights can lead to failure of government by angering the people. if governments provide for debts by heavy impositions, they perish by becoming odious to the people. (Burke, 1987, p.136) Tyranny is condemned by both Locke and Burke. Both support a system with a division of power in the he government. When a government has power divided into different bodies it is forced to be held responsible for decisions made to the other branches of government, and to the body politic. This system of checks and balances makes arbitrary rule unlikely to occur. Citizens feel more secure and protected form the government, and since they are given a chance to assert their concerns (for example, Englands House of Commons) drastic action like revolution becomes unnecessary. Revolution to Locke means the dissolution of the government in power. The citizens then return to the State of Nature until they choose to give consent to create a new government. He supports revolution in two possible instances he describes the first, governments are dissolved, when the legislative, or the prince, either of them, act contrary to their trust. (Locke, 1980, p. 111) Locke gives examples of the government breaking the trust of the body politic as tyranny, usurpation, or the violation of the social contract that was established between the people and the government when civil society was formed. This social contract enabled the government to have power, and the people agreed to obey the laws in return for government protection of property and rights. The second instance in which rebellion is likely to occur is,When so ever the legislative put into the hands of any other, an absolute power over the lives, liberties, and estates of the people; by this breach of trust they forfeit the power the people had put into their hands and it devolves to the people, who have a right to resume their original liberty (Locke, 1980, p.111) Since the social contract that created the government commits the people only to the government they have chosen to lift them from the tragedy of the commons, the government does not posses the right to forfeit the body politic to another power by conquest. It is the responsibility of the government that was peacefully formed to protect the people from the conquest of arbitrary outside powers. To Edmund Burke, revolution is the last resort to be used as a solution to a problem with the ruling body. The line of demarcation where obedience ought to end and resistance must begin is faint, obscure, and not easily definable. It is not a single act, or a single event, which determines it. Governments must be abused and deranged, indeed, before it can be thought of; and the prospect of the future must be as bad as the experience of the past. (Burke, 1987, p. 27)His opinions differ from Lockes regarding the way that effective revolution should initiate change. Burke agrees that the government should be responsible for protecting its citizens, however in the event that the government breaks this trust we do not return to our natural liberty, as Locke believes. Burke finds this return to natural liberty impossible, not only because of his disbelief in the existence of the State of Nature, but also because Burke flatly denies the peoples right to form government for them. He believes that we inherit liberties and government from our previous generations, and government contains more wisdom, captured through the state institutions, than one human is ever capable of possessing. He speaks of England, our constitution preserves a unity in a so great a diversity of its parts. We have an inheritable crown, and inheritable peerage, and a House of Commons and a people inheriting privileges, franchises, and liberties form a long line of ancestors A spirit of innovation is generally the result of a selfish temper and confined views. People will not look forward to posterity who never looks backward to their ancestors. (Burke, 1987, p. 29)Burke believes that completely dissolving government and starting over with a blank slate is bound to fail, because a blank slate leaves no elements to form ideologies from, and is ignorant to the trials and errors of past governments. He uses the French revolution as an example, you chose to act as if you had never been molded into civil society and had everything to begin anew. You began ill, because you began by despising everything that belonged to you. You set up trade without a capital Respecting your forefathers, you would have been taught to respect yourselves. (Burke, 1987, p. 31)To clarify his expectations about successful and justified revolutions burke uses the example of the Glorious revolution of England in 1688. King James the Second was a Catholic king. He was accused of not representing the interests of the majority, since England was primarily of Protestant religion, and the King showed favoritism to Catholics. Burke explains the accusations against the King as,They who led the revolution grounded the virtual abdication of King James upon no light and uncertain principle. They charged him with nothing less than a design, confirmed by a multitude of illegal acts, to subvert the Protestant church and state, and their fundamental, unquestionable laws and liberties; they charged him with having broken the original contract between king and people. (Burke, 1987, p. 24)Burke admires this revolution because it was bloodless reform as opposed to violent rebellion. However, he admits that violence can be used to achieve change in government but only if absolutely necessary. In England it had become obvious that a change was needed in the government, and the people took only the necessary actions to complete the change and return the country to normal. King James abdicated the throne, and was replaced by a Protestant king. An irregular convulsive movement maybe necessary to throw off an irregular convulsive disease (Burke, 1987, p.22) the glorious revolution made great improvements in English government. Burke approves of the fact that the revolution did not begin until the leaders had accumulated evidence and facts that the King was irresponsible. The spirit of the revolution was not to dissolve society and begin anew, but had a more realistic spirit of eliminating the specific problem in the government while preserving societal institutions. they regenerated the deficient part of the old constitution through the parts that were not impaired. (Burke, 1987, p.19). This type of revolution provided stability for the English people; their rights were re-asserted in Declaration of Right, and the government was made more responsible to the people. They secured soon after the frequent meetings of parliament, by which the whole government would be under constant inspection and active control of the popular representatives and of the magistrates of the kingdom. (Burke, 1987, p. 24) Burke contrasts this example of effective revolution with The French revolution of 1789, which he believed was ill spirited and caused further problems in French society. He feels that the French did not have just cause to rebel,The French rebel against a mild and lawful monarch with more fury, outrage, and insult than ever any people has been known to rise against the most illegal usurper or the most sanguinary tyrant. Their resistance was made to concession, their revolt was from protection, and their blow was aimed at a hand holding out graces, favors, and immunities. (Burke, 1987, p. 34)Burke feels that their cause for revolution was unreasonable and foolish, rash and ignorant counsel in a time of profound peace. (Burke, 1987, p. 34) The National Assembly, the government created upon the execution of the King of France, had the potential to become tyrannous. Burke believes that since the assembly had been created form a blank slate it was a danger to society. That assembly, since the destruction of the orders, has no fundamental law, no strict convention, no respected usage to restrain it. Instead of finding themselves obliged to conform to a fixed constitution, they have a power to make a constitution which shall conform to their designs. Nothing in heave or earth can serve as a control on them. (Burke, 1987, p. 39)Locke feels that people will impose restraints of power on their government as they see fit. He fully supports the division of powers, and believes that tyranny is a worse state for society to be in than the tragedy of the commons. The reason behind this being that a tyrannical government may force its citizens to live a life without liberties, but the tragedy of the commons although a dark and unstable time, is a time without government, where each man has natural liberties by the law of nature. One of the commonly known reasons that the French people rebelled against their monarch, was because of the poor economy. However, Burke makes it clear that a poorly planned revolution can bring worse times than those of the past. They have found their punishment in their success: laws overturned; tribunals subverted; industry without vigor; commerce expiring; the revenue unpaid, yet the people impoverished; a church pillaged, and a state not relieved; civil and military anarchy made the constitution of the kingdom; everything human and divine sacrificed to the idol of public credit, and national bankruptcy the consequence (Burke, 1987, p. 34)People who are dissatisfied with their government, and considering revolution as a means of change must take both Burkes and Lockes positions into account. The individuals must define the rights that they feel entitled to, and decided if the government and society can reform to assert these rights. If they find revolution to be necessary, these individuals must decide what type of political situation would embody these rights through institutions and government actions. Both Burke and Locke see a need for revolution when government is ineffectual. However, they differ in opinion on how and when revolution should take place, because of their beliefs on what society is like without established government. Locke feels that the peoples return to the State of Nature is a chance to build a new civil society when they see fit, based on their desire to have their natural rights protected. Burke believes that there is no State of Nature for us to return to, escaping civil society is not possible. In order to preserve the lives of the people and the establishments that have been built by past governments, the government must be reformed rather than abolished. Thus summing it up I would say that the reflection of the ideas of Burke and Locke can definitely be seen today especially in democratic form of governments like our India. Both Burke and Locke talk on the aspects of Liberty, equality, self preservation, reason, and property. They believe that these aspects are a must for governments in order to sustain continuity and thus we do see all these aspects in a modern democratic system of a government. Burke and Locke believe that revolution is not the correct method to achieve things in a democracy. They say that governments shouldnt be thrown out by means of a revolution. Revolution to them is merely a way of bringing about a change in government by exercising out rights and privileges that the democratic government system offers to us and not by dissolving a government by means of revolution as per the meaning during the 17th century. Therefore Burke and Lockes ideas fit very well for new emerging, growing and existing democratic systems of government today and must be reviewed upon before taking extremist decisions like abolishing a government completely. And thus I see their ideas and views on revolution did have immense influence during the period they lived in and the importance of ideas and views of Burkes and Lockes continue to be of immense importance to governments today and tomorrow. BibliographyAyling, S. (1988). Edmund Burke: His life and opinions. New York: St. MartinsBurke, E. (1987). Reflections on the revolution in France. (reprint) Indianapolis: HackettLocke, J. (1980). Second treatise of government. (reprint) Indianapolis: Hackett.

Literature Review on Recruitment and Selection Process

Literature Review on Recruitment and Selection Process Employee selection is the process of collecting and evaluating information about an individual in order to extend an offer of employment (R.D. Gate wood and H.S. Field) Employee selection is part of the overall staffing process of the organization, which also includes human resource (HR) planning, recruitment, and retention activities. By doing human resource planning, the organization projects its likely demand for personnel with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and compares that to the anticipated availability of such personnel in the internal or external labour markets. During the recruitment phase of staffing, the organization attempts to establish contact with potential job applicants by job postings within the organization, advertising to attract external applicants, employee referrals, and many other methods, depending on the type of organization and the nature of the job in question. Employee selection begins when a pool of applicants is generated by the or ganizations recruitment efforts. During the employee selection process, a firm decides which of the recruited candidates will be offered a position. Effective employee selection is a critical component of a successful organization. How employees perform their jobs is a major factor in determining how successful an organization will be. Job performance is essentially determined by the ability of an individual to do a particular job and the effort the individual is willing to put forth in performing the job. Through effective selection, the organization can maximize the probability that its new employees will have the necessary KSAs to do the jobs they were hired to do. Thus, employee selection is one of the two major ways (along with orientation and training) to make sure that new employees have the abilities required to do their jobs. It also provides the base for other HR practices-such as effective job design, goal setting, and compensation-that motivate workers to exert the effort needed to do their jobs effectively, according to Gatewood and Field. Job applicants differ along many dimensions, such as educational and work experience, personality characteristics, and innate ability and motivation levels. The logic of employee selection begins with the assumption that at least some of these individual differences are relevant to a persons suitability for a particular job. Thus, in employee selection the organization must: Determine the relevant individual differences (KSAs) needed to do the job and Identify and utilize selection methods that will reliably and validly assess the extent to which job applicants possess the needed KSAs. The organization must achieve these tasks in a way that does not illegally discriminate against any job applicants on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veterans status. An Overview of the Selection process: Employee selection is itself a process consisting of several important stages, as shown in Exhibit 1. Since the organization must determine the individual KSAs needed to perform a job, the selection process begins with job analysis, which is the systematic study of the content of jobs in an organization. Effective job analysis tells the organization what people occupying particular jobs do in the course of performing their jobs. It also helps the organization determine the major duties and responsibilities of the job, as well as aspects of the job that are of minor or tangential importance to job performance. The job analysis often results in a document called the job description, which is a comprehensive document that details the duties, responsibilities, and tasks that make up a job. Because job analysis can be complex, time-consuming, and expensive, standardized job descriptions have been developed that can be adapted to thousands of jobs in organizations across the world. Two exa mples of such databases are the U.S. governments Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), which has information on at least 821 occupations, and the Occupational Information Network, which is also known as O*NET. O*NET provides job descriptions for thousands of jobs. An understanding of the content of a job assists an organization in specifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to do the job. These KSAs can be expressed in terms of a job specification, which is an 2.2 Main Responsibilities of HRM 2.2.1 Getting the Best Employees Workforce planning Specifying Jobs and Roles Recruiting Outsourcing Screening Applicants Staffing Selecting (Hiring) New Employees. 2.2.1.1 Workforce planning a) Objective of Workforce Planning Workforce planning is one of the most important activities in any organisation. It starts with analysis of the strategic position of the business. The results of this analysis then feed into a forecast of the required demand for labour by the organisation and how this is likely to be supplied. The final stage involves the creation and implementation of a human resources plan which aims to deliver the right number of the right people for the Organisation. b) Strategy for workforce plan The strategic position and requirement of the organisation have the most important influence on workforce planning: Organisation objectives and scope of activities: what are the objectives of the organisation? What products are to be sold, in which markets; using what kind of distribution? Organisation location where is the organisation located? How are the various business units, divisions, functions distributed across the various locations? What specialist skills are essential in each location? What are the workforce implications of decisions on organisation location? Labour environment: what is happening to the size of the labour force? What key population and employment trends (e.g. the increasing numbers of people working on temporary or short-term contracts) affect the ability of the business to recruit staff? What provision needs to be made for employee pension; what employment legislation Timetables to what extent does the strategic needs of the business require short-term changes in the workforce or can change be achieved over a longer period. For example, are new retailing or distribution locations to be opened in the next 12 months that require staff? c) Forecasting Workforce Demand Putting a good Human Resources plan together requires an organisation to make a reasonably accurate forecast of workforce size. Key factors to consider in this forecast are: Demand for existing and new products/projects Organisation disposals and product closures Introduction of new technology (e.g. new production equipment) Cost reduction programmes (most usually involve a reduction in staff numbers somewhere within the business) Changes to the business organisational structure Business acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic partnerships Forecasting Workforce Supply The starting point for estimating supply is the existing workforce: an Organisation should take account of: Scheduled changes to the composition of the existing workforce (e.g. promotions; job rotation) Normal loss of workforce e.g. through retirement, normal labour turnover Potential exceptional factors e.g. actions of competitors that create problems of staff retention By comparing the forecast workforce demand and supply it is possible to compile a forecast of net workforce size. This then needs to be compared with the strategic requirements for the organisation. The result is the workforce gap (which is a forecast of too few or too many workers). The role of HRM is to close the gap! HRM Policies to Close the Workforce Gap The key HRM activities to manage the workforce gap comprise: Recruitment plans (how many people, where, what type, how) Training plans Redundancy plans Staff Retention Plans (how the business intends to keep the staff it wants to retain) 2.2.1.2 Specifying jobs and roles This phenomenon includes two processes; Job specification Job description Job Specification Derived from job analysis, it is a statement of employee characteristics and qualifications required for satisfactory performance of defined duties and tasks comprising a specific job or function. A job specification describes the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and abilities organisation believes are essential to performing a particular job. The job specification is developed from the job analysis. A job specification cuts to the quick with organisation requirements whereas the job description defines the duties and requirements of an employees job in detail. The job specification provides detailed characteristics, knowledge, education, skills, and experience needed to perform the job, with an overview of the specific job requirements. Job Description Job descriptions are essential. Job descriptions are required for recruitment so that organisation and the applicants can understand the role. Job descriptions are necessary for all people in the organisation. A job description defines a persons role and accountability. Without a job description it is not possible for a person to properly commit to, or be held accountable for, a role. Smaller organisations commonly require staff and managers to cover a wider or more mixed range of responsibilities than in larger organisations (for example, the office manager role can comprise financial, HR, stock-control, scheduling and other duties). Therefore in smaller organisations, job descriptions might necessarily contain a greater number of listed responsibilities, perhaps 15-16. However, whatever the circumstances, the number of responsibilities should not exceed this, or the job description becomes unwieldy and ineffective. Some feature in most job descriptions are as following; communicating ( How to communicate with upper and lower level of management from his/her level) Panning and organising. Managing information and general administration support. Monitoring and reporting. Financial budgeting and control Producing things. Maintaining and repairing. Quality control. Health and safety. Using equipment and system. Developing and creating things. Importance of Job Description: Job descriptions improve an organisations ability to manage people and roles in the following ways: Clarifies organisation expectations for employees. Provides basis of measuring job performance Provides clear description of role for job candidates Provides a structure and discipline for company to understand and structure all jobs and ensure necessary activities, duties and responsibilities are covered by one job or another Provides continuity of role parameters irrespective of manager interpretation Enables pay and grading systems to be structured fairly and logically Prevents arbitrary interpretation of role content and limit by employee and employer and manager Essential reference tool in issues of employee/employer dispute Essential reference tool for discipline issues Provides important reference points for training and development areas Provides neutral and objective reference points for appraisals, performance reviews and counselling Enables formulation of skill set and behaviour set requirements per role Enables organisation to structure and manage roles in a uniform way, thus increasing efficiency and effectiveness of recruitment, training and development, organisational structure, work flow and activities, customer service, etc Enables factual view (as opposed to instinctual) to be taken by employees and managers in career progression and succession planning Job Description Components: Job Title Based at (Business Unit, Section if applicable) Position reports to (Line Manager title, location, and Functional Manager, location if matrix management structure) Job Purpose Summary (ideally one sentence) Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities, (or Duties. 8-15 numbered points) Dimensions/Territory/Scope/Scale indicators (the areas to which responsibilities extend and the scale of responsibilities staff, customers, territory, products, equipment, premises, etc) Date and other relevant internal references Hiring: Organisation basically has two main resources to get Human resources Internal Promotion Recruitment Outsourcing Internal Promotions: In this scenario existing employees of the organisation are promoted to fill the required place in the organisation. Recruitment: In this case organisation takes new employees in the organisation to fill the vacant places. Outsourcing: Outsourcing refers to a company those contracts with another company to provide services. Recruitment and Selection: Recruitment is the process of identifying that the organisation needs to employ someone up to the point at which application forms for the post have arrived at the organisation. Employee selection is the process of collecting and evaluating information about an individual in order to extend an offer of employment (R.D. Gate wood and H.S. Field) Employee selection is part of the overall staffing process of the organization, which also includes human resource (HR) planning, recruitment, and retention activities. By doing human resource planning, the organization projects its likely demand for personnel with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and compares that to the anticipated availability of such personnel in the internal or external labour markets. During the recruitment phase of staffing, the organization attempts to establish contact with potential job applicants by job postings within the organization, advertising to attract external applicants, employee referrals, and many other methods, depending on the type of organization and the nature of the job in question. Employee selection begins when a pool of applicants is generated by the or ganizations recruitment efforts. During the employee selection process, a firm decides which of the recruited candidates will be offered a position. Effective employee selection is a critical component of a successful organization. How employees perform their jobs is a major factor in determining how successful an organization will be. Job performance is essentially determined by the ability of an individual to do a particular job and the effort the individual is willing to put forth in performing the job. Through effective selection, the organization can maximize the probability that its new employees will have the necessary KSAs to do the jobs they were hired to do. Thus, employee selection is one of the two major ways (along with orientation and training) to make sure that new employees have the abilities required to do their jobs. It also provides the base for other HR practices-such as effective job design, goal setting, and compensation-that motivate workers to exert the effort needed to do their jobs effectively. Gate wood and Field. Organisational document that details what is required to successfully perform a given job. The necessary KSAs are called job requirements, which is simply means they are thought to be necessary to perform the job. Job requirements are expressed in terms of desired education or training, work experience, specific aptitudes or abilities, and in many other ways. Care must be taken to ensure that the job requirements are based on the actual duties and responsibilities of the job and that they do not include irrelevant requirements that may discriminate against some applicants. For example, many organizations have revamped their job descriptions and specifications in the years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that these documents contain only job-relevant content. Validity of selection methods Validity refers to the quality of a measure that exists when the measure assesses a construct. In the selection context, validity refers to the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of the inferences made about applicants during the selection process. It is concerned with the issue of whether applicants will actually perform the job as well as expected based on the inferences made during the selection process. The closer the applicants actual job performances match their expected performances, the greater the validity of the selection process. Selection methods A Organisation should use selection methods that reliably and accurately measure the needed qualifications. The reliability of a measure refers to its consistency. It is defined as the degree of self-consistency among the scores earned by an individual. Reliable evaluations are consistent across both people and time. Reliability is maximized when two people evaluating the same candidate provide the same ratings, and when the ratings of a candidate taken at two different times are the same. When selection scores are unreliable, their validity is diminished. Some of the factors affecting the reliability of selection measures are: Emotional and physical state of the candidate. Reliability suffers if candidates are particularly nervous during the assessment process. Lack of rapport with the administrator of the measure. Reliability suffers if candidates are turned off by the interviewer and thus do not show their stuff during the interview. Inadequate knowledge of how to respond to a measure. Reliability suffers if candidates are asked questions that are vague or confusing. Individual differences among respondents. If the range or differences in scores on the attribute measured by a selection device is large, that means the device can reliably distinguish among people. Question difficulty. Questions of moderate difficulty produce the most reliable measures. If questions are too easy, many applicants will give the correct answer and individual differences are lessened; if questions are too difficult, few applicants will give the correct answer and, again, individual differences are lessened. Length of measure. As the length of a measure increases, its reliability also increases. For example, an interviewer can better gauge an applicants level of interpersonal skills by asking several questions, rather than just one or two. Up to this point, our discussion has assumed that an employer needs to validate each of its: Studies summarizing a selection measures validity for similar jobs in other settings. Data showing the similarity between the jobs for which the validity evidence is reported and the job in the new employment setting. Data showing the similarity between the selection measures in the other studies composing the validity evidence and those measures to be used in the new employment setting. Making final selection: The extensiveness and complexity of selection processes vary greatly depending on factors such as the nature of the job, the number of applicants for each opening, and the size of the organization. A typical way of applying selection methods to a large number of applicants for a job requiring relatively high levels of KSAs would be the following: Use application blanks, resumes, and short interviews to determine which job applicants meet the minimum requirements for the job. If the number of applicants is not too large, the information provided by applicants can be verified with reference and/or background checks. Use extensive interviews and appropriate testing to determine which of the minimally qualified job candidates have the highest degree of the KSAs required by the job. Make contingent offers to one or more job finalists as identified by Step 2. Job offers may be contingent upon successful completion of a drug test or other forms of back-ground checks. General medical exams can only be given after a contingent offer is given.

Critical Response to David Gutersons Snow Falling on Cedars Essay

Critical Response to David Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars David Guterson's novel Snow Falling on Cedars undoubtedly holds high acclaim in its reputable attempt to show the prejudice between the Americans and Japanese after World War II and more importantly the prejudice that is unavoidably apart of human nature. The author of the criticism recognizes and brings to light the things done by Guterson throughout the novel. He refers to the animosity between people brought about by differences, the unwillingness to accept change, and also states that things end in a moral and justified manner. The author refers to â€Å"old passions, prejudices, and grudges† surfacing throughout the novel taking place off the Washington coast. In referring to â€Å"old passions† the although beings up a valid point of the passion that exists between Ishmael and Hatsue, although it is not necessarily â€Å"old† as Ishmael is still vibrantly in love with Hatsue throughout the novel up until the very end. Their so called passion begins in the cedar tree where they spend their childhood escaping from the prejudices of society, but form a passionate connection that cannot be broken. Referring to the â€Å"prejudices and grudges† the author is most evidently talking about the resentment between the Heine and Miyamato families regarding the purchase of Ole Jugersons land. The grudge aroused because the land rightfully belongs to the Miyamatos as they had it land leased but when the Japanese were sent to internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor there became co nfusion. Out of this confusion the land ended up in the hands of Carle Heine. If the land dispute would have been between two similarly colored people it would not have been as significant. Being between the Japanese and American protagonists it becomes an issue of prejudice rather than ownership as Karl, the ideal white male, keeps land from the hard-working Japanese who fought for a countries freedom in which he is not even viewed as equal. The simplistic idea of land ownership boils down to a much more complicated issue of the impurities of American democracy. The author also refers to Gutersons courtroom, where the entire novel takes place, as being â€Å"cleverly constructed.† In doing so he alludes to the imagery portrayed through the novel by Guterson, which gives life to the seemingly standard courtroom making it a clear repr... ...as a possible motive, points to Kabuo as the murderer. Meanwhile, Hatsue Miyamoto, Kabuo's wife, is the undying passion of Ishmael Chambers, the publisher and editor of the town newspaper. Ishmael, who returned from the war minus an arm, can't shake his obsession for Hatsue any more than he can ignore the ghost pains in his nonexistent arm. As a thick snowstorm whirls outside the courtroom, the story is unburied. The same incidents are recounted a number of times, with each telling revealing new facts. In the end, justice and morality are proven to be intimately woven with beauty--the kind of awe and wonder that children feel for the world. But Guterson communicates these truths through detail, not philosophical argument: Readers will come away with a surprising store of knowledge regarding gill-netting boats and other specifics of life in the Pacific Northwest. Packed with lovely moments and as compact as haiku--at the same time, a page-turner full of twists. Works Cited Guterson, David. Snow Falling on Cedars. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. 75-428. "Snow Falling on Cedars." Kirkus Reviews. 24 Mar. 2005 < . Snow Falling on Cedars. Sparknotes. 24 Mar. 2005 .

The three stories I have chosen to study are: Flight by Doris Lessing,

The three stories I have chosen to study are: Flight by Doris Lessing, Superman and Paula Browns New Snowsuit by Sylvia Plath and Chemistry by Graham Swift. In these three stories the writers explores complex family relationships. Choose three stories, where the writers present difficult relationships between family members, compare and contrast these relationships. The three stories I have chosen to study are: ‘Flight’ by Doris Lessing, ‘Superman and Paula Browns New Snowsuit’ by Sylvia Plath and ‘Chemistry’ by Graham Swift. In these three stories the writers explores complex family relationships, through a variety of techniques: imagery, mood and atmosphere, symbolism and structuring the stories to built up to a climax, when there is a point of realisation for both character and reader. All three stories begin by presenting idyllic family relationships but as the stories progress things change. The story Flight by Doris Lessing is about an unnamed old man who keeps pigeons, he worries about his granddaughter, Alice. He has seen his other granddaughters leave home, and he is possessive of Alice and jealous of Steven, her boyfriend. The old man argues with Alice about her behaviour, and complains to his daughter, Alice's mother Lucy. At the start of the story the old man shuts up his favourite pigeon, rather than let it fly. When Steven, the boyfriend, makes him a present of a new pigeon, he is more able to accept what is going to happen, and he lets his favourite go. The ending of the story is has more than one possible meaning: Alice has tears on her face, as she stares at her grandfather. But I do not know if they are for him, for Steven, for herself, or for some other cause. And we do not kn... ...d that she is to blame for the damage to the snowsuit. In this story, Plath explores the themes of: corruption and betrayal, material possessions and human values, man and superman, fantasy and reality. One way the writer uses to explore these themes is the use of symbolism; in the story flying is a symbol of possibility and imagination. At the start, the narrator dreams of flying, and seems able to believe in her dreams. At the end, flight is no longer a possibility and the airplanes vanish with Superman's cape. The story contrasts two costumes – one is Superman's famous blue suit, with the red cape trailing behind; the other is Paula's powder-blue snowsuit. They seem to represent opposing ideas. Superman's costume is a symbol of justice and miraculous deliverance from evil. Paula's snowsuit comes to represent self-indulgence and petty materialism.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 110-112

CHAPTER 110 Director Sato stood alone in the study, waiting while the CIA satellite-imaging division processed her request. One of the luxuries of working in the D.C. area was the satellite coverage. With luck, one of them might have been properly positioned to get photos of this home tonight . . . possibly capturing a vehicle leaving the place in the last half hour. â€Å"Sorry, ma'am,† the satellite technician said. â€Å"No coverage of those coordinates tonight. Do you want to make a reposition request?† â€Å"No thanks. Too late.† She hung up. Sato exhaled, now having no idea how they would figure out where their target had gone. She walked out to the foyer, where her men had bagged Agent Hartmann's body and were carrying it toward the chopper. Sato had ordered Agent Simkins to gather his men and prepare for the return to Langley, but Simkins was in the living room on his hands and knees. He looked like he was ill. â€Å"You okay?† He glanced up, an odd look on his face. â€Å"Did you see this?† He pointed at the living-room floor. Sato came over and looked down at the plush carpet. She shook her head, seeing nothing. â€Å"Crouch down,† Simkins said. â€Å"Look at the nap of the carpet.† She did. After a moment, she saw it. The fibers of the carpet looked like they had been mashed down . . . depressed along two straight lines as if the wheels of something heavy had been rolled across the room. â€Å"The strange thing,† Simkins said, â€Å"is where the tracks go.† He pointed. Sato's gaze followed the faint parallel lines across the living-room carpet. The tracks seemed to disappear beneath a large floor-to-ceiling painting that hung beside the fireplace. What in the world? Simkins walked over to the painting and tried to lift it down from the wall. It didn't budge. â€Å"It's fixed,† he said, now running his fingers around the edges. â€Å"Hold on, there's something underneath . . .† His finger hit a small lever beneath the bottom edge, and something clicked. Sato stepped forward as Simkins pushed the frame and the entire painting rotated slowly on its center, like a revolving door. He raised his flashlight and shined it into the dark space beyond. Sato's eyes narrowed. Here we go. At the end of a short corridor stood a heavy metal door. The memories that had billowed through the blackness of Langdon's mind had come and gone. In their wake, a trail of red-hot sparks was swirling, along with the same eerie, distant whisper. Verbum significatium . . . Verbum omnificum . . . Verbum perdo. The chanting continued like the drone of voices in a medieval canticle. Verbum significatium . . . Verbum omnificum. The words now tumbled through the empty void, fresh voices echoing all around him. Apocalypsis . . . Franklin . . . Apocalypsis . . . Verbum . . . Apocalypsis . . . Without warning, a mournful bell began tolling somewhere in the distance. The bell rang on and on, growing louder. It tolled more urgently now, as if hoping Langdon would understand, as if urging his mind to follow. CHAPTER 111 The tolling bell in the clock tower rang for three full minutes, rattling the crystal chandelier that hung above Langdon's head. Decades ago, he had attended lectures in this well-loved assembly hall at Phillips Exeter Academy. Today, however, he was here to listen to a dear friend address the student body. As the lights dimmed, Langdon took a seat against the back wall, beneath a pantheon of headmaster portraits. A hush fell across the crowd. In total darkness, a tall, shadowy figure crossed the stage and took the podium. â€Å"Good morning,† the faceless voice whispered into the microphone. Everyone sat up, straining to see who was addressing them. A slide projector flashed to life, revealing a faded sepia photograph–a dramatic castle with a red sandstone facade, high square towers, and Gothic embellishments. The shadow spoke again. â€Å"Who can tell me where this is?† â€Å"England!† a girl declared in the darkness. â€Å"This facade is a blend of early Gothic and late Romanesque, making this the quintessential Norman castle and placing it in England at about the twelfth century.† â€Å"Wow,† the faceless voice replied. â€Å"Someone knows her architecture.† Quiet groans all around. â€Å"Unfortunately,† the shadow added, â€Å"you missed by three thousand miles and half a millennium.† The room perked up. The projector now flashed a full-color, modern photo of the same castle from a different angle. The castle's Seneca Creek sandstone towers dominated the foreground, but in the background, startlingly close, stood the majestic, white, columned dome of the U.S. Capitol Building. â€Å"Hold on!† the girl exclaimed. â€Å"There's a Norman castle in D.C.?!† â€Å"Since 1855,† the voice replied. â€Å"Which is when this next photo was taken.† A new slide appeared–a black-and-white interior shot, depicting a massive vaulted ballroom, furnished with animal skeletons, scientific display cases, glass jars with biological samples, archaeological artifacts, and plaster casts of prehistoric reptiles. â€Å"This wondrous castle,† the voice said, â€Å"was America's first real science museum. It was a gift to America from a wealthy British scientist who, like our forefathers, believed our fledgling country could become the land of enlightenment. He bequeathed to our forefathers a massive fortune and asked them to build at the core of our nation `an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.' † He paused a long moment. â€Å"Who can tell me the name of this generous scientist?† A timid voice in front ventured, â€Å"James Smithson?† A whisper of recognition rippled through the crowd. â€Å"Smithson indeed,† the man on stage replied. Peter Solomon now stepped into the light, his gray eyes flashing playfully. â€Å"Good morning. My name is Peter Solomon, and I am secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.† The students broke into wild applause. In the shadows, Langdon watched with admiration as Peter captivated the young minds with a photographic tour of the Smithsonian Institution's early history. The show began with Smithsonian Castle, its basement science labs, corridors lined with exhibits, a salon full of mollusks, scientists who called themselves â€Å"the curators of crustaceans,† and even an old photo of the castle's two most popular residents–a pair of now-deceased owls named Diffusion and Increase. The half-hour slide show ended with an impressive satellite photo of the National Mall, now lined with enormous Smithsonian museums. â€Å"As I said when I began,† Solomon stated in conclusion, â€Å"James Smithson and our forefathers envisioned our great country to be a land of enlightenment. I believe today they would be proud. Their great Smithsonian Institution stands as a symbol of science and knowledge at the very core of America. It is a living, breathing, working tribute to our forefathers' dream for America–a country founded on the principles of knowledge, wisdom, and science.† Solomon clicked off the slides to an energetic round of applause. The houselights came up, along with dozens of eager hands with questions. Solomon called on a small red-haired boy in the middle. â€Å"Mr. Solomon?† the boy said, sounding puzzled. â€Å"You said our forefathers fled the religious oppression of Europe to establish a country on the principles of scientific advancement.† â€Å"That's correct.† â€Å"But . . . I was under the impression our forefathers were devoutly religious men who founded America as a Christian nation.† Solomon smiled. â€Å"My friends, don't get me wrong, our forefathers were deeply religious men, but they were Deists–men who believed in God, but in a universal and open-minded way. The only religious ideal they put forth was religious freedom.† He pulled the microphone from the podium and strode out to the edge of the stage. â€Å"America's forefathers had a vision of a spiritually enlightened utopia, in which freedom of thought, education of the masses, and scientific advancement would replace the darkness of outdated religious superstition.† A blond girl in back raised her hand. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Sir,† the girl said, holding up her cell phone, â€Å"I've been researching you online, and Wikipedia says you're a prominent Freemason.† Solomon held up his Masonic ring. â€Å"I could have saved you the data charges.† The students laughed. â€Å"Yes, well,† the girl continued, hesitating, â€Å"you just mentioned `outdated religious superstition,' and it seems to me that if anyone is responsible for propagating outdated superstitions . . . it would be the Masons.† Solomon seemed unfazed. â€Å"Oh? How so?† â€Å"Well, I've read a lot about Masonry, and I know you've got a lot of strange ancient rituals and beliefs. This article online even says that Masons believe in the power of some kind of ancient magical wisdom . . . which can elevate man to the realm of the gods?† Everyone turned and stared at the girl as if she were nuts. â€Å"Actually,† Solomon said, â€Å"she's right.† The kids all spun around and faced front, eyes widening. Solomon suppressed a smile and asked the girl, â€Å"Does it offer any other Wiki-wisdom about this magical knowledge?† The girl looked uneasy now, but she began to read from the Web site. â€Å"`To ensure this powerful wisdom could not be used by the unworthy, the early adepts wrote down their knowledge in code . . . cloaking its potent truth in a metaphorical language of symbols, myth, and allegory. To this day, this encrypted wisdom is all around us . . . encoded in our mythology, our art, and the occult texts of the ages. Unfortunately, modern man has lost the ability to decipher this complex network of symbolism . . . and the great truth has been lost.'† Solomon waited. â€Å"That's all?† The girl shifted in her seat. â€Å"Actually, there is a little bit more.† â€Å"I should hope so. Please . . . tell us.† The girl looked hesitant, but she cleared her throat and continued. â€Å"`According to legend, the sages who encrypted the Ancient Mysteries long ago left behind a key of sorts . . . a password that could be used to unlock the encrypted secrets. This magical password–known as the verbum significatium–is said to hold the power to lift the darkness and unlock the Ancient Mysteries, opening them to all human understanding.' â€Å" Solomon smiled wistfully. â€Å"Ah, yes . . . the verbum significatium.† He stared into space for a moment and then lowered his eyes again to the blond girl. â€Å"And where is this wonderful word now?† The girl looked apprehensive, clearly wishing she had not challenged their guest speaker. She finished reading. † `Legend holds that the verbum significatium is buried deep underground, where it waits patiently for a pivotal moment in history . . . a moment when mankind can no longer survive without the truth, knowledge, and wisdom of the ages. At this dark crossroads, mankind will at last unearth the Word and herald in a wondrous new age of enlightenment.' â€Å" The girl turned off her phone and shrank down in her seat. After a long silence, another student raised his hand. â€Å"Mr. Solomon, you don't actually believe that, right?† Solomon smiled. â€Å"Why not? Our mythologies have a long tradition of magic words that provide insight and godlike powers. To this day, children still shout `abracadabra' in hopes of creating something out of nothing. Of course, we've all forgotten that this word is not a toy; it has roots in ancient Aramaic mysticism–Avrah KaDabra–meaning `I create as I speak.' â€Å" Silence. â€Å"But, sir,† the student now pressed, â€Å"surely you don't believe that a single word . . . this verbum significatium . . . whatever it is . . . has the power to unlock ancient wisdom . . . and bring about a worldwide enlightenment?† Peter Solomon's face revealed nothing. â€Å"My own beliefs should not concern you. What should concern you is that this prophecy of a coming enlightenment is echoed in virtually every faith and philosophical tradition on earth. Hindus call it the Krita Age, astrologers call it the Age of Aquarius, the Jews describe the coming of the Messiah, theosophists call it the New Age, cosmologists call it Harmonic Convergence and predict the actual date.† â€Å"December 21, 2012!† someone called. â€Å"Yes, unnervingly soon . . . if you're a believer in Mayan math.† Langdon chuckled, recalling how Solomon, ten years ago, had correctly predicted the current spate of television specials predicting that the year 2012 would mark the End of the World. â€Å"Timing aside,† Solomon said, â€Å"I find it wondrous to note that throughout history, all of mankind's disparate philosophies have all concurred on one thing–that a great enlightenment is coming. In every culture, in every era, in every corner of the world, the human dream has focused on the same exact concept–the coming apotheosis of man . . . the impending transformation of our human minds into their true potentiality.† He smiled. â€Å"What could possibly explain such a synchronicity of beliefs?† â€Å"Truth,† said a quiet voice in the crowd. Solomon wheeled. â€Å"Who said that?† The hand that went up belonged to a tiny Asian boy whose soft features suggested he might be Nepalese or Tibetan. â€Å"Maybe there is a universal truth embedded in everyone's soul. Maybe we all have the same story hiding inside, like a shared constant in our DNA. Maybe this collective truth is responsible for the similarity in all of our stories.† Solomon was beaming as he pressed his hands together and bowed reverently to the boy. â€Å"Thank you.† Everyone was quiet. â€Å"Truth,† Solomon said, addressing the room. â€Å"Truth has power. And if we all gravitate toward similar ideas, maybe we do so because those ideas are true . . . written deep within us. And when we hear the truth, even if we don't understand it, we feel that truth resonate within us . . . vibrating with our unconscious wisdom. Perhaps the truth is not learned by us, but rather, the truth is re-called . . . re-membered . . . re-cognized . . . as that which is already inside us.† The silence in the hall was complete. Solomon let it sit for a long moment, then quietly said, â€Å"In closing, I should warn you that unveiling the truth is never easy. Throughout history, every period of enlightenment has been accompanied by darkness, pushing in opposition. Such are the laws of nature and balance. And if we look at the darkness growing in the world today, we have to realize that this means there is equal light growing. We are on the verge of a truly great period of illumination, and all of us–all of you–are profoundly blessed to be living through this pivotal moment of history. Of all the people who have ever lived, in all the eras in history . . . we are in that narrow window of time during which we will bear witness to our ultimate renaissance. After millennia of darkness, we will see our sciences, our minds, and even our religions unveil the truth.† Solomon was about to get a hearty round of applause when he held up his hand for silence. â€Å"Miss?† He pointed directly to the contentious blond girl in back with the cell phone. â€Å"I know you and I didn't agree on much, but I want to thank you. Your passion is an important catalyst in the coming changes. Darkness feeds on apathy . . . and conviction is our most potent antidote. Keep studying your faith. Study the Bible.† He smiled. â€Å"Especially the final pages.† â€Å"The Apocalypse?† she said. â€Å"Absolutely. The Book of Revelation is a vibrant example of our shared truth. The last book of the Bible tells the identical story as countless other traditions. They all predict the coming unveiling of great wisdom.† Someone else said, â€Å"But isn't the Apocalypse about the end of the world? You know, the Antichrist, Armageddon, the final battle between good and evil?† Solomon chuckled. â€Å"Who here studies Greek?† Several hands went up. â€Å"What does the word apocalypse literally mean?† â€Å"It means,† one student began, and then paused as if surprised. â€Å"Apocalypse means `to unveil' . . . or `to reveal.' â€Å" Solomon gave the boy a nod of approval. â€Å"Exactly. The Apocalypse is literally a reveal-ation. The Book of Reveal-ation in the Bible predicts an unveiling of great truth and unimaginable wisdom. The Apocalypse is not the end of the world, but rather it is the end of the world as we know it. The prophecy of the Apocalypse is just one of the Bible's beautiful messages that has been distorted.† Solomon stepped to the front of the stage. â€Å"Believe me, the Apocalypse is coming . . . and it will be nothing like what we were taught.† High over his head, the bell began to toll. The students erupted into bewildered and thunderous applause. CHAPTER 112 Katherine Solomon was teetering on the edge of consciousness when she was jolted by the shock wave of a deafening explosion. Moments later, she smelled smoke. Her ears were ringing. There were muffled voices. Distant. Shouting. Footsteps. Suddenly she was breathing more clearly. The cloth had been pulled from her mouth. â€Å"You're safe,† a man's voice whispered. â€Å"Just hold on.† She expected the man to pull the needle out of her arm but instead he was yelling orders. â€Å"Bring the medical kit . . . attach an IV to the needle . . . infuse lactated Ringer's solution . . . get me a blood pressure.† As the man began checking her vital signs, he said, â€Å"Ms. Solomon, the person who did this to you . . . where did he go?† Katherine tried to speak, but she could not. â€Å"Ms. Solomon?† the voice repeated. â€Å"Where did he go?† Katherine tried to pry her eyes open, but she felt herself fading. â€Å"We need to know where he went,† the man urged. Katherine whispered three words in response, although she knew they made no sense. â€Å"The . . . sacred . . . mountain.† Director Sato stepped over the mangled steel door and descended a wooden ramp into the hidden basement. One of her agents met her at the bottom. â€Å"Director, I think you'll want to see this.† Sato followed the agent into a small room off the narrow hallway. The room was brightly lit and barren, except for a pile of clothing on the floor. She recognized Robert Langdon's tweed coat and loafers. Her agent pointed toward the far wall at a large, casketlike container. What in the world? Sato moved toward the container, seeing now that it was fed by a clear plastic pipe that ran through the wall. Warily, she approached the tank. Now she could see that it had a small slider on top. She reached down and slid the covering to one side, revealing a small portal-like window. Sato recoiled. Beneath the Plexiglas . . . floated the submerged, vacant face of Professor Robert Langdon. Light! The endless void in which Langdon hovered was suddenly filled by a blinding sun. Rays of white-hot light streamed across the blackness of space, burning into his mind. The light was everywhere. Suddenly, within the radiant cloud before him, a beautiful silhouette appeared. It was a face . . . blurry and indistinct . . . two eyes staring at him across the void. Streams of light surrounded the face, and Langdon wondered if he was looking into the face of God. Sato stared down into the tank, wondering if Professor Langdon had any idea what had happened. She doubted it. After all, disorientation was the entire purpose of this technology. Sensory-deprivation tanks had been around since the fifties and were still a popular getaway for wealthy New Age experimenters. â€Å"Floating,† as it was called, offered a transcendental back-to- the-womb experience . . . a kind of meditative aid that quieted brain activity by removing all sensory input–light, sound, touch, and even the pull of gravity. In traditional tanks, the person would float on his back in a hyperbuoyant saline solution that kept his face above the water so he could breathe. In recent years, however, these tanks had taken a quantum leap. Oxygenated perfluorocarbons. This new technology–known as Total Liquid Ventilation (TLV)–was so counterintuitive that few believed it existed. Breathable liquid. Liquid breathing had been a reality since 1966, when Leland C. Clark successfully kept alive a mouse that had been submerged for several hours in an oxygenated perfluorocarbon. In 1989, TLV technology made a dramatic appearance in the movie The Abyss, although few viewers realized that they were watching real science. Total Liquid Ventilation had been born of modern medicine's attempts to help premature babies breathe by returning them to the liquid-filled state of the womb. Human lungs, having spent nine months in utero, were no strangers to a liquid-filled state. Perfluorocarbons had once been too viscous to be fully breathable, but modern breakthroughs had made breathable liquids almost the consistency of water. The CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology–â€Å"the Wizards of Langley,† as they were known within the intelligence community–had worked extensively with oxygenated perfluorocarbons to develop technologies for the U.S. military. The navy's elite deep-ocean diving teams found that breathing oxygenated liquid, rather than the usual heliox or trimix, gave them the ability to dive to much greater depths without risk of pressure sickness. Similarly, NASA and the air force had learned that pilots equipped with a liquid breathing apparatus rather than a traditional oxygen tank could withstand far higher g-forces than usual because liquid spread the g-force more evenly throughout the internal organs than gas did. Sato had heard that there were now â€Å"extreme experience labs† where one could try these Total Liquid Ventilation tanks–â€Å"Meditation Machines,† as they were called. This particular tank had probably been installed for its owner's private experimentation, although the addition of heavy, lockable latches left little doubt in Sato's mind that this tank had also been used for darker applications . . . an interrogation technique with which the CIA was familiar. The infamous interrogation technique of water boarding was highly effective because the victim truly believed he was drowning. Sato knew of several classified operations in which sensory- deprivation tanks like these had been used to enhance that illusion to terrifying new levels. A victim submerged in breathable liquid could literally be â€Å"drowned.† The panic associated with the drowning experience usually made the victim unaware that the liquid he was breathing was slightly more viscous than water. When the liquid poured into his lungs, he would often black out from fear, and then awaken in the ultimate â€Å"solitary confinement.† Topical numbing agents, paralysis drugs, and hallucinogens were mixed with the warm oxygenated liquid to give the prisoner the sense he was entirely separated from his body. When his mind sent commands to move his limbs, nothing happened. The state of being â€Å"dead† was terrifying on its own, but the true disorientation came from the â€Å"rebirthing† process, which, with the aid of bright lights, cold air, and deafening noise, could be extremely traumatic and painful. After a handful of rebirths and subsequent drownings, the prisoner became so disorientated that he had no idea if he was alive or dead . . . and he would tell the interrogator absolutely anything. Sato wondered if she should wait for a medical team to extract Langdon, but she knew she didn't have time. I need to know what he knows. â€Å"Turn out the lights,† she said. â€Å"And find me some blankets.† The blinding sun had vanished. The face had also disappeared. The blackness had returned, but Langdon could now hear distant whispers echoing across the light-years of emptiness. Muffled voices . . . unintelligible words. There were vibrations now . . . as if the world were about to shake apart. Then it happened. Without warning, the universe was ripped in two. An enormous chasm opened in the void . . . as if space itself had ruptured at the seams. A grayish mist poured through the opening, and Langdon saw a terrifying sight. Disembodied hands were suddenly reaching for him, grabbing his body, trying to yank him out of his world. No! He tried to fight them off, but he had no arms . . . no fists. Or did he? Suddenly he felt his body materializing around his mind. His flesh had returned and it was being seized by powerful hands that were dragging him upward. No! Please! But it was too late. Pain racked his chest as the hands heaved him through the opening. His lungs felt like they were filled with sand. I can't breathe! He was suddenly on his back on the coldest, hardest surface he could imagine. Something was pressing on his chest, over and over, hard and painful. He was spewing out the warmth. I want to go back. He felt like he was a child being born from a womb. He was convulsing, coughing up liquid. He felt pain in his chest and neck. Excruciating pain. His throat was on fire. People were talking, trying to whisper, but it was deafening. His vision was blurred, and all he could see was muted shapes. His skin felt numb, like dead leather. His chest felt heavier now . . . pressure. I can't breathe! He was coughing up more liquid. An overwhelming gag reflex seized him, and he gasped inward. Cold air poured into his lungs, and he felt like a newborn taking his first breath on earth. This world was excruciating. All Langdon wanted was to return to the womb. Robert Langdon had no idea how much time had passed. He could feel now that he was lying on his side, wrapped in towels and blankets on a hard floor. A familiar face was gazing down at him . . . but the streams of glorious light were gone. The echoes of distant chanting still hung in his mind. Verbum significatium . . . Verbum omnificum . . . â€Å"Professor Langdon,† someone whispered. â€Å"Do you know where you are?† Langdon nodded weakly, still coughing. More important, he had begun to realize what was going on tonight.