Biometrics as an Important Part of Information Technology Essay

Biometrics as an Important Part of Information Technology - Essay Example The present study focuses on an understanding of the use of biometrics and the commercial factors associated with it along with the current trends in its growth and use. The Growing Need and Application of Biometrics: Need for Privacy and Security: In the present times, the use of information technology has increased to a great extent that calls for the need of privacy and security of all data and information that computers and other network systems hold. The use of biometrics has benefitted in the way it is capable of restricting the access of any unauthorized individual such that any kind of frauds may be prevented. The biometric systems are extensively used in military services as well as for governmental purposes. The applications of these systems are made available to the common people and hence can be found in use for prison visitor systems, driver’s licenses, administration of canteen, benefit payment systems, border control measures, voting systems as well as in areas of junior schooling. Future applications of these systems are also being considered to be made available in the use of ATM machines, workstation and network access, travel and tourism, public identity cards, telephone transactions, and internet transactions (Biometrics, n.d.). Strong methods of identity authentication enabled through digital transmission can be understood to be of great need thus raising the use of biometrics. With the world moving towards an era where cashless economy prevails in most cases, with the selling and buying being often taking place electronically, biometrics would prove to be real essential and beneficial in the near future (Willis, 2009, pp.103-129). Biometrics: A Trend in Authentication Technology: Overview: The future trends in the use of biometric technology and process can be clearly understood from the technique being publicized as the universal remedy for theft of identity, frauds in use of credit card, network hacking, terrorism, privacy being a ttacked, misuse of one’s personal information and all other atrocious things and crimes happening in the 21st-century that can be expected to occur if someone else influences a computer or a network system. The present century has effectively realized that traditional authentication measures like the use of passwords and pins are not enough in the current times to protect and secure important information that are stored in network systems. The need for measurement of physiological features has thus become highly necessary, that is provided by biometrics. Analysis of fingerprints, voices, retinas enable a proper authentication measurement since these features are unique to every individual. Thus once these are recorded in the system, they can be compared in order to determine the access of the correct person. â€Å"This type of authentication is considered to have more integrity than photo ID and username/password systems because even sophisticated fake IDs, clever social eng ineering and lazy security habits can't compromise it† (Haas, 2004). The overall benefits of biometrics technology have been obtained in authentication, control in access and attendance, control in travelling, in financial and other transactions, remote voting, is use of automatic working devices, and action control.  

Israeli-Palestinian problems Essay Example for Free

Israeli-Palestinian problems Essay The Israeli-Palestinian problems arise out of an ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine and contributes to the Arab-Israeli conflicts. (David, 1996, 363) Historians generally take the position that resolving the ongoing problems between the two nations is the key to eradicating at least in part, the threat of Islamic terrorism around the world. (Schoenbaum, 2006, 281) There have been many attempts by the United Nations and world powers, particularly the US to resolve the tensions between Israel and Palestine, but to no avail. (Slater, 2001, 171) The most that can be gleaned from these peace-making efforts is the identification of the barriers to building peace between Israel and Palestine. This research paper will critically evaluate the problems between Israel and Palestine, the barriers to peace building and the possible solutions for removing these barriers and building peace between the two nations. This paper will also examine the consequences for world peace should the conflicts and tensions between Palestine and Israel continue to brew. Overview Historically, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is characterized by six distinct periods of tensions. The first period and the origins of the conflict can be traced back to the late 19th century with the rise of Zionism and Arab Nationalism. (Gelvin, 2005, 93) The Zionist movement was a Jewish national movement formed in 1897, primarily in response to sentiments of anti-Semitism throughout much of Europe and Russia. The Arab nationalism movement was in turn a reaction to Zionism. (Gelvin, 2005, 93) Zionism advocated for the formation of a Jewish nation-state in Palestine. (Rolef and Sela, 2002, 928-932) Furthering the cause of the Zionist movement, the World Zionist Organization together with the Jewish National Fund purchased land in the Palestine area under both the British and the Ottoman rule and advocated for immigration to the area. (Tessler, 1994, 53) During the rise of the Zionist movement during the late 19th century much of Palestine had been occupied by Arab Muslims and Bedouin with a relatively small number of Christians, Druze, Circassians and Jews. (Medding and Harman, 2008, 3-7) Palestinian Arab rulers began to regard these Zionist aspirations as a threat. (Fortna, 2004, 97) The Arab unrest with the Jewish immigration to Palestine was more about their national identity since they originated from Europe and Russia. The prevailing feeling among the Arabs in Palestine was that the migration of Europeans and Russians to the area disturbed Palestine’s national identity. (Kramer and Harman, 2008, 121) A number of Arab protests arose as a result of Zionist purchases of property in Palestine. The result of these land purchases and immigration policies was a significant increase in the Jewish population in the area. By 1917, the British defeated the Ottoman Turkish military and subsequently occupied Palestine where they remained until the First World War ended. (Kramer and Harman, 2008, 121) The second period of conflict followed the end of the First World War with the British occupation of Palestine. The League of Nations transferred the Palestine problem to the British, indorsing the Balfour Declaration and calling upon the British to create the Jewish Agency, designed to organize and manage Jewish matters in Palestine. (Yapp, 1987, 290) The Balfour Declaration was formulated by the British government in 1917 and stated as follows: â€Å"His Majestys government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. (Yapp, 1987, 290) The Palestinian Arab population grew increasingly hostile toward British pro-Zionist policies. Making matters worse, Jewish immigration continued to grow, with significant numbers of Jew migrating to Palestine as a result of increasing anti-Semitism in Europe. In the Ukraine, 10,000 Jews had been killed. (Berry and Philo, 2006, 4) The Nazi’s rise to power in Germany only served to increase Jewish immigration to Palestine. A number of riots erupted in Palestine, spearheaded by the Arab population in protest against the growing Jewish population. (Nicosia, 2008, 130) The British attempt at resolving these conflicts was the Haycraft Commission of Inquiry, 1921, the Shaw Report 1930 and the Peel Commission of 1936-1937 which was followed by the White Paper of 1939. (United Nations, 1947) These reports reflect the character of the efforts for resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Peel Commission recommended a partition of the area and the White Paper suggested a single state resolution with quotas for the both Jewish and Arab immigrants to Palestine. (United Nations, 1947) The cut off period for these immigration restrictions extended over the Second World War at a time when the Holocaust displaced a number of Jews in Europe. This resulted in a number of illegal immigration by Jews to the region and this only served to increase tensions. (Nicosia, 2008, 130) After the Second World War, the Jewish Resistance Movement was established and in protest against British policies in Palestine, engaged in a number of attacks against the British military. One such attack saw the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, the headquarters for the British troops. (Tessler, 1994, 256) Be that as it may, news of the Holocaust brought with it international sympathy for the Zionist movement. (Tesler, 1994, 210) Coinciding with these developments, the United Nations encouraged the division of Palestine into three sections under a Mandatory Palestine policy. (Tessler, 1994, 185) These divisions included an Arab State, a Jewish State and an International Zone which would include Jerusalem and the area around it. In the meantime, Bethlehem and Jerusalem would be controlled by the United Nations. Tessler, 1994, 185-268) The Unitied Nations’ solution was unpalatable to both the Jews and Aabs in Palestine. (Laquer and Rubin, 2001, 69-80) Despite these early signs of the futility of a divided state in Palestine, the UN indorsed the plan on Novermber 29, 1947. The date for partition was earmarked at May 15, 1948, the date by which the British were scheduled to withdraw its troops from the region. (Laquer and Rubin, 2001, 69-80) With a strategic plan for division in place, violence between the Jews and the Arabs, typically instigated by the Arabs, picked up momentum with open warfare over routes in Palestine taking centre stage. (Greenville, 2005, Chapter 39) Zionist leader, David Ben-Gurion, declared the implementation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, following a decisive victory in fighting against the Arabs and became Israel’s first Prime Minister. (Hazony, 2001, 267) The declaration of the State of Israel received wide approval with both the US and the USSR supporting the new State at the United Nations. Hazony (2001) doubts however, if this declaration would have garnered such wide spread support if emotions hadn’t been â€Å"stirred by the Holocaut. †(xx) In the years that followed, the turmoil and threat to world peace that followed, compromises whatever satisfaction the Zionists and their supporters derived from the creation of the Jewish state. (Hazony, 2001, xx) The consequences for world peace began almost immediately following the declaration of the State of Israel, setting forth the third period of Israeli-Palestinian problems. An Arab-Israeli War erupted on May 15-16, 1948 when armies from Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Iraq and later Lebanon, invaded Israel. (Nazzal, 1978, 18) The new State of Israel emerged victorious and subsequently annexed territory that would encroach upon the partitioning borders of the Jewish State and reaching over into the Arab borders in Palestine. Jordan occupied the West Bank ad East Jerusalem, Israel occupied West Jerusalem and Egypt, the Gaza Strip. (Sela, 2002, 491-498) In 1950 however, would take possession of the West Bank. (Sela, 2002, 491-498) The Israeli-Arab War of 1948 would only serve to complicate matters for world peace and particularly Jews. Approximately 856,000 Jews either fled voluntarily or were forced to flea from Arab nations, many leaving their property and personal possessions behind. (Shulewits, 2001, 139-155) Likewise, Palestinian Arabs suffered a vastly similar fate in area then forming the new Israeli state, becoming known as Palestinian refugees. These refugees were simultaneously denied re-entry into Israel and entry or citizenship in the adjourning Arab States, save and except for the Transjordan West Bank, the Egyptian occupied Gaza Strip, the East Bank of Jordan Riverm Syria and Lebanon. (Brynen and El-Rifai, 2007, 1) In 1949, Israel proposed repatriating 100,000 refugees and to re-open previously frozen bank accounts. (Sela, 2002, 58-121) Arab leaders, however, fortified in their position against the recognition of an Israeli state primarily refused to accept the Israeli olive branch. (Sela, 2002, 58-121) The result is, the Palestinian refugees continued to remain a source of conflict and tension between Israel and Palestine as many of these refuges remain in refugee camps. (Brynen and El-Rifai, 2007, 132) Conflicts between Arabs and Jews accelerated along the border of Israel and Jordan, starting with minor Israeli raids and Palestinian responses which only escalated in time and intensity. After the Israel attack on an Egyptian military base in the Gaza strip in February 1955, the Egyptian officials began to engage in sponsoring, arming and training Palestinian Fedayeen from along the Gaza Strip who would conduct raids on Israel. (Shlaim, 2000, 128) According to Avi Shlaim (2000) it was not until the Israeli raid on the Gaza strip that Egypt took such a militant approach to Israel. (129) Previously: â€Å" the Egyptian military authorities had a consistent and firm policy of curbing infiltration by Palestinians from the Gaza Strip into Israel. † (Shlaim, 2000, 129) Be that as it may, several years later, in 1964, the Palestinian Fedayeen resulted in the formaiton of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PLO had as its goal the liberation of Palestine via the auspices of armed combat whose duty it was to â€Å"puge the Zionest presence from Palestine. † (Rubinstein, 1982, 209) In 1967 Egypt conducted a number of scare tactics by mobolising troops in the Sinai Peninsula which was followed by several other vastly similar moves by Arab nations neighbouring Israel. As a pre-emptive strike, Israel attacked Egypt and the Six-Day War followed. At the end of this latest foray, Egypt annexed the Gaza Strip and the West Bank which also included East Jerusalem. This would only increase hostilities between Israel and the Arabs. (Oded, 2002, 127) The fourth period of Israeli-Palestinian tensions commenced following the Six-Day War. In February 1969 Yasser Arafat was selected to chair the PLO and almost immediately, the PLO set about commiting armed attacks on Israel in an attempt to seize control of the West Bank. However, Israel got the better of these armed conflicts and PLO forces were exiled to Jordan where the Palestinian population was overwhelming and attacks on Israel continued by virtue of terrorist attacks. The inevitable followed with Israeli responding with counter attacks. (Shlaim, 2000, xxiii) The tensions increased and by 1970, the PLO seized control of southern Lebanon and conducted rocket attacks against the Galilee towns and other terror attacks on the north border of Lebanon and Israel. Palestinian terrorist groups spearheaded by the PLO together with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine commenced an intense campaign against the Israelis abroad, particularly in Europe. (Streissguth, 1993, 43-58) In an effort to fortify the campaign, Palestinian guerrillas waged several attacks on Israeli civilians at schools, on busses and in apartment complexes. Attacks overseas targeted embassies, airports and the hijacking of aircraft. At the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, Israeli athletes were taken hostage by the Black September â€Å"faction of the PLO†. (Judaken, 2006, 201) The Israeli authorities responded by virtue of a raid on the PLO headquarters in Lebanon. Other infamous terror attacks would follow including the Savoy Hotel attack, the Zion Square refrigerator explosion and the Ma’alot massacre in 1974 which claimed the lives of 22 children. (Streissguth, 1993, 43-58) In 1974, the Yom Kippur War commenced under the instigation of Egypt and Syria which was a surprise attack on Israel. A cease fire ended the war and gave way to the onset of the Camp David Accords, 1978 setting guidelines for peace negotiations in the future. Still the terror attacks continued. (Jureidini and McLaurin 1981, 1-26) Israel launched the Operation Litani which was designed to regain control of Southern Lebanon to the border with the Litani River. (Ron, 2003, 175) The operation was successful and the PLO took up residence in Beirut. Even after Israel’s withdrawal, Palestinian terrorist and guerrillas continued to fire rockets at Galilee, Israel. Finally, in 1981, US president Regan negotiated a cease fire that endured for a year. (Ron, 2003, 175) An assassination attempt on Shlomo Argov, Israeli’s Ambassador to the UK ended the cease fire on June 3, 1982. (Bar-On, 2004, 200) This gave way to the 1982 Lebanon war in which Israel invaded Lebanon on June 6, 1982 claiming the move necessary for the protection of northern Israel. (Bar-On, 2004, 200-201) In order to bring an end to this latest military conflict in the region, US and European diplomats negotiated for the safe transport of key PLO leaders such as Arafat to Tunis, an exile destination. (Bregman, 2002, 145) By June 1985, the Israelis withdrew in large part from Lebanon, leaving behind a minimal faction in South Lebanon in an area designated a security zone. In Tunis, the PLO lead campaigns against Israel with a number of terrorist attacks which resulted in the Israelis bombing the PLO’s camp in Tunis during the conduct of Operation Wooden Leg. (Bregman, 2002, 152) Continuous uprisings in the West Bank and the Gaza Strips continued and by January 1988, directed by the PLO in Tunis these uprisings became more organized, characterized as Intifadas. The first Intifada resulted in the death of 1, 551 Palestinians and 422 Israelis. (Israeli-Palestinina Deaths, 1987-2007) During the Gulf War of 1990-1991, Arafat appeared to support Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait following which the PLO was financially cut off by many Arab states. (Aburish, 1998, 201-228) The US and the USSR seized the opportunity following the Gulf War to start a peace conference between the Palestinian Arabs from countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Syria and Israel. It began with the Madrid Conference in October 1991, commandeered by Russia and the US. (Bush, 1991 2-23) Even so, the end of the Gulf War saw more international efforts with respect to resolving the issues in the Israeli-Palestinian tensions. This would mark the fifth stage of this ongoing sage and commenced from 1993-2000. In January 1993 there appeared to be some progress toward peace when Arafat sent an official letter to Israel’s then prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, claiming to renounce terrorism and to recognize Israel as an independent state. (Exchange of Letters between Rabin and Arafat, Sept. 9, 1993) What followed was the Olso Accords in which the parties tried to set up a two-state solution. The agreement called for a Palestinian Authority, headed by Arafat which would practice and encourage Israeli tolerance. (BBC News, November 2003) However, there is evidence that the Palestinian Authority not only supported but also funded terrorist strikes and organizations. (BBC News, November 2003). The violence in the Palestinian areas continued and in February 1994 the Kach movement killed 29 Palestinian Arabs in the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre. (Scharfstein and Gelabert, 1997, 306) The Palestinian Hamas retaliated by conducting suicide bomb attacks against Israeli civilians throughout Israel. Scharfstein and Gelabert, 1997, 306) In September 1995 Arafat and Rabin signed an Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement with respect to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The agreement called for Palestinian Arabs to return to occupied areas of Palestine and for Palestinian recognition and acceptance of Israel’s right to a peaceful existence. The agreement however was not accepted by Hamas and other PLO affiliates who were continuing to commit terror attacks in Israel. (Rheinhart, 2005) These bursts of violence would characterize the sixth stage of peace negotiations during the Camp David Accords 2000 with the result that nothing has been resolved between the Palestines and the Israelis today. (Rheinhart, 2005) The difficulties with resolving the issues that give rise to the problems between the Jews and the Arabs arise out of the fact that they are being mediated from a purely subjective and entirely selfish perspective. Having examined the nature of the conflict and the failed attempts at peace, the remainder of the paper will evaluate why these problems persist despite attempts to eradicate them. The Peace Process As previously, noted, the approach taken to the support of the establishment of the Jewish State is primarily dictated by emotions in the aftermath of the Holocaust. However, there were other matters that influenced the approach. The United States on the other hand, had and very likely still has its own agenda. Willaim Viorst maintains that the US’ role with respect to the peace building process in the Middle East was influenced by a two-tier agenda built around the following ideology: â€Å"†¦pressing for concessions from all sides to establish some permanent negotiated settlement, and ensuring Israel came out of the agreement strong enough to act as the U. S. proxy in the area against Soviet threats. †(Viorst, 1987) In addition, the US’s attitude toward a number of Middle Eastern countries, such as Syria, who is very much involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, is characterised by mistrust. Sepearte and apart from disapproving of nations such as Syria’s autocratic governence, the US has always taken a stand against that nation’s link to terrorists and its anti-Israel position. (Zunes, 1993, 62) This stance against terrorism is particularly strong following the September 11 attacks on the US. In the final analysis, the only thing that was accomplished in the days following the Six-Day War and the present was a string of dishonored concessions on the parts of both Palestinian and Israeli officials. One example is found in the ongoing struggles with Syria. (Zunes, 1993, 62) Syria agreed to demilitarize the Golan Heights area, permit international supervision together with other security comittments in return for Israel’s withdrawal neither side have been able to live up to their side of the bargain. (Zunes, 1993, 62) Viorst raises yet another point. The Ma’a lot Massacre which only threatened the peace building process and provided Isreal with grounds for making renewed demands of neighbouring Arab nations to close its borders to terrorist. (Viorst, 1987) Syria’s Hafez Assad, exemplifies the degree of Arabic pride that was virtually ignored in these peace-builing processses. This pride commands loyalty to Arabic culture to such an extent that it compromises the ability to objectively agree to such a demand for fear of the perception that the leader is regarded as having been weakened to the will of the Israelis. (Viorst, 1987) A stalemate was therefore inevitable. US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger responded by sending a letter to the Israeli government indorsing whatever means of redress it desired in reponse to the terrorist attacks on its terrirory. Viorst points out that Kissenger effectively pledged that: â€Å"†¦no future president would withhold American economic or military assistance as punishment for antiterrorist reprisals. It committed Washington to support such attacks before the world, most notably at the United Nations. In effect, it imposed a serious new limitation on Americas ability to compel restraint within the cycle of violence that so often ran amok in the Arab-Israeli struggle. † (Viorst, 1987) When this letter is read together with reference to the fact that the Americans provided military aid to Israel during the Yom Kippor War, it is hardly surprisig that peace building between Israel and Palestine failed time and time again. Particularly compromising was the fact that the US in its role as mediator, President Nixon was caught up in the midst of the Watergate scandal by1974. (Viorst, 1987) It would appear, that Nixon’s focus on the Palestine-Israel conflict was quite possibly more of an attempt to distract attention away from the Watergate scandal and was determined to convince the public that he was an â€Å"indispensable to peacekeeping† in this hostile region. (Viorst, 1987) Nixon’s first tour of the Middle East did not turn out as well as planned. Newly elected Israeli Prme Minister Yitzhak Rabin made it clear that he wanted Israel to remain the US stronghold in the Middle East but at the same time he was not interested in the current peace-keeping negotiations. (Viorst, 1987) Russia’s role in the peacebuilding process in the earlier years also gave off the impression that, like the US, the Soviets were intent on maintaining a stronghold in the Middle East, by providing support for the Palestines. To this end, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict came to be a provy war, between the world’s super powers, in their respective struggles for world dominance and power. Stephen Zunes provides a rational basis for placing the blame for the continuous failure of the peace building process between Palestine and Isreal on the US. To start with, it probably goes without saying that Israel’s neighbours, particularly Palestinian Arabs, have both political and economic motives for wanting peace with Isreal. The disintegration of the Soviet Union gave way to â€Å"dramatic political and economic shits† in the Middle East as a whole. (Zunes, 2000, 1-4) Moreover, US dominance in the region in the aftermath of the Gulf War, together with â€Å"the establishment of the Palestinian Authority† the circumstances are such that those caught in the middle of the Palestinian-Syrian conflict on the Arab side, â€Å" can no longer reap politial capital from provoking conflict with Israel. † (Zunes, 2000, 1-4) On the other side of the spectrum , Israel is not motivated nor is it inclined â€Å"to take the necessary steps† to facilitate a viable settlement and similarly, the United States â€Å"appears unwilling to push its ally to compromise. † (Zunes, 2000, 1-4) Despite the ongoing peace talks final Israel-Palestinina peace accord may not be possible any time soon. (Zunes, 2000, 1-4) It becomes increasingly clearer with time that while the United Sates is holding itself out as an impartial mediator, when one looks beneath the surface the United States is slanted in its support of Israel and its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian problems. Zunes explains how this is so by directing attention to the US approach to the annexed land following the UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 in respect of wars between Arab States and Israel. Resolution 242 called for peace in the Middle East by requiring Israel to withdraw from the territories it annexed following the 1967 War and for the Termination of all claims or states of belligerency. (UN Security Council Resolutions 242) Resolution 338 followed the Yom Kippur War and basically called for a cease fire. (UN Security Council Resolutions 338) When Syria rejected the resolution the United States claimed that Syria was â€Å"hard-lined† for its rejection of these Resolutions. When Syria â€Å"dramatically moderated its policies† and accepted the resolutions the United States complained that Syria was â€Å"hard-lined for their insistence on the resolutions’ strict implementation. † (Zunes, 2000, 1-14) The obvious consequence is â€Å"an impasse that can be broken only by a shift in U. S. policy. † (Zunes, 2000, 1-14) The Madrid Conference was co-sponsored by the United States and the Soviet Union. The conference involved peace talks themed after UN Resolution 242, â€Å"land for peace talks† between Israel and the Arab States caught up in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (Rabinovich 1999, 39-43) These peace talks represented a tie in to additional peace talks at various other forums up to the year 2000. Yet no accord was struck. Conclusion Clearly, the sollution to the Israeli-Palestinian problems involves a quid pro quo approach. The Middle Eastern countries directly bordering Palestine want their land returned to them and Israel wants security against terrorist attacks. In order to resolve these issues in a manner that is fair to both sides, the US, as primary mediator should propose that Israel withdraw from the regions in exchange for clearly defined security gaurantees from its neighbouring Arab nations. The US can achieve this goal by threatening to withdraw its current economic and military support to Israel. The underlying impediment to the long history of negotiations between Israel and Palestinian neighbours has been the imbalance of pressure. While the surrounding Arab nations, particularly Syria, have been pressured by a lack of military and economic aid to make concessions Israel has had no incentives or pressure to at least meet its hostile neighbours halfway. The United States role appears to be disingenuous since it has repeatedly failed to put pressure on Israel to be fair and objective. Works Cited Aburish, S. (1998) From Defender to Dictator. New York: Boomsbury Publishing. Bar-On, M. (2004) A Never-Ending Conflict: A Guide to Israeli Military History. Greenwood Publishig Group. BBC News. (November 7, 2003) â€Å"Palestinian Authority Funds Go to Militants. † http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/middle_east/3243071. stm Retrieved 2 May, 2009. Berry, M. and Philo, G. (2006) Israel and Palestine: Conflicting Histories. Pluto Press. Bregman, A. (2002) Israel’s Wars: A History Since 1947. Routledge. Bryen, R. and El-Rfai, R. (2007) Palestinian Refugees: Challenges of Rapatriation and Development. I. B. Tauris. Bush, P. (1991) â€Å"The Madrid Middle East Peace Conference October 30-November 1, 1991. † Foreign Policy Bulletin 2, 2-23. David, Newman. (1996) â€Å"Shared Spaces – Separate Spaces: The Israel-Palestine Peace Process. † GeoJournal 39(4) 363-375. Exchange of Letters between Rabin and Arafat. (Sept. 9, 1993) http://www. mideastweb. org/olsoletters. htm Retrieved May 3, 2009. Fortna, V. (2004) Peace Time: Cease-Fire Agreements and the Durability of Peace. Princeton University Press. Gelvin, J. (2005) The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War. Cambridge University Press. Greenville, J. (2005) A History of the World From the 20th to the 21st Century. Routledge. Hazony, Y. (2001) The Jewish State: The Struggle for Israel’s Soul. Basic Books. Israeli-Palestinian Deaths, 1987-2007. (n. d. ) http://israelipalestinian. procon. org/viewersousce. asp? resourceID=639 Retrieved 2 May 2009. Judaken, J. (2006) Jean-Paul Sartre and the Jewish Question: AntipAmtisemitism and the Politics of the French Intellectual. University of Nebraska. Jureidini, P. and McLaurin, R. (1981) Beyond Camp David: Emerging Alignments and Leaders in the Middle East. Syracuse University Press. Kramer, G. and Harman, G. (2008) A History of Palestine: From the Ottoman Conquest to the Founding of the State of Israel. Princeton University Press. Laquer, W. and Rubin, B. (2001) The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentatry History of the Middle East Conflict. Penguin. Medding, P. and Harman, M. (2008) Sephardic Jewry and Mizrahi Jews. Oxford University Press. Nazzal, N. (1978) The Palestinian Exodus From Gallilee. 1948 Institute for Palestine Studies. Nicosia, F. (2008) Zionism and Anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. Cambridge University Press. Oded, E. (2002) â€Å"Arab-Isreal Peacemaking† cited in Sela, A. (ed) The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East. New York: Continuum. Reinhart, Tanya. (2005) Israel/Palestine: How to End the War of 1948. New York: Seven Stories Press Roelf, H. and Sela, A. (2002) â€Å"Zionism. † Cited in Sela, A. (ed) The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East, New York: Continuum. Ron, J. (2003) Frontiers and Ghettos: State Violence in Serbia and Israel. University of California Press. Rubinstein, W. (1982) The Left, The Right and The Jews. Croom Helm. Scharfstein, S. and Gelabert, D. (1997) Chronicle of Jewish History: From the Patriarchs to the 21st Century. KTAV Publishing House Inc. Schoenbaum, T. (2006) International Relations: The Path Not Taken: Using International Law to Promote World Peace and Security. Cambridge University Press. Shlam, A. (2000) The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arabl World. W. W. Norton and Company. Shulewitz, M. (2001) The Forgotten Millions: the Modern Jewish Exodus from Arab Lands. Continuum. Slater, J. (2001) â€Å"What Went Wrong? The Collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. † Political Science, 116(2), 171-199. Streissguth, T. (1993) International Terrorists. The Oliver Press, Inc. Tessler, M. (1994) A History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Indianapolis: Indicana University Press. United Nations. (October 2, 1947) â€Å"Ad Hoc Committee on the Palestinian Question: Communication From the United Kingdom Delegation to the United Nations. † A/AC. 14/8. UN Security Council Resolutions 242 UN Security Council Resolution 338 Viorst, William. (June 1987) â€Å"The Kissinger covenant and other reasons Israel is in trouble Henry Kissinger, excerpt from Sands of Sorrow: Israels Journey From Independence. † Washington Monthly, Available online at† http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v19/ai_5010446/pg_5 Retrieved 3 May, 2009 Yapp, M. (1987) The Making of the Modern Near East 1792-1923. Longman. Zunes, Stephen. (1993) â€Å"Israeli-Syrian Peace: The Long Road Ahead. † Middle East Policy, Vol. 2, p. 62 Zunes, Stephen. ( February 2000)†The US and the Israeli-Syrian Peace Process. † Foreign Policy in Focus, Vol. 5 No. 3 pp 1-4

Theoretical Framework for Research Study

Theoretical Framework for Research Study Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.0 Overview As chapter 1 had discussed about the introduction to the research and chapter 2 had provided an insight into the literature review, chapter 3 would be focusing on the research methodology that would be carried out during the course of the research. In essence, it is the foundation of how data would be collected and analyzed. Chapter 3 would begin by discussing on the theoretical framework designed specifically for this paper, encompassing and providing an overview and relationships of all the variables present in this research. From then on, 3.2 would discuss about the different forms of hypotheses development and the chosen method for the researchers hypotheses. Proceeding through, 3.3 would discuss about the sampling design, or in other words, how the researcher intends to represent the target population. This section also gives detailed steps on the researchers planned implementation of a pilot test, the sampling design method used and the sampling procedures that would be initiated. Section 3.4 would then touch base on the data collection methods that would be used by the researcher, both secondary and primary sources. The data analysis section would be under 3.5, where techniques regarding the methods of data analysis and hypotheses testing would be discussed. Chapter 3 would then conclude with a chapter summary at 3.6. 3.1 Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework has been created to be a â€Å"conceptual framework of how one theorizes or makes logical sense of the relationships among the factors that have been identified as important to the problem† (Sekaran, 2003). It is developed to have an insight into the inter-relationships among the variables that exist in this research. Throughout this research, there are three set of variables have been identified to be of utmost importance to the researcher and can be categorized as the dependent and independent, and moderating variable. The dependent variable is the variable of primary interest to the researcher, in order to predict its variability. This variable is often known as the outcome variable. In this research, the dependent variable refers to the purchase of luxury goods by Generation Y. The independent variables on the other hand, are the factors that influence the dependent variable in a positive or negative way or in this context, the factors that influence the purchase of luxury goods. Figure 3.1 provides an insight into the relationship between both set of variables. 3.2 Hypotheses Development A hypothesis can be defined as â€Å"a supposition made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation† (www.askoxford.com). Generally, reference group influence is a group of people influences the individuals behaviour. They give the information and provide the awareness to specific brands or products. The reference groups influence can be affected through peer, families, celebrities and others are the key that etermine the purchase decision of Generation Y. â€Å"People tend to behave in accordance with a frame of reference produced by the groups to which they belong† (Bearden and Etzel 1982). Therefore, this study believes that the association exits between reference groups influence and purchase of luxury goods. To empirically proven this association, the first hypothesis of this study is formed as followed: H1: There is a significant relationship between reference groups influence and purchase of luxury goods. The conspicuous consumption is used to display wealth, power and status. Veblenian consumers attach a greater importance to price as an indicator of prestige because they wan to impress others. Price of the products determine the quality of the products which used by the consumers to judge the products. The researches show that â€Å"conspicuousness of a product was positively related to its susceptibility to reference group influence† (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). Besides that, identity or self concept also has been display from the consumers to show the status and wealth. The conspicuous consumption had dominated in numerous researches, and it can be stated that conspicuous is important to be identify as perceived value (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). Thus, the following hypothesis is formed for the association between perceived conspicuous vale and purchase of luxury goods. H2: There is a significant relationship between perceived conspicuous value and purchase of luxury goods. The perfectionist effect exists when â€Å"consumers purchase luxury items and expects superior products and performance as well as quality† (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). The research conducted by Barnier, Rodina, Florence (2005) found that quality is the main criteria lead to luxury purchase. According to Luong Thi Bich Thuy (2008), â€Å"the consumers quality perception would play a positive role over his or her perception of prestige over the same brand if the consumer perceived the brand as having an excellent level of quality†. Thus, the following hypothesis is formed for the association between perceived quality vale and purchase of luxury goods. H3: There is a significant relationship between perceived quality value and purchase of luxury goods. Brand image can be defines as â€Å"perceptions about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in consumer memory† (Keller, 1993; Cheng, 2006; Rio, Varques, Iglesias, 2001). It influences consumer perception and crucial to purchase choice. Consumers able to evaluate the products, lower the purchase risk, obtain experience and recognize the product differentiation through brand image. According to Grewal, Krishnan, Baker, and Borin (1998), â€Å"the better a brand image is, the more recognition consumers give to its product quality†. Thus, the fourth hypothesis of study is as follow: H4: There is a significant relationship between brand image and purchase of luxury goods. Aesthetics have strong influence on purchase of luxury good and it should always be the case according to Dubois, Laurent, Czellar (2001). Aesthetics reflects a sensory response in an audience such as satisfaction, pleasure or affect. â€Å"The aesthetics dimension is composed of design, colour and style that create beauty, they are of primary importance† (Barnier, Rodina, Florence, 2005). The research also proved that French, Russian and UK consumers have a hedonic approach for luxury derived from aesthetics which Aesthetics dimension in France earned the highest position, 29%, in comparison to Russia, 19% and the UK, 15%. Hence, the fifth hypothesis is formed for the association between aesthetics and purchase of luxury goods. H5: There is a significant relationship between aesthetics and purchase of luxury goods. 3.3 Population and Sampling 3.3.1 Population â€Å"Population can be defined as total number of inhabitants constituting a particular race, class, or group in a specified area.† (http://www.answers.com/topic/population, no date). With reference to the topic at hand, the researcher has set that the target population for this research would be the Generation Y in Malaysia. Even the generation Y has been defined as born in between 1977 and 1994 by Horovitz (2002) and Sriviroj 2007, the study would survey specifically generation Y who are aged between 20 and 29 which focus on the college students, university students and young working adults. 3.3.2 Pilot Test for Questionnaire â€Å"Pilot test is a smaller version of a larger study that is conducted to prepare for that study to ensure that the ideas or methods behind a research idea are sound, as well as to â€Å"work out the kinks† in a study protocol before launching a larger study.† (http://ms.about.com/od/newsresearch/g/pilot_study.htm, no date). In this research, the researcher intends to conduct a pilot study containing 10 questionnaires to university students in Multimedia University Melaka in order to justify the content and reliability of the questionnaire. This is done as the researcher feels that the students in the University campus serve as a just representation of the intended target population. The feedback from the respondents will be corrected before distributing to the targeted respondent. 3.3.3 Sampling Design Method A sample of the population can be drawn from one of two ways, either in the form of probability sampling or non probability sampling. Sekaran (2003) described that â€Å"when elements in a population have a known chance of being chosen as subjects in the sample, we resort to probability sampling design†. There are several forms of probability sampling. The first is simple random sampling which also known as unrestricted sampling. In a simple random sample (SRS) of a given size, all such subsets of the frame are given an equal probability. Each element of the frame thus has an equal probability of selection. Simple random sampling is also known as unrestricted sampling. The other form is known as restricted or complex probability sampling. â€Å"The main difference between the two is that efficiency is improved in that more information can be obtained for a given sample size using some of the complex probability sampling procedures† (Sekaran, 2003). Example of this form of sampling is the stratified random sampling method where the population is divided into subgroups and subsequently sub samples. On the flipside, Sekaran (2003) stated that non probability sampling designs are those where â€Å"elements in the population do not have any probabilities attached to being chosen as sample subjects†. One popular mode in this kind on sampling is the convenience or accidental sampling method. It is one â€Å"that is simply available to the researcher by virtue of its accessibility† (Bryman and Bell, 2003). The selection of units from the population is based on easy availability and/or accessibility in convenience sampling. The researcher intended to proceed with the convenience sampling method based on two reasons. First of all, the data can be collected easily which is the main advantage and another advantage is that it is much cheaper to implement than probability sampling (Jankowicz, 2005). 3.3.4 Sample Size The question of how many people should be in ones sample depends on the form of sampling adopted. â€Å"Convenience sampling, sometimes called grab or opportunity sampling, is the method of choosing items arbitrarily and in an unstructured manner from the frame†. (www.wikipedia.com, no date). A total of 200 Generation Y would be surveyed in Malaysia. 3.3.5 Sampling Procedure The sampling procedure would start once the feedback from the pilot study and the questionnaires for the survey is finalized. The questionnaires would be by printed handouts of by the researcher to the general public who fall under the age range of 20 to 29 years of age. This would typically be done in the State of Melaka, Kuala Lumpur and Pulau Pinang. A total of 500 printed questionnaires would be given out in the process. 3.4 Data Collection method 3.4.1 Secondary Data Through this research, secondary data is collected from mainly journals especially in those area concerning consumer behavior and luxury goods, informational website, articles, and books. Previous researches from a variety of authors were found from databases that include Emerald, Google Scholar and others. These sources of data provided useful background information on the luxury goods market, as well as indicating investigations that had already been taken place. 3.4.2 Primary Data Sakaran (2003) stated â€Å"data gathered for research from the actual site of occurrence of events are called primary data†. The questionnaire will be used as the primary method to collect primary data on the factors that influence Generation Y on purchase of luxury goods. 3.5 Data Analysis There are 3 objectives in the usage of data analysis. â€Å"Getting a feel for the data, testing the goodness of the data and testing the hypotheses developed for the research† (Sekaran, 2003). The first objective of getting a feel for the data is to get an idea of how the respondents reacted to the questionnaires and how they are answered. The second objective of testing the goodness of the data is to test the reliability of the data gathered. Lastly, is to test the hypotheses of the research with various research tools. 3.5.1 Descriptive Analysis Descriptive analysis will be conducted to examine the background of the respondent and the pattern of their responses. Frequency analysis will be carried out to study the background of the respondents that contribute in this study. The mean, range, standard deviation and variance would also be calculated using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to show the variability of the data and gauge the pattern of the questions answered. 3.5.2 Hypotheses Testing After the data is ready to be analyzed, the testing of the hypotheses would be the next logical step. There are many frequent hypothesis testing modules used by researchers to test their hypotheses. The researcher has decided to use the ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and Reliability Analysis for this research. 3.6 Chapter Summary In this study, the framework has been developed to meet the objectives of the study. Hypotheses have been developed from the framework and questionnaire has been designed to collect the primary data for the study. Next, the sampling design and methods to obtain data were considered and discussed for this study. The results of the primary data will be analyzed by using SPSS. Results of the analysis and interpretation of the results are presented in the next chapter.

Conformity in Society Exposed in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery Essay

Conformity in Society Exposed in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Lottery, a short story by the nonconformist author Shirley Jackson, represents communities, America, the world, and conformist society as a whole by using setting and most importantly symbolism with her inventive, cryptic writing style. It was written in 1948, roughly three years after the liberation of a World War II concentration camp Auschwitz. Even today, some people deny that the Holocaust ever happened. Jackson shows through the setting of the story, a small, close knit town, that even though a population can ignore evil, it is still prevalent in society (for example: the Harlem Riots; the terrorist attacks on September 11; the beating of Rodney King.) In The Lottery, year after year, even since Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was a child, the same ritual has gone on. It is as if the community never learns from its previous mistakes. As long as no one in the town speaks up about such a twisted yearly event, nothing is ever going to change. If Martin Luther King or Malcolm X wouldn’t have raised their voices against the prejudice that they had experienced their entire lives, we might still be living in a segregated world, which was once thought to be â€Å"okay.† This is similar to The Lottery, in which the townspeople are brainwashed into believing that this ritual is normal. For example, Old Man Warner is outraged when he hears that the north village might give up the lottery, calling...

John Locke’s theory about political power

John Locke's theory about political power is based on the idea of â€Å"perfect freedom†, a state everyone is â€Å"naturally in† while conducting personal proceedings and using possessions in normal way without pressing over or depending on other men. A law of nature governs the state of nature teaching that all people are â€Å"equal and independent† but they cannot hurt or destroy another person's â€Å"life, liberty, health or possessions†. God gives to his people different things to use for the best advantage of their lives but no one is born to has a domination over the other.There is a natural way in which a man can express the right to the things that are not beneficial to any other man yet. Then determination of property is given. Locke Justifies property as â€Å"the labor of his body and the work of his hands†. For the property to occur a person takes something from nature, mixes it with things that used to belong to him and adds his labo r. This individual labor is basically a main point from which exclusive right for the property starts and becomes unquestionable for the laborer as long as good enough is left for others.Every man is â€Å"lord† of his own. So, the only reason why man can give up his personal freedom and be bonded by political power of another man is his own consent and wish to unite with others into one mutually beneficial community. This community or government is considered to be safer, more comfortable and peaceful than life in his personal estate that could be endangered to â€Å"invasions of others†. The state of personal freedom is very unsafe and less enjoyable than secure life in society which is concerned about preservation of property.Tyranny is an â€Å"exercise of power beyond right†. It happens when anyone uses his r her power not for the best of others, but for the satisfaction of personal passions such as greediness, ambitions, wish to overpower others against th e law of nature. So, whenever such situation has occurred it has to be opposed because if the law is transgressed it causes harm to other people. Being rich or having an exceeding power is never a reason or an excuse â€Å"for rapine and oppression†.It doesn't matter if this man has a high or low rank, but for the king exceeding the authority is more shameful than for the constable because more trust is given to him. A king is also ell better educated and more acknowledged about right and wrong things to do which additionally obligates him. People willfully â€Å"choose and authorize a legislative† to create laws that will guarantee preservation of properties for each member in the community.People will never choose a legislative that makes laws being able to demolish things that everyone is trying to protect. When a legislative being ambitious or corrupted makes an attempt to go against â€Å"fundamental rule of the society† trying to enslave people, breaking t he trust at that moment his authority is ended. A new government which is ble to work for the protection of society should be chosen in case the old one bitrates the trust of people. Jefferson's text of the Declaration of Independence is mainly based on the ideas developed by Locke.Jefferson's â€Å"truth to be self evident† is basically the determination ot state ot nature in the work ot Locke. â€Å"All men are created equal† having certain rights, such as â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness†. Governments â€Å"are instituted among men† to protect these fundamental rights. In case the governor rules destructively over the people under his power he deserved nd should be thrown off his position and â€Å"new guards for future security† should be found.Jefferson writes the main part of Declaration describing that ruling of a present king of Great Britain is a history of â€Å"repeated injuries and usurpations†. â€Å"A prince w hose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people†, he says. At this point a direct referral to the Locke's idea of perfect freedom is made. Using Locke's fundamental ideas in Declaration of Independence Jefferson Justifies separation of United States from England.

Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management The WritePass Journal

Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management Abstract Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management , p.123). This paper aims at exploring the strategic benefits of effective diversity management, how diversity is handled at UKRD Group, and it provides some recommendations on how to enhance diversity at UKRD. Literature Review Benefits of effective diversity management Diversity confers various benefits to companies, and as a result, many scholars suggest that it should be a feature of every aspect of an organisation including employee development, succession planning, reviews, performance management, and rewards. To start with, employees from diverse social and cultural backgrounds bring unique skills, perceptions, and experiences to the table while working in teams. Pooling the diverse skills and knowledge from different cultural and social backgrounds increases employees’ productivity, and responsiveness to varying conditions (Buhler 2010, p.91). Furthermore, in a diverse workforce, each employee possesses distinct strengths and weaknesses, drawn from their diverse backgrounds and their individuality. If a company ensures effective diversity management is in place, it is possible to leverage the diverse strengths among employees, and compliment the weakness of each employee to make the productivity of the workforce more than the sum of it s parts (Griffin 2012, p.241). By bridging together employees from various backgrounds, businesses can market their products effectively to clients from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. This is because by ensuring the workforce reflects the region within which the business operates, it is usually easy to know the expectations, demands, tastes, and preferences of their consumers. As a result, the company will be able to produce goods/services, which conform to their clients expectations and demands (Thiederman 2008, p.3). Moreover, effective diversity management strengthens the company’s relationship with a given category of customers by making communication efficient. This is achieved by pairing customers with customer-service representatives from their social or cultural background, making them feel comfortable and satisfied. For example, a company operating in the southwest of the U.S. can employ bi-lingual customer representatives in order to serve Spanish-speaking clients in their native languag e (Guffey Loewy 2010, p.99). Companies that fail to foster diversity in their workforce experience higher turnover rates than those that treasure diversity in the workplace. This is because they portray a hostile work environment, and consequently, make most of their employees to quit. Inability to retain most of the qualified personnel leads to high turnover-related costs, which a company can avoid by embracing diversity. Losing an employee is highly detrimental to the company’s success because it results to lowered productivity; overworked remaining staff; loss of knowledge and skills; and loss of company’s time while conducting interviews (Griffin 2012). In addition, when employees are working in groups, diversity enables them to generate more and better ideas. Since the group members come from a host of varying cultures, they often propose creative and unique solutions and recommendations, unlike when they come from same backgrounds (Paludi 2012, p.93). In other words, group diversity eliminates groupthink, which is often witnessed in companies that do not foster diversity in their workforce. Groupthink makes participants in a team to think that their ideas and actions are valid, and those objecting them are either sabotaging their efforts or are uninformed. However, multicultural teams are not affected by such problems since the participants have different perspectives (Aswathappa 2013, p.769). By having a positive approach toward diversity at workplace, a company signals an ethical stand. Consequently, it can build and maintain a positive corporate image. A positive corporate image enables a company to have stronger relationships with existing clients, as well as broaden the consumer base by attracting more customers. A strong consumer base is a direct incentive to a noteworthy competitive edge, and it enables companies to face various challenges in the market such as the recession (Mor-Barak 2011). Diversity is also a key aspect in the creation of effective global relationships. Employing international talent helps in enhancing the companys reputation through outwardly encouraging cultural diversification to a broader consumer-base. If a company hires employees from different countries, it stands a greater chance of expanding and seizing global opportunities by establishing a network of languages and cultures (Guffey Loewy 2010). Additionally, by creating an environment of inclusion and by making commitment to valuing diversity, managers can boost employee morale and motivation. This is because acknowledging and accepting a person regardless of their social or cultural background makes them feel honoured, and as if they a part of the family ‘company.’ As a result, they will devote all their efforts toward realization of the organisation’s goals (Abiodun 2010, p.82-87). Managing diversity at UKRD Group UKRD Group is a multi-media company, based in the U.K. The company owns and operates a portfolio of websites, a software-licensing firm, and 16 local commercial radio stations. The company has been ranked number one for three years in a row on the U.K’s top 100 best employers (Toten 2013). Diversity management is central to the company’s human resource strategic goals, which include the development of an inclusive and integrated workforce. UKRD Group acknowledges the benefits of a diverse workforce, and it invests much in ensuring that the work-environment is free from discrimination. Moreover, the company endeavours to promote the principles of diversity in all its operations with employees, job applicants, suppliers, clients, recruitment agencies, contractors, and the public (UKRD Group Ltd, n.d.). According to the company’s CEO, William Rogers, one of the key goals of the company is to build a supportive culture, based on various fundamental standards of behaviour including honesty, fairness, openness, professionalism, and fun. For instance, employees have the liberty to express their disagreement with anything the group purposes to accomplish. However, they are expected to observe fairness and professionalism when presenting their views. Having such a splendid value-based culture portrays a good image of how the company is investing in diversity management. Furthermore, the company does not have a structured human resource department. All the HR functions are outsourced. It has adopted such as strategy in order to encourage the management to have a greater responsibility for their employees. By having a structured HR department, the company’s management believes that the relationship between managers and employees would weaken, since matters such as discipline m ay be shifted from one department to another, and as a result, they may not be handled effectively. This is a viable strategy toward strengthening of the manager-employee relationship, which is key to the effective management of diversity (Toten 2013). All employees as well as anyone who acts on behalf of the company is required to adhere to the company’s set principles of equality and diversity. Any sort of unlawful discrimination in the workplace is not condoned, and the company has put in place necessary measures to prevent its occurrence. Specifically, UKRD Group purposes to ensure that no job applicant or employee is subjected to unlawful discrimination based on gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, part-time status, or religion. This commitment is taken into account at all aspects of employment such as training, recruitment, promotion and career-development opportunities, grievance handling and the application of disciplinary procedures, and terms/conditions of employment. Because of the evolving nature of the job market and the legislation changes, the company often reviews its policies regarding diversity, and implements relevant changes (UKRD Group Ltd, n.d.). Recommendations In order for the UKRD Group to be at the forefront in ensuring diversity prevails in all its operations, it is necessary for its management to take into consideration the following suggestions. To start with, it should ensure it has a wide recruiting base. This can be achieved by adopting tools such as online job boards, where anyone with an access to the internet can view the job opportunities being advertised by the company. The company should also have a standard evaluation form. By having a standard evaluation form, instances of discrimination will be eliminated, and it allows the hiring team to use the same criteria for all candidates (Thiederman 2008). Moreover, managers of UKRD should explain the benefits of diversity to the employees, and familiarize the new hires with the company’s culture. For instance, they can clarify the roles the new hires are expected to execute, and explain to them the values treasured in the company (Hubbard 2004, p.85). Conclusion The above discussion has explored the strategic benefits of diversity management, and examined how diversity is handled at UKRD Company Ltd. Since the market is becoming increasingly global, it is necessary for businesses to understand, acknowledge, and embrace diversity in their day-to-day operations, and in their workforce. Effective management of diversity is the key to leveraging the benefits, and reducing the drawbacks associated with diversity in the workplace. Companies reap huge benefits through effective management of diversity. For instance, pooling the diverse skills and experiences from different cultural and social backgrounds increases employees productivity and responsiveness to varying conditions. In addition, when employees are working in groups, diversity enables them to generate more and better ideas unlike when they come from the same social or cultural background. Based on this discussion, it is worthwhile arguing that companies should ensure diversity is well ma naged in order to thrive successfully. Bibliography Diversity Equal Opportunities Statement. UKRD Group Ltd -. (n.d.). Available from ukrd.com/deos.php. [14 August 2014]. Abiodun, R. A. (2010). Leadership behavior impact on employees loyalty, engagement and organizational performance:. [S.l.], Authorhouse. Aswathappa, K. (2013). Human resource management: text and cases. New Delhi, McGraw Hill Education. Buhler, P. (2010). Human Resources Management All the Information You Need to Manage Your Staff and Meet Your Business Objectives. Cincinnati, F+W Media. Combe, C. (2013). Introduction to management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Griffin, R. W. (2012). Fundamentals of management. Mason, OH, South-Western Cengage Learning. Guffey, M. E., Loewy, D. (2010). Business communication: process and product. Mason, OH, South-Western/Cengage Learning. Hubbard, E. E. (2004). The managers pocket guide to diversity management. Amherst, MA, HRD Press. Mor-Barak, M. E. (2011). Managing diversity: toward a globally inclusive workplace. Los Angeles, SAGE. Paludi, M. A. (2012). Managing diversity in todays workplace: strategies for employees and employers. Santa Barbara, Calif, ABC-CLIO. Thiederman, S. B. (2008). Making diversity work: 7 steps for defeating bias in the workplace. New York, Kaplan Pub. Toten, Mike. Employee engagement case study: UK radio group. Workplace Info -. Available from http://workplaceinfo.com.au/hr-management/communication-in-the-workplace/analysis/employee-engagement-case-study-uk-radio-group#.U-3Su6PCoZw. [16 May 2013].