Family Tree of Harry Potter Author, JK Rowling

Family Tree of Harry Potter Author, JK Rowling Joanne (J.K.) Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, England, on 31 July 1965. This is also the birthday of her famous wizard character Harry Potter. She attended school in Gloucestershire until the age of 9 when her family moved to Chepstow, South Wales. From an early age, J.K. Rowling aspired to be a writer. She studied at the University of Exeter before moving to London to work for Amnesty International. While in London, J.K. Rowling began her first novel. Her long road to the publication of the first Harry Potter book, however, was shadowed by the loss of her mother in 1990 and over a year of rejections by various agents and publishers. J. K. Rowling has since written seven books in the Harry Potter series and was named the greatest living British writer by The Book Magazine in June 2006 and Person of the Year in 2007. Her books have sold hundreds of millions of copies around the world. J.K. Rowling Joanne (J.K.) Rowling was born on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. She first married television journalist Jorge Arantes in Portugal on 16 October 1992. The couple had one child, Jessica Rowling Arantes, born in 1993 and the couple divorced a few months later. J.K. Rowling later married again, to Dr. Neil Murray (b. 30 June 1971) on 26 December 2001 in their home in Perthshire, Scotland. The couple has had two children: David Gordon Rowling Murray, born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 23 March 2003 and Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 23 January 2005. J.K. Rowling's Parents Peter John Rowling was born in 1945. Anne Volant was born on 6 Feb 1945 in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. She died from complications of multiple sclerosis on 30 Dec 1990. Peter James Rowling married Anne Volant on 14 Mar 1965 in All Saints Parish Church, London, England. The couple had the following children: Joanne (J.K.) Rowling.Dianne (Di) Rowling, who was born on 28 Jun 1967 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. Rowling's Grandparents Ernest Arthur Rowling was born on 9 July 1916 in Walthamstow, Essex, England and died about 1980 in Newport, Wales. Kathleen Ada Bulgen was born on 12 January 1923 in Enfield, Middlesex, England and died on 1 Mar 1972. Ernest Rowling and Kathleen Ada Bulgen were married on 25 Dec 1943 in Enfield, Middlesex, England. The couple had the following children: Jeffrey Ernest Rowling, born on 2 Oct 1943 in Enfield, Middlesex, England and died of bladder cancer on 20 Jul 1998 in Juno Beach, Palm Becah County, Florida.Peter John Rowling. Stanley George Volant was born on 23 June 1909 in St. Marylebone, London, England. Louisa Caroline Watts (Freda) Smith was born on 6 May 1916 in Islington, Middlesex, England. According to a 2005 article Plot twist shows Rowling is true Scot in the London Times, based on research by genealogist Anthony Adolph, Louisa Caroline Watts Smith is thought to have been the daughter of Dr. Dugald Campbell, who is said to have had an affair with a young bookkeeper named Mary Smith. According to the article, Mary Smith disappeared soon after giving birth, and the girl was raised by the Watts family who owned the nursing home where the girl was born. She was called Freda and told only that her father was a Dr. Campbell. The birth certificate for Louisa Caroline Watts Smith lists no father and identifies the mother only as Mary Smith, bookkeeper of 42 Belleville Rd. The birth took place at 6 Fairmead Road, which is confirmed in the London Directory of 1915 to be the residence of Mrs. Louisa Watts, midwife. Mrs. Louisa C. Watts later appears as a witness to Fredas marriage to Stanley Volant in 1938. Louisa Caroline Watts (Freda) Smith died about April 1997 in Hendon, Middlesex, England. Stanley George Volant and Louisa Caroline Watts (Freda) Smith were married on 12 March 1938 in All Saints Church, London, England. The couple had the following children: Anne Volant.Marian Volant.

The History of 7UP and Charles Leiper Grigg

The History of 7UP and Charles Leiper Grigg Charles Leiper Grigg was born in 1868 in Prices Branch, Missouri. As an adult, Grigg moved to St. Louis and started working in advertising and sales, where he was introduced to the carbonated beverage business. How Charles Leiper Grigg Developed 7UP By 1919, Grigg was working for a manufacturing company owned by Vess Jones. It was there that Grigg invented and marketed his first soft drink, an orange-flavored drink called Whistle for a firm owned by Vess Jones. After a dispute with management, Charles Leiper Grigg quit his job (giving away Whistle) and started working for the ​Warner Jenkinson Company, developing flavoring agents for soft drinks. Grigg then invented his second soft drink called Howdy. When he eventually moved on from ​Warner Jenkinson Co., he took his soft drink Howdy with him. Together with financier Edmund G. Ridgway, Grigg went on to form the Howdy Company. So far, Grigg had invented two orange-flavored soft drinks. But his soft drinks struggled against the king of all orange pop drinks, Orange Crush. But he couldnt compete  as Orange Crush grew to dominate the market for orange sodas. Charles Leiper Grigg decided to focus on lemon-lime flavors. By October of 1929, he had invented a new drink called, Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Sodas.  The name was quickly changed to 7Up Lithiated Lemon Soda and then again changed to just plain 7Up in 1936. Grigg died in 1940 at the age of 71 in St. Louis, Missouri, survived by his wife, Lucy E. Alexander Grigg. Lithium in 7UP The original formulation contained lithium citrate, which was used in various patent medicines at the times for improving moods. It has been used for many decades to treat manic-depression. It was popular to go to lithium-containing springs such as Lithia Springs, Georgia or Ashland, Oregon for this effect. Lithium is one of the elements with an atomic number of seven, which some have proposed as a theory for why 7UP has its name.  Grigg never explained the name, but he did promote 7UP as having effects on mood. Because it debuted at the time of the stock market crash of 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression, this was a selling point. The reference to lithia remained in the name until 1936.  Lithium citrate was removed from 7UP in 1948 when the government banned its use in soft drinks. Other problematic ingredients included calcium disodium EDTA which was removed in 2006, and at that time potassium citrate replaced sodium citrate to lower the sodium content. The company website notes that it contains no fruit juice. 7UP Goes on Westinghouse took over 7UP in 1969. It then was sold to Philip Morris in 1978, a marriage of soft drinks and tobacco. The investment firm Hicks Haas bought it in 1986. 7UP merged with Dr. Pepper  in 1988. Now a combined company, it was bought by Cadbury Schweppes in 1995, a more likely marriage of chocolates and soft drinks. That company spun off the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group in 2008.

AGM -an ineffective forum for shareholder democracy Essay

AGM -an ineffective forum for shareholder democracy - Essay Example Corporate governance - an awkward phrase with several definitions among which the simplest and effective is the one that describes corporate governance as a system by which companies are directed and controlled (Committee on the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance, 1992)1. Corporate Governance supports businesses that are well managed, well directed, and well controlled. Indeed one of the functions of good corporate governance is to help ensure that good management is in place. Nevertheless, some of the most conspicuous failures in recent years have stemmed from a failure of the control function or from poor direction.All systems of corporate governance have to be considered against the social, economic, legal, and political background of the country in which they developed. A study of the relevant laws governing corporations does not reveal enough in any country unless they are understood on the basis of attitudes and patterns of behaviour to make sense of them. Examples are t hat of the company laws of Japan and the UK that are not too dissimilar in structure, but the results are poles apart. When we examine remuneration we find a marked difference in approach between the USA and Germany, where exorbitant share schemes have in the one become common and barely exist in the other. According to Charkham & Simpson (1999) "The impact upon competitiveness appears irrelevant, however other differences tell us that banks play a much larger part in Germany and Japan, not because of any deliberate policy, but because their economies happened to develop in ways in which this occurred and by the same token the stock market has a bigger role in the UK and USA"2 (Charkham & Simpson, 1999, p. 28). Reforms on both sides show that no system is immune to pressure for change, be it domestic or international. One purpose of good corporate governance is to reduce this accident rate, because unnecessary collapse is so damaging to all concerned; and where it occurs in a major company may be catastrophic. Another purpose is to encourage management to seize opportunities, and we can only speculate on how many have not been taken in the UK over the years. Corporate governance as a subject therefore is as broad as life itself, because it touches upon fundamental elements in the economy and society at large. The Role of AGM The reason for considering AGM ineffective might be the choice of a year as the period between company meetings appear a reflection of the world of nature and the tyranny of the seasons, rather than any particular logic dictated by the needs of any organisation that is not subject to them. Shareholders recognised this in the political world by having elections at various intervals and, even the UK has itself varied and to this day does not have a uniform period between elections for all levels of government. This means AGM does not support shareholders in terms of democratic elections and as far as companies are concerned, there is no particular reason, especially in these days of overflowing information, why the annual AGM cycle should be a year long. Sometimes it might be a half-year, or a quarter, for that matter eighteen months or two years, there is no particular timings for conducting regular elections. On the other hand taxation has a bearing on the choice of period and most governments raise taxes on an annual cycle but even this is not necessarily immutable and the accounting period does not have to be twelve months either; indeed

Protection or Free Trade for International Trade Essay

Protection or Free Trade for International Trade - Essay Example While both protectionism and free trade have their own advantages and disadvantages, the cost by far outweighs the benefits of protectionism. The arguments made in favor of protection are that the foreign producers have a â€Å"comparative advantage†, that protection helps the local infant industries flourish, that without protection importers would recklessly â€Å"dump† goods in the market, that protection protects the local producers, and finally, that protection prevents an imbalance of trade. However, each of these â€Å"perceived benefits† of protectionism comes at long-term costs which are far greater than the short-term benefits as explained below. The â€Å"comparative advantage† argument assumes that exporters from other countries have a strong competitive advantage that makes local producers less competitive thereby driving local companies out of business. For example, the labor cost in a developing country compared to that in a developed countr y puts some of the labor intensive local industries at a relative disadvantage. However, by moving to free-trade, countries are able to specialize in some other field where they have a comparative advantage. With such a specialization, the countries are able to take advantage of efficiencies generated from economies of scale and increased output. Also, free international trade increases the size of a firm’s market, resulting in lower average costs and increased productivity, ultimately leading to increased production. In the last few year, while China and India have taken up more work on the labor intensive industries, businesses in the developed countries have been able to actually take advantage of the lower cost and focus on their comparative advantage and invest more on research and development, and other high value added jobs. Besides, the comparative advantages do not last forever. Sooner or later, the advantage fades away. For example, according to Lyndesy Romick of gl obal envision, in China labor accounted for only about 2 percent of a manufacturing company’s total costs in 2000 but 2010 it was closer to 12 percent. That protectionism helps grow the infant industries is a misplaced fallacy. Government subsidizing of a new industry may channel too many resources into that industry, and can render the industry permanently inefficient and vulnerable to competition. Besides, most infant industries are at a competition from domestic competitors and not necessarily only importers. In the last few decades, the "infant" plastics, television, and computer industries have made out very well without any protection. Next, we consider the argument of dumping. Dumping may be defined as the overflow of cheap priced goods in order to under-cut the competition and gain market share. Now, if an importer starts dumping goods in a market, it would actually be good for the customers, and for the government in terms of revenue it makes no change. The only bad effect of dumping is for local producers. Logically, no firm can enjoy â€Å"dumping† as a sustainable strategy – selling below cost in the long-term would drive them to bankruptcy. Also, according to Rothbard, â€Å"†¦historical investigation has not turned up a single case where predatory pricing, when tried, was successful, and there are actually very few cases where it has even been tried.† The next pro-protectionism claim that it protects local producers is also at a huge cost. By protecting the local producers, there is no

Dont give up on love Essay Example for Free

Dont give up on love Essay Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn. Shilpa soon announced her engagement to the world and proudly showed off the 20 carat diamond ring which had been gifted to her by Raj. A firm believer of karma and past life, Shilpa went on to say in an interview that Raj was a part of her past life and now they are back together. Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right. Never embarrass your ex publicly You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame. Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public. Maintain dignity under pressure Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo OMeara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes. Not the one to hold grudges, Shilpa soon forgave Jade Goody and other contestants. She told the host of the show Davina McCall, â€Å"People make mistakes and were all human beings, were all fallible. Lesson Learnt: In a high pressure situation, never let your attackers get to you. Keep yourself in positive spirits, maintain your dignity and always let bygones be bygones. Make time for family You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time. 1. Dont give up on love Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn.less 2. Shilpa soon announced her engagement to the world and proudly showed off the 20 carat diamond ring which had been gifted to her by Raj. A firm believer of karma and past life, Shilpa went on to say in an interview that Raj was a part of her past life and now they are back together. Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right. 3. Never embarrass your ex publicly You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame. Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public.less 4. Maintain dignity under pressure Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo OMeara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes. 5. Not the one to hold grudges, Shilpa soon forgave Jade Goody and other contestants. She told the host of the show Davina McCall, â€Å"People make mistakes and were all human beings, were all fallible. Lesson Learnt: In a high pressure situation, never let your attackers get to you. Keep yourself in positive spirits, maintain your dignity and always let bygones be bygones. 6. Make time for family You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time. 7. In an industry where actresses are always under the media scanner for their weight-issues, Shilpa says that she is no hurry to lose post-pregnancy flab. She believes â€Å"As we are in the glamour business, we are always scrutinised for our appearances and are bound to have insecurities. But for a mother, these first four months are very crucial for the childs health. You should not compromise with it.† 1. Dont give up on love Shilpa’s heart was broken by the Khiladi of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar but she never gave up on love. The rumour mills were abuzz about her ‘relationship’ with director Anubhav Sinha, but she firmly denied them. After winning Big Brother, Shilpa went to launch her signature perfume S2 and met Raj occasionally for the launch preparations. On their first media appearance, Shilpa called Raj, her ‘business friend’ but their frequent meetings soon took a personal turn.less 2. Shilpa soon announced her engagement to the world and proudly showed off the 20 carat diamond ring which had been gifted to her by Raj. A firm believer of karma and past life, Shilpa went on to say in an interview that Raj was a part of her past life and now they are back together. Lesson Learnt: So girls, no matter how many boys break your heart; don’t ever settle for anyone except for your Mr. Right. 3. Never embarrass your ex publicly You may be seething in anger and may want to kill your ex for two timing you, but in public, you must always be at your dignified best. Even though Shilpa was heartbroken after her break up, she has often said in interviews that there is no animosity between her and Akshay and they are good friends. Akshay and Shilpa have come face to face on a number of occasions, most recently on the celebrity dance show Nach Baliye, but Shilpa has always been pleasant to her ex-flame. Lesson Learnt: Your ex may be the devil’s incarnate, but you should never wash the dirty linen in public.less 4. Maintain dignity under pressure Life wasn’t easy for this gorgeous actress, but things took a turn for worse when she entered the celebrity Big Brother 5 in 2007. Racial slurs by her fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jack Tweed and Jo OMeara rattled her but she did not give up. She stayed in the house and soon emerged as Britain’s favourite with 63 per cent votes. 5. Not the one to hold grudges, Shilpa soon forgave Jade Goody and other contestants. She told the host of the show Davina McCall, â€Å"People make mistakes and were all human beings, were all fallible. Lesson Learnt: In a high pressure situation, never let your attackers get to you. Keep yourself in positive spirits, maintain your dignity and always let bygones be bygones. 6. Make time for family You may be swiftly climbing the success ladder, but don’t forget your family in all that excitement. Shilpa decided to take a break from her acting carrer for a year after her son Viaan was born. She signed up for a couple of endorsements, but ensured that her schedule would not take up too much of her time. 7. In an industry where actresses are always under the media scanner for their weight-issues, Shilpa says that she is no hurry to lose post-pregnancy flab. She believes â€Å"As we are in the glamour business, we are always scrutinised for our appearances and are bound to have insecurities. But for a mother, these first four months are very crucial for the childs health. You should not compromise with it.† 8. In another interview when she was asked what things she would grab in case there is a fire in her home, the gorgeous actress replied, â€Å"I would just make sure that my family escapes. Material things dont matter.† Lesson Learnt: Family comes first, always! And Ladies, enjoy each and every phase of your life. Motherhood is a blessing and do not let any nasty comments about your weight or appearance affect you.

Underfunding in the Canadian Criminal Justice System Essay -- Criminal

Underfunding in the Canadian Criminal Justice System Underfunding is the greatest Challenge that is faced by the Canadian Criminal Justice System. This paper will discuss the Police Forces aging population and the challenges to replace them when they retire, it will also look at the insufficient quantity of officers needed to investigate all crime. The underfunding of the legal aid program and the effects on the courts and family law will be discussed. Finally the effects of long-term underfunding of the countries prison system and its effects on the most vulnerable inmates will also be measured. Not Enough Police Officers Baby Boomers One of the challenges the Canadian justice system faces is lack of personnel, specifically police officers. The baby boomers are approaching retirement and there experience and sheer numbers will be missed. According to Macleod (2009) half of the senior police officers will be eligible to retire within 5 years. Considering the shrinking labour pool this will make it difficult to replace these officers all at once. Macleod (2009) further states that without doubling or tripling the hiring rate of officers, the police will have to start cutting back some duties they currently perform. Normally 2000 new officers are hired across Canada every year; however by 2012 in order to replace the baby boomers, 5000-6000 will need to be hired. This might be more difficult than it sounds, considering most youth do not seem that interested in policing according to a recent survey of 1521 youths aged 16-27, that found only four percent would think about becoming officers (Macleod, 2009). The lack of funding and cutting of police budgets has left Canada in a serious dilemma when it comes to ability to deal wi... ...Weekly: http://www.lawyersweekly.ca/index.php?section=article&articleid=1281 Lunau, K. (2010, March 30). What's the agenda behind the tory prison budget boost? Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Maclean's: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/03/30/whats-the-agenda-behind-the-tory-prison-budget-boost/print/ Rybak, J. (2009, September 16). Down by law. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Maclean's : http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/03/30/whats-the-agenda-behind-the-tory-prison-budget-boost/print/ Macleod, I. (2009, November 13). Canada needs more police officers, says policing council boss. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Canada.com: http://www.canada.com/Canada+needs+more+police+officers+says+policing+council+boss/2221364/story.html Wallace, M. (2008). Police reported crime statistics in Canada, 2008. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Statistics Canada Catalogue no.85-002-X.

Musket Wars

The first major cause of the Musket Wars was the introduction of European Technology, particularly Muskets. This changed the economy of Maori society, as they had no form of currency so trade was their means to gain power and ‘wealth’ This created the danger of one tribe, in this case Nga Puhi growing increasingly powerful and influential, therefore their supplies of these muskets and weaponry growing exponentially in size. In 1821 Nga Puhi leader Hongi Hika acquired 300 muskets after trading them for his gifts he received from the King of England.This became a turning point in the Wars as it gave him overwhelming power for his tribe in the North. Muskets greatly altered the way in which Maori fought battles, as these muskets could cause far more death and destruction than previous weaponry used by the Maori. Historians such as Angela Ballara argue that the Muskets were not the cause of the actual start of the War, the war could just as easily be called ‘Potato war s’ as many Maori fought for food supply, but because of the destructive nature of the muskets, without their role the Wars could have taken a very different path.The introduction of Muskets also amplified tensions between Nga Whatua and Nga Puhi, as Nga Puhi acquired more and more muskets, other tribes particularly Nga Whatua felt threatened by the potential use of these muskets, and confrontation between these now heavily armed tribes became inevitable. The colonization of NZ by Europeans and subsequent consequences support the ‘Fatal Impact theory’, which states that impact of European society on Maori lead to the general downfall of Maori, but it is impossible to blame the Musket Wars entirely on European impact.Prior to European contact the Maori had a well-established political system between iwis. For them war was an essential part of this, as a means of declaring land ownership. Wars were fought quickly between short distances, resulting in fewer deaths. T he first war fought with muskets was the battle of Moremanui in 1908, when Nga Whatua secured a victory of Nga Puhi, as they tried to reload their muskets.The leader of Nga Puhi Hongi Hika wished to execute revenge on Ngati Whatua for the defeat, thus leading to his acquisition of muskets and intertribal warfare. The conclusion can be made that the Maori pre-established political system of which war was an integral part, was a major factor leading to the intertribal warfare of the Musket Wars, but European impact was the factor that made the warfare so destructive and lead to the many fatalities.

Workplace Analysis of the Psychological Contract

The saying that mutual admiration within the workplace binds the workforce could be a pretext to harmonizing relationships between employees and employers. The mutual admiration could be working both ways of benefits, being beneficial to the result of work and the business endeavor. Thus, mutual admiration of workforce within the organizational setting of a workplace is perceived to tie the bond of commitment, reliability and trust, aside from the legal stipulations in a written contract of employment. However, how a psychological contract does characterize the mutual values of consistency and guaranty between an employee and an employer? This basic question could be examined in the process of understanding the relationships and define the circumstances surrounding the situations in the workplace. This paper will discuss and analyze the psychological contract affecting the workplace, relating several issues being confronted by employees and employers. Defining psychological contract and its effect It would be important first to know what psychological contract is all about. As defined by Psychologists Janet Smithson and Sue Lewis from the Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology at the Manchester Metropolitan University, understanding the â€Å"psychological contract† is referred to as the â€Å"meeting of expectations† where both employee and employer aspires (Arygris 1960; in Price, Munden & Solley 1962; in Smithson & Lewis 2003: pp. 1-2). In layman’s definition, â€Å"meeting of expectations† could be exemplified by the performance of the employee towards work which is being expected by the employer to produce a quality, efficient and effective result. On the other hand, it is for the employer to provide the necessary wage and benefits, compensating the good result of performance of the employee. However, without meeting neither one nor any of the expectations could breach and defeat mutual concern. In which case, one of the results could be a defiance and conflict of interests, wherein work and labor related issues become a dilemma in the workplace. Psychological contract in contemporary working environment With the rapidly increasing growth in numbers and sizes of profitable organizations, human resource management experts and scholars perceive the development of a â€Å"standardized† labor policy and procedures in workforce deployment. Correlated to this perception is the indicated inclination of management leadership to eventually acknowledge the reform through labor treaties, specifically in recognizing the collective bargaining agreement with labor unions. However, â€Å"meeting of expectations† may still be a â€Å"one-sided† concern of the employer’s management due relevance of emerging diversified industries that may not totally materialize the â€Å"inclination† to reform the culture in a workplace. Kheeran Dharmawardena (2008) in his journal entitled: ‘The Changing Nature of the Psychological Contract and its Impact on Modern Organizations’, has examined the relevance of psychological contract from the early studies of several organizational experts. Dharmawardena synthesized the findings that scarcity of employment and security of tenure patterns the good performance of employees (Bergmann et. al. 2001; in Lester & Kickul 2001; in Dharmawardena 2008: pp. 1-7). It may be analyzed that causal to the shortage of employment opportunities, the workforce retains the â€Å"showmanship† of performance, aspiring to achieve â€Å"job security† or long tenure of employment. The aspiration itself relinquish the â€Å"no-no attitude†, wherein retaining good performance in the distinction of skills and acquirement of further learning from the workplace extends the â€Å"systems thinking† as a psychological contract to upholding the need of being employed. Acknowledging the above analyses has related the perception of Cyril van de Ven, (2004) who viewed that the intensive diversified industrial trends increases the effects of unpredictable organizational change. Considering the unpredictability, most contemporary employers are decisive in achieving the sustainability of their organizations (especially the businesses that rely in the global supply chain) by acquiring the best possible workforce, workplace and market (Rousseau 1995; in Shore & Tetrick 1994; in van de Ven 2004: pp. 1-11). It shows that this typical ambition of contemporary employers is relative to â€Å"systems thinking† of the employees, having the psychological contract to securing the profitability and existent ability to do business. In sum, the mutual concern of employee and employer attributes the psychological contract of sustaining the interest, in which narrates the desire or aspirations of the employment to co-exist in a secured and sustained working environment. Psychological contract and workplace issues This topical discussion features the subject matter pertaining to psychological contract and workplace issues. As an overview, the mutual aspect in sustaining overall organizational performance signifies the â€Å"oneness or belongingness† of membership to the organizational objective, referring to members and leadership. However, the situation of dissatisfaction and question of confidence becomes the common issue that is dealt with, specifically in employee and employer relationship. Janice Anna Knights and Barbara Jean Kennedy (2005), in their journal ‘Psychological Contract Violation: Impacts on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment Among Australian Senior Public Servants’, has cited the finding that dissatisfaction and loss of confidence are perennial issues dreadfully affecting the psychological contract. According to Knights and Kennedy, the common violation to the value of satisfaction is being dismayed by the fact that what has been verbally promised is contradicted by lies. This can be exemplified by the failure of the organizational leadership in fulfilling the promise to the membership. Reflective of Knight’s and Kennedy’s ascription to psychological contract on that particular case of unfulfilled promises may not only result dissatisfaction or disappointment but a deliberate disparity that may lead to organizational collapse. It may also relate the situation in a workplace where the employees were not able to achieve the promised benefits and due compensation of labor, in which the psychological contract to expect or aspire the viability of employment has failed. In most cases of labor disputes, the unfulfilled delivery of legally or lawfully mandated wages and benefits is claimed to violate the laborer’s rights. The violation may in itself affect the psychological contract of the employee, being unsecured or unguaranteed to achieve the source of livelihood. Therefore, psychological contract extends the paranoia of defeated and unfulfilled envisioning for a beneficial workplace. In Cantisano et al. ’s (2007) journal, entitled: ‘Social Comparison and Perceived Breach of Psychological Contract: Their Effects on Burnout in a Multigroup Analysis’, has documented the prevalence of gross labor violations. Based on the exhibited data from the conducted study research, the responses of respondents ranging from lower-income to medium-income labor forces or employees suffer from â€Å"breach of psychological contract†. To cite, employer denial to providing the necessary and just compensation [as required by law] infringe the common aspiration of the workforce to obtain the reasonable share of labor. As further cited, the effect on the â€Å"breach of psychological contract† has indicated the respondent’s extreme anxiety, such as (1) negative social judgment referring to employee-employer relationship, (2) emotionally exhausted for being violated and abused, (3) feeling of cynicism or skeptic that employers are exploitative, and (4) loss of self confidence and esteem (Van der Zee et al. 2000; in Cantisano et al. 007: p. 125). Empowering psychological contract In relation to the previous discussions, Brian P. Niehoff and Robert J. Paul (2001) of the electronic magazine Review of Business have proposed the enabling of policies that may be supplemented to the existing labor laws. Accordingly, the 2001 data of incidence in committing labor-related violations has remarkably increased to an alarming 33,000 cases of labor malpractice pending before the investigation or proper promulgation of the National Labor Relations Board which piled up in ten years from 1991 (Niehoff & Paul 2001: pp. -2). Niehoff and Paul (2001) have emphasized that â€Å"loose promises† in the workplace in order to encourage or attract the attention of the workforce. It may validate the negative thinking [of the already cynical employees] that employment is no longer beneficial and insensible to the aspirations of the workforce to gain social equity and equal treatment of labor. As cited, the disagreement point out to unreciprocated or unequalled performance of the employers to maintain the tenure of employment and sustainable income sourcing (Niehoff & Paul 2001: pp. 3-4). Indicative of Neihoff and Paul’s proposal could harness the psychological contract within the workplace. Upholding the â€Å"sensitivity† of the employer would mean to fulfill the promise by granting the just compensation and rectify indiscriminate treatment, and abdicate the flawed promises. As cited, it may not only the conflict within the workplace that shall be settled but the whole process of the system, wherein workforce may only be survived by their â€Å"grim determination†, and the remainder of â€Å"self-belief† that contemplating on the issue could be the only way to obtain the psychological contract. However, the â€Å"culture of deceit† could be permanent or entangled in the protectionist character of employers, obviously protecting the business interest (Neihoff & Paul 2001: pp. 3-4). Empowering the psychological contract can be objectively described in the organizational life of Pret a Manger, a leading sandwich biscuit company in the United Kingdom. In a contributed article of Psychologist Michael Wellin which was recently published by the electronic magazine Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SPG Media Limited, it quoted that: growing numbers of businesses apply the psychological contract convergent to forge organizational relationship between employees, the management and the company itself†. Dr. Wellin pointed out that the â€Å"trade secret† of Pret a Manger is the continuing openness of thoughts and understanding the situation, character and culture of the organization, where employees and employers are aware and much sensitive in dealing with the issues that relates the psychological contract. Dr. Wellin has found the strong importance of organizational values of Pret a Manger in dealing with the â€Å"mutuality of efforts† of both employees and employers. As cited, Pret a Manger has developed the organizational expectations by and between the employees and the management, such as follows in bulleted list below (Wellin 2008; in SPG Media Limited 2008: pp. 1-2): Management expectation on employee’s attitude towards work †¢ Sensible hard work; †¢ Prudently hilarious and easy to please; †¢ Have the benefit of good life; †¢ Work early to leave early. Employee’s expectation from Pret a Manger management †¢ Fairly compensated according to individual performance and position; †¢ Dynamic working environment of diverse workforce and skills; †¢ Provide development-education and skills training; Promotion of managers among the internal regular employees. Based on the findings on empowering the psychological contract, it appears that retaining the â€Å"mutuality of efforts†, referring to meeting the expectations of employees and employers, could paved the way towards achieving a dynamic and reliable collaboration or synergy in the workplace. This extends the analysis that fulfilling the psychological contract of the workforce systematizes and mobilizes their natural desires to sustain the viable means of the workplace, in which therefore meeting the expectations or objectives of the leadership at a judicious manner. It may also attribute the perception that the sensibility of an employer in upholding the employees expectations [as a psychological contract] could be considered as a social, moral and civic responsibility by promoting the rights and welfare of the labor force, wherein a more beneficial return will impart to the invested cost of values and as bonus to the margins of business profit. To further validate the analysis, it points out the situation that psychological contract eventually changes according to socio-economic, socio-cultural and socio-political changes. This can be exemplified by the previous discussions on the development of labor forces and markets that have been attributed by the rapidly changing business and policy environment as a result of â€Å"social diversification of industries†, keeping abreast at the global landscape of production and supply of goods. In short, psychological contract emerges in the â€Å"social and economic status† of the labor force. As cited, psychological contract always retains in the unstable or stable economic and political condition which reciprocate a particular situation (Pascale 1997; in Sharpe 2001). This can be exemplified by the prevailing global economic recession, in which the downturn of economies of highly developed and rich countries [like the US and some European countries] affects the domestic economies of undeveloped countries as a result of depleted purchasing power that as well decline the demand for labor market. Thus, the virtual effect of economic crises affects the â€Å"systems thinking† of the employees in a particular firm that may at anytime declare a bankruptcy and closes shop. The psychological contract on the expected security of tenure in employment would be at the brink of eventual loss. It may be further analyzed that workplace is an â€Å"economic-driven† organization that exist and operate its venture within a calculated business risks. The only dynamism could be indicated by feasibility studies along with planning and market testing. In this particular condition, unpredictability and uncertainty of employment may pattern the psychological contract of workforce in a workplace. Findings and conclusion This paper has found that psychological contract is characterized by the â€Å"social and economic values† pertaining to the mutual efforts and benefits of an employee and employer. In other words, there must be co-existing endeavor, agreements and appreciation to making effective, reliable and congruent the achievement of requirements and sharing of needs. However, the findings may have only analyzed the situational perception of a workplace, in which may needing the variations of reconsidering the overall â€Å"societal conditions†. What has then highlighted in the result of examining and analyzing the empirical studies derived and depicted in this paper is the fact that psychological contract can only be achieved by a consistent and truthful fulfillment of expectations, reassuring mutual efforts of employee and employer. It may be then concluded that psychological contract can be sustained by making productive the economic condition of every countries, good governance and the advancement of policy support on workforce and workplace issues. Thus, psychological contract attributes the achievement of an economically secured family and socially progressive population.

Privacy in the Information Age essays

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