Post-colonialist Perceptions of Lewis’ Out of the Silent Planet :: Post Colonialism Out of the Silent Planet Essays

Post-colonialist Perceptions of Lewis’ Out of the Silent Planet The Italian artist Michelangelo Buonarroti viewed the goal of sculpting as the manipulation of a marble block until the figure within is set free. Just as a carving artist seeks to release its piece from rock, a literary artist desires his art form to be carved from an obscure idea into clear apprehension. The most beautiful of these art pieces are placed in a museum of their own right, the literary canon. A great part of literature’s beauty is the ability of the artist to present his purpose in indiscrete ways, in some degree or another, sliding his message in the literature’s elements during its construction. In an enjoyable science fiction/fantasy book, C.S. Lewis uses his own techniques to convey his feelings and attitudes as he often had in the past. With Out of the Silent Planet, Lewis reveals his acquiescence to â€Å"Post-colonialist† thought in a very hidden way. He presents a story on an alien world, navigating around a reader’s earthly par tialities to open their minds to his beliefs. Post-colonialism is a discourse draped in history. In one point in time or another, European colonialism dominated most non-European lands since the end of the Renaissance. Naturally, colonialists depicted the cultures of non-Europeans incorrectly and inferior. Traditionally, the canon has misappropriated and misrepresented these cultures, but also the Western academia has yet to teach us the valuable and basic lessons that allow true representations to develop. Partly in response, Post-colonialism arose. Though this term is a broad one, Post-colonialists generally agree on certain key principles. They understand that colonialism exploits the dominated people or country in one way or another, evoking inequalities. Examples of past inequalities include â€Å"genocide, economic exploitation, cultural decimation and political exclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Loomba 9-10). They abhor traditional colonialism but also believe that every people, through the context of their own cultures, h ave something to contribute to our understanding of human nature (Loomba 1-20). This is the theme that Lewis prescribes in his, self described, â€Å"satirical fantasy†, Out of the Silent Planet (Of Other 77). Sold in bookstores throughout the world and mostly on the â€Å"religious† shelves, C.S. Lewis is hardly recognized in the post-colonial field. But of dozens of authors that could express this discourse, there is no better suited than the British professor.

Essay --

Connor Peterson Miss. Cota Survival October 19th, 2013 The Tools of a True Survivor Jeannette Walls had a horrific childhood that truly brought out the survivor in her. Jeannette had troubles with her family, friends and siblings but she was not hindered by the difficult situations and the choices that she had to make. In order to survive she to had be resourceful and use what she had to her advantage and also learn to adapt to any situation. Through it all she had the drive and purpose of a true survivor. Her survival tools of Ingenuity, Adaptability and Purpose helped her to grow into the person she is today. Ingenuity is one of the survival skills that Jeannette possessed throughout her childhood. She continued to find new ways to accommodate herself in different situations. One such example is when she made herself braces because her parents could not afford them. Since she did not have the money to get them, Jeannette invented a clever way to make homemade ones. These braces (worn only at night so no one would know) were made from rubber bands and a coat hanger. In the survivor tool kit it describes ingenuity with, â€Å"you find novel uses and applications for everyday objects†(324). Jeannette’s braces clearly exemplify this quote. Ingenuity is also described as, â€Å"Bricolage: the art of building things from whatever materials are available.†(324). Jeannette used everyday objects such as rubber bands and a coat hanger to make a complicated set of braces. Besides from making braces, she also made her own catapult. Bullies would throw rocks at Jeannette and her brother on their walk home from school and then ride away on their bikes. Having limited resources, Jeannette used an abandoned mattress and some springs she found as ... ...n high school and she was striving for big goals, working hard to achieve them, and overcoming countless obstacles. Even when her father stole that piggy bank money she did not give up. Her purpose in life helped transfer her into adulthood. Without this determination and sacrifice, seceding into a successful adult would have been much more challenging. Each survivor has a set of tools at their disposal that can be used throughout their lifetime. Jeannette was able to overcome staggering odds to with her ability to use almost anything to her advantage and by being able to bend to the situation around her and constantly change. And finally, by having a drive in life that is simply incomprehensible, a drive and purpose so deep we cannot even begin to fathom its depth. Jeannette used these techniques to conquer her life and overcome every obstacle that stood in her way.

A Trek to Nowhere :: Example Personal Narratives

A Trek to Nowhere         Ã‚  Ã‚   The occasional banging of an oar on the edge of a canoe is the only significant noise that accompanies us on our way to the waterfall.   The boys had been fishing by the waterfall and mentioned its existence to us, so we've decided to check it out.   There are twenty-one of us on the Bureau Valley High School Science Club's trip to Boundary Waters, a wilderness camping and canoeing area in northern Minnesota.   A small group of us enjoys exploring the terrain, especially as opposed to the monotony of fishing, and we are now on a waterfall mission.        Ã‚  Ã‚   It is a gentle June morning, still a bit chilly for we Illinoians.   We are subject to erratic periods of sunlight, as the sun discards one garment after another, unsatisfied with her immense cumulus wardrobe.   There are only tattered bits of mist still hanging over the lake; most of it has already noiselessly dissolved.   The breeze cajoles straying wisps of my hair, and as we row steadily toward the waterfall I consider the serenity of the wilderness: the complete peacefulness.   I revel in the absence of snorting mufflers, rambunctious screeching tires, innumerable Super Wal-Marts, and ever-encroaching subdivisions.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   My appreciation grows as I compare the previous year's vacation to this year's at Boundary Waters.   Not that the Badlands weren't a sight to see -- they were.   But the whole Badlands/Blackhills area was literally infested with tourist-related billboards (all displaying nearly the same overly-enthusiastic tidings) and informational pamphlets (in every public building, including the podiatrist's office).   And no telling which pamphlets were fact and which were part fabrication.   Wall, South Dakota, was a choice example of the tourist-nabbing chaos.   Along the interstate, approximately every five minutes, billboards would proclaim the number of miles remaining before Wall, South Dakota, as if speedometers didn't exist.   Upon arriving in Wall, one's hopes were treacherously dashed.   Wall was a tourist town like any other, only it was larger, and junk was more prolific.   It was a frail excuse after such a dramatic drumroll via the billboar ds, signs, and pamphlets.      Ã‚  Ã‚   A loon's bittersweet call imposes on my reflections, and I realize that we have reached our destination.

Family-Centered Program of Education Essay example -- Education

What happens when you take the children out of the spotlight and focus on children with their families? You will get a family-centered approach to education. The Family-Centered approach believes that family involvement matters for a young child’s cognitive and social development. Family-Centered Program theories and concepts support the early childhood classroom and the child’s family. This can happen only if parents and educators work together to encourage desired behaviors from pre-school-aged children in both the pre-school and the home setting. The first thing that needs to be looked at to understand a child’s development is attachment. Attachment is a lasting emotional relationship that begins at birth and is a lifelong process. The first attachment a child has sets the tone for development as well as provides the basis of all future relationships (Gonzalez-Mena, 2009). Attachment gives infants a sense of well-being which happens when an adult responds sensitively and appropriately to a baby’s needs. Attachment happens in both children and adults. For adults this can happen almost right away from some. Signs that a parent/adult is attached are giving the child a name, buying items that are for the child, recognizing the child as an individual. Babies take longer than adults to show attachment. You can see when a child is attached when a child shows an emotional bond with someone. Not all cultural attachments happen the same ways. Child care caregivers have many of the same qualities that good parents have, so this promotes attachment as well. An infant caregiver needs to be sensitive to each infants needs to respond appropriately. As with parents attachment grows out of sensitivity and once again a synchronous relationshi... ...rk together to encourage attachment, self-help skills, empowerment, pro-social, and self-esteem behaviors from pre-school-aged children in both the pre-school and the home setting. Works Cited Bartlett, K. (2010, September 21). Empowering children with choices. Retrieved from http://theattachedfamily.com/membersonly/?p=2600 Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2009). Child, family, and community, family-centered early care and education. Pearson College Div. Hussey-Gardner, B. (2003). Parenting to make a difference. Retrieved from http://www.parentingme.com/selfhelp.htm Preusse, K. (n.d.). Fostering prosocial behavior in young children. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=566 Sheslow, D. (2008, November). Developing your child's self-esteem. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/self_esteem.html

Leadership Task

Analysis of my own leadership skills is a difficult task, and requires me to address my own leadership attitudes and behavior as well as my strength's and weakness's. As I have learned in my readings about the different types of leadership styles I would say that my style of leadership is more off Participative approach. In my work I run a small department of five and to accomplish tasks I must work side by side with my staff. We all are active participants, but outcomes and production is ultimately my responsibility.I like to think that my team is an accumulative effort and by encouraging each person to come up with ideas and to share their opinions is our recipe for success. I have created a group atmosphere that has been productive and consistent over the last 2 years. More importantly in my absence my team functions just an efficiently as if I were present. Much like how I run my office is how I run my family. We too are a group of five and as the kids have gotten older they too have become an active participant in goal achievements. I see a lot of similar traits of how I run my office to how I run my home.It is a collaborative effort. One of my strength s a leader would be my communication skill. I always try to take the time to listen. I feel that hearing what my employee's say is crucial in leading them. Our workspace is setup in a circle where we all work together. I could have one of the large offices one floor up, but instead of taking an office away from them I'm right in the trenches with them. I want them to know that I am always available for them. It is not always easy but by eliminating distractions and focusing my attention on my employees needs, demonstrates to them that I am listening.Another strength that I practice is Leading by Example†. I am the first person in the office every morning, and the last person to leave every night. I want them to know that I am present and available to them whenever they need me. I do not take 2-hour lu nches, play computer games, or sleep at my desk. When a new project comes along I am the first person to take an assignment and my assignments are ALWAYS completed on time. I practice what I expect from them, and always try to lead by example. For a complete self-analysis of my leadership skill I must also address my weakness.For one several people have old me that I am too nice. Part because of my personality and part because I think people are happier working for a manager that they get along with. But because of this trait I may sometimes come off as a pushover and people can be tempted to try to take advantage of our relationship. It is sometimes difficult to find the balance between being a friend and being a boss. I can be tough when necessary and I am working on setting better boundaries with my employees. Another weakness I have is taking on too much myself and not delegating. Some tasks I feel no-one can do as well as I can.For example we have this one large report on a sha red drive that needs to be updated on a regular basis, my team provides me all the numbers, and I enter all the numbers. I think to myself that I must be the most handsomely paid data entry person in the world. This is only one example of my lack of delegating skills. This weakness can sometimes create a bottleneck of work for me whereas I should be spending my time on more pressing matters. Additional it demonstrates lack of confidence and fails to develop my team into future leaders. I have been in a position tenure were a disaster. I had a high turnover rate and a low production rate.I would say that early in my position I used an autocratic approach that Just did not work for me. These types of leaders keep close supervision of employees and have a purely professional relationship with their staff. They make decisions on their own without input from others. They dictate the who, how and when of work assignments. When I think about Autocratic leadership I equate that too micro- m anager. When it was me, I spent more time watching them then working on my own assignments. Not very productive and it was too stressful for me. Another type of leadership style is the delegated.As previously stated this would be very difficult for me to be. This leader assigns work and leave's an employee to their own talents and resources to complete tasks. The employee can come and go as they wish as long as assignments or tasks are completed and turned in on time. Because outcomes are my responsibility I need to be involved in tasks, I need to know that things are on schedule and getting done. By being an active participant helps me to reduce my stress and be more in control. By having a better understand of different types of dervish styles helps me to be a more productive leader in a couple different ways.By taking away qualities from other styles of leadership help me to become a better- rounded leader. First it reminds me how I use to feel earlier in my position. I was stres sed out, tense, abrupt, and totally ineffective. I realize that the autocratic style of leadership definitely has its place and may be effective for others; however it is not the approach that works for me. I am much happier by having a relationship with my employee. I feel it is important to connect personally with those that you spend 40 lust hours every week with. I like to work with people and not have people work for me.Different leadership styles can cause conflicts in the workplace. For example a problem that can arise in the work place could be a personality conflict. An example of this is when new management comes on board and different personalities and leadership styles are introduced. Change is never easy; establish if it is thrust upon you. Another conflict that can occur is often due to emotion and perceptions about somebody else's intentions. This can occur for example when a leader showing favoritism for one employee over another. One of the worst things you can do t o lose the respect of your subordinates by not being fair.Respect is paramount to achieve success. There are a couple of ways to overcome personality conflicts in the workplace. For one is to take the time to get to know your employees. By getting to know them, you are letting them get to know you. It is a win, win situation. Another way to avoid conflict especially if you are a new manager coming into a situation is by being clear about the direction and changes you have planned. Honesty and immunization are key to conflict resolution. An always remember the best way to prevent personality conflict in the workplace, is to not take things personally.It is Just business, not personal. Fairness is of the utmost importance when dealing with teams. Favoritism has no place at work and if a manager demonstrates that they will not have the trust of their employees. Trust is a major issue, and to build trust you must be impeccable with your word. By again communicating clearly goals and obj ectives and being consistent with your follow through is a good start to build trust. But if it needs to be said, I'll say it, don't show any favoritism! It will be detrimental to the success of a team and all should be treated equally.Although we are all different, there are potential advantages that may be created between different leadership styles. An effective manager will recognize when to use which leadership style in order to produce results. An autocratic leader makes it own decisions without any input from others and this could be beneficial when a new direction or a drastic change is necessary. When timing is crucial and decisions need to be made this leadership style has its advantages. A delegating approach to leadership is the polar opposite and will assign task, provide necessary resources, and guidance, but backs off and let the team work at their own pace.This style would be advantageous if you work with a group that is highly effective, experienced, and motivated. Then there is the participative approach to leadership that is somewhere in the middle of autocratic and delegating styles. This leader is very hands on and works with the team by building morale and most effective if demodulating is an issue. By empowering them to be part of the decision making recesses the employee feels important and can motivate them to go above and beyond what is expected of them.To increase productivity you can capitalize on the different styles of leadership based on the individual situations. If you are in a position where decisions have to be made quickly, use the autocratic style of leadership. This style of leadership can also be a benefit if your work is particularly stressful. This can allow a person to concentrate on doing their Job and not worry about making decision. Utilizing a delegating approach allows a leader to capitalize n individual employee's strength and talents to increase productivity.This style allows for flexibility and better collabora tion. In a participative style of leadership this encourages employees to share or participate in the decision making process. Which gives the employee a vested interest in their work and can benefit productivity. Rather than sticking to one type of leadership approach evaluate the circumstances and adjust your style. The best leaders can adjust their thinking to how it is most beneficial at different times, remembering that productivity depends on effective leadership.

Google vs Microsoft

In today’s society many people are using the internet more and more to shop online, handle business transactions and surf the web for what interests them. Microsoft and Google are known to many people as internet giants. The two companies compete for business in the internet world by offering similar online business services. Microsoft also offers an array of computer products to consumers and businesses such as Windows 7, Microsoft office and MSN. Google’s main focus of business is its search engine that many people use today to surf the internet. This paper will compare and contrast Microsoft’s and Google’s business model, financial management system and explain which company could better withstand a major recession and at the same time, compare their financial ratios and decide which two companies that would be better to invest in. Microsoft was started in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen who developed an interpreter for basics programming language systems that has contributed to Microsoft’s being so successful. Microsoft is one of the largest technology companies in the world which specializes in developing and licensing computer software products such as Windows 7, Microsoft office, MSN and Bing. Microsoft’s management team is led by chief executive officer Steve Ballmer who also serves on the executive board, chairman Bill Gates, seven directors, and one chief financial officer which are all non-executive board members. The company has been known for its leadership style through its founder Bill Gates for donating money to many charities and helping the poor. Microsoft is also said to be an innovator for the new-age workplace where work is made to be comfortable, fun and inspiring so that all employees can enjoy doing their work and like to spend their time there as well. Bill Gates did not even finish college but his work ethics are being taught in schools through the world. Microsoft has an excellent track record for innovation because it keep coming up with new technology and devices every year (Datamonitor, a, 2011). On the other hand, Microsoft is in competition with Google and other internet companies over the use of internet search engines. Google was founded in 1998 by two Stanford University graduate students, Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Google is an international technology firm that is concentrated on improving the way people get their information from the internet. Google has three core businesses search, advertisements, and applications. The search engine powered by Google provides information for millions of users every day. It must be determined that information reported to the Google search engine is beneficial to the user; a set of criteria has been developed to serve this purpose. A common method of determining the usefulness of the page for the user is searching the document for keywords. Keywords must be entered to search on Google, and the documents are scanned to determine how often they appear. The more keywords a document has tends to indicate its usefulness to the user. Another evaluating principle for reporting useful pages is the ranking for the page and quality of the site. Websites receive rankings which reflect quality, relevance, and accuracy. Websites who have high rankings and numerous keywords are reported to the user first. This method of obtaining information allows the user to access vital information in a matter of seconds. Search advertisements are used to further assist users, and to offer Google’s main products and services and provide valuable and relevant information for people who use the search engines for answers they seek. Google search engine is like Microsoft’s Bing search engine. Google also sells their product and services in more than 100 languages throughout the world. Google’s management team is led by a chairman Eric Schmidt, a chief executive Larry Page, a director of special projects Sergey Brin which are all executive board members. They also have six directors that are non-executive board members. The company is a leader in that they provide people with valuable information. At the same time, however, Google is a slow innovator in its search engine technology. For example, its search engine has not shown major innovation despite the quality of Google’s searching technology that is absolutely dominating. However, as search engine technology advanced in the past decade the technological gap between Google and Microsoft has decreased more and more as we see with Bing (Datamonitor, b, 2011). On the other hand, by using the financial ratio I believe that Microsoft would benefit more and be able to survive a major economic recession. Microsoft has five divisions within their organization such as Windows & Windows 7, Microsoft business, online services, server and tools, entertainment and devices. According to Datamonitor, a , â€Å"The company’s product under this division include Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint; Microsoft Exchange Server; and Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM as well as Microsoft Office Web Apps, which are the online companions to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote† (2011, p. ). This shows that Microsoft has many divisions and products that they can offer to consumers, businesses and investors. This also shows that Microsoft would be better suited to withstand a major recession due to the many products they have to offer unlike Google which only has search engines and advertising to depend on. Therefore as seen in the financia l ratio Google has not made any money nor did it lose any money. Microsoft on the other hand, has made money due to the many products it has to offer. Subsequently, the profitability ratio can tell us a lot about Microsoft and Google performance. The profitability ratio can tell us what each company’s revenue and losses were for the year. It can also tell us about both companies operating budget, debts, stocks, and investments. According to Microsoft’s annual report, â€Å"Windows Division revenue reflected relative performance in PC market segments. We estimated that sales of PC’s to businesses grew approximately 11% this year and sales of PC’s to consumers declined approximately 1%† (2011, p. 50). This demonstrates that by using the profitability ratio Microsoft was able to calculate their gains and losses for the year in the sale of PC’s. This also shows that by using the profitability ratio Microsoft was able to project their sales of PC’s to other businesses. Therefore if someone wanted to invest company like Microsoft they should use the profitability ratio to determine a company’s return on assets and equity to see if it is a good investment. As we can see PC’s sales to businesses grew 11% while consumers PC’s sales weakened by 1% so an investor should put their money in business PC’s. After seeing the profitability ratio of both companies Microsoft would be the company to invest in because they payout more money and make more money per share and to each stockholder. One can agree that Microsoft has done well over the years by them recognizing and using the knowledge base and technological base has been an asset for the company. Microsoft is one of the best companies when it comes to software and programming. Microsoft over the years has realized that their competitors can have an impact on market changes and with this knowledge it has allowed Microsoft to make the required decisions in the market place. The issues and concerns that Microsoft and other organizations face are technology changes and competition. Technology today has surpassed the technology of yesterday. Yet, Microsoft has shown that they can meet these challenges in various areas by meeting these issues and concerns head on. Microsoft oftentimes has restructured some of their well-known operating systems, programs and software to keep up with the changing times. Recently, they have launched Bing and Windows 7. According to Microsoft annual report: Online Services Division (OSD) develops and markets information and content designed to help people simplify tasks and make more informed decisions online, and that help advertisers connect with audiences. OSD offerings include Bing, MSN ad Center, and advertiser tools. Bing and MSN generate revenue through the sale of search and display advertising generally accounts for nearly all of OSD’s annual revenue. (2011, p. 54) This demonstrates that Microsoft would be a great company to invest in because they offer many different products that makes a lot of money. This also demonstrates that Microsoft has seen an increase in revenue due to the fact that they invested in Bing and MSN. Therefore one should also consider the return on current ratio and the dividend payout ratio before making a decision on investing in the company. On the other hand one should also look at the investment valuation before making an investment decision. Investors need to be aware that before they invest in a company such as Microsoft that the likelihood of the problems when it comes to investing occur with large corporations where there is a higher degree of the separation of ownership and management, and thus perhaps an occurrence of a conflict of the goals of the managers and the goals of the shareholders. Aside from doing research on the company itself, doing an evaluation of stock can also prove to be useful. Knowing if stock is overpriced can tip you off, in that you then need to find out why it is overpriced. For example, is the stock overpriced because investors sincerely believe that the stock is good and has potential, or is the stock price high because of current economic conditions. Knowing the answer to such questions will help individuals as investors make better and more informed decisions. According to Google’s annual report: Strategic, financial and execution isks and exposures associated with our business strategy, product innovation and sales road map policy matters, significant litigation and regulatory exposures, and other current matters that may present material risk to our financial performance, operations, infrastructure, plans, prospects or reputation, acquisition and divestitures. (2011, p. 16) This explains that investing in large corporations can be ris ky and, this also explains that you should look, at a company’s investment valuation before investing. The reason why this is so important is because people can lose their money and if they did their homework by using the investment valuation they would see where their money is going and if they are making a wise decision when they invest into a company. In conclusion, Google and Microsoft’s are the world’s most powerful technology organizations that have proven it is possible to excel in the corporate world. The software and programming that Microsoft’s sells is the same product that has proven to be a useful tool for the company. Allocating costs and investing in new technology and recognizing competition including recognizing revenues gain and loss has also proven to be an asset for Microsoft. Google and Microsoft recognize and realize the potential of technology in the ever changing world of business. Google and Microsoft have met the challenges and changes of today’s society. As for Microsoft achieving its goals, the belief is that it has surpassed those goals and is constantly revising technology and products to meet them and new ones in a timely manner. Therefore, making it a company that investors want to invest in. Microsoft, financial aspects has allowed me to decide that it is one of the best companies, to invest in today. While Google on the other hand, must find better innovative techniques so it can gain more capital so that investors want to invest in the company. At the same time Google must keep up with other competitors such as Microsoft so that the company does not be left behind in the future from other competitors stealing their clients. References Datamonitor: (2011 a). Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved from Business Source Complete. Datamonitor: (2011 b). Google Inc. Retrieved from Business Source Complete. Google Annual Report (2011). Retrieved from http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1htm Microsoft Annual Report (2011). Retrieved from www.microsoft.com/investor Appendix

Hrm Brunei vs Other Western Country Essay

Introduction Employees are indispensible to an organization. Personnel management, now known as human resource management (HRM), ensures that an organization produces maximum output with the greatest efficiency. The role of HRM covers selecting and hiring the right employee, training and retaining talent, wage dispensation to maintaining employee relations (Nankervis et al, 2011). In this essay, we will be looking into a case study of HRM in Brunei and will cover three topics. Firstly we explore how culture affects the way a country runs its economy, its legal and political system, and how they adapt to technology. Next, we discuss how HRM allows individual employees to acclimatize themselves to technical differences in an organization. Lastly, we will do a comparison of how HRM differs in Brunei as compared to a western country. Culture (An Overarching Umbrella) Laurent (1986, p. 92) stated that, ‘every culture has developed through its own history some specific and unique insight into the managing of organization and their human resources.’ Hofstede’s (1984) cultural dimensions theory defines that the values of a society are influenced by their culture, and their belief in those values shapes the behavior of the society. This cultural dimension is most frequently used across culture studies, especially in differentiating Asian and Western cultures (Cho, et al. 1999). Figure 1: Hofstede’s Software of the Mind (Hofstede, 1984) Dimension| Explanation| Power Distance| The degree to which the less influential associates of institutions (such as family) and organizations expect and accept the unequal distribution of power.| Collectivist vs. Individualist| The scale of which individuals are incorporated into groups| Masculinity vs. Femininity| Refers to the distribution of roles and values between the genders. The women in feminine countries have the same modest, caring and competitive, like the men. However, in masculine countries, women are more competitive and assertive, but not as much as the men.| Uncertainty Avoidance| A society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity| Figure 1 identifies the characteristics of the four dimensions (Hofstede, 1984). Brunei regained independence from British rule in January 1, 1984 (Brunei Civil Service, 2007). Bruneian’s are ruled by the Sultan and adopt the National Philosophy called the ‘Malay Islamic Monarchy’ (MIB) where the Malay culture, language, customs and Islam is incorporated as a set of model values. The population in Brunei is estimated at 390,000 and it comprises of Malays, Chinese and Ethnic Minorities with 67 per cent, 15 per cent and 18 per cent respectively (Kramar & Syed, 2012). According to the Country Paper of Brunei Darussalam, the Government Sector employs 12.23 per cent of the entire population (Brunei Civil Service, 2007). Brunei’s legal and political system is based on both the Islamic law and English Common law. The Sultan takes on the role of the Prime Minister and is the head of government and chief of state (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Brunei’s social structure is one of absolute conformity to the Sultan’s authority and challenges made by individuals and organizations are frowned upon (Clarke & Salleh, 2011). Therefore it is evident that power distance is high in Brunei. Brunei’s economy is heavily dependent on the Oil and Gas sector. Actions have been made to branch out into a variety of non-oil related sectors. In a 2008 estimate by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the labor force is composed of agriculture, industry (oil and gas) and services, with it being 4.2 per cent, 62.8 per cent and 33 per cent respectively (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Local males and females hold different employment structures, with the females being hired excessively in office, cleaning jobs and associated occupations. Males are predominantly hired in top managerial roles, as well as ‘non-office’ middle level jobs, such as agriculture, plant and machine production. Employment patterns between the local genders does not drastically differ from 20 years prior to 1991, and has been ingrained in Brunei’s employment structure. Thus, masculinity proves to be strongly evident in Brunei due to the job scopes each gender undertakes. The socio-culture in Brunei’s organizations stresses the importance of upholding the national heritage to pass down to generations to come. Islamic values and teachings have been endorsed since 16th century, which differentiates Brunei from other South-East Asian Islamic or Malay countries (Zanko & Nugi, 2003). Hence, Brunei is skewed towards a collectivist culture as they are influenced by the MIB, which instills a family like culture in the workplace. Loyalty to family and the Sultan is expected of Bruneians (Minnis, 1999). The Sultan, in a bid to improve data entry efficiency, transparency and eliminate the use of paper, is implementing a new form of technology. The system, also known as Government Employee Management System (GEMS), is being implemented in three main sectors: government employees, human resource administrators and the public. GEMS will permit the sharing of documents, leave applications and benefits entitlement to be accessible any time, anywhere. There has been mixed reactions toward the implementation of GEMS, with some preferring to stick with the old system, as it is in Malay, which is their national language. It may cause stress to older employees who have difficulty keeping up with technological advances and learning of a new language. From this, we can conclude that Bruneians have concerns towards adapting to new technology. Therefore we can conclude that they have high uncertainty avoidance. From the results above, it can be deduced that Brunei’s culture is adapted in their law and politics, technology, and the economy. The Importance of Human Resource (HR) Policies The heart of organizational effectiveness is developing long-term goals to nurture and skillfully develop human resources as key assets. The importance of investing in training and development has proven to contribute positively to the success of organizations. Government policies worldwide have since adopted management programs to help improve the quality of their human resources, in order to improve overall organizational effectiveness (Rajah & Wallace, 1993). According to Brunei Economic Development Board, 54 per cent of its population is made up of 20-54 year age group that are economically productive. This indicates a major productive workforce with both experienced and inexperienced individuals. With the availability of the workforce, HRM needs to provide training and development to upgrade their staff with knowledge and skills that is required in both macro and microenvironment. (need evidence) Comprehensive policies and procedures establish the foundation of HRM in the public sector. Policies are crucial and serve several important functions. It ensures that organizations comply with legislation and are accountable for the protection against employment claims. Policies also help the management make consistent judgments that are perpetual and expectable. Established HR policies protect not only individuals, but also organizations as well from the pressures of pragmatism (Hard Power: Soft Power, 2011). Human rights legislation is crucial as it protects employees from discrimination. It guarantees equality treatment for the people regardless of well-known characteristics that involved stereotyping or biasness in relation to employment. In Krama & Syed (2012), some interviewees felt that favoritism is still the pivotal point of recruitment, particularly in the government sector. Some interviewees suggested that cohesive social relationships in Brunei society had influence on work connection in the workplace. Although the impact was moderated by the HRM practices, particularly in employment, there is a strong need for Human Rights Legislation to be firmly enforced in Brunei in order to create inclusive workplaces that are more diverse and respectful. (can we link this to how hrm enables individual employees to adjust themselves to technical changes?) Krama & Syed (2012) stated that staff not in managerial roles was not familiar with the availability of the General Order (GO) and State Circulars (SC) as the regulations were poorly imposed. To improve the situation, HR policies must be enforced and properly implemented. Communication of policies horizontally and vertically is important. All new and existing staff could be issued an employee handbook that clearly defines an organization’s values, expectations and standard operating procedures (SOP). The purpose of the policies should be transparent, easily understood and not perceived as variable. A policy training session across the board can be implemented for certain policies like dispute resolutions, disciplinary and safety issues, which are more complicated. With the policies inaugurated, it will greatly support the country’s consistency in treatment of staff, fairness and transparency. These policies must be direct, serve the organization’s mission and not simply be enforced to regulate the conduct and rights of the staff. HRM could also implement key training in communication skills. As mentioned above, Brunei’s national language is Malay, which may lead to language barriers. Teaching employees to communicate in fluent written and spoken English is vital as Brunei branches out into the international market. In comparison to the old SIMPA system in Malay, the new GEMS system in English causes older employees to have a harder time in keeping up with the changes. HRM could provide information technology (IT) trainings to older generation employees to ensure that they are equip with relevant IT skills such as computer software (usage of emails, software program and knowledge of file format) and hardware skills, usage of organization intranet/internet and how to access and use GEMS systems (including searching, gathering of information, applying electronic-leaves, allowance and benefit application). Provision of IT skills would equip them with knowledge and skills to keep up with the technology. HRM can also implement performance management systems within the organization. The purpose of these systems is to identify, gather individual performance and information through self-review of employees and their managers/supervisor. With the self-review programs, managers/supervisor would gather more information about each individual within a team. Self-review program promotes team bonding, interaction and communication between managers/supervisor and staff. By discussing, identifying potential key individual talents, retaining key individuals that benefit the organization. With this, it allows HRM to identify key training areas that can be provided to their employees to adapt to the ever-changing environment. It could be done by overseas attachment allowing the staff to get more exposure and experience. Workshop targets on leadership quality, self development and team building within the organization that allows HR to identify potential leadership quality in individual of each different department of the organization, thus helping individual to achieve self actualization. Implementing formal and informal work environment learning in the organization. Informal workplace learning involves senior experience and junior management where senior management would hold a small meeting/sharing session with the junior management on their knowledge, skills and experience in their field of work. And as for formal work environment learning, a junior will be attached to a senior manager to attend for international meeting or conference held overseas for exposure and experience. Learning and Development program such as social and business etiquette, current affairs between host and home countries, languages, sensitivity awareness and pre-departure training. HRM In Brunei Versus HRM In A Western Country Using Hofstede (1984) and Cho, et al. (1999), we will examine the difference in society cultures of Brunei as compared to a western country, and the differences between their HRM. As mentioned above, Brunei’s culture and politics are represented by Malay-Islamic values whereas a western society where wide mixtures of culture groups are incorporated in the workforce. (need evidence) Malay cultures are highly collectivist with strong emphasis on family orientation (Blunt, 1988; Maxwell, 1996). HRM in Brunei looks beyond the welfares of the employees. Consideration for their families implemented in their HRM policies. A married female interviewee stated that work hours are family friendly and flexible. (Krama & Syed, 2012) Individuals are also less receptive to individual responsibilities, and prefer collective responsibilities in the organization. However, this collectivism also results in informal recruitment as suggested by the case (Myloni et al. 2004). In the individualist western context, employees are likely to focus on self, which also applies for compensation and rewards, where HRM rewards individuals for good performances rather than that of a team, or as collective whole. High power distance is present in Brunei’s workforce; senior managers of organizations take the lead and are regarded as significant role models based on rank, title and status, along with a tall organizational structure. (Abdullah, 2005) In the past, employees were afraid to disagree with their superiors. (Blunt, 1988) Nowadays, managers take into consideration the suggestions and point of view of employees to ensure that they feel valued by the organization. (Kramar & Syed, 2012) Apart from that, managers have no authority to press for change. This reflects a centralized system where the top management exercise great power and subordinates choose to leave the decision making process to senior executives. It is the duty of HRM to ensure that these leaders are highly committed in leading subordinates to fulfill the organization values and goals. In the western context, a decentralized structure is adopted and employees seek to be part of management decision-making process. A low power distance means that they want to be empowered by their management and be autonomous, being able to make decisions and be given responsibilities. The way to motivate them is through challenging jobs, where HRM needs to focus on the job design (Herzberg, 1966). Group discussions value the input of individuals that are taken into consideration, whereas in Brunei, SC and GO shape the HRM practices and the Sultan holds the decision making power. As mentioned in the case study, Bruneians have high uncertainty avoidance. (Blunt, 1988) Employees prefer a clear organizational structure and respect and behave ritually towards authority figures. Promotions or a raise in salary are also based on passing an examination based on the SC and GO. In contrast, a western country is skewed towards having low uncertainty avoidance whereby they are more uncertainty accepting, with higher acceptance for new ideas, innovative products and a willingness to try something new, be it technology or business practices. They also tend to be more tolerant of ideas or opinions from anyone and embrace freedom of expression (Hofstede, 1994). Maybe find a country to support this? In Brunei, the emphasis is on masculinity, men are expected to be assertive and dominant over women in social relations and demonstrates ambitious and competitive behavior. (Maxwell, 1996)