A case study of NPower, a leading energy supplier in United Kingdom

A case study of NPower, a leading energy supplier in United Kingdom In the past the training and development approaches were not followed by many organizations. It was believed that the managers or leaders are born not made. Activities of training the employees were considered the wastage of time and resources. However, with the passage of time it was understood by the theorists and the organizations themselves that training and development is very important for human resource building. Now training and development is one of the important functions of human resource management. Training is not considered as a cost rather it is considered as investment on the employees which ultimately become the assets of an organization (Beardwell, 2004). Different methods and techniques are available to train and develop the human resource and those methods and techniques are modernized with critical analysis and their effect on human behaviors. There is one way to train the employees is to give them theoretical knowledge about the skills and give them an understanding of theories and procedures developed by different big organizations and theorists. This type of training and development comes under cognitive approach which majorly focuses on lectures, discussion, demonstrations etc. However the case company, npower does not follow this approach as they believe more in practical training rather than verbal or written training. Npower train their employees in real time working conditions where they understand the skills and adapt them and implement them on their job in the same time. This allows more sold grasps on the concepts and techniques as bookish knowledge might be different from the practical knowledge. And this also does not allow the generation of any conflict between the bookish knowledge and its practical implementation. This type of training and development comes under behavioral methods. Npower puts the responsibilities on the employees shoulders and delegates the decision making power to their employees which give them a sense that they are the part of the organization. In this way the employees feel more responsibility on their shoulders and this enhances their leadership skills and capabilities. The company involves the employees of all levels in the decision making process as they trust the competencies of their staff. The decision making power is delegated to all levels depending upon the criticality of the decision and the risk associated with it. The strategic decisions which involve high risk are the responsibility of the top management. As designing and implementing the strategies gives a direction to all the organization and it is very important to show a right direction to the organization otherwise the whole venture will be a complete failure. After the strategically decision, comes the tactical decision which is required to be made for the proper implementation of strategies decided by the top level executives. Tactical decision is at the discretion of the managers. This is because it involves fewer risks as compared to the strategic decisions. Managers are in a better position to take such decision because they understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team members. This allows the managers to learn the analytical and managerial skills and furthermore the skill of taking strategy in to implementation phase. The next level of decisions is the operational decisions which are delegated to the low level employees. For instance an employee does not have to wait for the approval of his manager if he finds that a part of a machine is required to be changed. Such type of operational decision is taken by the employees themselves and this increases their operational skill and knowledge. In this way npower delegates the decision making power at different levels and provides a platform of learning and development of the skills of their employees. This enables the organization to build a force of skilled human resource that gives them a competitive advantage over the others in the market. Training and Development Theories and Npower Approach Competitive advantage is referred to that ability of an organization which is not possessed by the other organizations and it is a competitive advantage which leads the organization to the top positions. There are many organizations in the world who are leading the markets by gaining competitive advantage in different fields of their business activities. One of the way in which a firm can attain a competitive advantage over the competitors is by building a force of superior human resource (Beardwell, 2004). Now the question arises that how this force of superior human resource can be build. The answer lies in a very important function of human resource management i.e. training and development. It has been observed that the employees or labor working in a competitive environment of market always welcome the training and development programs which can enhance their skills and knowledge (Davis Bostrom, 1993). Now days every job holder understands that to sustain and grow in the career it is very important to polish their skills. It is not that time where one degree or diploma is sufficient for the whole life. Employees actively participate in several programs which are organized by their organization and it has been observed that in some organization employees demand from their human resource department to arrange such training and development programs. Successful organization of today has built their human resource work force over the passage of time. There is no doubt that this work force is a highly valuable asset for any organization and the only possible way to build this workforce is training and development (Barney, 1986). There are several theories available in literature which emphasize on the importance of training and development in the organization and provides different alternative methods for training and development. A discussion of four major theories of training and development is given below. Theory of reinforcement This theory emphasizes on the learning behavior of a person and suggests that the learner will repeat that behavior which is attached with a positive outcome or result. Skinner an economist of behaviorist school of thought proposed the theory of reinforcement and suggested that the training and development programs should be aligned with the organizational objectives and a positive outcome should be expected with such training and development programs. Further elaborating this concept suggested in reinforcement theory, it can be argued that there are several techniques available in human resource practices which can be associated with the training and development programs and the required suggestion by this theory can be fulfilled. Different types of rewards in the form of bonuses, salary raises, promotion and awarding of certificate after the training program can be associated with the training and development activities and these rewards will definitely gen erate a positive outcome. If this is done by an organization then according to the Skinners theory of reinforcement the trainer i.e. the employee will show more interest in the training and development programs held by the organization. Theory of Learning Types The theory presented by Gagne emphasized on learning of intellectual skills. These are such skills which are found rare among the persons. He suggested by different learning types in his theory and each learning type contains some external and internal conditions. The five categories of learning which Gagne defined in his theory include intellectual skills, verbal information, attitudes, cognitive strategies and motor skills. Theory of Experiential Learning Experiential and cognitive types of learning are differentiated by experiential theory of learning presented by C. Rogers. According to Rogers, the wants and needs of the learner are addressed by this type of learning. Experience gives the person a maturity and increases the learning power along with the knowledge. Due to the personal involvement, the learner is able to conduct a self-evaluation test, which allows him to understand the effect of learning on his/her attitude. The case company npower seems to follow this theory as the company puts an engineer in different working conditions and allows him to understand different fields of work. This helps the employee to gain experience and that person skills grow by gaining experience with the passage of time. Theory of Social Learning Social theory presents a new view of learning i.e. social. According to the presenter of this theory, Albert Bandura, direct reinforcement cannot address all types of learning. Here by direct enforcement means the training and development programs that is organized to enhance the skills. According to this theory such programs are not address all learning types as there are some social elements which cannot be taught. Those elements are learned by the leaner from his/her surroundings. Such type of learning is called observational learning and this learning is associated with the understanding of different human behaviors. The first type of learning defined in this theory is through observation. In an organization the environment and the surroundings plays a very important role. The environment should be very professional and the surroundings should be in such a way that the people (employees) learn from them. This theory also suggests that it is not necessar y that the behavior is changed after learning something. It is expected that a persons behavior changes after learning something, but it is not in all cases. Furthermore the theory also explains about the mental states which play a vital role in learning process. If the mental status of the person is negative regarding any learning activity then he will not take part in that learning process and even if he is forced to do so, he will not gain any positivity from that process. In organizational training programs the mental state can be made positive regarding the training and development programs by associating the rewards and benefits with such programs which will motivate the employees and help to build a positive mental state. The case company also follow this theory as it allows the employees to learn from the surrounding and provides an environment where they can learn from their supervisors/managers and coworkers. Change Management and Human Resource Management For the organizations throughout the world, constant change has become a necessity for the success and growth. Due to the intense competition in the market organization find them in a continuous process of change in order to cope up with the market and customer needs (Chandler, 1992). In this way change management has become a permanent function or activity of any business. Many organizations increase their effectiveness by using change strategically. However, for an effective change in an organization it is required that proper thoughtful planning is done and the employees acceptance is taken by properly communicating the benefits of change to the employees. Human resource department should be involved form the initial phase of change process (Beardwell, 2004). Change in the organization brings the impact on the minds of the employees and the change in employees attitudes cannot be neglected in this process which should be the prime responsibility of HR department to manage and to m ake that impact on the minds of the employees positive (Buchanan Hucczynski, 1991). It has been observed in different organizations where the change has been brought by the management, that many of the people are uncomfortable with the change. So human resource management functions should be facilitating the change management in the organization and should focus on the removal of those discomforts among the employees brought by the change process. Human resource department should ensure that the reasons and benefits of the change process are properly communicated to all the employees and all the employees are clear about the change process. For effective change process implementation it is very important that employee resistance should not be there and employee resistance majorly occurs when they are not clear about the process and the benefit of the change (Buchanan Hucczynski, 1991). Simply imposing the change in the organization will not result in the effective and successful c hange implementation. Furthermore, this will impose a bad impact on the employees mind and will affect the performance of the employees as the employees will have to work in the new changed environment forcefully and it is very much understood that desired outcomes and results cannot be taken by force. Human resource should be actively involved in the change process and this will bring a real change in the organization. The case company npower, engages it employees in all the decision making process. In the case study Strategic Spare Parts Project is discussed, which is an example of the employee involvement in the business decisions and polices. So the company considers the employees thoughts and suggestions which are very important for bringing change in the organization. Npowers HRM PESTEL Analysis To identify and evaluate the external forces that can affect the organization directly or indirectly, PESTEL analysis is sued. This tool helps to examine and providing an in-depth analysis of all those forces under different heads which can potentially or currently affect the organization. PESTEL analysis is not only to evaluate the forces that can affect the whole organization; this analytical tool can also be used to identify the forces which affect the specific business units or functions of an organization. The human resource polices of the case company npower are under discussion and a PESTEL analysis is conducted of those external forces or factors which can affect the human reduce policies , practise and procedures of the company. Political Forces RWE npower is a leading organization in United Kingdome providing the energy services to the UK market. At United Kingdome there are different legislations which protect the consumer and employee rights. Furthermore there are laws which are used to maintain a fair competition in the market. So, the change in any kind of law and procedures will affect the human resource policies and practices directly. Furthermore, RWE npower is not only operating in UK, it is a German based organization and operating in different countries. So the changes in the laws and procedures in any country will affect the internal human resource policy of the organization. For a clearer understanding lets consider an example of a law in United Kingdome where the minimum wage rate of a labour is 3.59 pounds per hour. If at any time UK government increases it to 4 pounds per hour or more then HR polices of the company will be affected directly and immediately. Economic Forces Economic factors which can affect the HR policies of the case company can involve the change in inflation rate and the global economic condition (Beardwell, 2004). The change in inflation rate will force the company to follow the laws which suggests the organization to increase the salaries and other benefits according to the inflation rate. On the other hand the economic condition of the country as well as the world also affects the businesses (Kelly, 1999). In the recent global economic recession several organizations were forces to reduce their workforce and a downsizing trend was scene in many big multinationals. Due to globalization where the organizations have to expand in different location across the globe the economic forces and their impact also changes (Rioux, Bernthal, Wellins, 2008). For instance the economic condition in Europe will be much different as compared to economic condition in Asia. So, globalization gave birth to the need of managing several economic factors at different geographical locations. Social Forces Several social factors are there which affect the npowers human resource strategies and polices. To provide the employees and labours with a safe and healthy environment is necessary for every organization operating in United Kingdome. There are several legislations that ensure that each employee or labour is fully insured. So, changes in such legislations and laws immediately affect the human resource policies of the organization operating in United Kingdome. In social factors there is also a factor of globalization that affects the organizational HRM policies. As due to globalization the world is becoming a smaller place to operate. Several organizations are operating worldwide which include several cultural and geographical differences. The organization has to manage those cultural and geographical differences. It is not possible for a multinational cooperation such as npower to maintain a static HRM policy for all it business units across the globe. Each geographic al location has its own norms, believes and culture which have to be recognized by the organization. The human resource policies and procedures should support and correspond to the local employees and market needs (Rioux, Bernthal, Wellins, 2008). For the case company which is operating in different geographical locations the human resources management has to be a strategic function rather than simply an administrative function. The company has to consider the local requirements of the labour and employees and haver to focus on utilizing the exiting local talent in order to save the operational and administrative cost of the organization. Technological Forces Technology is changing very fast. It is very important for an organization operating in competitive business world to automate the human resource function (Beardwell, 2004). The manual working and the procedures are now obsolete as it wastes a lot of time and resources. To be quick and dynamic organization must have to automate their processes. Npowers human resource policies and practices will be affected with the change in the technologies. With the introduction of new technology the demand of the employees and the market increase and if the organization does not match up with the new technology then it will face a problem to retain the experienced and skilled workforce. Environmental Forces The health and safety act of United Kingdom puts a binding on the organization to provide healthy and safe environment to the employees. Environmental forces include mostly the weather changes. Human resource polices are indirectly affected by the environmental changes. Due to the change in weather it is quite possible that the employees have to be provided with different protective suits or air-conditioned plants etc. Legislative Forces The government of United Kingdome have passed different laws and regulations and currently there are several laws and regulations which are to be considered by the case company while designing any human resource policy. United Kingdoms Legal Environment Through law the stability and security of the people is ensured and justice is provided according to it to the accused. Just like criminal and social laws there are also the business laws and legislations which are implemented by the state to ensure that the right of different stakeholders are protected. At United Kingdome several laws are there which protect the rights of employees, right of consumers and also there are laws which are to maintain the fair competition in the market and ensure that no organization manipulates the market. A fair and healthy competition is good for the industry as well as for the consumers, but to ensure this atmosphere in the business market the government has taken several steps towards this by implementing certain legislations. As discussed in the PESTEL analysis of npower, the legislative factors also plays and important factor and can affect the human resource policies of the company. Here, different legislation or acts implemented by the government of United Kingdome. For protecting the consumer rights the first legislation under discussion is the consumer Credit Act. It was implemented in 1974 by the UK government and according to this all such business who want to provide credit facility to their customers will have to take approval from Director General of fair trading. For the organization like case company it is not possible to work only on cash, so the organization have to give credit facilities to the corporate clients such as British Telecom, Wembley Stadium and Ford. The enterprise that is found to mislead the customer regarding the price through its promotions can be held accountable under the consumer protection act which was implemented in 1987. Under this act all the organization have to pre sent the actual price of the product or service and if there are any other charges or taxes with the price those should also be presented to the customer in the promotions. The equal pay act which was implemented in 1970, suggests the organization to equally pay the candidates without any discrimination of gender. Another act implemented in 1974 suggests the organization to provide the employees a safe and healthy working environment. The minimum wage act implemented by the UK government in 1998, bound all the enterprises not to pay less than 3.59 pounds per hour. Office of Trading (OFT) is responsible for maintain a healthy competition in the market and to ensure that no organization can create its monopoly. The fair trading act was implemented in 1973 under which Office of Trading can recommend that business to MMC (Monopolies Mergers Commission which is found to be chagrin high prices form the consumer or performing such activities which are against the interest of public. Office of Trading can also set the price ceiling in order to eliminate the monopolistic behaviour of the organizations.

Realism and Naturalism Essay

Throughout the history of theatre there have been many schools and styles. Theatre is ever changing as a reflection of society and what society wants. But out of all these styles, there are two which, when blended, produce a type of theatre that can always live and flow with society and not drastically alter to fit in with the world’s ever changing ways. These are Realism and Naturalism. When combined, they form a powerful, truthful and powerfully real theatre. The two men who have best managed to best combine these two elements are Konstantin Stanislavski with his â€Å"system,† and Anton Chekov with his dramatic writings and specifically, with his work in The Cherry Orchard The main beliefs of Realism and Naturalism are that the theatre needs to shun melodrama and spectacle and, instead, present something that is real and true to life. They believe that the most influential factors in a person’s life are heredity and environment, and they feel that the characters shown need to be more that two dimensional stock characters. They need to have real motives and emotions and possess all the complexities that go into making a true personality and a true person. Naturalists feel that plays should not be written in any sort of dramatic sequence or structure because that is not true to life. Realists embrace the desire for reality on stage, but also feel that dramatic structure follows the actual structure of life and structure and poetry should be integral parts of drama. Konstantin Stanislavski felt that same need for reality on the stage. He spent the majority of his life searching for how an actor can create truth on stage and, in doing so, he tapped into many of the same veins of humanity that Naturalists and Realists did. He expressed the same desire of Naturalists for a realistic theatre that shows life with its dramatic structure and intrigue. â€Å". . . I was beginning to look for genuine life in [the theatre], not ordinary life, of course, but artistic life† (Bentley, 220). And he went looking for it the same way that realists and naturalists did. He began to look for a natural order for things and to devise a systematic plan from that natural base. He went looking for truth. And, again, he found it in the same place as the Naturalists and realists did. He found that, for an actor to bring full life to a character and full reality  to the stage, he must both create a character with a real soul, and he must not rely on stage tricks t o do so. â€Å"An actor, [Stanislavski] thought, must have some sort of spiritual preparation before the beginning of a performance. Not only his body, but also his spirit must put on new clothes† (222). This type of acting blends perfectly with realistic drama, which contains characters whose souls are inherent to the script. He did not, however, feel that he was subscribing to either school of thought. He stated that he felt that realism and naturalism were not things that needed to be pushed onto the stage, but when a good actor takes on the role and fully builds his character from the inside out and truly lives the reality of the stage, reality will flow from it with out outside help. â€Å"As soon as [the realism] is justified, it becomes either unnecessary or it is not noticed at all . . .† (229). Stanislavski embraced the same ideas of the Realist and Naturalist thinkers, but he didn’t place the emphasis on them. Instead, he felt they would emerge as soon as the actor fully filled the role. And no one wrote better roles for this approach to theatre that Anton Chekov. Chekov was able to write plays that embodied the idea of true, artistic life, and The Cherry Orchard is a shining example of that. He takes a moment that has dramatic appeal and is emotionally charged, and recreates it in a way that is true to life and yet exaggerated at the same time. He creates a reality that is so real, it almost appears fake. However, it is this style of drama that is a perfect vehicle for Stanislavski’s system of acting. As Barrault says in his essay â€Å"Why The Cherry Orchard?.† â€Å"The Cherry Orchard is one of the few plays in which a whole cast could really get so profoundly lost as to cease to believe that they are in a theatre, and believe on the contrary that this family truly exists and that they are in real life . . .† That was Stanislavski’s goal for his actors. That was the ultimate peak to reach. So why is this not Naturalism if the actors create a full reality? Also, he creates this complete reality, yet it is a reality steeped in poetry and lyric. So why is it not Realism if he creates truth through poetry? As Barrault says, â€Å"This play belongs neither to the naturalism of the beginning of the century nor to realism, it belongs to truth, and truth always has two faces, a real one, and a poetic one.† And that is the true form that theatre should take. It doesn’t have to be one way or the other, as the Realists and the Naturalists seem to think. True reality is a blend of both. And Chekov was the master of that form. He so cleanly blended the two ideas that it is impossible to separate them into separate places. And through this masterpiece of dramatic writing, Stanislavski’s systematic method of creating truth can have a fighting chance at reaching the heights that it is capable of. So it is that through a mixture of the two schools of thought and the work of the two men who have mastered it that theatre can reach a point of beauty and truth and can display reality and drama in a way that doesn’t need to adapt with the changes of life because it is based in life. The theatre that emerges from this blend has its roots deep in the heart of humanity and what people truly want, and, consequently, will never die.

What Does It Mean When a Woman Is Called a Cougar

A cougar is typically defined as an older woman who is primarily attracted to younger men, often involving a sexual relationship. Although there are no precise ages, the woman is usually 35 years or older with the man more than eight years her junior. Some people consider cougar to be a sexist, derogatory term, but the meaning varies from offensive to empowering depending on the person. Key Takeaways: The Slang Term "Cougar" Cougars are defined as older heterosexual women (typically ages 35–55) who pursue sexual relationships with men who are eight or more years younger.  Cougar marriages are relatively rare—only about 1.7% of U.S. marriages in 2016 featured women 10 or more years older than their husbands. Nonpermanent relationships are much more common for cougars—a 2002 survey revealed that 13% of women in the U.S. ages 35–44 had had sex at least once with a man who was at least five years younger.Cougars can present both positive and negative images: They are independent, sexually confident women, or they are women who are striving to conform to the social norms of youth and beauty.   Popular Culture and the Cougar Dating Scene   The term cougar is an example of how modern culture defines and prescribes roles for (heterosexual) women and men in society; other similar stereotypes include sugar daddy and sugar mama. What these have in common—aside from an age difference—is an imbalance of power and wealth, with the wealth and power being held primarily by the older person. Other related terms of alpha cougar, beta cougar, and sweet or angry cougars appear to be categories invented by dating websites.   Cougar relationships have appeared in pop culture over the years. Celebrity couples made up of older women and younger men include Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, who were 42 and 30, respectively, when they started dating in 1988; Sheryl Crowe (41) and Lance Armstrong (32) in 2003; Demi Moore (48) and Ashton Kutcher (27) in 2005; Rachel Hunter (37) and Jarret Stoll (24) in 2006; and Ivana Trump (59) and Rossano Rubicondi (36) in 2008. History of the Cougar Term The earliest documented use for the term cougar as it pertains to a woman seeking such a relationship is said to have been in professional sports locker-room talk. In the 1980s, the Canadian ice hockey team the Vancouver Canucks used the term to refer to the older, single women who attended their hockey games to pursue players sexually. The Canadian dating site cougardate.com was launched in 1999 to assist in establishing relationships between older women and younger men, and in 2001, the website became the focus of a story in the Toronto Sun. Columnist Valerie Gibson leveraged her investigations into cougardate.com to write a 2002 self-help book titled Cougar: A Guide for Older Women Dating Younger Men.   Since that time, there has been an increasing number of newspaper articles and blogs on the subject. Such relationships have been seen in television programs such as Sex and the City (1998–2004), Cougar Town (2009–2015), Lipstick Jungle (2008–2009), and Riverdale (2017–ongoing), and movies such as Prime (2005), The Rebound (2009), Adore (2013), and The Boy Next Door (2015). Seductive older women are also featured in pornography—cougars is a common subgenre in pornography websites. Many more cougar-specific dating sites have been launched as well, such as dateacougar.com, cougarlife.com, and datemrsrobinson.com, to name a few. Cougar Characteristics   The popular stereotype of a cougar is a heterosexual white or black unmarried woman between the ages of 35 and 55. She maintains a youthful physical appearance, either by exercise, cosmetics, cosmetic surgery, or a combination of these. She is comparatively wealthy, or at least financially independent, and she expresses her sexuality by publicly pursuing younger men for casual relationships or sexual encounters. She does so, she says, because she wants a partner who both appreciates and can satisfy a sexually assertive and financially independent woman. That stereotype also suggests that cougars are commonly looking for fun, temporary sexual liaisons. At the same time, they are perceived as women who strive to correspond to strict, ageist conceptions of female beauty, i.e. maintaining a youthful appearance and slimness well into middle age. Statistics Sociologist Milaine Alarie compiled statistics for her 2018 doctorate thesis on the subject of relationships defined by older women and younger men. She found that overall, and just as in the past, women typically marry men who are slightly older than they are. In 2016, the U.S. Census reported that women were older than their husbands by four years or more in only 7.9% of marriages, and by 10 years in only 1.7% of marriages. By contrast, men are older than their wives by four years or more in 31.8% of marriages, and by 10 years in 7.4% of marriages. Canadian statistics are similar. In terms of nonpermanent relationships, however, Alarie cites a National Survey of Family Growth that found that in 2002, at least 13% of women in the U.S. ages 35 to 44 had had sex at least once with a man who was at least five years younger, and 5% with a man who was more than 10 years younger. A third of the women said they had had sex with a man who was older than they were by five years, and 14% at least 10 years older. Thus, in both marriages and nonpermanent relationships, the trend is that men are typically older than their female counterparts. Though women are sometimes younger than their partners—entering cougar territory—, it is more likely that they will be involved with a younger man in a nonpermanent relationship, rather than a marriage. Social Norms and the Cougar Alarie proposes that negative reactions to cougar relationships are so strong because they violate long-standing social norms. For example, there is an assumption in Western culture that men value youth and beauty in a partner, while women value financial stability. Men are also understood to have stronger sex drives than women and are expected to make the first contact, while women are encouraged to wait passively for men to choose them. Finally, theres the idea that older women are expected to be asexual. Cougar behavior turns all of these norms on their heads. In Alaries qualitative study of 59 women who had participated in cougar relationships, results showed that women had different experiences of social norms depending on their age. For example, older women were less likely to be affected by the social discourse about cougar relationships, were less preoccupied than younger women were about how long the relationship would last, and were less worried about whether they would miss out on having children or losing their partners as they continued to age. Is Cougar a Derogatory Term?   The meaning of the term cougar seems to vary with the speaker. On the positive side, cougars are associated with gender equality, an outgrowth of the sexual revolution, and the availability of reliable contraceptives, which have given women more freedom when choosing a partner. They are also an explicit reflection that sexuality is not necessarily connected with childbearing. Moreover, an increase in status, education, and income means that a woman can establish herself as the more powerful party in a relationship (should an unequal power dynamic be desired by both partners). However, there is a considerable negative undertone prevalent in the media, particularly on internet sites such as askmen.com and Urban Dictionary, where cougars are often described as desperately aggressive or desperately clinging to youth. Surveys show that women generally feel that such behavior is ultimately dangerous for the men, themselves, or both. Cougars are seen as predators of unwary men or victims of the cultural imperative to find value in their physical appearance. Benefits and Drawbacks   There are many reasons why women might choose to enter into relationships that give them the cougar label. She may be less likely to have to eventually support her spouse (physically or emotionally) in their final years as his health declines, but would rather be cared for herself. Women still do live longer than men, so it may be a rational choice to select a younger partner. Women also say that younger men appreciate their financial independence, their interest in sex, and their freedom from stereotypes.   But the drawbacks are severe: There is a social stigma, and men are often pressured by their friends and family to find someone younger. In a cougar relationship, women are not likely to want (more) children when their partner does, and while many men say that their partners higher income is a benefit, some research shows that can also lead to conflict. Sources   Alarie, Milaine. Beyond the Cougar Stereotype: Womens Experiences with Age-Hypogamous Intimate Relationships. McGill University, 2018. Print.Alarie, Milaine, and Jason T. Carmichael. The Cougar Phenomenon: An Examination of the Factors That Influence Age-Hypogamous Sexual Relationships Among Middle-Aged Women. Journal of Marriage and Family 77.5 (2015): 1250–65. Print.Graf, Allyson S., and Julie Hicks Patrick. The Influence of Sexual Attitudes on Mid-to Late-Life Sexual Well-Being: Age, Not Gender, as a Salient Factor. International Journal of Aging and Human Development 79.1 (2014): 55–79. Print.Lawton, Zoe, and Paul Callister. Older Women–Younger Men Relationships: The Social Phenomenon of Cougars. A Research Note.  Victoria University of Wellington, 2010. Print.Montemurro, Beth, and Jenna Marie Siefken. Cougars on the Prowl? New Perceptions of Older Womens Sexuality. Journal of Aging Studies 28 (2014): 35–43. Print.Rowntree, Margaret R. ‘Comfort able in My Own Skin’: A New Form of Sexual Freedom for Ageing Baby Boomers. Journal of Aging Studies 31 (2014): 150–58. Print.Shpancer, Noam. The Cougar Conundrum: What Older Women Can Teach Younger . Psychology Today.  October 4, 2012. Web.  Weitz, Rose. Changing the Scripts: Midlife Women’s Sexuality in Contemporary U.S. Film. Sexuality Culture 14.1 (2010): 17–32. Print.

The Rise Of The 19th Century - 1441 Words

The 19th century contributed to Europe’s history in the form of ideologies. In contrast to the 20th century, there were no wars or acts of violence used to support these ideologies; instead the forces of capitalism drove the history of the 19th century. By this notion, the last time Europe had experienced extreme forms of violence was during the French Revolution, therefore the decades before the 20th century were relatively peaceful. In the summer of 1914, Europe crossed the point of no return with the beginning of World War I; this war would not be the â€Å"war to end all wars† but instead set a precedent of violence for the rest of the century. The 20th century has since been remembered as the deadliest century in human history. The high levels of unnatural deaths and the intensity of politically motivated acts of violence were a result of nationalism, totalitarianism and technologically enhanced warfare. Nationalism attributed to the violence by being the ideology at the root of both World War I and World War II. Beneath the years of peace during the 19th century, was a growing nationalism among the different cultures of Europe. The decades of peace disillusioned many on the brutalities of war, which alongside nationalism, created a positive response all across Europe to the declaration of the WWI. In Vienna, â€Å"There were parades†¦ music burst forth everywhere, young recruits were marching triumphantly,† (Zweig, 285). While in the opposing city of Berlin thereShow MoreRelatedThe Rise Of The 19th Century1210 Words   |  5 Pages France in the late 1700 s was based on a feudal system where they were divided into estates based on their birth. The king was at the top of the absolute monarchy and did not have to consult with anyone to pass a law. He had complete control over the country and could do things such as kill someone for no reason. This did not go well with most people and especially people of the Third Estate. Privileges were very common amongst the First Estate. One very famous privilege was being exempt for theRead MoreThe Rise Of The 19th Century951 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The 19th century had also witnessed a succession of military revolutions. At sea, steel had superseded wooden hulls and steam had superseded sail. HMS Dreadnought, launched by Britain in 1906 with turbine engines and 10 12-inch guns, made all existing battleships obsolete. â€Å" The military revolutions prior to the first world war came at a high cost, and to build these ships, artillery and weaponry, which would improve t he employment and government spending in the economy. This increase in governmentRead MoreThe Rise Of The 19th Century Essay1442 Words   |  6 PagesThe 14th century Renaissance1 was a transformational period in European history during which society experienced a resurgence of classical beliefs which altered Europe’s literature, science, religion, politics, and especially art. The word Renaissance is defined as a revival or rebirth; the period before, known as the Middle Ages, was characterized by feudalism, power of the Catholic Church, and plague. However, as a result of the widespread loss of life caused by the Black Death, there was a rapidRead MoreThe Rise Of The 19th Century1875 Words   |  8 PagesThe 19th century was a time of great innovation and rapid industrialization. The industry of iron and steel was generating new construction materials, while railroads were being connected across the United States. But one of the most used resources in the world now was discovered, oil as a source of fuel. 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Our interpretations of a text is highly influenced by our gender, and as a reader, it affects how the presentation of gender in fictional works either conforms, or diverges, from the societal gender expectations. As the target audience of fairy tales are often tailored towards young children, fairy tales are generally the very first kind ofRead MoreThe Rise Of The Middle 19th Century Germany846 Words   |  4 Pages In the middle 19th century Germany was going through difficult changes. Germany was going through a change of leadership and a change in the economy during this time (â€Å"History of Germany†). Many great men and women decided to make the great journey to a new nation to make a name for themselves and their families. Marianne Kim is my fourth great grandmother arrived from Germany in the 19th century to New Orleans, Louisiana with her family. To get to America they went from Baden, Germany to LeRead MoreEssay on The Rise of European Secularism in the 19th Century2007 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿ SP History 117 – Final Exam One May 23, 2013 The Rise of European Secularism During the Nineteenth Century Word Count: 2,152 In Europe, the long nineteenth century, (1789-1914) was a tumultuous era of political, economic, and social revolution which created an increasingly secular culture. Europeans of all races and classes looked outside the church to solve societal and familial issues. Gifted intellectuals proposed new philosophies on human thought and behavior, while innovativeRead MoreUntil Sometime Before 1500 A.D., European Civilizations1462 Words   |  6 PagesD., Western civilizations gained Eastern military technology and fitted it to push them ahead in warfare and in turn, modernity. A trend in modernity in European states is an advancement of war and the accompanying technology. 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