Conception of the Citizen in Book Three of Politics Essay

Conception of the Citizen in Book Three of Politics - Essay Example His area of study remains mostly the Greek states but he also includes as a part of his study the states that were in contact with Greece at that point of time. Aristotle was a part of ancient Greece and many of his worldviews may appear to be outdated and outmoded to any contemporary observer. However, the value of his contributions lies in the fact that they enabled a discussion of the relative worth of different modes of government. This played a great role in shaping future conceptions of governments and the state. The role of the citizen within such structures is also something that Aristotle discussed at length in his book. The importance of such discussions in the contemporary world lies in the fact that they enable the modern political commentator to be aware of the origins of democracy, which is the most favored form of government in today’s world. A deep understanding of the origins of this form of government and the earliest objections to it and the earliest appreci ations of it is necessary for the smooth working of democracies in today’s world. Aristotle’s understanding of these political structures and his meticulous research into the roots of the problems that he discusses reveals an urge to understand the problems of the Greek states and press for a solution. This displays an objective and non-mercenary approach to the problem of politics, something which may again serve as a model for present-day commentators. The concept of the role of the citizen in a state is what is discussed at length in Book three of Aristotle’s work, Politics. This paper shall seek to analyze the concept as it is put forward by Aristotle. The analysis in this paper shall also seek to understand the reasons that Aristotle may have in conceptualizing the citizen in the way that he does. The class leanings and the misogyny in the conceptions of the citizen that Aristotle holds shall be made clear in this paper. An attempt shall be made to look at the conditions in ancient Greece that made it necessary and in a certain sense, inevitable for Aristotle to hold the views that he does in Book three of Politics. The arguments that shall be used in this paper shall employ modern theoretical frameworks such as feminism and Marxism as well, for the analysis of Aristotle. Aristotle’s conception of the citizen depends greatly upon the kind of state that a person lived in. in certain cases, he argues that the very question of a person’s citizenship had to be questioned for it to be determined eventually whether he or she was a citizen or not. He details the characteristic of a democracy, an oligarchy and a monarchy and the merits and demerits of each, according to the role that the citizen was expected to play in each of these forms of government. Who would be considered to be a citizen and who would not, would also depend heavily upon the character of the government, according to Aristotle. Aristotle thus, destabilized th e notion of geographical citizenship. According to this notion, a person would be considered to be a citizen of a particular place as long as that person would be present within the geographical boundaries of that state. By doing so, Aristotle makes the status of citizenship extremely contingent upon the needs of the state and also upon the responsibilities and duties of the citizen towards the state. In this

IP 19 and API 2001 fire prevention and protection systems in major Research Paper

IP 19 and API 2001 fire prevention and protection systems in major processing facility - Research Paper Example PI 2001 & IP 19 along with a lot of other international codes provide specific parameters that are to be followed in preventing the occurrence of fires and other calamities in a refinery area. Fuel, oxygen which is present in the atmosphere and heat mixed in the right proportions are the necessary ingredients that are required to begin and sustain a fire. (API 2001, 2005, p.3) Cutting off the supply of any one parameter shall assist in controlling the fire. Vapor pressure, Flash point, Flame point & boiling point are some of the reference parameters that are used in defining a hazard posed by a particular flammable liquid. Petroleum products which have a certain degree of volatility always releases small amount of vapors at ambient temperature. This release increase’s as the temperature rises. Vapor pressure is thus defined as the pressure exerted by the vapor of the substance when both the vapor and the substance are in equilibrium. Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to produce a flammable mixture. These vapors will ignite but will not continue to burn. At a Based on the flash point, fuels are classified into flammable liquids and combustible liquids. Flammable liquids have flash points below 100Â º F and vapor pressure not exceeding 40 psia while Combustible liquids have a flash point at or above 100Â º F. (API 2001, 2005, p.3) Further flammable liquids are subdivided into 3 classes (in decreasing hazard) based on flash point and Class C: Fires involving electrical equipment are treated in this category. Class C fires are essentially a manifestation of Class A and Class B fires. Once the electric circuitry is de-energized and the source of electric rupture contained these fires are treated as Class A or Class B fires since these fires would then essentially progress via the combustible solid or liquid source lying in the vicinity of the fire. For fires to begin and propagate Oxygen, Heat and the flammable fuel may

Sucker Rod Pumping System Engineering Essay

Sucker Rod Pumping System Engineering Essay Artificial lift allows wells to be produced that are non-flowing. Generally this is achieved by a mechanical device inside the well, such as pump; decreasing the weight of the liquid/gas mixture via high pressure gas; or improving the lift efficiency of the well. In the production string (tubing) that is usually set without a production packer, a pump placed below the dynamic fluid levelling the well lifts the crude up to the surface. This energy input allows the fluid to continue on its way and relieves the pay zone of all or part of the back pressure downstream from the pump. Sucker Rod Pumping is the most common method of artificial lift (85%), with gas lift second (10%), and then electrical submersible and hydraulic pumping about equal (2%) in usage. Sucker rod pump uses a vertical positive-displacement pump consisting of a cylinder and a hollow plunger with a valve i.e. it works by creating a reciprocating motion in a sucker rod string that connects to the downhole pump assembly. It is run into the tubing screwed onto the end of a rod string. The system is actuated from the surface by a motor that drive a walking beam or a hydraulic elevator. Introduction Sucker Rod Pumps, also called Donkey pumps or beam pumps, are the most common artificial-lift system used in land-based operations. Motor drives a reciprocating beam, connected to a polished rod passing into the tubing via a stuffing box. The sucker rod continues down to the oil level and is connected to a plunger with a valve. On each upward stroke, the plunger lifts a volume of oil up and through the wellhead discharge. On the downward stroke it sinks (it should sink, not be pushed) with oil flowing though the valve. The motor speed and torque is controlled for efficiency and minimal wear with a Pump off Controller (PoC). Use is limited to shallow reservoirs down to a few hundred meters, and flows up to about 40 litres (10 gal) per stroke . Technical Details: Artificial lift allows wells to be produced that are non-flowing. Generally this is achieved by a mechanical device inside the well, such as pump; decreasing the weight of the liquid/gas mixture via high pressure gas; or improving the lift efficiency of the well. Artificial lift consists of two main processes: Mechanical lifting by pumps. Lessening the fluid density by mixing with gas injected in the part of the production string ,or gas lift In the production string (tubing) that is usually set without a production packer, a pump placed below the dynamic fluid levelling the well lifts the crude up to the surface. This energy input allows the fluid to continue on its way and relieves the pay zone of all or part of the back pressure downstream from the pump. The two most common pumping methods in the world are: Sucker rod pumping Centrifugal pumping Sucker Rod Pumping: It is the most common method of artificial lift (85%); with gas lift second (10%), and then electrical submersible and hydraulic pumping about equal (2%) in usage. Sucker rod pump uses a vertical positive-displacement pump consisting of a cylinder and a hollow plunger with a valve i.e. it works by creating a reciprocating motion in a sucker rod string that connects to the downhole pump assembly. .It is run into the tubing screwed onto the end of a rod string. The system is actuated from the surface by a motor that drive a walking beam or a hydraulic elevator. Components Every part of the pump is important for its correct operation. The most commonly used parts are described below: Barrel: The barrel is a large cylinder which can be from 10 to 36 feet long and a diameter from 1.25 to 3.75  inches (95  mm). After using several materials for its construction, the API (American Petroleum Institute) standardized the use of 2 materials or compositions for this part which are carbon steel and brass, both with an inside coating of chrome. The advantage of brass against carbon steel, weather is a more soft material, is its 100% resistance to corrosion. Piston: This is a nickel-metal sprayed steel cylinder that goes inside the barrel. Its main purpose is to create a sucking effect that lift the fluids beneath it and then, with the help of the valves, take those fluids above it and, progressively, out of the well. It achieves this with a reciprocal up and own movement. Valves: The valve has two components the seat and the ball which create a complete seal when closed. After trying several materials, the most commonly used seats are made of carbon nitride and the ball is often made of silicon nitride. In the past, balls of iron, ceramic and titanium were used. This last type of balls, made of titanium, is still being used but only where crude oil is extremely dense and/or the quantity of fluids is too much. The most common configuration of a rod pump requires two valves, called the travelling valve and fixed or static valve. Piston Rod: Its a rod that connects the piston with the outside of the pump. Its main purpose is to transfer the engine produced by the Nodding Donkey above in an up/down reciprocal movement. Fitting: The rest of the parts of the pump is called fitting and is, basically, small pieces designed to keep everything hold together in the right place. Most of these parts are designed to let the fluids pass uninterrupted. Filter: The job of the filter, as guessed, is to stop big parts of rock, rubber or any other garbage that might be loose in the well from going into the pump. There are several types of filters, being a common iron cylinder with enough holes in it to permit the entrance of the amount of fluid the pump needs the most commonly used. Explanation Of How It Works/ Is Used: Figure A: Components of Sucker Rod Pump ` A motor and gearbox supply power to turn the power shaft. There is a counterweight at the end of the crank. A pitman arm is attached to the crank and it moves upward when the crank moves counterclockwise. The Samson arms support the walking beam. The walking beam pivots and lowers or raises the plunger. The   rod attaches the plunger to the horsehead. The horsehead (not rigidly attached) allows the joint (where rod is attached) to move in a vertical path instead of following an arc. Every time the plunger rises, oil is pumped out through a spout. The pump consits of a four bar linkage is comprised of the crank, the pitman arm, the walking beam, and the ground. Figure B: Operational Detail of Sucker Rod Pump Here the plunger is shown at its lowest position. The pitman arm and the crank are in-line. The maximum pumping angle, denoted as theta in the calculations, is shown. L is the stroke length. After one stroke, the plunger moves upward by one stroke length and the walking beam pivots. The crank also rotates counter clockwise. At the end of the upstroke the pitman arm, the crank, and the walking beam are in-line. For name and location of parts, see Figure A: A motor supplies power to a gear box. A gearbox reduces the angular velocity and increases the torque relative to this input. As shown in Figure B, (the crank turns counter clockwise) and lifts the counterweight. Since the crank is connected to the walking beam via the pitman arm, the beam pivots and submerges the plunger. Figure B also shows the horsehead at its lowest position. This marks the end of the down stroke. Note that the crank and the pitman arm are in-line at this position. The upstroke raises the horsehead and the plunger, along with the fluid being pumped. The upstroke begins at the point shown in Figure B. At the end of the upstroke, all joints are in-line. This geometric constraint determines the length of the pitman arm. Figures C (a) and C (b) show the plunger and ball valves in more detail. These valves are opened by fluid flow alone. During the plungers upstroke the plunger valve or riding valve is closed. The column of liquid corresponding to the stroke will be lifted up to the surface while, relieved of the weight of the fluid, the pressure of the pay zone can then open the bottom valve or standing valve, thereby allowing the pump barrel to fill up with effluent. During the down stroke the valve of the hollow plunger opens and the standing valve closes, thereby preventing the fluid from returning into the pay zone and allowing the plunger to return freely to its initial point at the base of pump barrel. The pump is single acting and its theoretical output is equal to the volume generated by the plungers stroke and cross-section multiplied by the pumping rate, i.e. in a homogenous system: Q=S*N*A Where, Q=Flow rate. S=Stroke. N=Number of strokes per time unit. A=Area of the plunger. In practice following parameters are also involved: An efficiency factor A coefficient depending on the units that are use Figure C(a) TABLE OF VARIABLES THAT AFFECT SUCKER ROD STRING AND PUMPING UNIT LOADING Polished rod load Pumping speed Pump setting or depth Physical characteristics of the rod string Dynamic characteristics of the rod string Plunger diameter of the pump Specific gravity Pump intake pressure Polished rod acceleration pattern Mechanical friction Fluid friction Pump submergence Compressibility or gas interference Pumping unit inertia Pumping unit geometry Counterbalance Torque characteristics of prime mover Flow line pressure Innovativeness and Usefulness: Any liquid-producing reservoir will have a reservoir pressure: some level of energy or potential that will force fluid (liquid and/or gas) to areas of lower energy or potential. You can think of this much like the water pressure in your municipal water system. As soon as the pressure inside a production well is decreased below the reservoir pressure, the reservoir will act to fill the well back up, just like opening a valve on your water system. Depending on the depth of the reservoir (deeper results in higher pressure requirement) and density of the fluid (heavier mixture results in higher requirement), the reservoir may or may not have enough potential to push the fluid to the surface. Most oil production reservoirs have sufficient potential to produce oil and gas which are light naturally in the early phases of production. Eventually, as water which is heavier than oil and much heavier than gas encroaches into production and reservoir pressure decreases as the reservoir depletes, all wells will stop flowing naturally. At some point, most well operators will implement an artificial lift plan to continue and/or to increase production. In relative to US data sucker rod pumping is the most common method (85%); with gas lift second (10%), and then the electrical submersible and the hydraulic pumping about equal (2%) in usage. Plunger lift and several variations of all these processes are in limited use. The prominence of sucker rod pumping is due, in part, to the large number of shallow, low productivity wells in the Midwestern and western United States. Mainly sucker rod pumps are used for onshore areas. Sucker rod pumps are used primarily to draw oil from underground reservoirs. The mechanisms it employs however are found in a wide variety of machines. The four bar linkage can be found on door dampers, on automobile engines, and on devices such as the lazy tong. The Sterling engines also use a linkage similar to the one used by the pump. Current Status of Development: Every project requires an in depth study of the topic. Being in the starting phase of our project, currently we are going through as many books, journals and online material as we can. Collecting as much data as we can, we plan to go through an extensive study of sucker-rod pumps and artificial gas drive techniques, principles etc. Having a comprehensive knowledge of sucker-rod pumps is our first objective, after which we will think of ways in which we can apply practically. Current sources being referred:

My Personal Philosophy of Education Essay examples -- Philosophy of Te

Philosophy of Education For me, the decision to become a teacher is more of a way of life than a career. I have always loved school, practicing at being school marm from a young age, and voraciously devouring every shred of education offered me in my career as a student. If it were possible, I would be a student for the rest of my life. And then I still would not have learned enough. As a teacher, I hope to instill this appetite for knowledge in secondary students. They are, after all, the future leaders of the world, and what better place to expand the minds of the generations to come than here in Appalachia where education programs, especially the sciences, which I plan to teach, are poorly funded and children’s dreams often fall by the wayside under the weight of everyday life. I don’t want to control the way my students think, but to encourage them to think in ways different than the traditional, to challenge their horizons. As I stated above, I don’t believe that children are being challenged enough. I believe that students rise to meet the reasonable expectations set before them. If a teacher sets the bar a little higher than average and maintains faith in his or her students, then the children will rise to the task and feel better about themselves in the end. One of the most common complaints from students is boredom. Through the philosophies and theories I champion, I hope to combat this attitude. My philosophy is completely idealistic, with elements of pragmatism apparent. I also embrace the theories of experimentalism and progressivism. Teachers should be role models in both the classroom and the community. As an idealist, I truly believe that every single student make... ...orms are going to come and go, and are often necessary, but if teachers become instrumental in their construction, then reforms will be created that will benefit all involved without hampering the ability of teachers to educate their students. Teaching is a noble profession and a journey of lifelong learning. As an educator I will continue to further my own education while doing the same for my students. Biology especially is an ever-changing field, and that is part of the excitement of teaching it to children. There are new and different things discovered every day: things that are wonderful, things that are painful, and things that have a deep impact on the future. This is similar to students: some are truly delightful to work with, others can be a struggle, but ultimately they are all important as people and as the next generation of Americans.

Nature of the Gods in the Iliad

The Homeric gods know they are better than the mortals that serve them and do not care much when they fight and have quarrels. The gods can always withdraw from the battle and never have to worry about dying or suffering that the humans live with every day during the war. This is where we see the motivations of the gods, their relationships with mortals, relationships with each other and the power and authority of Zeus.The motivations of the gods differ greatly throughout the Iliad, including the legislations they have with soldiers who were fighting in the war. For example, Aphrodite has a special relationship with the Trojan hero, Paris. When he is wounded In a battle with Menelaus, she † whisked Paris away with the sleight of a goddess. (3, 370-400)† She took Paris away from the fighting because she liked him because he chooses her as the prettiest over Hear and Athena in an earlier part of the myth. She saved him out of her own honor, not for Paris' life. Selfishness was one of the motivations of the gods.When the priest of Apollo has his daughter taken by the Greeks and they refuse to give her back he prays to Apollo saying â€Å"Hear me, Silvereye, Protector of Cherry†¦ Grant me this prayer: Let the Damns pay for my tears with your arrows. Apollo heard his prayer and descended Olympus' crags pulsing with fury, bow slung over one soldier, the arrows rattling In their case on his back as the angry god moved Like night down the mountain. † (1 , 45-50) Because Apollo valued prayers to him he sent arrows that rained down on the Greeks for nine days causing many of them to die from the plague.The reason Apollo retaliates is cause he feels insulted that the Greeks do not respect his priest and In return himself. He starts killing the Greeks out of selfishness and the desire of Keels_ Even the gods wanted honor. This motivated them to go to war with the mortals. The gods also value control and power. They use the heroes of each side as paw ns in their war to see which gods will win and see which are stronger. The gods' motivations differed from one god to the next, and this occasionally caused conflict between them. The gods are displayed as one big, dysfunctional family.The gods' relationships with each there are based on distrust and hatred between each other. The gods have conflict about everything Just like most humans do. Their conflict usually plays out in the mortal world and Is willing to fight each other to affect the outcome of the war. Even though Zeus is the most powerful and threatens the others often, they still continue to go against him Just not in fighting him. Hear tricks him, Athena helps some of the heroes, and Poseidon helps the Greek side when Zeus is knocked out. They do this to show that they think they are smarter than Zeus and want power.Zeus realizes this ND says â€Å"Hear you scheming blotch, this trick of yours has taken Hector out and routed his army. (10, 15-MOM' Zeus becomes furious w ith Hear because she tricks him into falling asleep for a long enough time while she and Poseidon help the Greeks, which were against Zeus because he was helping the Trojan. This was only a simple trick and did not Involve fighting Like most of the war. Athena says she will protect Dimmest, son of Études, and she stands on Greeks' side. Athena agrees to do this because she doesn't like Ares because Ares turned Trojan and abandoned theI OFF his spear home to the pit of Ares' belly, where the kilt-piece covered it. † Athena seriously injured the god Ares but could not kill him because he is immortal. This made him back out of the war and gave the Greeks the upper hand once again. The gods were always against each other because of personal reasons and this caused many humans to die because of what they chose to do. The gods seem to have a unique relationship with the mortals in the epic poem. The gods do not actually care much about what happens to the humans.The gods do not allow something to append to the mortals based on this outside force that predestines everything. The gods, especially Zeus, believe heavily in fate. Zeus tells the other gods that fears something may interfere with fate, â€Å"If Achilles is the only fighting out there, the Trojan won't last a minute against him†¦ I fear he may exceed his fate and demolish the wall. (20, 20)† He sent the gods into the war to stop Achilles from destroying the Trojan army before it was foretold. This causes much more death but that does not matter as much as fate to the gods.Not even the all and powerful Zeus would try to sees with fate. Zeus wishes to alter the destiny set for his son, and despite his superiority to the other Olympian (not to mention the other minor gods and goddesses), he is unable to resist the authority of his daughters, the Fates. Hear even makes him not go against fate. Zeus says â€Å"Fate has it that Sarandon, whom I love more than any man, is to be killed by Pat rols. Shall I take him out of the battle while he still lives? (16)† Hear says â€Å"A mortal man, whose fate has long been fixed, and you want to save him from rattling death. 16)† So Zeus understood that he should to change the fate for even his dear Sarandon. This shows us once again that fate is more powerful than all of the gods. Zeus does care some about the Trojan, but he is just repaying a favor to Thesis, Achilles' mother. Thesis begs Zeus â€Å"Give the Trojan the upper hand until the Greeks grant my son the honor he deserves† (1, 540-541) and Zeus does it. He made the Trojan army start winning battles Just because of a personal debt to a goddess. This shows us how much he really cared for the outcome of the war.Zeus was the strongest of all of the gods and the mortals did not mean ere much to him. The power and authority of the leader of the gods, Zeus, is very prevalent throughout the Iliad. Zeus focuses on having the upper hand compared to all the ot her gods when it comes to power and authority. He never gives up the chance to remind the other gods who is the strongest of them all. Zeus was undoubtedly stronger than all of the other gods put together. He is even so certain of his power as to say that he could take them all on without breaking a sweat.Zeus tells the other gods â€Å"These two hands are more powerful than all the gods on Olympus imbibed† (8, 462-463) Zeus bragged throughout the entire myth about his power. All of the other gods knew not to fight against Zeus so they all tried to outsmart him which worked on occasion. [Zeus to the other gods] â€Å"Come on. Hang a gold cable down from the sky. All you gods and goddesses holding the end couldn't drag me down from the sky to earth Zeus the Master, no matter how hard you tried. † (8, 20-30) He knew he was that much stronger than all the others. When he told the gods they could interfere they did.When he told them they couldn't they listened for the most art. His authority was unmatched by any of the other gods. Affect the gods at all except it excites them into doing battle with each other and choosing a favorite side. They gods may have fought the battle but their ability made them unable to die and they did not suffer making them far superior to the mortals that were fighting for their lives on the battlefield. The nature of the gods is seen in the epic through their motivations, how the mortals where treated by the gods, how they saw each other as gods, and Zeus' strength and prowess above all the other gods.

Psycological Contract Essay

The psychological contract is a little difficult to define because as George (2009, pg3) states it ‘is implicit in that it is unspoken, unwritten and often only becomes apparent when it is breached, causing feelings of violation’ none the less it is extremely important part of the business and can be what ‘binds the employee and the employer together’ (Robinson and Rousseau, citied in George 2009 pg4) ‘through the mutual expectations of input and outcome’ outlined by Businessballs (2010) CIPD (2004, p5) outlines some of the things that people look for in a psychological contract: Employee attitude surveys undertaken by the CIPD since 1996 have been analysed by David Guest, Kings College London, and Neil Conway, Birkbeck College. The surveys have consistently focused on a number of key issues, including: satisfaction, motivation, fairness, trust, job security, loyalty, work–life balance, commitment. Downsizing is the process of removing layers from the company, sometimes known as retrenchment, involving potential redundancies, wage cuts and other general cut backs (Rollinson p41). In this text I will be looking at the effects downsizing can have on the psychological contract whether it can reduce the likelihood of a violation, with particular interest in what makes this ‘contract’ so important, what both the employer and employee are looking for within it and how other factors such as age and social media can have an impact. Businessballs(2010)back up the fact that ‘the psychological contract refers to the relationship between an employer and its employees’ and, in employment terms, it is about finding the balance between how the employee is treated by its employer, and what the employee puts into the job. CIPD (2004) surveys show that ‘90% of HR managers think the psychological contract is a useful concept for helping to manage the employment rel ationship’ this is brought by the, increasing, realisation that employee motivation, satisfaction and commitment can be very influential in the overall business performance, and if an employer can establish and maintain a positive psychological contract with its employee a sustainable business value is more likely to be met (CIPD 2004). So essentially it is a form of guarantee where ‘if each does his or her part, the relationship will be mutually beneficial’ (Robinson and Rousseau, citied in George 2009 pg4). This brings me to my first reason supporting the fact that Downsizing could reduce the likelihood of a psychological contract violation. In a recent survey it showed that staff given an adequate voice are more likely to be engaged and satisfied (CIPD 2009, p2). With downsizing likely to result in the removal of layers of supervision and middle management, the employee voice is more likely to be expressed as those remaining are likely to have more responsibilities and a say in day to day decisions through the process of empowerment (Rollinson 2008, p522) all things likely to strengthen the psychological contract, as if the employee is working harder the employer will be pleased and the employee will enjoy having more of a say and new responsibilities. In addition to this (CIPD 2009 p7) survey showed that ‘Direct’ channels of voice between employees and line managers/senior leaders are both more common and seen as more important than ‘indirect’ or ‘representative’ channels’ their surveys also showed one to one meetings with line managers to be ‘the most important facilitator of voice’ so again this is likely to be made easier through the process of downsizing as they will have the time to deal with less people and with the hierarchy likely to be ‘flatter†¦ and lateral rather than vertical communication is much more common.’ (Rollinson 2008, p522). However there is a lot of evidence to suggest downsizing is likely to have a negative effect on the psychological contract represented by ‘a number of rigorous empirical studies has shown that many empowerment initiatives fail to deliver their expected advantages and that employees can end up less committed than before’ (Rollinson 2008, p 522) as well as ‘a leading British survey has noted, taken overall, the combined effects of work reorganisation and downsizing have led to an extraordinary intensification of work pressure’ (Thompson and Mchugh 2002, p189). This is due to the additional work load and burden left for the employees that remain at the business and often just using a more flattering term such as empowerment will not have the desired effect (ibid.) as well as the apprehension caused by initiatives like downsizing which inevitably leads to the reduction of commitment and loyalty (Savery et al. 1998, citied in Rollinson 2008, p42). With 3 key aspe cts to the psychological contract, mentioned at the start (motivation, loyalty and commitment), likely to be lacking after downsizing the business performance could potentially take more damage ‘because headcount reductions tend to occur across the board†¦ quite frequently, the very people who will be needed to ensure future organisational success disappear as well’ (Rollinson 2008, p50) with performance slacking the employer won’t be satisfied and if the important employees leave then clearly they are not satisfied with the way things are being run and therefore there must have been some break down in the psychological contract. Downsizing can bring other negative aspects to your business in the form of ‘politicking’ which happens in all business to a certain degree, through the form of complaints, adherence to rules etc. but is more likely to happen when resources are reclining or changes are taking place (Robbins et al. 2010, p380/382). With the aim of politicking often being to ‘block or inhibit another group (or individual) from achieving goals’ (Rollinson 2008, p414). Political behaviour is more likely to happen when there is a lack of trust within the organisation (Robbins et al. 2008) and therefore is another suggestion that the psychological contract has been breached, due to downsizing. This argument if backed up in (ibid.) which states ‘there is very strong evidence that perceptions of organisational politics are negatively related to job satisfaction. The perception of politics also tends to increase job anxiety and stress’. Although this shows strong evidence that downsizing could lead to violations in the psychological contract it is not guaranteed, as business balls stress, the outcome of change relies strongly on how it is sold to whoever is concerned (2010) by sold they are referring to how well ‘the use of persuasion, influence or incentive, in causing someone or a group to do something they would probably not otherwise do’ If done properly it is likely the psychological contract will be strengthened as ideally you will meet some sort of compromise and both parties will be happy as ‘persuasion can produce mutually positive outcomes in some situations’ (ibid.). However if a lot of persuasion is involved when trying to implement change on someone it is usually because they are unlikely to accept the situation otherewise, and if pushed too hard it is possible to put off those being persuaded and is unlikely to produce a good outcome for the persuader either (business balls 2010). This is extremely relevant to the psychological contract because it involves a lot of trusted. The transition is always likely to go more smoothly, and the psychological contract can remain strong if the leader is open with his employees giving them all the information and an honest explanation ‘People need to know what lies ahead, and to be consulted and supported in dealing with it.’ (ibid.) There are many things that can affect the psychological contract at an organisation, but it is not the same for everyone. Generation diversity has a huge impact on modern business with organisations having to counter for the different age groups who are unlikely to have the same needs and expectations, for example ‘older, mid- and late career employees were more likely to believe that their psychological contracts are unreplicable’ (Ng Feldman 2008, citied in George 2009 p125) potentially making them a safer option to employ as they will have less concerns when their contract is breached. The importance in taking all the different generations into account is outlined in a recent study (CIPD 2008): The speed of communications, the pace of change to meet mass markets, economic migration and more rigorous Public sector accountability, make this a unique time in the workplace. These have all placed greater emphasis than ever before on the need for organisations to be agile and harness different capabilities. Skills in digital technology, information management and entrepreneurialism are mixed with longstanding wisdom, change management and customer service ethos. The four generations in the workplace are bringing divergent skills, learning styles and expectations around reward. These four generations consist of the veterans, baby boomers, generation x and generation z, as well as the start of generation Z which consist of 16 year olds and younger soon to be a part of modern day business. They develop their different approaches to business through social trends, education, and technology (CIPD 2008). When looking at the psychological contract it is going to be more positive if there is a common goal (George 2008, p4) and therefore it is important to look at what each generation can offer you. Studies in the United States found that ‘(65+) are hardworking, conservative and conforming†¦ mid-40 to mid-60†¦ achievement, ambition and dislike of authority. Late-20s to early 40’s value work/life balance, relationship, dislike of rules†¦ under 30s value financial success, confidence and loyalty to self and relationships’.(Robbins et al. 2008, -95) ‘By understanding what motivates its employees, an organisation can develop a compelling value proposition to engage and reward them.’ (CIPD 2008, p10). Not only does it point out the differences between the generations but it can also help employers recognise ‘generic values’ (Ibid.) with only 4% of people feeling that a competitive deal and job security was not important when being offered a job, all with the exception of a few veterans looked for personal development as well as there being a significant demand for people management skills, technology development leadership training and knowledge about their organisation. (CIPD 2008, p11) Essentially it is finding the right mix to suit each individual that makes up the psychological contract, ‘Proactively managing the organisation’s employer brand and reflecting generational differences in job design, will be fundamental drivers of attraction and engagement’ (CIPD 2008 p35) Google are an example of an organisation who have got this balance right and have been rewarded with the reputation of number 1 place for graduates to work. This is due to the combination of internal rewards, a consistent recruitment process, a variety of social and professional interest groups, a consistency globally in terms of technology and a personal recruitment process and other benefits which keep the employee happy which makes them want to keep the employer happy and thus an extremely positive psychological contract is built (CIPD 2008) In addition to keeping up with the modern generations it is also important for companies to show an interest in modern technology. However the introduction of social media sights have shown a recent concern amongst employers as CIPD 2009 survey suggest ‘most either forbade (21.1%) or discouraged it (45.5%)’ this is due to the things people might say about their company with (Robbins et al. 2010) recording that ’39 per cent of individual bloggers say they have posted comments that could be construed as harmful to their company’s reputation’ realistically this is a breach in the psychological contract and the reason employers are reluctant for their employees to use them. On balance it is clear that the psychological contract can play a key role in the success of the business and any violations to it can be extremely costly. However with reference to the question it is hard to say whether or not downsizing reduces the chances of the contract being violated, because although if managed carefully people could feel the benefits through empowerment and if the employer is fair and open with the employee it could help build a stronger relationship (business balls 2010), I feel the evidence to suggest your staff are likely to feel increased stress and pressure from the work load and as shown in (CIPD 2004, p17) list of top fifteen ways to develop a good psychological contract number one is ‘Avoid redundancies whenever possible: redundancies lower morale’ which suggests you are starting on the back foot by downsizing. Anon. (2010) The psychological contract [online][viewed 10/12/2012] http://www.businessballs.com/psychological-contracts-theory.htm#external-relative-factors CIPD. (2009) Learning and development. Annual survey report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. 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