Sunday, October 6, 2019

Developments in Organizational Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Developments in Organizational Politics - Essay Example Defined as a â€Å"controversial concept† by Vigoda- Gadot (2003), organizational politics is a common occurrence the degree of which differs from organization to organization. Self-interest is the main cause of organizational politics and it has been aptly described as â€Å"the pursuit of self interest at work in face of every sort of opposition real or imagined† (Kreitner2008). A more detailed explanation of organizational politics is given by Jennifer (2009) who has described it as activities the managers indulge in to strengthen their position in the firm. Elaborating further Jennifer (2009) said that it is a means through which managers gain power and thereby use it to their advantage such as pursuing goals suited to the individual or the department. Organizational politics originates from a number of sources and operates at individual, collective and organizational level (Yammarino 2002). However it has been observed that an individual could certainly benefit fro m organizational politics (Porter, Angle &Allen 2003). Generally the organizational politics is seen in a negative light and is described as the process which does not conform to the normal role behavior of the organization and is the means through which people acquire and use power to meet their personal goals (McKenna 2000). This statement was confirmed by a majority of employees who stated that organizational politics was harmful for the organization. ... Those managers who obtain a greater share of resources are considered powerful and influential and that’s why managers use dishonest methods such as inflating the budget to gain a favorable share. It has been seen that conflicts occur during annual budget allocation and these conflicts cause political activity in organizations (Daft 2009). Jennifer (2009) believes that as growth in an organization becomes limited especially for managers who already occupy senior positions organizational politics become common to gain power and influence by several methods including impressing the kingpins (Jennifer2009). Organizational politics also occurs because of the presence of uncertainty and lack of clarity in an organization. Organizational politics comes into play when company adopts ambiguous goals. These ambiguous goals provide a perfect opportunity to managers especially those at the top to pursue personal goals in disguise of organization goals. Moreover, political activity become s more prominent when non-programmed decisions need to be taken for instance two managers competing for the same post can be manipulative. Badham& Buchanan (2008) have labeled personal ambition and competition between the various departments as other sources of organizational politics. Another important origin identified by Badham& Buchanan (2008) is â€Å"change†. According to them when change occurs in an organization, it tends to disturb the comfort zone of the employees so to preserve their interests, they engage in organizational politics. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory gives another view to the organizational politics. According to this theory the expectations of an employee significantly influence his perceptions,

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Free market in the economical world and business Assignment

Free market in the economical world and business - Assignment Example Explain how the system works to allocate resources The allocation of resources depends on supply and demand of those resources in a free market economy. The buyers and sellers, or their agents undertake all the exchanges and transaction voluntarily (Friedman, 2003: 36). Both the seller and the buyer accept the transaction because both expect to gain from it. Consequently, the two may repeat the exchange conditions the next time (or refuse to transact) if their expectation was met (or disregarded) in their past transactions. Ultimately, the reason for engaging in the transaction is that both the parties expect to benefit from the exchange. This is the main reason that distinguishes the free market from the free trade of the mercantilist period, expounded by French essay-writer Montaigne. According to Montaigne, the mercantilists held that in any trade transaction, there must be a loser and a winner: the loser is the â€Å"exploited party† while the winner is the â€Å"exploite r†. The mercantilists’ belief is invalid because the eagerness and even willingness of both the sellers and the buyers mean that they expect to benefit. Translating the trade of free market in modern game-theory jargon, transactions are a win-win exchange. They result to a positive sum rather than the conventional â€Å"negative sum† or â€Å"zero sums† game. Two factors determine the availability and allocation of resources in a free market: the value of the resources according to each participant, and the bargaining skills of the participants. How the buyers value the resources comparative to the other resources they could buy largely determine the distribution and allocation of these resources in the market (Friedman, 2003: 82). The exchange terms, or prices, depend on the quantity (measure) of the particular resource in the given market set up. Ultimately, the allocation of the resources depends on their availability measure in the market in relation t o the evaluation of the buyers. In summary, resource allocation relies on their demand and supply. In the supply of a resource, an increase in its price reflects an increase in demand on the mind of the buyers resulting to more money bidding for it, thus the price of the resource shoots up. The reverse will occur if the price, and thus the demand, for the resource decrease. In contrast, the buyer’s evaluation is that the increase in supply of a resource brings the value of the resource down. The reverse occurs when the supply of the resource decreases. From the demand and supply effects on the allocation of resources, the free market incorporates a highly interactive and complex pattern of transactions. Arguments in favor of this system The manner in which the free market works to allocate resources has come under debate and criticisms by economists. Nevertheless, the free market has four distinct arguments that enforces it existence, and which are discussed accordingly. The first argument is the efficiency of allocating scarce resources in the economy. This argument relates to the neoclassical economic tradition of benefits for all the participants in the transaction. In a completely free market, supply of goods and services matches their demand. The participants maximizes their benefit in the exchanges, everybody is a

Friday, October 4, 2019

Romanticism in American Literature Essay Example for Free

Romanticism in American Literature Essay Within this paper will be an explanation of the ideals of Romantic writers in Early American Literature. We will also look at some aspects of Romanticism that were uniquely understood by the writers and artists in the United States. There will be a brief discussion of â€Å"bright† and â€Å"dark† Romantic writing and it is there that we will look at the lives, and one poem each, of Henry David Thoreau, a â€Å"bright† romantic writer and Edgar Allan Poe, a â€Å"dark† romantic writer. Romanticism began in Germany sometime around 1770. From there it spread to the rest of Europe including England and then finally to the United States. In the late Eighteenth Century people’s ideas about themselves, their religion, their world and the art and literature in it were evolving rapidly. This was mostly due to a re-examination of priorities and beliefs because of constant new scientific discoveries and an enthusiastic embrace of the uniquely human abilities of storytelling using ones imagination and a kind of rejection of reason and logic. For the first time since the concepts of religion and rulers began to regulate the spirit and creative energy of humankind people looked more to nature and within to define themselves and their humanity rather than to their Churches or to their Kings. The Romantic period of American Literature is from about 1830 to 1860 and it interestingly overlaps the period which is said to be Victorian (1830 to 1880) in the United States. Romantic writers believe in the natural goodness of man and also that what is special in a particular man should be highly valued. They indulge heavily in introspection and self-analysis. Some finding their deity within themselves while others found their religion in the beauty of nature. Nature was food for the soul that provided their inspiration and was a resource for their wisdom. Indeed, for some of the Romantic writers nature was their muse; however, others found their inspiration in the dark corners of their human desires. As mentioned above the citizens of the United States were in a unique position to embrace the tenets of Romanticism through a political movement that focused more on the individual. By shedding the oppressive monarchy of old England they were well on their way to forming what Emerson called â€Å"a Nation of men† who were following Jacksonian democracy. â€Å"By most historical accounts, (President Andrew) Jackson is seen as largely responsible for effecting this political and cultural transformation of the United States from a republic, governed by an elect few, to a democracy. Jackson persuaded Americans that sovereign power resided in them—that they would control the governing process by deciding questions of constitutionality, law, and representation through the ballot box. Many writers, philosophers, and activists were also convinced by Jacksons rhetoric of democracy, believing that more concern for the rights of common individuals would yield a more inclusive political and cultural environment receptive to the ideals of a younger generation of Americans,† (Didion). One can easily see why the material that writers in the United States were putting out fell into line with the musings, literature and poetry of Romantic writers all over the world. By being exposed to the political aspects of the culture here they were in a position where their art reflected the lives of their patrons. Why, though, were some of the writings about the nature all around us and bright beauty found within it and some of it was about the dark nature of mankind and the sorrow found there? Bright Romantics used a merging of science and nature to allow both to work together. Meanwhile they would put emphasis on the individual’s ability to take themselves out of society to live in nature away from the rat race. A good example of a bright Romantic writer would be Henry David Thoreau. He is famous for having written, among many other works, Walden which is about living simply in nature. Thoreau was an abolitionist and his essay Civil Disobedience is a piece that inspired Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. to engage in peaceful civil disobedience to protest unjust governments. He also wrote Nature, a poem we will look at more in depth later in this paper. Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau) lived from July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862. He was attending Harvard during Andrew Jackson’s second inauguration. He was a freelance writer who tried but was unsuccessful at becoming a fulltime professional writer. Having not been quite as successful at his dream of writing as he is posthumously was a bit of a disappointment to Henry. He had grown up the son of a storekeeper and liquor salesman in respectable poverty and had his share of other sorrows as well having seen two of his beloved siblings die. His brother John died of typhus which he got while shaving. His younger sister Sophia died in 1846 at the age of 36 of the same affliction that would claim Henry’s life, tuberculosis. Thoreau loved the outdoors and would rather live of the land than any other way. He enjoyed waling in the outdoors so much he had said while hunting never did he find his rifle to be too heavy. He held many odd jobs to support himself while traveling and writing but he was very well known in his father’s later business of pencil making. Biographer Robert Sullivan writes that while in the employ of the pencil company â€Å"Thoreau studied various graphite hardnesses [sic] and invented a machine that manufactured a finer grind. The centerpiece was a cylinder, in which the finer graphite settled to the bottom for ready collection. The new invention pushed the company ahead of its rivals,† (142). While his dreams of being a professional writer went mostly unfulfilled he found great joy and contentment as mentioned above in nature. He was well thought of in his life but revered as a writer after his death. In The Life of Henry David Thoreau, Sanborn writes, â€Å"Thoreau had various missions in this world, some of which he fulfilled, and passed beyond them; others he did not live long enough to complete, and only approached perfection at remote intervals. Versifying was one of these latter; though the poetic perception and ideal nature was not only brought to a high point of excellence in his last twenty years, but he exhibited in his youth and early capacity for good writing, which his devotion to the art developed into what may easily pass for perfection in his best passages. † (51). Dark Romantics wrote about how a person views their world and how their mind has the power to change the world they live in. They have a tendency to reject science for fiction and be very involved in the macabre. They are also very introspective. Arguably the best Dark Romantic writer was Edgar Allan Poe who lived from 1809 to 1849. Born December 9 to thespians David and Eliza Poe, who would both die two years later in 1811, Edgar was raised by John and Fanny Allan of Richmond Virginia. John and Edgar never got along due to John’s disdain for how he viewed Edgar’s existence. Until John inherited great wealth, which he eventually kept from Edgar, he viewed Edgar as a drain on his hard fought earnings. Poe faced a lot of tragedy at a very early age and lived a life that was filled with challenges, some self-imposed. He had a lot of unrequited and lost love; therefore, women in some form or another filled pages of his poetry. â€Å"Poe believed that the goal of literature was not to mirror reality but instead to pursue Beauty in its highest and widest sense. As Poe put it, ’A poem in my opinion, is opposed to a work of science by having for its immediate object, pleasure, not truth,’† (27) writes James Hutchinson in his book Poe. For Poe writing was at the very center of his existence. He wrote for some time before becoming celebrated but it did happen while he lived. Poe did make his living through words though poetry prose and becoming the chief editor at several monthlies as well as writing pieces for magazines. Later Hutchinson notes that â€Å"The Raven was an instant success and Poe woke up to find himself famous. † (165). Though famous he seemed forever tragic. Peter Ackroyd writes of his alcoholism saying that after a particularly strong binge in PA, Poe acknowledges that â€Å"the whole experience in Philadelphia became for him a phantasmagoria of suffering, brought on by what he described as ‘mania-a-potu,’ or alcoholic madness. It is the first indication that he realised [sic] the nature of his true condition. † (185). Although feverish Poe had left Richmond VA to visit friends in Baltimore MD, days later, he was found unconscious in a tavern in Baltimore. His previous whereabouts were a mystery and Poe died in a hospital on October 7, 1849 at the age of forty, reminiscent of one of the characters in his works. Both men died young and that was all too common in those times. Their lives were quite different. It is not a surprise that both men lived what they wrote, for Thoreau of the beauty of the outdoors and the nature there was his refuge from life and he died enjoying the Woods at Walden that he enjoyed so much. Although he married the daughter of his paternal Aunt when she was just thirteen, for Poe the love he searched for he never really found. It was maternal in nature and he would never fill that void through drugs and alcohol. The tragedy of his writing was told in his biography. The following are one poem each by Thoreau and Poe. They are similar in their rhythm and their rhyme scheme; however, their symbolism and mood are very different. Poe’s poem is about a beautiful valley where many people died in battle and they haunt the valley still. Thoreau writes about the beauty of the outdoors and how he longs only to commune with his beloved nature and pass his days in the great outdoors. One does not need to be told who wrote which poem that is obvious by their content.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Changing roles of men and women in Australia

Changing roles of men and women in Australia Right, role, freedom for women and changing role between men and women was questioned in today society. Especially in Australia a very multicultural nation where one in four of its 22 million people were born overseas, have a parent who was and four million speak a language other than English. This essay will point out shifting roles of men and women by examining womens rights in different aspects of that multicultural society such as Health, Work, Politics, Popular culture, Home family and Education. Let go back to the 1930s. At that time, the men worked and earned money. The fathers were usually far away from their children. Whereas, the women just stayed at home and took care of home and children. It was generally accepted that womens roles were as Kindergartener and home-keeper. In the other words their destiny were getting married, having Childs and dedicating their lives to the requests of their husbands and children. This was part of the culture that men and women understood their places in society and accepted it. Furthermore, it was believed that if women work after the marriage, they were slack in their responsibility to their husbands and children. It also could be seen as being lax their obligation to the nation. This is because at those days evolving the number of the nations population was one of the most important problems. Therefore, people believed that settling the countrys population was womens duty. For these reasons just unmarried women often had good jobs. A working married woman was considered to be taking a mans job, however they were paid less than men. In addition to, Marriage and divorce laws favored men in terms of custody of children and rights to property. All of those were these sorts of inequalities. In the Second World War shortages of labour caused by so many men joining the armed forces opened the door for many more women to work. That was the beginning of change. Many women took up jobs that had previouslydominated by males such as Politics, military affairs, scientific research. Moreover standards of living changed. Technology has developed and it was reforming peoples lifestyles and domestic roles were altered by the invention of washing machines, vacuum cleaners and electricity. For many women this helped to save a lot of time in housework. Therefore since they have more great opportunities to study and contribute for society and following their interest. Many women have now reached higher situations within politics, the occupations and even business in Australia. Further more the introduction of the contraceptive tablet allowed people to more easily plan their families and decide to space their children. That brought a decrease in the number of children in each family. It also allowed married women to pursue careers without the worry of pregnancy interfering with their plans. In addition, much laws has been put in place that purpose to make equal opportunities for women in the workspace, such as good pay, childcare, anti-discrimination and rules against sexual harassment. For example during the 1980s women took leading roles in the nations affairs. In 1981 Senator Janine Haines became the first woman leader of a major political party-the Australia democrats. In 1986 Justice marry Gaudron was the first women to become a judge of the High court and 1989 Rosemary Follett became the first female chief minister of the ACT (Bereson 2001, p.3). And recently Julia was first sworn as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia on 24 June 2010. She was not born in Australia but she is a migrant. This event does not only mean but also confirms the great role of women in Australian society. As a results Australia has become one of the first nations in the world giving women the rights to vote and to be seated in parliament. From that the women in Australia now achieved higher positions within politics. It is no longer considered that these opportunities are not available to women. Indeed Besides politics, women also more successful in many different fields such as art and culture, sports, even in business. For example Louise Sauvage won a gold medal in Sydney Olympic Games 2000 (Costain 2003, P.4). Robin Archer-a woman of many talented she is a singer, writer and a director. She was artistic Director at Melbourne festival art in 2003 (Costain 2003, P.12). Even very traditional organizations such as religion, churches have changed their attitudes towards women, for example the Anglican Church in the mid-1980s in Melbourne accepted women to be ordained as ministers. Today in secondary schools and universities more women than men educated, and more women than men advanced in bachelor degrees in university. In 2006, women make up for 54.8 per cent of all tertiary education students and 47.5 per cent of all students enrolled in training courses and vocational education. The common were joined in society and culture, management and commerce, hospitality, food indust ries, and personal services courses. Also there are more than 30 per cent of small business operators in Australia are women. Women hold 57 per cent the Australian public service workforce and 36 per cent of senior executive situations. (Women-towards equality) The changing roles of women and greater participation in all levels of society, has led to the role of men to change. Men are now expected to be part of a household management team. In the other word they are ready to share domestic work with their wife. That never ever happened in 1930s. This has caused anxiety in men with traditional backgrounds. They are not sure of their roles any more. However In fact, women are still in a tougher situation than men when it approaches to vocations and work in general. Child care can be difficult to secure and is often too costly. For example if a child is ill it is usually the mother who will be likely to take their time off work to take care them. The greater responsibilities of teaching children, which are still considered womens responsibilities, mean that it is so tough for women to get full-time work especially in jobs requiring overtime. Because of this, instead of full time women usually have to do casual jobs or part-time. Most of these works are not career-orientated positions, so it is not realizable for women to reach higher positions in their work. Furthermore womens attendance is especially strong throughout common culture. Womens image in film clips, movies, magazines, television shows, newspapers and even news programmers is often as a sexualized decoration. There for Women have often been discriminated against, esp ecially on sexual harassment, even at work. Ultimately, any change also has two sides. Although the position of women in Australia society has been confirmed, it also means their responsibility is heavier. Especially in some fields that require physical strengths, superior skills and health. These things women are inferior to men. However all string of success mentioned above helped to break down traditional ideas about what women could or could not do. It made women more visible in public society and enabled them to lead lives that were much nearer to mens lives in standings of liberty and selection.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Environmental Causes of Schizotypal Personality Disorder :: essays research papers

The Environmental Causes of Schizotypal Personality Disorder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), is considered by many as part of the schizophrenic spectrum. It is characterized by discomfort with other people, peculiar patterns of thinking and behavior, and eccentricity. These may take the form of cognitive or perceptual disturbances. Yet, unlike schizophrenia, these psychotic symptoms are not as fully developed as delusions or hallucinations but instead can be characterized as perceptual illusions. A person suffering from SPD might become extremely anxious in social situations, especially those involving strangers. Schizotypal patients also tend to be overly suspicious of others and are not prone to trust others or to relax in their presence. Another characteristic of the disorder is that schizotypes are often odd and eccentric. They often harbor absurd superstitions such as a belief in ESP and many other psychic or paranormal phenomenons that are outside the boundaries of accepted thought. In some cases Schizotypes believe that they possess magical powers, such as the ability to control other people with their thoughts. (Buss 2002) As a result of these symptoms, people diagnosed with SPD have great difficulty with social relationships, and are often alienated from mainstream society. This paper aims to investigate the suspected causes of this strange disorder, focusing on environmental and hereditary factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some recent studies have found a correlation between the use of street drugs and instances of SPD. Researchers in New Zealand found that people who commonly used cannabis were more than three times as likely to develop schizophrenia and or schizotypal disorder later in life. There have been 30 published research experiments linking cannabis to these disorders. The increase in this evidence during the past decade has been attributed to increases in the potency of marijuana. (Allebeck 1993)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some street drugs are credited with not only increasing the risk of developing SPD, but actually in some cases have triggered the onset of the disorder. SPD and schizophrenia can some times be brought on by heavy use of hallucinogenic drugs, especially LSD; but it appears that a person has to have a predisposition towards developing SPD for this to occur. There is also some evidence suggesting that a person suffering from SPD but undergoing treatment can have a relapse episode by taking LSD. Methamphetamine and PCP are also known to mimic the symptoms of SBD, and can therefore bring about symptoms of the disorder without a previous diagnosis. (Allebeck) Some other research has found that enriched educational, nutritional and social environments substantially lower the risk of developing SPD.

hierarchy of Morality :: essays research papers

Excerpt from â€Å"The Immorality of Morals and the Future of Amorality† Most authors seem to promote one or the other of two functions for morality, internal cohesion and external threat. However morality served both equally well. In Darwinism, Dominance and Democracy by Somit and Peterson, the authors state, "Humans are social primates, closely (almost embarrassingly) akin genetically to the chimpanzees and only slightly less so to the gorillas. Working over at least 10 million years, natural selection has endowed the social primates with a predisposition (to understate the matter) for hierarchical social structures. That is, they invariably form groups, troops, tribes, and societies characterized by marked differences in individual status in terms of dominance and submission, command and obedience, and by unequal access to many of the good things of life. This form of morality then serves inclusive fitness; it is there for one reason, to improve the survivability of the tribe. SOMIT AND PETERSON later state, "Indoctrinability, then, toge ther with dominance, hierarchy, and obedience, is one of the innate behavioral capacities and characteristics of our species. As might be expected, in most instances indoctrinability serves to support and reinforce these generally authoritarian tendencies. Under other and fairly special conditions, though, indoctrinability provides a window of opportunity for the acceptance of democratic ideas and of political actions that, if successful, lead to the establishment of a democratic polity." And later, "From a neo-Darwinian perspective, individual selection for indoctrinability in a language-capable species makes sound evolutionary sense. When individuals accept the same values, conflict and violence will be diminished, resulting in a more stable society. From the vantage point of the conforming individual, relative order and tranquility, in turn, are likely to result in greater reproductive success and, hence, inclusive fitness." The idea of morals and values are one of the most debated topics in the world of critical thinking. Life times can be spent philosophizing about the morality of our human race and the shared â€Å"innate† values. Hence forth this excerpt which talks directly (as well as indirectly) about the genealogy of values and morals in a society of humans comparatively to that of nature. There are many ideas brought forth from this paragraph, most stemming from the doctor of the Natural Selection, Charles Darwin. The basis of Darwin’s studies stem from change over a long period of time for the betterment of a group or species. Darwin’s studies that mostly of physiological changes revert to development of needed traits for the increased survival of a group.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Political Maharashtra

Politics of Maharashtra After India's independence, most of Maharashtra's political history was dominated by the Indian National Congress party. Maharashtra became a bastion of the Congress party producing stalwarts such as Yashwantrao Chavan, Vasantdada Patil, Shankarrao Chavan, Vasantrao Naik, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sharad Pawar. The party enjoyed near unchallenged dominance of the political landscape until 1995 when the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured an overwhelming majority in the state to form a coalition.After a split in the Congress party, former chief minister Sharad Pawar formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), but formed a coalition with the Congress to keep out the BJP-SS combine. Prithviraj Chavan of Congress party is the current Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Maharashtra, 1960-1971 Establishment of the State : In 1956 the Bombay State ceded Kannada-speaking territory to Mysore, but gained Marathwada (Aurangabad Division) from Hyderabad State a nd Vidarbha (Amravati and Nagpur Divisions) from Madhya Pradesh & Berar.In 1960, Bombay State was split into the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Administration : From 1962 to 1979 Maharashtra was administrated by an Indian National Congress (INC) led government Annals : 1960 : Bombay State split into Gujarat and Maharashtra; Bombay capital of Maharashtra, Marathi provincial language 1960 : Nagpur Pact; Nagpur (Vidarbha) elevated to second capital of Maharashtra; legislative assembly meets here for two weeks in December every year 1961 : communal violence in Nagpur (BBoY 1962) 962 : state election; INC formed government 1966 : communal incidents in Maharashtra (BBoY 1967) 1966 : Shiv Sena (SHS), Maharashtra Hindu party, founded 1967 : state election; INC formed government 1968 : Hindu-Muslim riots in Aurangabad and Nagpur (BBoY 1969) 1969 : India's first nuclear power station at Tarapur became operational (BBoY 1970) Social History : In 1961 the population of Maharashtra was 39. 9 million, in 1971 50. 3 million. The Statesman's Yearbook, based on the census of 1971, gives the literacy rate for Maharashtra in 1971 as 39. %; in 1961 80. 2 % of the population were Hindus, 7. 6 % Muslims, 7 % Buddhists. Government, Politics and Judiciary Maharashtra is one of the most advanced states in India, the second most populated state and the third largest state in India. The government, politics and judiciary of Maharashtra is quite similar to those of the other states. The state of Maharashtra is governed by the Governor and the Chief Minister. The Governor is the nominal head of the state and the Chief Minister is the Head of the government.He is the head of the political party which has the maximum number of seats in the State Legislative Assembly. The State Legislative Assembly is also known as the Vidhan Sabha and it is situated in the capital city of Maharashtra, Mumbai. The Chief Minister has all the executive powers which he can execute taking the advice of his c ouncil of ministers. The government of Maharashtra is aided by a bicameral parliament, the lower house and the upper house – the Vidhan Sabha and the Vidhan Parishad.At present the Chief Minister of Maharashtra is Vilasrao Deshmukh from the Congress Party. The political party which holds the maximum number of seats in the Vidhan Sabha at present is the NCP which had formed the government with a coalition with the Congress. The state of Maharashtra has been nominated 19 seats in the Rajya Sabha and 48 in the Lok Sabha. Commissions : The four commissions of the government of Maharashtra are the State Election Commission, Maharashtra Public Service Commission, Union Public Service Commission, and Staff Selection Commission.These commissions have been formed to fulfill certain special responsibilities such as conducting exams which are related to government jobs. The State Election Commission: has the responsibility of taking care of the election chores in the state. There is a s tate election commissioner who is appointed on the basis of certain qualifications. Maharashtra Public Service Commission: the MPSC consists of examinations which are scheduled for the posts of Judges of the Co – Operative courts, Assistant Director, Special District Social Welfare Officer, Medical Officer.This commission fixes the dates of the examinations, the syllabus for the examination, the schedule for the interview and other details in connection with the examinations. Union Public Service Commission: the most important function of the Union Public Service Commission is the recruitment of services through written examinations and interviews, advising the state government on the recruitment of personnel, disciplinary functions, other miscellaneous functions regarding pensions and reimbursements of legal expenses. Staff Selection Commission: he function of the Staff Selection Commission of the Maharashtra government is to select staff of the Group B and technical staff o f the Group C in the Ministries or Departments, Government of India offices, Election Commission and the Central Vigilance Commission. The Commission is responsible for formulation of policies which might assist in conducting the examination smoothly. Government Departments : Maharashtra government is dedicated towards serving the citizens and for that purpose it has delegated the responsibility to the various departments of the government.Each department takes care of the different needs of the inhabitants. Apart from the government departments, the government of Maharashtra is assisted by the Boards and Corporations in the fulfillment of its duty. The Government Departments and their functions are: Agriculture Department Co-operation Department Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) Employment and Self Employment Department, Maharashtra Finance Department, Maharash traFood, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department Forest Department Home Department Irrigation Department Public Works Department (PWD) Vidhan Sabha : The Vidhan Sabha of Maharashtra is the lower house or the House of the People. The total strength of the House is 289 members and the term of office for the members is five years. Under unusual conditions the House may be dissolved. It consists of members who are directly elected by the people of Maharashtra. There are certain qualifications required to be the member of the Vidhan Sabha which are: To be a citizen of IndiaTo be not less than 25 years of age To be mentally sound and not bankrupt To have an affidavit of not having any criminal procedures against him. Mumbai High Court : The highest body of the Maharashtra judiciary is the Bombay High Court under which there are the Subordinate Courts which serve the districts and the City Civil Courts. The Bombay High Court can exercise original jurisdiction over the state of Ma harashtra, Goa, Daman and Diu. It has benches in the cities of Bombay, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Panaji in Goa. The Bombay High Court can exercise both original and appellate jurisdiction in Bombay.The Bombay High Court can have maximum of 64 judges. The judiciary of the state of Maharashtra offers legal aid services in all its benches. The Lokayuktas and the Upa – Lokayuktas form the subordinate courts of Maharashtra. the benches of the Bombay High Court in the cities also serve as the subordinate courts in the state. Other than that there is the Maharashtra State Legal Services and Authority department which provides all the necessary information about the important names and contact numbers related to the judiciary services. Maharashtra Politics : Current ScenarioIndia is the biggest democratic country in the world. Indian democracy provides the right of vote to its citizens to elect the government of their choice after every period of five years. However, some times unfortun ately the situation rises when the ruling government looses majority in the house and vote of non-confidence is passed by the opponent party, and if the ruling party is not able to win the vote of non-confidence the house has to under go the mid-term elections. This situation may rise at the Lok Sabha in centre or at Vidhan Sabha or State Assembly in state.The major political parties dominating Indian Politics from the last few decades have been Indian National Congress and Bhartiya Janta Party besides them there are various regional parties at state level which play an influencing role in the political scenario. These parties however do not have their threshold in whole country but they have their impact on the politics at state level. These parties are the ruling parties in some of the states and in some states they act as an alliance of the party in rule. The politics of Maharashtra is not an exception to it where apart from the two major political parties i. e. , Indian