Two Reasons Why You Should Learn How to Write About Yourself in an Essay

Two Reasons Why You Should Learn How to Write About Yourself in an EssayIf you're a college student looking for a way to earn some extra cash, then how to write about yourself in an essay could be your best option. Writing about yourself can help you in two ways.First of all, you'll be able to make a positive emotion out of the words that you've written. Maybe you think that there is no reason why you should write about yourself in an essay and you'll be forced to do so in the end of the semester. But you'll be surprised that this essay topic has numerous benefits.A study of success stories shows that the easiest way to make money is to write about yourself. When people who've excelled in their field of choice have written essays about themselves, they've gained some business tips that they can use in the future. It's easier for you to write about yourself in an essay when you find out about the few success stories in your field. This is because many employers have their own writing tips and guidelines that they will follow when hiring you.If you write about yourself in an essay that's not impressive, it will come off as a boring topic that lacks humor and interest, and this might not appeal to your audience. You can only attract people who want to see you succeed in your chosen field by using your writings.Another benefit of writing about yourself in an essay is that it makes you realize that you are capable of writing in the first place. With this in mind, it won't be so hard for you to practice what you've written if you continue to read from your essay. So, whenever you find yourself ready to submit your piece, just skip your last paragraph and start writing the next one, which will be a lot more impressive.To sum up, you have two great reasons why you should learn how to write about yourself in an essay. First, it can help you with business and career planning. By writing about yourself, you will be able to gain some insight about what you're good at and w hat you need to work on.Lastly, there are a lot of students who opt to write about themselves in an essay for the same reason as the first reason I mentioned above. For them, writing about themselves in an essay can help them in finding employment or boost their self-confidence.

Female Characters Of The Middle Ages - 3293 Words

The lives of women in the Middle Ages were quite different from today. They were totally dominated by the male members of their family. Women were expected to obey their husband, father, brothers, and any other male members of the family. At a young age, noble women were sent away to study a range of subjects and skills, such as manners and etiquette. Marriage for love was a rare occurrence because they were frequently arranged so that both families would benefit (The Middle Ages Website). However, literature paints a different portrait of women in this time period. Medieval literature and poetry depict women as powerful figures, ultimately powering over men in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and killing the enemy in the Book of Judith. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Morgan le Fay and Lady Bertilak are the most important female characters. King Arthur s sister, Morgan le Fay, played an important role in arranging the entire game between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawa in is mesmerized with Morgan le Fay s beauty- the fair hues of her flesh, her face and her hair and her body and her bearing were beyond praise (David and Simpson, p.182, 943-944). Although he is a noble knight, he completely surrenders to her beauty and asks to be received as her servant as she so desires. Morgan le Fay played the role of God and had Sir Gawain at her fingertips. As the match between the two men approaches, Sir Gawain sets off to find the Green Chapel to fight with theShow MoreRelatedGender is a Fundamental Element of the Broadway Musical677 Words   |  3 PagesStarting in the golden age of 1950, a Broadway musicals critical judgement depended on how well the show’s elements were formally integrated. Meaning the outlook of the plot in relation to the music, lyrics and characterization of gender roles. Gender is a fundamental element of Broadway musical theatre, constitutional to the musical’s architecture. It is essential as a building block for ch aracters, music/lyrics, and stage settings. Broadway musical is a popular art, in which conveys social issuesRead MoreCanterbury Tales; Professions1185 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the Middle Ages there were many professions, some of them were honorable others were not. In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, there are profiles of some the professions that were present during the Middle Ages. Among the professions there were a few that seemed unappealing. Personally, I do not like the professions that accept bribes; in this case the Friar represented characteristics of that profession. Other professions provoke suffering of another human being. For example, the Summoner’s jobRead More Sociology Observation of Two Advertisements Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesTheres another male on seated on a horse, next to a younger female wearing a Mardi Gras mask. At the bottom is a young girl wearing the kind of wig that Thomas Jefferson wore. 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A popular TV show called The Middle, tells the story of a working-class family in the U.S, following the daily life of a mother named Frankie who, alongside her husband, Hank, raise their three kids, Axl, Sue, and Brick. While The Middle is a modern family show, the gender norms and family dynamicsRead MoreThe Wife Of Bath s Prologue And Tale990 Words   |  4 Pagesof Bath s Prologue and Tale is about female empowerment it shows strong protagonists. I believe Geoffrey Chaucer used The Wife of Bath’s Tale to advocate for feminism. Chaucer used a strong female character to expose female stereotypes. It was an oppressive time for women in male-dominated society. During the Middle Ages, Chaucer wrote fro m a woman’s point of view something that was not normal at that time. He set his feminist ideals through the characters of the Wife of Bath and the old womanRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Wife Of Bath1521 Words   |  7 Pagesther water may nat dwelle†¦Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree, right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde (371-377). In the Middle Ages, women were not given much slack or authority regarding their morality, spirituality, and economic and social positioning. Biblical symbols caused a misrepresentation of women and were highly regarded in the suppressing of the female voice and their value outside of being a wife and mother. â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Tale† provides one of the most intriguing medievalRead MoreThe Woman In White Was Authored In 1859 By Wilkie Collins,1513 Words   |  7 Pageswhich is regarded as one of the most sensational and finest mysterious novels. The book outlines the role of women in the society. The fem ale gender is perceived and portrayed as inferior to their male counterparts. Women are expected to look after children and their husbands, as well as do housework. They are not allowed to access higher education. Also, the middle-class experience is more embraced than the senior level, as the latter is characterized with riches, extravagance, and laziness, unlikeRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1332 Words   |  6 PagesScott Fitzgerald has prevailed more than half century. From this novel, we can see various characters’ performance in 1920s in United States. Obviously, what the writer expressed has a sustainable influence for successors. In my thesis, I will show my opinion about Different female values in the Great Gatsby. In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald exquisitely and accurately depicts the â€Å"jazz age†. The three important female images are particularly impressive: Gatsby s dream lover, Daisy Buchanan from a noble

What is the Importance of Friendships to Personal Health

Friendship is very important for mental and personal health, the people who you celebrate happy and not so happy times with. The friend who can cheer you up and brighten up your day, the list goes on. Friendship is important, its been researched that it can boost your self-confidence, help you cope with difficult situations and even encourage you to change, habit for example. This relationship as you can see is very important to anyone, physically and mentally strengthening you, without friends people can become depressed and feel that they dont belong on the earth causing mental health. There are many different kind of friendships, such as best friends, close friends and friends, all impact a person in many different ways. Its not about how many friends you have because it only takes one to change you and be there for you. As research shows you could have many friends but have only one youll turn to for advice and help. If we look at a person that has no friendships, we see that their confidence, social skills and personal heath is effected because they dont gain the skills that can only be obtained through friendships. Friendships are really powerful even though we might not think it, many children and adults have committed subside because they had no friends, this shows it impacted their personal health so much, that they felt worthless to the world. Its proven that you may have stopped someone from committing suicide from just smiling at a stranger in theShow MoreRelatedThe Magic Of A Family Meal By Ellen Goodman1260 Words   |  6 Pagesauthors conclude the im portance of personal relationships. Though varied in their theses, tones, and styles, each article stresses that individuals quality of life can be positively affected by taking time for companions and relatives. 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In every society in the world people have and follow this relationship and support it. In some societies this relationship is given more importance than others. In our society friends are given almost the same attention as ones family member. Family is the closest relationship a person has, and if that is disturbed a friend can be very helpful. During the development of a friendship inRead More`` The Bright Stuff `` By President Woodrow Wilson : The Only Cement That Will Ever Hold The World979 Words   |  4 Pagesdeclared that â€Å"friendship [was] the only cement that will ever hold the world together†. Human beings form massive networks, tied together by fine threads, like a web. Those relationships revolving around us are expanded by pollination, as meeting friends of friends rapidly increases one’s social network. The importance of understanding human interactions r ises in accordance with the continuous changes in our environment. Nowadays, scientific researches interested in the friendship process exploreRead MoreThe Importance Of Interpersonal Relationship972 Words   |  4 Pagesneed to feel love and acceptance from social groups such as families and peer groups. In fact, the need to belong is so innately ingrained that it may be strong enough to overcome physiological and safety needs. (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, 2017) What this implies that it’s a given human nature to want to feel a sense of belonging to a group. This group is expected to support and connectedness with an individual. This provides the opportunity for interpersonal relationship amongst any group of personsRead MoreRelationship Between Friendship Quality And The Amount Of Time1420 Words   |  6 PagesFriendship quality in connection to time spent with romantic partner Humans are naturally a social species (Furman, 1999). People engage in different types of relationships throughout their entire lives. 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Revolution in France free essay sample

A review of the book Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke and how it relates to egalitarianism. This paper presents a detailed examination about egalitarian ideas and how they can be applied. Using Edmund Burkes book called Reflections on the Revolution in France the writer of this paper explores how Burkes ideas can be applied to the Egalitarian point of view. The paper focuses primarily on Burkes defense of tradition and prejudice. As globalization continues to knock down previously erected political walls, different societies and cultures are learning to accept each other. Diversity and differences are part of what keeps the world progressing and keeps people communicating. One of the things that the process of globalization has promoted is the acceptance of the beliefs of others that are different . In addition many cultures and systems are learning that they can adopt components of other systems and improve their original foundational basis . We will write a custom essay sample on Revolution in France or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One very solid and serious style of belief is the egalitarian method of viewing the world. When Edmund Burke wrote the book, Reflections on the Revolution in France, he did not promote it as an egalitarian viewpoint, but if one reads beyond the initial impression and examines the underpinnings of the premise he discusses it is easy to understand how an egalitarian could embrace the ideas that Burke promotes . His ideas regarding tradition and prejudice are especially applicable to the egalitarian foundational structure . An egalitarian could easily accept the beliefs of Burke in the areas of tradition and prejudice to a very big extent.

Recession, Advertising, and Opportunity Food for Thought - The Writers For Hire

RECESSION, ADVERTISING, AND OPPORTUNITY: FOOD FOR THOUGHT Seems like when the going gets tough, the marketing budget is the first thing to get the axe. And, at first glance, the logic makes sense – after all, when money’s tight, isn’t it more important to keep the business you already have instead of dropping buckets of cash chasing new clients? Well, yes and no. According to a recent article in The New Yorker, there’s a lot to be said for boosting your advertising and marketing budgets during a recession. Financial writer James Surowiecki (one of my hands-down, favorite financial writers) points to companies like Kellogg’s, Kraft, Hyundai who have used previous economic downturns to gain an edge over the competition. It seems like while the other guys were playing it safe by cutting marketing dollars, these former underdogs took a gamble and launched big marketing campaigns and new products instead. And, according to Surowiecki, it worked. Sure, it may seem â€Å"safe† to slash your advertising dollars, but companies who keep reaching out to consumers during a recession may just come out on top when the economy gets back on track. Good news for people in marketing and advertising, to be sure. But, whatever business you’re in, it’s an interesting look at how to gain an edge over the competition. It’s definitely worth checking out. Read the full article here and let me know what you think – we love to hear from our readers.

Free Essays on Report On Case Study

This research article chosen is entitled, Individual Differences in Children’s Emotion Understanding: Effects of Age and Language. It came from the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology; September 2003, Volume 44 Issue 4, p 347, 7 p. It’s logical to assume that as individuals get older, they tend to mature in additional areas of life. In the extent of the last two decades, it has been proven that emotion understanding can alter with age. Recent studies have begun to focus on children’s individual emotion understanding. Researchers in this study also hypothesized that as children mature, their emotion understanding will increase. The researchers’ first goal of this study was to examine the development of individual differences in children by assessing a test containing nine different components of emotion understanding. Their second goal was to observe the relation between language ability and individual differences in emotion understanding. Eighty children ranging in age from four to eleven years were tested. As expected, there was an increase in emotion understanding and language ability with age. In each age group, it was clear that there were individual differences in language ability an d emotion understanding. Age and language ability collectively explained 72% of emotion understanding conflict; 20% of this variance was explained by age single-handedly and 27% by language ability. The research conducted was a correlational study. As the children increased in age, their language ability and emotion understanding also increased. In this case, there was a positive correlation. After the exposure to an original research report, I realize that even the most practical situations could be a product of a psychological study. I expected the research article to contain more scientific information resulting in confusion. As for the results of the actual study, I’m not surprised. It’s logical to assume that when aging occurs, it wi... Free Essays on Report On Case Study Free Essays on Report On Case Study This research article chosen is entitled, Individual Differences in Children’s Emotion Understanding: Effects of Age and Language. It came from the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology; September 2003, Volume 44 Issue 4, p 347, 7 p. It’s logical to assume that as individuals get older, they tend to mature in additional areas of life. In the extent of the last two decades, it has been proven that emotion understanding can alter with age. Recent studies have begun to focus on children’s individual emotion understanding. Researchers in this study also hypothesized that as children mature, their emotion understanding will increase. The researchers’ first goal of this study was to examine the development of individual differences in children by assessing a test containing nine different components of emotion understanding. Their second goal was to observe the relation between language ability and individual differences in emotion understanding. Eighty children ranging in age from four to eleven years were tested. As expected, there was an increase in emotion understanding and language ability with age. In each age group, it was clear that there were individual differences in language ability an d emotion understanding. Age and language ability collectively explained 72% of emotion understanding conflict; 20% of this variance was explained by age single-handedly and 27% by language ability. The research conducted was a correlational study. As the children increased in age, their language ability and emotion understanding also increased. In this case, there was a positive correlation. After the exposure to an original research report, I realize that even the most practical situations could be a product of a psychological study. I expected the research article to contain more scientific information resulting in confusion. As for the results of the actual study, I’m not surprised. It’s logical to assume that when aging occurs, it wi...

A Social Partnerships in the New Millenium

There is also a huge amount being written about the issue, some Industrial Relations commentators have even hailed this as the most exciting thing to happen to UK industry in years. However, not every group completely agrees with this. For example, some groups believe that Social Partnership has had a very negative effect on British Trade Unions. At www.labournet.org.uk a group have named a bulletin board ‘Solidarity’. It is a page dedicated to ‘challenging social partnership’ and it’s apparent corrosive effects on union power. It is very typical of the types of arguments put forward by groups that are oh so against social partnerships. Stakeholders like the authors of solidarity believe that social partnerships tie unions to the coat tails of employers. What they want is a ‘new unionism’ which opposes subordination to the ‘global market’ and builds on the experience of the Liverpool Dockers. This group is completely opposed to any kind of privatisation and really wants more from unions than just a concern for working conditions. They want a break â€Å"..with the narrow work place concerns of ‘non-political’ trade unionism† and believe that unions should fight † for the interests of the working class and oppressed as a whole†. They also see a need for a repeal of all â€Å"anti-union† legislation and an end to state interference into unions, such as social partnership agreements. Taken from ‘Solidarity’, the journal that openly states it’s purpose is to challenge social partnerships in trade unions, here are some ‘facts’ that display how social partnerships have had a harmful effect on British trade unions: In Rover and the car industry, where the unions have identified the interests of workers with commercial success in the ‘global market’, they have been gravely weakened and meekly accepted massive job cuts. USDAW has reached a ‘Partnership Agreement’ with Tesco which takes away the right of the union members as a whole to vote on pay deals. The TUC has collaborated with a privatised utility in the Energy Industry and set up a company with them – Union Energy – thus effectively abandoning the fight for re-nationalisation. They are collaborating with a privatised utility which has decimated trade union members’ jobs. The unions have swallowed ‘Investors in People’ which identifies the interests of union members with the ‘business aims’ of private companies. The TUC and most unions have accepted that the increased competition of the ‘global market’ means unity with ‘our employers’ and competing with workers in other countries. Stakeholders like these aim to challenge social partnership by campaigning for complete independence of the unions from the employer. They reject globalisation and counterpoise to it a working class internationalism which recognises that workers have more in common with those in other countries than they do with ‘our own’ bosses. It is a very Marxist standpoint . They feel that for those in the unions who support their independence from the employers and the state, a systematic struggle against ‘social partnership’ in all its manifestations is a central task if they are to break the unions from the employers’ coat tails. They are insistent that this outlook has only been adopted by union leaders. It has though percolated down to many workplaces, reinforced by the fear of unemployment. This far left view contrasts greatly with those unions that actually see social partnership in a very positive, if slightly unclear light. Unions like FIET, The International Federation of commercial, clerical, professional, and technical employees see social partnership as a â€Å"new and challenging area of work for the union.† For unions that see the millennium as a time to accept social partnership, it will mean unions and companies learning to do things differently, rather than trying to campaign against this change. Some unions like FIET have accepted that we now have a government committed to promoting the partnership approach, and to ensuring that it becomes a permanent feature in the workplace. Unions like this have therefore accepted that social partnership is going to be around for a long time. I think that left wing reactions to social partnerships, like that of ‘Solidarity’ is very much a reactive one rather than considered. I think that those stakeholders set so strongly against this issue need to understand that the government’s political commitment to partnership goes far beyond the UK. We now have a new and positive approach to Europe and this social partnership model is at the heart of the EU’s approach to all Industrial Relations. Indeed Social Partnership does mean long term changes to the Industrial Relations scene in Europe and in Britain, all that unions need to work on is understanding what these changes will mean for their members and the companies that they work in. Looked at from this more positive, optimistic standpoint then social partnership has the potential to deliver some very real benefits: Potentially it means that employers will be working with the trade unions to bring about improvements in the quality of work. It means that employees, through their trade union, will be given a much greater say in how their company is run. Social partnership should give unions the opportunity to be consulted earlier, more often and on a wider range of issues than has happened before. Surely the growth in partnership at work can only be a welcome one, if not somewhat overdue? However, these encouraging and upbeat pointers can only be achieved if the unions get themselves involved in equal terms right from the beginning, otherwise employers could try to do things without the unions. As stakeholders like ‘Solidarity’ state I think that there is indeed a risk that social partnership may be used to try and undermine trade union organisation in the work place. Employers could potentially claim that they can have a partnership directly with their staff and do not require the union’s participation. If the unions are excluded in this way then not only could there be disastrous consequences for union members but social partnership will not work for employers either. Partnership can only be successful when employees as partners are properly supported and resourced through a dependable trade union. To illustrate this point further, let us consider what may happen if the retail sector tried to introduce partnership without trade union involvement : Most employees in this sector work part-time. There are increasingly complex and unsociable working hours in retailing which in turn means that most employees may have very little contact with anyone beyond their shift. In these circumstances employees have less of an opportunity to form a collective view. Simply meeting together can be extremely difficult in such organisations, let alone having the resources and confidence to develop their own ideas and concerns. Therefore it is clear that in most cases employees are unlikely to become equal and effective partners when they do not have the time or the means to generate their own agenda. A dependable and experienced trade union means that employees can enter into partnership properly supported and resourced. To achieve this, a real commitment is required from employers to supporting trade union membership, as the best way for their staff to be given a voice and more importantly the confidence to use it. Basically partnership needs partners. But how will social partnership actually change things in real terms for employees and the unions? By answering this question I will hopefully be able to assess if social partnership is a viable way forward in the new millennium. Firstly, unions need to take a positive approach, for them social partnerships should be about: Co-operation, not confrontation. Improving the quality of working life. Employers listening to and respecting unions and vice versa. Employees developing their own agenda through their trade union. If they agree on the above terms then hopefully it will mean: Moving away from the common practice of the union only talking to companies once a year. At the moment, even with companies with whom there exists a good relationship, unions often only talk to the organisation at the time of the annual wage negotiations. Many unions feel that the annual wage round sometimes becomes a little tired and predictable, with companies offering the lowest increase that they feel they can get away with. However, partnership is different. For the unions, it means talking to companies throughout the year. It means having a constant dialogue with employers about what is happening at all levels of the company. It should also mean that the union is consulted on a wider range of issues. Companies are used to contacting unions when they are implementing redundancies or sell offs. Mainly because there is a legal obligation on them to do this, but unions have not in the past been consulted on the overall direction of a company or about strategic decisions that may affect employees. A Social Partnership means that the union should be consulted on a far wider range of issues than they have been used to. It means earlier and better consultation sessions, theoretically no more being told about something when it has already been implemented. A Social Partnerships in the New Millenium There is also a huge amount being written about the issue, some Industrial Relations commentators have even hailed this as the most exciting thing to happen to UK industry in years. However, not every group completely agrees with this. For example, some groups believe that Social Partnership has had a very negative effect on British Trade Unions. At www.labournet.org.uk a group have named a bulletin board ‘Solidarity’. It is a page dedicated to ‘challenging social partnership’ and it’s apparent corrosive effects on union power. It is very typical of the types of arguments put forward by groups that are oh so against social partnerships. Stakeholders like the authors of solidarity believe that social partnerships tie unions to the coat tails of employers. What they want is a ‘new unionism’ which opposes subordination to the ‘global market’ and builds on the experience of the Liverpool Dockers. This group is completely opposed to any kind of privatisation and really wants more from unions than just a concern for working conditions. They want a break â€Å"..with the narrow work place concerns of ‘non-political’ trade unionism† and believe that unions should fight † for the interests of the working class and oppressed as a whole†. They also see a need for a repeal of all â€Å"anti-union† legislation and an end to state interference into unions, such as social partnership agreements. Taken from ‘Solidarity’, the journal that openly states it’s purpose is to challenge social partnerships in trade unions, here are some ‘facts’ that display how social partnerships have had a harmful effect on British trade unions: In Rover and the car industry, where the unions have identified the interests of workers with commercial success in the ‘global market’, they have been gravely weakened and meekly accepted massive job cuts. USDAW has reached a ‘Partnership Agreement’ with Tesco which takes away the right of the union members as a whole to vote on pay deals. The TUC has collaborated with a privatised utility in the Energy Industry and set up a company with them – Union Energy – thus effectively abandoning the fight for re-nationalisation. They are collaborating with a privatised utility which has decimated trade union members’ jobs. The unions have swallowed ‘Investors in People’ which identifies the interests of union members with the ‘business aims’ of private companies. The TUC and most unions have accepted that the increased competition of the ‘global market’ means unity with ‘our employers’ and competing with workers in other countries. Stakeholders like these aim to challenge social partnership by campaigning for complete independence of the unions from the employer. They reject globalisation and counterpoise to it a working class internationalism which recognises that workers have more in common with those in other countries than they do with ‘our own’ bosses. It is a very Marxist standpoint . They feel that for those in the unions who support their independence from the employers and the state, a systematic struggle against ‘social partnership’ in all its manifestations is a central task if they are to break the unions from the employers’ coat tails. They are insistent that this outlook has only been adopted by union leaders. It has though percolated down to many workplaces, reinforced by the fear of unemployment. This far left view contrasts greatly with those unions that actually see social partnership in a very positive, if slightly unclear light. Unions like FIET, The International Federation of commercial, clerical, professional, and technical employees see social partnership as a â€Å"new and challenging area of work for the union.† For unions that see the millennium as a time to accept social partnership, it will mean unions and companies learning to do things differently, rather than trying to campaign against this change. Some unions like FIET have accepted that we now have a government committed to promoting the partnership approach, and to ensuring that it becomes a permanent feature in the workplace. Unions like this have therefore accepted that social partnership is going to be around for a long time. I think that left wing reactions to social partnerships, like that of ‘Solidarity’ is very much a reactive one rather than considered. I think that those stakeholders set so strongly against this issue need to understand that the government’s political commitment to partnership goes far beyond the UK. We now have a new and positive approach to Europe and this social partnership model is at the heart of the EU’s approach to all Industrial Relations. Indeed Social Partnership does mean long term changes to the Industrial Relations scene in Europe and in Britain, all that unions need to work on is understanding what these changes will mean for their members and the companies that they work in. Looked at from this more positive, optimistic standpoint then social partnership has the potential to deliver some very real benefits: Potentially it means that employers will be working with the trade unions to bring about improvements in the quality of work. It means that employees, through their trade union, will be given a much greater say in how their company is run. Social partnership should give unions the opportunity to be consulted earlier, more often and on a wider range of issues than has happened before. Surely the growth in partnership at work can only be a welcome one, if not somewhat overdue? However, these encouraging and upbeat pointers can only be achieved if the unions get themselves involved in equal terms right from the beginning, otherwise employers could try to do things without the unions. As stakeholders like ‘Solidarity’ state I think that there is indeed a risk that social partnership may be used to try and undermine trade union organisation in the work place. Employers could potentially claim that they can have a partnership directly with their staff and do not require the union’s participation. If the unions are excluded in this way then not only could there be disastrous consequences for union members but social partnership will not work for employers either. Partnership can only be successful when employees as partners are properly supported and resourced through a dependable trade union. To illustrate this point further, let us consider what may happen if the retail sector tried to introduce partnership without trade union involvement : Most employees in this sector work part-time. There are increasingly complex and unsociable working hours in retailing which in turn means that most employees may have very little contact with anyone beyond their shift. In these circumstances employees have less of an opportunity to form a collective view. Simply meeting together can be extremely difficult in such organisations, let alone having the resources and confidence to develop their own ideas and concerns. Therefore it is clear that in most cases employees are unlikely to become equal and effective partners when they do not have the time or the means to generate their own agenda. A dependable and experienced trade union means that employees can enter into partnership properly supported and resourced. To achieve this, a real commitment is required from employers to supporting trade union membership, as the best way for their staff to be given a voice and more importantly the confidence to use it. Basically partnership needs partners. But how will social partnership actually change things in real terms for employees and the unions? By answering this question I will hopefully be able to assess if social partnership is a viable way forward in the new millennium. Firstly, unions need to take a positive approach, for them social partnerships should be about: Co-operation, not confrontation. Improving the quality of working life. Employers listening to and respecting unions and vice versa. Employees developing their own agenda through their trade union. If they agree on the above terms then hopefully it will mean: Moving away from the common practice of the union only talking to companies once a year. At the moment, even with companies with whom there exists a good relationship, unions often only talk to the organisation at the time of the annual wage negotiations. Many unions feel that the annual wage round sometimes becomes a little tired and predictable, with companies offering the lowest increase that they feel they can get away with. However, partnership is different. For the unions, it means talking to companies throughout the year. It means having a constant dialogue with employers about what is happening at all levels of the company. It should also mean that the union is consulted on a wider range of issues. Companies are used to contacting unions when they are implementing redundancies or sell offs. Mainly because there is a legal obligation on them to do this, but unions have not in the past been consulted on the overall direction of a company or about strategic decisions that may affect employees. A Social Partnership means that the union should be consulted on a far wider range of issues than they have been used to. It means earlier and better consultation sessions, theoretically no more being told about something when it has already been implemented.