Monday, September 30, 2019

Consider the theme in Of mice and men Essay

* The book Of Mice and Men was set in the time of the great depression of the 1930’s in California in a place called Soledad. Men travelled around looking for any work they could find, they had to leave families and homes just to make money. Even firms and companies went bankrupt, these were depressing and desperate times, no hope and no future. * During this period of time there was a depression in America. Unemployment was high, so men moved from ranch to ranch looking for work, never staying in one place long enough to firm any real relationships, so this was a very lonely existence. * John Steinbeck’s inspiration from came from him at an earlier age working as a migrant farm worker and so he understood completely about the conditions and life around him so he could really create an atmospheric story. * It is based on two men, George and Lennie, who travelled from ranch to ranch. George is a small and fairly intelligent man while Lennie is a large man of very little intelligence. They had travelled together for a long time. * In my opinion, the most obvious point made throughout the book about the world of migrant workers is that it is lonely. George tells that â€Å"†¦guys like us†¦are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This is also shown when Slim comments that he â€Å"†¦hardly never seen two guys travel together†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Most migrant workers travel on their own and this is why George and Lennie face some fairly intrusive questions from their new boss when they first arrive at the ranch. This boss even finds it so unusual that he asks George, referring to Lennie, â€Å"†¦what stake you got in this guy?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . He also again refers to this being unusual by saying â€Å"†¦I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . * They are many characters in the novel that are also lonely and this is due to sexism, ageism, but mainly racism. One perfect example is Crooks†¦Crooks, the black stable buck is forever being picked on by the other men at the ranch, mostly because of his colour. In the time in which the book was set, black people in America were thought of as lower than white people. At the ranch, Crooks cannot live in the bunk – house with all the other men, but he has to sleep in the harness room, at the back of the barn. Crooks is given no privacy, and gets quite cross because he is not allowed to enter the bunk-house but the other men can just walk into his room. In the book he says to Lennie, â€Å"You’ve no right to come into my room, nobody got any right in here but me.† * Another reason is because of your age. Candy is lonely because he is old, and is different from the other hands. His only comfort is his old dog, which keeps him company and reminds him of days when he was young and whole.He has no relatives, and once his dog is killed is totally alone. He eagerly clutches at the idea of buying a farm with George and Lennie, but of course this all comes to nothing.Candy’s disappointment is expressed in the bitter words he utters to the body of Curley’s wife, whom he blames for spoiling his dream. Paragraph 1 * George is a kind man. He travels with Lennie and helps him to survive although Lennie is more of a burden than a help, and creates many problems for him. He is also friendly, and almost immediately makes friends with Candy, Carlson, Slim, and the other ranch hands.He has matured a lot since the incident he relates to Slim where he made Lennie jump into a river just for fun. He realises that Lennie depends on him, and needs him to survive.George often insults Lennie and ‘gives him hell’, but he doesn’t really mean it. Although he often talks about how well off he could be without Lennie he secretly doesn’t want Lennie to leave, and when Lennie offers to do so in the first chapter, George virtually pleads with him to stay, ‘ Ive got you an you’ve got me’. This is because George also depends on Lennie to a certain extent for his unconditional friendship. George is intelligent, as Slim points out in chapter three, but also modest in denying being smart. He expresses his desire to be different from other ranch hands who merely work for a month and then spend all of their money, but also realistically realises that his dream of owning a house with Lennie (or anyone else) is unlikely to ever come true. Overall, George is an intelligent and kind character. He is thoughtful enough to realise that the best thing for Lennie is to shoot him, for the alternatives are even worse, and compassionate enough to kill Lennie himself. * Lennie is a massive, extremely strong man, who has no living relatives. He travels about the country searching for work with his companion, George. Lennie’s Aunt Clara had asked George to take care of Lennie if she ever died. The most obvious feature of Lennie’s character is that he seems retarded. He is a man who has the mind of a child. Slim is one of the first characters to notice this, remarking that Lennie is ‘Jes’ like a kid’ and Curley’s wife also comments on how he is ‘Jus’ like a big baby’. Lennie doesn’t know his own strength, and this is one of the things which lead to his eventual downfall. He realises that he is, ‘strong as a bull’, but he can’t judge how much force to use for certain actions. That is why he kills his pets, when he only intends to pet them and play with them. It is this inability to judge his strength, combined with his desire to pet things and Curley’s wife’s desire to be petted and admired which leads to Lennie’s inevitable death. The ability to judge one’s own strength is one of the first signs of maturity, and it is important that Lennie doesn’t have this ability. Despite the major flaws in his character he is amiable and ‘friendly ‘, and doesn’t do any of the bad things he does on purpose.He has a poor memory, and has to repeat things to himself many times to remember them. Even then, he still forgets them. He has a blind faith in George, trusting in him to protect and look after his welfare. For example, remember the incident George describes to Slim when he told Lennie to â€Å"jump in the river† and Lennie obeyed, without a thought to his own well being. This illustrates Lennie’s trust in George, and also his immaturity.However, it must be noted that Lennie can still be quite crafty, as when he cunningly persuades George to tell him the story about the rabbits by threatening to leave him. Paragraph 2 * Because of Lennie’s handicap George has established a personality around his companion to make it easier to live around him. George has found a way of coping with Lennie which is to shout at him†¦. † God a’ mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy.† He supports him in the way he needs although when he is angry he does criticize him â€Å"As dum as a horse†. * George thinks of Lennie as a companion as he doesn’t have any family. On the other hand he finds him as a pain. Lennie feel the same way to a certain extent but also fears George as he is in control and orders and protects Lennie. They travel together searching for work on ranches and so never settle, and so don’t establish true friendships with others, but since they have each other they seem secure, but Lennie gets into a lot of trouble and so needs George so really George doesn’t have time for himself, which is why they do almost everything together. * Others see this relationship as different:- Slim comments † Aint many guys travel around toghther†¦.Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other†. George and Lennie are different as Lennie says † I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you† * Dreams are significant when considering how these men as one of the ways in which the characters combat the loneliness and hopelessness of their existence. For example the â€Å"dream farm†, a dream shared at first only by George and Lennie, later spreads to include Candy and Crooks, as they are all desperate to escape their lonely lives Crooks reveals that it is the favourite dream of the itinerant ranch hands: ‘Seems like ever’ guy got land in his head.’ It is a powerful dream, however, and even Crooks falls for this, for a short time.To Lennie, the dream is a cure for â€Å"disappointment and loneliness†, and he often asks George to recite the description of the farm to him. Paragraph 4 * Crooks is an even lonelier character than Candy, because not only is he old and a cripple, like Candy, but he is also black. Most of the men have a lot of prejudice against Crooks, referring to him with derogatory terms such as â€Å"nigger†. (Prejudice around slavery wasn’t rare) * He lives in the shed at the other end of the ranch, isolated from the rest of the workers there. * Crooks is a victim. We are told by Candy that the Boss takes his anger out on Crooks, though Crooks does nothing wrong. * Crooks spends his time alone reading and is a fairly knowledgeable person, as he owns a copy of the California civil code for 1905 He also plays horseshoes until dark. This shows us that Crooks is interested in reading as is most likely one of the smartest of the crowd. This also suggests that he has found reading as an â€Å"escape route† from the ‘terrible world’ around him. * Crooks reveals that it is the favourite dream of the itinerant ranch hands: * As a result of the discrimination against him, Crooks has become bitter and cynical. This is why when Lennie and Candy tell him about their plan to buy a house he reacts with scorn and disbelief. ‘Seems like ever’ guy got land in his head.’ It is a powerful dream, however, and even the cynical Crooks falls under its spell for a short time. Paragraph 5 * Curley’s wife is described as having full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails painted and her hair hung in little rolled clusters. * Most of the ranch hands except for Slim brand Curley’s wife as ‘tart’. In fact, she is portrayed as such whenever she appears, obviously playing up to and teasing the men. We can definitely say that she is lonely. John Steinbeck illustrates how lonely Curleys wife is when she says † I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely† She says so several times, and that is to be expected since she is stuck on a ranch with men who dislike her and rarely talk to her, as they fear getting into any sort of trouble with her husband Curley, ‘stay away from her’. However, she attempts to overcome her loneliness in the wrong way. George immediately realises that she means trouble when she first turns up in the bunkhouse, and it is hardly surprising that her actions lead her new husband to be fiercely jealous. She is so cruel because of her unhappiness, her isolation and the failure of her dreams. She dreamt of being â€Å"in the movies† or even in a â€Å"show†. She is disappointed and marries Curley to spite her mother only to find out â€Å"he aint a nice fella†. She wishes she could have made something of her life. She walks around the ranch, dressed inappropriately and seductively. and she has only been married a couple of weeks. She admits to Lennie that she doesn’t like her husband and regrets marrying him. She seems to be of limited intelligence, as this shows her how desperate she is to escape. It is partly her desire to be petted and admired which leads her to allow Lennie to stroke her hair, which in turn leads to her death at Lennie’s hands. She is only ever known as ‘Curley’s wife’ which indicates that the author viewed her as a possession of Curley’s rather than a human being. I pity her as she made a mistake into leading herself into these problems with Curley and this is making her bored ill. Paragraph 6 * The next afternoon, Lennie is in the barn. All of the other men are outside playing a game of horseshoes, and Lennie’s only company is his dead puppy. Lennie had accidentally killed it. He fears that George will not let him tend and feed the rabbits if George knows that he killed the puppy. While Lennie wonders what to do, Curley’s wife appears. She tries to get Lennie to talk to her, but Lennie is reluctant, since George had threatened to forbid him from tending his rabbits if Lennie ever did so. When she directs Lennie’s attention to his puppy, though, Lennie forgets about not talking to her. He explains everything to her. Curley’s wife listens sympathetically, and she tells Lennie about her aspirations of being an actress, and how she believes her mother deliberately thwarted her plans. She becomes angered by Lennie’s continual references to rabbits, and asks him what his attraction to them is. Lennie explains that he likes to touch and pet soft things, like rabbit fur. * Curley’s wife allows Lennie to stroke her hair, but panics when he won’t let go. She begins to struggle and scream, and Lennie, also in a state of panic, shakes her to make her stop saying, ‘ I don’t want you to yell. You gonna get me in trouble jus’ like George says you will’, and he covered her rouged lipped mouth with his large palms. She continued to scream and struggle and now the fully nervous Lennie shouted angrily at her, ‘ Don’t you go yellin’ , and shook her; and her body flopped like a fish ‘he shakes her so violently that her neck broke and she died instantly. Lennie knows that he has done another bad thing and remembers that George told him to go and hide in the brush down by the river, so he quickly runs there. Sometime later, Candy enters the barn and discovers the body of Curley’s wife. He runs and fetches George. George realises what has happened, and says that he has to tell the others. Candy protests, rightly pointing out that Curley would deliver no mercy to anyone who had killed his wife. Candy is in favour of letting Lennie escape. He asks George if it is still possible to buy the house, but his dreams are shattered when George says it isn’t. When George tells the labourers the news, they all go into a frenzy, and seem affected by blood lust. Curley is furious and vows to kill Lennie. Carlson rushes off to get his gun, and even Whit wants to join in the hunt. Carlson reports that his gun has been stolen, and everyone thinks that Lennie is responsible. George begs Curley to have mercy on his companion, but Curley says he can’t because Lennie has a gun. All of the men run off except for Candy, who lies down in despair. * The relationship between George, Lennie and Candy was now destroyed. * This relates to the â€Å"theme of dreams† as they couldn’t get their own place and so their dream had crumbled as well. Paragraph 7 * Loneliness affects many of the characters, and Steinbeck seems to show that it is a natural and inevitable result of the kind of life they are forced to lead. The itinerant workers are caught in a trap of loneliness – they never stay in one place long enough to form permanent relationships. Even if such relationships existed, they would probably be destroyed by the demands of the itinerant life. Candy is lonely because he is old, and is different from the other hands. His only comfort is his old dog, which keeps him company and reminds him of days when he was young and whole. He has no relatives, and once his dog is killed is totally alone. He eagerly clutches at the idea of buying a farm with George and Lennie, but of course this all comes to nothing. Candy’s disappointment is expressed in the bitter words he utters to the body of Curley’s wife, whom he blames for spoiling his dream. George is also caught in the trap of loneliness. Just as Candy has his dog for company, George has Lennie (who is often described in animal-like terms). Continuing the parallel, George too is left completely alone when Lennie is killed. The dream farm is his idea, and he says ‘We’d belong there †¦ no more runnin’ around the country†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Another lonely character is Curley’s wife. Newly married and in a strange place, she is forbidden by Curley to talk to anyone but him. To counter this, she constantly approaches the ranch hands on the excuse of looking for Curley. The only result is that the men regard her as a slut, and Curley becomes even more intensely jealous. Finally, her loneliness leads to her death as she makes the ‘ serious error of trying to overcome it by playing the tease with Lennie. Curley himself is lonely. His new wife hates him as do all the ranch hands who despise him for his cowardice. He has married in an attempt to overcome his loneliness, but has blindly chosen a wife totally inappropriate for the kind of life he leads. His feelings are all channelled into aggressive behaviour which further isolates his wife and leads to the incident with Lennie where his hand is crushed. Crooks is another who is isolated because he is different. He copes with it by keeping a distance between himself and the other hands. When he does allow himself to be drawn into the dream of working on George and Lennie’s dream farm, he is immediately shut out by George’s anger. * The conclusion, in my opinion is that people are brought together though loneliness and separated as they grow hostile (Crooks). It is like an endless game which has to be played by someone before someone gets eager and makes it worse by instigating. This is fate†¦what will happen will happen†¦. Just like a game †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. someone always wins†¦..and someone always loses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..!

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Econ103 end term paper Essay

1. In your own words and in a maximum of 250 words for each concept, briefly explain the essence of each of the following emerging economic ideas. Imagine explaining them to someone who has not studied economic history. What are they really about? (20 points) A. Perlas’ 3-Folding Concept as applied in Philippine Agenda 21 B. Caring Economics C. Conscious Capitalism D. Natural Capitalism E. Sacred Economics 2. Still in your own words, accomplish the following summary table about the emerging economic ideas studied. Use easily understandable key words/phrases. You may further explain below the table if necessary (25 points): Idea Definition Key Principles/Elements & Framework Key Strategies (How the Idea will be Accomplished) A. Perlas’ 3-Folding Concept as applied in the PhilippineAgenda 21 An action for a sustainable development where the civil society, the government and businesses help each other to reach a certain goal. Cooperation among sectors of the society. B. Caring Economics Caring economics deals with giving importance to human beings and the environment as a part of the society and development. Human rights and other rights should be implemented and punishment among those who does not care for the life of human beings and the environment. C. Conscious Capitalism A type of capitalism where there is no self – interest instead the conditions of others or employees and other people are not being for granted but always take in to consideration. Employees should be given equal rights like the owners and observe right mind setting in making decisions. D. Natural Capitalism  In natural economics, capitalists are being reminded to also invest in natural resources so that there will still be source of raw materials and in times of calamity, the environment would be protected. Restrict and not allow businesses that would not agree on investing a portion of their income for reserving the environment. E. Sacred Economics Sacred economics state that true happiness is not having a lot of money. It is explained that money is man- made and what is more important are those things created by God that can give us real happiness. Having the mentality that above everything else, happiness is what we want and being contented with what we have is already enough. Having a lot of money will not make us very happy. 3. Always in your own words throughout the rest of your paper, compare and contrast the emerging economic ideas you’ve just explained in No. 1. What are their similarities and differences? Discuss in detail. (15 points) 3. Analyze how EACH of the emerging economic ideas fulfill (or not fulfill) the goals and criteria of development according to: I. the Catholic Church’s AUTHENTIC DEVELOPMENT concept, II. the United Nation’s SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, and The criteria of development according to the UN’s Sustainable Development concept, Development is the capability to improve without sacrificing or compromising what is there for the future. Development is like having freedom, there is no servitude, a person is able to do something because he/ she knows that he/ she can, there is self-confidence within himself/herself. In addition, development is when there is respect in the society , when there is  sustenance that each person can say that â€Å"I’ve had enough and I am contented†. This criteria of development is somehow like the Sacred economics, there is real happiness when people are contented and live in an environment where there is respect and freedom. III. PEACE AS DEVELOPMENT. Discuss in detail. Use the â€Å"Lenses of Development† lecture file found in the egroup Lectures> Current Material folder (also in http://www.slideshare.net/gracewithfire/lenses-of-development) as well as any additional research you might want to make. (30 points) 4. Given your preceding discussion and analysis, what are your conclusions (CONCLUDING REMARKS) about these emerging economic ideas? (10 points) In my own opinion, the emerging economic ideas would be successful fully if only people especially business owners , the government are willing to cooperate by doing those. Indeed, real happiness is when you can say that I am really happy and contented of what I have. In fact, there is no need for money to be happy but all we need is love, if we have the love of the people around us, we could say that we are happy. The emerging economic ideas are primarily concerned about the real wealth of the society, human beings and the environment. If people would only think of these two things and how will their decisions affect the human beings and the environment, probably there would be no extra expense for them especially for those who are in the government and owners of businesses because if they would only invest in protecting and preserving of the natural resources and environment, there would probably no destructions brought by calamities such as floods and landslides that destroyed their businesses. 5. Please also attach your individually accomplished 21st Century Skills updated survey form at the end of your paper. The form is found in the Assignments> Current Material folder of the egroup, the same folder where this instructions file is found. Format: Letter-sized bond paper, double-spaced, with pagination at the upper right hand corner, 1-inch margins all around, with cover page showing contributing members’ names and individual contributions and class schedule,  and References page (if you used additional researched references) in APA Style , 6th edition. SUBMIT IN HARDCOPY BY OCTOBER 14, 2013, 5PM , AT THE CBA FACULTY OFFICE, VIA THE SECRETARIES. PLS. HAVE YOUR COVER PAGE STAMPED WITH RECEIVED DATE AND TIME BY THE SECRETARY.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Business Sustainabilit Society and Planet

Business sustainability can be defined as managing triple bottom line, which is a process used by the organisation in order to manage and handle the social, environmental and financial risks, opportunities and obligations. All of these mentioned impacts can be referred to as planet, people and profit (Boons et al., 2013). Being a student in the class, I have learned the sustainability related themes in proper manner. The lecturer of our class has mentioned the potential issues, and challenges, which may influence the business within a particular industry. Even he has mentioned the appropriate approaches to the sustainable business. The approach solely relies on the accounting based perspectives, which fail to capture the exact time element, which is inherent in the business sustainability. From this course, I have come to know only those businesses, which are closely interlinked with the healthy economic, environmental and social system are successful in today’s competitive bu siness world. Schoenherr (2012) has referred that the sustainable businesses contribute to the healthy ecosystems, economic values and strong communities. The entire discussion session has been changed my ideas and concepts on the subject of sustainability. It is an interesting fact that my class members also possess completely different view on this particular topic. I have clearly understood the triple bottom line, which is an accounting framework with three important aspects of business and an organisation. These factors are social, financial and environmental factors. I was unaware of this triple bottom line framework for evaluating its performance in the broader perspective for creating a suitable business value. The ecological footprint can be considered as a resource accounting tool. The lecturer provides lecture on the global footprint and asks our ways to reduce it. I have considered myself as a concerning person of the waste management, recycling used products before evalu ating my ecological footprint. However, I was ashamed after know the result of my ecological footprint as I came to know that there will be shortage of resources in order to maintain my usual lifestyle. I will take some effective measure to reduce the issues that are revealed after reviewing my ecological footprint. I will change my food habits and will become vegetarian for supporting the green environment. This step will reduce the practice of over fishing in rivers, lake and oceans. Our concepts and ideas of business have been shaped by our education, relationships, thoughts and culture. The lecturer has focussed on the five forms of capital, which an organisation will employ for delivering heir services and products, human and social, financial and manufactured and natural. As the entire business world moves towards the maintenance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and create a sustainable business organisation, therefore, the management should enhance their existing stocks of capital assets (Vom Brocke et al., 2012). The lecturer has mentioned that it is very hard to maintain a perfect balance in between the sustainable practices and successful outcome of the business operations. This tutorial class clearly illustrates the impish link of starting and ending scopes of CSR. The lecturer has provided relevant notes and lectures on the related theories, approaches of CSR. There are huge differences in the maintenance of sustainable business practices within the large corporations and small companies. The phase model of Dunphy suggests a perfect model of the corporate evolution and an accelerated sustainability management (Benn et al., 2014). Dunphy’s six phases of the business approaches to sustainability involve the rejection, non-responsiveness, efficiency, compliance, strategic sustainability and the sustaining corporation. We have learned how the companies can employ this specific model for accelerating the sustainable business practices within the industry. This model can be clearly understood as a survival model and it can help an organisation to improve its basic level of profit by minimum 50%. Telstra is considered as the largest media and telecommunication company in Australia, which follow sustainable business practices in efficient manner (Telstra.com.au. 2016). The commitment of this particular company focuses on the employee involvement, environmental leadership and interconnection of the stakeholders. Telstra is c ommitted of being accountable and transparent for continuing its business operation in the telecommunication industry of Australia. The organisational policies and practices of Telstra never stop strive for improving their traditional business practices and always maintain fair, sustainable, ethical and environmentally sound business in potential manner. Osborne et al., (2014) have depicted that ethical, sustainable and socially responsible business practices are important for modern business. After completion of this particular class, I am confident enough to choose excellent process of business operation with a proper maintenance of CSR and sustainability. This class will help me in future in potential manner for understanding the necessity of maintaining the sustainable business. It will also help me to take effective decisions regarding my future business activities. Three weeks discusses completely different matters in order to provide a detailed overview on the sustainable business practices of organisations. No single education system is suitable to design our knowledge and concepts of the sustainable business practices. However, this particular tutorial has transformed my concepts and I have realised the actual importance of sustainability in the business practices. The theories we have learned in this tutorial should be employed after determining the range of the regional business of an organisation. I have understood that alone the business community cannot creat e sustainability. Benn, S., Dunphy, D., & Griffiths, A. (2014).  Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Routledge. Boons, F., Montalvo, C., Quist, J., & Wagner, M. (2013). Sustainable innovation, business models and economic performance: an overview.  Journal of Cleaner Production,  45, 1-8. Osborne, S. P., Radnor, Z., Vidal, I., & Kinder, T. (2014). A sustainable business model for public service organizations?.  Public Management Review,  16(2), 165-172. Schoenherr, T. (2012). The role of environmental management in sustainable business development: a multi-country investigation.  International Journal of Production Economics,  140(1), 116-128. Telstra.com.au. (2016). Retrieved 5 December 2016, from https://www.telstra.com.au Vom Brocke, J., Seidel, S., & Recker, J. (Eds.). (2012).  Green business process management: towards the sustainable enterprise. Springer Science & Business Media. End your doubt 'should I pay someone to do my dissertation by availing dissertation writing services from

Friday, September 27, 2019

Mass media criticism - semiological analysis from ads Essay

Mass media criticism - semiological analysis from ads - Essay Example to their audience by shaping and lending significance to their â€Å"experience of reality† through the use of â€Å"non-verbal semiotic messages† (Najafian & Ketabi 64-65). The ad under discussion also uses images and text effectively to lure its audience to the product through its appeal to their sense of semiotics and aesthetics. The ad is set in pitch black background that highlights both the red font of the text message as well as the red jacket of the female in the picture. This tactic draws the viewer’s attention to the image and holds it there as he or she will feel intrigued to know what the whole story is about. On the other hand, the man’s face only is clear, which prompts the viewer to look closer and pay focused attention on the image. Once the audience gets a clear idea that the couple is attempting to kiss, leaning out of their cars going in different ways, it makes them think about the message. Obviously, what Diesel want to say is, â€Å"We even unite people from different levels through our product,† or â€Å"No matter where people head, our product makes them pause and take notice.† The image provides a sense that the man and woman, despite their different purposes and intentions, are united by the singularity of the brand’s appeal to them. The brand mostly targets youngsters and the image as well as message will immensely appeal to such an audience. The text message â€Å"Smart Listens to the Head, Stupid Listens to the Heart† challenges the popular notion that smart is better by appealing to the emotions of the audience rather than their intelligence. Besides, the image connotes to a carefree attitude and a liberal way of life, which will also have immense appeal to the younger generation as well as the older generation who think differently. Similarly, the ad also accentuates a passion for life, and Diesel’s motto of doing things â€Å"differently from others† (Saviolo & Marazza 100). Thus, while reflecting the lightheartedness of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

American Teen Conflict Analysis Paper Movie Review

American Teen Conflict Analysis Paper - Movie Review Example This is to mean that the nature, extent and frequency of the American teen conflict are factors that have strong underpinnings in films as forms of literary works, as shall be seen in the discussion that ensues forthwith. 1) Self-esteem, social comparisons, and self-expectations In the movie American Teenagers, it is given that self-esteem, social comparisons and self-expectations combine to form a complex whole of teenagers’ interpersonal skills. The manner in which self-esteem and social comparison are portrayed is seen in the apportioning of the roles the main characters play. There is Colin Clemens, a basketball jock, Megan Krizmanich, the popular, liberal and academically talented girl, Jake Tusing, the self-acclaimed nerd and Hannah Bailey, the rebel artist, writer, musician and aspiring filmmaker. It is important to note that the traits of these four main characters in American Teenagers are the very values that American teenagers identify with. For instance, because mo st American teenagers are liberal, neither does conservatism rarely fit in among them, nor do those who identify with conservative ideals. It is for this same reason that Hannah Bailey, the rebel, has liberal views that are considered unfit for Warsaw, a small town which is very conservative. This creates conflict between American teenagers and the society at large. ... Mitch and Hannah for instance become friends and develop a relationship, following the verbal communication they have together. This verbal communication is also enabled by listening and disclosure. Just like other forms of communication, even teenage relationships are highly dependent upon verbal communication which comprises listening and disclosure. Immediately this chain of listening and disclosure is broken, conflicts arise. Mitch and Bailey forfeit their friendship after Mitch ends their relationship through a text message, for instance. 3) Nonverbal communication, power and attraction Nonverbal communication is also presented in the movie, as part of teenage conflict, but not as a causative agent for the conflict. Instead, nonverbal communication is treated in the movie as part of detachment, given that it flocks like-minds together and the unlike-minded apart. It is for this reason that though being a geek (a quality that sells an individual to the outside world) and having l ove for marching band (an outdoor activity), Tusing remains an introvert who resorts to video games. This development brings a twist to Tusing’s life, by opening up another line of conflict. Tusing longs for a girlfriend but his introverted mien keeps him from getting one. Friedberg, Garcia and McClure help understand that the case above is underpinned and compounded by the fact that in teenagers’ psychology, power and attraction are predicated upon being outgoing and good-looking. It is for this reason that Mitch Reinholt is popular at school. He is handsome, laid back and loves sport. The fact that Reinholt gets wider coverage immediately he begins to date Hannah, is a matter that demonstrates the

No topic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

No topic - Research Paper Example â€Å"Doctrine of conditioned genesis â€Å"articulates that nothing appears independently in the actual sense but rather everything links to the other in different perspectives. Understanding this doctrine proves essential in pursuing liberation, in that someone refers to the basics that everything appears in a cycle (interdependently), whereby everything occurs because of a cause and triggers effect (Montalvo 51). The doctrine operates on a conditionality principle, usually given in four statements, that shows the interconnection in life. This principle gains further elaboration via twelve aspects, whereby each triggers effect in the other and thus explaining the idea about relativity. Lao Tsu poses logical answers to political questions that many leaders and persons display in their living via his poems. Lao Tsu expounds that running of the best country would occur when the leader lays his trust upon the citizens (Tzu & Tom 11). This would then explain that the citizens withhold love for their leader opposed to fearing. Lao also articulates that leaders constituted in the best countries instill freedom upon people rather than posing restrictions unto them or being dishonest. Lao further states that countries should exhibit peaceful relations with each other and evade wars at all possible ways unless it proves inevitable (Tzu & Tom 15). However, in case of wars, Lao dictates that countries should never undertake arms, but if inevitable, should utilize them with

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Country Report- Comparative Politics (Tunisia) Essay

Country Report- Comparative Politics (Tunisia) - Essay Example In the modern history, Tunisia has changed into a sovereign republic, named the al-Jumhuriyyah at-Tunisiyyah. Tunisia has over five million people, almost all Arab-Berber descent. The Mediterranean is on the north as well as east of the country, Libya is in the southeast, and Algeria is on the west. Tunis is the capital and the largest metropolis. It is found near the ancient site of the city connected with Carthage. During this time, two presidents, who had a tremendous impact in Tunisian society, have led it. Its first modern leader, President Habib Bourguiba delivered to the place of work hard-won political experience, after several decades connected with service on the list of leadership on the independence mobility. As the actual major figure on the Neo-Destour Celebration, he seemed to be instrumental in obtaining entire independence pertaining to Tunisia in 1956. He dominated government entities until their removal in 1987. Through his decades in place of work, his feats inclu ded the law change, economic procedures which detoured briefly in a socialist way, a mild but steady improvement in lifestyle, and the foreign insurance policy, which retained a private approach even though maintaining buy and sell and financial connections to the west. Benjamin Ali was the President of the Republic throughout 1987, in addition to kept electrical power until this individual was forced to leave in 2011. His economic policies possess emphasized a place orientation. His test at re-approachment using Islamist groups would not meet anticipations. The lording it over party ended up being reorganized. Within his authority, Tunisias economy continued to accomplish at a new pace, which in turn yielded a new moderate although overall regular rate associated with growth. A great independence, mobility lasting many decades gradually prevailed, bringing about the end of the French protectorate. In 1954, the Tunisian wrestled and major civil

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Criminology & Criminal Justice BSc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Criminology & Criminal Justice BSc - Essay Example The ultimate result of this frustration will lead to withdrawal of co-operation by the victim (Department of Justice 2009, p. 4). Therefore, the co-operation is necessary for the effectiveness of criminal justice system to ensure that it will lead to punishing the offender. Ensuring the credentials of the victim as genuine, does not necessarily mean, will usurp the rights of defendants as enshrined in the fundamental rights. In 1994 rights of victims were neglected badly. This is not the first time in the history of UK when the Liberty has called for greater objectives. According to Zedner (2007), a study reveals no conflict between the rights of defendants and the rights of victims (p. 265). Fair and just trials are the essence of criminal justice system. In order to ensure fair prosecution and to avoid miscarriage of justice, it is incumbent upon the law enforcers to protect the rights of defendants. Review of the European Convention on Human Rights indicates limited protection for victims. It is the duty of the police to provide protection to individuals in general and youngsters in specific from breaching of personal integrity. Failure to protect the victim, the authorities concerned will be held responsible as per law (Zedner 2007, p. 274). It would be in the fitness of things if victims should have more rights than those reflected in the Convention. The charter of victim first come to surface in the year 1990 and revised in the year 1996 clearly defined the fundamental rights of every victim of crime (Shapland 2000, p. 82). By all means, it can be considered a revolutionary step in the legal history of the United Kingdom. The existing Charter fulfils the expectation of a victim. According to Shapland (2000), in case of dissatisfaction, it permits the victim to lodge his or her complaint to an appropriate authority (p 83). Of course, the Charter of Victim is a well thought out document to address the issues and the difficulties faced by the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Research Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research Critique - Essay Example Suggestions and alternatives on how to improve these strengths and weaknesses shall also be considered. The research subject of this critique is relevant to the practice as it evaluates the effects of securing fall prevention policies in hospitals, especially for the elderly and those with limited and compromised mobility. This topic is also relevant as it displays the benefits of a fall prevention program in the hospital with the end hope of securing improved patient outcomes. Critical evaluation The title of the article is clear and very much precise. It is short enough to warrant interest from the reader, but also concise in its description of the research. It also provides the foundations of the research in terms of its variables and clinical setting. It does not however specify the subject respondents for the research, whether they be elderly patients in critical care or those who have compromised mobility. These details would have made the title more concise and encompassing. T he abstract is adequately written. It clearly provides a condensed version of the contents of the study, noting the research questions, aims, and objectives of the study (Polit and Hungler, 1997). The methods of the study have also been specified in the abstract, including the results and conclusion (Parahoo and Reid, 1988). The abstract is however overly long, made up of more than 250 words. Abstracts should average about 100 to 200 words (Ingham-Broomfield, 2006). The background/introduction of the study clearly identifies the purpose of the article. The authors detail the conceptual basis for the study, while also identifying gaps and health issues in the practice. The aims and objectives of the study were also identified in the research, particularly specifying the general direction of the research paper (Parahoo and Reid, 1988). The only weakness which can be seen in the introduction is that not all the essential details for the background of the study are identified in the tex t instead, they are incorporated into the text for the reader’s extrapolation. As for the literature review, it is not clearly identified as a distinct part of the research. Instead, it is incorporated and summarized in the introduction. Nevertheless, all the important details for the literature review are contained therein (Polit and Hungler, 1997). Original and primary sources have been used by the authors. The studies included in the literature review detail what is currently known about the research topic, the gaps in the knowledge, the significance of the study, and the position of the study within the current body of knowledge (Polit and Hungler, 1997). A broad understanding of the topic has been made possible through the literature review and the authors were able to use the studies to guide their methodology in their research. The review also assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the methods used in the previous studies and to use such data to guide their research (Burns and Grove, 2001). The other methods were also critiqued in order to analyze their applicability to their current research. In reviewing the research’s literature reviewed, more studies could have been discussed or drawn out in order to provide more support for the study. These studies would have strengthened the research foundation and provided more details to guide the researchers. The design for the study – comparative –

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Impact of the Public Sector Reform on Employee Relations Essay Example for Free

Impact of the Public Sector Reform on Employee Relations Essay In the 1950s to the 1960s, the Conservative government of Britain had a strong compulsion to adopt a neoliberal stance on economic policies. Certain industries which were nationalized by the Labour Party after the Second World War were privatized. State spending on health, education, and welfare were cut; this was so since too much spending would necessarily result in low economic performance of the whole country (although variation was possible). Military spending were doubled to contribute to the overall economic output of the country. This was continued during the leadership of Lady Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990) and her successors. Nevertheless, although allowing a significant reduction of government spending in the welfare sector, the Conservative government instituted some reforms to upgrade government programs on health and the bureaucracy itself. The Local Government Act of 1993, Health Care Complaints Act of 1993, the Parliamentary Commissioner Act of 1994, the Local Government Act of 1974, were some of the examples of the readiness of the Conservative government to put efficiency and cost effectiveness the emblem of a government in service (to the people). These acts passed by the Conservative government were meant to streamline the bureaucracy, increase the powers of the local governments (establishment of new boroughs and counties), extend the powers of the parliamentary Commissioner in investigating cases involving local authorities, improve the health care service by allowing the private sector to invest in government health programs, and put a mechanism to effectively negotiate grievances in the government and its related entities (like government owned corporations). These programs and policies were meant to create a bureaucracy with the intense participation of the private sector. They were programs economic in character. Programs were directed to the service of the public but with the capital from foreign and private individuals playing as the motor of development. The image of these programs seemed to be a positive one; intense partnership between the government and the private sector in the service of the public. With the coming of the Labour party in power, some changes were presented in the halls of the parliament. There was a step to extend the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner in matters allowed by parliament (the three Ombudsmen – the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Local Government Ombudsmen, and the Health Service Ombudsman). An act was established also established to increase public sector employment; a move almost totally ignored by the Conservative government in the 1960s. It is expected that due to the changes hitherto described above public sector employment would increase by 360, 000 in the next three years, and almost a million in the following decade. The number of teachers, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and policemen increase by more than 100, 000. An increase would be expected in other professions (which is around 200, 000). Although a general cut was implemented by the Labour government in the civil service programs, they were compensated by an additional increase of public sector employees. In sum, the reduction was implemented to increase public sector employment since public sector employment is one of the most effective ways of boosting economic performance (due to its manageability). Needless to say, however, these changes proposed or implemented by both the Conservative and Labour governments of Britain have had certain effects or impacts on employee relations. The Health Service Act implemented by the Conservative government proposed a two-valorem system of negotiation between complaints presented by the two parties involved. This action proved to be not very effective as a conflict resolution mechanism for employees. The present Labour government established a so-called conciliator with the aim of: a) to bring the parties involved together for the general purpose of negotiation and settlement of complaint, b) to create activities deemed possible for the attainment of a settlement, and c) to assist the parties involved to reach for a fair agreement. This three-party system of negotiation (which were imitated by other countries) became an effective force in resolving conflicts in the public sector (the employees). The number of resolved cases or agreements had increased since the coming of the Labour Party in power, a huge debacle for the opposition. The creation of metropolitan boroughs and counties made by the Conservative government (acts enumerated above) had also some impact on employee. It fairly promoted intense economic activity in these new districts. Public sector employment had a slight increase. Herein, therefore, it became the duty of the government to institute a law which will protect the interests of the public sector employees. The creation of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act of 1967 and an amended bill in 1974 defined the limits of the Ombudsmen in reviewing cases or complaints presented to them by government employees (against local authorities or other employees). The effect was good for the public sector employees since the number of complaints and perceived problems in the government bureaucracy was reduced. This was not really a good measurement of performance since the number of public sector employees at that time was small; the civil service jobs share in the total number of jobs was about 62 %. Due to the increasing number of public sector employees, the Labour government refined the laws mentioned above. The Ombudsmen were granted right by the parliament to investigated cases independently, with more flexibility and rigour. A general program of action was also presented by the Home Secretary to reform the Parliamentary Commissioner, giving the latter some air of independence when reviewing not only cases involving possible crime committed by members of parliament) to the general public but also to the increasingly significant public sector employees. It was recognized that delays would be averted if this plan of action was implemented, and therefore a possible amiable relationship between employees result. Nevertheless, a revised attached code of ethics was also created to define the limits, behavior, and general attitude of government and public sector employees to lessen if not avoid conflict or mismanagement of delegated or defined duties. The Labour Party in the present can boast of its success both in streamlining the bureaucracy (same policy of the Conservative Party in the 1950s to the 1960s) and providing a ground base of cordial public sector employment system (employment and conflict resolution). One public sector employee noted that the propensity or possibility of having conflict with her peers appears to be zero. This is one indication of the success that the Labour Party can present to the general public. However, such conclusion is not totally accurate. The Conservative Party was able to create brilliant programs that were responsible for the increase in the public sector employment. The program of devolution gave the local governments the right to shape the economic policy of the districts involved. The air of supra liberalism during the Conservative years promoted intense migration from Third world countries. The public sector itself became a hotspot for foreign nationals, of which the British public can depend for their special services. It seemed from the start that conflicts will generally increase because of the heterogeneous character of the public sector employees, but the speculators proved wrong. The code of ethics prepared by the British MP’s became a great piece of political scourge to the Labour Party. Not only that conflicts decreased in the government and the public sector decreased, the ruling government experienced a high trust rating from the two sectors, and of course a high applause from the business sector. The consecutive electoral victories of the Conservative Party (during the leadership of Margaret Thatcher) proved the case. Nevertheless, certain variables have to be considered when reviewing electoral victories for it is itself a locus of different circumstances of advantages. There is one great difference, however, when we talk of the Conservative and Labour policies on public sector employees. It is generally accepted that impersonality should be the hallmark of a bureaucracy and of course the whole economic activity of the country. In the Conservative years, impersonality was always implemented in the government, with strict penalties for noncompliance. However, government officials were not aware that the policies they implemented (as enumerated above) had certain effect on the public sector employees. Employees became resonant of public policy. They became more politically involved in public discussions. And as such, became more impersonal in their dealings with the government and their clients. Economic activity, according to one economist, may well be possible under the environment of impersonality and laxity of economic requirements. This became a starting step for Britain to increase its migration rate. The increasing number of public sector employees heralded a change or revision in the policies of the Labour Party in terms of public sector employment. As mentioned above, the proposed and implemented policies on negotiation and extension of powers of the types of Ombudsmen were generally meant to increase the efficiency of the government to solve disputes arising between employee and employee, employee and employer, and between employee and government officials. Remember that the public sector had increased because of migration. The current composition of the public sector employees deserve a more efficient and complex system of work arrangements. This was generally only an adaptation made by the ruling government, since the composition of the public sector employees during the 1950s to the 1970s is generally different from today. Nonetheless, only two factors in the public sector employees that became the point of reference of a government in power: its size and composition. Although this may be a narrow generalization, the circumstances that followed afterwards prove such assertion.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Developing Strategic Management And Leadership Skills Commerce Essay

Developing Strategic Management And Leadership Skills Commerce Essay Strategic management can be defined as an art science of formulating, implementing and evaluating cross-functional decisions that enables an organization to reach its organizational or corporate goals effectively and efficiently. Leadership and Strategic Management have the most crucial linkages and it is important to note that strategy of an organization is developed through its leadership vision and organizational philosophy. Leadership and management are different approaches as management just follows orders while leaders inspire others to get the task done and generate orders and commands for management to follow. In this paper, Lincoln Electric has been selected for studying the important linkages between leadership and strategic management. The paper is divided in three main tasks. The first task provides (a) an explanation of the link between strategic management and leadership, (b) an analysis of the impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions and (c) an evaluation of how leadership styles can be adapted to different situations. The second task is to (a) review the impact that selected theories of management and leadership have on organizational strategy and (b) create a leadership strategy that supports organizational direction (with the perspective of Apple Inc.). The final task discusses how to (a) use appropriate methods to review current leadership requirements, (b) plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership, (c) plan the development of leadership skills for a specific requirement, and (d) report on the usefulness of methods used to plan t he development of leadership skills. In the end, conclusion is made to summarize the discussion and analysis. Task 1 Linkage between strategic management and leadership It is important to note that leadership plays the most dominant role in helping the organization to reach its goals and objectives. It is because leadership plays the key role in devising an effective and efficient strategy that enables an organization to reach its corporate goals and objectives. Leaders of the organization develop organizational philosophy or operating philosophy of an organization that how it operates. Organizational philosophy develops its culture and structure. It is interesting to note that the vision and mission are important for devising an effective strategy and this vision and mission of organization is highly dependent on organizations culture and structure. Thus, vision and mission (developed ultimately by leadership) gives rise to the strategy of an organization to reach its organizational goals and objectives i.e. to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace relative to competition or to anticipate growth through mergers or acquisitions. Therefore, there is an important linkage between strategic management and leadership of an organization as leadership ultimately sets the strategic direction of an organization through the above process that is discussed above. The same linkage of strategic management and leadership is present i n the case of Lincoln electric and it will be discussed in task 2. Some of the important linkages between strategic management and leadership are: Leadership is concerned about the vision while strategic management is focused on implementation according to the vision identified by the leadership. The orientation of leadership is towards change management and anticipation of environmental changes. On the other hand, strategic management is oriented towards adaptation to change identified by the leadership and it does not take the initiatives of organizational and environmental change management. Leadership is concerned with the dynamics of a situation and it identifies and realizes that how to leverage its resources to respond to the dynamics of the situation. Moreover, it is concerned with harmonizing or changing the culture to meet the challenges of dynamic external environment. On the other hand, strategic management is concerned with the technique and it follows the orders of the leadership. Strategic Management function is to make all the stakeholders adaptable to cultural change which is identified by the leadership. Leadership is empowering while strategic management is being empowered. Actions of leadership require skills but the influence of actions of leadership is strongly on character of leaders. Strategic Management is all about skills and management actions are skill oriented rather than character oriented. It is interesting to note that leadership is concerned with positive possibilities while strategic management is concerned about negative consequences. The basic responsibility of leaders is to build and reshape the organization while strategic management is concerned about following leadership vision to assist in building and reshaping the organization. Leadership is all about taking risks because leaders understand their strengths and weaknesses and leaders tend to learn from their mistakes. While the strategic management is more concerned about avoiding risk and adopting risk response strategies. Leadership set goals while management focus mostly on goals set by their higher levels or leadership. Leadership take initiatives beyond its responsibility, support goals, provide direction and empower others. Strategic Management is more concerned about segmenting areas of responsibility and it follows leadership vision, organizational philosophy and organizational culture rather than taking initiatives. Impact of management and leadership style on strategic decisions Leadership styles and management plays an important role in the strategic decision of an organization. As discussed earlier, leadership inspires management to meet strategic objectives and therefore impact of leadership on strategic decisions is more dominant that management and leadership styles are crucial in taking strategic decisions for an organization. Different leadership styles are discussed below which are: Autocratic or authoritarian style In the autocratic or authoritarian style, decision making power is centralized to the leader and the leader holds the main decision making power. The most prominent example of authoritarian leaders is the dictatorship. It is important to note that Autocratic or authoritarian style do not consider or entertain the recommendation, consultation or suggestion from subordinates but rather they would like to implement their own authority on them. It is interesting to note that the Autocratic or authoritarian style leadership style is a useful motivational tool for a manager or leader as it motivates the leader or manager to perform. Also, the decision making process in Autocratic or authoritarian style is very quick and straightforward because only one person is decides for the whole group. Moreover, Autocratic or authoritarian style leaders keep the decision making power with them always and decide solely on their personal opinions unless or until they feel that they should share it with the rest of the group. Laissez-faire or free rein style In Laissez-faire or free rein style, the leader does not lead the group but rather it leaves the group entirely to itself. In simple words, the leader allows maximum freedom to its subordinates. For example, the subordinates are free to make their own policies and decision independently and freely. Participative or democratic style The participative or democratic leaders rely heavily on the consensus of the management and subordinates to take strategic decisions or to set strategic directions. They rely heavily on the consulting of the employees and management to devise strategies for reaching organizational goals. Team and Management of the corporation in this style of leadership is effective but it is a slow process. It is interesting to note that leaders in this case are selected by the consensus of subordinates or management unlike in authoritarian style of leadership. Impact of leadership style on management and strategic decisions Different leadership styles are effective and efficient based on different situations and contexts. For example, sometimes the organizations have to make immediate decisions where time is very little to converge on an agreement. In this case an Autocratic or authoritarian style is more effective because a designated authority who have more experience and expertise than the rest of the team could make and implement decision rapidly and quickly to respond to the given scenario. On the other side, in case of a highly motivated and aligned team with a homogenous level of expertise and experience, Laissez-faire or free rein style would be more effective and efficient. It depends on scenario and objectives that which leadership style should be chosen. Task 2 Review of selected theories of management and leadership impact on Lincoln Electric organizational strategy Vision, Mission and Value Statement Leadership is the most crucial reason for the success of an organization. Leadership enables the organization to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. It is because leadership develops operating and organizational philosophy which shapes vision, mission, and organizational culture of the organization. Vision, Mission and organizational culture play the most crucial to devise and effective and efficient strategy to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Therefore, leadership is the most important element in making vision, mission and value statements and these statements reflects the leadership traits and personalities and their visions. The vision, mission and value statements can be implied from their official website which reflects the leadership and organizational philosophy of Lincoln Electric. Vision statement can be formulated as To be the global manufacturer and market leader of the highest quality welding, cutting and joining products. The Mission statement for Lincoln Electric can be stated as To endure passion for development and application market leadership and global manufacturer vision by providing complete solutions that make their customers more productive and successful. Finally, the value statement can be described as the customer value would be provided to customers by strengthening and maximizing the satisfaction of employees and customer value would generate shareholders value in return with the maximum employee motivation and satisfaction. (Lincoln Electric, 2010) Operating Philosophy or organizational philosophy It is interesting to note the company operating philosophy is highly characterized by the Christian ethics and it was leadership vision of James F. Lincoln which then became the organizational and operating philosophy of Lincoln Electric. The above implied vision, mission and value statements reflect the Christian ethics that are gained from the operating philosophy of Lincoln Electric. Highest quality products are provided to the customers by identifying customer needs and wants with a sense of empathy. The value is provided to customers in terms of product efficiency rather than price discounts and customer enjoys long term benefits and overall cost reduction in the form of less repairing, maintenance, replacement and upgrading. The organizational philosophy of Christian ethics had six core values which are: Respond to our customers needs and expectations with quality, integrity, and value, Recognize people as our most valuable asset, maintain and expand the Lincoln Incentive Manag ement Philosophy, practice prudent and responsible financial management, strive continually to be environmentally responsible, and support communities where we operate and industries in which we participate. The six values define thoroughly the operating philosophy of Lincoln Electric regarding customers, stockholders, unionism and employees. (Buller Schuler, 2006) The employees are working on a piece rate basis with a performance score which motivates the employees to work hard. If an employee is not performing well then it would hit the piece rate basis and the employee would miss the financial incentives. Job security is very high at Lincoln Electric as the employees are not punished but motivated in case of failures. The employees are not fired because of the Christian empathy operating philosophy but employees realize that if they would not perform well then they would miss their financial incentives which drives employees attitudes to work efficiently under high job security for gaining the maximum bonuses and incentives. (Buller Schuler, 2006) Lincoln Management Incentives and Bonus Plan The management incentives and bonus plan of Lincoln electric are very motivational and attractive. The Lincoln bonus plan is strategically aligned with the piece rate pay plan which was discussed in above. It is a fact that Lincoln electric management incentives and bonus plans are the amounts worth more than half of the employee normal pay or wage. Management incentives and bonuses are based on performance based reward/point system. The management incentive and bonus plans are considered as a financial motivator in Lincoln electric. Management incentives and bonuses are considered to be the share and recognition of employees for their contribution in the financial and competitive performance of the Lincoln Electric. Points are allotted according to the contribution of each employee or manager to the financial performance and management incentives and bonuses are rewarded according to the points scored by the employees. The management incentives and bonus plans are based on reinforce ment theory which states that behavior is a function of its consequences. (Robbins, 2005) Leadership strategy Strategic issues driving the success of Lincoln Electric A clear analysis of Lincoln Electric indicates that Lincoln Electric has no strategic issues as it is exploiting its core competencies and capabilities to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. It is performing differently from rivals. According to Michael Porter (1996), Strategic Positioning and operational effectiveness are two entirely different approaches and concepts. Operational Effectiveness is necessary for a business success but not sufficient for it. An organization has to develop a strong strategic positioning to be globally competitive and to gain a sustainable competitive advantage which is not imitable by competition. Strategic Positioning is an entirely different approach and it is performing different activities from competitors or performing similar activities in different ways. On the other hand, operational effectiveness is just performing similar activities from rivals in a better but not different way. Therefore, the competitive advantage ga ined from operational effectiveness is easily imitable because the competitors may also adopt the same or better practices to come up with the same or a better advantage. But, in case of strategic positioning, competitors could not imitate because the corporation adopting strategic positioning is entirely different from rivals and a competitor has to copy the whole activity systems to imitate that competitive advantage which is almost impossible because the own strategic positioning of that particular competitor would be lost after doing this. Japanese companies were well known for best-practices and Total Quality Management. Their global competitiveness was based on operational effectiveness in the 1970s and 1980s. In the race of operational effectiveness, the Japanese companies could not develop strategic positioning and fell under the trap of competitive convergence. The focus of Japanese corporations was to imitate competitors and just to perform better. Japanese enjoyed success because the world economies were growing. But when the markets became saturated; the Japanese firms were stuck in their own traps and finally rubbed out of markets. (Porter, What is Strategy, 1996) Lincoln Electric has developed a strategic positioning rather than operational effectiveness. The most crucial reason for Lincoln Electrics survival is its strong human resource management in the most union obsessed part of US. Lincoln Electric activity systems supported each other to have a sustainable competitive edge. The focus of Lincoln Electric was to develop a strategic position while the rivals were more concerned about operational effectiveness which was necessary but not sufficient. Task 3 Current leadership requirements It is important to note that organizations devise efficient business level and corporate strategies to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace relative to competition. The leadership plays the most dominant role in devising strategies for corporation to sustain a competitive advantage. Leadership develops organizational philosophy and organizational philosophy gives rise to vision and mission for the organization. The strategic objectives of an organization are set on the basis of its visions and missions. Therefore, understanding and knowledge of leadership philosophy and its implications is the most effective skill for efficient leadership. The individuals working in the Lincoln Electric must have knowledge of organizational philosophy and its culture and personal goals of individuals must be aligned with the organizational philosophy for effective leadership. Personal skills of the individuals must be compatible with the organizational philosophy to develop leadership in them. The personal skills which are required for efficient leadership are: Self awareness Proactive Ability to frame and reframe events Ability to integrate the perspectives of others Self-Motivation (Ambler, 2006) All the above personal skills of individuals must be compatible with the professional skill of understanding of organizational philosophy to reach organizational strategic goals. Development of future situation for requiring leadership As we have already discussed that every organization makes efficient business level and corporate strategies to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace relative to competition. The leadership plays the most dominant role in devising strategies for corporation to sustain a competitive advantage. Leadership develops organizational philosophy and organizational philosophy gives rise to vision and mission for the organization. The strategic objectives of an organization are set on the basis of its visions and missions. Professionally, understanding of organizational philosophy, aligns the personal goals of an individual with organizational goals and the person realizes that, to be successful, he must reach organizational strategic goals for reaching his own personal goals because an incentive or compensation and motivation is added with this understanding of organizational philosophy. Therefore, motivation (career development, personal goals) and compensation (rewards, promotions) provide means for both kinds of goals or objective accomplishment. Personally, having interpersonal skills and capabilities, creates awareness among the individuals that corporate culture and philosophy is important for the success of the individuals and organization. The development of self-motivation with the above concept develops a driving force that guides the individual to meet their personal goals by moving on the way of reaching strategic goals of the organization. Leadership skills for a specific situation For example, the changing market trends motivate the Lincoln Electric to devise more environment and user friendly tools for its customers. In this case, organization must devise activity systems and strategy according to its leadership philosophy and operating philosophy because it is the core competency of the organization. It must seek ways for harmonizing personal goals of individuals with the leadership goals by compensating them effectively. Leadership must be developed by teaching individuals organizational philosophy which comes from leadership. Methodology The Lincoln Electric must design a one year management trainee program in which individuals must be trained both professional and personally for strategic goals achievement. There should be four modules. The first module must include the professional literature such as competitive strategy by Michael porter, different academic articles related to strategy and leadership, complete description of organizational and leadership philosophy to develop personal skills for strategic goals achievement. The second module must involve motivational approaches and methodology for defining ways to harmonize personal with professional goals, compensation and benefits as incentives to integrate personal goals with professional goals and an overview of organization. The third module must include rotation of individuals among the different departments and capacities and final module must require the individuals to manage some pilot projects to reach organizational strategic goals. It is important that organizational and leadership philosophy must be reinforced in each and every module by the trainers. The last two modules are designed to increase involvement of individuals at the different strategic levels. The training must conducted and supervised by the true leaders of the organization. Conclusion In this paper, important linkages between strategic management and leadership of an organization were studied and analyzed. The first introduced the links between strategic management and leadership. The second part applied management and leadership philosophies to study the Lincoln Electric which is one of the successful organizations of the world. The last part recommended some strategies to develop and boost leadership across the organization. It can be concluded that leadership plays the key role in the strategic management and success of an organization. 3225 Words

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Portfolio Management Essays -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Portfolio Management Introduction: Portfolio management is a conglomeration of securities as whole, rather than unrelated individual holdings. Portfolio management stresses the selection of securities for inclusion in the portfolio based on that security’s contribution to the portfolio as a whole. This purposes that there some synergy or some interaction among the securities results in the total portfolio effect being something more than the sum of its parts. When the securities are combined in a portfolio, the return on the portfolio will be an average of the returns of the securities in the portfolio. For example, if a portfolio was comprised on equal positions in two securities, whose returns are 15% and 20%, the return on the portfolio, will the average of the returns of the two securities in the portfolio, or 17.5%. From this we will discuss the process of creating a diversified portfolio. The diversified portfolio is a theory of investing that reduces the risk of losing all your money when â€Å"al l your eggs† are not in one basket. Diversification limits your risk an over the long run, can improve your total returns. This is achieved by putting assets in several categories of investments. Portfolio Process: The portfolio process is as follows: 1. Designing an investment objective; 2. Developing and implementing an asset mix; 3. Monitoring the economy and the markets; 4. Adjusting the portfolio and measuring the performance Due to the intensity of each of the four items, we will be covering only the first two. 1. Investment Objective: This topic is broad and contains three major divisions. They are foundation objectives, constraints and major objectives. Foundation Objectives: These objectives generally receive the most attention from investors and are determined by thorough determination of your needs, preferences and resources. ï‚ · Return – you need to determine whether you prefer a strategy of return maximization, where assets are invested to make the greatest return possible while staying within the risk tolerance level, or whether a required minimum return with certainty is preferable, generating only as much return with emphasis on risk reduction. ï‚ · Risk – There are many ways to assess the risk tolerance of any particular investor, from the least knowledgeable of investments to the very sophisticated investor. Beside... ...the market as a whole. Diversifying among a number of securities can reduce nonsystematic risk. Both of these types of risk can be avoided when you correctly evaluate your risk guidelines and determine the maximum amount of risk that you are willing to handle. Conclusion: Once your portfolio has been established then next step in the management is to evaluate your portfolio’s performance. The success of your portfolio is determined by comparing the total rate of return of the portfolio to the average total return of comparable portfolios. It is essential to develop a system to monitor the appropriateness of the securities that comprise the portfolio and the strategies governing it. The process is twofold as it involves monitoring: ï‚ · The changes in your goals, financial position and preferences; ï‚ · Expectations in capital markets and individual companies; Remember that diversification is more than placing your eggs in different baskets. It is also making sure that all your baskets aren’t made from the same material. References: Wall Street 101, www.familyinternet.com Learning to Invest, www.learningtoinvest.com Your Money Coach, www.yourmoneycoach.com

My True Goal †The Study of Medicine :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

My True Goal – The Study of Medicine    I firmly believe in the powerful message of Ecclesiastes 3:1, which states that every endeavor man can undertake has its own time and meaning. Looking back on my own life, I see these different seasons as stages of growth that have helped me to understand my own potential and the path that I wish to take in life. I feel that I have lived deeply and fully, and now wish to apply the valuable life lessons I have gained to what I feel is my true calling. Now is the season to explore the fascinating world of medicine, and to finally make that dream a reality.    As a child, I never believed that I could succeed. Growing up in one foster home after another, I lacked the stability that a youth needs in order to excel in classes and build a proper foundation for the future. I was pregnant by the age of eighteen, and dropped out of school to try to forge a future for my children. Life was difficult but fulfilling, and I found much joy in being the mother of two lovely children. The day my second child was diagnosed with Krabbe's disease, however, all of my happiness seemed to vanish before my very eyes.    Krabbe's disease is both terminal and debilitating, and the doctors gave my daughter a life expectancy of eighteen months. Swallowing my shock and sorrow, I devoted myself to making the most of the precious time I had left with my child. I researched intensively on Krabbe's disease, learning as much as I could about its mechanisms and the course it would run. I applied these lessons to caring for my daughter, and provided her with the twenty-four hour a day care that she required. Because I was afraid she would die at any moment, I never left her side, even to go to work. In order to pay the bills, I took in outside sewing and odd jobs. But no sacrifice was too great for my daughter. She lived to the age of four, long past her expectancy, which the doctors attributed to my constant care.    Being such an intimate witness to the struggle of life and death left me with a deep sense of human fragility. I realized that the human body is so very intricate and beautiful in its complex delicacy.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Curriculum Integration :: Teaching Education Integration Essays

Curriculum Integration Contrary to popular belief, curriculum integration entails more than simply linking lessons together along a common theme. It is more than just "rearranging existing lesson plans", it is an attempt to organize "curriculum around significant problems and issues†¦without regard for subject-area boundaries" (Beane, 1997). The goal of curriculum integration is to have students gain a deeper level of understanding across subject areas through interrelated thematic study. Themes are drawn from life "as it is being lived and experienced" with knowledge based around problem solving rather than rote skill acquisition (Beane, 1997). Rather than seeing curriculum integration as this unified and connected series of higher order thinking skills, many people (including teachers) confuse integration with a multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinary attempts at teaching thematic units relate individual subjects to singular topic without making connections. For example, during a unit on fish, a teacher could have his or her students read literature about fish and do fish word problems; however, unless the connections of synthesis, analysis, and evaluation are made, true integration is not being achieved. The students are learning a great deal about fish, math, and literature separately, but are not encouraged to see the relationships between each of these subject areas. In order to help foster an understanding across curriculum areas, integration needs to unify the subject matter in the students’ minds through making connections between subject areas and exploring how these relate to their everyday lives. Integration of content is important and potentially very effective because the brain processes information through connections. If teachers help their students create connections between subject-area material, then they will potentially increase the amount of long-term knowledge retained by the students (Beane, 1997). Integration is also important due to the fact that there is a growing emphasis on application of knowledge rather than rote memorization and due to the fact that knowledge is not fixed (Beane, 1997). Integration allows students to look at things from different angles and to explore the grey areas that may be a part of the various concepts. Evidence from both educational journals and personal interviews suggest several different possible approaches to successful science integration. Many of the lesson plans dealt with integrating science with technology or with mathematics. For example, a fifth-grade teacher had his class record weather observations for an entire year and then used their data to teach graphing concepts including bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, as well as concepts such as mean and mode (Chia, 1998).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Fashion Mirrors Society Essay

One of the most stable industries in the contemporary society is the fashion industry. Fashion, because it manifests and affects every person, is one of the aspects that holds strong influence over the society. As the society undergoes changes, fashion is also subjected to these changes. And as such, there are people who merely abide with the current trends because of the dictates and influence of the mass media. Fashion is a way through which a person expresses his or her identity; as such, it is believed that the clothes that people wear is an extension of their personality. see more:essay on fashion The clothes manifests the people’s values, attitudes and behavior. In school, cliques and groups can be identified by means of their clothes. One can already judge a person’s personality through his or her looks which primarily consists of clothes and other fashion accessories that one wears. Fashion is considered as a phenomenon to dress up oneself; but it is also a reflection of the things that are currently happening in the society because it conforms to the present changes and the behavior of a particular society. It reflects the current popular culture as well as the alterations that are taking place in the society. People try to express their emotions, ideas and principles through various ways. Some people make use of various art forms as their own channel of expression. As individuals pursue alternative ways of expressing themselves, the concept of fashion becomes the best vehicle to bridge this pursuit. Fashion is something that every person has within him or herself. The clothes that people wear say something about themselves, regardless if they are or are not aware of the latest fashion trends. For every human being, it is one’s natural desire to achieve his or her own identity. As such, one would always wish to become a person who could stand out from the rest of the crowd. This goal is the reason behind every person’s fashion statements, especially the youth nowadays. However, the one thing that is certain is that fashion constantly changes. These fashion fads, trends and style undergo various changes over time. As such, the members of the society are constantly bombarded with new and innovative ideas in the world of fashion. Thus, it is a necessity for fashion agents to be always full of creative ideas that they can sell in the market (Alina, 2004). â€Å"Fashion is a means of self-expression that allows people to try on many roles in life. Whether you prefer hip-hop or Chanel-chic, fashion accommodates the chameleon in all of us† (Public Broadcasting Service, n. d. ). As such, fashion does reflect the values within a particular society of culture. It provides a certain non-verbal way of communicating and presenting oneself to the public. It serves as an extension one’s personality and identity. For example, a woman who wears Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent wardrobes and accessories can be perceived as a wealthy, sophisticated woman and a socialite. On the other hand, a man who prefers rugged jeans and tight-fitting shirts would probably be judged as a rough troublemaker. Thus, a person’s unique fashion statement clearly labels his or her personality in the community. As such, the clothes that one wears largely speak of his or her own self. Thus, clothing is indeed a powerful silent communicator. Some people argue that fashion does not depict the reality and may be utilized to conceal the unpleasant attributes of a person. People dress up in order to hide the things that they or other people dislike with them. Fashion may not also always reflect the person’s true identity because it can act as a form of disguise. Rather than speaking of the person’s real identity, people can use fashion to project an image that they want other people to perceive about them. As such, fashion plays an important role in the society and culture. Fashion is the basis or the foundation of everything that people do. In addition, fashion sets the standards of people’s activities. There is appropriate clothing style in every activity that people do; for example, people wear uniforms for their jobs in order to feel comfortable in doing their works. In most time, majority of the members of the society attempt to match their clothing, pets and even the food that they eat to what is considered as fashionable (Book Rags, 2006). Fashion also reflects society; some of the cultural characteristics are seen in the current fashion trends and styles. Fashion is embedded in the society and may be regarded as an important part of a whole. Scholars argue that, â€Å"Fashion does not directly or simplistically reflect the times; the fact that it is always and everywhere situated within a society and culture† (Entwistle, 2000, p. 80). The authors suggest that â€Å"fashion† is a connected concept from â€Å"society†. As such, fashion is directly related to the society because fashion is within the context of the society itself. â€Å"Fashion is embedded within culture and cannot be isolated as an independent variable† (Entwistle, 2000, p. 81). Thus, fashion changes along with the development of one’s society and culture; therefore, it is a part of a society or rather inculcated within it. In history, American garments are much different from today which is because of the fact that natives’ dresses and accessories are part of the culture. Natives and tribes wore beads or animal teeth around their neck as it is part of a certain tradition. Clothes, aside from being a basic necessity of the people, is also an integral part of cultural traditions and practices. Some of the clothes are the traditional clothing of a particular place. Fashion is culturally-initiated and it reflects the lifestyles of the members of the society. Like the bone and teeth that served as the accessories of the native Americans, it also showed how the people before hunt for food which is the main characteristic of their lifestyle. However, fashion or clothing is not an entirely reliable reflection of the society. The fashion statement of a person is an individual decision on how he or she would like to be perceived by others. Thus, the authenticity of this act can be doubted. The reliability of fashion requires the person’s honesty in dressing according to his or her own socio-economic status. Many people do otherwise; indeed, there are people who do not want to reveal their true socio-economic state because of several personal reasons. Nonetheless, according to Virginia Woolf in her novel Orlando, â€Å"it is clothes that wear us and not we them† (ctd. in Ribeiro, 2006, p. 348). Ribeiro (2006) adds in her description that, â€Å"she [Virginia] knew how dress carries within itself its own history of the past and dictates people’s expectations of us as wearers† (p. 348). Evidently, wardrobes have their own history as time progresses. The fact that societies with unstable mobility do have trends with regard to dressing shows that their fashion says a lot about them. It still identifies them as a group because of the uniformity of the way they put on and design their clothes. One of the many examples of how fashion reflects the modern society is in terms of consumerism. Before, people conserve as much it is possible; however, nowadays – just like the ever-changing fashion trends – people also try to change a lot about themselves. Consumerism is the offspring of advertising. Modern advertisements are too successful and effective in their field that they have influenced a great quantity of people to think that some â€Å"unnecessary† products are actually necessary. From a psychological perspective, it is believed that â€Å"[in] a sense, ‘consuming’ fulfills needs that will require other ways of being satisfied in a post-consumer society: the need to belong, the need for variety in life, the need to control your personal environment and your work† (Collis et. al. , 2009). In some countries, groups are identified through their clothes. The members of high-class society is perceived to wear elegant and extravagant clothing combined with various expensive ornaments. On the other hand, the members of the urban poor or those who live in poverty can be identified due to the filthy clothing they wear. People’s basic needs have extended from the concept of physical survival to the expensive concept of narcissism. Social and emotional needs are apparently the reasons why people engage in consumerism. As modern advertising progresses, people are becoming more influenced to consume and buy products that they do not really need. Fashion becomes synonymous to consumerism because as fashion trends change, consumers also avail of more market products to adapt to the change. Fashion is an integral part of society that reflects different principles, ideas and even stature in life. However, it is not a reliable mirror of society because of its ability to conceal the true self of the one who wears it. Moreover, the current fashion trends and styles do not cater for all members of the society. Rather, it caters only to the agents and perpetrators of these fashion trends. People are somehow defined through the clothes they wear; however, their attitude and behavior is still the most reliable source and reflection of one’s personality. References Alina, Y. (2004). Fashion in Modern Society. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from http://nota. triwe. net/teachers/tolstikova/students06. htm Book Rags. (2006). The Importance of Fashion in U. S. Culture. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from http://www. bookrags. com/essay-2006/8/10/234130/814 Collis, C. , Cooper, S. , Fitzgerald, P. , Lawson, J. , Purkiss, J. , Ryan, J. & Thomas, A. (n. d. ). How can we change consumerism?. Never enough anti consumerism campaign: a critical look at consumerism, poverty, and the planet. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from http://www. enough. org. uk/enough08. htm Entwistle, J. (2000). The Fashioned Body: Fashion, Dress and Modern Social Theory. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Public Broadcasting Service. (n. d). What is Fashion? Retrieved May 19, 2009, from http://www. pbs. org/newshour/infocus/fashion/whatisfashion. html Ribeiro, A. (2006). Fashion and Fiction: Dress in Art and Literature in Stuart England. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Negative Sites on Abortion, Helping Make a Dignified Choice

Every year in the United States, 25% of pregnancies are ended in abortion. This number may seem quite high, but it is actually on the decline and is much lower than several other countries. These numbers are extremely high for one main reason. That reason is a lack of education. When young women become pregnant they feel the only alternative to having the baby is abortion. This is wrong and that is why we must educate the public to bring the abortion numbers down. The abortion issue has two sides. Pro-lifers believe that a human life is created at conception. Pro-choicers believe life begins at birth. Both groups have the common goal of minimizing the number of abortions, but have different ways of accomplishing that. For example, pro-lifers believe abortion should be illegal, while pro-choicers believe that it is the woman†s body as well as her choice. The other main differences lie in the definitions of several key terms. For example take the word pregnancy. Pro-lifers believe pregnancy starts at conception, while pro-choices believe it starts at the time of birth. To bring down the abortion rate, we need to focus on the factors causing the problems (Baird). I believe the main factor is a lack of education. If we started to educate children earlier about pregnancy, we would see a drop in the number of pregnancies and abortions. While this technique may be long and expensive, it is the best remedy for the long run. There are several ways we can implement this technique. We could develop a program similar to D. A. R. E. , in which it is demanded for students to take classes. D. A. R. E. , which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, has been especially successful. The purpose of the program is to inform children that popularity can be found in positive and nonviolent behavior. The program also helps children feel a sense of belonging that stresses their values. D. A. R. E teaches children valuable lessons concerning drugs and alcohol abuse. The program helps the children to lead better, fuller, and more satisfying lives. Research done by the D. A. R. E. program showed that for every $1 spent on drug abuse prevention, communities can save $4 to $5 in costs for drug abuse treatment and counseling. It was also found that in the past two years, drug abuse has either stayed the same or declined. The program has seen this type of success since it started in 1983 (D. A. R. E. ). I believe a class like this concerning abortion and pregnancy would have similar success. The class would inform the children on the purposes of sex and pregnancy. It would teach them the importance of sex and why you should wait for the right person. This would directly tie into abortion portion of the class. The class would tell why abortion is wrong and what alternatives there are to abortion. They would learn how contraceptive methods such as condoms are used to prevent pregnancy, while abortifacient techniques are used to end a pregnancy that has already begun (Prolife. rg). Some other common forms of birth control the students would learn about are diaphragms, cervical caps, contraceptive pills, and emergency contraception pills or â€Å"the morning after pill. † There are some other alternatives to education. One of them is making abortion illegal, but at this stage it is impossible. As the public continues to become more educated, the abortion rate will go down as will the opinion of abortion. At this stage there may be a possibility of making abortion illegal. But until we get to this stage, making abortion illegal is not an option. There is hope though, because the public's opinion of abortion has been changing. A CNN Poll in 1998 showed that only 31% of men and 32% of women were advocates of abortion. A similar poll was taken in 1980, which showed that 52% of the population believed in some form of abortion. Other than education, making it illegal would be the main goal. Obviously abortions would still happen, but now the number of pregnancies each year would dip under five percent. I also believe that more pregnancy clinics are needed. Pregnancy clinics help to spread the word to the public concerning pregnancy. I believe simple things like free condoms are a start to remedy the problem (Religioustolerance. org). As mentioned earlier, education is the best way of dealing with the abortion rate. Education at a younger age helps to control pregnancy and it informs involved parties of the alternatives they have. Not only would the abortion rate and pregnancy rate drop, but so would the number of sexually transmitted diseases. Although every woman has the right to abortion, I believe that many women would change their decision if they knew of the alternatives.