Identufy the six techniques for writing a successful narrative, and Essay

Identufy the six techniques for writing a successful narrative, and describe how this can be applied to one or more of the reading in Part 3 of your textbook - Essay Example They can even be therapeutic – giving us an outlet to express ourselves and deal with emotions that might otherwise be threatening or unpleasant (Parker and Wampler, 2006). The common bond of all stories is the narrative aspect – how the story is written, or told. According to Arlov (2005), there are six aspects of an effectively written story. These are: using chronological order; having a conflict that must be resolved; showing the action, instead of just telling what happened; making a clearly defined point – the theme of the story; placing a greater emphasis on the most important details; and using examples from everyday life (Arlov, 2005). In this paper, the art of storytelling – the successful incorporation of each of these aspects - is examined in the work of Obafemi Carr. Carr’s story, â€Å"The Game of My Life,† is (on the surface) about his participation, as a 29-year-old man, in a YMCA basketball game. A deeper analysis, however, reveals that it is about his relationship with his father and, perhaps to a greater extent, about his ability to overcome his own youthful insecurities. The beginning action starts at the present moment – in the basketball, but then the story flashes back to the â€Å"beginning† - the narrator (Carr)’s childhood. From there, Carr progresses in chronological order to his teenage and college years, and then he takes the reader back to the present with him – back to the ball game. This flashback-flash forward device works because it only displaces the reader chronologically for the first three paragraphs in order to better set up the story’s tension. Carr’s story has one main conflict that needs to be resolved. From the story’s text, the reader gathers that Carr grew up feeling distanced from his father because of his lack of sports involvement. As Carr puts it, â€Å"My father hadnt taught me the game, probably because he had grown up in

Assessment and Evaluation in aviation learning Essay

Assessment and Evaluation in aviation learning - Essay Example It is widely cited that advancements in technologies have been accompanied by wider research and application of education programs. The claim is a connotation that emphasizes how the effectiveness of these education research models may have gone beyond reproach. This paper carries out a critical evaluation of the claim and its implications on the development of aviation training. It explores the applicability of the ISD model components, focusing on assessment and evaluation as applied in aviation training. While cross examining the use of evaluation and assessment in aviation training, it will be of significant importance to understand ISD and its applicability in the learning process, as well as how its components are interlinked to yield a well structured model. An Instruction design model is a process traditionally utilized by developers of instructions and designers trainers to represent flexible and dynamic guidelines necessary for an effective performance and training for supp ort tools. The ISD model is composed of five phases (Rothwell & Kazanas, 2008). These include design, analysis, implementation, development, and evaluation. Analysis Analysis is the phase in which classification of the instructional problem is implemented. Additionally, it entails the establishment of objectives and goals, as well as identification of the learners existing skills and environment. Design Design phase specifically deals with objectives of the learning process, content, exercise, lesson planning, objectives and assessment criteria, as well as media selection. This phase should be specific and systematic. Development It is the phase in which developers and instructional designers assemble and create content assets blueprinted. In addition, graphics, content and storyboard are made in this phase. Programmers are involved in developing and integrating technology for the learners. Implementation At this stage, procedure used in facilitator’s training is developed. T he training must cover the learning outcomes, testing procedure and method of delivery, as well as Evaluation. Evaluation phase has two parts: summative and formative. The Formative evaluation processes are presented in each ADDIE stages. Summative evaluation, on the other hand, consists of tests that are designed for specific criterion-related item, and provides feedback opportunities identified by the users. Most instruction design models that are currently in use spanned off from ADDIE instruction design model (Rothwell & Kazanas, 2008). These include the dick and Carey and Kemp instructional system design models. The use of photo typing is one such improvement of the model. It involves receiving formative or continual feedback while creating the instructional materials. The model helps in saving time and money i.e. capturing problems when not yet fixed. The figure below shows the ADDIE model. The Jerold Kemp instructional design model and method defines nine components of the in structional design while adopting a continuous evaluation or implementation model (Jerrold, 1977). Jerold Kemp takes a wider view. This model adopts an oval shape that conveys the development and design of continuous cycles that require constant designing, assessment and development. This ensures that the instructions are well

GIS in Asset and Utility Monitoring Management

GIS in Asset and Utility Monitoring Management CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE A detailed literature survey pertaining to the application of GIS in Asset and Utility Monitoring, Management is presented in this chapter. GIS combines location data with both quantitative and qualitative information about the location, letting you visualize, analyze, and report information through maps and charts. Using the technology, we can answer questions, conduct what-if scenarios, and visualize results. GIS is often first identified as a system to manage infrastructure assets and natural resources outside of buildings, but this is only part of the story. Buildings, campuses, military bases, and industrial plants, to name a few, also have geography and can be mapped. It is easier to analyze and manage facility and asset data stored in GIS, making design, construction, and maintenance more efficient and profitable.(ESRI 2010) Ajwaliya and Patel (2014) has done Design and Development of GIS Based Utility Management System covering 39 acre residential area of staff quarters, DOS housing colony, Vikramnagar, Space Applications Centre (SAC). They identified that GIS can be used in many ways to improve the planning, maintenance and management standards. Developed GIS model has been designed to manage utilities for vikramnagar residential colony. Strength of GIS is integrating data and preparing it for analysis or modeling apart from tying together data from various sources makes it an important tool for the planning and decision making. User can display legend of all layers displayed on the Map. P.Smith et. al. (2005) developed Electrical Distribution Model during his research on Electrical Distribution Modeling: An Integration of Engineering Analysis and Geographic Information Systems found that the integration of GIS and power system analysis efforts provides added functionality to the management of utility systems. As competition increases and as information technologies advance, a utility’s data becomes more and more valuable as a corporate resource. As a result, sharing information becomes very important to the efficiency of an organization. Though his research a small-scale integration, he highlights the ability of GIS to initiate full integration of electric utility information. The technique of integration and the role of GIS within the envelope of the entire information system can take many forms. Blachut et al. (1979) remarked that, The availability of detailed and up-to-date cartographic representations of underground utility lines (as water supply, sewage system, electrical grid, gas network, district heating network, telecommunications and wiring network, oil pipelines) is very useful for network facility management, both for private companies and for local administrations. References from Books: Blachut, T.J., Chrzanowski A. Saastamoinen J.H. 1979. Urban Surveying and Mapping: 221-234. Springer-Verlag, New York (USA). Metje et al. (2007) noted that To obtain a sufficiently accurate and complete representation of the underground, a dedicated and extended survey is required. Non-invasive surveying can be performed with traditional topographic methods or by GPS positioning, by measuring the positions of the surface elements of the networks, like manholes, catch basins, transformers, hydrants, exchange boxes, etc., and subsequently inferring the presence and the approximate planar location of the buried lines. Another possibility is the GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) technique. References from Journals: Metje, N., Atkins, P.R., Brennan, M.J., Chapman, D.N., Lim, H.M., Machell, J., Muggleton, J.M., Pennock, S.R., Ratcliffe, J., Redfern, M.A., Rogers, C.D.F., Saul, A.J., Shan, Q., Swingler, S.G. Thomas, A.M. 2007. Mapping the Underworld. State of the Art Review. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 22(5-6): 568-586. N.cazzaniga et al. (2012) implemented a geographical DB for the storage of data of underground structures and infrastructures. The structure of the DB has been designed based on an approach oriented to the study of the whole process of designing and laying new elements of a utility line. The results were compliant with the requirements of Italian national regulations. This approach allows a good traceability of all collected and archived data, giving the possibility to reconstruct the complete processing chain from the preliminary design of the utility lines to their laying. The Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA) migrated some of its electric CAD operations into GIS and maintains a dual CAD and GIS system. FPUA serve more than 24,000 electric, 15,000 water, 12,000 wastewater, and 4,700 natural gas customers in Fort Pierce and portions of St. Lucie County, Florida. With the GIS in place, FPUA is working to bring the natural gas and fiber-optic telecommunication service databases into the GIS as well as to integrate them with the water service and wastewater collection GIS.(ESRI 2005) The city of Painesville, Ohio’s utility services include water, electric, storm water, and sewer services. The city has set up a system for government regulation compliance by using GIS. The windfall of meeting the government requirement is that Painesville’s GIS also supports asset management for electric operations, system maintenance and capital improvement planning.(ESRI 2005) Reliable digital data acquisition, robustness, and ease of use were the requirements stipulated by Swisscom AG when it set out to acquire new GNSS instruments to determine the positions of telecommunication infrastructure in the companys country wide fixed-line network. The first requirement was for the measuring sys- tem to provide reliable digital data acquisition to allow data transfer to be extensively automated. Furthermore, the system had to be robust, easy to transport, and able to be used by staff who had no detailed knowledge of surveying. The new satellite- supported surveying system Leica Viva GNSS fulfilled all these requirements – in addition to the GNSS and communications technology, the client was also impressed by the systems’ newly designed, easy to use software, Leica SmartWorx Viva.(Schnichels n.d.) In the past few years the State of Qatar, a peninsula on the Arabian Gulf, has experienced extensive infrastructure development. More than twenty years ago the results of a user needs assessment carried out by the government clearly indicated an enormous need for a fully integrated nationwide GIS. The government then established the Centre for GIS (CGIS) as a department of the Ministry of Municipality Urban Planning. It is based in the capital Doha and became the official mapping agency of the State of Qatar. Since the end of October 2009, many public and private survey and mapping communities have been benefiting from a nationwide Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network.(Saal 2009) Mary Howard (2014), County GIS Manager has quoted â€Å"we have found excellent return on investment for staffing time during collections as well as the importance of having a reliable end-product.† while collecting data in heavily wooded terrain using Trimble and Floodlight technology. for project consisting of installing a broadband 220 miles of buried fiber cable and 5 wireless relay towers. According to County GIS Manager Mary Howard, a fiber mapping crew used an underground-line-locating device to detect the buried fiber and mark its location. Then a GIS technician recorded the location using the handheld GeoXH unit running Esri ArcPad with Trimble GPSCorrectâ„ ¢ data collection software.(Mary Howard 2014) Jamil et al. (2012) has tried to evaluate main driver in utility mapping, utility agencies, land surveyors and the land surveying profession to meet the demand and challenges in executing the underground utility mapping in Malaysia. JUPEM has developed a national underground utility database called PADU to act as a repository of reliable and accurate underground utility data comprising power and telecommunication cables, gas, water and sewerage pipes provided by the utility agencies in a systematic GIS approach. The data submitted by the various utility agencies are subjected to various checks and verification processes before they are accepted into PADU. However, these checks reveal data of low quality, inaccurate and insufficient to be used as a reference for excavation works. Issues pertaining to data quality, lack of skill and knowledge and the requirement of legislation on underground utility mapping are some of the challenges faced with regards to underground utility mapping in Malaysia. Various initiatives are now being undertaken to overcome these challenges. 1

Respresentation of Lolita in Society :: Essays Papers

Respresentation of Lolita in Society Lolita represents the manifested "id" in all of us. Since her creation, she has remained an anomaly of outrage and disgust, yet, unconsciously, she is the greatest sex symbol of all times. We all crave to be the "nymphet", yet society does not accept a middle aged woman running around with pigtails and a lollipop dangling from their mouth. Middle aged women envy the nymphet in her baby-doll dress, her innocent smile, and a body that is milky-clean and flawless. They want this back, they want the firm buttocks that once was cellulite-free, and the pink in their cheeks without the necessary application of Revlon rouge. So, what does the society of middle aged women do, they rely on the image of this "nymphet" to replace the tension and frustration of their own aging. This is "Lolita". She is the symbol of society that is post-adolescent. We become her pupils and spectators. She is the creature that every father loves because the innocence has not yet been touched. She is the creature w ho has the eyes of an angel and the hair of an unbleached blonde. Yet, is the character Lolita that innocent? This is where she is an anomaly to the little girls with checkered skirts and roller skates. She is a strong, independent, sexual goddess that screams 'virgin', yet is far from it. Could middle aged women get away with that? Could they stand in front of a crowd of men who wanted to pinch their cheeks, and tell them their cute, set them on their lap, and smell their talcum powdered skin? Of course not, they'd be lucky to have a husband that rolls over before he goes to bed, to stick it in for an evenings satisfaction. So here's this 'nymphet', every man is humbled by, pouring their attention to, while this nymphet just sits there, twirling her pigtails and licking her lollipop. Does she care that she is being idolized by men and envied by women? Of course not. She is independent from that. She lives to satisfy herself, while everyone stands around, working from nine to five, paying taxes, and are lucky enough to have time to watch that soap opera they taped earlier in the day. Lolita lives in all women. Women envy the nymphet's ability to not do anything, and still be loved and adored by the opposite sex.

Reading the Constitution Essay

In their essay, â€Å"How Not to Read the Constitution†, Lawrence Tribe and Michael Dorf describe the ways the Constitution has been interpreted by different people. Tribe and Dorf make it clear that the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted based on what the framers original intent was is not the way to read the Constitution, it takes much more than that. Tribe and Dorf also explain that justices do not interpret the Constitution in a way that would please the readers (the people) on purpose, because if that were so then the authority of the Constitution would â€Å"lose all legitimacy if it really were only a mirror for the readers’ ideals and ideas (p.49).† This means that people have the tendency to interpret the Constitution based on their own beliefs. Also, the justices themselves have their own beliefs and their own interpretations of the Constitution, but they should not come up with a decision based solely on their own opinions. The exact way to read the Constitution is indefinable, therefore in their essay, Tribe and Dorf instead described how not to interpret it and implied that justices should make wise decisions that are not entirely based on their own beliefs, the original intents of the framers made generations ago, or the expectations of the public now. In the case Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, Planned Parenthood was challenging a Pennsylvania law that placed some restrictions on abortion. Many opponents of abortion hoped that the Supreme Court would use the case to strike down the decision made in Roe v. Wade, which states that a state ban on all abortions is unconstitutional. The majority of the court voted not to do so. This is a good case for providing insight into the way justices interpret the constitution and make their decisions. Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O’Connor wrote the majority opinion for the case. The majority voted not to overrule the decision made in Roe v. Wade. O’Connor wrote on behalf of the majority and wrote in the opinion that the main reasons for this decision were based on the principle of stare decisis and the fact that the case’s central ruling is workable for the states and does not come at odds with other precedents. Also, O’Connor wrote that the word â€Å"liberty† from the statement â€Å"no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,† (the Due  Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment) includes a woman’s right to an abortion. Thus, the precedent decision made in the case Roe v. Wade that deals with the rights to and restrictions on abortion still stands. Justices William Rehnquist and Atonin Scalia each wrote dissenting opinions about this case. In Rehnquist’s dissenting opinion, his main point upon which he disagrees with O’Connor is that the right to an abortion is not â€Å"fundamental†. By this statement Rehnquist means that the word â€Å"liberty† in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not encompass the right to an abortion because the right to an abortion is not â€Å"implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.† Thus, he does not agree with the majority opinion. Scalia disagreed with O’Connor and the majority about roughly the same point Rehnquist described in his dissenting opinion. The difference in Scalia’s opinion is that he believes there is no question that the right to an abortion is a liberty, but he states that it is not a liberty that is protected by the Constitution. Out of these three justices, Sandra Day O’Connor would most agree with Tribe and Dorf’s essay about how to read and interpret the Constitution. I believe she would be in agreement with them because unlike Rehnquist and Scalia, it seems that she interpreted the Constitution not by what she thought the framers originally meant, but by what she thought would do some good in the future. She also made it clear in her writing that the decision by the majority was not made based on the justices personal beliefs. She shows this in the majority opinion she wrote, â€Å"†¦the stronger argument is for affirming Roe’s central holding, with whatever degree of personal reluctance any of us may have, not for overruling it.†

Texting and Driving Persuasive

Just before senior year, it was a warm summer night. You were in the car with your friends, blasting music, singing along, and having a conversation on the phone all at the same time. It was all fun and games until you see the bright headlights of a large semi truck, and that was that. Crash! I’m sure there have been many situations like this one and it is a very distressing concept. Too many people make the wrong decision of texting and driving. When I tell them not to do it, they would just argue, â€Å"I’m really good at it though, trust me. I do understand that it turned into a continuous process; however, that doesn’t mean that accidents can’t happen. That is what they all think, but anything can happen to any driver, at anytime. My friends have learned not to text and drive when I am in the car with them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t do it when they are alone, or when I’m not in the car. In fact, I think that is even worse b ecause there is then no one to tell them, â€Å"Look out! † or â€Å"Stop! † By this point there is no turning back, just heartbroken family members and friends. Every day I see at least one person texting and driving, and it makes my heart skip a beat.Not only am I worried for that person to get in an accident, but I’m concerned for me, and other drivers on the road. I notice them driving carelessly, and swerving on the road. No matter what kind of situation you’re in, there are no good ones when it comes to the road. When my brother got his license he was caught texting and driving by my mom’s friend who then told her. She was furious! â€Å"Luke! † My mom snapped. â€Å"Why would you even think of texting and driving? You can get killed. † â€Å"It was only once; I don’t do it often though! † remarked Luke. â€Å"No matter how many times you do it, it only takes one accident to kill you. replied my mom, with fire in her eyes. She was very angry that day because she thought better of him. She too knows the bad of texting and driving; therefore, she is a strong nonbeliever too. I remember one bright sunny day, the snow was sparkling from the intense rays of the sun, and the icicles were melting. But apparently some black ice hid on the street. As we were driving, I saw a fellow driver not notice the turn for the exit. He drove straight ahead into the metal railing along the bend. And BOOM! I saw this event occur right at my own two eyes. It was miserable too, considering the fact that it was a luxury car.As we I drove past it, I knew right then and there that texting and driving is definitely not an option for me. Its hard to say how tempting texting while driving is, but all I know is that when I get my license, I am never going to start the habit. That is my thought now and I hope it will always stay that way. I am hoping to change not just the lives of my friends and family, but to others all over the road. Next time your cup holder vibrates, leave it alone, and focus on the road. Your life, and the lives of your passengers are in your hands, so make good decisions. Texting kills! This I believe.

The relationship between Composer and Performer Essays

The relationship between Composer and Performer Essays The relationship between Composer and Performer Essay The relationship between Composer and Performer Essay In this essay I would like to discuss notation and its influence on the relationship between composer and performer. In some ways composing can seem a slightly mystical process. How do we imagine musical ideas coming into the mind, what did the compositional process involve and how does the notation of a piece have a relationship to the way it is performed? Beethoven and Chopin, to take two conventional and well-known composers as an example, left a large body of work using conventional pitch-duration notation, involving the twelve notes of the chromatic scale, between them. Yet the notation of their pieces gives few clues as to the compositional process. Rather than the finished works it is Beethovens sketches which give the clearest indication of his mode, generally slow and laborious, of composition. On the other hand Chopins working modes were very different from those of Beethoven, involving a higher degree of improvisation at the keyboard. For Beethoven, the idea had to be down on paper. Yet the notation they used was the same. The most revolutionary developments in notation came in the twentieth century. By the 1950s the relationship between composer and performer had become a coercive one, a sequence of commands constituting the composers control strategy. Notation became flexible, adaptable to and relevant to the playing situation. Conventional notation does not necessarily equal lots of possible interpretations; the way to interpret pieces by Beethoven and Chopin (to take these composers as a further example) has been heartily disputed over the years in spite of the clear simple notation use by the composer. In the same way, an elaborate or complicated notation such as those found in much contemporary music, can permit varied interpretation. A conventional notation, that is notation which covers duration-pitch relationship, is not flexible enough to relate extended compositional requirements. This led to the creation at new, flexible notations that have direct relevance to a playing situation. Even so, many composers are less concerned with the relationship of the score to the performer than to their own concerns with sounds. The idea of a direct relationship between the composer and the performer without the intervention of a middle man became increasingly likely. The accepted norm of relying on the received traditions of the past as to what constitute a reliable or authentic performance was viewed as the uncreative option. Composers like Boulez and Stockhausen pushed the boundaries of notation ever further. In Stockhausens Kontakte (Contacts, 1959-60) for piano percussion and tape, the performers of the acoustic instruments are provided with a complex graphic score which permits them to co-ordinate with the taped electronic sounds. An example from Kontakte by Stockhausen Whole techniques and even ideologies developed around rather straightforward musical notion such as polytonality, atonality, serial music and different modal harmonic process. The growing complexity of notations led to the alienation of the performer; even now only the most conscientious performers feel a responsibility to the composer, and to their own honesty, when dealing with complexity in notation. Over-complexity in notation leads to problems with the realisation of the composer intentions when directives are inevitably contravened through necessity, for example in the music of Brian Ferneyhough which is so complicated and practically unplayable that it is inevitable that the performer will be unable to play every element of the notated piece. This takes the performer to the very edge of what is possible and creates in itself a new performance practice. For example, Ferneyhoughs modernist masterpiece Etudes transcendentales for voice and four instruments (1984) is fearsomely complex, and again requires great dedication on the part of the performer if the composers wishes are to be carried out. However, a performer would really have to be familiar with a composers aesthetic to know that the otherwise unacceptable act of not playing the piece as written (mainly because you cannot! ) is part of the pieces implicit meaning. Therefore in a piece of huge complexity, notated or otherwise, a player who makes the act of commitment to study and attempt to solve it, is likely to have a rightful interest in actually performing the piece. This relates to the general view that the composer is the one who has something to say, reducing the status of the performer is that of a mere interpreter. However, this is not a view that has always existed; as has been stated, composers such as Chopin and Beethoven often improvised to an extent. But is it the case that, harmonically and stylistically, it simply was not as difficult to do this in Mozart time? Here in this way, we have led to the prioritising of the composer, and the score. Traditionally we respect the written word, so one expects to perform music as it is written , which in a way leads to the belief that whatever is not in the score must be wrong. The movement towards to a situation where interpretation is not required began to alienate the performer. Because interpretation has been overtaken by execution, the composer began to use compositional control over every element of a work, that is not only pitch-rhythm relationships but forms of attack, articulation, dynamic shading i. . those elements traditionally left to the musical intelligence of the player. However, in every possible case which involves human input, something is left to the performer. They do not have to be aware of the elements of performance out of the possible control of the composer, for example a players personal style, method of playing their instrument, conception of dynamic level. When viewed in this way, such precision on the part of the composer becomes almost pointless, except in cases where the end result being an approximation is part of the composers aesthetic intention. One of the first artists to react to the primacy of the written score was John Cage. Cage wrote about a larger shift in the relationship between performer and listener. He argued a rotation could no longer be seen as something separate and detached from its listeners and from it context. Rather, creating music was a process that was initiated by the composer or performer, but completed by the audience. The listeners experience of the work was essential to the music itself. He developed notations to reflect this ideology. For example, one of Cages main concerns in producing indeterminate work was the need to free the performers from the authoritarian dictate of a composer, to prevent them being dehumanised cogs in a music-making machine. Ways of doing this included graphic scores, not including fixed time signatures, and definite instructions to improvise. Many other composers searched similar areas, like Stockhausens improvised works, and including Cornelius Cardew. Cardew focused much more on the need to give the performers a say, to make a cooperative social relationship in performance. Cardew was a contemporary British composer who, by the end of the 60s, became disillusioned with the apparent academic role of the same times music and decided to restore the balance in favour of the performer. Cornelius Cardew wrote graphics scores in which performers look at the graphics and respond to and interpret them. In order to represent his intentions he used simple, pictorial ( graphic ) notation, with a sounding end result, which was very unpredictable and experimental. Possibly the best example of this is Treatise, a graphic score which uses ciphers and symbols reminiscent of conventional notation to which performers must respond. The essence pf both Cage and Cardews intention was that everyone could be a composer, a musician- music taking on a social significance. The way a piece is notated allows us to come closer to understanding it, according to Cardew. The musical culture within which notations operate, and of the ways in which our modes of thought function are influenced by the nature of the systems we use (Cardew, 1961).

The Effects of Hostility on the Joad Family essays

The Effects of Hostility on the Joad Family essays Through his most famous novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck depicts the hardships of Oklahoma farmers during the Great Depression. Steinbeck uses the Joad family as an illustration of the average migrant family of 1939. Many events take place during the novel, causing certain characters to change. As a result of some of the cruel events, Ma gains strength, while the attitudes of Tom and Rose of Sharon change. Steinbeck uses many events of harsh treatment towards the Joads to portray the reality of this time period. Although the Joad family does not deserve this hostility, they must work their way through these difficult times. The greedy brokers who buy the Joad's belongings before they travel to California are an example of the unkindness shown to the Joads. These brokers, knowing the banks forced the farmers to sell their belongings, pay extremely low prices for their personal possessions. Unkindness prevails when the Joads encounter the gas station attendant. Assuming the Joads can not afford to pay for their gas, the attendant treats the Joads as if they are thieves. After the Joads arrive at the "Hooverville," a work contractor and policeman show up to recruit workers. Both the contractor and the policeman plan to start trouble. When a man asks a question about the job, the contractor and policeman try to arrest him and start a fight. While arresting this man, the contract or tells the other migrant farmers, "You fellas don't want ta listen to these reds. Troublemakers-they'll get you in trouble" (339). Referring to this man as a "red" provokes and insults the other migrant farmers, initiating a brawl. Throughout the novel, Ma's character attains a higher level of strength. Ma begins the novel as a strong woman and becomes even stronger. During Tom's incarceration, Ma silently mourns Tom's absence for fear she might let the family "break" if she cries publicly. Talking to Tom, Al states, "She [Ma] mour...

Art History Midterm Essay Example for Free

Art History Midterm Essay The tomb painters were more of artisans than they were artists in ancient Egypt. The reason for this is they didn’t typically come up with the ideas for what they were painting in the tombs; they were told what to paint and painted it. Artists would have had free range on what to paint rather than being told what to paint exactly. Artisans are more the people who can actually paint someone’s idea who might not be able to design or paint the idea given. One rationale reason for cave paintings in prehistoric times, that I have heard and agree with is that they painted these things on the walls in hope that the creatures would come so they would have food among other things. One particular example would be all the paintings in the Las Caux cave in France; it is a cave entirely full of images of bulls. Bulls or bison were a source of not only food but probably clothing and they could use other parts of the body for various things. These animals were extremely important for their culture to survive. I believe they painted them on the walls not only to honor the creatures for all they did to help their people but also as wishful thinking. It’s the whole â€Å"if you build it they will come† idea, if the people painted these animals maybe something miraculously would help their hunting season better. This theory helps show how they believed in gods and looked for help from a higher being just like we do now. 3. During ancient times goddess statues were extremely popular all over the then world. One of the most famous goddess statues is the Venus of Willendorf. She is the very first goddess statue that has been found and dates back to 24,000 bce. She is a very small pudgy statue with and large female areas; her face is not there and is replaces with grooves. The statue has no feet and cannot stand on its own. The way that the statue was created shows the importance of fertility and women by not only the enlarged breast but the wide hips that would be of assistance when it comes to giving birth. They most likely used this little statue to wish new couples luck when it comes to reproducing and it was a fertility statue. Modern day has a much different view on our â€Å"goddess† culture. People nowadays look up to Barbie dolls and stick thin models and celebrities. So much has changed since then. The prehistoric times and even up until more recent times believed that fuller women were beautiful and even that it showed wealth. I think that our culture looks up to the wrong people when it comes to our versions of a â€Å"goddess culture†. One Mesopotamian civilization that I like is Babylon. It was a land in the Fertile Crescent between the rivers like most civilizations in that time period. They had one of the most influential and important leaders, Hammurabi, who came up with one of the most well known set of laws or Hammurabi’s code. Babylon also was the home of one of the Seven Wonders of the World the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Babylon was a very well set up society and really changed the way people governed their civilizations. They were one of the first cultures to write down their set of rules and stick by them through thick and thin and that was entirely new. Question 1: When it comes to restoring artwork it is a tricky subject. I think that they should restore art but not add anything to it because it makes it a different then it was originally portrayed. I think restoring the art so it is in full form is ideally good because we want future generations to see the pieces of art the way they were meant to be viewed. I mean yes, it is using a lot of time and a lot of hours to be fixing something that is broken and old, but it’s our history. If these artifacts were not there we would have no look into our past and how people lived. People should fix up old paintings, statues and buildings because not only is it part of history but it’s incredible to see how people could build such magnificent things without the technology we have today. It makes people appreciate what they have now and all the advances we have gone through. When it is 300,000 years from now and out pictures and buildings are slowly falling apart we would want someone to take their time and interest to fix up something that we once held as a huge part of our lives and our society. If the paintings, statues and buildings were built and built so beautifully they were made that way for a reason. Art is art and I think we should do everything humanly possible to keep this world as beautiful through the decades as it was meant to be when they first were displayed. Art History Midterm. (2018, Oct 30).

Microbiology Unknowns Lab Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Microbiology Unknowns Lab Report - Essay Example Spurious results may be obtained in some cases that departs from the expected norms for a particular species, may be attributed to strain differences within the given species. The unknown samples are required to be handled with care and precision. Identification procedures adopted, identified four bacterial species in the unknown samples, they are: Enterococcus faecalis, Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes Microorganisms are ubiquitous and they provide benefit or show their harmful impact on the human/ animal or plant population in varied ways. The body of knowledge that has accrued since these early years has been instrumental in making clinical microbiology a major component of laboratory or diagnostic medicine. It is essential to have an understanding towards these microorganisms for this isolation and identification of these infectious pathogens is imperative. This understanding aids in rapid diagnosis and treatment of the disease, prudently, intelligently and rapidly. Many experiments are being carried out that have relevance with their application in the clinical microbiology. These experiments encompass, isolation and identification of unknown cultures, the use of selective and differential media and various biochemical tests used to separate and identify various microorganisms (Messeley, 2003). The first step to onset the experiment is to perform Gram staining procedure. This segregates the gram positive and gram-negative organisms. This is followed by the streak-plating to observe the colony characteristics. The next step is the use of selective media for the preparation of pure cultures followed by the performance of biochemical tests. The present study was performed to apply all the methodologies learnt in the microbiology laboratory class designed for the detection of an unknown bacterium (Messeley, 2003). Prepare Nutrient agar broth subculture of unknown sample and refrigerate

Strategy, Business Information and Analysis Assignment - 2

Strategy, Business Information and Analysis - Assignment Example When a company does not know how to tackle the complexity being contributed by the external factors, the only option for addressing such issues would be to develop, design and implement a strategy. However, before going to implement, the strategy, it is highly significant to take into account the external and internal factors along with considering the examples of successful and failed strategies. In the following parts of this paper, first strategy has been defined in which Mintzberg’s 5Ps have been included. Subsequently, it is followed by the evolution of the word ‘strategy† has been provided. After that part, different schools of thoughts have also been included. Before the part addressing the question of strategy construction, the answer of the question (Does strategy matter?) has been provided. Strategy is a broad term (Snyder, 1999). Strategy has a specific definition and sense particularly within the context of business (Campbell et al. 2002). In this regard, Mintzberg (1987) defines strategy can have five different types of definitions: plan, ploy, pattern, position and perspective. And each is separately defined and explained below. Strategy can be defined as a plan (Mintzberg, 1987). It can be a course of action, a set of guidelines for carrying out specific actions for dealing with a particular situation (Mintzberg, 1987). Mintzberg (1987) further explains that this definition has two dimensions: the plans are developed in advance and concentrated and careful efforts are utilised for developing such plan. Subsequently, strategy can work as a ploy (Mintzberg, 1987). In this type of situation, an organisation tries to manoeuvre for the purpose of discouraging competitors from taking certain strategic action Mintzberg (1987). In this type of strategy, the organisation is not really interested to implement what it

Recruitment and Selection Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Recruitment and Selection - Research Paper Example Service delivery is improved with the inclusion of a wider demographic because the understanding and self confidence of the participants is improved through the directive that harbors success. The departments are charged with the decision-making process within the intercollegiate departments who focus on athletics and ensure the mission and objectives are delivered to the desired satisfaction. A stable environment would offer qualified professionals within the departments to ensure the activities are completed to satisfaction and drive increased participation. The departments are expected to meet the desired obligation to the students held in satisfactory facility presentation that increase the output in the individuals. However, the argument is placed on the recruitment process and the need to justify the selection of the members within these departments. Therefore, the argument is placed on the process and the provision offered that a diversified department would ensure exemplary p erformance and result generation within the departments. Diversity has been the core process involved in developing equality and improving the participation of the members. With the right procedure involved and the inclusion of stable policies, the aspect is promoted through the selection process that accords responsibility to variable members. However, the development of individuals and the departments has been challenged by measures that have eliminated the platform to attain equality. The diversity under consideration has been in gender and racial aspect that emerge as leading measures demeaning participation in varied groups. There should be the realization of the diverse existence of variable ethnicity and gender groups within the society. With the identity of the potential of each of the participants regardless of their physical appearance, the

South Africa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

South Africa - Research Paper Example The cultural diversity influences the business practices, working relations, business hierarchy, and business etiquette within South Africa. In extending its services to South Africa, it is quite significant for Kelly Services to understand the aspects of cultural diversity in South Africa’s business platform (Macleod, 2002). This report will detail the cultural aspects in South Africa’s business field and explain why South Africa will be a good target for Kelly Services. South Africans encourage good working relationships coupled with honesty, trust, and politeness. They have utmost respect for all and derive their moral values from their diverse culture (Bruckner, 2001). South Africans prefer a conservative and formal dressing in all business meetings and practices. Men dress in suits and ties while women wear formal dresses and suits (Macleod, 2002). They prefer handshakes and business cards as they manifest commitment and formality in business (Gorill, 2007). They significantly observe time consciousness and expect honesty and fairness in all business dealings. South Africans business people have abject respect for their business leaders and business organizations. The mode of communication between the employees, employers, and the public is well established. There is sound cooperation between the employees and employers in carrying out business operations. Indeed, the views and interests of employees are highly considered in any organizational decision or change. Hence, all stakeholders participate in running the business enterprises though the management reserves the right of initiating new dimensions and making critical decisions in the business (Gorrill, 2007). South Africans value inclusiveness, fairness, and honesty in all business activities. They equally disregard titles such as Mister or Miss in the context of business operations. They regard them as sources of

Development of a MARKETING PLAN for Fat Face Ltd in Canada Essay

Development of a MARKETING PLAN for Fat Face Ltd in Canada - Essay Example In addition to its clothing business operations, the company also focuses on charitable activities so as to dispose its social responsibilities more efficiently. â€Å"Life is out there, make the most of it† is the philosophy followed by the Fat Face Ltd (‘History our philosophy’, Fat Face, n.d.). The company is always careful in preserving its employees’ interests and wellbeing. Recently, the company has appointed Anthony Thompson as its new Chief Executive. The Fat Face’s latest financial reports reflect that the company is growing fastly. The firm’ financial statements in 2010 indicates that the company achieved a sales rise by 4.3% and obtained a revenue of 135.4 million over the year. In order to take advantages of this increased market demand, the company is trying to open subsidiaries across the globe. This paper intends to develop a marketing plan for Fat face Ltd in Canada. Canadian market conditions When a firm plans to launch its br anches in a foreign region, it must be aware of the different market aspects of the target country. In the given case, the Fat Face Ltd proposes to launch its product lines in the Canadian market. Canada is a North American country that constitutes 0.5% of the world’s population. Although Canada represents smaller proportion of population, according to UN HDI, â€Å"Canada accounts for 2.2% of global emissions† (Canada: Country analysis report’, March 2010). In order to mitigate the increasing environmental problems, the government has imposed restrictions on certain type of industries. However, the PESTLE analysis highlights that Canada is a high potential country in terms of government effectiveness. The Canadian political world is dominated by the conservative and Liberal parties which together form the strong democratic set-up of Canada. The Canadian government encourages regional trade and it adds to the industrial viability of the nation. It is observed th at Canada always keeps better foreign relationship that makes the country a potential market for international expansion. These positive factors would certainly assist Fat Face to run its venture in Canada with little chance of unexpected interruption. At the same time, disparity in developmental operations seriously impinges on the sustainable economic growth of the country. The Canadian economic features of strong banking system and extreme business freedom make the nation’s market potential for foreign business magnets. The global economic slowdown has affected the nation’s development to a large extent because the situation forced Canadian government to extend the rate of unemployment benefits and cut down personal income. The nation’s low productivity can also be directly attributed to the global financial crisis. At this juncture, the unsatisfactory employment rate of Canada is beneficial for Fat Face as this condition would offer sufficient employees/manp ower to the firm. Moreover, the impeded economic development may persuade the Canadian government to welcome the arrival of a leading clothing industry to their market. The PESTLE analysis also reveals that country’s population aged 65 and above frequently increases; it may adversely affect the company’

The Invention of the television in the US Research Paper

The Invention of the television in the US - Research Paper Example As it was invented television used combination of optical, mechanical and electronic technologies to capture and display images but as the technology advanced, then more developments took place. The history of television date back in 1884 where Paul Gottlieb a German university student aged 23 came up with an electromechanical television system that employed a scanning disk. As the time went by, more improvement of television was being done for example in 1927 a Russian inventor by the name Leon Theremin developed a mirror drum based television and on the same year Philo Farnsworth came up with the first working television system that had to scan the images and on the same time display the device (Tedham, 1937). This was first displayed in the press in 1928 and thus paved way to broadcasting. The first working television made Germany and United States governments to sign an agreement to exchange their television patents and technology so that the speed of development could be achieve d in many countries thus having transmitters and stations in their respective countries. In 1936, the first BBC started to transmit the first public services that amazed many people in all corners of the world. In 1939, United States started came up with more television technologies despite signing of agreements with the Germany government though the Second World War prevented the development to take place on large scale. This meant that United States had to wait until the end of the Second World War. In 1948, the use of television was in large scale in United States and thus coming up with a true regular commercial television that used programming and thus immergence of legendary people who could broadcast and model among other things (Alan, 1940). This made the ownership of television to increase year by year for example United States had a 96.7% ownership in 1995 and majority of people having more than one

Development of a MARKETING PLAN for Fat Face Ltd in Canada Essay

Development of a MARKETING PLAN for Fat Face Ltd in Canada - Essay Example In addition to its clothing business operations, the company also focuses on charitable activities so as to dispose its social responsibilities more efficiently. â€Å"Life is out there, make the most of it† is the philosophy followed by the Fat Face Ltd (‘History our philosophy’, Fat Face, n.d.). The company is always careful in preserving its employees’ interests and wellbeing. Recently, the company has appointed Anthony Thompson as its new Chief Executive. The Fat Face’s latest financial reports reflect that the company is growing fastly. The firm’ financial statements in 2010 indicates that the company achieved a sales rise by 4.3% and obtained a revenue of 135.4 million over the year. In order to take advantages of this increased market demand, the company is trying to open subsidiaries across the globe. This paper intends to develop a marketing plan for Fat face Ltd in Canada. Canadian market conditions When a firm plans to launch its br anches in a foreign region, it must be aware of the different market aspects of the target country. In the given case, the Fat Face Ltd proposes to launch its product lines in the Canadian market. Canada is a North American country that constitutes 0.5% of the world’s population. Although Canada represents smaller proportion of population, according to UN HDI, â€Å"Canada accounts for 2.2% of global emissions† (Canada: Country analysis report’, March 2010). In order to mitigate the increasing environmental problems, the government has imposed restrictions on certain type of industries. However, the PESTLE analysis highlights that Canada is a high potential country in terms of government effectiveness. The Canadian political world is dominated by the conservative and Liberal parties which together form the strong democratic set-up of Canada. The Canadian government encourages regional trade and it adds to the industrial viability of the nation. It is observed th at Canada always keeps better foreign relationship that makes the country a potential market for international expansion. These positive factors would certainly assist Fat Face to run its venture in Canada with little chance of unexpected interruption. At the same time, disparity in developmental operations seriously impinges on the sustainable economic growth of the country. The Canadian economic features of strong banking system and extreme business freedom make the nation’s market potential for foreign business magnets. The global economic slowdown has affected the nation’s development to a large extent because the situation forced Canadian government to extend the rate of unemployment benefits and cut down personal income. The nation’s low productivity can also be directly attributed to the global financial crisis. At this juncture, the unsatisfactory employment rate of Canada is beneficial for Fat Face as this condition would offer sufficient employees/manp ower to the firm. Moreover, the impeded economic development may persuade the Canadian government to welcome the arrival of a leading clothing industry to their market. The PESTLE analysis also reveals that country’s population aged 65 and above frequently increases; it may adversely affect the company’

The stranger was a ghost Essay Example for Free

The stranger was a ghost Essay It was in the summer season I was on my way home for a holiday. I had really longed to be at home especially during this period as it is also the time I celebrate my birthday. I needed to pass by the supermarket and do some shopping since I had planned of having my birthday party indoors with my friends. The big day being only two days away then meant that I needed to do some shopping instead of having to run for some items during the last minute. As I parked my car outside the supermarket and quickly reached out for my ‘to buy list ’I noticed a very pretty lady standing by the telephone booth. But just as I came out I lost interest in her since I was sure that her face didn’t look any familiar. I went ahead to the supermarket and there did most of my shopping, which took quite some time, approximately 2hours. I went to the counter and paid and pushed the carrier to the car, suddenly I realized that I had misplaced my key to the car door, looked in my shopping bags, nothing! Inside my jeans pockets but lo! I was then sure of one thing, that my key must be lying some where in the shelves of the supermarket where I must have placed them as I read the prices and probably compared what quantities of items to buy. Any one would have forgiven me as I was a bit confused with the huge shopping something that I was not used to. I made to the supermarkets but as I entered I saw the same lady again, this time I noticed that she actually looked at me as if ready to say hey but I was in much haste of which she must have noticed. I went right in the supermarket and started going from one shelf to another; appeared like I was doing a double task because I literally went to all the shelves I had earlier picked items from. The key was right on the last shelf what a pity? Had I thought of doing the rounds but on a reverse I would have saved a lot of time! The lady made a point of stopping me on my way out, she called me â€Å"Paul is it you†? I turned to her and said no am sorry but my name is Peter. But were you at Braubern High School? I told her yes that is where I went for my high school education and had a friend by the name Paul and people mistook us for another so this wasn’t so unusual. So I was kind to her and told her that I was abit in a hurry and so needed to go. She was reluctant but said if I didn’t mind for her to give me her mobile phone contacts so that incase I met Paul I would give it to him. I reached out for my phone and apologized to her that my day had been hectic as I had even misplaced the key to my car. She told me that she had noticed that I had lost peace when she saw me running back to the supermarket. I reached for my phone and she gave me her contacts and when she gave her name as Tracy I gave her a second look since that was the name of my first girlfriend. A girl I had met at a theatre in college and we had talked for so long on the first night that by the time we were actually parting ways to go back to our school vans we felt like we had known each other half our lives! One thing I was sure about was that this is not her at least not my Tracy. Whatever had happened between me and Tracy was sort of a mystery because after seeing each other for quite sometime during vacation, had fallen for one another intimately and had known that for sure we were meant to be together and that we were to do anything within our powers to make it happen. The last time I had seen Tracy was at the beach and coincidentally it was also the best time together. But she had disappeared from me in a mysterious way, a way that I can’t describe as she felt me taking a drink at the beach and she had told me she needed to sand bath, something I never enjoyed doing but she had told me that she would be back in a while. That is the last I saw her. I made reports about that and even the search of her in the waters became fruitless. I had only known that she lived alone and was actually an immigrant so efforts to track her family were frustrated especially because after her education she had moved to another state. Anyway all this I remembered after this lady gave her name as Tracy and inside I was burning with an interest of knowing her more, knowing if she had anything to do with my girlfriend. I quickly told her that I would be calling her later and she was like that is very okay and indeed she was looking forward to communicating with me later. I gave my phone contact too. As I drove home that evening I kept remembering all the good things that had happened between me and the initial Tracy, the way we had loved each other, the promises we had promised each other, the respect and all that, and I felt I missed her, missed her hugely! A cold chill ran through my backbone for I could not avoid remembering that she had disappeared mysteriously. Perhaps she had left me through this way intentionally or may be it was as a result of not loving me as she had appeared to. Could it have been a way of hurting me? I had promised to take my time before committing to another girl but sincerely speaking I knew I would not mind having this second Tracy as a close friend, perhaps to help me forget of my past love life. My night was full of this lady! The following day I made up my mind and called her, I was not going to suffer in silence anymore, I asked her if I could met her for an hour as we have a drink over our talks and she told me she could only get available in the evening, this didn’t exactly suit my agenda since I needed to be home the whole evening and doing preparations for the following day but I all the same said that was okay to see her then. I was so anxious, seeing like time was on a stand still, like the clock had stopped ticking. I was not sure if it was okay to tell her the old story of the other lady, or to first give her time and observe her character, I was only sure of one thing: that I needed to be with her, at least even if it was for an hour! Time came and we had sat and made our orders that I kept stealing glances at her not to appear rude if I stared, I told her about my following day agendas and infact invited her also to the party. One thing led to another and we had stayed out late, when I asked her if she could come with me for the preparations she didn’t hesitate but said as long she could get a taxi from my place to her home in the late hours after helping. Tracy was so helpful she did most of what was worrying me and In a short while, then I asked if it would be okay if I let her sleep in the guest room and maybe leave in the morning to return later for the party. She must have also liked me as she said no problem, that whole evening she made me feel important, a man†¦..wanted and loved, there are the moments in my life I hoped that would last forever. We kissed and hugged tons! Finally I showed her where to rest for the night and I closed the main door and went to my room to rest also. I was up early the following day and after I made breakfast, I made it to the room where she was supposedly asleep and tried calling her name but Lo! There was no one there! Absolutely no one! Why had this happened to me again? Why had I gone all the way with a stranger? How had she made her way out? I had had the key to the main door all the night. Why was this spirit following me? For at this moment I had no doubts that this was a ghost even of the same first Tracy. My day was completely spoilt, when my friends arrived later in the day they had to make food for themselves for I had not done a thing, I was even scared and stayed out at the verandah all the day thinking that if I went inside the house the ghost would haunt me, believing It was still within. My friends then moved me to another apartment and I sworn to myself never again, Strangers not me!

Strategies HMR teams can adopt effective cross cultural training

Strategies HMR teams can adopt effective cross cultural training A Critical Evaluation of the strategies human resource management teams can adopt for effective cross-cultural training? A case study on Infosys Technologies. Literature Review Human resource management is the most valuable asset of an organization (Kleynhans 2006). Employees are vital for the effective functioning of an organization. Due to this factor the human resource management which was given a second class status before is now the most important function of an organization (Griffin 2007). Before two to three decades HRM was mainly meant to conduct company picnics, retirement parties, scheduling vacations etc. This has changed to a very large extend and today this is the critical function that could contribute in enhancing employee productivity (Decenzo 2009). Human resource management has undergone an intense makeover moving from defensive to proactive approach (Deb, 2006). Globalization is triggering this change and organizations have to come up with strategies to manage this. New systems of management are being designed by Human Resource Management in order to ensure effective utilization of human talent. HRM must be seen under a global perspective and placed in a wider business context in order to meet the upcoming needs (Price 2007). Out of the four main functions of HRM, i.e., recruiting, selecting, training and managing the human capital of a company, management is the most important and challenging function for the department. However managing the employees in an organization is not simply governing the payroll processes, providing training as well as preventing legal cases. A totally different outlook for the human resource management is necessary to keep up the status as a major factor for organizational success. Productive and i nnovative people who are able to work in flexible environment are therefore vital for an organization (Mathis Jackson, 2008). For a management to function efficiently in a company, they are not only meant to perform the economic and technical operations but also should be able to deal with the different cultural environments the company is functioning. Thus the management of the company should be able to cope up with multicultural conditions. Culture is the most decisive factor in the successful conduct of international business and international HRM (Briscoe Schuler 2004). Every country is different to another in many perspectives. It could be history, values, beliefs, language or even laws that provide a unique identity to a country. But all this can be called under a single name- culture. According to Magala (2005), Culture can be viewed as practical, useful software which helps generate blueprints for individual and collective action and which patterns our interactions. As business environment is expanding so are the companies. Many organizations have extended their business operations to more than one country. Globalization has demanded the employees to work on international assignments (Early Gibson 2002). The human resource management faces some fundamental challenges in the international business context (Denisi Griffin, 2005). They can be both general and specific. A large amount of research has been conducted by eminent scientists in the field of cross cultural training (Primecz, Romani, Sackmann, 2009). There are various web based forums that aids in the interaction between various researchers and other groups. These groups of people are mainly involved in the purpose of spreading the different views on carrying out businesses in other countries or other parts of the world and help them operate well international markets. After the colonial era there was heavy opposition from different areas regarding consideration of Western norm as normality. (Kwek, 2003; Fougà ¨re Moulettes,2006), and also the imbalance in power among the west and the other countries due to management discourses (Westwood,2006; Jack et al., 2008; Westwood Jack, 2009). CROSS-CULTURAL ISSUES FACED BY MULTINATIONALS The HRM policies and practices of multi-nationals will be having a major impact on their employee morale and future career prospects. This is mainly because a large portion of their employees come from outside the home country. Due to this reason, the employees from the host country and the expatriates have varied job expectations (Tayeb 2005). Thus it is the duty of the management to devise the policies in such a way that both the parties are satisfied (Dowling et.al 2008). Hence its not exaggerating to say that the global success of almost every company depends upon the policies and procedures implemented by its HR department (Vance Paik 2006). Expatriate management is a major issue of most multi-nationals. Hence this topic gains considerable importance in International Human Resource Management (Sparrow et.al 2004). Expatriates are the most expensive employees of an organization and its very difficult to measure their performance. Due to this fact, there is direct impact of these issues on the view point of organization on expatriates and also can be considered as a challenge for international mobility. Thus expatriate management has its own pros and cons (Shenkar Luo 2008). The primary task ahead of most expatriate researches is to find a fit between environmental demands and the characteristics of expatriate employees during an overseas assignment (Sparrow 2007). Due to increased decentralization and downsizing over past few years, most MNCs have lost their proficiency over expatriate management. This may be also due to increasing number of expatriates (Scullion Starkey 2000). This situation demands new approaches that would: Connect expatriate management with the much wider international human resource strategy. View at the strategic position of mobility at the MNCs and the consequences for employees of this mobility. Corporate governance is highly affected by the challenges of cultural disparities (Shonhiwa 2008). Cross-cultural challenges are the most important issue organizations have to tackle while expanding their business across borders. Multi-national companies of this age are into cut-throat competition with their rivals on the competencies and talents of their human capital. The employees of these organizations thus have to work across their national borders on many cross-national job assignments. Such international assignments can be quite challenging for these individuals as they are outside their comfort zones. They may also be having language issues or would be finding it difficult to adapt to culture of host country (Stahl Bjorkman 2006). The two specific HR functions that promote cross-cultural effectiveness among expatriates are selection and training and development. Cross cultural management emerged after the second world-war when the multinational companies started to be interested in effective management of their workforce in other countries (Behrens 2009). Mead in 2005 defined Cross-cultural management as Development and application of knowledge about cultures in the practice of international management, when the people involved have different cultural identities. These may or may not belong to the same business unit. Therefore it explains the organizational behavior across and within nations and cultures (Adler Gundersen 2008). For working as an expatriate, an individual must possess some skills that would influence his work performance over there. A skill is defined as The ability to demonstrate a sequence of behavior that is functionally related to attaining a performance goal (Torrington, 1994). The cross-cultural management skills would equip an individual to cope up with cultural challenges that could be faced when working on an intern ational assignment. There are a number of cultural dimensions that affects a companys international operations (Armstrong 2006). The most popular model were proposed by Hofstede and Trompenaar (Luger 2009). Hofstedes dimensions include: Equality versus inequality Certainty versus uncertainty Controllability versus uncontrollability Individualism versus collectivism Materialistic versus personalization The following are Trompenaars dimensions (Binder 2007): Universalism versus Particluarism Individualism versus Communitarianism Achievement versus Ascription Neutral versus Affective Specific versus Diffuse The cultural differences are also reflected in each and every function of HR (Harris et.al 2003). The following instance is a good example for it: A performance management system based on openness between manager and subordinate each explaining plainly how they feel the other has done well or badly in a job, may work in some European countries, but is unlikely to fit with the greater hierarchical assumptions and loss of face fears of some Pacific countries. The above example shows how the performance management function is being affected by the cultural differences. The various theorists (Hall,1989 Hofstede, 1986) of culture feel that there exist ethnocentricity among people of all cultures in different degrees. Thus people have a meaning and understanding of their own culture as well as a judgment about other cultures. And majority of people consider their culture and beliefs superior to others (Daft Marcic 2008). Cross cultural training in cases help people to think in the right way about the different cultures. The culturally heterogeneous group performs almost the similar way to culturally homogenous group. But in case of a heterogeneous group there will certain communication issues and barriers that need to be solved in order to bring in more cooperation. Studies have revealed certain ways by which the heterogeneous teams can be made more efficient, they include coordinating mechanisms that bring people together, certain period of scheduling, making a rule that participation in team is compulsory and also developing an identity for the team (Gelfand, Erez and Aycan 2007). There are various situations where in the employees when relocated can result loss of valuable employees (Collins and Kirsch 1999). For the purpose of relocating employees the company should make sure that they are given enough cross cultural training. The training given may not only include cross cultural but also the training regarding change in technology. An ineffective training could result in employee turnover (Cassidy, Kreitner Kreitner 2009). Most of the time there is rate of attrition when there is transfer of employees to a different region. This kind of an employee turnover ratio will be harmful for the company as a whole (Allen and Alvarez 1998). In financial terms this kind of loss of employees is also very disturbing and heavy loss for the company (Mendenhall 1991). In order to retain employees in proper way there needs to be a god HR strategy which will help reduce attrition (Agarwal and Ferratt 2001). Thus to attain cross-cultural effectiveness more focus must be giv en to job training, employees must be properly educated as well as the organization must give emphasis to development (Moran et.al 2007). Problems The existence of power relations in management is reduced to certain extend by way of cross-cultural management. In case of a cross -cultural management, cross culture training is provided based on the employees cultural background. The training program and materials used in it must be devised according to the socio-cultural knowledge and background of employees (Chrisler McCreary 2009). In many companies there is a common situation where the employee gender is overshadowed and things are taken for granted. There is situation in companies where the women employees are not considered. An example that can be sighted in this respect is: when a women employee is sent to an Arab country the cultural environment that they face. Women are also alleged of not having any international career options and aspiration thus there is always a gender based challenge that exists in companies (Caligiuri Cascio, 1998). The organizations need to think comprehensively before going to explore international opportunities (Mcfarlin Sweeney, 2008). Management should perform an analytical study on these opportunities weighing the internal strengths and weaknesses. The human factor should also be considered during this. Ignoring the people-related complexities and complications could cause irreparable issues in the future. WAYS OF MANAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AT COMPANIES OPERATING IN MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT Management has an important and inevitable function of solving various issues and problems related to cultures and also the individual company. One of the partner companies will take up the responsibility providing the right kind of skills and cultural training; they also influence the present organizational culture. While a company tries to bring a difference and make the environment favorable the companies can try to bring all their activities together (Novà ½ et al., 1996). Cultural dominance Taking the case of cultural dominance, the prime objective is to build a single common culture within the business functions that could be daughter companies or divisions. The term global organization culture becomes important at this juncture where stress is given to enforcement of universal values, norms etc. within the organization. Sister concerns are considered as an inevitable part of the mother companys culture. This is especially true when the organization has to integrate the activities of itself and the daughter company and gain advantages out of it. This approach would be easier if the daughter company is recently built. Otherwise this could be problematic. Plurality of cultures Polycentric culture means having a number of cultures. Plurality of cultures would result in cultural compromise. The basis for this is building a separate culture for every daughter concern. This can result from the traditions of local surroundings and must give due respect to universal goals and approaches to the minimum. The main reason behind adopting a polycentric culture is because the organization has to operate in more than one locations. Synergic model This is also referred to as geocentric culture. It means involving the particular features of individual cultures to create a common culture that represents the integration of all regional centers of an international firm. A company is incorporated from inside even when there is a difference in national culture. Hence it is very critical to select employees who could meet the demands of a work outside their comfort zone in a totally different environment. Such employees will be having the intercultural competence and would prove more productive in a foreign land. In case the employees have little interest in the merge of cultures of companies that are cooperating and followed a simple execution of values, behavior, misinterpretation, conflict and even decline in business. Even if the cooperating companies come together with the aim of gaining strategic advantage, there would be misunderstandings. The major reasons behind this are culture shock, resistance to change etc. (Larsson, Ris berg, 1998, Gancel, Rodgers, Raynaud,2002, Novà ½ et al., 2001). In case the differences in culture are not handled properly, then it would result in misunderstandings, disillusion, conflicts, reduction in employee morale and productivity etc. Hence the customer is given less regard in such a situation and this naturally will have an impact on business efficiency. Culture in which an individual is born and brought has a major impact on his values, beliefs, norms and behavioral patterns. National culture is common for every citizen and hence the organizational culture should be forming a judicious blend between the individuals personal and national culture. Then only would there be emotional wellness amongst the employees. Even then the organization must maintain a unique identity and culture for itself based upon its history and tradition. It is the duty of the employees to identify this culture and make efforts to protect. The results of mergers and acquisitions can be devastating if the cultural differences are not given due regard. Gancel, Rodgers and Raynaud (2002) described the following categories of causes on the basis of their experience in advisory practice: 1. Insufficient awareness of existence of differences this involve managers who are ignorant of the existence of the dimensions in culture with regard to management. 2. Insufficient understanding here the managers will be having some knowledge about the culture but their lack in depth awareness of its impact and ways to tackle it. 3. Insufficient willingness in this case, the manager knows about culture and its impact but purposefully decided not to take any action on it. This may be due to the below given reasons: Management of the cultural dimensions is not of high priority for them in that situation. They may be aware of cultural impact but feel its not that urgent to handle it. due to this reason, they concentrate in dealing the economic and technical issues and also get less time in handling cultural differences. they have the fear of unknown. This means they feel that handling the financial issues is more safe and easy since they only have to deal with n numbers. And this is a lot better than dealing with people and their emotions which may result in anxiety, discomfort and uncertainty. they consider cultural integration as less attractive when compared to solving financial problems. The main reason behind this is that its difficult to measure cultural integration and hence they cannot show others how much they have succeeded. While solving the financial or technical issues helps them to display their talents in front of superiors and colleagues and helps them to gain rewards. 4. Insufficient level of abilities and skills the manager might be aware of the importance of culture and may be even trying to do something about it. But they fail in this initiative due to lack of sufficient skills and knowledge. CROSS-CULTURAL TRAINING FOR EXPATRIATES Expatriation involves the transfer of parent country nationals, host country nationals and third country nationals- and often their families- for work purpose between two country locations, and for a period of time that requires change of address and some degree of semi-permanent adjustment to local conditions.(Hartl 2003). There are some specific reasons why companies send employees abroad (Golz 2007).The four main motives behind it are: Compensation Motive, Development and Career Motive, Control and Leading Motive, Know-how transfer. Krippl et.al (1993) has given a elaborate description about these motives. Employers have lot of problem dealing with their employees, when they are sent abroad for work. Cross cultural training is said to be helpful in case of managers and other employees who are sent abroad for work (Stahl Caliguiri, 2005). Most of the time employees return from the place they went because they must have encountered problems due to the cultural differences. Culture shock is an important issue that happens in most employees sent to another country for any assignment. Most of the time the employee will be home sick, they show poor performance in their work etc. Most companies provide language training course for the employees who are sent abroad. Many organizations also provide other forms of cross cultural training to help the person interact well with the people in other countries. Such interactions are important for any business thus its expatriates must be able to deal with other people of different cultures (Bhawuk Brisline, (2000), Lievens, Harris, Van Keer Bisquer et, (2003). Cross cultural training is given to people so that they come to know more about the different styles of communication and also the value systems in the particular country. The training usually deals with making the employee learn the culture and value in writing as well as by way of speaking and interaction. Cross culture misunderstandings are reduced by way of this training were the right kind of interaction is provided. The training session includes training with the help of video, orientation program and also other training sessions. Computer aided cross cultural training is also done which trains the employees by giving them the scenarios and challenges; it is also called cross cultural critical incidents. A cross cultural training involves emphasizing of the communication, cultural awareness, cultural skills etc. Littrell, Salas, Hess, Paley and Riedel (2006) studied the effectiveness of cross cultural training. Their results revealed that the cross cultural training is highly effective in making the employees outside work efficiently even in a different culture. According to Hofstede (2001), the cross-cultural skills that are needed for being effective as an expatriate are: The capability to converse with respect The ability to be tolerant The capability to recognize relativity of ones awareness and insight The capacity to exhibit empathy and compassion The ability to be flexible Forbearance for uncertainty Cross-cultural training was defined in 2000 by Zakaria as Any intervention aimed at increasing an individuals capability to cope with and work in foreign environment. Due to this reason, cross cultural training can involve any method like lectures, simulation etc. that could help an individual to get familiarized with a new surroundings. The training methods employed in such training are also defined as Formal methods to prepare people for more effective interpersonal relations and job success when they interact extensively with individuals from cultures other than their own (Brislin and Yoshida, 1994). Before starting the training, the organization must try to prepare the employee for working in multi-cultural environments. The preparation and selection of workforce for overseas assignments depends upon the level of collaboration between the cooperating companies which the workers represent. When there is a looser cooperation, like in business contracts, the preparation would be made at the individual level. But in closer cooperation, just as in merger and acquisitions, the company controls the foreign activities directly and the workforce selection and preparation is done at an intensive manner. Processes of overcoming cultural differences Each and every worker who works in a foreign environment regardless of the time period should be aware of certain basic set of rules that would help their job in the new environment easier. In order to overcome cultural differences its necessary to know ones own culture completely including its complexities. A major drawback in this is the fact that within an individuals culture there exist an approach to interpret other cultures and hence doesnt cause huge problems. Also in spite of globalization, the profundity of culture, behavior and standards affects perception and assessment of obtained knowledge. The beginning of handling intercultural standards is recognizing the strength of own culture and identifying the cultural background of partner. According to Schroll-Machl, Novy et al. (2001), there exists an uncomplicated process for thriving cooperation in a multicultural environment which consists of three steps: 1. Good knowledge of foreign culture- the first step involves conceding and accepting that there exist cultural differences. This involves disparities related to perceptions, values, norms etc. that are created due to different social situations. These differences need to be identified, described and understood in detail. Recognizing the partners culture is the first condition for mutual consideration and proper coordination. 2. Respect of a foreign culture- this mainly means to acknowledge and accept the cultural differences without any prejudice. One cannot claim his culture to be perfect and better than other cultures. Every culture is different to one another in its own way and is the best possible manner for an individual member to manage his life in a situation where he had lived from his birth. 3. Helpful steps in the relationship to a foreign culture- the final step in this process is to find a single solution, mutual consideration and simplifying the sophisticated and challenging way of conducting oneself in a strange environment. These three steps dont intend to throw away ones own cultural background but recommends them to utilize their knowledge about own culture to obtain knowledge about partners culture. Also its always easy to give up something that isnt important to us but it may be very much crucial for the other culture. The most important part is being aware of the partners culture in detail. Also one must have good understanding and respect for partners culture in order to have successful collaboration globally. The employees who are selected for overseas assignments must be introduced to this process and its simple steps so that they could avoid the possible issues regarding culture in their work environment. These suggestions could be helpful for members working in foreign as well local cultural conditions. The process of assimilation with a foreign culture is not taught to every expatriate. This process is needed only for those employees who need to work in a foreign land on a long-term basis. Weber and co. (1998) explained that this process is very much alike for most workers operating in multicultural environments and it can be expressed by four phases: 1. Observation phase 2. Collision phase. 3. Consolidation phase 4. Departure phase METHODS OF CROSS-CULTURAL TRAINING The methods of training must be individual specific i.e it must be according to the socio-cultural knowledge and requirements of employees. It may also vary according to the profession. For example, most researchers prefer dedicated training workshops and person-to-person training (Gobaldon 2005). The various cross-cultural method as explained by Bhawuk and Brislin (2000) are: Cultural assimilator: this technique incorporates a number of real life situations that needs cross-cultural interactions. These situations that could be regarded as critical incidents would help to solve many issues that could have possibly happened between the host and expatriate workers. This way both the parties would have a pre-determined idea about the consequences of a possible issue that could have come up during their work. Contrast American method: this method involves display of certain behaviors and mannerisms that are against the current context of culture. The method got its name from Stewart who used it for training Americans going abroad. Self reference criterion (SRC): there could be situations where an individual unconsciously refers about his culture while communicating with a person of another culture. Lee (1966), developed a method which consists of 4 procedures that would help to overcome this self-reference situation. The first step comprises of defining any issue in terms of expatriates culture followed by that of host culture. In the third stage, the preconception created by SRC is evaluated and withdrawn followed by finding out the solution to the now simplified problem. Area simulation: simulation means creating a replica of the natural surroundings and making the expatriate interact with the people from different cultures. This can be made possible with the help of actors who perform according to a pre-defined script. Cultural self awareness model: this model makes use of video tapes and role plays. This way the trainee is made aware of how his culture is different from other cultures and thus would be able to communicate better in real life situations. The trainee could also gain knowledge regarding the other cultures and would accept the differences. Caliguri et al in 2001 referred the study by Brislin et al. (1983) and outlined the most common cross-cultural training methods during early 90s: Fact-oriented training Attribution training, which is associated with culture assimilator so that trainees could adjust to the host culture in a better way. Cultural awareness training involves studying on trainees home culture and its impact of his behavior so that he could learn the nature of cultural differences. Cognitive-behavior modification that would help the trainees to obtain rewards and avoid punishments in the new cultural environment. Experiential training which involve active learning by the trainee about the host culture. Interaction learning that enables the trainees to be more comfortable with the host nationals and study in detail about life in that country. Language training tools helps to demonstrate an attitude that attempts to learn about the host culture which enables a person to be well-mannered in a different environment. It also permits understanding within the trainee. Littrell, Lisa N et al (2006) and Waxin et al. (2005) also described these methods. Littrell et al. also identified six approaches for conducting cross-cultural training programs. These approaches are as follows: Attribution Training: The objective of this training approach is to enable the expatriate to interpret the behavior of a host culture national from their own point of view. Culture Awareness Training: The usage of T-groups (cultural sensitivity training) is the major feature of this approach. T-groups are used to steer the investigation of expatriates culture. This requires exploring into the cultural biases and values and is on the basis of the fact that having a deep knowledge of expats culture would help in better understanding of intercultural interactions. Interaction Training: the trainee learns from an experienced expatriate who already is working in an overseas assignment. This on-the -job training is more beneficial since the expatriate could understand the mindset of the trainee better. Language Training: understanding the language is a very important factor while adjusting with a different cultural environment. It is always advantageous to be fluent in the local language but at least making some effort to speak even a few sentences would generate high opinion among the host nationals. Didactic Training- this method helps the expatriate to set up a lifestyle in the new environment by providing practical knowledge in living conditions, job and other requirements, as well as on the host culture and how much its different from the expat culture. Littrell et al. also says that it provides a framework for evaluating new situations that will be encountered [and]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ enhances the cognitive skills that enable the expatriate to understand the host culture. This approach is performed using lectures, written works, cultural assimilators etc. Cultural assimilators would involve the usage of various incidents that require cross-cultural interactions. This way the trainee will be having less adjustment problems while working at the new environment. Experiential Training- This approach aims at improving the communication skills in an intercultural environment. The techniques used for this purpose are simulations, role plays etc that makes the trainee feel and go through the situations that can happen in the new environment. As the name suggests, it involves learning by doing. According to Wax

The Atomic Age Essay -- Atomic Bomb Atom History Essays

The Atomic Age The Atomic Age, composed of complex and controversial issues, has forever changed our world and the way in which we live. * What were the factors leading to the dropping of the atomic bomb? The answer to this question considers events dealing with atomic energy, the Manhatten Project, and controversial issues about when, where, how, and if the bomb should have been used. There are several events prior to the 1940s that led to the making of the bomb, but the majority of events and controversy snowballed during the 1940s. It is always important to examine the causes of world changing events so that the human race will learn from and be more aware of such issues in the future. Important factors prior to the 1940s: In 1895, Wilhelm Roentgen discovers x-rays. Soon afterward, Marie Curie discovers radium and polonium, both radioactive elements, in 1898. Several years later, in 1905, Albert Einstein creates the famous theory about the relationship between mass and energy. When two German scientists, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman, demonstrated nuclear fission in December of 1938, American scientists feared that Germany would begin to build an atomic bomb (Wainstock, 35). Because of this, Albert Einstein sends a letter to President Roosevelt in August of 1939. It is this letter that encourages the President to form a committee to investigate atomic research. American scientists, including Einstein, also persuaded the President to undertake the bomb's development. This secret government effort became known as the Manhatten Project. Factors during the 1940s: Abrupt, unexpected changes: On December 7th, 1941, the United States was suddenly brought into World War II when unexpectedly attacked by the Jap... ...orces alone, therefore making us appear more powerful. All of these events, both prior and post 1940, contributed to the dropping of the first atomic bomb. It was not one single event or person, but many that allowed this bombing to occur. These events should be looked at and studied so that they will not reoccur in the future. Works Cited: Dannen, Gene. "Atomic Bomb: Decision". April 25, 1997. <http://www.peak.org/~danneng/ decision/decision.html> (March 24,1998). Fogelman, Edwin. Hiroshima: The Decision to Use the A-Bomb. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1964. Wainstock, Dennis D. The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb. Westport: Praeger, 1996. Walker, Gregory. "Trinity Atomic Web Page". March 22,1998. <http://www.envirolink.org/ issues/nuketesting/index.html> (March 24,1998). Yass, Marion. Hiroshima. New York: G.P. Putman's Sons, 1972.

Conservative Judaism: Inception, History and Way Of Life :: United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The term â€Å"Conservative† had been attached to the moderates by the Reformers because the moderates had branded them as radicals. This name hardly describes the movement aptly. Conservative Judaism, is the American version of the principles of positive historical Judaism. The conservatives accept the findings of modern scholarship that Judaism is the product of a long period of growth and evolution. However, this process did not result in broken or inconsistent lines of development; quite the contrary, the major currents of Judaism run consistently through the extensive literature of the Jewish people, created in successive ages.† (Rudavsky 338) Conservative Judaism is one of the largest of the various sects of Judaism. Conservative Jews make up about 40-45% of those Jews who affiliate. Conservative Judaism accepts the idea that Jewish law is binding upon Jews. Conservative Jews have an obligation to obey all the teachings and commandments of Judaism., For example, Conservative Jews emphasize the laws of keeping the Sabbath and keeping kosher. Conservative Jews believe that Jewish law is capable of evolution as humans learn more about interpreting the Torah. Therefore, Conservative Jews have changed some of the earlier interpretations. Men and women worship together in Conservative synagogues, people may ride in a car on the Sabbath to attend services, and women can be ordained as rabbis. â€Å"Issac Leeser is generally regarded as the principal forerunner of Conservative Judaism in the United States. A native of Westphalia, Lesser acquired his religious and secular education before coming to American in 1824. He settled in Richmond, Virginia, where he was employed for several years in his uncle’s business. At the same time, he assisted the hazzan in the religious school of the local Sephardic congregation. During this period, he gained prominence by publishing numerous articles in defense of Jews and Judaism in American and foreign journals.†(Dimont 231) Some Jews who affiliate with the Conservative sect claim that their main reason for belonging is the fact that they don’t want to be Orthodox nor Reformed. â€Å"While some individuals describe themselves as Conservative because of their alienation from Orthodox practices, others define themselves from the opposite direction – they point out that they are not reform.† (Sklare 206) For the most part, Conservative Jews feel that if one were to be reformed they would not really be Jewish. The Reformed sect, unlike the conservative do not obey most of the Jewish laws and traditions.