Monday, September 30, 2019

London in “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge” and “London” Essay

William Blake and William Wordsworth were both key figures of the Romantic era. Characterized by its emphasis on passion, emotion and creativity, the Romantic Movement occurred in Europe in the late eighteenth, and early nineteenth centuries. Blake’s â€Å"London†(1794) and Wordsworth’s â€Å"Composed upon Westminster Bridge†(1803) are good examples of poems from the Romantic era, as both poets share a sense of emotional involvement in their works. However, similarities between the two do not extend beyond their common theme: London. Blake’s dark and bitter portrayal of the city contrasts sharply with Wordsworth’s awe-struck account of a sunrise viewed from Westminster Bridge. Contrasts can be found in all aspects of the two poems, and both poets used a variety of techniques to effectively express their very different feelings about the sights and sounds of London. The tone in Blake’s London is one of bitterness and negativity, with him using such words as â€Å"weakness† and â€Å"woe†. The theme of the poem is a wide description of London, but also specifically focuses upon the people and how they live their lives. The human aspect of the poem is introduced early on with â€Å"in every face†. The poet has a very subtle approach at getting his message of corruption across to the reader, but the feeling that is received from the poem is one of a strong nature. London consists of four quatrains (four line alternately rhyming stanzas), with relatively short lines, emphasising the lack of embellishment and emotion in the poem. There is a rigid structure and rhyme scheme throughout the poem. The rhyme scheme is clear (ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH) and the rhyme itself is strong, rhyming such words as â€Å"curse† and â€Å"hearse† together, thus corresponding with Blake’s harsh views on London life. Blake uses iambic pentameter, except for the third quatrain, where dactylic pentameter is used instead. This gives the poem a strong and steady rhythm as it is read, which helps to emphasise the monotony and duty of the lives Blake describes. The language is relatively easy to understand, and is not archaic, for example â€Å"in every city of every man†. However, some language is used that is not in use in the present day e.g. â€Å"woe†, â€Å"blights† and â€Å"harlot†. The language is surprisingly accessible for a poem that was written over two hundred years ago. Many emotive words are used such as â€Å"cry†, â€Å"fear†, â€Å"blood† and â€Å"plagues†. Use of the word plague would have been particularly strong at the time of writing, as the poem was written only 150 years after the Great Plague itself. Blake uses lots of adjectives e.g. â€Å"youthful Harlot† and â€Å"hapless soldier†, giving a clear picture of what he thinks London is about. The imagery that is used is mainly human, â€Å"hapless soldier’s sigh† for example. When reading the poem, a clear picture is depicted of London without referring directly to London, but instead through the description of people and sounds. Lots of sound imagery is used: â€Å"I hear† is mentioned twice, the word â€Å"cry† is repeated three times and there is a â€Å"soldier’s sigh†. Also, by describing the human situation, Blake leads the reader to infer that London is not a very nice place, because, for example, there are â€Å"youthful harlots†, which demonstrate how innocent youth has been corrupted by the city. This is also evident when it says † every infant’s cry of fear†. The soldier’s sigh, which â€Å"runs on blood down palace walls† is Blake’s way of exposing the guilt and responsibility of the wealthy (palace), ruling classes. Repetition is used a lot: â€Å"every† is used five times, to emphasise the negative situation that Blake is alluding to is widespread and affects everyone. The use of the word â€Å"cry† three times to stress sadness and desperation of the situation. The repetition of lines five to seven ensures that the reader is aware of the seriousness of the situation Blake is describing. The punctuation in the poem is quite simple. Stanzas end with an end – stopped line. Full stops and commas are used widely, but no exclamation marks. Simplistic punctuation and lack of embellishment adds to the cold, realistic portrait of Blake’s London. An elision is an omission of letters to aid rhythm. Blake uses a lot of elisions: † I wander thro’ â€Å", † each chart’d street â€Å". This demonstrates the importance of rigid structure and rhythm to the sense of this poem. In Wordsworth’s Composed Upon Westminster Bridge the tone is positive and there is a sense of awe and respect for the city demonstrated by the use of such words as â€Å"majesty† and â€Å"splendour† in the poem. The general theme of the poem is again of London, but this time focussing on aestheticism, nature and architecture, which can be seen from the view from Westminster Bridge at dawn. Composed Upon Westminster Bridge is a sonnet. The rhyme scheme used is ABBA ABBA DEDEDE. The rhyme is generally clear and regular, although Wordsworth does use para-rhyme in lines two and three: â€Å"Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty† Although the rhyme scheme is regular, Composed Upon Westminster Bridge does not feature any apparent rhythm pattern, and the poem has an almost prose-like quality, which makes the reader think of the natural, flowing, harmonious images Wordsworth is describing. Wordsworth’s language is in places quite old fashioned: â€Å"This city now doth, like a garment ,wear The beauty of the morning† The language is also more elaborate than Blake’s, for example, Blake’s â€Å"Thames does flow†, whereas according to Wordsworth: â€Å"The river glideth at his own sweet will† Wordsworth’s language is also very emotive e.g. â€Å"majesty†, â€Å"splendour† and â€Å"mighty heart†, and he uses a lot of adjectives, e.g. â€Å"smokeless air†, â€Å"bright† and â€Å"glittering†. Wordsworth uses a lot of natural imagery in the poem e.g. â€Å"Earth has not a thing to show more fair†, â€Å"the beauty of the morning†, â€Å"the fields† and â€Å"the sky†. This helps to convey a sense of harmony between the urban and the natural. Further, through personification and pathetic fallacy, Wordsworth is able to give human characteristics to the city, adding to the sense that London is a living organism, a part of the natural environment. Personification is evident in lines four to five: â€Å"This city doth, like a garment, wear The beauty of the morning† In lines nine to ten: â€Å"Never did sun more beautifully steep in his first splendour† In line thirteen † the very houses seem asleep†. In the last line of the poem, Wordsworth speaks of the â€Å"mighty heart† of the city, which further adds to the sense that London is a living organism. Pathetic fallacy can be seen in line twelve, â€Å"The river glideth at his own sweet will†. Wordsworth uses a lot of enjambment: â€Å"Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty† This lends a smooth, flowing and gentle quality to the poem, and supports the emphasis placed upon nature in the poem. Similes are also used, e.g. the morning is described as being â€Å"like a garment†. In this way, Wordsworth is able to detract from the commonly held idea that London is grim and threatening, and instead promote the idea that the city is friendlier and more harmonised with nature. Wordsworth also uses contrasts to emphasise this harmony: â€Å"Ships, towers, domes , theatres, and temples lie Open unto the fields, and to the sky†. Use of punctuation in this poem is very interesting. Wordsworth only uses one full stop throughout, preferring instead semi-colons and commas, all of which help the poem to run smoothly. The poem also features three exclamation marks, which help to exaggerate the central idea. This effect is amplified by the inclusion of the expression â€Å"Dear God!†. All this helps Wordsworth to express how strongly he feels about London. The differences between these two poems are clear. For example, whereas Blake’s tone is dark and bitter, Wordsworth’s is awe-struck and celebratory. Differences also arise in terms of the theme or central idea of each poem. London deals with the human aspect of the city. It is set at night, and virtually ignores the environment of London. In this way, Blake is able to highlight the effect the city has on its people, and, by leaving the city itself undescribed, emphasises its position as a cold, uncaring place. In contrast, Wordsworth focuses entirely on the aesthetics of London at dawn, and the relationship between the urban environment and nature. By removing the human aspect of the city, Wordsworth can ignore the difficult lives of its people (as described by Blake) and concentrate solely on the physical and natural aspects instead (note the ‘smokeless air’). The two poems are also structured differently, and feature variations in terms of rhythm and rhyme. Composed Upon Westminster Bridge is a sonnet, with a generally clear rhyme scheme and no apparent rhythm pattern. By using a single stanza, and an almost prose-like style, Wordsworth is able to express a flowing, smooth quality, mirroring the free, unrestrained natural aspects he deals with in the poem. London, on the other hand, features four quatrains, and is rigidly structured in terms of rhythm and rhyme. This allows Blake to highlight the monotony of the lives he discusses in the poem, and reflects the sense of duty and lack of free will involved in the struggles faced by the city’s inhabitants (note the inclusion of a ‘soldier’, some one with no control over his own life). Blake’s language is generally simple and easily comprehensible. By avoiding the elaborate language preferred by Wordsworth, Blake emphasises the lack of hope or joy in his city. Wordsworth, in contrast, favours a very convoluted style of language, which adds to the celebratory mood of the poem. In both cases, the poets use language to effectively convey their opinions about London. Also, both poets use a lot of adjectives, which is characteristic of the involved, creative style of the Romantics. Imagery is central to both poems. However, Blake and Wordsworth use different methods to create a detailed picture of London for the reader. Wordsworth chooses to concentrate on natural, familiar images, and through the personification of these natural images, gives London a softer, less threatening identity. Blake chooses to paint a picture of London by describing the sounds which can be heard, and by giving details of the people that live there. Interestingly, Blake is able to give a very comprehensive image of London, without discussing the city directly. In this way, London is portrayed as nothing more then an influence on its people. Blake, unlike Wordsworth, does not see the city as an organism in its own right, and this is emphasised by his use of imagery. Finally, literary devices: both Blake and Wordsworth employ clever use of literary techniques to aid the expression of their feelings towards London. Wordsworth uses enjambment to give Composed Upon Westminster Bridge a flowing, natural feel, and punctuation is used to maximise the celebratory tone (i.e. only one full-stop, use of exclamation marks). Blake uses repetition to emphasise his idea of the monotonous hardship and misery of the people of London. His use of simple, unembellished punctuation helps to further convey this idea, by highlighting the rigidity and restriction which govern the lives of London’s inhabitants. Elisions are frequently employed to aid the rhythm, which demonstrates the importance of a rigid structure to the sense of London, in complete contrast with Composed Upon Westminster Bridge. Although London and Composed Upon Westminster Bridge both deal with the subject of London at a similar time in history, they share very little common ground beyond this. Blake’s grim, desperate city seems a million miles away from Wordsworth’s elaborate celebration of a city at dawn. Although both poets use similar techniques to express their very different feelings about the sights and sounds of London, these techniques, such as imagery and literary devices, give different effects in each poem, depending on how they have been used. These two poems may seem to be very similar, but Blake and Wordsworth have used lots of different methods to demonstrate beyond doubt their very different feelings about the sights and sounds of London.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Argumentative Essay Essay

Governments should be more involved in citizens diets Modern age supermarkets selling off the shelve foods are normal nowadays. Unfortunately the knowledge of what is healthy and what is not had been effected by this. People should be better educated on what is healthy and what is not. Healthier diets make healthier citizens and healthier citizens will save a lot of money in health care, bad diets do cause expensive health problems. Although it is general knowledge that unhealthy products are cheaper than healthy products, it is not general knowledge that products claiming to be healthy are usually full of harmful and unhealthy ingredients. It is time the government steps in to protect the population. Firstly, health problems caused by bad, unhealthy diets weigh heavily on health care expenses. Several population-based prevention policies can be expected to generate substantial health gains while entirely or largely paying for themselves through future reductions of health-care expenditures according to The Lancet (Cecchini et al., 2010). Just by eating healthier a reduction will be made possible, this alone should be reason enough for a government to get more involved Secondly, people will be stimulated to choose healthier products when prices for unhealthy products will be raised. The current situation is just the other way around. The healthier choice is more expensive. â€Å"With proper nutrition and regular exercise, you can reduce the costs of health insurance premiums, the amount you spend on medicines and the number of co-pays for doctor visits† according to Livestrong (Ellyn 2011). However true this may be, as long as healthier products cost more instead of less people will be inclined to buy more unhealthy products. Thirdly, in order to make the healthier decision, information about unhealthy ingredients should be clearer and more visible. Reading food labels is strangely enough rather difficult, excellent vision and extensive knowledge on what the ingredients mean are necessary to understand the labels. â€Å"It makes it easier to compare similar foods to see which is a healthier choice† according to the Mayo Clinic (2012), however easier to understand labelling, easier to read labelling will enable more people to making that choice. In conclusion, if governments decide to invest in educating the population it will enable and stimulate citizens to make healthier choices. In order to reach this goal the government should demand clearer and more visible information on products concerning the ingredients put a fairer price on healthier products.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Learning differences in a given learning environment Essay

Learning differences in a given learning environment - Essay Example Debates exist on whether it is the parental or teacher responsibility to effectively educate all these differences in student learning. Teacher's expectations/stereotypes whether conscious or subconscious may serve to either support all these learning differences in a mutual learning environment or may advantage some to the disadvantage of others. According to the theory of critical pedagogy which attempts to tailor the educational environment according to students' lived experiences, most educators do not consciously attempt to disadvantage students who come with non-dominant cultural, economic, ability differences yet since all of these students are located within a dominant culture they may or may not receive the proper attention required. Due to dominant curriculum content/narratives and norms of thinking which serve to stream non-dominant students into lower learning tracks and socializes them as such, many students fall between the cracks of the educational system and do not ge t their full learning potential realized. According to several critical pedagogical theorists the role of most schools is one in which the values of society with all its inequities are reproduced. Instead of focusing on the Zone of Proximal Development as described by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1962) and Giroux (1998) teachers simply do not have all the knowledge base resources available nor the financial incentive to pay due attention to these important factors. Although working in the same time frame as Piaget, Vygotsky focused on cultural influences on cognitive stages of development in thinking (Santrock, 2008; Vygotsky, 1962; 1978). For Vygotsky culture specifies what to think, how to think and the means by which individuals think. For this reason, language is considered by him to be an essential element in the learning process since it represents the means by which the adult guides the child through the learning process (Santrock, 2008; Vygotsky, 1962). This illustrates that students who have a second or third language that they are exposed to at home learn differently than those exposed to English only. Since language is the primary means, according to Vygotsky, of intellectual transformation then language has a direct impact on learning. Children use internal speech and imitate their parents' speech so they start teaching themselves through the use of this self-talk. Development according to Vygotsky, means that children gradually become adapted through language to their cultural background and effectively to the learning environment. This theory otherwise known the sociocultural or social cognitive approach illustrates the importance of culture and language in the learning process. Teachers who address language and cultural differences in their teaching by recognizing and effectively including these understandings within learning are being effective educators (Santrock, 2008; Vygotsky, 1962; 1978). Another important factor is the role of socio-economic backgrounds. According to Giroux (1998) schools should do more than simply replicate the stratification existing in society by emphasizing values of competition, individualism, and intellectual consumerism. Instead schools can and should promote a sense of democratic community for teachers and students (Giroux & Schmidt, 2004). This inevitably means

Friday, September 27, 2019

Evidenced Based Practice Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Evidenced Based Practice Paper - Essay Example The patient population affected the significance of the problem, when the problem became significant, and the current practice and probable proposed change in practice will also be discussed. Spirit of Inquiry The topic of coronary artery bypass graft versus percutaneous coronary stent insertion was an interesting topic to me because I have been doing coronary artery bypass surgery for the past twelve years. During these twelve years, a decline in open coronary bypass has decreased in numbers drastically. Invasive interventional radiology, a new trend in medicine to treat coronary disease without open surgery, has sent the open-heart surgery market down to non-existence. Stent placement has increased, but is it the best treatment? The populations involved in this treatment are adults having acute myocardial infarctions (MI) needing stent placement or open-heart surgery. The adult population being between the ages of 60-70 with an occasional patient in they’re fifties. One problem using stents, instead of opting for open surgery, is that a person could keep coming back for repeat stent placements due to reoccurring angina, thrombosis, and eventually ends up with open surgery after one year anyway (Cohen et al., 2011, p. 1016). Another problem with stent placement is the incidence of stroke or death and quality of life (Kajimoto, Miyauchi, Yamamoto, Daida, & Amano, 2012, p. 155). This population is targeted because there is a higher incidence of Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Hypothyroidism, and Hyperlipidemia that are leading causes of Coronary Artery Disease. This clinical problem became a significant problem when stent placement during a cardiac catheterization is easier to do than open-hear t surgery (Arjomand, McCormick, Turi, & et al., 2003, p. 790). It has decreased open bypass drastically as mentioned above. With the stent placement, patients are on Plavix, which is expensive, and with the open procedure they are not required to be on blood thinners as a rule. I am really not sure if there is preferred current practices per say, but I think it is left up to the Interventional cardiologist. He decides who gets a stent, how many and if they should be consulted out to a heart surgeon. A good clinical example is a patient that was forty-two years old went to the catheterization lab and received four stents, two to the right coronary artery, one to the circumflex, and one to diagonal. Two months later, the guy came back with angina and back pain. Another catheterization was done and his right coronary stent had a thrombosis and closed off. He then was consulted out to the heart surgeon. If the open procedure with arterial and vein grafts were done first this second cath eterization could have been averted. On the other hand, who plays God and makes these guidelines and choices. To understand each procedure, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Open Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Hamlet's feigned madness and Ophelia's real madness Essay

Hamlet's feigned madness and Ophelia's real madness - Essay Example Hamlet displays a number of weird behaviors during the play. He defies the ghost orders of killing Claudius for a number of reasons (1.1.12). According to the Roman and Greek revenge tragedies, it is unusual to kill a king and spare the queen. Hamlet does not have enough anger in him to revenge for murder, but he angers it with enough compassion to spare his mother’s incest actions. He delays inflicting and suffering death because posing on death’s edge guides him to a sequence of highly illuminating insights and moments that he shares with the audience. Hamlet wants to be sure that Claudius is completely guilty before he decides to revenge his father’s death. He unfortunately gets proof that happens to be a trap (1.5.40). Claudius arrest Hamlet and takes him out of the country. When Hamlet finally decides to commit the act, he ends up killing the wrong man by the name Polonius (4.1). It is significant to note that Hamlet is particularly discontented and melancho ly with Denmark’s state of affairs and in his family. He feels betrayed and disappointed that his mother married his uncle so early after his father dies. His words, when talking about his mother, frequently indicate his distrust of and repulsion with women generally. During various scenes in the play, he considers dying and contemplates suicide. Nevertheless, regardless of all of the things with which Hamlet admits dissatisfaction, it is noteworthy that he should think about these issues only in philosophical and personal terms. The madness that Hamlet displays starts as anguish for his father’s death. Out of distress, he wishes that his flesh would melt and turn into dew. He undergoes many emotions when his mother chooses to marry Claudius,... The paper tells that the difference between Hamlet and other plays about revenge is that, in Hamlet the viewer never sees the revenge happening. The play does not show the audience the expected; rather it continually postpones the revenge of Hamlet. The delay is because Hamlet attempts to gain more certain knowledge concerning what he is doing. In Hamlet, certainty together with emotions, psychology and ethics affect actions. Hamlet himself seems to doubt the notion that it is probable act in a purposeful and controlled way. He prefers to act violently, blindly and recklessly when he chooses to do so. The argument is whether Hamlet is truly mad or just acting. Hamlet’s madness is among the various unanswered questions that the play raises, an impossible mystery. All the same, the intricacy and sheer uncertainty of Hamlet's mental state and inconsistent behavior is undeniable and appears to speak to the overall doubt and uncertainty atmosphere of the play. The clear descent of Ophelia into madness, and later drowning, is fairly of a dissimilar issue. Critics agree that Ophelia goes mad due to the constant abuse from Hamlet. She cracks under the burden of patriarchal forces that has significant implications for the portrayal of sex and gender in the play. It is not a mistake that it is impossible for the audience to know the real mental state of Hamlet. The uncertainty of the audience reflects the common doubt and ambiguity that characterizes the whole play.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The differences between National Income and Gross National Happiness Essay

The differences between National Income and Gross National Happiness - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Gross Domestic Product is a measure of the level of income yielded by an economy over a stipulated period – generally, this time period varies between one quarter and a complete year depending upon the end period when data is published by the authoritative body. It is actually an estimation of the size of the market underlying the economy on the basis of goods and services sold in it through the specific time span. This is essentially a flow measure that takes into account only productive activities through measures are adopted to avoid double counting; transfer of financial assets between hands is ignored while estimating the same. In other words, only those goods and services produced or sold legibly in the domestic market are included in the GDP measure of an economy. Nevertheless, these productive measures also include activities which ultimately might contribute to the devastation of mankind and almost every form of life on earth. For instance, expenditures incurred as parts of security and safety measures such as those for defense or for scientific research which might create pollution, positively influence economic development of a nation. On the other hand, volunteering tasks that people engage themselves during periods of exigencies are often eliminated from channels towards development primarily because those works are not marketed.... 5-7). Factors leading to environmental degradation are some of the most vital factors which must not be ignored while assessing the quality of human life. One of the most important of such elements is the excessive use of fossil fuels which almost goes hand-in-hand with economic development though such activities could hamper the smooth flow of human life over time. In order to include these factors as a part of index for development, many organisations have suggested the use of complementary indicators which adjust the value of GDP in a nation in terms of environmental and quality of life aspects, which hints towards the significance of Gross National Happiness as a measure of economic development (European Commission, 2010). Two other factors which characterise Gross Domestic Product are that they do not represent the allocation of resources across cross-section. In addition, the components underlying GDP do not include most of the factors used by an average individual, which is wh y it cannot be regarded as a measure of social welfare (Naess & Rothenberg, 1990, p. 112). In fact, a rise in income need not reflect a betterment in the standard of living as had been empirically found in many researches. An eminent one out of them considers the time-series of happiness in relation to an enhancement in the economic growth rates in Japan when it was recuperating from the shocks of World War II. Between 1958 and 1987, real per capita income of Japan was raised five times that was reflected through an increased production of consumer durable goods, though no considerable change in the average level of subjective well-being in the nation (Easterlin, 1994, p. 38-40). Gross National

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Corporate soical responsibility CSR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Corporate soical responsibility CSR - Essay Example The objective of this paper is to discuss the responsibilities as perceived by Milton Friedman (1970) and to counter his views by attributing the different view points of for and against the businesses assuming social responsibilities. The economic responsibilities of a business organisation covers the expectations of the society that the organisations will manufacture goods and services which are needed by the customers and offer these goods and services to the customers at reasonable and affordable prices. The organisations have the additional responsibility of functioning more efficiently to be more profitable keeping the interests of the shareholders in mind (Carroll A.B, 1979). The legal responsibilities of the business organisations focuses on the behaviour of the organizations to follow the various laws and regulations framed by the government with respect to the monitoring of the competition among different business entities. These regulations may relate to the rights of the consumers and product quality, environmental laws and employment laws concerning the conduct of the business. In 2003 Schwartz and Carroll further sub-divided the legal domain. They argued that there are three types of legal responsibilities: 1) compliance, 2) avoidance of civil litigation, and 3) anticipation of the law. (Schwarz and Carroll, 2003) There are certain ethical responsibilities, which stretches the expectations from the organizations beyond those thrust by the legal provisions. This implies that the organizations have to undertake not only the responsibilities entrusted by the legal provisions but also extend the scope of their responsibilities to encompass proactive and positive efforts to meet the general norms of the society even if such norms are not prescribed by any law (Carroll and Buchholtz 2003). There is yet another responsibility which the organizations have to undertake. These are the discretionary responsibilities which expect that the corporations behave as good citizens of the community by undertaking such activities which support social causes. Friedman View of Social Responsibility of Businesses According to Milton Friedman (1983) in a capitalist economy, there is the only responsibility of the business. It is related to engage in activities designed to maximize the revenues of the organisation - within the legal frameworks. This implies that the organisation have to compete in open and free competition without deception of fraud. The directors of a company have a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard the interests of the shareholders. However, because of the reasoning to enhance the economic benefits of the stockholders, the board of directors and the executives of the company can act in an unethical manner. According to Friedman (1970) the managers has a direct responsibility to his employer to conduct the business of the company to maximize the profits. Thus the managers become the agent of the individual who is the owner of the business and their main responsibility is to execute things in the same order, as the owners want them to be. View of Friedman to managing business can be regarded as having a classical perspective. In this approach along with the purpose of an

Monday, September 23, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 191

Summary - Essay Example Most reviewers have given positive comments about the film and commended it as a classic production. The plot is cast deep in the Chechen Mountains in a war environment. While on war duty, Russian soldiers get ambushed by a group of rebels. A fight ensues between the two groups which ends in the death of all the Russian soldiers save for two; Sasha and Vanya. The two of them get taken captive by the rebels who subject them to a situation where they have to cope with cross cultural and civilization differences. Notably, Sasha is and old soldier while Vanya is merely a new recruit. Perhaps it is this difference that makes them bear differences in preferences and characteristic traits. While the former works on a plan of escaping, the latter instead develops an approach of attempting to please his captors in one way or the other. While Sasha remains extremely cynical, Vanya gets portrayed as gawky and Naà ¯ve. In the Caucasus where they are captured, Islam is the main religion. As a result, they both have to cope with Islamic tendencies. They get chained together and have to live as one almost all through. This forces the two into developing a comradely bond and the warmth of support for one another. Specifically, the young soldier begins to develop emotions and feelings for their captor’s daughter which makes him warmer to the family as opposed to his counterpart. Apparently, the daughter of their captor also gets touched by Vanya’s kindness and warmth; a point that makes her risk the wrath of her father by extending a warm and helping hand to the former. The reason for keeping the soldiers captive is the hope of a possible swap between the rebels and the Russian Soldiers. Apparently, the Russian soldiers also hold the son of the chief captor hostage. The major themes portrayed in the film include pessimism, disillusionment, war, despair, and extreme cases

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Art History - Essay Example Plate with Peony Design and Dish with String of Camellias were both plates. These two pieces of ceramic came from the Arita region Saga Prefecture, Japan. Plate with Peony Design is dated to approximately 1650-1700 A.D. The Dish with String of Camellias is dated around fifty years later at approximately 1700-1750 A.D. The Plate with Peony Design caught my eye, because of the bold colors. The background is of mustard yellow, with slightly darker yellow swirls. On this background green leaves are accentuated with dark maroon peony flowers. There is no white, only a vivid amount of darker colors, devoid of any hint of pastel. Generally a pattern or representation of flowers is delicate, but this plate was strong and bold. One could definitely see the Japanese influence. In contrast, the Dish with String of Camellias has a white background. Camellias encircle the outside of this plate, but do not touch by making a full circle. A blue chord connecting the flowers covers a little more than half of the plate. The flowers are detailed, especially the orange and white striped blooms. The camellias are also solid orange, a drab yellow, white, and blue. Once again you can see the Japanese influence by a strong depiction of the flowers. The contrast between the two plates is dramatic. While Plate with Peony Design is covered with strong background color, Dish with String of Camellias’ background is white. Whereas the Plate with Peony Design has a crowded, almost blurry design, Dish with String of Camellias has detailed flowers in order. The reason for these drastically different appearances is the plates are of different wares. Plate with Peony Design is a Kokutani ware. These wares were known for there over glazed enamels. Kokutani wares were made during the period this piece was made, so can be defined as such. Kokutani wares were made with dark reds, greens, and yellows. These are the same colors making up this plate. In

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Chinese Attitudes Toward Nature, Time, Good and Evil Essay Example for Free

Chinese Attitudes Toward Nature, Time, Good and Evil Essay As for the attitude of Chinese people toward nature, it is undisputed that it is marked by a strong feeling of harmony, for example, oneness of nature and man. According to Dong Zhongshu, who was the most important philosopher of the Western Han, Heaven had its will and purpose. It was Heaven that made the sun, the moon, and the stars move, the four seasons change, and all animals and plants grow and die. Heaven was kindhearted, so it made things produce one another; Heaven was also severe, so it made things overcome one another. Moreover, Heaven created a ruler to rule over the people. This meant that Heaven wanted the people to be ruled. When a ruler did something wrong, Heaven would be angry and would give the ruler warnings by causing strange natural phenomena to happen, such as eclipses, earthquakes, floods and droughts. This theory——the interaction between Heaven and man——had a clear purpose. On the one hand, it was intended to show that the ruler’s position and power were given to him by Heaven, and should not be questioned; on the other hand, the ruler should be virtuous and benevolent, and govern well, so as not to incur Heaven’s anger. Dong had a well-known saying: â€Å"The Way is great because it originates in Heaven. Heaven does not change; nor does the Way. † I would like to explain the idea clearly by an example. That is Feng Shui. Feng Shui (also known as geomancy) is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. Maybe many people think it is superstition, but I consider it can reflect the pursuit of harmonious life of Chinese people. There are four purposes in Feng Shui, seeking the harmony of human body; the harmony between people and people; the harmony between people and society; the harmony between people and nature. Let me give a small example about placing a bed. The bed shall be slightly higher than the knee and not near the door. And it shall face to the south and back to the north in order to adjust duxhlt, the aorta and large veins direction of the blood circulatory system, so that people can fall a sleep easily, and have a high quality sleep. The bed can’t facet the west, because the rotation of the earth is from east to west, making the blood rush toward the head, and people can’t sleep soundly. Beam presses which mean air conditioners hang above the pillow, or the lights suspend above the bed, bring about oppression, and cause adverse effect of body and mind. Mirrors can’t face the bed, if not people may be startled easily in midnight, and can’t be peace. It really can express the attitude toward nature, uniting of heaven and humanity. As for the attitude of Chinese people toward time, three features will be mentioned about. The first is round- type time outlook. In the oriental world, farming is the major way of carrying out material and exchanging goods dominates all the economic life of the whole society. This pastoral civilization treats human and the nature as interrelated and interacted,the world as an integer organically linked. So in oriental society the round-type time outlook is that nature and human is integrate. This kind of time outlook holds the view that time is like a circle and all the things in the world return to its origina1 state after a cycle of time, for example, the alternation of day and night, the come and go of the four seasons,the turning of the twelve months, the increase of the age and the growing of plants. This kind of time view makes the Orientals handle the time at their disposal and do things at ease. For instance, when a teacher has not finished an important point in his class,he can prolong his class. At the Chinese wedding feast, few people will come at the time which is written on the invitation card. Moreover, Chinese use time very casually and intangibly. Chinese prefer to say some uncertain words 1ike â€Å"at once†, â€Å"sometimes†, â€Å"a short while†, which a1ways confuse the westerners. Chinese students who are studying English tend to misuse the tense when communicate with foreigners. In a word, Chinese don’t have clear differentiation concept of time. The second is polychromic time system. Polychromic time system means people are very casual in using time. In other words, being punctual is important, but not strict. Polychromic time system is the heritage of traditional agricultural society. People are used to do severa1 different things at the same time and do things emphasizing prime time. Chinese think that everything in the world develops with the cycling of time, so people catch the time that is ripe for acting, which means each step of our action is determined temporarily by our surroundings. So action is poorly planned by Chinese. In some occasions, people can do many things in the same time. A Chinese salesman can check out with the first customer on the one hand,and show the goods to a second one on the other hand, even greet a third One at the same time. However, westerners can hardly accomplish them and also can not accept them. The third is past time orientation. Time orientation is a relatively stable factor in cultural difference. It is connected to the historical background of the. Generally speaking, people who have too heavy tradition, look up to history and past, so their time orientation is past-oriented. Chinese belong to past-oriented. People show great respect to the past. The past experience and 1esson are important reference for today’s success and failure. Chinese show respect to ancestors and teachers. They like to say things by referencing to the old books and stories. That is why Chinese call teachers â€Å"lao shi†. â€Å"lao† means old. People attach importance to age and experience, because they are symbols of power and wisdom, so words like â€Å"lao† and â€Å"da† always mean respect in Chinese. As for the attitude of Chinese people toward good and evil, perhaps the most extreme view of goodness is found in the Buddhist tradition. Buddhism maintains that we are born pure and are closest to what is called â€Å"loving kindness† when we enter this world. Hence, people are good, and our culture is what makes us evil. The view of goodness is also found in Confucianism. Meng Zi made the original goodness of human nature the keynote to his system. To him, the virtue of humanity together with the accompanying virtues of righteousness, rites and wisdom arises from the inner springs of the human heart. These four cardinal virtues come in their seed form—the â€Å"four beginnings†, as the feeling of compassion, shame, modesty, and of the distinction between right and wrong. Such feelings are universal among mankind and they come as naturally ad taste for food, and sight for beauty. This, Meng Zi argued, can be seen in the fact that a child naturally loves his parents and that a man will instinctively experience a feeling into a well. Therefore, human nature is originally good, and will be good if it is guided by its innate feelings, just as water is inclined to flow downward. In contrast to the concept of the goodness of human nature advocated by Meng Zi, Xun Zi declared that human nature is originally evil because human desires inevitably lead to greed and strife if left untrained. Believing that goodness can only be acquired, Xun Zi stressed the value of education and environment. To him it is environment and authority that make the man, and it is obedience of the precepts of the sage-kings that produces the goodness that is in him. In the end, however, not only is the life of virtue a possibility but even sage-hood is within reach. Therefore, Xun Zi said, â€Å"Every man on the street can become like the sage-king Yu†, a perfect orthodox Confucian note. What mentioned about are viewpoints from the ancients. Nowadays Chinese attitudes toward good and evil are very wide and vague, not like Christianity which has a ten commandments, making the general public even those without much cultural literacy has some certain standards, ruling what can do and can not do, their attitudes toward good and evil are absolutely clear. But to Chinese, nothing must been done and nothing can not be done. The boundary between good and evil is obscure, in some condition something is good but in other condition it may be bad. To Chinese the boundary is always about degree, whether it is excessive or not. For example, talking between Chinese friends sometimes contains abusive language, but it doesn’t mean they hate each other, most of time, it is just joking. That behavior is not really evil, but if it is overdone, it will be. Chinese People’s attitude toward nature, time, good and evil have been formed gradually, and they are relatively stable in a long time, but they are not without changes. The better living conditions, the development of the economy, the improvement of the society and the increase of the interaction of people from different cu1tural backgrounds will undoubtedly have subtle effects on their views, although it is also a long process. What I talking about is some basic attitude of Chinese, it will help foreigner to understand Chinese better, but not always apply to every Chinese at every time.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Racism in Sport Essay | An Analysis

Racism in Sport Essay | An Analysis The topic that has been chosen to talk about is racism because it has been around for many years but still has not be eradicated from some sports which still have racism going around today. Racism occurs every day and everywhere we cannot get away from it. It is one of the major issues which occur at many different levels in certain fields. In sports racism is happening more often also becoming a much bigger problem. Sports plus Leagues such as the Barclays premiership, Major League Baseball, cricket and NBA (National Basketball Association) consider that they are putting down rules which will get rid of the constant occurrences of racism in the league and sports. Some Players believe that the leagues, sports and associations are only making the situation worse when they are trying to deal with it, going over the top on certain issues and situations. however when we look at the whole picture we see how the leagues and sports feel as though they have to do something because it is absolutely certain that it is not the image that they want to depict to a youthful society as role models and powerful people to the spectators. If you look back at the past history you will be able to see that black people also known as African-American athletes had to go through some of the toughest of times as sports people/participants and you could say world werent supportive with black athletes or athlete on a sports team or participating in a sporting event, so most of that made the African-American community tougher since they were struggling people compared to over races. For example if you take a look at a number or real black sporting legends in the early days you will know how hard it was for them. One of the first evidence of racism was towards Jesse Owens in the Berlin Olympics 1936 who was one of the first black people to be noticed in the Olympics; also he shocked the world by winning 4 gold medals in the Olympics. Hitlers Nazi party was in power and persecution of the Jews and others had already begun. However, the IOC insisted that the games should take place. Hitler used the games for propaganda purposes to show the superiority of the German people. The black American athlete Jesse Owens defeated Hitlers aim by winning four gold medals. Hitler congratulated the German winners but not Owens (AQA, sports examined, Beashel, Sibson, Taylor, pg 332) This is a major issue because racism is still going on today in certain sports and has not been fully erased yet so it needs to be dealt with. Im now going to show you two pieces of evidence to prove that racism is still about in sports. Article 1 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7229551.stm Spain struggles to tackle sport racism However, cases of serious discrimination or violence based on race seem no more prevalent in Spain than in other western European countries. Where it is possible to point the finger at Spain is for its wide tolerance for less extreme forms of racism like using race as a way to hurl insults or make fun of someone. Acceptable abuse Four years ago, British football players Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole were the target of monkey chants from Spanish fans during an international friendly in Madrid. British fans were outraged, but for many Spanish fans this is seen as an acceptable way of abusing the opposition. It regularly occurs in Spanish league games. That incident followed Spanish national football coach Luis Aragones making abusive racist comments about French striker Thierry Henry. You could imagine that sort of incident in Britain leading to the resignation of the national football coach not in Spain. The Spanish Football Federation was very slow to take action, but did eventually end up fining Aragones. The Spanish press reacted, but not with much of a sense of outrage. The decision by a small group of fans to paint themselves black and taunt Lewis Hamilton with racist abuse at the Formula One circuit in Barcelona was denounced by Spains sporting authorities. But there is a definite sense among sports followers here that the British press is exaggerating an incident that could have happened anywhere to suit an anti-Alonso bias. Spains Fernando Alonso and Hamilton are two former team-mates who rowed publicly last season. And Spanish sports fans through their comments posted on news websites often seem to condemn and excuse the abuse at the same time, seeing it not so much as racism but as bad taste in the context of a fierce sporting rivalry. Lamentable insults Jaime Martin edits the Formula One section of Marca, Spains biggest selling sports newspaper. Its been exaggerated in the news reports a bit. It was only four or five people who were doing this in the context of the competition between Alonso and Lewis, he says. Its certain that the insults were racist, but if Lewis was bald the insults would have related to his baldness. Like Mr Martin, many Spaniards do not see much difference between racist insults based on the colour of someones skin and other forms of verbal abuse. These sorts of racist insults are lamentable and racist insults need to be eradicated, and so do non-racist forms of abuse says Mr Martin. On the website of national newspaper El Pais the racism directed at Lewis Hamilton is confronted in a sideways manner. Article 2 http://sport.stv.tv/boxing/143217-warren-hits-out-at-khan-racism/ Warren hits out at Khan Racism Amir Khans promoter Frank Warren has hit out at the young fighters critics after the 23-year-old defended his WBA light welterweight title against Dmitriy Salita in just 76 seconds. Khan, who has been booed since his defeat at the hands of Colombian Bredis Prescott 15 months ago, controversially claimed he would be a superstar if he was white. The Bolton-born Muslim claimed: Its probably jealousy and sometimes skin colour does make a difference. I know if I were a white English fighter, I would be a superstar in Britain and the world. However, Warren maintained the focus on Khan should be about his ability in boxing and not about his ethnicity: Hes had a lot of pressure over the last week. Hes represented Britain as good as any British sportsman. He won a silver medal and was proud to do it. He had a Union Jack waistcoat on in the Olympic games and hes gone on since and done great for us as far as boxings concerned. I just wish the people would stop trying to put pressure on him. Hes a boxer and lets talk about what he does boxing. Not about colour or ethnicity. Article 1 So in this article from the BBC on racism it shows that certain countries like Spain have a huge problem dealing with racial abuse towards the participants which are usually from the black ethnicity, or one of the main races to have evidenced and witnessed it. It has been noticed in several sports in Spain and Western Europe that there is racial abuse towards sports players, which are mainly from the black background but the authority have not done anything about it which is shocking. Some people in Spain believe that it is acceptable to use foul words towards opponents so the team or the person there supporting can gain advantage/ upper hand over their opponent, which will in turn help them win their match or competition. This is not the way sport should be portrayed because it seems like sport in Spain has an issue with racism because it is not only in football it is formula one also and there allot of talented young sports people out there in Spain so this is an issue. Even high ranking people in the Spanish sports have used foul language for example the ex Spanish manager of football Luis Aragones said something racial and offensive towards one of the most well known players in world football during his time Thierry Henry and did not think anything of it because racism is not taken very serious in Spain, but when other governing bodies and people got involved it became a worldwide issue. Jaime Martin says that Its been exaggerated in the news reports a bit. It was only four or five people who were doing this in the context of the competition between Alonso and Lewis, so this shows that people in Spain think differently about racism compared to some people from different countries. Because he believes that the situation has been exaggerated so does not think it is an issue So how many other sports in Spain have the problem with racism which has not been stated as it seems to be an issue which is not looked at in depth? Article 2 From this article from STV SPORT we can see that racism is not only in football and in Spain, it is also in boxing which is filled with a range of different ethnicities, races, nationality and different important people. Even a boxer who is doing well in his sport is still being scrutinised by the media and his nation, with racial abuse and putting pressure on him due to the fact of him not being the supposedly the right ethnicity to represent his country an nation, which is not right in a country such as England due to the fact that it is a multi cultural country with a variety of people. Similarities from both these articles that have been gathered is that it is predominantly the Caucasian race which has been giving out racial remarks towards the athletes as in both of the places where there have been evidence that says there is racism in the sport it is in a mainly Caucasian populated country so they are most likely to be giving racist remarks out. Also it is big, well known countries which have an issue dealing with racism towards sport performers and athletes, because Spain, England/Brittan are 2 of the most powerful and known countries when it comes to most sports so it is not a good image for these countries is they are being depicted as having a issue with racism when it comes to sport. Differences between both of these articles is that they are in different countries and also are completely different sports to each other because one is a team game and one is a one person sport, so it does not matter how many people there are or who you are you can still get racial words used towards you. Also being different countries and sports there is also how broad or popular a sport is. And you could say football is a bigger sport due to the commercialisation of the sport, money, sponsorship, governing bodies and other factors unlike boxing, which does not have as many gains and popularity which football receives so even in less or not as participated sports there is racism around. To conclude this essay, you can see that there is an issue in the realm of sport which is racism which needs to be sorted out as we have so many people participating in it at so many different levels and for different reasons. We can see that in football we have an issue with racism and needs to be sorted out since there is a vast majority of people in the world which love and support football, who are different nationalities and who love the same game as those who think it is right to use racial gestures/words toward the performers. Because in the world cup it proved how powerful football is when you get a vast majority of countries participates from all over the world with different skill levels and races taking part. Boxing also has a slight issue due to the fact boxing is seen to be in some peoples eyes as a certain race/religion or nationality can represent their country when competing on the world stage or a stage where it is viewed by a vast majority of people from all over, this is wrong because there are people of every race in certain countries and should be excepted for who they are not the colour of their skin. So as sports people we need to try and clean up our sports and every sport so that everyone can enjoy or participate in the sport which they feel free to do.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Integrating Democracy with Tibetan Buddhism :: Politics Political

Integrating Democracy with Tibetan Buddhism The combination of a religion and a political philosophy do not automatically allow for the most congruous applications. Tibetan Buddhism has been the main stay of a country that has been ruled by a monarchy, through a religious figurehead, and by a socialist republic, all of which seem to have their political frustrations in preserving the Tibetan society. The political spectrum now questions how well the Buddhist tradition integrates the values of democratic theory. The previous applications of Buddhism in a role of government are necessary to analyze in order to properly investigate the application of the Buddhist tradition into a political framework. The structure of the Tibetan government before the invasion of the Chinese in 1950 was a mixture of the monastic influence and the nobles. The authority of the Dalai Lama reigned over the monasteries and religious order as well as over the administrative obligations of the Country. The search for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama ensures not only leadership of the country from the Buddha of Compassion but also implies that the reign of government is not hereditary, but based on wisdom and guidance for the people and much less on political situations, although these would still much be a factor in ruling. The hierarchical establishment of this division remained partially mixed so that the monks in office balanced the nobles and the monks were checked by the nobles, however the mona stic influence remained the dominant of the two. The legacy of the aristocracy was more an element of the older reign of Tibet from a monarchy and class distinction and the religious influence was more dominant with the newer establishment and really established until the fourteenth century with the teacher Tsong Khapa. This checks and balances involved in the government may only be the confluence of an older tradition mixing in with the new in order to maintain a smooth transition, but it may also exhibit the balance necessary to a government lead by Buddhist thought. Buddhism is not merely a doctrine that is automatically to be accepted and instilled as the truth, rather it has to be taught and allow the people to come to it.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Review of the 2005 Film version of Pride and Prejudice Essay -- essays

For any great reader, it is known that the 'book is always better than the movie.' Try as they may, moviemakers can never fully capture the author's magic from the original text. I am happy to say that this is not the case in the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen was a fabulous writer and her novels have captured the attention of booklovers for centuries. The screenwriter, Deborah Moggach, takes Austen's slightly rambling story and polishes it up and makes it easy for modern day people to understand. In the days when fathers were forbidden, by law, to leave property to their daughters, two sisters, Elizabeth and Jane Bennet are being pressured to marry rich gentlemen. It is luck then, which brings two such young men, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley to their sma...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Dickens A Christmas Carol and the Industrial Revolution Essay

Dickens' A Christmas Carol and the Industrial Revolution Besides being the secular story of Christmas time in an urban setting, A Christmas Carol, tells the sacred story of Christmas as well. With A Christmas Carol, Dickens initiated an ongoing creative process in the Anglo-American imagination. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and the growth and development of cities people's lives changed drastically as they moved from the life and traditions of the country into those of the city. As industrialization continued, for many people in the city living and working conditions worsened. As reports of horrible working conditions increased so did the literature of social concern for reform.. Prior to the publication of A Christmas Carol the ideas and concerns of various reform bills sparked increased debate over political and social issues. Whether or not Dickens had A Christmas Carol specifically in mind, it is clear that the Industrial Revolution was an important factor in making his Christmas story a tale for the times. Dickens was concerned about the working and living conditions during the Industrial Revolution, when the book was written. These are reflected in Ebenezer Scrooge. He is the shown as the mean and hateful owner, who could care less if his workers are well because he could always get more people. He knew this because during the Industrial Revolution there were more people than there were jobs, so people had to settle for worse conditions because that was all there was. When two men some into his shop wan... ...ooge indeed changes his ways he can in a sense "spoonge away the writing on the stone" and begin a new life. It is significant that Scrooge promises that "the Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach". This statement is indicative of several Christian statements of faith promising to live and follow the teachings of the "Three" God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. When we first met Scrooge, we are informed, and also observe that he is cold, miserly, and bitter. However, after the visit of the Ghost of Christmas future, Scrooge changes into a generous and cheerful man. It is clear that something must have caused a man who is really nice, turn into a mean and nasty person, in this case it was the Industrial Revolution.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Hemingway’s novel “The Old Man and the Sea” Essay

Hemingway’s late novel â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea† lends itself readily to allegorical and religious interpretation; indeed, myriad critical texts exist wherein   â€Å"solutions† to the novel’s extensive and haunting symbolism crowd the pages until the reader begins to doubt the efficacy of any single interpretation. The complexity of Hemingway’s â€Å"fish† story demands as wide an appraisal as can be summoned by the reader and critic, forfeiting claims to any single or final statement on the novel’s specific religious connotations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Without a doubt, traditional components of Roman Catholicism (as well as ancient pagan religious imagery and themes) form a vibrant part of the novel’s theme. For example, the concepts of sin (and original sin) rise as central to the tension, suspense, and character development of the novel. Santiago, the novel’s protagonist undergoes two seemingly separate battles during the course of the novel: first against a gigantic marlin he hopes to catch while fishing alone, far at sea; the second battle he wages – against sharks who â€Å"steal† his prize – leads to a pyrrhic victory. Along the way, both external events blend with Santiago’s internal monologues, which indicate an inner, spiritual struggle, one which first intimates itself and then clearly reveals itself to be universal, rather than personal, in nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By creating a deeply sympathetic character during the first third of the novel, and extending this reader-identification through the more morally ambiguous and treacherous parts of the story, Hemingway allows for universal reader sympathy. Santiago’s portrayal is one of honor, courage, compassion, and humility. These aspects of his character align him with a state of â€Å"purity† or sinless-ness, as though his world mirrors that of the â€Å"pre-fallen† Eden. After killing the great marlin and then losing this trophy to a feeding frenzy of sharks, Santiago embodies the original sin of all men, women and, in fact, Satan Himself, as described by traditional Catholicism.   The sin, stated simply is: pride. A more complex interpretation: that Santiago by traveling far out to sea beyond where any other fisherman would go and in attempting to catch a bigger fish than any fisher man could catch alone, demonstrates Santiago’s will toward individualism and – so – a will against his hitherto modest station in life.  Ã‚   When the sharks attack, Santiago construes them as a punishment for what he has done, by venturing out â€Å"beyond all people. Beyond all people in the world.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the first night of his fight with the marlin, Santiago starts to feel a sense of guilt for what he is doing. â€Å"I am only better than him through trickery,† he thinks, â€Å"and he meant me no harm.† Previously, Santiago believed that fishing for food was a noble act, at sea, fighting the marlin, he begins to believe differently. His self-directed comment about trickery parallels the idea of the Tree of Knowledge and original sin. Mankind’s pride in intelligence leads to senseless destruction, fueled not by need, but by vanity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Santiago’s plight brings upon intense reader-sympathy and the inner-struggle described through Santiago’s monologues helps introduce and sustain the spiritual catharsis Santiago experiences, also in the reader. One perceives that an act of vanity or pride carries deep repercussions even if it may seem trivial: a fisherman who fishes not for food but for fame  Ã‚   will wound and destroy   beauty.   At the end of the novel all that is left of the great fish is a skeleton washed away in the tide. Santiago’s sin is that he should have loved and not hunted and killed the great marlin, but in falling prey to his vanity he enacted a universal, human urge, which ultimately produced tragedy and then †¦ wisdom, rather than mere â€Å"trickery.†

Ncaa vs. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma Essay

Facts: Years ago members of major conferences in college football formed what was known as the College Football Association. The idea of this was to promote the interests of major football-playing schools within the NCAA structure. The University of Oklahoma was a respondent in this particular case. Issues: In 1979 the CFA member schools began to advocate that colleges with major football programs should have a greater voice in the formulation of football television policy than they had in the NCAA. CFA tried to negotiate a television agreement of its own, developed a plan, and was offered a contract by NBC. This would have allowed the member schools more television appearances, and would have increased the overall revenues realized by CFA members. As a result the NCAA publicly announced that any school participating in this agreement would be punished in all sports at that school. Holding: On September 8, 1981 respondents commenced this action in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and obtained a preliminary injunction preventing the NCAA from initiating disciplinary proceedings of otherwise interfering with the CFA’s efforts to perform its agreement with NBC. Notwithstanding the entry of the injunction, most CFA members were unwilling to commit themselves to the new contractual arrangement with the NBC in the face of the threatened sanctions and therefore the agreement was never finalized. Reasoning: The challenged practices of the NCAA constitute a â€Å"restraint of trade† in the sense that it limits member’s freedom to negotiate and enter into their own television contracts.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Optimism and Robinson Crusoe

â€Å"A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty† Winston Churchill From the time human were born, they have been facing up with difficulty, every time, everywhere, and never miss anyone. Our races have overcome and will overcome abundant problems, no matter how complex they were or they will be. And, very natural, it is the optimism that leads us from victory to victory, like Churchill had said; make us see the light, even the slightest, in the darkness. We always see the just how optimism has assisted we human, in term of both literature, in the novel Robinson Crusoe, and the history of medical science. Sometimes, being optimistic is the best thing people can do, which is shown clearly in Robinson Crusoe. The protagonist, Robinson, is lost on an island. He himself with manages to survive and even make his life on the island become more comfortable. He has never given up hopes or lost his optimism, always thinks that one day he will come back home. Not once does he succumb to the fate and be depressed like many other would be in that case. His optimism and his indefatigable make his hope finally be fulfilled; he is able get back to his country after 28 years on the island in the sea. If he was not sanguine about his life and just believed hopelessly that he would die in that island, he would not be able to success. This fact strongly substantiates how optimism can change our life even in the most trying circumstance. Provided that we keep being optimistic and try our best, we can overcome any problems in life. Another case when optimism plays an essential role is in medical science, where we day to day struggle with many deadly diseases, one of which is AIDS. AIDS, which has infected million of people and caused a lot of death, is one of our biggest problems in the 21st century. There was once it is believed that this disease is incapable of being cured but the scientist did not lose there will. They had made indefatigable effort to scrutinize AIDS and they are sanguine that one day in the future AIDS will be curable. Time passed by and this notion has been gradually proven. Today, many breakthroughs in science have shed light on AIDS, thought there are not medicine that can cure AIDS, it has been strongly believed that in the near future, when we fully understand AIDS, it will be curable. People, with optimism can overcome any things in our life; which has been proven through the history of our race. It is optimism which is the most important factor of any victories.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Cyclermate Report Essay

I. An executive summary Dai Armstrong and Lewis Llewellyn are the two men who planned to open their own company after being superfluous due to the shutting down of the steel plants in their town of South Wales were Dai Armstrong and Lewis Llewellyn. They became good friends because of taking part in the local club of cycle touring together and decided to start Cyclermate, which was a bicycle manufacturing company that was laid down in the year 1988. In the beginning of time, Cyclermate gained a huge influence over the share of the market. The company appeared well with no problems and difficulties up to 2010, the time when the business is in trouble, it confronted lots of consequences with respect to operation human resource and finance. Therefore, the demand by purchasers fell continue sadly even though the prices were cut down by the company; the distinguishing attributes of the goods were not up to the quality as they were earlier. The rising complaints from the customers regarding degrading quality and faults in the product and the concern by the bank manager regarding the overdraft could cause trouble if the problems are not solved as soon as possible. Because of that, the company requires a right way to deal with this issue and save it from the edge of going bankrupt. II. Introduction Based on case study research in Cyclermate Ltd. and a series of case in community, this report will work out the financial problems and various other problems confronted by Cyclermate. It has been designed to analysis the business environment and management, measured by SWOT and PET models that are required to be looked upon. The report also draws on a brief summary for the financial side of the business. In addition, this report takes into account an examination of difficulties confronted by Cyclermate and possible solution for the problems, included short and long term solutions. Another function of this report is to examine how the company could get out of the crisis and get back to the current market share. Finally, the report brings us some recommendations and conclusion of the whole Cyclermate case study. III. Analysis of Business Environment 1. PEST Analysis PEST analysis is involved in the chief external environmental that effect or control considerably a business strategy. As we can see, PEST is aimed for Political, Economic, Social and Technological matters that can affect the business. PEST is recognized to persuade it in a utile manner of summarizing the external environment. However, it may be adopted the ability of how an establishment should react to these factors. Political Factor A political factor has a powerful impact on income tax, labor law, trade restriction and many more. Company did not recruit enough workers to meet the targets and worker had to work overtime to get the work done and workers are getting paid at normal rate. Using a traditional method may harm workers health and decreased their productivity as well. These mistakes made Cyclermate become a target of health and safety agencies. They have to improve the quality or else they can be stuck in authorized issues. On the  other hand, they also need to achieve higher standard in manufacturing to meet requirements of the market, especially foreign markets. Economic Factor Cyclermate had purchased a larger storehouse for goods, which indeed was essential to them but did not suffice their requirements. Purchasing a warehouse, which fulfilled the needs of the company, could have saved a lot of money and that same money could have used in new or currently in existence projects. Another factor in economics that affects to the development of Cyclermate Ltd is labor. The unemployment rate is increasing, therefore, this is a good chance for this company to choose worker more easily, and employ them easily with affordable price. Social Factor Social factor has a powerful impact on human behavior, Cyclermate had many order but they did not have enough workforce to complete these orders. They have to work long hours in order to achieve their goals. One more important thing is that high-speed innovation as well as the increasing demands of consumers requires Cyclermate to change and improve every day. But there is a truly infact that living standard of clients could effect to their choices. The higher income distribution they get, the higher demands they re Technological Factor Cyclermate Ltd is using the oldest way to advertise their products by posting advertisement in traditional newspapers. It has limited their goods to the customers. Instead, this company can set up its own website. In addition, Cyclermate Ltd is using the oldest way to advertise their products by posting advertisement in traditional newspapers. It has limited their goods to the customers. Instead, this company can set up its own website. 2. SWOT Analysis It is a methodical technique that is utilized to categorize and identify substantial external (Opportunities and Threats) and internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) factors confronted with a specific area. (Johnson, 1993) It  renders data which are useful in corresponding the capabilities and resources to the spiritual atmosphere in which it functions and hence is a significant addition to the planning and marketing procedure. (Pearce, 2005) Let have look at the SWOT of cyclermate to understand more about the current issue that company has to face with. Strengths Direct channels of sale Cyclermate has direct channels of sales with the direct sales and direct shops; hence intermediary’s cost is largely eliminated. Reducing the cost of manufacturing could unquestionably help Cyclermate achieve a huge share of the market. As direct channels are in direct contact with the providers, thus, it could help in increasing in quantity or value of the sales and it provides a good opportunity to the providers to empathize the clients and could make required changes are per the requirement of the customers. Motivated workforce The employees at the Cyclermate are extremely pioneering and are can fully utilize and achieve any given objective or alterations in the company but they are inhibited by the administration as a result they are unable to express their views freely. The employees could have a crucial role in the company for its overall growth and development. Possession of buildings and lands Unlike Cyclermate most of the companies don’t possess either building or land and hence have to pay the heavy rents which adds to the cost but cyclermate can make any changes in the buildings and could capitalize in whichever way they wish to as they own it, which reduces the overall cost. Weaknesses Inexperience and unmotivated staffs of the company The company has made use of untrained workers. These untrained workers are not given the proper training after their employment. It is the fact that the employees and the staff are never allowed to put forward their creative and self-ideas due to the policies of the management, as a result of this  motivation in the staff is lost. Sales are decreasing in amount or degree and there is piling up of stocks in the warehouses which generates a feeling among the staff that they are not under a good management and as this feeling flourishes they lose hopes from the company and it has a very bad impact on their morale. The investors do not truly interested in the business Due to the low returns on the capital invested by the investors, they are unhappy with the performance of the company and are losing faith in it. In addition, the very fact that the shareholders were not paid any interest last year, it may result in the withdrawal of their money from the company. The quality concerns Because lack of the power to be effective of the staffs to keep up the measures of the goods and the quality of raw material utilized is leading to degraded quality of the goods eventually. Old machinery such as traditional spaying technique, painting and low-quality stock control technology needs updating as soon as possible if the business hopes to improve the production and sales in the coming time. Opportunities Take the advantages of social media Cyclermate should launch its website, which provides complete detail and range of the products available with them. Company can employ a new computer system for keeping a good database of the company. They can introduce online selling and modification according to the wish of customers. Introduction of new machines They should introduce some of the modern machinery in order to achieve higher-level productivity. Cyclermate could bring in new robotic machinery in the production process that will lead to speedy output and a superior quality of goods. Employ trained workers They have the opportunity to make use of the trained workforce, which has been recently laid off from the nearby production site. More workforce means opportunity to gain more productivity. Threats Overseas competitors As a result of the growth to a global or worldwide scale, many companies from across the globe have entered the market with products of low price and high quality, which certainly is a threat for Cyclermate as it supplies good with high cost and of lower quality. Due to recession, which is prevailing in Europe the purchasing power of people is going down. Thus, company can have reduced sales or can face financial crises. Reputation Due to poor-quality product for a period of Cyclermate’s reputation is going down and therefore people do not like to go for their products. Huge retail Merchants Retail Merchants like Argos and Halfords are captivating the market eventually and it might happen that Cyclermate may lose the market share completely. Customer threatens them to sue their company after their product was fail in delivering the good performance. IV. Analysis of Business Management 1. Financial Problems Prob. 1.1: Uncontrolled cost The main problem that company is in this situation is because of the uncontrolled cost and mismanaged budget. The costs are increasing yearly with the sales and selling price of the products going down. Let have look at the financial statement that company has  £210,800 worth of non-current assets. Loan request will be refused as company only holds cash fund of  £675 into their bank account. Costs are increasing at a rapid rate year after year. Asset turnover ratio is 2.06:1. This indicates that the profit margins for the company are very low that’s why the ratio is so high. We can also conclude from this that the company’s pricing strategy is not effective leading to lower profits. Prob. 1.2: Dealing with a big loan Creditor days – 24 days leads to the company has to pay back it its debtors in 24 days and it is just left with 675 £ of cash. The Company is liable to pay  £87,500 to the creditors and if they don’t so a legal action may be taken on them, which are not good for company’s reputation. They may talk to the creditors and ask for an extension in time for payments as they are going through financial crisis and don’t have money right now to pay back. Prob. 1.3: Lots of inventories Besides, it shows that the majority of inventories are stored and not effectively managed, that is why current ratio is at such high level, which also means low sales and low revenue gained. Moreover, the company relies on the bank loan as the main monetary support. 2. Operation Problems Prob. 2.1: Stock control system Disturbingly, materials are always in the shortage which results in the disruption of the production process recently. Although the demand is higher and higher, company cannot meet their requirement because of lacking necessary components. Prob. 2.2: Inappropriate division of duties The inappropriate division of duties obviously had made such a burden on many workers. In particular, Dai Armstrong has to deal with many tasks such as making all the frames, factory manager and business director at the same time. He himself also finds it hard to keep up the level of production (approximately 8 frames/day) because it requires the harsh physical demands. Prob. 2.3: Assembly is a complex process Moreover, assembly is a complex process, which takes 2 or 3 hours for one person. Janice Jones and Ffred Gregory often have to work overtime to catch up with the progress. As a result, their health and time issue could be heavily damaged. 3. HR Management problems Prob. 3.1: Improper workforce in manufacturing Unreasonable workforce division is one of the most serious problems of Cyclermate Ltd. Besides, lack of experienced employees and the aging workforce are worrying the production process and raising a big question for a more effective training system. Prob. 3.2: The training system creates The training system creates such obstacles for the assembly process. Typically, Fred, who is 18 years old, is a new and un-experienced person; the training for him is necessary, however, not easy at all. It takes so much time to instruct Fred in traditional way, which is apparently the cause of slow production recently. Prob. 3.3: Corporate culture The staff is highly de-motivated due to decreasing sales and profits and also the behavior of the management as in the sinking company they are not free to put up their ideas even if they do they are rejected because of the superiority of the management. V. Solution A. Short term and immediate planning 1. Financial problems: Solution 1.1: Cost in selling and distribution Cost in selling and distribution could be possible declined to save more money for the company such as cutting cost for postage and courier charges by substituting by cheaper service, as well as the travelling and hospitality. Those indirect costs contribute such high cost to the manufacturing of the cycles, restricting them would help boost the sales with cheaper price. Solution 1.2: Ask for trading debtors to repay The solution to this issue is that they should strictly resolve and for the  trade debtors to repay the loans as soon as possible. The amount of $200,571 would help the financial situation better in the coming time. Once their assets are raised through and their liquidity are proved to be valuable enough to afford the loan, it will be beneficial for them to borrow money from the banks. Solution 1.3: Direct sale prices Cyclermate’s direct sale prices are higher than shop sale price. In order to generate healthy revenue, Cyclermate needs to reduce their direct sale price. By reducing the direct sale prices will increase their sale and it will be easy for them to generate healthy revenue. 2. Operation Problems Solution 2.1: Buy stock when needed Company should only buy stock when they needed. Buying stock earlier will harm company’s financial positions, because raw material does not hold their value and it has got more chances of losing its market value. Solution 2.2: Require clear division A good answer for this problem is that the company should require clear division to who is able to undertake and separate arrangement of duties. Specifically, assigning other qualified person on frame-making position so that Mr. Dai could concentrate and dedicate himself to external relations business only. Solution 2.3: hiring more experienced labors The company should consider hiring more experienced labors for assemble line and frame-making because Mr Dai can no longer put up with the physical requirement of the task. With those simple tasks like packaging, it is acceptable for free hand employees to help out, but only when they finished all their tasks. 3. HR Management problems Solution 3.1: Employ cheaper labors In this case, the company can consider employ cheaper labors that are  suggested by Maldwyn Jones: Chinese or Taiwanese labor to make the machine for them- much better quality but half the price and move Idris Pugh to higher position as a supervisor for the whole wheel-making process. Solution 3.2: Improving the staff’s skills This training program involves directly in the new changes with a purpose of improving the staff’s skills, expertise and methods to complete an error-free task, exposing them to unfamiliar ideas and of course, giving them the chance to practice task under time/speed limit. Solution 3.3: Core business value Trust in others and a firm belief in overcoming difficulties (set up new mission: overcome difficulty, minimize waste and consequence) B. Long term and efficiency improvements Present fiscal condition of Cyclermate (Accounting ratios).The acid / liquid ratio of Cyclermate is 0.76:1, which depicts Cyclermate is incapable to satisfy indebtednesses of shorter term, which mean that it would not be competent to satisfy fiscal difficulty which may happen in the time to come. The Asset turnover ratio for Cyclermate is 2.06:1. As the ratio is excessively high, this means that profit margins are very low. The pricing strategy of Cyclermate is ineffective and because of that low profit. Return on capital employed –Cyclermate has far too less returns on the capital employed, just a mere 0.11 or 11%. Debtor days –It would take Cyclermate 115 days to get back the money from debtors. Creditor days – Cyclermate has to pay back in 24 days to its debtors with a cash balance of 675 £. The financial statement of Cyclermate shows that it has non-current assets which is of worth  £210,800.Any request regarding a loan from the bank will be refused as it has a mere cash balance of  £675. It may get a loan based on the position of its non-current assets. In place of the above-discussed alternative, it can sell its freehold land, which is worth  £160,000, and use the proceeds from the sale in the business. Cyclermate could acquire funds if they pursue its trade debtors to pay off soon. Debtors worth  £200,571 are to be recovered and the funds would be acquired soon if the debtors do not  default and pay in full. Once it has sufficient fund, Cyclermate could apply for the bank loan. VI. Conclusion Overall, Cyclermate will have a better future if they operate their business in slightly different ways. Cyclermate products were famous for its quality and price,if the company still provide what the consumer wants than it would be no harm to the company. But there few changes needs to be changed and once the new rules and regulation apply into the business than it would be a great opportunity for Cyclermate to operate their services. Moreover, With the movement of new threats into the marketplace the present systematic plan of action of Cyclermate is continuously below the acceptable level in its performance due to the fact that the new firms and the existing organizations are coming up with improved quality of products at a cheaper price VII. Recommendations The company must sign up correct individual as per the requirement of the position. Currently the management is interfering in the process of production and is unable to focus of the activities they should be concerned. The financial hardships through which Cyclermate is going through at present could be resolved by selling the unused stock that is piled up in the warehouse. In order to generate revenues and funds to invest in other arena of the company, Cyclermate must sell its freehold land that would certainly generate high revenue. In order to achieve higher output and productivity, modern technology should be applied in the production process. Installing a computer database through which the management could look into all the important and relevant data as and when required. Cyclermate should launch its website, which provides complete detail and range of the products available with them. Reducing both direct sales prices so as to sell the current stock and trade debtors. Employing young and trained workforce that is fit for the position.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Defense Weapons System (Abstract) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Defense Weapons System (Abstract) - Essay Example Early defense systems operated on a one-way identification mechanism, whereby the system classified approaching aircrafts as domestic or enemy. Presumably, the defense systems did not give additional information on the nature or degree of threat presented by an approaching aircraft. B-52 systems are likely to have remained relevant due to due to their flexibility. Their adaptability has facilitated key modifications aimed at enhancing the system’s monitoring capabilities. However, security experts are likely to be concerned with its capacity to detect modern aircrafts. In addition, experts are pessimistic about its identification mechanism and its flexibility in the current environment. In particular, will the system keep pace with the development of military hardware and aircrafts particularly the F series of fighter jets? Sustainability of the B-25 system will determine the United States’ potential as a military and political superpower of the modern

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Going Global-Issues in International Business Case Study

Going Global-Issues in International Business - Case Study Example Stropki as the president, chairman and CEO who was the seventh chairman of the organization. The operating income and net income of the organization increased significantly in the year 2005. The CEO introduced several strategies to expand their businesses in global market place. The study will discuss about the issues associated with business expansion strategies in global market place. Global Welding industry Welding is the most supporting activity in several industrial activities. Any two metals can be effectively or strongly joined through welding process. Arc welding is considered as the predominant method of welding. However, as of 2005, the welding industry became a 13 billion US dollar industry. Welding products play a key part in development of several important and strong structures around the globe. Welding products are highly required in civil and mechanical field. Day-by-day, the production and sales of welding products are increasing due to intense market demand around t he globe. North America, Europe and Asia Pacific are the major regions of welding industry. Global Strategies and Issues The first major global expansion of Lincoln Electric Company occurred between 1986 and 1992. The organization established 22 different manufacturing plants in 15 emerging countries around the globe during this period. The organization purchased the assets from an Australian organization named Air Liquide in the year 1987. The organization followed aggressive business expansion process based on their enormous success in US market. The organization followed aggressive acquisition process in Brazil, Norway, Scotland and Mexico. However, these acquisitions have resulted huge operating losses. In spite of profitable business operation in US market, losses in international market place forced the organization to borrow money from different entities to distribute rewards and bonus for the US employees. In terms of acquisition process, the organization undertook several i n adequate decisions. It is true that economic condition, access to market and resources cannot be similar in each and every country. Wrong market information and lack of in-depth primary research in international markets forced them to redefine their strategies after a certain period of time. The organization developed a series of determined financial goals, but the organization still depended upon its market growth rate in US to meet these organizational goals. Issues in Japanese, South Korean and Chinese Market The company faced several problems in selling the products in several emerging Asia Pacific countries, such as Japan, China and South Korea. The distribution of the organization in Japan was very limited. Lincoln Electric Company did not have any kind of access at the commodity end of the Japanese market. In addition to this, the organization had limited after sales support capability and limited in-country demonstration service facility in Japan. Therefore, it was difficu lt for the organization to achieve high-tech sales growth. The products of the organization sold in Japanese market as niche products for small groups of customers. The organization suffered from huge operating losses due to this factor. Lack of manufacturing plants, limited access to the market, improper decision, making strategy affected the business performance of the organization in Japan. In addition to this, the products were not optimized for effective and required application in Japan. Actually, the

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Case Studies Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Studies - Case Study Example Nick Leason is opportunistic because he used his position in the bank to cover up his mistakes. He was also a dishonest employee. Instead of reporting the loss caused by other employees, he covered the loss in order to protect the employees and maintain the bank’s good reputation in the bank. Leadership styles had effects on Baring Brother’s leadership tea. Leissez-Fare leadership, which involved lack of supervision on employees led to the failure of the executive team. They could not make effective decision in time. The other leadership style that influenced the action of executive team includes autocratic leadership style. Leeson as the general manager made decisions without involving other management team members. The bank’s problem would be detected in time by the executive team if the bank leaders had made collective decision. Situation leadership affected the banks situation in various ways. Leaders of the organization employed less qualified staff in order to increase the profitability of the bank by paying them less money. This led to the bank’s loss. In addition, Leeson situational leadership style involved covering the loss in order to meet needs of investors and employees in the bank. This worsened the bank’s

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Marketing trend (Internet and online marketing) Assignment

Marketing trend (Internet and online marketing) - Assignment Example It will also discuss how these online marketing trends effects on the consumer buying process and its relevant impacts. There are several online marketing trends in the business world. Some of the most common trends include deals and rewards, mobile push marketing, mobile pull marketing, proximity marketing, local online marketing, globalization and three-screen marketing among others (Caroline, 2004). The buying behavior of consumers is acknowledged as a contemporary topic in online marketing. This is because the e-marketers usually focus on the influence they have on their marketing efforts and web experience. Furthermore, the e-marketers are supposed to understand their role in shaping up the virtual experience of their customers (Caroline, 2004). Business experts point out that the most crucial step in online marketing involves the capability of having the maximum impact on the internet users. The buying process of the consumers is also described as a learning procedure which involves decision making and processing the required information. The internet has drastically affected and changed the buying process as numerous products continue to be advertized through the internet (Whitehead, 2009). Marketers should, therefore, try to understand the internet and how they might use it to their advantage to increase sells, as well as buying decisions. These days, a majority of consumers do not follow the customary purchasing route of going out to shop for their products (Whitehead, 2009). The purchasing route was a significant guideline to marketers on how to plan their proceedings. A purchasing channel was the trend for many years, and then came the internet. In the purchasing channel, consumers started with the potential brands and then singled down to the most the product with great quality. Back in the days, the purchasing channel sounded logical to both the marketers and consumers. It was a proper way of locating the product that a person

Monday, September 9, 2019

Appraising and Developing Staff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Appraising and Developing Staff - Essay Example It should be clear to the parties involved in the appraisal process that the outcome of the appraisal process may be positive or negative, but the intention is usually positive for the employees. In essence, performance appraisal is meant to help the employees to evaluate their previous year’s work and also develop strategies for improvement. They are empowered to overcome the challenges faced in the workplace for improved performance. It is important to ensure that anxiety among the employees is controlled by ensuring that the appraisers demonstrate supportive and positive intentions for the employees. This is accomplished through positive criticism. Credibility is also a significant aspect of effective employee appraisal. The technique applied for the appraisal should not be weird (Harris & DeSimone, 1994). It is important to develop performance goals, which are significant in employee motivation. The goal theory of motivation explains the significance of managers who are able to enhance the pursuance of a common purpose. When the employees are aware of the goal that they are intending to achieve, they are motivated to be effective in the accomplishment of tasks. The experienced employees ensure that they maintain good performance and are encouraged to make the right decisions that can facilitate realization of the goal. Appraisers who encourage creativity are able to maintain a competent workforce. Employees derive enthusiasm from coming up with workable ideas that can be attributed to their ability to think critically. Failure to get such a chance to demonstrate inventiveness may cause low spirits in the workplace especially when the employees are used to rely on the leader for decisions (Aguinis, 2009). Managers who promote creativity in the workplace also promote organizational lea rning since workers are able to learn from the diverse inventions. They also learn together with the workers. Clients are usually attracted to the