Individual Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual Design - Essay Example As I reflected upon the ways and means by which I may achieve this simultaneously straightforward yet complex task, I found that I had two possible options. The first, which I immediately dismissed as a non-option, was for me to hold off until all designs were finalized, following from which I could design my furniture piece around them. This was an unrealistic notion since group members were committed to the same deadline and were I to wait until the last moment, not only would I be holding the group project back but, in essence, would not be leaving myself enough time to work on my design. The second option, therefore, imposed itself upon me as the only feasible one. As per this option, I had to remain within the boundaries of our selected logo and slogan, ensure that my furniture piece, in and by itself, complement and communicated the said logo and slogan, not to mentioned the ambience which we, as a group had decided upon. Added to that, I had to go through the relevant academic literature on the topic for the purposes of easing the task at hand through the provision of a guideline for furniture design and design ideas. As I was reading through the said literature and browsing through the Internet, I discovered that the concept of design detail was extremely important. A designer is not supposed to just focus on the overall appearance of the piece but must pay particular attention to every detail which contributes to the said appearance and which contributes to the functionality of the piece and the extent to which it satisfies its objectives. My piece (couch, sofa, chair, seating area) had to satisfy a number of objectives. It had to be inviting, comfortable, easy on the eyes, and in sync with the entirety of the lounge. The rationale behind the mentioned objectives is that the seating area has to be comfortable enough so as to encourage patrons to spend longer periods of time in whirlpool. It also has to be inviting and warm in order to motivate patronage of the place. In other words, I rationalized the listed design objectives as being integral to the promotion of Whirlpool as a comfortably, friendly and warm place where patrons cannot only be assured of quality service but of an ambience which helps them to unwind and relax. Additional objectives emerged from a consideration of the Lounge's theme, logo and slogan. Whirling, soothing water dominated the aforementioned and hence, it had to be somehow communicated through and integrated within the design of my piece. Whirls and swirling lines can do so and therefore, the structure of my piece included the stated just as the pattern include swirl images. It did so, however, in a subtle way so as to communicate the message without screaming it out loud, potentially disturbing and annoying visitors and distracting them from the entirety of the lounge. In other words, design subtlety was motivated by the imperatives of my piece fitting in with the rest and of forming part of a whole and of ensuring that it did not stand out from the rest. By adhering to the above stated guidelines and objectives, my furniture piece ultimately became part of a whole and combined with that whole to communicate the Lounge's theme. Journal Details are everywhere. They are born out of the materials or the construction process used. At times they become transitions between elements, where a closer examination of the type

A detailed case study on the Rolls-Royce company

A detailed case study on the Rolls-Royce company Evolution of Rolls-Royce The glorious inception of car manufacturing business was pioneered by F.H. Royce and C.S. Rolls when they met in 1904 and in 1906 the company ROLLS-ROYCE Ltd was formed to unveil the six-cylinder Silver Ghost which, within a year, was acclaimed as the best car in the world. In 1914 the First World War necessitates aero engine the Eagle, designed by Royce was used in the air war by the allies. Later the company underwent diverse advancement towards improved aero-engine, gas turbine. Subsequently after acquisitions and mergers of other companies Rolls-Royce emerged as the only company in Britain proficient in delivering power for use in the air, at sea and on land. (See appendix for details) Rolls-Royce (2010) 1.2 Rolls -Royce at the present ROLLS-ROYCE GROUP PLC is a public limited company incorporated on 21st march 2003 and is registered in England under the UK companies Act 1985 having registered office in 65, Buckingham Gate, London in United Kingdom. The registration number of the company is 04706930. (Companieshouse 2010). ROLLS-ROYCE GROUP PLC is listed on LSE. It is a global conglomerate and world-leading provider of power solutions for consumer in aerospace, marine and energy markets. Today it is the worlds second largest civil aero engine company, the worlds second largest defence aero engine company, a global leader in marine propulsion and a leading supplier of energy solutions. 1.3 Stakeholders and Rolls-Royce Stakeholders are the person or group or organization that has direct or indirect stake in organization because it can affect or be affected by the organisations actions, objectives, decisions and policies. (Freeman,1984, pp.25) Stakeholders are Shareholders, customers, suppliers and distributors, employees, local communities. Management holds fiduciary relationship with its stakeholders and work for retaining interest of stakeholders at large. (Friedman Miles, 2006, p.1) The board of directors manages work of the company on behalf of the company. In Rolls-Royce the board is accountable to companys stakeholders regarding performance of company, the approval of certain matters which affect the shape and risk profile of the Company like the annual budget and performance targets, the financial statements, payments to shareholders, major capital investments and any substantial change to balance sheet management policy etc. Shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees constitute essential part of stakeholders in Rolls-Royce. Suppliers are valuable to the Rolls Royce Group and it follows the Supply Chain Relationships in Aerospace (SCRIA) to protect the interest of the suppliers as it provides the best possible terms from suppliers and when entering into binding purchasing contracts, gives consideration to quality, delivery, price and the terms of payment. As the Company is a holding company and does not itself trade, it owed no amounts to trade creditors at December 31, 2009 and therefore the number of creditor days required to be shown in Annual report to comply with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 is nil. (Rolls-Royce, Annual Report, 2009, pp.78) Financial statements are prepared by Rolls Royce in accordance with IFRSs, GAAP as adopted by the EU and UK respectively and as per requirements of the Companies Act 2006; and, as regards the Group financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation. Rolls-Royce maintains an effective corporate governance framework that protects investors and aspires to deliver long-term value to shareholders. (Rolls-Royce, Annual Report, 2009, pp.70-71) Rolls-Royce in AGM highlighted key business developments during the year and discussed about crucial matters like declaration of dividend, appointment of directors and auditors, consider accounts, giving shareholders opportunity to ask questions regarding the company they are holding. (Rolls-Royce, Annual Report, 2009, pp.75-76) COMPANY AND INTERACTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS 2.1 Legal Form As a whole trading entity can be branched out as Sole traders, Partnerships, Limited partnerships, Limited liability partnerships, Limited by Guarantee companies, unlimited companies, Public companies. As per UK Companies Act four types of companies exist. Formation of company helps the owner to limit the liability as company differs from the person as far as concept of corporate personality (separate legal entity which is distinct from the owner) is concerned. But when it is necessary to protect the stakeholders interest from fraud and deception of management the corporate veil of company is lifted. In limited liability companies the owner or partners are not personally answerable and liable for potential losses of the company. Unlike these companies, sole traders and partnership firm cannot exercise the scope of funds for expansion (Black, 2004, p.67). RR is public limited company with option of raising fund from public and preferred to be group of companies. When a company holds the shares of another company, former company is holding company that owns shares in subsidiary company, the later one. In group of company under one holding company various subsidiary companies inhabit. Sometimes group of companies appear as a result of the merger and acquisition of a new company. When a company merges with or acquires numerous companies E+W+S+N.I. it is quite unmanageable to keep accounting books and records, prepare annual accounts and to hold an Annual General Meeting of shareholders for those companies under one company head. Establishment of group companies reduces hazards of risky business through a subsidiary to limit the groups exposure to the risk. (The National Archives, 2010) Options/Help RR is the holding company and does not trade on its own account. The groups chief operating subsidiary is RR. Entire business actions of the group are performed by RR and its subsidiaries. RR shares its registered office with RR group PLC but with different company registration number 1003142 under the UK companies Act 1985. Other companies which are indirectly held by the group incorporated within the UK and outside UK can be segregated under different heads like civil aerospace, marine, energy, corporate. There are also a variety of companies which can be held as Joint venture and associates. (See Appendix 2) (Rolls-Royce, 2010) 2.2 Corporate Governance in Rolls Royce Recent corporate scams and fraudulent activities of large company like Enron in US, Polly Peck plc and Mirror Group plc in UK became noticeable and consequently Sarbanes-Oxley Act appeared in July 2002. To prevent the deception and misleading activities of companys strong presence of corporate governance with constituent like participation of BOD and committees are essentials. RR prioritises corporate governance at highest level for the reason that stakeholders interest is controlled, managed and directed by the company. The Company is exposed to the Combined Code on Corporate Governance published in June 2008 by the Financial Reporting Council (the Combined Code). (Rolls-Royce, Annual Report, 2009, pp.66) It is the board which is responsible for managing company and day to day operation of business and accountable to stakeholders. The BOD of Rolls-Royce comprises of fourteen directors with the non-executive Chairman, the Chief Executive, eight non-executive directors and four other executive directors thereby complying the regulation regarding corporate governance. Board Effectiveness The board takes special care to retain independence of non executive directors to strengthens corporate governance and protect stakeholders because the non-executive directors represent stakeholders interests. One of the most important facts is that the non-executive directors are not employees and do not participate in the daily business management of the Group. (Rolls-Royce, Annual Report, 2009, pp.70) The non executives are highly considerable as they are independent in character and judgment with relevant expert knowledge and determination of good governance and high standard of investor relation. (Dunne Morris pp7-10) Different committees have been set up to determine effective and successful governance practice with corporate responsibility towards stakeholders. These Committees play a critical role reviewing, formulating and recommending governance principles concerning business. COMMITTEES These committees support the company for improved business maneuver. Along with this company has properly identified various risks which are properly mitigated through measure for better governance. (Details in section 4) In Annual report of Rolls-Royce disclosures are made fulfilling the factors as depicted by the Companys Act 2006 (applied to the Plc which is listed in LSE) such as Business review must contain information on future development, performance and position of the business environmental issues, employees and social issues contractual and other arrangement (Rolls-Royce, Annual Report, 2009, pp.1-65) and in addition to this the company website contains annual report and accounts, results of the polled votes at AGM and result of the fact that the company gives certain minority shareholders the right to require independent scrutiny of any polled vote to abide by the regulation.(Rolls-Royce 2010) Abovementioned administration of corporate governance not only helps the shareholder to identify the companys risk profile, structure, culture, vision and course of action to invest further but also helps other stakeholders to meet their needs and obligations. 3. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS RR uses pre tax discount rate for the present value calculation of future cash flows and inventory, work in progress is calculated in first in first out basis. RR has considered net realisable value is selling price minus costs incurred by marketing, selling and distribution. Cash flow projection in goodwill calculation is under assumptions of defined discount rates, growth rates, foreign exchange rates and WACC at 12.75. In order book calculation RR has excluded the future order option on top of the placed orders. These best practices are common for going concern and conforming Section 418 of the Companies Act 2006. (Annual report, 2009) 3.1 Financial Statements In this report financial analysis is done through ratio analysis of provided financial statements. Financial statements have been prepared based on IFRS, which is issued by IASB. This preparation is common for EU and onset of UK GAAP. (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, 2003) 3.2 Ratio analysis Ratio analysis is a tool for financial analysis to evaluate firms, industries. Ratio analysis helps to find the trend as well as to compare among the competitors using the financial statements. Mainly five types of ratios are helpful to judge different financial aspects. These ratios are liquidity, asset management, debt management, profitability and market value. All the ratios are important but value and importance differ with the company and industry. Like debt management ratio will be important for higher borrowed firm to judge the bankruptcy risk. (Brigham Houston, 2009) Revenue, Gross Profit and Operating Profit have increased from 2008 to 2009. In 2009 RR has turnaround from loss to huge profit. Even company earning changed from negative to positive. This change in profit is mainly due to the huge decrease of financing costs from 3186 million  £ to 491 million  £. In 2009 RR has managed to get big amount of financing income. There is a no significant change in balance sheet item except the considerable amount of reduction of other financial liabilities. Net asset of RR has changed significantly due to the noticeable decrease in liabilities. (Historical Prices, 2010) RR has outperformed both LSE and BOE return for last 12 months period. From our previous financial analysis we found RRs good performance and growth in revenue which is mainly based on accounting figures but ultimately reflected in market also. RR is the market leader and main competitors are Dassault Aviation, Saab AB and MTU Aero Engines. RRs aero engine business serves two distinct market segments like new engine sales to Boeing and Airbus Industries engine parts sales to maintenance companies. So RR caters both primary and secondary markets. In this market the competition is distributed in commercial and technical side, which is also catered by General Electric and Pratt Whitney. Company has increased market share from10% in 1970 by investing in RD for new engine development and also for better services. Overall the market is oligopolistic and capital intensive. The key determinants for sustainable competitiveness are technology, RD outcome. (Annual report, 2009) 3.4 Strategy Recommendation RR has five key strategies like four market segments, better technology, competitive portfolio, increasing market share and value added services. RR has strong brand, domain knowledge, integrated system and operational excellence to implement these strategies. (Our strategy, 2010) SWOT (Porter, 2008) RR is in such industry where the numbers of buyers are very less so this is quite price makers type market or more easily can be said that the price of products of RR is set by buyers. But recently with increase in global carriers the demand is uptrend but here life long guarantee in engines are desirable. In supplier side RR follows the dual sourcing strategy so the power of suppliers reduced and high precision can be reached. Very high entry barrier is there to this industry, where brand reputation and domain knowledge is very key determinants of success. There is no substitute of engines and aerospace. (Data source from Annual report, based on own analysis and see exhibit 5 for details) Recommendation From above strategic and financial analysis, it is recommended that RR is strong in operation but few segments are not performing well, so few strategies are to be taken to increase the key indicators. 4. INTERNAL PROCESS AND STRUCTURES Some companies operate better in competitive environment than other due to implementation of their strategy on organization. Organisational structure does not mean only having best team with best skills to execute particular achievement but organistional effectiveness can be attained by closely interacting and interlinking them through finding creative solutions to execute business operation. Organisational Effectiveness is the result of effective interplay of a companys vision and strategic goals with the chosen structural design, processes, assigned responsibilities, available skills, knowledge and capabilities, and reliable performance measure. (Dressler pp.43) Combination of strategic perspective and core categories of Organisational Effectiveness creates strategic framework. Strategic management process is completed by carry out strategic direction setting, strategic alignment and strategic control. 4.1 Internal control and risk management Internal control and risk management procedure of Rolls Royce is very neatly framed to detect, monitor, manage and mitigate risks arising both from financial and operational viewpoint. The internal control system manages and thrives to eliminate failure of attainment of business goal. The risk committee is observant to the system of risk management and is responsible for reporting the principal risks , for implementing the Boards policies on risk and internal control and reviews the results of the risk management process to diminish them. The audit committee reviews credit, market or liquidity risks. The ethics committee reviews those risks which significantly affects ethical part happens to be threats to reputation to esteemed company. The day-to-day management activity involves risks and risks which operates at all levels in the Group flows from upper section of management towards subordinate It is every managers responsibility is to be attentive to indulge in risk mitigating activ ities whatever business decision they takes. (Rolls-Royce Annual Report 2009, pp74) 4.2 Procedure of Risk management Risks are recognized and identified to update in framework of risk register so that management can review to assess them for subsequent reduction of risk. The company has followed a consistent strategy for twenty years and investment in technology for future growth in a good way. As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce today has a broad customer base comprising more than 600 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines. Rolls-Royce having 38,000 skilled employees in offices, manufacturing and service facilities with presence in 50 countries the group is thriving for developing employee skills. (Rolls-Royce) The company is continuing in sustaining development of the Companys strategy to bring long term value for investor within an acceptable risk profile. It also keeps eye on the monitoring of the strategy implementation along with retaining safeguard of the values of the Company, including its brand and corporate reputation and the safety of its products. 4.3 Implementation in Rolls-Royce Aforementioned diagram shows the strategy for entire business process as a whole highlighting on technology, infrastructure, and development of competitive portfolio of products and services, closeness to customer, brand, organic growth, partnership and acquisition through last twenty years. 4.4 Balance score Card Balance score card is a set of measures that gives top managers a fast but comprehensive view of business, a tool for measurement of business performance. (Kaplan and Norton, 1992) the model has four perspectives Financial perspective, Customer perspective, internal business perspective, Innovation and learning perspective. The customer perspective detects goals for time, quality, performance and service which has effect on the customer. (Harvard Business Review, 992, p.73). Internal business perspective recognizes the processes and competences are identified arising from the most important issues for customers. (Harvard Business Review, 1992, pp.74-75). Innovation and learning perspective is referring to the ability of a company to innovate, improve and learn ties directly to the companys value (Harvard Business Review, 1992, p. 76). From the financial perspective, financial performance indicating companys strategy, implementation and execution are measured to measure profit improvement (Harvard Business Review, 1992, pp.77). All perspectives categorise goals and measures to be made available. Through the Balanced Scorecard, the strategy of a business can be communicated clearly and ensured that all employees follow the same goals (California Management Review, 1996, p.57). Training in RR improved employee skills, which helps to maintain the core competencies of RR in tradition. This Internal quality along with higher productivity and online delivery gives limited customers of RR to maintain long term relation. ROCE of last three years is on an average consistent, which is maintained due to this cascading effect. (California Management Review, 1996, p.66) CONCLUSION Rolls-Royce emphasizes transparency and high standard of governance, ethics and integrity. The brand of Rolls-Royce symbolizes reliability, integrity and innovation and is most valuable asset of the company than their engineering excellence. Fabricating grand product and delivering services is not enough in current competitive market but it is the trust which is established through years by virtue of response of Rolls-Royce to the needs of customers building enduring relationships with customers, partners and other stakeholders consequently made them worlds leading-edge, international power system company. Financial position is improving from last year but key indicators and from strategic point of view Rolls-Royce should think of market portfolio. Product line and services are as per leaders approach but except civil aerospace, other segments are with lesser growth and prospect. ANNEXURE 6.1 References Books Brigham, E.F Houston, J.F. (2009) Fundamentals of Financial Management. Florence, KY: Cengage Learning. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.in/books?id=zepGuo84-8ACpg=PA121dq=financial+ratio+analysishl=enei=bJvXTPvrBo20vgPspYHnCQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=8ved=0CFMQ6AEwBw#v=onepageq=financial%20ratio%20analysisf=false Bull, R. (2008) Financial Ratios. Burlington, CIMA Publishing. BLACK, G.(2004) Applied Financial Accounting and Reporting. Oxford University Press. Dressler,S. (2004) Strategy, Organizational Effectiveness and performance management. Boca Raton, Universal-Publishers. Dunne, P. Morris ,G.D. (2008) Non-Executive Directors Handbook. US, Butterworth-Heinemann FREEMAN,R.E.(1984) Strategic Management: A stakeholder Approach., Boston, Pitman. FRIEDMAN,A.L Miles, S.(2006) Stakeholders: theory and practice. Oxford University Press, Journals KAPLAN, N. NORTON, D., (1992) The Balanced Scorecard Measure That Drive Performance. Harvard Business Review, January-February pp.71-79. KAPLAN, N. NORTON, D., (1996) Linking the Balanced Scorecard to Strategy. California Management Review, 39 (1) pp.53- 79. Online Sources Annual Report. (2009) Delivering today, investing for the future. [online] Available from: http://www.rolls-royce.com/reports/2009/index.shtml [[Accessed 5th December 2010]. Companies House (2010). Select and access company information [online]Available from:www.companieshouse.gov.uk [Accessed 05/12/2010] Historical Prices. (2010) Rolls-Royce Group PLC (RR.L). [Online] Available from: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=RR.L+Historical+Prices [Accessed 5th December 2010]. Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. (2003) Accounting Standards. Available from: www.ifac.org/ComplianceAssessment/attachments/ICAEW_Attachment.pdf [Accessed 5th December 2010]. Porter, M.E. (2008) The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. [Online] Available from: http://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy/ar/1 [Accessed 5th December 2010]. Rolls Royce. (2010) Our strategy. [Online] Available from: http://www.rolls-royce.com/about/what_do/strategy/index.jsp [Accessed 5th December 2010]. Rolls-Royce. (2010).History Timeline[online] Available from: http://www.rolls-royce.com/about/heritage/timeline/graphical_timeline.jsp [Accessed 05/12/2010]. The National Archives (2010).The Company Act 2006 [online] Available from: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46 Rolls-Royce.( 2010). Business Overview [online] Available from: http://www.rolls-royce.com/about/what_do/business_overview/index.jsp Rills-Royce.( 2010). History Timeline[online] Available from: http://www.rolls-royce.com/Images/final_poll_figures_2010_tcm92-19721.pdf The times 100. (2000) Competing within a changing world. [Online] Available from: http://www.rolls-royce.com/Images/competition_tcm92-11184.pdf [Accessed 5th December 2010]. 6.2 GLOSSARY Financial statements are Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and statement of changes of equity. Turnover = Revenue from continuing operations, the figure is available from profit loss account. Operating profit= Profit on operations OR Profit from continuing operations Operating profit margin =( Operating profit / Turnover) x 100 Return on capital employed (ROCE) = (Operating profit/TALCL) x 100 TALCL= Total assets less current liabilities Asset turnover = Turnover/ TALCL Current ratio = Current assets/ Current liabilities Gearing = Long term borrowing/ TALCL x 100 Interest Cover = Profit before interest/ Interest payable Dividend Yield = Dividend per share/ Share price Earnings per Share (EPS) = Profit before dividends/ Number of ordinary shares Price/Earnings Ratio = Share price/ EPS Dividend Cover = Profit after tax / Dividends Stock Turnover = Sales/ Stock Debtors Turnover = Sales/ Debtors Creditors Turnover =Sales/ Creditors Working Capital Turnover =Sales/ Working Capital Quick or Acid Test Ratio = Current assets stock/ Current liabilities Debtors Collection Period = 365/ Debtors Turnover Creditors Payment Period = 365 / Creditors Turnover Du-Pont analysis = Financial leverage * Net profit margin * Total asset turnover Financial leverage = Total asset / Common stock equity Net profit margin = (Net profit / Turnover) x 100 Total asset turnover = Total revenue/ Total assets SOX is US Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 Order book EU= European Union IFRS= International Financial Reporting Standards IASB= International Accounting Standards Board GAAP= Generally Accepted Accounting Practices Group= Company and its subsidiaries together referred to as the Group WACC= weighted average cost of capital 6.4 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Profitability of Rolls-Royce is measured through Return on capital employed, Operating profit can be found from Profit and Loss account but total assets less current liabilities is available at Balance sheet. Efficiency of Rolls-Royce is measured through Asset turnover, Stock Turnover, Debtors Turnover and Creditors Turnover and Working Capital Turnover. Liquidity of Rolls-Royce is measured through Current ratio. Current assets and Current liabilities figure are available at Balance Sheet. Liquidity can measure through Debtors Collection Period, Creditors Payment Period. Structure of Rolls-Royce is measured through Gearing or using Dividend Cover, Earnings per Share (EPS), Price/Earnings Ratio, Dividend Yield and Interest Cover. Higher value of acid test ratio, creditors payment period, EPS, Dividend cover, interest cover ratio, price earning ratio is better but lower value debtors collection period is good for business.

How Could I Tell? - Personal Narrative Essay -- Papers

How Could I Tell? - Personal Narrative "I'm afraid you may never have a desk job again. Employers prefer younger people! They shouldn't - but they do. You must be more flexible". The man at the unemployment office had looked embarrassed. He'd still got his job. Age for age, responsibility for responsibility. The job was the only difference between us.But it was a big difference. In a way I really missed my desk. It was comfortable. It had been part of me for so many years. It had brought in money - just enough - to keep things going for just me and her. But now it was over. Chapter closed,Dumped. Did I care? For a while I cared a lot, yes, then less. Gradually the me that was defined by a desk gave way to a me that was free.The bills were overdue and there were ugly scenes. To be honest, I accepted the job that day just to show willing. Of course the pay was a joke - Â £10 in a day, if I was lucky. But, once I was out in the fresh air, somehow it just didn't seem to matter any more. The world seemed full of possibilities; unexplained, undecided and only just round the corner. The country air felt fresh in my lungs, the sun beamed down and my whole body tingled with anticipation. I had not felt so good for years. The heavy bag on my unfit shoulders seemed light as a feather. The twisting country lane stretched out in front of me with its high hedge bordering with a riot of white foxgloves and sweet scented creamy honeysuckle. Songs from hidden birds in the hedgerow crowded the country air, lifting me up, leading me on. Just a small country lane - but for me it held the promise of new and better futures. Each stride pushe... ... link that had grown so quickly between this lady, her mountains and myself was much stronger and ultimately irresistible. I reached up and enclosing her face between my two hands, drew her down to return her kiss. In a small part of my consciousness, I felt the coldness of the mountains begin to return. Her breathing was shallow and slowly, with gentle tenderness, our bodies moulded together. But still how was i to tell her about the job,or rather no job. Whilst wrapped in her warm hand with her lavender sent creeping up her body into my nostrils i recalled the wrathe of the words said by the man at the unemploymet office,as they seemed to run circles in my head. "I'm afraid you may never have a desk job again. Employers prefer younger people! They shouldn't - but they do. You must be more flexible".

Medieval Philosophy St. Anselm, an Archbishop of Canterbury

Born in Aosta, in a town off Lombardy, St. Anselm grew up with his mother and father. His mother spoke of the greatness and power of God often. She would describe him with very high regards and Anselm assumed he lived somewhere nearby considering they lived in the mountains already. St. Anselm believed that he witness the greatness of God. He dreamt of his servants and a feast of bread with the King. The servants consisted of women and worked just as servants do. As they were all off gathering the harvest he and the Lord ate a meal of bread together. When St. Anselm woke from his dream he told everyone that he sat with the lord and how immense it was. This sparked his interest in God even more.As a young child he was a quick learner (Eadmer, 1972). When he reached his teenage years St. Anselm was loved by many; even those that opposed authority, He was also still hungry for wisdom. He attempted to join the missionary and become a priest but was denied. The monk would not let him in b ecause they did not think his father would approve. St. Anselm’s mother died some time afterwards. His father was a very strict man and was hard on him. He was so tough on St Anselm that the boy decided to set out on a journey of his own. He looked to learn and he found it in a teacher near Avranches. St. Anselm was a devoted scholar who later became Archbishop and doctor of his church.To the claim: To me God does not yet exist; but there is a creative force constantly struggling to evolve godlike knowledge and power, every man and woman born is a fresh attempt to achieve omnipotence and omniscience.This bluntly means that no current God exist. That everyman and woman is a mold attempt to attain total power and knowledge in an image imitating what he or she believes to be of God. The creative force that is being described is used as a synonym to what God’s power would be in this sentence. Considering that the statement is one without belief then the power and knowledge of a superior is describing a goal man is trying to reach when reproducing him or herself. He has not yet achieved it; therefore he continues to reproduce. Man attempt to create the ultimate human being by mating with those that offer the most beneficial offspring. That is the natural instinct of man; to create flawless images of him; to duplicate his positive qualities into another being.With this being said St Anselm would disagree with the statement that God didn’t exist. God existed in the days of Medieval without question. Philosophers just knew he existed and St. Anselm used the Ontological argument as his own translation. The main problem in the eleventh century was not only if God existence was real, it was proving the theory. Many felt that it was just something in the Bible and others felt there was more answers, St. Anselm being one of them.St Anselm felt that a fool says there is no God. When he or she thinks of this image they contradict themselves. They perceiv e something that is not real to them. He believes it is possible to be because man is created in the image of him and no other. There is no other animal or being that replicates the image of God. St. Anselm considers that we can imagine things but only those that are true will be defined. The definition of God is one being superb to all; he is thought to be just that, even by the imagination of nonbelievers.St Anselm was a philosopher that wanted to analyze the words of the Bible and put proof behind them. His definition of the relationship between man and God requires that you have a somewhat religious background and or belief. (2002). He feels that there is one great thing or many that is created through that one. One thing that is greater than all things.There is a being that is good and that creates and receives goodness through itself. He feels that all things that are good receive their good either through themselves or through another. At the highest level all things are eith er identical or one thing is significantly different than the rest, giving it distinct God-like qualities and making it superior to all else.St. Anselm believes that God does exist in reality. All things that are real exist in reality and all things that are not exist in dreams. Dreams are not reality and all things through God go beyond man’s dreams. St. Anselm would change his opinion to make no one happy but won the hearts of many. He stood behind what he believed. His Ontological argument says that the existence of God can be proven through intuition and reason alone and no physical evidence is necessary.Although many philosophers have disagreed with this argument, St. Anselm insists that if a person can conceive of God, then God does exist. He argues that if someone states â€Å"God does not exist† then he or she is contradictory of his or her self. Since they are made in what he thinks to be the image of God himself.Many theorist and philosophers felt that God wa s a being that common man was incapable of communicating with. They felt that he had given them the knowledge to learn of him but not to go beyond that. Meaning that we will only know what he wants us to know and we will only learn of him what he allows us to. Some felt that they were not going to ever talk with God or get the answers that lead to his existence.St. Anselm believed â€Å" sin has so darkened our minds that we cannot hope to reach the truth unless God graciously leads us to it. He does so by offering us the truth through revelation and by inspiring us to accept that revelation in faith. Once we accept the truth on that basis, however, we can hope to reason out proofs for what we have already accepted through faith. God is rational, and what he does is rational, and we ourselves are blessed with reason. Thus we should be able to discover the rationality of God's actions, at least to some extent. We are like students who, unable to solve a mathematical problem, are giv en the answer to it and then discover they can reason out why that answer is correct (1996).† With this belief strongly embedded into St. Anselm’s way of thinking he would change the way that we look at religion today.This theory is still in existence today. Theologians that studied later on after St. Anselm found it hard to accept this wisdom from such a young philosopher. St. Anselm felt that God spoke to him very clearly. He was taught of this God as a child and as he got older he studied this God. As a man he became to know this God and have an intimate relationship with him. He learned that while in the struggles of life’s journey that God was the not only a philosophy but he was also a reality. God was of concrete power and understanding while all others were temporary. His relationship with his father and many peers were not solid and caused him great grief. The encounters with God were reality to him and they were permanent. He realized that God controlle d all that was. St Anselm intriguingly realized that his life was apart of God’s plan, a part of his story.History in this case defines God’s story. It included St. Anselm’s life plan. He wanted to learn as much as possible about God. St. Anselm was a very wise young man for seeking the wisdom of God and that is why he was given the gift of knowledge.His gift was the ability to spread the word of God and his faith in him. He believed in a mighty God that from his testimonies gave him all that he needed. He was hungry for the knowledge that others may have feared. He was not afraid to die on his deathbed because he was sure that he would go to be with God. He was rumored to have asked the Lord if he could stay long enough to find out where our souls started and their purpose. He felt that after him there would be no one else so competent to do his work.St. Anselm was not only a miracle of his time but ours as well. He proved that nothing could stand in the way of knowledge by not allowing his challenges to lower his power to believe. Believe in what he knew to be. He made history not just for his argument but also mostly for his courageous journey through discovery with his own beliefs.Reference:Eadmer and translated by R.W. Southern. May 1, 1972.The Life of St. Anselm: Archbishop of Canterbury. New York. Oxford University Press.Paul Halsall (Jan 1996). Anselm on God’s Existence. Medieval Source Book. April 26, 2006. http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/source/anselm.asp

Communication in Relationships

Amanda Cordova SOC3400- The Family in Transition 29 November 2010 Communication in Relationships Communication plays a big role in how successful a relationship can be. There are plenty of factors that affect the way individuals communicate. The most difficult part about communication in relationships is how the other person corresponds with you. It is all about how you may speak verbally and nonverbally to others. Many people believe gender and their roles can make an impact. Females are the sentimental ones who want to express how they feel and focus on intimacy.Males tend to use these as excuses of why they should be in charge or have power. Their idea of being tough and strong is to not show their emotions. There are specific ways of expressing one’s self, but they must learn the basics of communication first. Verbal communication is crucial to communicating in general. One thing a speaker must be aware of is their tone. The tone of someone’s voice can be misinterpr eted. Besides tone, word choice can play a role in how positive you may communicate; language is flexible and can be used in different ways.If someone tells another person, â€Å"you do nothing, you’re lazy,† the other person may feel upset or useless. In reality, the other person may be busy with work and school and simply forgot or did not have time to do the dishes. Culture can also play a role on verbal communication. A famous saying in one country can be nonsense in another such as â€Å"what you said went straight over my head. † Culture helps create specific dialects for different groups to make communicating more efficient. If used correctly, verbal communication can make or break a relationship.Unquestionably, nonverbal communication has just as big of an impact as verbal. Nonverbal can affect auditory, visual and physical channels. In most instances, people can hear the other person talking, read their facial expressions and may be touching or receivin g a touch simultaneously. Nonverbal communication has fewer rules and has more meanings. Verbal communication is structured with grammar, spelling, and pronunciation such as periods and exclamation marks or â€Å"there,† â€Å"their† and â€Å"they’re. † On the other hand, nonverbal communication shows they can also convey ambiguous meanings.In example, a glance at someone could be defined as flirting, contentment, or a sign of warning. Someone’s facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, vocal tone, and clothing are usually things we focus on when communicating in person. Most importantly, nonverbal communication is being used through technology. Through the recent years, people have been relying on e-mail, phones and text messaging to communicate. Some things can be misinterpreted and cause conflict between relationships. Together, verbal and nonverbal communications express meaning and go hand-in-hand with each other.Generally speaking, males and females have different ways of speaking to others comfortably. What most people realize is that some of the stereotypes about communication between men and women can be true, but also false. Men tend to communicate more â€Å"informative, honest, relevant, and use more clear language† (McCornack, 2010). They usually focus on activities, information, logic and negotiation. Men often see a woman’s perspective on emotions as unreasonable. With women, conversations are negotiations for intimacy and avoiding loneliness in which they â€Å"try to seek and give confirmations and support, and to reach consensus† (Tannen, 25).They tend to perceive a man’s view as unsympathetic. Both males and females have different ways of communicating intrapersonally and interpersonally. When a man has done something wrong, they blame outside circumstances before they blame themselves. They talk for more periods of time; this supports the reasoning of having power and controlling it. In mixed groups, men make 96% of the interruptions and the result is that women have greater difficulty presenting their ideas fully (McCornack 2010). Women can feel men are arrogant.Men can feel that women are not assertive; that women contribute less. Women focus more steadily on the speaker, whether male or female. The result is that men can perceive women are uncritical thinkers, or even as flirting. Since men make less consistent eye contact, they can be perceived as not listening. Since men have less connections between the 2 sides of the brain, it is sometimes easier for men to process information if they are not directly also trying to process meaning behind eye contact. So sometimes when a man is looking over a woman's shoulder he is really listening intently.Men will smile and nod to show they agree with the speaker. Women will smile and nod no matter what, including if she disagrees with someone. They will smile and nod when they are sad, when they are co nfused, and even when they are angry. The result is that men will think women are â€Å"on board† when in fact they might not be. Then men, then, are very surprised when the conflict does arise. Women are acculturated to be pleasant and smile–so it is very hard for men to â€Å"read† the smile. Women are more apt to say â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you. The result is that men sometimes don't take women seriously. Both men and women have words they use more frequently than the other sex, and some words that few of the other sex use. For example, men use more war and sports-related analogies; women use more imagery and relationship-based analogies. According to Dindia and Allen, both sexes have socially created stereotypes that keep them from communicating effectively (1992:59). In their minds, they have a predesigned concept of what is the right way to talk to someone of the opposite sex and someone of the same sex.Some key words to remember when convers ing with another person are recognition, acknowledgment, and endorsement. Recognition is to declare that the other person exists. Someone may not voice their thoughts because they feel dismissed and overlooked. This can result in ineffective communication; the odds will always benefit one person over the other. Acknowledgement is a direct response, letting the other person know that you heard them. Endorsement is empathizing with the other person; let them know that you understand their view. Never become defensive or competitive with whom you are talking to.These factors can pollute the atmosphere and create a negative communication climate. The best way to improve communication in a relationship is recognizing one’s own style of expressing themselves. When expressing your feelings to someone else, always focus on talking about the other person’s behavior, your observations, sharing ideas and choosing the right time and place. If there is something bothering you, for example, not putting things where they belong, tell the other person that you are upset with their actions, instead of calling them lazy or inconsiderate.There are also four rules to follow for effective and efficient communication. First, you must say your feelings directly. Never assume that the person you are talking to knows how you think. Second, express and voice your feelings to your audience. If something is truly bothering you, take a stand and let someone know you are not happy and vice versa. This could work in some of the smallest situations like trying to decide on what to have for dinner. Thirdly, do not push your boundaries and know your limitations. If there is a problem in a parent and hild relationship, the child should never disrespect their parents. Lastly, do not use any foul language or curse words. If someone feels attacked or disrespected, they are more likely to dismiss the conversation or retaliate against you. There are three different theories that can be applied to communication in relationships. The first one is social exchange theory. Exchange theorists propose that corresponding with others can be controlled by a share of rewards and costs. A reward can be any form of positive exchange that benefits the relationship.Some examples are compromises, compliments and agreements. A cost is a negative exchange for instance critical remarks, complaints and personal attacks. Whenever there are more rewards for both people, they have made a profit in their relationship. When there are more costs than rewards, the result is a loss on both parties. The second theory that applies to relationship communication is gender role theory. Gender is socially and culturally constructed concepts that are attached to a male or a female. Gender roles are expectations that a male or female must fulfill or perform. Knox ;amp; Schacht, 78-82). Both are supposed to dress a certain way, they must participate in specific activities, and have completely opposi te interests. In many situations, males and females are divided from young ages, teaching children that there is no other way, but to live by the gender stereotypes that society gives them. Gender role theorists believe there is a social construction on how males and females differ. From early ages, males and females learn specific gender roles and behaviors that are considered appropriate for their gender.Males and females are expected to communicate differently because of their interests, causing a conflict in keeping the two from bonding. The last, and most applicable, is symbolic interaction theory. This theory uses a close-up focus on social interactions in specific situations. People tend to use the looking-glass self to solve situations. According to Knox and Schacht, this looking-glass self concept â€Å"involves looking at each other and seeing the reflected image of someone who is loved and cared for and someone with whom a productive resolution is sought† (2010:122 ).We tend to think about how our parents will feel if we do not go home for the weekend or how making plans with friends over a loved one will affect the outcome. When we communicate in our relationships, most people are consciously wondering how a conversation will be, making an impact on how the discussion will turn out. In the final analysis, communication can be affected by nonverbal and verbal communication and in some cases, gender differences. Verbal communication can share meanings, shape thoughts, manage relationships, and create conversation.Nonverbal communication is how we express our emotions, convey meaning, manage interactions, and help us communicate through our surroundings. Researchers still have not found enough evidence to support whether or not gender plays a role on communication, but social concepts show otherwise. Both males and females have predesigned thoughts of how the other must act, appear and talk. When we communicate, we need to recognize our own weak nesses and those of others. The way our relationships communicate can determine how our life will turn out.References Dindia, K. , ;amp; Allen, M. (1992). Sex differences in self-disclosure: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 106-124. Knox, D. , ;amp; Schacht, C. (2010). Choices in relationships: an introduction to marriage and family (10th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. McCornack, S. (2010). Reflect ;amp; relate: an introduction to interpersonal communication (2nd ed. ). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's. Tannen, D. (1990). You just don’t understand: Women and men in conversation. London: Virago.

Personal Safety Classes †Research Paper

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Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning Introduction This theory is also referred to as instrumental conditioning or Skinnerian conditioning theory. This theory was coined by B.F. Skinner. Skinner was a behaviorist from Harvard. He proposed this theory in the twentieth century. This theory was however, based on the law of effect by Thorndike (Linskie 2005).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Operant Conditioning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To study behavior, Skinner had to conduct scientific experiments in laboratories. Rats were used as specimens in his experiments. They would be placed in a box known as the Skinner box. Both Skinner and Thorndike used boxes in their studies. Thorndike’s box was known as the puzzle box (Leonard 2002). In order to study behavior effectively, the behaviorist’s had to make certain assumptions. Behaviorist believed psychology is a science, and as such, to study psychology, it would involve use of experiments. Behaviorists also believed that behavior can only be observed. They also believed that learning is similar in both humans and animals. Operant conditioning is a learning model through which people are rewarded or punished for their behavior. This means that for every behavior, there is a consequence. The theory attempts to change behavior by using either reinforcement or punishment. After conducting thorough research, Skinner came up with three types of responses that he observed from his experiments (Linskie 2005). Punishers This can be described as responses that discourage behavior from being repeated. This will help kill behavior. Reinforcement These are events that encourage behavior to be repeated. Reinforcement according to Skinner can either be positive or negative. Neutral operant These responses seem not to encourage or discourage behavior.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Positive and negative reinforcement Reinforcement is that event that seeks to encourage the occurrence of a behavior. Reinforcement is said to strengthen behavior. To study reinforcement, Skinner used rats and the Skinner box. The cage had a lever. Whenever the rat touched the lever, a food pellet would drop (Linskie 2005). Within no time the rat had learnt that by touching the lever, it would be able to get food. In another study, a rat would be placed in a Skinner box. In this case an electric current was introduced in the box. This was supposed to cause discomfort to the rat. As the rat ran in the box, it would touch a lever that would switch off the electric current. After repeating the experiment severally, Skinner noted that immediately the rat was placed in the box it would go straight to the lever and touch it (Leonard 2002). Positive reinforcement This seeks to encourage the occurrence of a behavior or trait. For each behavior, there is a consequence. A good exampl e is when a parent promises his or her child money if they got good grades. The child is likely to perform better by working hard to get good grades. Negative reinforcement Unpleasant consequences or events can also help strengthen behavior. Unlike positive reinforcement where actions are rewarded here the vice versa happens. A good example is when a parent agrees with his or her child that if they fail to get good grades they will pay the parent a certain amount of money. The negative consequence will make the child work hard as they would not want to pay the agreed sum of money to their parents. After carefully looking at both the positive and negative reinforcement, I would conclude that negative reinforcement is the most effective. In the case of positive reinforcement, if the child does not get good grades he or she will not lose anything. But in negative reinforcement, the child has no option but to work hard and get good grades. This makes negative reinforcement most effectiv e compared to positive reinforcement. Applying the operant behavior to shape behavior Students normally tend to be notorious by not completing their assignments on time. This is because some of them are lazy or are usually doing other things instead of doing their homework. This behavior should be discouraged. This is because handing in the assignments late robs the tutor enough time to mark the assignments. The tutor is usually forced to look for alternative time or even work overtime to complete marking the assignments. To change this behavior, I would create a reinforcement schedule. This would encourage the students to change their behavior and be submitting their assignments in time. To do this, I would employ a system whereby the students would be liable to pay 5 dollars every time they submitted their assignments late. Students would be submitting their assignments in time to avoid paying this amount.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Operant Condition ing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion Operant conditioning theory can be used to change behavior. By either using positive or negative reinforcement, we can be able to encourage or discourage a certain trait that we desire. By employing this theory proposed by Skinner we would be able to shape behavior. This can be done by either rewarding or punishing behavior. Studies have shown that operant conditioning is the most suitable learning model that can be used to change behavior in both humans and animals. References Leonard, D. C. (2002). Learning theories, A to Z. Westport, Conn.: Oryx Press. Linskie, R. (2005). The learning process: theory and practice. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

There Is No Free or Cheap Government Land

There Is No Free or Cheap Government Land Free government land, also known as claim-free government land no longer exists. There is no longer a  federal homesteading program and any public land the government does sell is sold at no less than fair market value. Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLMPA), the federal government took over ownership of public lands and abolished all remaining traces of the often-amended Homestead Act of 1862. Specifically, the FLMPA declared that the public lands be retained in Federal ownership  unless as a result of the land use planning procedure provided in this Act, it is determined that disposal of a particular parcel will serve the national interest... Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees the use of some 264 million acres of public land, representing about one-eighth of all the land in the United States. In passing the FLMPA, Congress assigned the main duty of the BLM as the management of the public lands and their various resource values so that they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people. While the BLM does not offer much land for sale because of a 1976 congressional mandate to generally retain these lands in public ownership, the agency does occasionally sell parcels of land when its land use planning analysis determines disposal is appropriate. What Types of Lands Are Sold? The federal lands sold by the BLM are generally unimproved rural woodland, grassland or desert parcels located mostly in the western states. The parcels are typically not served by utilities like electricity, water or sewer, and may not be accessible by maintained roads. In other words, the parcels for sale are truly â€Å"in the middle of nowhere.† Where Are the Lands for Sale Located? Usually part of the original public domain established during the western expansion of the United States, most of the land is in the 11 Western states and the state of Alaska, although some scattered parcels are located in the East. Almost all are in the Western States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. Because of land entitlements to the State of Alaska and to Alaska Natives, no public land sales will be conducted in Alaska in the foreseeable future, according to the BLM. There are also small amounts in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. There are no public lands managed by the BLM in Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. How Is the Land Sold? The Bureau of Land Management sells unimproved public land through a modified bidding process that favors adjoining landowners, open public auction or direct sale to a single buyer. Minimum acceptable bids are based on land value appraisals prepared and approved by the Department of the Interior Appraisal Services Directorate. The appraisals are based on factors like ease of access, availability of water, possible uses of the property and comparable property prices in the area. States Do Offer Some Free Homesteading Land But... While government-owned lands are no longer available for homesteading, some states and local governments do occasionally offer free land to persons willing to build a home on it. However, these homesteading deals usually come with very specific requirements. For example, Beatrice, Nebraska’s local Homestead Act of 2010 gives homesteaders 18 months to build a minimum 900-square-foot home and live in it for at least the next three years. However, homesteading seems to be just as tough a row-to-hoe as it was in the 1860s. Two years after Beatrice, Nebraska enacted its homesteading act, the Wall Street Journal reported that no one had actually claimed a parcel of land. While dozens of people from across the nation had applied, they all dropped out of the program when they began to realize â€Å"how work is involved,† a city official told the newspaper.

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example This innovative and stylistic format has brought widespread attention from companies such as Apple, as well as consumers who are attuned to quality. The consideration of Apple’s implementation of the bags is significant on a number of grounds. Apple’s approach to technological development places high emphasis on branding as well as quality. Their decision to implement FREITAG bags is then contingent on the quality and branding elements, specifically the artistic and stylistic forms these products are able to achieve. Conversely, there are resources that the firm believes are strategic, but in reality are not. FREITAG is an organization that implements sustainable resources as a means of creating their bags. The case study notes, â€Å"Every FREITAG bag is composed of used materials only: old truck tarpaulins, used seat belts for the straps and bicycle inner tubes to keep the edges from fraying, a specification that places it at the more imposing end of the spectrum of sustainable design† (FREITAG). It is clear that the organization believes that the implementation of these supplies is strategic, as it not only is socially responsible, but also makes positive contributions to its image. While such a notion makes sense, in reality it appears that it is not the sustainability aspect that has given the bags their cache, but instead the quality and inventiveness of production; this is evidenced in Apple’s use of the bags, a company that is notoriously concerned with quality. Again, while Apple places considerable emphasis on quality and stylistic product form, they are willing to sacrifice social responsibility – one considers their involvement in the Chinese sweatshop scandal – to achieve these aims. Such a recognition demonstrates it is not this sustainability that is highlighted in the FREITAG bags, but instead their greatest resource is the stylistic quality they are able to achieve. 2. There are many ways that a firmâ⠂¬â„¢s culture and belief system affects its ability to compete. One of the most prominent examples occurs in terms of Google, Inc. In understanding how a firm’s culture and belief system affects its competitive ability one considers institutional theory. Institutional perspectives on organizational culture argue that the organizational culture that is established within an institution impacts all incoming employees. In these regards, as individuals enter the culture they may initially resist the overarching institutional belief system, but ultimately tend towards the overriding paradigm (Clement 2005). It follows that organizations which implement the most successful organizational culture will in-turn have a workforce that directly contribute to organizational success. One recognizes that the challenge then becomes what is the most successful organizational culture to implement. Adams, Hill, & Roberts (2011) consider that the success of organizational culture is oftentimes contingent on uniting the workforce under the auspices of a goal that goes beyond mere financial concerns, but also involves their sense of meaning. Within Google, Inc. it is clear that the organization has gone beyond mere profit considerations. The organization has implemented the popular slogan ‘Don’t Be Evil’. This demonstrates that Google has shown great concern for product development that does not implement shady means. In addition to uniting the workf

Control a People's Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Control a People's Language - Essay Example Instead, they start by using sign language to communicate with their significant others. They learn such signs from the people who take care of them, thus highlighting their dependence on such individuals. Consequently, the caregivers of such children have the capacity to control the children as they take charge of their language. A look at the deaf community also highlights this important aspect. When children are born deaf, their caregivers take up the role of using signs that the young ones can use as their language of communication. Therefore, the caregivers control the deaf children as they teach them a unique and informal language unknown to other people. This creates a form of control since other people outside the circle of the caregivers may not understand the language. At the national and international levels, the people in charge of formulating such languages as the American Sign Language also control the communities that use the sign language. This is because the people invent signs that apply on a national level. Consequently, the deaf community, for instance, is compelled to use the language for them to contribute to nation building. The most conversant people in this language also possess the ability to advocate for the rights of such people. They can do this by raising awareness of the challenges faced by such people, thus promoting their voice in the nation. Such actions lead to greater recognition of the deaf communities, and may stop them from being classified as minorities (Jaspers, Verschueren & Ostman, 2010). P. 187. On the other hand, the people who possess such skills, as well as the ability to advocate for the rights of the deaf can choose to keep silent, thus hindering the ability of the deaf to get equitable opportunities. This explains that being in control of a people’s language leads to their control as the people get to decide what is to be done, and what should not be done. In

Tennesse Williams The Glass Menagerie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tennesse Williams The Glass Menagerie - Essay Example In Act One, Scene One, the stage setting is described as having a ‘dark, grim rear wall of the Wingfield tenement’. There are stage directions where the actors and actresses enter and exit the stage using the props like stairs and this is difficult or impossible to accomplish using an arena stage. (Williams 12).An arena stage is a central stage that has surrounding seats and this gives no leeway except to ascend or descend from the stage. Then the actor or actress has to sit down at the level of the audience, or walk all the way to the nearest dressing room. An arena stage is similar to a theater in the round, which has the audience seated on all sides of the performance stage. A thrust stage is most suited for this play because it allows the actors and actresses entrance and exit routes and help to make the play a realistic drama. In Act One, Scene One, the stage directions say that; ‘The scene is memory and is therefore non-realistic.’ (Williams 12). Amanda and Laura are seated at the dinner table behind the scrim to symbolize their need for privacy since they are eating. Williams highlights the unrealistic nature of the play by stating that; ‘Eating is done by gestures without food or utensils.’ (Williams 15). This play is also unusual in having a character, Tom, in the play, assume the multiple roles of being the narrator and stage director too. This makes the play realistic because the play is Tom’s testimony. Some characters are unrealistic in the play. In Act One, Scene Two, Amanda discovers that Laura has been skipping her typing class and deliberately deceiving her. Laura is an unrealistic dreamer. She fails to understand the importance of earning her stripes with a formal education and getting a relevant job to be self-supportive, if not contributing to the family household income. Tom is rooted in realism although his responses to the pressure are human and hints of escapism. Amanda

Managing Workplace Diversity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Managing Workplace Diversity - Assignment Example However, in the course of this unit, I have discovered that every state in the United States have The Second Injury Fund that assumes the responsibility of compensating the disabled in an instance they sustain an injury and become totally disabled. The affirmative actions were created to supplement what law could not do in ensuring equality among people of different cultures, gender and ethnicity. There are policies and laws that are in place to ensure that discrimination is addressed, but their effectiveness remains equivocal. Affirmative actions will remedy these inequalities, but presenting the long-time disadvantaged minority groups with equitable opportunities that ultimately addresses inequalities. Although the affirmative action will present added advantage to the minority groups, I learned in class that they, too, should meet qualifications. Affirmative action does not translate to undue advantage over others. It simply means providing more opportunities to the underserved group of individuals. Another misconception I had is that affirmative action is only concerned with providing people of the color with more opportunities. However, Caucasian women can attest to the more open doors available to them following affirmative actions. It is evident that we mostly practice the religion passed down to us, and with time, we believe that our religion is the right one. This belief may lead to creating an environment that disregards co-workers’ religion. When handling religious diversity, I have learned from the class work that the best way to go about it is to have an open mind. It is impossible to understand all religions and their beliefs and practices, but keeping an open mind will facilitate accommodation of people with religious beliefs that differ from mine. Work diversity is often viewed in terms of cultural diversities among the workers. Often, religious contributions towards the same are neglected.