Being a Good Leader

Introduction In today’s organizations there is a greater focus on employees stepping up to be leaders rather just managing their respective responsibilities. It is not enough to simply manage tasks and perform your delegated responsibilities any more employees are expected to take initiative and motivate those around them to also be leaders even if you are not a manager by title. In order to be a leader, one must start by making a commitment and learn those skills needed to model the way and be examples to others. As our organizations become more diverse, being able to manage ethics and diversity is also important as we will encounter and work with others who have different perceptions, thoughts and experiences than what we may be accustomed or familiar with. We must be become change agents in our organizations, people who challenge the status quos and established processes in an ethical manner. If employees are motivated and engaged, organizations will be successful and be able to withstand adverse environments. Modeling the Way In all aspects of our lives we must be examples of how we want others around us to be whether in our own families, organizations or communities. How can we expect our employees to take initiative when they do not see their leaders taking initiative in their own roles? Even if you are not a manager or leader by title, people around you are still watching to see how you perform and behave. For example, I am an individual contributor in my organization but there are other employees around me who see what I do and how I behave in my role. I always have a positive attitude and a smile on my face which motivates them to also have a positive attitude. I have to be aware that I’m an informal leader in my organization even though I currently do not lead a team. On the other hand my direct manager is a great example on how a leader should behave and how to be an effective leader. She has the flexibility to work from home and she also gives me that option as a result that makes me work harder. Before introducing a new initiative, she always gets the buy-in of all our business partners so that when it is implemented, it is not a shock to anyone and everyone had an opportunity to share their thoughts. I never realized the importance of engaging everyone who will be affected by a new process or decision until now. Prior I was used to managers and senior leadership making decisions and the rest of the employees who were expected to follow them did not have any say or input. This is not an effective method of motivating employees. I have learned how important it is to seek feedback in order to continue doing the things that make you a good leader, change any actions that are not appropriate and start doing other things you would like your subordinates or those around you to do. â€Å"Setting the example is all about execution. It’s about putting your money where your mouth is†¦ It’s about keeping promises. It’s about walking the walk. † (Kouzes & Posner, 2007) Managing Ethics When we are a part of an organization, we are all responsible for managing ethics not just managers. Ethical practices should be woven in the fabric of the organizational culture and the organization should have systems in place to enforce ethical behavior. â€Å"When developing the values statement during strategic planning, include ethical values preferred in the workplace. When developing personnel policies, reflect on what ethical values you'd like to be most prominent in the organization's culture and then design policies to produce these behaviors. † (McNamara, 2008) First we must know what our own ethical values are, what are our belief systems? If we believe it is ok to steal from your organization because they owe you anyways, that person should take time to do some self-reflection and analyze their values. There are many laws in place that outline what an organization can and cannot do to assist managers in deciding what constitutes ethical behavior. Most organizations also have guidelines in place that explain what is acceptable behavior and what is not as well as procedures to report unethical actions and behaviors. Again, managers must behave ethically to set examples for their employees and those around them. Unethical actions not only hurt the individual but the entire company and that is why managers must enforce the company’s stance on ethics, ensure all their employees receive all brochures and materials so there is no question on how to handle observed unethical behaviors. Ethical practices should be a topic of discussion in meetings and on one-on-one conversations. Managing Diversity Today more than ever our workforce are increasingly become more diverse and managers must be equipped to not just treat diverse employees fairly but know how to leverage the different perspective, experiences and points of iew to create innovative products and how to respond to a growing diverse customer base. It is important for managers to understand diversity does not just imply to ethic or cultural differences but to also people in different age groups, education level, physical ability, economic status and many more. A manager must be able to communicate and manage conflict that arises betwe en an older worker and a younger worker. Managers have to the open about learning about different people in their organization and as a result, the organization will benefit from all the great ideas. As an example, by the end of the month, our organization have scheduled a meeting with diverse managers for a round table discussion to get their ideas on how we can improve our recruitment of diverse leaders into our organizations. We are tapping into their experiences and possible networks to create a process in place instead of searching outside the organization. We also want to understand if they have had opportunities for advancement or professional development to see how we can improve that process. It is not enough to hire diverse leaders if we cannot engage them in the organization, develop them and retain them. We also try to enforce to the organization that it is not the job of just Human Resource’s to own diversity and creating a culture of inclusion, it is everyone’s job. Managing diversity is not just the right thing to do, it makes good business sense. For example, if we do not have a strategy in place to create products and services geared towards the Hispanic population, which is growing at a rapid pace, our competitors who do target this group will experience larger profits. â€Å"Just as the workforce is becoming increasingly diverse, so too are the customers who buy an organization’s goods and services. (Jones, George, 2009) You do not have to be a manager to promote and support diversity. You can do it by your actions and by challenging others and educating them on how diversity makes good business sense and supporting your organization’s diversity efforts. Challenging the Process Good leaders do not just follow procedures and conduct business as usua l. True leaders question why certain procedures are in place and suggest alternative solutions to improve the process. Leaders take the initiative to conduct any research needed to show the proof or the foundation on how to implement a new procedure, present the business case for the change. Leaders have to trust their gut instincts when introducing a new process or a different way of doing things that may not be received with open arms. As an example, when my manager introduced a new diversity scorecard to the senior leadership to hold managers accountable for including diversity efforts into their respective departments, it was not greeted with enthusiasm. It took a few years of her having to â€Å"prove† the business case and showing with data why they had to be consistent with their diversity efforts. As a result, the same leaders who were skeptical are now the ones refusing to interview any candidates for open positions unless they have a diverse candidate slate. Now, three years since injecting diversity into our culture, diversity is included in our bonus achievement plan. As a leader who wants to implement change, you must be persistent and believe that the change you want to make will benefit everyone in the organization and other leaders are also committed in making similar changes within their regions and divisions. â€Å"Leadership isn’t about challenge for the challenge’s sake. It’s not about shaking things up just to keep people on their toes. It’s about challenge for meaning’s sake. † (Kouzes & Posner, 2007) Conclusion Being a leader is much more than holding a leadership title but we become leaders by the decisions we make. We must make a choice to have purpose and passion in our every day lives. We must care about ourselves, employees and the organizations we work for. When we have a purpose and passion about what we do it becomes infectious to others, we become examples and without realizing we are modeling the way for others to see how leaders behave through actions. Leaders must also do what they say they will do in order to be credible with their employees, colleagues and customers. If a leader looses his or her credibility, they will not receive the support he or she will need to implement any necessary changes. Leaders do not only manage ethics but have at the center of their belief system a high regard for human worth and dignity. (Huber, 1998) Their decisions are made based on these values and beliefs which tie in with managing diversity as our world becomes more global. Leaders are made by the decisions we make every day that help make our organizations as successful and competitive as possible. Resources Huber, N (1998). Leading from Within. New York, NY: Krieger. Jones, Gareth R. and George, Jennifer M. (2008) Contemporary Management 6th edition; McGraw-Hill Irwin, N. Y. , N. Y Kouzes, J. , & Posner, B. (2007). The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. McNamara, C. (2008). Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers. Retrieved March, 2009, from Free Management Library Web site: http://managementhelp. org/ethics/ethxgde. htm#anchor39675

Reading Log Brave New World

Who? | Where + When? | What? | Chapter I| Director, students, Henry Foster, Lenina| Central London Hatchery and Conditioning CentreYear A. F. 632| – World State’s motto: ‘Community, Identity Stability’ – The Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning (D. H. C. shows some new arrived students the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre–> introduces them to the principles of the mass production of humans- There are groups of ‘alpha’, ‘beta’, ‘gamma’, ‘delta’ and ‘epsilon’ – Work with the ‘Bokanovsky’s Process’–> one of the major instruments of social stability – Mr Foster, an avid employee, tells the students more about the Centre- The embryos are prepared for their later life and work | Chapter II| Director, students, infants, nurses| Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre (Infant-Nurseries – Neo-Pavlovian Conditi oning Rooms)| – The tour continues in the Infant Nurseries-Neo-Pavlovian Conditioning Rooms –Example of conditioning: low-caste babies are offered books and flowers which they want to reach; suddenly there are loud frightening sirens and the babies get a slight electric shock –> they should learn to associate books and flowers with negative experiences–> lower caste humans are not supposed to read because it is a waste of time and flowers are useless- The Director explains hypnopaedia (sleep-teaching) –> children listen to tapes that permanently repeat slogans about behaviour and attitudes during their sleeps| Chapter III| Director, students, Mustapha Mond, Henry Foster, Lenina, Fanny, Bernard Marx| Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre (outside in the garden), the lift, Girl’s Dressing-Room| – In the garden the students observe children playing erotic games -> they are encouraged to play sexual games-The Directo r tells the group about the suppression of erotic games in former times -> it is incredible to the students- Mustapha Mond, one of the ten rulers, appears and gives a lecture on history -> â€Å"history is bunk† a explains why it was necessary to change the society-> Lenina Crowne and her friend Fanny Crowne talk about men and Lenina’s interest in Bernard Marx, who is said to be strange – Bernard Marx overhears Henry Foster talking with a friend about Lenina -> dislikes the way they talk about women as if they were meat| Chapter IV| Lenina, Bernard, Mr Helmholtz Watson| The lift, Propaganda House, Bernard’s apartment| – Lenina and Bernard meet in a rowded lift and Lenina asks him about their plan to go to the Savage Reservation in New Mexico; Bernard feels embarrassed about that – Bernard is uncertain about Lenina because on the one hand she wants to go on holiday with him and on the other hand she spends much time with Henry Fos ter- Bernard feels to be an outsider –Bernard and his friend Mr Helmholtz Watson meet–> both are an ‘alpha-plus’ and both feel like individuals and for this reason like outsiders | Chapter V| Lenina, Henry, Bernard, other participants,| Helicopter, a club, Henry’s apartment, Fordson Community Singery| Part 1:- Lenina and Henry fly with the helicopter over the Slough Crematorium where corpses are burnt to recover phosphorus which is used as a fertilizer –> even dead people are useful for the society- They talk about how it is like to be an ‘Epsilon’ and come to the conclusion that everyone is happy- In the evening they dine and go to a club together; after that they have sex in Henry’s apartment- ‘Soma’ is served with the coffee after meal–> indispensable for the people in the state, otherwise they can’t feel happyPart 2:- Bernard takes part in a Solidarity Service with eleven other peopl e–> they take ‘soma’, sing hymns and wait for the coming of the ‘Greater Being’-While everyone there enjoys it as a feeling of unity, Bernard feels very isolated| Chapter VI| Bernard, Lenina, Fanny, Director, Helmholtz, a warden| Helicopter, Bernard’s apartment, Director’s room, Savage Reservation| Part 1:- Bernard go to the Woman’s Heavyweight Wrestling Championships in Amsterdam together – They have different ideas of happiness–> Lenina wants to do sports and have fun with ‘soma’, he prefers being alone with her, avoids crowds and refuses ‘soma’ – Bernard wants to be happy in his own individual way and not â€Å"enslaved by his conditioning† – When Bernard realizes that Lenina does not understand him, he takes ‘soma’ and sleeps with herPart 2:- Bernard goes to the D. H. C. to get his permission to enter the Savage Reservation –

Assisted Living Volunteer Experience Reflection

Assisted Living Volunteer Experience Reflection Austina Burton Robert Frost, a famous American poet, wrote, â€Å"Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.† This is an excerpt from one of his most well-known poems, The Road Not Taken. It intends that in making this choice, one is trying to distinguish oneself from the rest of the world by taking the less traveled road, or the less popular decision. This indicates a person who is ready to take a chance, and to face a challenge. This is directly related to the foundation of The Davis Community, where I volunteered at this semester. In 1963, Champion McDowell Davis was a retired railroad executive. He began with a vision to create a positive living environment for aging men and women. This vision inspired him to transform his family’s former peanut plantation into, what is today a 50-acre not-for-profit community, where seniors choose to live (Davis, 2014). The Health Care Center, at The Davis Community, welcomed its first residents in 1966. In 2000, Champions Assisted Living was completed, which added another support service in the Davis Community. In 2010, the Rehabilitation and Wellness Pavilion was added, to provide seniors with a modern fitness center, outpatient therapies, and short-term inpatient care (Davis, 2014). Agency Information The part of the Davis Community I volunteered in was Champion’s Assisted Living. Its exact address is 1007 Porters Neck Rd, Wilmington, NC 28411. The Davis Community campus is located at Porters Neck, on a 50-acre campus (Davis, 2014). It is only a quarter of a mile from the Intracoastal Waterway. The campus is settled in a woodland location with luxury homes, yacht basins, and golf courses in close proximity. Nearby to the property is Plantation Village, an independent, not-for-profit residential community for seniors (Davis, 2014). The Davis Community is only 12 miles from Historic Downtown Wi lmington, and the campus is within easy reach of the Wilmington International Airport and major roadways. Their phone number is 910-686-6462 (Davis, 2014). The person who was my supervisor was the activity director at Champions. Her name is Vicki Hardiman. My orientation was on January 24 th , then I volunteered every Monday since January 27 th . I skipped Monday, March 3 rd because I was on spring break. Then my last day was on April 7 th . What I Did During the orientation, I was welcomed in immediately. I was given a handbook and an application to fill out. There were other volunteers there for an orientation. At the end, we were given a tour of the building. On my first day I painted in the memory care unit, with the memory care patients. I helped a woman named Marilyn. The second day consisted of crafts and bingo, and, on my third day, there was a sing along group that came to perform, and then I helped with bingo. On the fourth day, I got to take control of my own activity be cause the staff was short-handed. I conducted a trivia game for half an hour, with the general population. The fifth day I volunteered consisted of craft time and bingo. On the sixth day, I attended craft time in memory care, and then I got to bake cookies. On the seventh day I volunteered, I got to watch a woman play the piano and sing, then I helped during bingo. The eighth day was really fun. I got to help Vicki do a trivia game, and then help with bingo. On my last day, I set up the recreation room for bingo, then helped get residents to the homeschooled children’s play on the second floor.

The root of poor and segregate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The root of poor and segregate - Essay Example However, despite the perceived tolerance and acceptance of White Americans towards the Blacks, as well as the immigrant and minority groups, there were still some issues which counteract the implementation of anti-discriminatory laws, and even let racism remain subtly within the society. Factors such as maintenance of stereotypes not just by law enforcers but also by policy-makers and the mass media caused many problems such as the failure of the minority groups to become fully integrated and accepted into the society, which further separates them from others, causing increased intolerance to them and even creating the wrong impressions, as well as lesser work and development opportunities. These are known to be risk factors in creating impoverished, violent, and crime-laden neighborhoods among communities which are majorly composed of ethnic minorities (Haller 755). Thus, the roots of prevailing poverty, lack of complete racial integration and high rates of unfinished education in r acially-segregated communities are not just due to the loopholes of the anti-racial discrimination policies and laws, but are also due to deeply-seated racial discrimination against immigrants and blacks by the whites, as well as the inaccurate representation of the correlation between the violence and poverty rates among the segregated and majorly ethnic communities. Factors in the Prevalence of Poverty and Large Numbers of Uneducated Youth After doing community surveys in different areas in the state, researchers found out that lesser work opportunities are given to members of the black Americans and Hispanic immigrants due to perceived negative stereotypes, as compared to members of the white communities. Prevailing stereotypes were incorrectly attributed to the concentration of immigrants and influx of foreigners due to many people assuming that these minority groups chose to live in impoverished and disorganized communities, and subsequently committing crimes in these areas (Sa mpson 30). There is also the increase of areas with low employment rates because of the preference of employers of highly-skilled laborers over unskilled labor, which greatly affected many minority groups, especially those that have high numbers of people that were not able to finish high school (Niemonen 21). The high percentages of minority groups that drop out of high school are said to have been attributed to the problem of covert segregation between communities that prevent the integration of multicultural students, as well as the limited number of such children to enter the institution. Also, letting the parents of the students decide how the schools must operate (e.g. Anglo-Saxon parents have greater power in deciding whether to let their children stay in culturally-diverse schools or not, and taking their children out if no actions in favor of their choice are taken), the lack of the federal or state government to address the needs of these children such as the lack of bilin gual teachers for the children of immigrants, decrease in the appropriation of funds due to the perceived state of the community where the schools are located (e.g. poverty-stricken and high incidences of crime), and the creation of

DIRECTORIAL COLLAGE and CASTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DIRECTORIAL COLLAGE and CASTING - Essay Example She finally gets lost in the street as she looks for something that she cannot even remember. Sometimes, we can choose to let other people to fight for our rights, like the people airing their problems and opinions to the governor to be at times we choose to sit in the back seat and readily let other people control our lives while others choose to take the bull by horns like the one contesting to be the next governor of the state. He sees a chance to make a change and difference in his own life and grabs it with both hands. Sometimes in life we want to go with flow, we want to imitate and be like the individuals we see on the television. The gym instructor makes a living out of trying to make people to look like the advertisements on the television. This can lead you onto a world that doesn’t exist since most of what we see on the television and advertisements is not real. Attention can also be very soothing to the soul, and that is why the girl at the party wishes she could get all the attention and somehow feels like she is dead when nobody is listening to

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Assignment Example The means used to fight include the media propaganda, Soviet propaganda, American propaganda and space race. The essay is going to define the presidential doctrine and summarize the global events during the Cold War leading to the formation of the presidential doctrine and describe the Cold War relationship that existed between Korea and the U.S before the presidential doctrine was announced. The paper will also describe the effects that the presidential doctrine has on the global affairs since it was announced during the Cold War and assess whether or not the presidential doctrine had the intended effect of altering the behavior of the Korea since the doctrine was first announced. Colucci (2012) stated that a presidential doctrine comprises of attitudes and key goals outlined by the president of a nation and most of the doctrines are related to the cold war. The global event that led to the formation of the presidential doctrine is the attack on Egypt by Israeli, British and French military forces because Gamal Nasser the Egyptian leader had taken hold of the Suez Canal. Watson (2003) stated that the Unite States of America withdrew their support in the construction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile River because of Nasser’s anti- Western nationalism and his close relationship with the Soviet Union. In response to the war that was happening in Egypt, President Dwight Eisenhower asked for authorization to start new programs of military and economic cooperation with friendly nations around the region. President Eisenhower also requested for the use of U.S troops to protect and secure the political independence and territorial integrity of nations that were fr iendly in the region. Lee (2013) stated that House of Representatives and the United States Senate supported the proposal of Eisenhower although some individuals were not happy with the open-ended policy for American action in the Middle

Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Human Rights - Essay Example It has been argued that the interpretation of human rights owes too much to the Western view of rights (Bromley & Smith p 537, 2004) which is capitalist based and framed in thelight of â€Å"power, domination and subjection† (Brown et al., 2004). Other areas call upon definitions which relate to family and religious values in contrast to those of the whole nation state. This concept is also part of human rights in some Asian countries where the individual is less important than the family or religion. In some Muslim countries also, human rights operate separately and equally for both men and women (Prokhovnik p 244, 2004) Some of he most important theories and models which have been developed to account for the interactions between human rights and culture now follow. Although models are useful as a framework for manipulating the variables in postulating or explaining a theory they cannot handle the complexities required for a full understanding; theories give a fuller picture .To cosmopolitans rights are universal, and individuals as well as nation states must be able to enjoy – and distribute – the application of justice in countries outside their own state as they do within it. For cosmopolitans the international scene belongs to the public – all nations – and therefore is capable of functioning as a form of governance in its own right; this leads to the concept of a form of global order with an array of institutions which transcend states. Within this global structure is the UN Security Council.

Midterm Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Midterm Paper - Essay Example Sheiks, on the other hand, were young men with ukeleles, racoon coats, and bell-bottom trousers. Therefore it is correct to deduce that music plays a major role in the development of fashion trends. In the early 1910s, there arose a craze for orientalism after the performance of Rimsky Korsakovs Scheherazade in Paris by the Ballets Russes. Paul Poiret, a couturier, was the first to bring orientalism to the fashion industry. It marked the end of the tight corsets and the birth of clothing that was less restrictive. It is during this era that the harem pants were created. Harem pants are long and baggy trousers that are caught in at the ankle. Harem pants were also called harem skirts and were inspired by styles from the Middle East. Poiret is credited as the person who single-handedly invented trousers for women. At inception, harem pants were quite popular with the public because they offered more comfort and eased mobility1. However, Poirets sense of fashion was not a unanimous hit. Critics looked down upon the pants often referring to them as indecent and immoral. The critics’ views were based on the conventional beliefs that it was unnatural for Western women at that time to put on trousers. In contrast, the designer insisted that he only designed them to flatter the full image of the chic woman. The pants also liberated the fashion limitations of the Western women. Poiret’s new fashion trend consequently influenced Paquin, another couturier, and one of Poirets worst critics. Other designers who also invented trousers for women include: Jeanne Margarine Lacroix, and Bourniche2. Sheherazade was composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888. It is based on pictures from One Thousand and One Nights, sometimes known as the â€Å"Arabian Nights† as well as other unconnected episodes. Considered the composers most popular work, it combines a bright and dazzling orchestration, and a unique interest in

Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Case Analysis - Essay Example I look up to him because he does things which are practical and does not boast about them at all. He is a well-behaved man who does not say anything which is below his level (Stewart-Sicking 2008). His personality is so dignified that people want to remain close to him and get snapped with him. He is an excellent orator who can speak for countless hours, without any script. Obama is ideal for me because I envision success if I follow him in the most literal sense. He started his life with a purpose to set things right around him, and this is exactly what he is doing at the very present. The best thing about him is that he believes in himself which inspires me endlessly. It gives me strength and confidence to know that the most powerful man in the world can be so relaxing in his personality and connect with people on a one to one level (Rist 2001). As far as I am concerned, an ideal virtuous person is one who believes in the people he lives or works with. Obama’s example is no different. He knows what the American populace is all about and how it can give its very best even in the most trying of circumstances and situations. Obama is a living legend because he has changed beliefs of the people worldwide. He has lived a life that is filled with struggle yet done his very best to take care of the American people. He has met world’s leaders with the same amount of zest that he shows for commoners. This is such a huge aspect of his personality that puts the celebrities to shame (Thiroux 2009). Even though he is regarded as one of the best visionaries in the modern world, he has remained humble in his plans all along. Obama has however made it clear to everyone that he means business when he takes charge of his office everyday. I adore his personality with each passing day as Obama is the symbol of modern world. He is one leader and indeed one individual whom I can safely regard as the most ideal virtuous

Injectronics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Injectronics - Essay Example The initials IM stand for innovative mechatronics. This was the new name that was taken up since the year 2012. The merger involved four organizations namely RAE ignition and sensors, DAT equipment, Injectronics and MAP- mechatronic auto parts. Initially, Injectronics used to remanufacture and repair automotive products for resale. They then started manufacturing of automotive equipment and also embarked on extensive testing equipment to ensure they have the widest range of products in stock ready for sale. They were the first automotive company in the southern hemisphere to be given ISO 9001 accreditation. The IM group has lived up to the same expectations regardless of the mergers and still remains the only automotive organization in the southern hemisphere that is ISO certified. The remanufacturing process follows the step of a customer trading in already used automotive equipment or perhaps even a car. This equipment will be remanufactured and then the customer will be able to pu rchase the remanufactured equipment or new equipment depending on their choice. The MAP (mechatronic auto parts) is a new and exciting brand that was recently added to the IM group; it is aimed at providing unique and high quality automotive products to the southern hemisphere. ... These key rubbers usually do not have a replacement but the MAP products effectively do the trick. These products come with a duly explained replacement user manual thereby making it easy for the user to change. RAE ignition and sensors is another branch of the IM group, which deals with ignitions and sensors. They present different ignitions for various makes of vehicles in the industry, which are ISO certified. These are also replacements for defective or faulty ignitions and sensor systems. The Injectronics branch of IM group continues the initial trade of the original Injectronics. This is the initial business of buying of used automotive parts and selling of new automotive parts. DAT equipment is yet another branch of the IM group that deals with automobile diagnostics. Such equipment includes gadgets that show faults or confirm the state of vehicle parts and their efficiency. Equipments are electronically tested, with ignition spark tester being an excellent example. This elect rically checks for the ignition sparks performance. All the above products of the IM group have played a big role in finding the break -even point for the firm thereby making it continuously viable. The emergence of the above subsidiaries led to a lot of change in the market share for the firm; this played a big role in making top-level management to change the company name from Injectronics to the name Innovative mechatronics. The name innovative mechanics well suits the organization as it only deals with a very special niche in the automotive field. Not many automotive companies are exploiting the above niche, which is well favored by the Australian population. IM group however, also exports her products to other countries. This is also another avenue of

The conscience is the voice of reason Essay Example for Free

The conscience is the voice of reason Essay Critically assess the claim that conscience is the voice of reason. [35] The origin of the conscience is much debated by both secular and religious beliefs. One may insist that the conscience is the voice of reason and this can be supported by Aquinas’ belief in the recta ratio. One may however discuss that the conscience is the voice of God, supported b y the Butler and Newman, or is influenced mainly by society, parents or authority figures, usually supported by secular views. This essay will critically asses these claims. Aquinas believed that the conscience is the right reason (recta ration) and this reason is central to moral life to aid the conscience in choosing right from wrong. If man can use reason correctly, in line with the conscience, then it can help us to understand what it is God sees as good. We must use reason to what is good as some may perform bad actions due to faulty reasoning and thus commit sins; for example this is seen in the event of the man who slept with another man’s wife believing that is was his own wife and thus did not believe he was committing a sin. As this is faulty reasoning, the conscientia helps to distinguish between right and wrong. Along with the Synderesis rate it is vital for making moral decisions. Aquinas states that the conscience is the voice of reason as it enables man to fully assess good actions before taking them. Others if religious belief may argue that the conscience is the voice of God rather than the voice of reason. Both Newman and Butler argue that the conscience is the actual voice of God and thus makes us different from animals. As the conscience is seen as God-given, it is understandable for one to also believe that it must be his voice, and that by following our conscience we are effectively following divine law. Believing this, Newman went on to say that man must also use reason to enable man to decide what God’s voice guides man towards. For Newman, God’s voice gives moral direction and for us to recognise the goodness of the Pope’s teachings, we must recognise this if from both his understanding of Biblical teachings and his understanding of the voice of God: ‘I toast the Pope, but I toast the conscience first’. Newman’s reasoning to believe that the conscience is the voice of God outweighs the belief that it is purely the voice of reason and consequently disagrees with the beginning statement. To reason and rationalise makes man different from animals and thus one may argue that the conscience is the voice of this reason, however Butler believes that it is the voice of God which man must then apply reason to. As the ultimate authority in moral judgements, one may argue that it must be given that it must be given by the ultimate authority in the universe: God. It is ‘our natural guide, the guide assigned to us by the author of our nature’ that author is God and his voice will guide man to make the right decisions. For instance as man is motivated by both self-love and benevolence, as a benevolent God He will guide man away from selfish love and towards a benevolent society that will ultimately focus on happiness. As God’s purpose for man is to reach eudemonia it is understandable why Butler and Newman may believe that it is God’s voice that guides us towards this through the conscience. A secular approach may deny Aquinas’ belief that the conscience is the voice of reason (given by God) and Newman/Butler’s belief that it is the voice of God. For thinkers like Fromm, Freud and Piaget the conscience is instilled by society, authority figures and parents. Fromm believed that the society and authority around us from a young age, influences man to believe that if society accepts/denies something then this is likely to be right/wrong; this is the authoritarian conscience. Like Piaget, Fromm believed that this influence of beliefs and morals will be internalised over time. Piaget and Kohlberg believed that it is the authority figures in our life, most specifically our parents, which will influence the morals of our conscience. Between the ages of 5 and 10 our conscience is still immature and under the influence of our parents, to shows us the punishments for rules being broken; Heteronomous. From the age of 10 we gain Autonomous morality, as this initial teaching of morals and influence of the conscience is replaced with the child developing their own understanding of morals. It is clear that the ‘voice of reason’ in the conscience is in fact the voice of authority figures in society, and the voice of our parents prescribing their beliefs onto their children, therefore Fromm, Piaget ad Kohlberg disagree with the statement. Rather than parents and authority figures dictating the morals of man, under Piaget and Fromm, Freud argues that the conscience is the product of the mind that will be influenced by the values of the society they live in. Man’s personality is made from the Super-ego, ego and the id; the super-ego specifically sets moral codes that are given by outside influences. This understanding of the conscience rejects the idea that the conscience is the voice of reason but rather the implementation of a variety of outside secular influences, ranging from parents and teachers to society as a whole. If societies hold different morals, then the use of reasoning (given by God) cannot be implemented universally as this is proven to be insufficient. Though all of mankind possess reason it is the influences of outside agencies that allows man to use the ‘conscience’ in line with what they have been taught as right and wrong; therefore it cannot be the voice of reason. By discussing Aquinas’ support for claiming that the conscience is the voice of reason and analysing it with the concept of the conscience being the voice of God, viewed by Newman and Butler, and the concept that it is instilled by society, viewed mainly by those of secular beliefs. From this one may finally come to the conclusion that the conscience is not the voice of reason. Although it is still much debated, it is clear through history that society and authority figures play a major role in deciding what is morally right or wrong. In addition to Fromm’s authoritarian conscience there is the negative authoritarian conscience that misleads groups of people into doing sinful things; for example the Rwanda genocide in 1994. If all mankind posses reason how can one truly believe that the killing of innocents is the best thing for society.

The Charter of Rights and Free

The Charter of Rights and Freedom and its Affect on Canada Essay The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights granted constitutional status that was introduced in the Constitution Act of 1982 by Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. The Constitution Act is also known as the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution. The Charter had several purposes; the first is â€Å"to outline and guarantee the political rights of Canadian citizens, as well as the civil rights of anyone who is residing on the territory of Canada† (The Canadian Charter. 1). Secondly, â€Å"It balances the rights of legislatures and courts through the ‘notwithstanding’ clause, which gives the federal and provincial parliaments limited powers to override court decisions â€Å", while section 2 of the bill enshrines the freedom of the press, allowing the media to release controversial reports without fear of the state (Ibbitson. 2012). Thirdly, it criminalized discrimination in society, government rulings and the judicial system and provides a set of ethical principles for all Canadians to follow, while promoting equality throughout the country. Social discrimination was widespread in Canada at the turn of the 20th Century. Many groups were discriminated against such as minorities and women. This was evident through the introduction of Clifford Sifton’s head tax, the â€Å"enemy aliens† and unbalanced gender equality between men and women. The first step in any change is to identify the problem. During the Holocaust of WWII the discrimination of Jewish people led to a mass genocide of 6 million people. After this affair it was realized that boundaries must be put in place to insure that basic human rights are respected. It was this idea that gave birth to the UN Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. In Canada the declaration paved paths for more government action regarding social and political discrimination, an example being the predecessor of the Charter, the Canadian Bill of Rights of 1960. This bill was introduced by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and granted similar rights to the citizens of Canada. The difference between the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Bill, is that the Bill of Rights could be contested by the government and judicial system whenever anyone sees fit, which gave room for discrimination in government and court rulings. The catalyst to the creation of the Charter was the re-election of Pierre Trudeau and the Quebec Referendum. Prime Minister Trudeau was Canada’s first socialist prime minister, he was heavily influenced by the socialist European culture from the years he spent studying there. Trudeau’s most famous saying was a â€Å"Just Society†. â€Å"The Just Society will be a united Canada, united because all of its citizens will be actively involved in the development of a country where equality of opportunity is ensured and individuals are permitted to fulfill themselves in the fashion they judge best† (Trudeau. 968). During the Quebec Referendum when Quebec’s separatist movement was at its peak, the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution and the enactment of French language and French education rights (which is included in the Charter) were pieces of his platform to halt the referendum and part of his plan for a â€Å"Just Society†. After the refere ndum was rejected Trudeau kept true to his word and appealed the Constitution and enshrined the Charter of Rights and Freedom within it. The Charter of Rights and Freedom was a defining moment in Canada’s history as it protected women and homosexuals from discrimination and allowed them to establish an identity. Its creation also shows our country’s commitment to equality, human rights and social justice. The Charter changed Canada’s view on sexuality, gender equality and homophobia; it paved a path for the second wave of the feminist movement, helped legalize abortion, removed barriers for gay marriage and completely redefined the definition of marriage throughout Canada. Abortion was an extremely controversial topic throughout the 1900’s and the reason why free abortion is available in this country is because of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Before the 1969 and the passing of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, abortion was considered a criminal offense and no access to it was allowed. The right to having an abortion also brought along questions on gender roles and equality; as men were not restricted to what they could or could not do with their bodies. The catalyst to the Free Abortion Movement was the Sexual Revolution of the 1960’s in the USA, which due to their proximity to Canada also had an effect on our society. The revolution was the beginning to contraception, the acceptance of casual sex and sexual liberation. Along with these boundaries breaking changes also brought the legalization of abortion. The biggest push towards free abortion from within our country was the work of a man named Henry Morgentaler. Dr. Henry Morgentaler was a general practitioner in Montreal, who specialized in family planning. He was one of the first Canadian doctors to prescribe birth control and perform sterilization. In 1967, he presented a case before the House of Common Health and Welfare regarding illegal abortions and women’s rights to safe abortion, but was swiftly dismissed. The public reacted quickly to his stance on this issue, and he began to receive requests from desperate women to perform abortions. Morgentaler initially responded with a sympathetic â€Å"no†, but after he realized the life-risking extent that these women were willing to go to for an abortion, he chose personal values over civil obedience and began performing illegal abortions. His bravery and determination was the catalyst to the second wave of the feminist movement and kick started the right to legal abortions for all women in Canada. The section of the Charter of Rights and Freedom that was most significant to the Free Abortion Movement was section 7. Section 7 of the Charter states â€Å"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice† (The Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 982). Before the Charter, in 1969 a law was passed that stated â€Å"a child can only be aborted if the life or health of a woman was threatened† and must be verified by a three-doctor hospital committee (Egan. 1998). But after the creation of the charter which granted woman the right to life or to make choices, such as â€Å"whether a woman had made a choice to get pregnant, continue a pregnancy, or end a pregnancy, or, framed differently, to have an abortion, or not have an abortion† (Downie. 2008). If the woman in question had not made the decision to become pregnant or even consented to the act of intercourse, then denying her right to having an abortion would violate the Charter and her right to live. Secondly, by limiting a woman access to medical services and forcing her to carry and support a fetus is an invasion of her right to security and a violation of the Charter. Thirdly, one of the reasons abortion is illegalized in many countries is because in many religions the act of protecting the fetus is sacred, causing many religious government fficers to implement bias laws against allowing abortion due to their beliefs. The charter states that all people have the freedom of belief and religion; if the individual does not believe in the practice of protecting the fetus then they should be allowed to make their decision accordingly. Lastly, the final verdict given by a judge on the Morgentaler case was: â€Å"The decision whether to terminate a pregnancy is essentially a mor al decision, a matter of conscience. I do not think there is or can be any dispute about that. The question is: whose conscience? Is the conscience of the woman to be paramount or the conscience of the state? I believe, for the reasons I gave in discussing the right to liberty, that in a free and democratic society it must be the conscience of the individual. † (Wilson. 1988) If the right to liberty was not given then the outcome of this significant case would be much different and women may have never been granted the right to free abortion. The changes that the Charter brought to the lives of pregnant woman were paramount. It not only allowed them to make choices with their body, but it also brought them closer in gender equality with men (as they were not longer restricted in bodily integrity) and paved a path for future changes in the lives of women. Until the re-election of socialist Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1980 and enactment the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, homophobia was very common in Canada at the turn of the 20th century. Before 1970, homosexuality was seen as a criminal offense and anyone accused of homosexual acts was charged as a sexual offender. Similarly to the Free Abortion movement catalyst to the Gay Rights Movement was also the Sexual Revolution of the 1960’s and the re-election of Pierre Trudeau. Likewise to Morgentaler, there is also an extremely significant person to the rise of homosexual rights, Everett George Klippert. Klippert was mistakenly suspected of arson and was detained by the RCMP in August 1965. During his questioning he admitted that he was homosexual and had conducted several sexual acts with throughout the last 24 years. Though it was proven that Klippert was not involved in the arsonist case, the court because of his sexual activities had charged him with 6 counts of â€Å"gross indecency†. This sentence was seen as extremely unfair and cruel. Trudeau, who was the Prime Minister at the time, responded with this statement: â€Å"Take this thing on homosexuality, I think the view we take here is that there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation, and I think what’s done in private between adults doesn’t concern the Criminal Code. When it becomes public this is a different matter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Trudeau. 967) And within six weeks of this statement Trudeau had created and passed the Criminal Law Amendment Act, which decriminalized homosexuality. This act along with the Charter of Rights and Freedom gave Canadians the gift of same-sex marriage. After the acknowledgement of same-sex marriage in 1969, it was pointed out that the traditional â€Å"one man/one woma n† biological requirement was not fulfilled. This difference led to the Canadian government denying same-sex partners the same benefits of the law as heterosexual partners. But later this is revoked, as the term â€Å"minorities† expressed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms extends to include analogous minorities therefore all federal and provincial discrimination against same-sex couples must be overwritten. Secondly, â€Å"The Charter of Rights and Freedoms introduced in Canada in 1982 prohibits discrimination against homosexual couples on the basis of sexual orientation to counter the Canadian federal law which denies marital status to the group, thus depriving them of the federal privileges allowed to heterosexuals†(Findlay. 5). Later in 1999 because of sexual orientation becoming a form of discrimination, the Supreme Court of Canada pronounced that same-sex partners now legally have the same rights and benefits as common-law couples. Lastly, at the turn of the 20th century one of the most dominant religions in Canada was Christianity. The Christian religion did not accept the idea of homosexuality, and because this belief was so do minant at the time, it created bias laws and discriminated against gay citizens of Canada. Until the creation of the Charter which granted the right to religion and personal beliefs, there was no way to argue against this religious discrimination. Finally in 2003 the Ontario Court of Appeal stated that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the definition of marriage violated equality rights under the Charter. Without the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, homosexuals would not have the rights and acceptance in society as they do in the present day. The Charter completely redefined the meaning of marriage and gave homosexuals the ability to bind themselves to their loved ones with not only their body and soul, but also with vows and aws. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms was a defining moment in Canada’s history because it protected women and homosexuals from discrimination and gave them several fundamental freedoms that they did not possess before. Women finally gained the right to control their own bodies, and homosexuals received the freedom to love who they wish, without hiding it. The Charter really placed Canada on the map as a place of freedom and expression, perhaps even more so than our neighbor â€Å"The Land of the Free†. It geared Canada on a path to what it is today, a place of diversity, tolerance and the land of the â€Å"The True North Strong and Free.

Cost Analysis Within The Zara Company Marketing Essay

Cost Analysis Within The Zara Company Marketing Essay Describe how Zara uses technology to improve operational responsiveness to customer expectations, and at the same time to reduce costs in certain areas. Zaras main strategy is to give a quick answer to end consumer demands and anticipate consumer trends through information technology and human resources. It operates on the basis of heavy backward vertical integration, working its way from the end consumer all the way back to the manufacturing and distribution. It ensures a very tight control of production through simple and effective IT systems as well as a high tech distribution center (DC.) It realizes cost optimization on its basic items for production and also time optimization in terms of speed to market of its fashion items making use of technology. Zara adapted to trends and differences across markets by interacting regularly with the store managers using the PDA and phone systems to get updates on customer feedback, fashion sense etc. The Point of Sale system (POS) in the store computers also provided valuable sales data to the distribution center which had a mobile tracking system that docked hanging garments in appropriate bar coded areas. The various garments were given Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and orders were placed from the hand-held computers in the stores twice a week or more, to the distribution center where if particular items were in short supply, allocation decisions were made on the basis of historical sales levels and other considerations. After the orders were approved, the warehouse issued lists for delivery to the stores. Zara design teams tracked customer preferences and used sales information such as sales analysis, store trends and product life cycle information from the store managers, based on a consumption information system to transmit repeat orders and new designs to internal/external suppliers and the DC. The design teams thereby bridged merchandising and the backend of the production process and they developed the right products within the season to meet consumer demands. Zaras product development teams attended high fashion fares and exhibitions to translate the latest seaso nal trends into the designs. Hence, a super fast rate of operational responsiveness to customers was maintained and the DC was more of a place to merchandise than merely for storage. Technology also helped keep Zaras costs under control. By using the POS systems in store computers, handheld PDA devices for store managers and phone systems, accurate information regarding orders required were transmitted to the DC. The SKUs ensured accuracy in terms of which products needed to be produced and in what quantities and the DCs could use all this information and feedback from the design teams to make orders of the right quantity of each kind of product. Thus, inventory costs were very low, runs were limited and production costs were maintained at very manageable levels in spite of the large number of new items that are continuously produced. Zaras factories were also heavily automated, specialized by garment type and focused on the capital intensive parts of the production process, like pattern design and cutting as well as final finishing and inspection. A Just-in-time system was installed in collaboration with Toyota in these factories and this helped in faster comple tion of work and controlling of costs through continuous improvement processes. Management Information System technology plays a crucial role in Zaras customer responsiveness and cost control measures. From what you see in the case, does Zara price to market or on the basis of other factors? Zara always followed a market based pricing method. In each country, Zara always placed more focus on the market prices (local pricing levels) rather than on its own costs to forecast prices of items in particular markets. These forecasts were later overlaid on cost estimates that included all considerations such as distance, tariffs, and taxes and so on to see whether the potential market could achieve profitability in a year or two of opening the first store. Zara followed a different pricing strategy in each country, for example, in Italy and Paris the focus was more quality oriented and so the price of the same items were much higher, however, in Germany where consumers are price sensitive the items were lesser priced. This figured in the different marketing strategy followed in each country. Zara controlled its costs through its production and distribution processes and was positioned in many countries as high fashion at affordable prices which though were centrally determined, much lower than competitor prices for comparable products in its major markets. Percentage margins still held up, this was possible because of the direct efficiencies of short, vertically integrated supply chain, reduced advertising costs, and markdown requirements. Thus Zara competed at reasonable prices through a cost leadership strategy, completing Porters generic strategy through differentiated products and broad segmentation. Zaras customers in many countries bore the extra costs of supplying the items from Spain though the prices were market based, for example, prices were 40% higher in Northern Europe and 70% higher in the Americas than in Spain. This could be seen on the garments price tag which was an atlas to the customers. These higher prices outside Spain affected Zaras positioning overseas as high end instead of mid market range products to better validate the price differences. Like in Mexico where the target consumer base is narrow, it is geared towards the upper and middle class that knows fashion. Moreover, as in Europe, the artificial scarcity that Zara creates of its products in its stores urge the customers to pay the price and buy rather than wait it out. Markdowns are very low for Zara in Europe and elsewhere, 15-20% of its sales as compared to 30-40% for its European peers. Zara does not completely compete on basis of price as the usual Zara customer is not that price sensitive; instead, it competes on fashion and its quick response capability. Zara (2010) has just launched an on-line, e-retail distribution service.     For an apparel retailer what are the advantages and disadvantages of online distribution?   Can Zara make it work? Inditex has long used the internet to promote its various lines and corporate image and is also popular on Facebook, where it has 4.5m fans. Its Smartphone application, launched about a year ago, has been downloaded by 2m people. Zara can very easily make its online e-retail distribution service work successfully. Familiarity with the Zara stores thus provides name recognition for the online retail site, and the combination of customer data gathered by the store and the online retail site (through Google Analytics, for example) could lead to substantial personalized marketing efforts, using various channels. With Zaras policy of a lean advertising budget, an online retail portal will add greatly in terms of branding and awareness. Zara had initially decided not to sell clothes on the internet since the returns rates were too high. However, as of September 2010, Inditex put Zara branded products online for its customers, waiting for online demand to build. Customers can choose from the usual range of paying methods and opt either for a free store pick-up or paid-for postal delivery. The online return and exchange policy is identical to the store system, with shoppers given 30 days to change their minds. iPhone and iPad applications that allowed purchasing will soon be available and online sales will help Zara reach potential customers who have no easy access to physical stores. For an apparel retailer, the advantages of online distribution would be providing convenience to the shoppers to buy from the comfort of their home, save on travel time and costs and have easy access to the products. Customers will have 24 hour access to the shopping platform online and make better buying decisions through online chat and discussion. Researchers identify convenience as a fundamental objective related to online shopping (Schaupp Belanger, 2005). This is relevant to 72% of online shoppers claim that they would rather surf online than go to retail store to attain information about a product (Lokken et al., 2003). Costs on human resources (Vendors, shop assistants, managers) can be saved by the retailer and customers can make relaxed wise buy decisions without pressure from vendors. Infinite shelf space will be available in that, products available at all store locations and around the world without geographical boundaries, to the customers to choose from. Comparison sh opping in terms of styles and prices will be easier on the online portal than in the store for the consumer. Boston Consulting Group analysts Evans and Wurster theorize that the three main strategic draws of online retail are reach, affiliation and richness. Reach is defined as access and connection: how many customers a business can access and how many products it can offer. Moreover, a retailers range of product offerings was traditionally limited by the size of its stores and the cost of carrying inventory while online retailers as intermediaries between customers and suppliers need not necessarily have an inventory at all, only a catalog, often transparent to the customer. Affiliation refers to whose interests are represented by the online retailer who can treat the products from their various vendors more objectively, providing more objective information and better product comparisons for their customers. Richness refers to the depth and detail of information, about products and about customers. Evans and Wurster argue that traditional retailers still are at an advantage to supply expe rt information about products to their customers, and that they also are still in a better position to gather information about product sales and customer profiles and buying patterns. Online retailers are quickly catching up, however, gathering data about customer browsing behavior, purchasing history, and demographics. Online retailers are subsequently able to use this data to provide their customers with a fully customized online shopping environment, including individualized web pages, targeted ads and offers, and specific product suggestions, something traditional retailers cannot effectively do at their retail outlets. Some of the disadvantages of online retail would be the difficulty to gather trend information, product sales and customer suggestions. Zara could remedy this by using analytics and customer feedback forms online that are user friendly and attractive. The experience of shopping in a Zara store would be lost, but Zara would need to make its retail platform very interactive and spellbinding. Zaras prime store locations cost a lot of investment, and the advent of online shopping could mean cannibalization of its retail outlet sales and a waste of upkeep costs, this could put Zara into a fix. Customers will not be able to touch and try the product like they can in an actual store, [t]he likelihood of purchasing on the Internet decreases with increases in product risk (Bhatnagar, Misra, Rao, 20000, p. 100). Apparels in particular had negative rating in online shopping because of it is difficult to feel and see the texture of colour online that is incomparable to going to a retail store. The biggest drawback itself would be the concept of infinite shelf space that an online distribution will bring, for Zara. Being a company that thrives on the creation of artificial scarcity of its products, the online distribution channel will have to be very carefully controlled to ensure that customers buy the products with the same fervour as when they visit the store, knowing that it might not be available the following week. Zara can remedy this situation by advertising only a limited number of units of each product online so customers will know if the numbers are dwindling and that they need to act fast in order to acquire the product just as in the case of the actual store.

The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter :: The Light in the Forest

The Light in the Forest Conrad Richter presents a historic fictional work describing the colonial frontier in The Light in the Forest.   True Son, born as John Butler, was captured by the Lenni Lenape Indians at the age of four.   He was adopted by them and raised as the son of their chief, Cuyloga.   He became a part of the Indian culture.   Later the Indians made a treaty with the whites and all white captives were to be returned to their people, including 15-year-old True Son.   However, True Son had learned to hate the white men and their ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Light in the Forest "enlightened" me in various ways.   It illustrates the spiritual relationship between Indians and nature as contrasted to the whites attitude.   Indians live with nature, appreciating its beauty and enjoying its comfort while whites' seem to ignore the beauty and value nature only according to its productive usefulness.   In The Light in the Forest, whites, for example, cut down the forest and clear land for farming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I also was intrigued with how True Son spoke of his mother the Earth, his uncle the Moon, and his brother-in-law the Wind.   In today's society we seem to concentrate on technology, while such oneness with nature is almost non-existent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As an author, Conrad Richter appears to be a skilled writer.   I found numerous strengths and only two weaknesses.   One strength was his use of strong visual images.   "What he hungered for most was the sight of an Indian face again-his father's, deep red, shaped like a hawk's, used to riding the wind, always above the earth, letting nothing small or of the village disturb him-his mother's, fresh and brown yet indented with great arching cheek wrinkle born of laughing and smiling, framing the mouth, and across the forehead, horizontal lines like the Indian sign of lightning, not from laughing but from war and talk of war, from family cares and the strain of labor-and his sister's smooth young moon faces, not pale and sickly like the faces of white girls, but the rich blooming brown of the earth, their lively black eyes looking out from under the blackest and heaviest of hair, always wit touches of some bright red cl oth that set them off and made them handsome" (p. 53).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, Richter chooses point of view wisely.   He writes in omniscient point of view, but concentrates on True Son or Del Hardy, balancing the readers knowledge of both Indian and white life styles.

Dickinsons The Spider holds a Silver Ball Essay -- Dickinson analysis

Dickinson's The Spider holds a Silver Ball Paradox baffles and inspires thinkers because it wipes out the greatest of conclusions, puts us intimately in touch with the very nature of inexplicable feeling, both simultaneously implodes and explodes the mind, and of course induces a certain sensation, as Dickinson puts it, â€Å"as if the top of my head were taken off.† It seems to me that in art this is the fix we desire, where sensation obliterates logic. Dickinson's poetry is one of the few places I have so far found the paradoxic tendency so profoundly expressed. Therefore, I will take up the notion of paradoxic tension created by Dickinson, her method of dealing with the inner and the outer, expansion and contraction, the creation and destruction of boundary, and the mysterious ways in which these things interact, especially through the symbol of the spider. In â€Å"The Spider holds a Silver Ball,† the spider, as creator, as weaver, contains â€Å"In unperceived Hands† (2) a glimmering medium of magic. From this silver ball, creation spins outward. The spider, viewed as poet, weaves outward from the center of inspiration. The hands are both somehow there and not there as they delicately â€Å"unwind† this intangeble yet â€Å"Silver† mass. The description of the invisible in physical terms characterizes one method by which Dickinson weaves paradox. The idea of the spider â€Å"dancing† portrays an outward movement, but Dickinson with a few words suddenly makes this action inward and private: â€Å"dancing softly to Himself† (3). The first stanza confirms the portrait of an â€Å"unperceived† artist performing her art outwardly and we find a sense of what art means to Dickinson—an outward gesture which originates in some unknown, private and inner pl... ...rtist accomplishes informing herself of the inexplicable nature of the mind through the â€Å"strategy† of â€Å"physiognomy† (8-9) or revealing the inner aspects outwardly. Dickinson reveals the intangible through physical means; her language uses hard images such as the spider and the silver ball to outwardly communicate the boundless capacity of inner emotion and feeling. In the process she must create boundary, it is the only way to explain the unexplainable feelings with which the mind occupies itself; however, her next move is to destroy the very boundaries that she creates, showing just where and how these feelings originate, bringing them back. Physiognomy is clearly the Dickinson strategy, and it is that last line of â€Å"A Spider sewed at Night† that Dickinson stands up and proclaims, I am the spider and the spider is me and we are both everything and nothing—so there. Dickinson's The Spider holds a Silver Ball Essay -- Dickinson analysis Dickinson's The Spider holds a Silver Ball Paradox baffles and inspires thinkers because it wipes out the greatest of conclusions, puts us intimately in touch with the very nature of inexplicable feeling, both simultaneously implodes and explodes the mind, and of course induces a certain sensation, as Dickinson puts it, â€Å"as if the top of my head were taken off.† It seems to me that in art this is the fix we desire, where sensation obliterates logic. Dickinson's poetry is one of the few places I have so far found the paradoxic tendency so profoundly expressed. Therefore, I will take up the notion of paradoxic tension created by Dickinson, her method of dealing with the inner and the outer, expansion and contraction, the creation and destruction of boundary, and the mysterious ways in which these things interact, especially through the symbol of the spider. In â€Å"The Spider holds a Silver Ball,† the spider, as creator, as weaver, contains â€Å"In unperceived Hands† (2) a glimmering medium of magic. From this silver ball, creation spins outward. The spider, viewed as poet, weaves outward from the center of inspiration. The hands are both somehow there and not there as they delicately â€Å"unwind† this intangeble yet â€Å"Silver† mass. The description of the invisible in physical terms characterizes one method by which Dickinson weaves paradox. The idea of the spider â€Å"dancing† portrays an outward movement, but Dickinson with a few words suddenly makes this action inward and private: â€Å"dancing softly to Himself† (3). The first stanza confirms the portrait of an â€Å"unperceived† artist performing her art outwardly and we find a sense of what art means to Dickinson—an outward gesture which originates in some unknown, private and inner pl... ...rtist accomplishes informing herself of the inexplicable nature of the mind through the â€Å"strategy† of â€Å"physiognomy† (8-9) or revealing the inner aspects outwardly. Dickinson reveals the intangible through physical means; her language uses hard images such as the spider and the silver ball to outwardly communicate the boundless capacity of inner emotion and feeling. In the process she must create boundary, it is the only way to explain the unexplainable feelings with which the mind occupies itself; however, her next move is to destroy the very boundaries that she creates, showing just where and how these feelings originate, bringing them back. Physiognomy is clearly the Dickinson strategy, and it is that last line of â€Å"A Spider sewed at Night† that Dickinson stands up and proclaims, I am the spider and the spider is me and we are both everything and nothing—so there.

Technology in Mathematics :: Education School

There are many different ideas as to how technology should be used in the mathematical classroom of today. There are those who believe that students will not learn as much if they use technology such as computers and calculators, and there are still others that believe this technology can benefit students if used in the proper way. After reading many articles on the use of technology in the mathematical classroom, I have to agree with NCTM’s Technology Principle, which states that â€Å"technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning† (Principles 24). What the Technology Principle is not saying that some may interpret is that students will not have to learn how to solve problems on their own. The way I see it, the principle is telling us the very opposite of this. We all know as future teachers and current students ourselves, that we must understand the applications and why we do them to really understand mathematics. In other words, we cannot just memorize the steps of application and plug it into our calculator, but rather we must understand why the steps were done and what our results mean. After the students have shown that they understand the material and applications, the teacher may allow his or her students to use the calculator once the applications have become tedious for the students. For example, if we asked a group of Calculus students to find the maximum of a line, we would not expect them to graph the function by hand and try to guess where the point is, we would instead promote them to use their calculators to find the best estimate of the point. So, even in cases such as this, technology can be used to further demonstrate the reasoning behind a problem. It may be the case that we want our students to work on the application, and then again it may be the case that we want our students to be able to see what they are doing the application for. The only thing we really have to be careful of is not to let technology replace the â€Å"basic understandings and intuitions† (Principles 25). Technology can be a great tool for teaching mathematics because we can show and manipulate visual form with such programs as The Geometer’s Sketchpad and many others. Programs such as these help students to visualize problems, and can also help teachers better explain the mathematical concepts. One of the questions we hear a lot in mathematics is â€Å"why?† I can even remember teachers struggling to answer these questions with their crude drawings on the board or their wordy explanations.

Modern Life Has Improved Since the 1950’s Essay

Modern life has improved since the 1950’s. This period is quite memorable for a lot of things, the more famous of which being the flared trousers Elvis Presley, the icon of rock and roll and pop music, brought into style. There were many positives and negatives of living in the 1950’s, but it is clear that modern life has been a great step forward from those times. Firstly, the general aspects of life such as money, crime, racism and drugs, were viewed very differently in the past. Secondly life today may not be as simple as the 1950’s, but huge leaps have been made in technology, medicine and education. Finally, the word ‘community’ has developed a very different definition to the past, as we have overcome the racial, religious and gender inequalities that separated us as people; modern life has improved in leaps and bounds since the 1950’s. In the 1950’s certain aspects of life including money, crime, racism and drugs, were viewed very differently compared to the modern day. Petrol prices could be found on the McDonald’s loose change menu, and a kid could go down to the corner store, empty his pockets and buy the groceries before walking the way home safely. Drugs and smoking were regarded the same way we would a morning jog today: harmless and good for the system. Racism was just a part of life: the blacks sat at the back of the bus, the whites at the front, and that was that. Nowadays, if petrol was that cheap, the earth would be run dry and pollution levels would greatly increase due to mining and car exhaust. Crime rates may be much higher than the innocent 1950’s but along with with the higher stats the modern police force is further advanced and more successful than the past. Racism is still a part of our lives, but there is a general understanding that no matter the colour of our skin, we are equals, and opportunities for ‘blacks’ have been improved far beyond better seating positions on buses. Thank goodness times have changed – while we may not be living as simply as before, the modern day is aware of saving the planet, good health and human rights; other areas of living have also been greatly improved during the last half century, especially education, medicine and technology. The frontiers of science and technology have taken education and medicine far beyond what the 1950’s could have dreamed of. Without internet and mobile phones, the 1950’s must have been a quiet life: but consider the fact that technology today is enabling our world to communicate faster and better than ever before. Most schools have access to computers, such as Friends, with each individual person owning a laptop that is vital for their education. Education can now be more efficient and fun with the new technology spreading world-wide. A leap in technology is supporting a huge economy and has opened up many job opportunities as well as developing frontiers such as science and medicine. Polio scares rocked the 1950’s with over 257,455 related deaths, but thanks to medicine advances nowadays polio is just a term many people confuse with a pool game (Marco Polo! ). In the 1950’s the life expectancy was much, much lower than it is today – is that a wonder with the many cigarette adverts that declared the health benefits of smoking? Medicine has been advanced to the point of bringing people back to life after death, and is often one step ahead of what nature throws at us. This is evidence that modern life has improved greatly since the 1950’s; but our culture has also developed to be stronger, more equal and empathic than the 50’s. The definition of community has greatly evolved since the 1950’s: community in the 1950’s went by the motto love thy neighbour, except the neighbours who don’t believe in your religion or those of different race; the term community in the 21st century is referring to equals who share their culture with one another. Children stayed children for longer in the 1950’s, neighbours new everything about each other, a hello was said to every passer by on the street and it is said there was never a greater time of peace than in those years. However, amongst the idealistic community life, it was black and white: literally. Blacks were discriminated far beyond what is accepted in Australian communities today, with over 50% of families living below the poverty line as a result of racism. Without the many new laws and rights other races are now entitled to (that have developed since the 50’s), many people would still suffer unjustly, and blacks would still sit at the back of the bus. Religion could lower your worth just as quickly as the colour of your skin: schools only taught by the Bible, and ‘good’ people believed in the Christian faith. Discrimination against women was also still in practice. An obedient wife was not to be unished, but the occasional wife-beating was completely in-line with the law. The phrase ‘kitchen bitch’ may have originated in the 1950’s, where the women were expected to work around the house, doing the everyday chores such as cooking for their husbands. Many women did not begin to demand recognition for their rights to work until much later, and in modern times, women are regarded as equals in Australia. The 1950’s were the calm ‘after’ the storm, the storm being World War II. Peace may be a word which is almost lost to the entire world, with conflict present at all times in many countries, such as Iran and Afghanistan. This may be the only aspect of life that has worsened since the good ol’ 50’s, but even so, the countless improvements to our beliefs, everyday life and sense of community balances this issue. In conclusion, though the 1950’s are remembered as a peaceful, simple and straight-forward period of time to live in, behind the scenes racism, lack of knowledge and inequality ruled. Modern times have greatly improved on these factors and many others since the 1950’s, with gender equality, medicinal knowledge, and new technology being just a few of the more major developments. Nevertheless, the past was vital in shaping our daily lives and culture today, and it’s impossible to brand the 1950’s as a wasted part of our history; our modern world evolved out of the 20th century. It is clear to see that life today has greatly changed since the 1950’s, for the better.

A Career as a Finance Officer

Every company desires good business. Their primary goals are to earn money, spend in intelligent ways that will increase the company value, and have enough money left to stay clear of debt. It is critical that a company have good financial management in order to attain these goals. Without the proper direction and implementation of solid financial strategies, few companies will survive.Upon completion of my degree, I am planning to work in the field of financial management as a finance officer.A finance officer directs the company budget toward their financial goals, oversees investments, and the financial objectives of an organization. They may also deal with acquisitions and mergers. I am very interested in finding a position as a finance manager, where I am able to use my education, skills and enthusiasm for finance to promote a company’s interests.It is necessary for a finance officer to be well educated, with at least a bachelor’s degree. The entry market is highly competitive and any additional experience or education obtainable is an advantage. Many companies prefer to hire financial managers with an advanced degree or some experience.As I begin my job search, I will research each company of interest to determine their criteria for hire. I understand that some companies require entry exams or a certificate program through their company for prospective employees.Also, it may be necessary to take a position with less responsibility or compensation in order to obtain the experience necessary to advance. My education in computers is will be an advantage since all financial and inter-office interaction is typically computer based.My excellent communication and people skills will assist me in a position as a finance officer. Since most managers will be directly overseeing other employees, being able to direct projects, assign responsibilities and lead others towards desired goals is critical. It is also important to be able to work in a team envi ronment and to be able to explain complex financial information in a clear way. I believe that these are some of my strong points.A successful finance officer is one who is willing to constantly learn and grow in their field. They must change in response to technological developments and data analysis techniques. They must stay on top of the current trends and information in the financial field and they need to be aware of current tax laws governing their industry.Various seminars and workshops are available for continuing education, which may or may not be required, but are always a good idea. The Internet provides much of the current information in the finance world, but trade journals deliver cutting edge information.The Financial Management Association International, based at the College of Business Administration at the University of South Florida in Tampa (http://www.fma.org/) publishes a quarterly and a bi-annual journal (http://www.fma.org/jaf.htm), and the Association for F inancial Professionals in Bethesda, Maryland (http://www.afponline.org/), offers a monthly publication.Both of these regularly have articles about current research, software development, and information of interest to those in finance fields. They post meeting minutes and notifications of available workshops as well.

Iago Literary Essay

Iago the Master of Manipulation Throughout the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago the antagonist develops a scheme to ruin Othello’s life, just because he didn’t get the position of lieutenant and uses people from Roderigo to Cassio to unfold his plans. Now, how can this villainous man manipulate people around him so well? Iago effectively manipulates Roderigo, Cassio and Othello by using Roderigo’s love for Desdemona, by implying to Cassio that he’s helping him for his interests when it’s actually the opposite, and by acting as an â€Å"honest† person in front of Othello to hide his true foul personality. SparkNoted Editors). Iago uses Roderigo’s â€Å"obsessive† love for Desdemona to manipulate him to help him and assures Roderigo he will help him attain Desdemona. (The Polymath). He then tries to comfort Roderigo when he finds out Desdemona is married to Othello by using the metaphor, â€Å"Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners. † (I. iii. 319-320). Here Iago reacts to Roderigo wanting to commit suicide by telling him to take care of himself, and instead to try to win Desdemona with his money; but actually uses his money for his own plans and makes fun of him for being so naive. Thus do I make my fool my purse. † (I. iii. 315) and all this time poor Roderigo has been tricked by Iago from the beginning of the play to the end because Roderigo wanted Desdemona to such an extent. Iago tricked Cassio into thinking he was helping him for his benefit when all along it was only a part of Iago’s plan to ruin the bond between Othello and Desdemona. Iago himself caused trouble for Cassio and that leads to Cassio’s lieutenant position revoked, only to tell him to get help from Desdemona. Our Generals wife is now the General/Confess yourself freely to her. Importune her help to put you in your place again. † (II. iii. 293-298). Iago has many Asideâ⠂¬â„¢s in the play telling the audience of his plans. By making Cassio talk with Desdemona Iago plants suspicion into Othello to ruin his peace of mind. â€Å"Yet that I put the Moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure/I’ll have our Micheal Cassio on the hip, abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb. † As Iago does this in several ccasions it’s all for his own benefit, â€Å"Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me for making him egregiously an ass and practising upon his peace and quiet even to madness. †(II. i. 294-305). Iago successfully ends a part of his plan by killing two birds with one stone, Roderigo and Cassio. â€Å"Now whether he kill Cassio, or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, every way makes my game. † (V. i. 12-14). Hence, Iago manipulates Cassio by implying he is helping him when it’s the opposite. To manipulate Othello, Iago acts as an honest and good person in front of Othello to hide his foul personality.Throughout the play, you hear Iago saying, â€Å"I hate the Moor† (I. iii. 361). He even tells Roderigo all his schemes. Through a Paradox Shakespeare reveals Iago’s true intentions. â€Å"In following him, I follow but myself. † (I. i. 58). again Iago only stays with Ohtello for his own benefit and he says his outward appearance is only to fool Othello so he doesn’t lose trust in Iago, â€Å"I am not what I am. †(I. i. 65); but interactions between Roderigo and Iago reveals a â€Å"streak of cowardice† in Iago as he tries so hard to hide his bad intentions from Othello he even kills own wife. SparkNotes Editors). Therefore Iago manipulates Othello by acting as an honest and good man to hide his true-foul personality. Iago, possibly the most â€Å"heinous villain† in Shakespeare lets his anger and jealousy overpower him and ruin Othello’s life with his manipulative skills. (SparkNotes Editors). Iago effectivel y manipulates Rodrigo by using his love for Desdemona, by implying to Cassio he’s helping him for his interests when its actually the opposite and by acting as an honest and good person in front of Othello to hide his true-foul personality.Work Cited The Polymath. Iago’s Manipulation on Roderigo in Othello. Yahoo! Voices. (2010): n. page. Web. 8 Jun. 2012. . SparkNotes Editors. SparkNotes on Othello. SparkNotes. com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Web. 8 Jun. 2012. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice. Massachusetts: Blaisdell Publishing Company, 1966. Print.

Advertising in Our Life Essay

The topic of advertising has aroused public concern. Some people say that advertising is helpful and informative, whilst others claim about that it can provide false information and will make goods more expensive. It is quite natural that people from different backgrounds have their own opinions on the issue. Therefore, both of these arguments will be analyzed before a reasoned conclusion is reached. From the one side, the opinion earlier may sound plausible due to the enormous benefits created by advertising. First of all, it can be said with certainty that there are many ways to advertise and ads come in different forms. This is obviously favorable because you can see advertising on newspapers, tv, and on the billboards everyday. Second of all, a further plus point could be that advertising is informative. This is definitely valuable since it introduce us to new products or remind of us the ones that we already know about. Last of all, it is hardly too much to say that advertising creates mass markets and makes goods cheaper. This is surely a positive feature because if there were no advertising, consumers would only know about goods in their local shops. Therefore advertising help to sell to a bigger market, the more goods are sold, the cheaper they become. From the other side, those who disagree point out that the negative influences of advertising are undeniable. The first drawback of this matter is there is people who do not enjoy seeing advertising everywhere, such as in newspaper and on buses. Most people would agree that this is problematic because they say advertisements are generally ugly to look at and spoil the environment. Another negative point is that advertising is not always truthful. And the trouble with this is that the advertiser tends to exaggerate the benefits of the merchandise he wants to sell. Thus, the consumer become victims of such advertising. Last but not least, it is supposed a further unfavorable quality might be that advertising adds to the cost of goods. This is an obvious weakness because the merchandiser has to pay the agency to run advertising campaign in order to introduce and sell their product to consumer. Taking everthing into account, for the reasons which I mentioned above, I believe that the advantages still outweigh disadvantages. So I do totally support the idea of advertising is helpful and informative.

Inventory Management and Logistics Control at Pfizer Research Paper

Inventory Management and Logistics Control at Pfizer - Research Paper Example   Pfizer has an effective supply chain system to reach even the remote corners of the world. Pfizer is currently implementing a new supply chain management strategy all over the world. Instead of increasing internal networks, Pfizer is currently trying to reduce it. However, this strategy doesn’t mean that Pfizer’s logistics operations are causing problems to it. Pfizer is trying to reduce its own internal networks; at the same time, it increases its cooperation with local partners to maintain better records in logistics operations. It should be noted that globalization brought many changes in business management principles. Since Pfizer is operating globally, it needs the cooperation of the domestic partners to operate successfully in overseas countries. Since local partners have better knowledge about the local markets, it is better for Pfizer to give the responsibility of supply chain operations to local partners instead of doing it in its own ways. Pfizer is an Am erican company which knows American business climate, culture and environment properly. However, same thing cannot be said about Pfizer in other countries. For example, being the most heavily populated countries in the world; India and China are huge markets for Pfizer. It is impossible for Pfizer to manage supply chain operations in these countries using its own capabilities. Since these markets are extremely diverse geographically and culturally, Pfizer needs the support from local partners to maintain good inventory all the time.  

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Research - Essay Example All these have made networking quicker and involve less strain on the part of participants. However, this comes at a colossal cost to the married and those in committed relationships. There are many glitches that come about as a result of networking in the social media and there’s no denying it, the upsurge of social media has left an utmost significant fingerprint on our society. To begin with, Social networking has an addictive effect which causes negative issues in a relationship. This comes about when a partner spends more time on social media than in the relationship and this ultimately leads to hurt and negative feelings. For example, cell phone owners in a marriage or partnership may feel that their spouse or partner is distracted by their cell phone when they are together. Also, internet users in a committed relationship may have a squabble with their spouse or partner about the time one of them is spending online and those in a committed relationship may get upset at something when they find out that their spouse or partner is doing online. Furthermore, excessive social networking can be a sign of internet addiction. This is an instance when someo ne is constantly online chatting, viewing images, posting personal details and photos or checking for updates from friends. Also, the use of social media in networking can make us lose our warmth; when a couple uses social networking as a means of communication, the warmth that comes about in the physical information will disappear. Also, Social networking can be a path to indefinite. Although not every person will cross the line between just creating friends and being more than friends, due to its easy nature, social media can create a good loophole for infidelity and marital ills. This is made possible due to the prompting and tempting nature of social media. People can post their pictures and other personal details. Thus, a person who is in a relationship, but are constantly

Critique in rehabilitation model of nursing Essay

Critique in rehabilitation model of nursing - Essay Example According to Orem’s theory, in order to maintain optimal health and wellness, each person not only has need for self-care, but also has ability and responsibility to care for themselves and dependants. This theory encompasses three concepts, self care, self care deficits, and the role of nursing system in this. Self care, therefore, is the ability to perform activities and meet personal needs. These personal needs will have a goal to maintain health and wellness of physique, psyche, and spirit. Self care can, hence, be visualised as a product of person, environment, health, and above all, nursing. It again has three components universal self-care needs, developmental self-care needs, and deviation from normal health. Universal self-care consists of essential minimal activities for health and vitality. The elements known to influence the conditions of self-care are air, water, food, elimination, activity and rest, solitude and social interactions, prevention of harm, and normal ity promotion (Moore, J.B. and Pichler, V.H., 2000). The developmental self-care need include interventions and educations designed to help a person to return to the optimal state of health and maintain it so that the person is able to sustain health and wellbeing. The part that can be directly applicable to rehabilitative care is health deviation self-care. This consists of variations or deviations in self-care as a result of disability, illness, or injury. In this situation, nursing plays a major role in planning and implementing an individualised care to maintain health and wellness (Taylor, S.G., 1998). This gives rise to the concept of self-care deficits since every matured individual has ability to meet self-care needs. When a person experiences inability or disability due to any limitation, may it be physical or mental, there arises a situation of deficit that demands nursing care to supplement the individual’s self-care scheme. When