Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Question about the novel The outsider Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Question about the novel The outsider - Essay Example As the storyline continues to unfold, we see many adolescents as irrational. They act without thinking just as is the case with Ponyboy when he finds the church on fire. He jumps out of the car, runs and enters into the burning church intending to rescue the children (Hinton 6). He does this without thinking about his safety and because he has no skills on firefighting, and also because he does not have the right outfit for fire rescue. Pony agrees with this assessment; that he is not reasonable when he says that he sometimes does not think. Adolescence is a phase in life when a teenager considers himself/ herself as an adult and expects to be treated as one. The reality is, they are still teenagers and are under control and guidance to others with parents, and teachers. Therefore when their elders advise them on how to live, the teens start to feel like the elders are dictating them on how to live their lives. The loss of control makes teens feel life is not fair. For instance, Ponyboy knows that he is not safe walking on the streets of his neighborhood, but he still does it. Adolescents also have another behavior of bullying others as well as defending themselves, for example in the outsider, as Ponyboy comes from strolling he is attacked by a gang. Also, Pony is thinking of how he can defend himself and is looking around for a pop bottle or stick or something anything to defend himself. It is at this point that we hear Pony remembering how Steve Randle, had once held off four guys with a busted pop bottle. Such, and other examples in the book go a long way in showing us that adolescents have a bullying habit and are also

Monday, October 28, 2019

Leader-Member Exchange theory of leadership Essay Example for Free

Leader-Member Exchange theory of leadership Essay The Leader-Member Exchange theory of leadership (Also known as LMX, LMET or Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory) is a type of leadership theory that focuses on the dyadic relationship between leader and follower where the leader treats individual followers differently, resulting in two groups of followers—an in-group and an out-group. The in-group consists of a small number of trusted followers with whom the leader usually establishes a special higher quality exchange relationship. The out-group includes the followers with whom the relationship of the leader remains more formal. It focuses on increasing organizational success by creating positive relations between the leader and subordinate (follower). The theory asserts that leaders do not interact with subordinates uniformly. ‘In-group’ followers perform their jobs in accordance with the employment contracts and can be counted on by the supervisor to perform unstructured tasks, to volunteer for extra work, and to take on additional responsibilities. Supervisors exchange personal and positional resources (inside information, influence in decision making, task assignment, job latitude, support, and attention) in return for subordinates’ performance on unstructured tasks. High LMX relationship achieves increased mutual trust, confidence, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, common bonds, open communication, independence respect, rewards recognition and hence benefits both the organisation and the employee. Recognizing the existence of the in-group and out-group, could be discriminating against the out-group thus affecting employee turnover based on bad-quality LMX and job dissatisfaction. This is because members of ‘out-group’ Example of an organization that has successfully used this theory is ‘E-Myth Worldwide’

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Blood :: essays papers

Blood Parentheses of blood Dramas are classified into four sub-fields: tragedies, comedies, melo-dramas, and satires. Each sub-field has characteristics, which makes it identifiable. It is common to find any combination of the sub-fields within a play. To classify drama one must look at the more prominent theme. This paper is focusing on the drama â€Å"Parentheses of blood†, by playwright Sony Labou Tansi. Tansi was born in Congo in 1947. Of his fifteen plays most were published in French. In 1986 his work was commissioned for English translation. Tansi has lived through Africas period of colonialism and the dictorial governments that followed. Congo was under French colonial rule through his adolescent years. It went through periods of military dictatorship before democratization. Tansi was a member of the opposing party in Congo and won himself a seat in the National assembly in 1993, just two years before his death. Like many others in post-colonial Africa, Tansi felt oppressed and untrusting of government, this is clearly evident in â€Å"Parentheses of blood.† This play is an African Drama. Three-dimensional characters are common in African dramas, this is necessary in order to make the drama believable. Another theme of African plays is the presence of a storteller. This is common because many plays have been passed down through generations by word. A third distinguishing feature is an audience that has an active role within the play. A final identifying source is the presence of song and dance. The characters in Tansi’s play were unquestionably three-dimensional. They all had distinct personalities and body, an essential for making the drama believable. How can the absence of the three remaining elements of African drama be explained? Tansi’s work was done in the post-colonial period. Because of French influence African song and dance became less prominent. It was not totally wiped out, but because of French policy many once common tribal songs and dance became less common among Africans. Writing in a modern period Tansi had no need for a storyteller. This play is a depiction of the way Tansi saw life in Africa from his own point of view. Tansi did not choose to have an active audience. Not all African dramas had this characteristic, but this could be another consequence of the transition to the post-modern literature of Africa.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Effective Team and Performance Management Essay

Effective Team and Performance Management Introduction            This is a report on the case study on team performance management of Electric Company. The report will borrow on theory and practice of both leadership and team management in order to explain the need for organisations to employ the use of employee teams which is a strategy designed to improve the performance of the employees. The report will begin with an introduction of the organisation in the case study and then proceed to the aims and objectives of the report. This will be followed by a discussion of the theories that have been used to describe team performance as well as the substitution of leaders by the teams. In this section, an empirical review on these theories will also be carried out. Finally, the conclusions and recommendations will be presented.            Electron, is a small manufacturing company that deals with the manufacture of telecommunications components. The company was established in 1997 and its headquarters is in the North of England. It should be noted that 90 out of 150 employees working at the headquarters work in the manufacturing department. The company operates using the traditional organisation structure divided into various departments such as manufacturing, finance, human resource, sales and marketing and engineering departments. The management of the company decided to group the employees in the manufacturing department into 8 teams each consisting of 10 employees in order to increase their efficiency in terms of the quality and the quantity of work done. The management of the company wanted to establish whether the teams would perform better as compared to when employees were working individually. This report therefore aims to evaluate the performance of the selected teams borrowing heavily on theory and empirical evidence to determine the appropriateness of dividing employees into teams. the report will also rely heavily on the relevant work of other researchers and academicians. The report will also make conclusions on the performance of teams as well as make recommendations on what the best practices are on employee team performance (Mueller, Procter & Buchanan, 2000).            Team PerformanceIn today’s organisations, employees are increasingly being allocated to work groups as part of the strategy to increase their efficiency and output. This is also being done in order to ensure that employees work together in a more effective way and are able to exploit their potential to grow and develop in an optimal way. These work groups are normally designed such that the employees are working together on some common activities in manner that is co-ordinated and in most occasions, these activities cannot be carried out successfully through individual effort alone. In such a case where employees are working together in group for a common goal, this is normally referred to as team work and the groups are normally referred to as teams. It should be noted that in an organisation setting, managers or supervisors can form employee teams on a temporary or permanent basis and the compositions of these teams varies with the purpose for which the te am is created in the first place. This means that there are teams that will constitute of employees from the same department while there are teams which will be made up of employees from across the various departments of the organisation. There are various attributes that will determine whether a team is successful in its activities; however, of a lot of importance is the support from senior management, training and development as well as the devotion and dedication of team members in the execution of their duties (Parker, 1990).            Teams and leadershipTeams are today required to take care of a lot of the duties that were previously assigned to supervisors and therefore various scholars and academicians have made suggestions that teams have come to be substitutes of leadership in organisations of the 21st century. They also argue that as a result of this change, supervisors on the other hand have also evolved from being foremen to mere facilitators of the activities of the team members (Huusko, 2006). In practice therefore, in a situation where the organisation employees are divided into teams, the number of supervisors greatly reduce since the hierarchical structure of the organisation is lowered and the organisation adopts a more flat organisation structure. This therefore means that the role of leadership in the organisation is faced with a new challenging situation where they no longer have a clearly laid down way of operating as their duties have been taken over by the new teams.            There are various theories that have attempted to explain the idea of the substitution of leadership and an example of such is the idea that deals with the idea of moderators that are known to influence the actions of leaders and leaders’ substitutes in different ways. The idea suggests that most of the current arrangements evident in organisations today such as teams, management from a distance and others have various effects on the roles of leaders in the organisation and can either support them or substitute them and even reduce the impact that leaders have on the employees of the organisation. This can occur in a case where the management and the employees are separated by a long distance and may therefore not understand the instructions given to them by their supervisors if proper communication channels have not been established. Researchers on leadership substitutes have also brought a legal angle into the discussion where they argue that employees may receive the needed guidance or instructions from their supervisors but take it for granted that the information comes from the supervisors as they are the primary suppliers of such information in the organisational structure (Howell et al., 1990).            In the case of Electric Company, it is evident that the older team members were given the responsibility of ensuring that the new team members understood the norms of the team and that they obeyed the rules of the team as well as ensure that they were fully and successfully integrated into the value based social order. This therefore means that the role of supervisors and other leadership persons in the organisation was taken over by the older members of the teams indicating that there was a substitution of leadership roles by the teams. This has been clearly supported by both the theories above and the empirical evidence.            Another theory that explains the substitution of leadership by team members is the theory of functional leadership. Researchers have used this leadership perspective to argue that effective team leaders are normally able to follow the activities of their team members and also normally take over any leadership roles in the team at any time when there is need for such an action (Zaccaro, Rittman, & Marks, 2001). This means that a team leader’s primary responsibility in the organisation is to plan the activities of the team and to continuously follow the activities of the team members as well as to determine the functions that are not being carried out in the right way and those that are missing in order to either perform the duties themselves or ensure that team members are made aware of them and directed to carry them out. The functional leadership theory is based on the premise that certain team circumstances normally drive the actions of the team members as well as the team leaders and they therefore call for some leadership activities to be adopted by the team leaders. This means that once the team leaders adopt these jobs then the leaders are left with no duties and therefore become useless in the organisational structure (Zaccaro, 2002).            In most organisations therefore, this theory suggests that leadership behaviours become irrelevant and ineffective in guiding the actions of the teams and therefore the success of teams does not require the involvement of leaders but the guidance of the team leaders and the dedication of the team members. The argument by this theory is therefore in line with the contingency theories of leadership which suggest that leadership effectiveness is normally influenced by the context of leadership, the situation facing the leader at a particular time as well as the organisational conditions at specific times (House, 1971). This means that the characteristics and behaviours of the team members and the team leaders are able to take the place of leadership processes thereby substituting the role of leadership in the organisation. This moves the focus of leadership functions from the person or individual leader to the functions of leadership and extends the idea that leadersh ip functions can be found from other sources other than the organisational leaders themselves.            This is the situation that was experienced by the employees at Electron Company when new members were introduced into the teams. the old team members who were already aware of the values and norms of their teams naturally assumed leadership roles and guided the new members to understand and identify with these team values as they best as they could as this is what drove the dedication of team members in general as well as the performance of the team as compared to the other teams. The result was that the older team members were exerting control over the actions of the new team members and therefore the new team members saw the need to follow the laid down values of the team. This led to a situation where the new team members also started controlling themselves in terms of their actions and behaviour towards work and other team members (Kerr & Jermier, 1978). This therefore made it possible for the values and norms of the teams to be translated into simple rules and regulations that all new employees could understand easily and therefore fit into their assigned teams with ease. The assumption of the responsibility of guiding the new team members by the old team members therefore substituted the need for leadership in the management of the company.            The new way of carrying out duties amongst the team members resulted in a situation where the common values and norms of the team members were gradually turned into properly laid down rules and regulation and it was the responsibility of each team member to follow them in order to effectively contribute to the success of the organisation at large. This therefore means that team members were no longer acting on the instructions of the team leaders but their actions were being guided by the rules and regulations that they had set up themselves. Team members found it easy to follow these rules and regulations as they had played a part in their making and therefore felt more comfortable following hem unlike in a case where these rules had been established by the management of the company without their involvement in any way. Team members found it hard not to follow the rules because of the peer pressure that they experienced from other team members and due to the fact that the rules were such that failure to follow them would lead to punitive actions against the team member. Employee effectiveness was therefore ensured through peer pressure and the fact that older members were very keen to avoid a situation where they could be seen as being too harsh to the new employees. They therefore ensured that they carried out their duties according to the laid down procedures and therefore the new team members were left with no option but to adapt to the situation and follow the actions of the older ones. This situation effectively removed the need for leadership individuals in the structure as the team members were able to control them and ensure that all employees worked for the greater good of the company (Kerr & Jermier, 1978).            Determinants of team performanceResearchers have argued that although most employee groups can be referred to as teams, it should be noted that there are several major differences that distinguish groups and teams and these are very important for anyone to understand in order not to make the mistake of confusing the two. In most cases, groups are normally made up of people who meet through the fact that they share a common interest such as past time activity or sport while a team on the other hand can still be made up of people who share a common interest but the major reason for their being in the same team is the fact that they have complimentary abilities or qualities. This means that for a team to succeed in what they do, they have to work together and combine their efforts and skills otherwise they will just be working as individuals. The main advantage of teams is that they have the energy and the power needed to complete particular tasks and activities which would have been impossible if there was no team in the first place and an individual was carrying out the task by their own. It has been argued that although each member of the team has some unique abilities or skills, they cannot be able to use them and succeed in the execution of the task if they are working alone and therefore they must be in the team for their efforts to count in the execution of the task or activity (Guzzo & Dickson, 1996).            Researchers have also argued that one of the important factors that determine the way people conduct themselves when they are in a team is self-awareness. In today’s business setting, most organisations, through the use of human resource development professionals as well as consultants, have developed various tests that are designed to help employees more self-aware thereby improving their understanding of themselves and what motivates them to act in particular ways. Researchers have however noted that the results of the assessments normally rely on the individual employee’s self-reporting and therefore the outcome of the tests may not be objective in nature and in most cases they are always positive as it is human nature not to say anything negative about oneself. The reason for this is that human beings are known to agree with their personal thoughts. Researchers therefore suggests that employees may fake their personal abilities and they may also b e unrealistic in the way they view themselves and therefore the opinion of others about our abilities or attributes may be disregarded when assuming team roles. This means that the performance of the team may be adversely affected if only an individual’s opinion is considered when assigning team roles (Belbin, 1981).            Various researchers such as Salas, Cooke, & Rosen, (2008) and Cohen & Bailey (1997) have empirically examined the issue of team performance. Traditionally, the effectiveness of a team has been measured by researchers and academicians either through the use of unidimensional models of effectiveness such as real productivity of the team and the objective measurement of team performance or through the use of multidimensional models which normally adopt a wider spectrum of measures other than productivity. These other measures could be the attitude of the members of the team, their behaviour and their levels of job satisfaction (Pina, Martinez, & Martinez, 2008). Empirical research has also revealed that there are three most common measurements that are used to measure team effectiveness and these are performance effectiveness measured in terms of the quality and quantity of the team output, the attitude of the team members measured in terms of level of trust and level of job satisfaction and finally the behavioural outcomes of team members measure in terms of employee turnover and the level of absenteeism among the team members. Researchers however point out that the three measures are used in varying degrees in each team and the degree of usage in a specific team will be influenced by the type of activities that the team engages in (Pina et al., 2008).            ConclusionsThe evaluation of the theories and empirical literature carried out above regarding substitution of leadership functions by the use of teams in organisations shows that it is clear that the future of organisations is towards the establishment of employee teams in the quest for much more concentrated efforts in delivering efficient services and in ensuring that employees are able to maximise their growth and development potential within the organisations. It is clear that using teams in organisations leads to a situation where team members tend to come up with their own norms and values that guide their actions and behaviours and these values and norms finally end up being translated into laws and regulations that all employees in the team can clearly understand and are expected to follow without being reminded by the leaders in the organisation (Mullen, et al., 1994). The emergence of these rules laid down by the team members themselves lead to a situati on where all members of the team know their exact duties and roles in the team and therefore carry out their duties without the need for supervision. This situation has effectively reduced the need for leaders in the organisation as their roles have been slowly eroded by the activities of these teams. This is exactly what happened in the case of Electric Company where the rules that were established by team members took the place of supervisors in guiding the actions of employees. These teams also influence the performance of individual employees and it has been established that individuals in teams tend to perform much better than if they were working individually.            RecommendationsFollowing the discussion above and the conclusions that have been made regarding the role of teams in the organisations and how their performance can be measured and improved, there are various recommendations to the management of companies that will lead to the better performance of teams and the organisations in general. The management of Electric Company should develop a human resource development program aimed at training the team leaders on the formal decision making process and other managerial roles in order to ensure that they are more effective in guiding their team members to better performance. The management of the company should also ensure that selection and assignment of employees to different teams should take into account the individual skills and abilities of the employees in order to ensure that they contribute to the well-being of the organisation through improved performance. Finally, employees themselves should ensure that they follow the laid down team rules and regulations and therefore ensure that they carry out their team roles without being reminded as their individual actions are what will lead to the success of the entire team. It is therefore important for organisations to consider developing various teams among their employees as this will lead to better performance and may also lead to lower costs incurred to maintain supervisors and other leaders in the organisation. References Belbin R. M. (1981) Management Teams: Why they succeed or fail. London, Butterworth-Heinemann.Guzzo, R. A., & Dickson, M. W. (1996). Teams in organizations: Recent research on performance and effectiveness. Annual Review of Psychology, 47, 307–338. House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 15, 321–338. Howell, J.P., Bowen, D.E., Dorfman, P.W., Kerr, S. & Podsakoff, P.M. (1990), Substitutes for leadership: effective alternatives to ineffective leadership, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 20-38. Huusko, L. (2006), The lack of skills: an obstacle in teamwork, Team Performance Management: An International Journal, Vol. 12 Nos 1/2, pp. 5-16. Kerr, S., & Jermier, J. M. (1978). Substitutes for leadership: Their meaning and measurement, Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, vol. 22 no.3, pp. 375–403. Mueller, F., Procter, S. & Buchanan, D. (2000), Teamworking in its context(s): antecedents, nature and dimensions, Human Relations, Vol. 53 No. 11, pp. 1387-424. Parker, G. M. (1990). Team Players and Teamwork: The New Competitive Business Strategy. Oxford: Jossey-Bass Zaccaro, S. J. (2002). Organizational leadership and social intelligence. In R. E. Riggio, S. E. Murphy, & F. J. Pirozzolo (Eds.), Multiple intelligences and leadership (pp. 29–54). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Zaccaro, S. J., Rittman, A. L., & Marks, M. A. (2001). Team leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 12, 451–483. Cohen, S. G., & Bailey, D. E. (1997). What makes teams work: Group effectiveness research from the shop floor to the executive suite. Journal of Management, 23(3), 239–290. Salas, E., Cooke, N. J., & Rosen, M. A. (2008). On teams, teamwork, and team performance: Discoveries and development. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 50(3), 540–547. Pina, M. I. D., Martinez, A. M. R., & Martinez, L. G. (2008). Teams in organizations: A review on team effectiveness. Team Performance Management, 14(1/2), 7–21. Mullen, B., Anthony, T., Salas, E., & Driskell, J. E. (1994). Group cohesiveness and quality of decision making: An integration of tests of the groupthink hypothesis. Small Group Research, 25(2), 189–204. Source document

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Is Ainu similar to Japanese in terms of structure and/or phonology?

Located at the northernmost portion of Japan and almost proxemic to Russia, the island of Hokkaido is home to a Japanese ethnic minority called the Ainu.   Currently, although the Ainu is a distinguished ethnicity, they are generally considered Japanese.   Historically, Hokkaido was Ainu territory until Japan became a full jurisdiction of Japan in   1879 (Sugimoto, 61).Prior to the establishment of a Japanese government in Hokkaido and even some years after the regime, the Ainu maintained a lifestyle that was distinctively their own; even over the new century, there have had problems in terms of the recognition of the Ainu as indigenous peoples instead of Japanese.Culturally, the Ainu culture is different from Japan although due to the diminishment of the population of the decades, in addition to the assimilation of the Ainu descents to the Japanese culture, at some point the Ainu seems to be in threat in terms of maintaining its own identity (Sugimoto).An apparent distinctive cultural element of the Ainu is their language; all in all, when it comes to examining the Ainu language, it is categorized as genetically language-isolate (Shibatani, 5).   Although studies on the Ainu language have demonstrated discussions as to whicg language it would be considered to have a close proximity, interestingly, its similarities with the Japanese language is minimal.This is an interesting point given that even though Hokkaido is an island north of Japan, the Ainu's lingual relationship with the societies that surround it — Japan, Korea, Russia — have been found to be still distinguishingly distant.A Background on the AinuIn tracing the Ainu of Japan, this group's roots have not been fully determined mainly because of their distant relationship from the peoples of its geographic proximity.   It was found, however, that based on genetic testings the Ainu had relations with the groups from Tibet and in the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean.Another theo ry was based on tests that showed genetic similarities with those from Mongolia and the Russian Far East.   This can be attributed to the geographical history in which the Japanese archipelago was once a part of the Asiatic mainland (Levin & Michael).Culture-wise the indigenous Ainu was also different from the Japanese; in a sense, evem prior to the establishment of the Japanese regime in the 1870s, much of the Ainu's interaction were among the indigenous populations from Sakhalin and the Kurile island were found to be more evident (Sugimoto).Given the geographical roots of the Ainu and the location of Hokkaido, the Ainu's way of life demonstrated hunting, fishing, and gathering activities, in addition to seasonal lifestyles reflective of surviving the winter months.In terms of its religion and beliefs, the Ainu is also different from the Japanese; hence, culturally, even these two have little or nothing in common.   This therefore further supports the theories that the Ainu lan guage is essentially different from the Japanese.A Discussion on the Ainu LanguageThe Ainu language is not only exclusive in the island of Hokkaido where the Ainu people are more known to be found; in fact, the Ainu was also distributed in certain parts of Japan such as in Northern Honshu, parts of Sakhalin and Kurile Islands.   The language was therefore spoken in these parts of the country but it remained contained among the Ainu communities.The Ainu language is identified to also have its dialects: the Ainu-Hokkaido, Ainu-Sikhalin and the Ainu-Kurile. From these dialects were distinctions were also identified, particular through the differences in the phonology lexicon.However, there was also the noted degree of variation in terms of the similarities and differences among these dialects.   For instance, according to Shibatani (7), there is a great difference between the Ainu language in Hokkaido and in Sakhalin and in the syllable structures such as CV and CVC in Hokkaido Ain u whereas in Sakhalin the syllable structures are CVC, CV, CVV (long vowel) (Shibatani, 8).  Another important feature in the Ainu language is in its phonology; as Shibatani (12-13) mentioned, the language avoids the the use of vowel sequences, hence, the tendency is that the second vowels are usually devocalized.Comparing Ainu Language with the Japanese LanguageGenerally, a comparison between the Ainu language and Japanese is explained by Shibatani as follows (xiv):â€Å"There is no strong evidence suggesting that a genetic relationship between Ainu and Japanese, and structurally the two differ significantly.   Ainu, especially classic Ainu, is a polysynthetic language involving incorporated nouns, incorporated adverbs, affixal forms of reflexive and reciprocal morphemes, as well as personal affixes agreeing with subject and object.Japanes also shows a high degree of synthesis in its verbal morphology, but involving neither personal affixes or noun incorporation of the Ainu ty pe, it shows a qualitative difference from the Ainu structure.†Ã‚   As previously mentioned, the Ainu language is classified as language-isolate; this means that the language does not have a traceable association or relation with any other language.   Many studies in the past have attempted to identify the closest relative of the Ainu language, but mostly, the Ainu has remained unique.Since that the language was spoken only among the Ainu and that the next generation Ainus were no longer educated with the language because of the discrimination they experienced in Japan, the Ainu language can be considered to be threatened to near-extinction.In fact, there are only a certain number of individuals who are noted to speak the language, although given the fact that the Ainu culture was just recently acknowledged by the Japanese Parliament as a distinct indigenous culture, the interest in the culture and in the language have been on the rise for the purpose of reviving it (Akulov) .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Things Fall Apart1 essays

Things Fall Apart1 essays The Ibo society in Africa is very different from the American society that I am used to. One of the major differences is the way women are treated. On page 37 of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo conveys that no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and children (and especially his women) he was not really a man. On page 94 Okonkwos uncle says we all know that a man is the head of the family and his wives do his bidding. This shows us that women in the Ibo society are considered subservient to the men of the society and are sometimes mistreated, however they are still very important to society. This is evident in many other places throughout the book Things Fall Apart. The way women are referred to in the book tells about their social standing as well. Many times women are referred to by their relationship to a man. There are many references to Nyowes mother and Okonkwos first wife, but Ekwefi is seldom called by her name. The same goes with the wife of Ogbuefi Udo who was murdered by the members of another African village near Umofia. In the first chapter of the book we see how women are expected to do what their husbands say with no questions asked. When Ikemefuna comes to Umofia and is put under Okonkwos care he (Okonkwo) immediately calls for his first wife and says look after him, when she asks a question regarding the boy, Okonkwo says do what you are told woman to which his first wife responds by taking Ikemefuna into her hut, asking no more questions. The only two women who are consistently referred to by their name throughout the book are Ezinma and Chielo. That is because Ezinma is very special to her father, Okonkwo, and Chielo is the priestess of the oracle. On pages 122 and 123, Okonkwo thinks to himself that Ezinma is special because of all hi...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Life and Works of Honoré de Balzac, French Novelist

The Life and Works of Honorà © de Balzac, French Novelist Honorà © de Balzac (born Honorà ©Ã‚  Balssa, May 20, 1799 – August 18, 1850) was a novelist and playwright in nineteenth-century France. His work formed part of the foundation of the realist tradition in European literature, with particular focus on his remarkably complex characters. Fast Facts: Honorà © de Balzac Occupation: WriterBorn: May 20, 1799 in Tours, FranceDied: August 18, 1850 in Paris, FranceKey Accomplishments: Groundbreaking French novelist whose realist style and complex characters shaped the modern novelSelected Work: Les Chouans  (1829), Eugà ©nie Grandet (1833), La Pà ¨re Goriot (1835), La Comà ©die humaine (collected works)Quote: There is no such thing as a great talent without great will power.† Family and Early Life Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s father, Bernard-Francois Balssa, was from a large lower-class family. As a young man, he worked hard to climb up the social ladder and eventually did so, working for the governments of both Louis XVI and, later, Napoleon. He changed his name to Francois Balzac to sound more like the aristocrats he now interacted with, and eventually married the daughter of a wealthy family, Anne-Charlotte-Laure Sallambier. The age gap was considerable – thirty-two years – and was arranged in gratitude for Francois’s assistance to the family. It never was a love match. Despite this, the couple had five children. Honorà © was the eldest to survive infancy, and was closest in age and affection to his sister Laure, born a year later. Honorà © attended the local grammar school, but struggled with the rigid structure and consequently was a poor student, even once he was returned to the care of his family and private tutors. It was not until he entered university at the Sorbonne that he began to thrive, studying history, literature, and philosophy under some of the great minds of the day. After college, Honorà © began a career as a law clerk on the advice of his father. He was intensely dissatisfied with the work, but it did provide him with the opportunity to come into contact with and observe people of all walks of life and the moral dilemmas inherent in the practice of the law. Leaving his law career caused some discord with his family, but Honorà © held firm. Early Career Honorà © began his attempts at a literary career as a playwright, then, under a pseudonym, as a co-writer of â€Å"potboiler† novels: quickly-written, often scandalous novels, the equivalent of modern-day â€Å"trashy† paperbacks. He tried his hand at journalism, commenting on the political and cultural state of the post-Napoleon era in France, and failed miserably at his business venture when he tried to make a living as a publisher and printer. In this literary era, two specific subgenres of novels were in vogue both critically and popularly: historical novels and personal novels (that is, those which narrate a specific person’s life in detail). Honorà © embraced this style of writing, bringing his own experiences with debtors, the printing industry, and the law into his novels. This experience set him apart from the bourgeois novelists of the past and many of his contemporaries, whose knowledge of other ways of life was entirely gleaned from previous writers’ depictions. La Comedie Humaine In 1829, he wrote Les Chouans, the first novel he published under his own name. This would become the first entry into his career-defining work: a series of intertwined stories depicting various facets of French life during the Restoration and July Monarchy periods (that is, from about 1815 to 1848). When he published his next novel, El Verdugo, he again used a new name: Honorà © de Balzac, rather than just â€Å"Honorà © Balzac.† The â€Å"de† was used to denote noble origins, so Honorà © adopted it in order to better fit into respected circles of society. In many of the novels that make up La Comedie Humaine, Honorà © moved between sweeping portraits of French society as a whole and the small, intimate details of individual lives. Among his most successful works were La Duchesse de Langeais, Eugenie Grandet, and Pere Goriot. The novels ranged hugely in length, from the thousand-page epic Illusions Perdues to the novella La Fille aux yeux d’or. The novels in this series were notable for their realism, particularly when it came to their characters. Rather than writing characters who were paragons of good or evil, Honorà © depicted people in a much more realistic, nuanced light; even his minor characters were shaded with different layers. He also gained a reputation for his naturalistic depictions of time and place, as well as driving narratives and intricate relationships. Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s writing habits were the stuff of legend. He could write for fifteen or sixteen hours a day, with copious amounts of coffee to fuel his concentration and energy. In many instances, he became obsessed with perfecting the smallest details, often making change after change. This didn’t necessarily stop when the books were sent off to the printers, either: he frustrated many a printer by rewriting and editing even after the proofs were sent to him. Social and Family Life Despite his obsessive work life, Honorà © managed to have a thriving social life. He was popular in society circles for his storytelling prowess, and he counted other famous figures of the day – including fellow novelist Victor Hugo – among his acquaintance. His first love was Maria Du Fresnay, a fellow writer who was unhappily married to a much older man. She bore Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s daughter, Marie-Caroline Du Fresnay, in 1834. He had also had an earlier mistress, an older woman by the name of Madame de Berny, who had saved him from financial ruin prior to his novelistic success. Honorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s great love story, though, began in a way that seems like something from a novel. He received an anonymous letter in 1832 that criticized the cynical depictions of faith and of women in one of his novels. In response, he posted an advertisement in a newspaper to attract his critic’s attention, and the pair began a correspondence that lasted fifteen years. The person on the other side of these letters was Ewelina Hanska, a Polish countess. Honorà © and Ewelina were both highly intelligent, passionate people, and their letters were full of such topics. They first met in person in 1833. Her much-older husband died in 1841, and Honorà © traveled to St. Petersburg, where she was staying, in 1843 to meet her again. Because they both had complicated finances, and Ewelina’s family was mistrusted by the Russian tsar, they were unable to marry until 1850, by which time they were both suffering health issues. Honorà © had no children with Ewelina, although he did father children from other earlier affairs. Death and Literary Legacy Honorà © only enjoyed his marriage for a few months before he fell ill. His mother arrived in time to say goodbye, and his friend Victor Hugo visited him on the day before his death. Honorà © de Balzac died quietly on August 18, 1850. He is buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, and a statue of him, the Balzac Monument, sits at a nearby intersection. The greatest legacy Honorà © de Balzac left behind was the use of realism in the novel. The structure of his novels, in which the plot is presented in sequential order by an omniscient narrator and one event causes another, was influential for many later writers. Literary scholars have also focused on his exploration of the links between social standing and character development, as well as a belief in the strength of the human spirit that has endured to this day. Sources Brunetiere, Ferdinand. Honorà © de Balzac. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1906.â€Å"Honore de Balzac.† New World Encyclopedia, 13 January 2018, newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Honore_de_Balzac.â€Å"Honore de Balzac.† Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 14 August 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Honore-de-Balzac.Robb, Graham. Balzac: A Biography. W. W. Norton Company, New York, 1994.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

History of Frankincense, Ancient Aromatic Tree Resin

History of Frankincense, Ancient Aromatic Tree Resin Frankincense is an ancient and fabled aromatic tree resin, its use as a fragrant perfume reported from a multitude of historical sources at least as early as 1500 BC. Frankincense consists of the dried resin from the frankincense tree, and it is one of the most common and sought-after of aromatic tree resins in the world even today. Purposes Frankincense resin was used in the past for a variety of medicinal, religious and social purposes, and many of those purposes are still used today. Its perhaps best-known use is to create a permeating scent by burning crystalized pieces during rites of passages such as weddings, childbirth, and funerals. The incense is and was used to smooth and oil hair and sweeten the breath; soot from the incense burners is and was used for eye makeup and tattoos. More pragmatically, melted incense resin is and was used to mend cracked pots and jars: filling the cracks with frankincense makes a vessel watertight again. The bark of the tree is and was used as a red-brown dye for cotton and leather clothing. Some species of resins have a delightful flavor, which is sampled by adding it to coffee or by simply chewing it. Frankincense also is and was also used as a household medicine for dental problems, swellings, bronchitis, and coughs. Harvesting Frankincense has never been domesticated or even truly cultivated: the trees grow where they will and survive in place for very long periods. The trees have no central trunk but seem to grow up out of the bare rock to heights of about 2-2.5 meters or about 7 or 8 feet. The resin is harvested by scraping a 2 centimeter (3/4 of an inch) opening and allowing the resin to ooze out on its own, and harden on the tree trunk. After a few weeks, the resin has dried and can be taken to market. Tapping the resin is done two to three times a year, spaced out so the tree can recover. Frankincense trees can be overexploited: take away too much resin and the seeds wont germinate. The process was not easy: the trees grow in oases surrounded by harsh deserts, and overland routes to market were difficult at best. Nonetheless, the market for incense was so great the traders used myths and fables to keep rivals away. Historical Mentions The Egyptian Ebers Papyrus dated to 1500 BC is the oldest known reference to frankincense, and it prescribes the resin as a use for throat infections and asthmatic attacks. In the first century AD, the Roman writer Pliny mentioned it as an antidote to hemlock; the Islamic philosopher Ibn Sina (or Avicenna, 980-1037 AD) recommended it for tumors, ulcers, and fevers. Other historical references to frankincense appear in the 6th century AD in the  Chinese herbal manuscript Mingyi Bielu, and numerous mentions appear in both old and new testaments of the Judeo-Christian bible. The Periplus maris Erythraei (Periplus of the Erythryean Sea), a 1st century sailors travel guide to shipping lanes in the Mediterranean, Arabian gulf and Indian Ocean, describes several natural products, including frankincense; Periplus states that South Arabian frankincense was of a finer quality and more highly prized than that from East Africa. The Greek writer Herodotus reported in the 5th century BC that frankincense trees were guarded by winged serpents of small size and various colors: a myth promulgated to warn off rivals.   Five Species There are five species of frankincense tree which produce resins suitable for incense, although the two most commercial today are Boswellia carterii or B. freraeana. The resin harvested from the tree varies from species to species, but also within the same species, depending on local climatic conditions. B. carterii (or B. sacra, and called olibanum or dragons blood) is thought to be the tree mentioned in the bible. It grows in Somalia and the Dhofar valley of Oman. The Dhofar valley is a lush green oasis, watered by monsoonal rains in sharp contrast to its surrounding desert. That valley is still the leading source for frankincense in the world today, and the highest grade resins, called Silver and Hojari, are only found there.B. frereana and B. thurifera grow in northern Somalia and are the source of Coptic or Maydi frankincense, treasured by the Coptic church and Saudi Arabian Muslims. These resins have a lemony scent and today are manufactured into a popular chewing gum.B. papyrifera grows in Ethiopia and Sudan and produces a transparent, oily resin.B. serrata is Indian frankincense, golden brown in color and mainly burned as incense and used in Ayurvedic medicine. The International Spice Trade Frankincense, like many other aromatics and spices, was carried from its isolated origins to market along two international trade and commercial routes: the Incense Trade Route (or Incense Road) that carried the trade of Arabia, East Africa and India; and the  Silk Road  that passed through Parthia and Asia. Frankincense was extremely desired, and the demand for it, and the difficulty of getting it distributed to its Mediterranean customers was one of the reasons the Nabataean culture rose to prominence in the first century BC. The Nabataeans were able to monopolize the frankincense trade not at the source in modern Oman, but by controlling the Incense Trade Route that crossed Arabia, East Africa, and India. That trade sprang up during the classical period and had a huge impact on Nabataean architecture, culture, economy and urban development at Petra. Sources: Al Salameen Z. 2011.  The Nabataeans and Asia Minor.  Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry  11(2):55-78.Ben-Yehoshua S, Borowitz C, and HanuÃ… ¡ LO. 2011.  Frankincense, Myrrh, and Balm of Gilead: Ancient Spices of Southern Arabia and Judea.  Horticultural Reviews: John Wiley Sons, Inc. p 1-76. doi: 10.1002/9781118100592.ch1Erickson-Gini T, and Israel Y. 20113.  Excavating the Nabataean Incense Road.  Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies  1(1):24-53.Seland EH. 2014.Archaeology of Trade in the Western Indian Ocean, 300BC–AD700.  Journal of Archaeological Research  22(4):367-402. doi: 10.1007/s10814-014-9075-7Tomber R. 2012.  From the Roman Red Sea to beyond the Empire: Egyptian ports and their trading partners.  British Museum Studies in Ancient Egypt and Sudan  18:201-215.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Green Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Green Power - Essay Example Furthermore Green Power is associated with a cleaner environment devoid of pollution. The Green energy sources include wind, solar, biomass and water. Renewable energy plants can provide a constant flow of power which can be the greatest realization for humanity. Presently this is not the case. There is a clarion call across the world for the adoption of Green energy in a bid to conserve Mother Nature. Indeed, the call for these safer and non-pollutant forms of energy cannot really be emphasized. Several researches have demonstrated the great harm done across the world through the usage of oil and other forms of energy not classified under this category. In few countries across the world, Green Power contributes substantially toward the total national grid. However, in most countries, the consumption of green energy is still very limited to the extent of 2 to 5% for most developed countries. Such a trend worries considering that the world’s oil resources are running out at amazing rates. It certainly calls for alternative measures to be put in place in order to address the situation before issues go haywire. The greatest challenge facing the consumption of Green Power across the world is the already established infrastructure that serves the consumers. The incorporation of green energy into such infrastructures is normally a difficult affair. The centralized nature of most electricity grids in the world means that purchasing the Green energy from the producers becomes difficult. In the Netherlands, electricity companies are compelled to buy a given amount of the Green energy to supplement the national output and to serve clients who specifically opt for the green energy sources. The Green Power affair has become an important program across the world and people are called upon to join the bandwagon. Policy makers are giving many reasons on why such renewable sources of energy should greatly be adopted across the world. The amount of carbon

Friday, October 18, 2019

Job posting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job posting - Assignment Example The core responsibilities of an administrative assistant include maintaining the workflow in the office and supervising the junior and interns in the office setup. The assistant creates systems and procedures to be implemented in the office. The assistant derives systems and procedures from analyzing office practices, office layout, budgetary requirements, and forms control among other office duties. The administrative assistant also delegates and develops other administrative staff in the office. The assistant provides information on the office such as educational opportunities and opportunities to further their careers. The resolving of administrative problems is also the duty of the assistant; the administrative assistant resolves problems through coordinating reports, data analysis and identifying solutions from the reports. The maintenance of office equipment is also a task of the administrative assistant. The maintenance duties include the calling experts to service the office equipment, keeping an inventory of the equipment periodically and the assessing of new office equipment. The administrative assistant is an employee who knows the workings of the office and has all the answers on matters regarding the office. The Assistant also maintains and improves his or her skills by attending workshops, establishing professional networks and partaking in professional bodies and societies. The education recruitments of an administrative assistant are minimal compared to other jobs. The minimum requirement for this work is GCSE, GED or any other equivalent certification. Proficient computer skills are an added advantage to those pursuing this line of work. Other skills include good telephone skills due to the communicative nature of the work. The job of an administrative assistant operates in an office

World Religions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

World Religions - Essay Example There are also several differences on the level of dogma as well. For example, people who have adopted the approach of Reformation Christianity do not share the idea of a saint in a traditional meaning of this word. Thus, the pious figures who acted in the Bible are respected, but they are not prayed to, as it is in Roman Catholicism. Reformation Christianity suggests that a true believer should only pray to God and not intermediary is needed so that the prayer is heard by the All Mighty. Finally, the idea of purgatory – the place when souls of the sinner might stay temporarily in order to purify themselves – is characteristic to Roman Catholicism only. Reformation Christianity argues that the after life is divided into two separate worlds – Heaven and Hell – and there is no need for a third one as the above-mentioned concepts are perfect and a true Christian should work hard on getting into Heaven and ending up in a purgatory is not an option. Just like any other religion, Islam has several fundamental principles that define its spiritual tradition. They received the name of Five Pillars of Islam. The first of them is called Shahadah and is largely focused on the key ideas of the Muslim faith: there is no God, but God (Allah is simply the Arabic word for God) and Mohammed should be regarded as the only Messenger from him. These two simple statements from a set of coordinates that Islam operates within. That is why there is no wonder that the above-mentioned statement is repeated several times during a day by true believers.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Application of Information Technology in the Workplace Essay

The Application of Information Technology in the Workplace - Essay Example Also made possible with the availability of computer technology specifically with the development of IBM AS/400 computer and Microsoft's Windows NT which allowed software packages to become more and more user-friendly, ERP has developed to the point that it has become industry specific making it possible for ERP package to be designed to address one's specific industry idiosyncrasies. (Brown and Vessey, 2003) ERP is actually an improved version of Business Resource Planning (BRP) which came from Material Resource Planning II (MRPII) which is in turn a descendant of the Material Resource Planning (MRP). All of these are essentially computer-based approaches to scheduling and planning of material requirements and inventory. ERP has been regarded as the "answer" to the productivity and economic troubles of service and manufacturing enterprises. Due to its effectiveness, the use of ERP system as an enterprise management software tool has become widespread in spite of the presence and ava ilability of other products in the marketplace. There is but one daily practical problem that manufacturing organizations face in their operations whatever their products maybe and that is customers would always want products to be manufactured and delivered faster than one can actually make them. There will always be nearly impossible time frames and one is forced to comply if one is interested in surviving the competition. Plan manufacturing activities, delivery schedules and purchasing activities.

CHAPTER 9 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CHAPTER 9 - Coursework Example Prior to the First World War, the Jewish immigrants and Palestinians coexisted peacefully despite the confusion created by Jewish inhabitation of the area. However, the events of the First World War resulted into a protracted religious and nationalistic conflict that persists to date (White 258-286). The British wanted to win the war against the Germans. Therefore, it fuelled Arab’s hostility against the Turks with the promise of establishing a united Arab country at the end of the way. Instead of establishing a united Arab country as it had promised, the British divided the region into territories governed by families. There territories rivaled each other leading to eventual emergence of independent states such as Syria, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Gulf States. The British also promised the Jews that it will create a Jewish nation in Palestine. Creation of the state of Israel increased tension in the region which resulted into repeated wars between the Arabs and the Israel. Israel defeated the Arabs in each of these wars forcing the Arabs to turn to terrorism. Change of international policies can prevent future occurrence of the conflict. The international community should play a key role in demarcating the boundaries separating the countries. In addition, the countries should recognize each other as a sovereign state and also respect their religious

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Application of Information Technology in the Workplace Essay

The Application of Information Technology in the Workplace - Essay Example Also made possible with the availability of computer technology specifically with the development of IBM AS/400 computer and Microsoft's Windows NT which allowed software packages to become more and more user-friendly, ERP has developed to the point that it has become industry specific making it possible for ERP package to be designed to address one's specific industry idiosyncrasies. (Brown and Vessey, 2003) ERP is actually an improved version of Business Resource Planning (BRP) which came from Material Resource Planning II (MRPII) which is in turn a descendant of the Material Resource Planning (MRP). All of these are essentially computer-based approaches to scheduling and planning of material requirements and inventory. ERP has been regarded as the "answer" to the productivity and economic troubles of service and manufacturing enterprises. Due to its effectiveness, the use of ERP system as an enterprise management software tool has become widespread in spite of the presence and ava ilability of other products in the marketplace. There is but one daily practical problem that manufacturing organizations face in their operations whatever their products maybe and that is customers would always want products to be manufactured and delivered faster than one can actually make them. There will always be nearly impossible time frames and one is forced to comply if one is interested in surviving the competition. Plan manufacturing activities, delivery schedules and purchasing activities.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

How sociological perspective contribute to the relationship between Essay

How sociological perspective contribute to the relationship between the education and the society - Essay Example of opportunity, the democracy and economy (Department of Education, 2004) and it has been well known that schools could help individuals to be socialized (Meyer, 1977). Therefore, this essay would like to discuss how the sociological perspective might explain the relationship between the education and the society. Particularly, this essay will illustrate this point from these three levels: the social contribution of the physical education, the development of students’ socialization process and the importance of the education to the social equity and development. This essay will be structured as follows: it starts by talking about the social effect of the physical education followed by the effect on students’ socialization process. After that, this essay will look at the impact on the social equity together with the discussion about the interaction of these three topics. At last, this essay will conclude by illustrating how these three factors work with the relationship between the society and the education. Physical education deals with the exercise and development of students’ bodies (Kirk et al, 2006). Moreover, it makes students realize the importance of their bodies and the fact that they should take care of their condition in order to maintain clean habits in society. The naturalistic view of the body says that the study of the body could be fully explained by the scientific studies (Shilling, 1993). Thus, the functions of our body and our activity could be understood by biological science thoroughly. In comparison, the sociological perspective argues that the biology could not fully explain the behavior of the body as some activities were determined by the society and the social behavior is a combination of both nature and culture (Evans, 1993; Kirk et al, 2006). Particularly, Giddens (1993) stated that our body is influenced ‘by our social experience as well as the norms and values of the groups to which we belong’. This means that our body is

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Ways in Which the Principal Teachings of Two Religious Traditions Essay Example for Free

The Ways in Which the Principal Teachings of Two Religious Traditions Essay Peace and its execution and conservation is a concept embedded within the teachings of both Christianity and Islam. Thus the sacred texts of each tradition, namely; the Christian Bible and the Qur’an and Hadith instruct the adherent as to the best way of contributing to peace at a global level. Upon the analysis of the principal teachings of Christianity and Islam pertaining to peace, it is the contention of this paper that; the inspiration and desire for peace derives directly from the sacred texts of the two traditions. Essential to the concept of peace contained within the Christian Bible is the belief that peace as a concept was given to humankind by God, demonstrated by the teaching and example of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament. â€Å"Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace I give to you. † (Jn) This teaching is as such evident in a number of movements which advocate and attempt to achieve world peace. The World Conference on Religion and Peace is a prominent initiative created through the influence of Christian teaching, aiming to encourage dialogue between nations in order to foster and conserve the peace ordained by God. They have provided mediation is such areas as Kosovo and have brought together world leaders to discuss issues such as global security and disarmament. This elucidates the way in which global initiatives for peace are heavily influenced by the principal teachings of Christianity. Moreover, another prominent initiative directed towards the attainment of peace at a global level is the promotion of the World Day of Peace by Pope John Paul VI, declaring that annually, New Years Day should be dedicated to reflection regarding the need for peace, saying that; â€Å"peace results from the harmony built into society by its divine founder. (John Paul VI) This highlights the direct influence of Christian teaching on movements for world peace. Although conflict in contemporary society in a global context is still prevalent, it can be observed that small in-roads to peace have been made as a result of the adherent’s capacity to act on the principal teachings of the tradition. Another prominent teaching of Christianity pertaining to world peace encompasses the concept that peace s attainable if adherents exercise the virtues of faith, hope and love which were bestowed by God in all aspects of ife. Moreover, this teaching demonstrates the notion that evil should not be re-paid with evil but must be dealt with by way of righteous action. â€Å"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. † (Mt) This is thus demonstrated on a practical level through the National Council of Churches in Australia’s (NCCA) initiative, the â€Å"Decade to Overcome Violence. † This employs the aforementioned teaching as its basis and urges the Christian community collectively to practise these virtues. Moreover, the council works to denounce international conflict, saying that; â€Å"war as a method of settling international disputes is incompatible with the teaching and example of Jesus Christ. † (NCCA) This demonstrates the way in which the worldwide Christian movements for peace place at their foundation the ethical principals of Christianity as reflected through the Bible. Perhaps one of the more prominent ethical teachings of Christianity with reference to world peace is that which highlights the correlation between being a Christian and working for peace. If your enemy is hungry, give him food†¦ resist evil and conquer it with good. † (Rom) This highlights the concept that working towards peace is an obligation of being a Christian. This is well exemplified by such movements as Pax Christi International, a peace organisation who sought to rectify the problems of the world in the aftermath of WWII and to promote such ideas as ecological awareness, disarmament and human rights. Moreover the pacifist movement, the Quakers or Society of Friends actively promote pacifism, typifying the notion of the practical application of Christian teaching. With reference to Islam, the cornerstone of the Islamic view of world peace is the Lesser Jihad. The principal teaching surrounding this is that Allah desires peace but acknowledges the human capacity to be violent and aggressive. Thus, the concept of the Lesser Jihad or the struggle against external evil in pursuit of world peace is developed. Adherents focus every aspect of their lives in the pursuit of Jihad and it is through this that one may finally achieve submission. O soul at peace, return to the lord. † (Qur’an) This struggle against external evil is demonstrated at a practical level through the initiatives of Australian Muslims to enter into dialogue with non-Islamic Australians to attempt to quell misunderstandings regarding Islam such as the misconception regarding Jihad. In 1989, The International Scholars Annual Dialogue was established by scholars from various faiths to clarify such issues as the aforementioned, helping to achieve world peace. This organisation believes that the western media â€Å"oversimplifies the position of Islam† on matters such as terrorism, thus impeding initiatives towards peace in a global context. Moreover such movements as the Bridges not Walls Foundation is an interfaith movement instigated by Muslims and Jews in order to oppose the conflict in the Middle East. Although peace in its entirety has not yet been achieved, initiatives such as these possess an incalculable significance in directing the world towards peace. Peace is a concept that is embedded into the sacred texts and principal teachings of both Christianity and Islam. These texts instruct the adherent toward the most appropriate way to peace and as such it is the concluding contention of this paper that; the inspiration and desire for peace derives directly from the sacred texts of the two traditions and although this has not yet been fully achieved, the movement towards world peace has been aided by the capacity of adherents to act practically on the principal teachings contained within the sacred texts of the aforementioned traditions.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

How Youtube And Facebook Earned Their Success Media Essay

How Youtube And Facebook Earned Their Success Media Essay The objective of this report is to investigate how and why Youtube, Facebook and Twitter earned their success. Students are exposed to the method of proper report writing and spruce team work among group members. This report examines the three social media (Youtube, Facebook and Twitter) as they are currently the most popular networking sites on the internet. Most of our resources originate from online articles (ie: BBC, Readers Digest, TIMES) and assemblage of brainstorming sessions. We also made an online survey to analyze the public opinions. Since it was founded in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees,[1] Youtube has grown and become the most popular video sharing website on the internet which serve as a consumer media website that allows its users from around the world to watch, upload and share videos on the net. After being bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion in November 2006[2], Youtube has since achieved 100 million videos views each day and more than 65,000 new videos uploads per day and is ranked as the third most popular website just behind Google and Facebook.[3] [4] Youtube uses Adobe Flash Video technology and format to display various user-generated video content which includes movie clips, TV clips, music videos, amateur content as well as materials from partnership program with media corporations such as CBS, the BBC and UMG. Youtube generates its revenue mainly from advertisements displayed on the search pages and in the videos themselves. [5] Youtubes great achievement is largely down to three criteria and the three main features it offers to users which are watch, upload and share. With limited choice available for users to post and search videos with such ease, Youtube immediately become the popular choice among internet users. Online video existed long before Youtube, however Youtube excels unlike its pre-successors because it offers the much wanted platform that makes uploading, watching and sharing videos effortlessly. Youtube has managed to overcome the problems of earlier generation video sharing sites such as limited bandwidth, insufficient materials and inability to share. Besides that, Youtube has gone further by providing some extra enhanced features such as video-tagging, rating, commenting and also embedding of videos. With its great traffic flow, Youtube is able to attract big clients to advertise on their products and services on Youtube site. It is reported that Youtubes revenue reached US$200 million in year 2008. [6] This is considered as a large amount since it does not charge any member fees and only focus on advertisement incomes. Facebook Facebook is a famous free social networking website that allows registered users to create their own profiles, upload photos and video, and send messages with friends, family and colleagues. The Facebook has modernized keeping in touch all over the world. Friends and family members can now connect with each other in a network and share personal stuff such as message, video, games and plan events together. Facebook isnt just for teens and young adults. It is a wonderful and practical way for people of all ages to keep in touch on a regular basis. According to survey the largest audience in Facebook is currently the adult over forties. In addition, Facebook is now available in more than 100 different languages [7] By using Facebooks innovative Translations application, all phrases and words in Facebook are translated into several major language on earth such as Chinese, Franà §ais, Malay, Italiano, and etc[8]. Geography and language is no longer a boundary. Mark Zuckerberg, 23, founded Facebook while he was studying psychology at Harvard University. Majoring in computer programming, Mr Zuckerberg developed a number of social-networking websites for fellow students before his sensation with Facebook. He later drops out from Harvard and pursues his dream of making the worlds largest internet social network website. Currently, the social networking site currently has over 400 million active users the site remains free to join, and makes a profit through advertising proceeds. Yahoo and Google are among companies which have expressed interest in a buy-out, with huge figures of around $2bn ( £975m) being discussed. Mr Zuckerberg has so far refused to sell[9]. Mark Zuckerberg inspirational success story is made into a Hollywood movie call The Social Network which will debut in October 2010. It will feature actors such as Jesse Eisenberg, Rashida Jones and Justin Timberlake. Twitter Twitter is built around one simple question what are you doing? [10] Since its creation in 2006, Twitter has gained notability and popularity worldwide because of its simplicity. It is sometimes described as SMS of the Internet since each tweets is limited to 140 character which is the standard length for handphone text. [11] When Twitter co-founders Stone, Jack Dorsey and Evan Williams began working on their new Web idea, Dorsey suggested a site that emulated the status feature of instant-messaging services, which lets people know whether youre online. Tweets are  displayed on the authors profile page and delivered to the authors subscribers who are known as  followers. Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access. Twitter is accessible through web and Smartphones. Public figures such as Dalai Lama, Barrack Obama, Ashton Kutcher and Kim Kardashian had sanctioned the popularity of this service. Twitters rapid growth made it the object of intense interest and a fair amount of ridicule, as it was derided as high-tech trivia or the latest in time-wasting devices. [12] As Twitter grows, it will increasingly become a place where companies build brands, do research, send information to customers, conduct e-commerce and create communities for their users. [13] A Malaysian company, Churp-churp, took a step forward by innovating Twitter advertising. [14] However, Twitter in Malaysia is not as popular as Youtube and Facebook and its demographic in Malaysia is focused on young urbanites. Methodology 18  respondents were surveyed from 26th March 2010 to 5th April 2010 via a statistic website, http://www.surveymonkey.com/. The statistics were analyzed. Graphs and charts were drawn. We interviewed few individuals on 1st April 2010 regarding their personal opinion and experience using these social networking sites. The outcome from both procedures is significant in helping us to understand how YouTube, Facebook and Twitter captivate millions of internet users. Furthermore, we researched articles from reliable source on the internet from TIME, BBC, New York Times and The Star. Discussions In general, our findings indicated that all three social media are preferred for their user-friendliness. Youtubes instant success lies mainly in the rich media it contains. Users can search for the videos they desire easily and instantly. Searching for a video in Youtube is never easier, once the keywords have been typed in, a list of videos related would appear. Also, related contents or videos posted by the same uploader would also appear in a list for ease of use when viewers are watching a video in Youtube. This is extremely helpful when one is watching a series of videos, because he does not need to search again for the subsequent episode, all he has to do is just look inside the list and click at the video he wants to play. Besides that, Youtube has also generated a list of favourite and most-viewed videos for users who have no idea on what to watch. One can slowly browse through this list and look for which video he is interested in. Most of the Youtube clips do not exceed 10 minutes; hence it makes a great choice for someone who has few minutes to kill. In order to view videos on Youtube, the Adobe Flash Player plug-in is required to be installed on the browser. As the Adobe Flash Player is one of the most common pieces of software installed on personal computers nowadays, viewing Youtube videos is by means not a problem for most of the users. Uploading is made easy by Youtube, even someone with minimal amount of computer knowledge can make and post videos on Youtube. All that is needed is just a video recording device such as cell phone, camcorder or even webcam. Best of all, Youtube even provides instructions on how to upload a video in its site and one would only need to follow those steps and his videos would be available for viewing. This process is almost hassle-free as it accepts videos in most container formats, including .AVI, .MKI, .MOV, .MP4, DivX, .FLV, and .OGG. As so, users do not have to go through video format converting to upload their videos because Youtube supports most of the video codecs such as MPEG, MPEG-4, and WMV. You tube made video improvements which allow viewers to view videos in high definition and widescreen modes, features that is proved crucial especially when ones priority is high quality and movie-like experience. YouTube originally offered videos at one quality level which is at resolution of 320240 pixels using H.263 Sorenson Spark codec, with mono MP3 audiobut that has now changed. Youtube videos are now available in a range of quality levels, with the higher quality levels offering better and improved picture definition. 720p HD support was added and also, the Youtube player was changed from 4:3 aspect ratio to widescreen 16:9 in November 2008. 1080p HD support followed in November 2009. These improvements allow viewers to view videos in high definition and widescreen modes, features that are proved crucial especially when ones priority is high quality and movie-like experience. With Youtube, anybody could be a director or star because anybody can shoot their own videos and post it up Youtube. Since its creation, Youtube has since helped discover unknown singers because of the wide exposure of its videos. Someone who is virtually unknown could become the next hit with the aid of Youtube. Stars like Whitney Raenan, Jess Loren, Melanie Ungar and Christina Peoples were mere ordinary people before they decided to post their singings onto Youtube, a move which propels them to stardom. In an indirect way, Youtube provided a platform and opportunities for these soon to be stars to showcase their talents and if the world recognises their talents, a professional contract would surely follow suit. Picture 1: From right to left Youtube sensations. Justin Bieber with his mentor Usher; Pop singer Marie Digby; Nickolodeon featured humorist Fred Figglehorn. The introduction of Youtube Mobile allows users to access Youtube videos using mobile phones, however not all videos are available on the mobile version of the site. And last but not least, Youtube is free to use, users can simply visit Youtube and start viewing its videos and an account is not necessary for viewing videos. In the U.S., Facebook has the second highest number of unique visitors per month, surpassing Yahoo for the first time in January 2010. It was reported that of all time spent online in January, 11.6% was on Facebook, compared to less than 5% on Yahoo and Google each. The main factor that contributors to Facebook success are the experience was designed for college students, by college students. Thus, Facebook designs are based on college students needs and desires. College kids find the common ground to share their homework and interest. Besides that, Facebook represents a more persuasive local advertising opportunity as Facebook can guarantee deep penetration. Moreover, there are several features Facebook incorporated that made the service sticky. Here is the important experience as its simplicity. Registration to be Facebook user can be done in a few simple steps. It uses very intuitive and simple interface, uses text links for feature navigation, and the site is largely unobtrusive. This means that users are quite easy to adopt for its intended audience. Due to its simplicity, it doesnt require more time to finish loading in browser. The efficiency and fast respond of Facebook enable users who rush in time to check important mails or message in Facebook. Furthermore, attractive games and quizzes become another success factor of Facebook. Facebook offers huge number of games and quizzes for users to play. They dont require any installation or time to download; just a simple click would allow users to play game with their friends instantly. It is easy to setup a Facebook profile. Fill in your email address, add in your details and within moments people that had crossed path with you are willing add you as their friends. There is a privacy option if you want to decide on who you decide to block from seeing (ie: your boss). Sharing is caring. With Facebook this proverbial has never been truer. Besides that you may poke, throw sheep, comment, scrabble and poker with your friends. There are various fan page or groups that acts like a forum to choose from. It can be a useful tool or a complete waste of time. Either way Facebook is having a dramatic impact on the World Wide Web. According to the young and geeky founder, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook is the answer for our need to stay in touch, discover lost friends and maintain acquaintance. This mogul extraordinaire had rejected a 1 billion offer from Yahoo and on October 24 2007 Microsoft announced that it had purchased a 1.6% share of Facebook for $240 million, giving Facebook a total implied value of around $15 billion Picture 2: Mark Zuckerberg is one of the worlds billionaire under 25. Then, Twitter changed the landscape of social networking once again by making the whole system more public. No longer would you have to wait for a pesky friend request; you could follow and message anyone you wanted through the new medium. Twitter not only exists just for friends to tell friends that theyre on their way to the office or out to dine. Its become a kind of hyper grapevine news resource a way of instant messaging your circle of friends about your interests. It is known as micro blogging. Celebrities also became a big part of this network. Most famously, Stephen Fry twittered whilst he was stuck in a lift, providing great enjoyment to his followers and really helping to kick off Twitter in the UK. Picture 3: Stephen Fry helped popularize Twitter in UK with his misfortune being stucked in the elevator. Famous people who twitters: Lance Armstrong  Ã‚  Followers:  550,543 Al Gore  Ã‚  Followers:  523,035 Shaquille ONeal  Ã‚  Followers:  591,534 Barack Obama  Ã‚  Followers:  761,288 President of United States Arnold Schwarzenegger  Ã‚  Followers:  40,278 Actor turner Governor Martha Stewart  Ã‚  Followers:  329,723 Twitter has become so popular and addictive, so fast, that keeping up with its fast-growing user base is a real issue. The secret of Twitters success is realizing that folks dont want to use the Web for private conversations but public ones. Nearly 90% of Twitter users make their updates public, so everyone can read. The service is even credited with breaking news about fires and other natural disasters. It even saves lives. Demi Moore once alerted the local police force regarding a tweet by one of her followers who resolute for a suicide. This incident is stopped. As Twitter users know you can only say it in 140 characters or less. Twitter combines use of the Web, IMs and text messaging which makes in desirable in Smartphones application. Results of statistical Analysis Figure 1: Bar chart for the age group of survey participants. The survey that we conducted focused on the age group of 19-24. However it is reported that the fastest growing segment of social networking sites are the adults above 40 years of age. Figure 2: Pie chart for the gender of survey participants in percentage. 56% of our survey participants are female. Figure 3: Bar chart for accounts information of survey participants. Most people are on Facebook compared to Twitter and YouTube. Figure 4: Stacked bar char on hours that survey participants spent on social networking sites on a daily basis. YouTube and Twitter users spend less time compared to Facebook in their daily life. Perhaps Facebook is the most addictive site. Figure 5: Bar chart on material that are searched for in YouTube in percentage. AutoVehicles, Entertainment and Music are the lead search in YouTube. Figure 6: Pie chart on percentage of survey participants who agree that YouTube eases copyright infringement. Most people agree that YouTube is subject to copyright infringement. Measures must be taken to fight this. Figure 7: Stacked bar chart on frequency of Facebook activity in percentage. Profile viewing and passing time is the most famous activity in Facebook. Our participants note that they rarely chat or play games. Figure 8: Stacked bar chart that shows the criteria that is considered when adding friends in percentage. People are most likely to add their acquaintance in social networking sites. Figure 9: Doughnut chart on future predictions for social networking sites. Social networking sites are predicted to grow in the years to come. The advantages/disadvantages of social networking sites Advantage: meet new friends more friends content are inappropriate keep in touch with friends Keep in touch with long lost friends get to know people Disadvantage: some content are inappropriate a bad things happen will spread very fast Limitless access to information, whatever it might be, good or bad Rumors and gossip spread faster. Lies occur more less privacy waste time Subject to abuse by sex offenders Conclusions The main conclusion that can be drawn is therefore that social networking sites will flourish in the years to come. Microsoft was the boom in the nineties, followed by the Google domination over the last decade and now we will see the Facebook climb. One or other forms of internet revolution will take place. With social-networks like Facebook and Twitter blooming to popularity recently, it is no surprise to find out that Youtube is among the ones to enjoy the benefits of their success. This is because Youtube allows users to share its videos on these sites and by so YouTube grows in line with them. With the sharing feature, users are able to share their videos with their friends in these social networks. They could also let their friends know what is on their minds at the moment by sharing the songs or movies they like. Social networking sites could also serve as a place to gain popularity and spread news. When one has a proper message to deliver to the world, he can just take a video of it and post it up Youtube and the message would soon spread. For example, the Free Hugs campaign which initially started out in Sydney by Juan Mann but with the help of Youtube, it has now grown and expanded to various places around the world such as Taiwan, Israel, Italy and more. With a mass audience, it is no wonder a simple message could spread so fast. This could be put to good use if one is in need of urgent assistant such as in health and medical purposes. The social network site is first and foremost a site for socializing and sharing the trivia of life as we live it. But it is becoming a valuable networking tool for linking people with the same interests together in a relaxed manner. In summary, there is a lot of fun to be had on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter, as long as you are not abusing it. Recommendations In the light of these conclusions, we recommend that social networking should be monitored from abuse. There are defamation cases against user who misuse the facilities of these sites around the world. Certain shout outs may stir unwanted reaction. Drawing example from our local court case, Mohamad Tasyrif Tajudin, 25, was charged in the Sessions Court here over a post he made on social media network Facebook in relation to arsonist attacks on churches. The offence comes under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 586) which can be charged under Section 233(3) of the same Act for making a threat with the intention of causing public unrest. Section 233 covers the improper use of network facilities or services. [15] In addition, advertising is an undeniable source of income for these sites but it could kill the joy of surfing. While there may be commercial value for using social networking sites to be in touch with others, the danger is that the net community could turn against a marketer viewed as being too crass by being relentlessly self-promoting. There are concerns on age limiting the users of these accounts. Parents should be more proactive in monitoring their children net activity. Although certain sites have put a ban against certain age limit, it is not a foolproof method since everybody cheats information on the internet. Inappropriate content may risk opening a window for pedophilia Students should control the time wasting unproductive addictive games. Some companies and schools had banned the access of these websites. Uploading content in these sites also creates business opportunities for budding companies or entrepreneurs as these serve as free advertising tool for the products or services offered. Also, by putting up a promoting video in Youtube, you actually place your brand in front of millions of viewers and potential customers. There are blogshops which regularly update and tag their dresses collection in Facebook. Socialization between the uploader and his viewers may improve the brand as the uploader could use the suggestions and feedbacks to help and. Youtube also provides the rating and comment features that lets viewers to rate videos and share their thoughts on that particular video. Instead of chatting with friends on a one-to-one basis, Facebook may equip with web conferencing feature which enables more than 2 users to chat together in the same time. Web conferencing is a method for people to communicate from their computers without any travel necessary. Facebook users could create conference room, invite their friends and communicate with all of their friends in a same time. Another feature Facebook can add in is the photo-edit feature. Every day, thousands or even millions of photos are uploaded with friends being tagged. To increase involvement of users, a photo editing application might prove to be useful. With the help of auto-size feature, users could upload any kind of photos regardless size and formats to Facebook. Users need not to install any photo-edit software in their computer in order to edit the photos with red-eye effect, blurring, and sensitive parts and so on. With the built in photo-edit application in Facebook, users may upload their perfect photos in an easy way. Appendices Appendix 1: Sample Survey Form 1. What is your age group? ___-below 19 ___-19-24 ___-above 24 2. What is your gender ___-M ___-F 3. Which of these social networking sites do you own? (you may choose more than one) ___-Facebook ___-Youtube ___-Twitter ___-None of the above (Why?) You may proceed to question 9. 4. How many hours do you spend on average everyday on (ignore the site that you dont own) 1-2 hours 2-3 hours 3-4 hours 4 hours >> Youtube Facebook Twitter 5. What materials do you search for on Youtube ? (May tick more than 1) ___-Comedy ___-Education ___-Entertainment ___-Film Animation ___-Gaming ___-Howto Style ___-Music ___-News Politics ___-Nonprofits Activism ___-People Blogs ___-Pets Animals ___-Science Technology ___-Sports ___-Travel Events ___-Shows ___-Movies ___-Contests ___-Events ___-Other (please specify) 6. Do you think Youtube makes it easier for violation of copyrights infringement? ___-Yes ___-No 7. How frequent do you access your Facebook to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always View profiles Update status Chat Pass time Play games Add friends 8. When accepting new friends in Facebook/Twitter, what criteria do you consider? Most Unlikely Unlikely Fair Likely Most Likely Gender Common Interest Common Games Acquaintance Common friends Looks 9. What is your prediction for these social networking sites ___-it will continue to grow in the future ___-it will be out of trend soon ___-others (please specify) 10. What are the advantage/disadvantage of social networking site?

Saturday, October 12, 2019

disinvestment :: essays research papers

DISINVESTMENT OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS IN INDIA TODAY THE RUSSIAN ECONOMIC MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT CONNOTED THROUGH THE RUSSIAN FUR DOES NOT EXIST. TODAY THE CHINESE ECONOMIC MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT CONNOTED THROUGH THE MAO SUIT DOES NOT EXIST. Margaret Thatcher disrobed them. The concept of the GOLDEN STRAIGHT JACKET is avowed, to whether it were the Democrats or the Republicans, the Conservatives or the Laborites, the BJP or the Congress. The concept of the golden straight jacket has been embraced by all countries including India. It endeavors to shift the economic decision making from the government to the markets. The concept of Disinvestment being it’s major tenet. The Nehruvian temples of economic growth, better known as the Public Sector Undertakings were born as the outcome of the conscious policy of the government to speed up industrialization of the country with a view to giving added impetus to economic growth as well as achieve certain socio-economic goals. These undertakings account for  ¼ of our GDP. They also account for 1/3 of our exports and have made contributions to import substitution. Also government undertakings employ more than 70% of the workers employed in the organized sector. These undertakings have helped reduce imbalances in regional development and a few of them have earned reputation for excellence at international level. But the picture is not as rosy as it seems, rather the scene in most of the PSU’s is very chilling. According to figures upto March ‘99 losses incurred by 29 PSU’s trebled within one year from approx. Rs.1050 crores to Rs. 3600 crores. The major reasons for the non performance of the PSU’s can be summarized as: Political Interference, High Cost of Delay, Fear of Scams, Headless Plants, Ineffective Management, Huge Inventories, Trade Unionism and Unutilized Capacities. A comprehensive policy on public sector was set out in the Industrial Policy Statement of July 24, 1991 - the year when the country had to tide over an unprecedented economic crisis reflected in its internal and external finances. The steps adumbrated included a review of public sector investments to focus on strategic and essential infrastructure enterprises and new procedures to tackle chronically sick and loss-making units. â€Å"Rationality is least expected from an economist who is best defined as a man who tells you tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday did not happen today.† The DEPARTMENT OF DISINVESTMENT has the following rationale: Because of the current revenue expenditure on items such as interest payments, wages and salaries of Government employee and subsidiaries, the Government is left with hardly any surplus for capital expenditure on social and physical infrastructure.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Jensen Shoes Company Essay

Company management requires to know the opportunities for new markets and new products, necessitating the need to expand product lines in this process, Janes Karvitz, strategic production took up Lyndon in her team and now facing problem with his attitude at work and trying to motivate him to finish his assigned work About organization and employee designations: Jensen Shoes is an American company which is specializing in athletic and casual shoes for both adults and children The hierarchy of the employees is as follows: Sally Briggs-VP of marketing Chuck Taylor – Director of Strategic marketing (Strategic product managers) Jane Kravitz- casual wear ; Kyle-athletic shoes ; Robert – children shoes Lyndon –staff Patty Russell: HR professional Present situation of the company : About Lyndon and Jane Kravitz: †¢ Lyndon Twitchell ,a staff member in Jane’s team, and was given two strategic objectives (s.o.’s) to complete i.e Latino and African American market. †¢ In addition to it, he was assigned a third project on environmental issues at the same time. †¢ Lyndon has not been able to fulfil his strategic objectives under Chuck while he was in a management position. †¢ After been transferred to Jane’s team, he tried to take a week to fly to the west coast and attend a trade show. †¢ Twitchell and Jane came to an agreement that Twitchell would be responsible for only one strategic objective and they signed a contract to record the same. Problem identification and Contextual analysis: Pre-assumptions by Kravitz and their effect on her behaviour: The case reflected the fact that Janes took up Lyndon in her team and now facing problem with his attitude at work. Karvitz was already informed by Chuck that Lyndon is a guy who is difficult to handle in terms of work, This corresponds to the social information processing model , in which people adopt attitudes and behaviours in keeping with the cues provided by others with whom they come into contact. With this perceived information, she pre assumed that she can motivate and put him in to work, because she though Chuck is quick at deciding and so did not actually accepted the fact. The pre assumption brought changes in Janes behaviour and attitude towards Lyndon Brook. She, thinking that giving moral support can actually motivate Lyndon .Apart from this ,she personally experienced working with Lyndon and realized ,he has many great qualities of being professional, charming and the capability of solving problems . This extra care that Jane took, may be the reason Lyndon took advantage and planned a business . A pictorial SWOT analysis has been shown below: Strengths Value employees same as products Open door policy Weakness Improper task allocation Uncontrolled behaviour of employees Low product varieties Opportunities New markets New consumer preferences Threats Flattening sales of casual wear Competition from others in market Communication barriers: In case it was mentioned that, Lyndon was rude to his boss. When Kravitz called Lyndon to her cabin to have a formal talk, he left abruptly without even giving proper answer to Kravitz. Lyndon here did a selective screening. He did not bother what Kravitz is actually trying to communicate. He spoke just what he wanted to and left the cabin. Kravitz analysed this behaviour of Lyndon is due to the fact of career development desire, once he used to be in a position under Chuck. So, she promised Lyndon, that she will talk with the management to offer him a better position. This somehow created a little chance to talk to Lyndon. She even planned informal meets to make ease for Lyndon. Performance Management: feedback Lyndon performance was analysed by Chuck previously. And he remarked negative on his behaviour. Lyndon actually performed excellent in few of his projects assigned. He did not make out most of them good. Chuck may be focusing on only unfinished projects while evaluating Lyndon’s performance. Also being quick decision maker, he may not actually try to figure out the problem of Lyndon. This might be effected Lyndon in a negative way, that he was mistreated by his boss and remarked bad before all other colleagues. And thus is the reason for his resistance to the words and suggestions by Kravitz, feeling that he will anyways be not recognised for his work. Alternatives or possible solutions: The first alternative is to avoid pre assumptions. Kravitz would not have provided special treatment only to brook ,which he in turn realised it. He thought that he was treated separately distinguishing from other staff might be due to the negative image he has. So, it would have been much comfortable even to Lyndon, when considered equally with the remaining two people. This can bring him the feel of normalness while working. A part from this Kravitz should not follow projection methodology by expecting the same she feels at her work from her staff. The second alternative can be from the side of Lyndon. Lyndon should not have self-serving biasness. He is actually not accepting the internal faults but over estimating the external factors he was being influenced. This made him to deny the responsibility of finishing the so’s in time and even planning to a trip in unsuitable circumstances. RECOMMENDATIONS: The above alternatives can be viewed when Karvitz did not demonstrate fundamental attribution error. She can encourage Lyndon for his finished works and recognize him for the best results .She can give continuous reinforcement so that she can derive the desired behaviour quickly possible. Lyndon should also inculcate self-efficacy and try to help Karvitz in finishing the s.o.’s in time. He should avoid the negative thoughts of over burdening and extra works and be enthusiastic at finishing his job. The third recommendation in order to improve the situation is that the management must be realistic in allocating work to employees and Jane Kravitz must be bold enough not to accept a work if she found it very unrealistic and tough to finish. Too high self-esteem can prove to be counter-intuitive at times. While throwing birthday parties is fine, continuous reinforcement through extrinsic rewards and recognitions of the work been accomplished by employees can be more encouraging. Experimentation can be made using negative reinforcement, when positive reinforcement fails to work. The fear of losing job can increase the likelihood of desirable behaviour.