Inside Job Movie Review Essay

â€Å"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed,† said Mahatma Gandhi and this is somewhat the crux of this movie. Inside Job is directed by Charles Ferguson, and it highlights the reasons and the consequences of the global financial crisis of 2008. This movie is basically related to recession that was caused by the inefficiency of the industry and the unfavourable banking practices. The director has conducted several interviews and has exposed some hidden realities. The movie clearly shows that this crisis was not accidental, and that there were many people, including regulators, politicians, businessmen, who were actively involved in this destruction. These people and large financial institutions knew what they were doing was not right, but everyone’s focus was on self-interests as, at the end of the day, it’s all about making money. This documentary is divided into five parts. These include how we got here, the bubble, the crisis, accountability, and where we are now. Being a student, I would focus on the first three parts in my review. According to this movie, a few financial institutions have a direct link with the crisis. These include investment banks, insurance companies, rating agencies, etc. Main investment banks were Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and Bear Stearns. The important insurance companies included AIG, MBIA, and AMBAC. Moody’s, Standards & Poor’s, and Fitch were the rating agencies. Other financial institutions that played an important role were Citigroup, and JP Morgan. The main problem started when the deregulation period began which lead to saving & loan crisis, ultimately resulting in a few ‘big firms’ who all together disturbed the whole financial system. The housing industry was at its peak when this all started. The standard of living, environment, the overall economy and everything else in well-established and developed countries was running smooth but this financial crisis destabilized even these nations. Deregulation began and many banks were privatized and given freehand, which affected the economy. As a result, in countries like Iceland, small banks operating locally borrowed excessive amounts of money, that were even more than Iceland’s entire economy. First deregulation was related to savings & loans, allowing risky investments that ultimately failed and cost people their savings. This deregulation continued with changing administrations and the large firms kept on growing. A few mergers took place that promoted the concept of investing consumers’ savings in risky investments. Next, there was a massive increase in internet stocks creating a huge bubble. Along with this, corruption in Wall Street was increasing and money laundering was becoming common. Money laundering is basically hiding the illegal means of earning money. With new technology and hi-tech businesses, use of derivatives was increasing which made markets unstable. These were traded in unregulated markets that are in OTC (Over the Counter) markets. The regulators and other concerned parties did not take the threats of these financial innovations seriously. A new concept of Securitization Food Chain had emerged which linked loans and investors all over the world. The old phenomenon only involved mortgages between the home buyers and the lenders. But in new system lenders further sell the mortgages to investment banks. These banks combine different mortgages to create derivatives and then these derivatives are converted into Collateralized Debt Obligations and sold to investors. These CDOs are bought as they have high interest rates and they are just a piece of paper. So if the home buyer defaults, the bank that currently holds CDO will face a loss. Another problem was Sub-prime mortgages. Everyone was given a loan without considering its repayment that whether the person is capable of repaying or not. The focus was on commission and profits. The more CDOs they sell the more profit or bonus they receive. As there was no regulatory intermediary so no one cared that this practice was wrong and can be dangerous. Every person asking for loan was treated equally and was given the loan. So basically these were the riskiest loans and investments made. Along with this the rating agencies were paid heavy amounts by investment banks in order to get the CDOs highly rated and this was the main problem actually. Everyone was satisfied that it is highly rated so it is safe. Other banks kept on purchasing these CDOs due to this reason. All this lead to huge mortgages all around and therefore housing prices increased dramatically creating a bubble. According to experts this was not real money it was just being created by the system. Leverage ratios were increasing. It is the ratio of bank’s borrowed money and its own money. As borrowings were far more than their own money that is why leverage ratios were high and asset base was decreasing dramatically. AIG, an insurance company was selling huge amounts of derivatives for CDO owners. It was an insurance policy that if CDO goes wrong AIG will pay the loss to the investors. AIG did this because it was so sure that nothing can go wrong as almost all CDOs are rated AAA and along with this it will get premium from the investors. But AIG’s anticipation was wrong, when all CDOs went bad it faced losses. AIG also involved speculators which resulted in even large losses. People were unable to pay back their loans and therefore the whole system collapsed and so did AIG. Many banks went bankrupted and the entire financial system failed. The main reason was that more and more profits were being earned, at first, with very less risk. All this could never have happened if the rating agencies were honest and transparent. Several warnings were given but no actions were taken. Securitization food chain had imploded and lenders could no longer sell their loans to investment banks. Markets for CDOs collapsed leaving banks with huge loans. Banks and many other large firms were facing bankruptcy and investment industry was sinking fast. Some banks were acquired by other large and stable banks. As there was a financial crisis so taxes were increased. On the other hand, unemployment increased dramatically as recession accelerated globally. Chinese manufacturers saw huge decrease in sales and over ten million people lose their jobs in China. The poorer had to pay the most. Companies went for downsizing, standards of living decreased and poverty increased. This is how the problems arose and lead to a global financial crisis of 2000s. A group of companies that should have been working in peoples’ interest filled their own pockets instead and consequently lead the world to disasters.

Ethical statement Essay

In this end of module assignment I have adhered to the E100 ethical guidance by ensuring that I have changed all names including children, parents and colleagues. I have gained signed permission from parents to say that for the purpose of my study I can observe selected children. I can confirm that I have only used material drawn from the setting identified within the employer permission agreement form. Introduction In my end of module assignment I will be discussing how I as a practitioner have developed throughout the E100 module. I will also be reviewing parts of my learning while studying towards an early year’s degree with The Open University. My assignment will include areas in which I have developed within my role including examples of how I have changed my practice due to things that I have learnt over the past year. In order to structure my assignment I will include the first paragraph which will be an insight into why I chose to study the E100 module then I will be using the chapter titles from study topic 18 as sub headings, they will be as follows – section one ‘Reflective practice’ then section two ‘A community of practice’ then section three ‘enquiry based leadership and development’ and finally section four ‘planning professional leadership and development’. In each of these sections I will discuss how the study top ics and course materials have helped me develop my own practice. Also as an appendix to my assignment I will include a Professional Development Plan and will discuss links between my development over the last year and the E100 course materials. I currently work in a setting that has children between the age of three months and five years. At the moment I am working with the pre –school age range, there are currently 35 children registered into the pre-school, but we only have a maximum of 24 children per day and a team of three practitioners one of which is a qualified teacher. E100 The Early Years: Developing practice The E100 module was a good choice for me to begin my study with the Open University. I decided to undertake the Honours degree in Early Years Care to develop my understanding of the way in which children learn and develop and also to develop my own practice and gain new insights into the everyday care  of children and young people. Reflective practice The term reflective practice is commonly used with in Early Years settings and involves critically analyzing actions in the aim to improve professional practice. When reflecting on practice it is important to identify good and bad practice that can then be used to develop strengths and weaknesses and areas in need of development. In study topic one regarding ‘roles and responsibilities and reflecting on practice’ it says â€Å"We live and work in a time of rapid change in terms of how childhood is thought of and experienced† (Miller L., Devereux J and Callan S pg 18) When working within the early year’s sector it is important that you are able to deal with change in a positive way. During this past year while studying the E100 module I have had to change the ways in I work on many occasions partly due to my position in the setting and partly because of what I have learnt and how I have developed. A good example of this is when studying for and completing TM A 02 about attachment theory I discovered that while children develop they succeed at things more when they feel the support from their key person. After completing this TMA I decided to do some research into the work of Mary Ainsworth and John Bowlby, following my research I thought of a way in which I could improve the way in which my settings key person scheme works. I suggested that when working as three members of staff with the maximum capacity of 24 children, we should try as close as we can to have our key children with us for example when completing a craft activity myself and my group of key children could complete the activity then leave it set up for the next practitioner and their key children to complete it and so on. This works well now in my setting as the children feel secure with their key person and have a good understanding of what they will be doing that day and when. It has had a positive reaction on the children’s behaviour as the day flows more smoothly and they have a routine in place, the children also know that if they are unsure of anything they can ask their key person as they will be the one running the activities for them. Peter Moss in reader two chapter eighteen says â€Å"The education and continuous professional development of this reflective and democratic professional involves deepening understanding of t hese values and learning how to give expression to them in every day practice† (Moss P 2008) This is very important and is a  skill that I think I have gained throughout the E100 module. I now feel that I can reflect on my practice good or bad and develop ways in which I can improve myself and the setting I work in. A community of practice A community of practice is a term used to describe a group/sector of people that work together at one profession but often in many different ways. It is important that when working in Early Years care that the team of professionals can work together in order to provide good quality care for all the children. A good team is able to understand that they can gain knowledge and understanding by listening to opinions and experiences of other practitioners. It is through the process of sharing information that a team will bond and work together well. In study topic eighteen it says â€Å"As a community of practice evolves, its function is to reflect collaboratively and develop shared approaches† (Craft A., Reed M., Jones C., Goodliff G and Callan C 2012 pg 153) This links into the work I completed during study topic two and while completing TMA 01 ‘The influence of policy in my early years setting’. While studying study topic two I learnt that in order for the children to develop to their full potential there must be team that works really well together to provide high quality childcare. This suggests that there must be structure such as daily routine and weekly planning sheets. From studying this module I and the team in pre-school have held meetings to devise ways in which we can improve the current planning provision. I came up with the idea of structuring the planning in a simple way to ensure that all practitioners understand what they have to do that week. In reader two chapter nineteen developed by Alice Paige-Smith and Anna Craft it says â€Å"In becoming who we are as practitioners then, we build on layer upon layer of experience – our own and that of others generated by working with various communities† (Paige – Smith A and Craft A 2008 pg 192 (a) I feel that this statement is very much true as it is important to bring to your setting experiences and opinions you have gained from past encounters. This links again into the work I did around attachment theory and how children feel about people in the lives and things they have experienced. In reader two chapter 19 ‘Reflection and developing a community of practice’ it says â€Å"Professionals who work with young children in England are required to fulfil a range of policy based expectations within their  provisions, relating to curriculum, assessment and access to learning opportunities† ( Paige-Smith A and Craft A 2008 pg 194 (b) This state ment is very much true but in my opinion there is too much planning and paperwork to be done within settings. I feel that more time should be spent with the children to ensure that they are really enjoying their early learning experiences. While reading chapter 24 of reader one I came across points made by Vicky Hurst and Jenefer Joseph regarding ‘Parents and Practitioners’ they say that â€Å"Contacts with the home should be seen as part of the curriculum, and a part of the practitioner’s responsibility to provide for children’s learning in ways which suit them† (Hurst V Joseph J pg 264 1998) I fully agree with this statement and have recently held mini meetings with the parents of my key children to discover where they as the parents feel that their children are in their development progress and explain if I feel differently to their opinions or have any concerns. Mainly I used this time to interact with the parents on a more in formal level in order to build good relationships and enable them to understand that they can approach me about any concerns they may have regarding their Childs development process. This then led the other practitioners to follow my lead and arrange meetings for themselves with their key children’s parents this made me feel very proud as they had taken my idea and used it for themselves in order to better the provision of the setting and gain better understanding of the children in their care. When working as a community of practice it is essential that all members of the team are aware of their position, roles and responsibilities. The setting should run like a well oiled machine. In reader one chapter 4 it says â€Å"Each team member needs the confidence of understanding where the pieces of the jigsaw fit† (Read M Rees M pg 50 2000 (a) This is very significant when working with the team in pre-school a t my setting we are all fully aware of our responsibilities and these are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are still relevant so that the members of the team don’t become stuck in their ways and not change their thinking as children develop. Enquiry based leadership and development The word leader or leadership basically is how one person or an organisation like a nursery setting can aid others in the accomplishment of tasks or could also mean someone who people follow or the person a team look to. A  few examples of this are the room leaders of settings that manage the day to day planning and over see the running and routines. When working in childcare it is important to have leadership skills because as practitioners we are leading children into school life and ensuring that they are as fully prepared as they can be. While studying this module I have developed immensely and now understand more about the different sectors of childcare for example nannies, childminders and more information about settings. While reading chapter twenty four of reader two I learnt that leadership is really important when running an early years setting. In the chapter it says â€Å"Practitioners need support if they are to preserve in changing their practice† (Anning A Edw ards A 2006 pg 236) I believe this statement to be true as a practitioner I have witnessed that if you work within a supportive network you’re more likely to succeed along your chosen career path. There are many skills involved in being a good practitioner, using study topic 18 I have picked out a few that relate myself ; Lead by example – this is very important when working with children as well as other adults, children are likely to model behaviour they see while in the setting so it is a must that I act professionally and use correct language at all times. Admit mistakes – if I have made a mistake or even completed a task that I felt didn’t go very well, I always reflect on the situation and think of ways to develop it. We have staff observations that other practitioners complete if they see good or bad practice that we then reflect on in the next staff appraisal. Effectively transfer information about children and families – I feel I am really good at building relationships with the children their parents and other practitioners. Communication is a big part of everyday practice and being able to communicate is a valuable skill. These are just a few examples but there are many more skills that define a person as a good practitioner. In chapter four of reader one regarding ‘Working in teams in early years settings’ it says â€Å"Successful team work requires a group of individuals to share the daily working experience in a positive and proactive manner.†(Read M Rees M 2000 pg 47 (b) It is essenti al to be part of a good team that can tackle any situation and work together effectively. I recently started in my current setting and fitted in quickly within the team; I felt welcomed and was told my roles and responsibilities in a clear simple way. Now I’m settled in and the team feels like a little family. I have really developed  a clear understanding of what I need to do on a daily basis and often act as room leader when she is on holiday or sick etc I feel that I am very good at stepping up to the plate and taking charge. An example of this would be on a week where I was acting as the room lead a new apprentice started working with us I remembered how I felt on my first day and the things the team did to welcome me and then made sure that the apprentice felt the same way. I also ensured that the children felt safe around the new apprentice and that they all new why she was there and her name. In chapter four is a quote I feel fits well into the subject of inclusion within a team, â€Å"Each team member needs the confidence of the understanding where the pieces of the jigsaw fit.†(Read M and Rees M 2000 pg 50 (c) A team will work more effectively if everyone knows what they have to do. Planning professional leadership and development In this last paragraph I am going to discuss my PDP (professional development plan) and how the E100 module has helped me towards reaching the goals of my PDP I will also discuss what attributes I feel make a good professional leader. Within my PDP I have stated that I would like to eventually open up my very own preschool after studying this module I have learnt a lot about what needs to be done to do this and researched more towards actually completing this goal. There are many different attributes that I feel make a good leader a few of which are; Enthusiasm – a good leader is very enthusiastic about their job and the role as a leader. Committed to excellence – a good leader is all about excellence, being second best should not be an option. Confident – a good leader should be confident within their role and encourage confidence from other team members. In study topic eighteen it says, â€Å"Leadership – the capacity to motivate and encourage others, for example to access training or implement a new way of working and to take on responsibility.† (Craft A., Reed M., Jones C., Goodliff G and Callan C 2012 pg 168 2012) When trying to improve yourself and further your career it is important to be able to give yourself short, medium and long term goals in my professional development plan I have included that eventually I would like to open up my own pre – school setting in which I plan to have a good  strong team that is professional and fully focused on the children and helping them reach their full potential. To full fill my dream I am going to have to work hard to complete the rest of my degree and use the new knowledge and understanding I gain to start my business with the childcare sector. Conclusion In conclusion I feel that my development while studying the E100 module has come on in leaps and bounds. Through studying with The Open University I feel I have gained a lot more confidence towards working with children and their families and building strong relationships. It has helped me develop my understanding of the profession and made me want to further my knowledge and develop my career goal of owning a pre-school. I look forward to beginning the next year of study with The Open University which will be the E105 module. This module has enabled me to reflect on my practice not only the good aspects but also things that I have done not so well being able to do this has made me feel a lot more professional in my role and has given me the confidence to apply for more supervisory roles within my community. Completing this EMA has influenced me greatly towards enrolling for future courses and developing my skills. Over the summer break I intend to complete online training courses to progress my own skills and knowledge. References Anning a Edwards A. (2006) ‘Creating contexts for professional development’ Miller L., Cable C and Goodliff G. ‘Supporting children’s learning in the early years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Milton Keynes the Open University. Craft A., Reed M., Jones C., Goodliff G. And Callan S. (2012) ‘study topic eighteen Professional learning, leadership and development’ E100 the Early Years: Developing practice, Milton Keynes the Open University. Hurst V and Joseph J (1998) ‘Parents and practitioners, sharing education’ Cable C., Miller L and Goodliff G. ‘working with children in the Early Years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Milton Keynes The Open University. Miller L., Devereux J. & Callan S. (2012) ‘study topic one Roles and Responsibilities’’ E100 The Early Years: Developing practice, Milton Keynes The Open University. Moss P (2008) ‘The democratic and reflective professional’ Miller L., Cable C. And Goodliff G. ‘Supporting children’s learning in the early years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/ Milton Keynes The Open University. Paige-Smith A and Craft A. (2008) ‘Reflection and developing a community of practice’ Cable C., Miller L and Goodliff G. ‘working with children in the Early Years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Milton Keynes The Open University. (a) Paige-Smith A and Craft A. (2008) ‘Reflection and developing a community of practice’ Cable C., Miller L and Goodliff G. ‘working with children in the Early Years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Milton Keynes The Open University.(b) Reed M and Rees M. (2000) ‘Working in teams in early years settings’ Cable C., Miller L and Goodliff G. ‘working with children in the Early Years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Milton Keynes The Open University. (a) page 50 Reed M and Rees M. (2000) ‘Working in teams in early years settings’ Cable C., Miller L and Goodliff G. ‘working with children in the Early Years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Mil ton Keynes The Open University. (b) page 47 Reed M and Rees M. (2000) ‘Working in teams in early years settings’ Cable C., Miller L and Goodliff G. ‘working with children in the Early Years’ 2nd Edition. Oxon David Fulton/Milton Keynes The Open University. (c) Page 50

A Tale of Two Cities Character Carton Analysis Essay Example for Free

A Tale of Two Cities Character Carton Analysis Essay Character (1309) , Charles Dickens (378) , A Tale of Two Cities (24) , Sydney Carton (12) , Charles Darnay (9) , Lucie Manette (7) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities, Sydney Carton’s character went through a series of decisions that affected the outcome of the novel. Sydney Carton looks almost looks exactly the same as Charles Darnay, but the main difference, was that Darnay was sober a majority of the time, and he cared and worked for his life. Lucie, the love of Carton’s life, had fallen in love with Darnay. After Carton realized that Lucie would have picked him if he hadn’t been so slavish and drunk a majority of the time, he decided to change. He knew he had already lost Lucie, but he thought that maybe he could still use the rest of his life for the better. His decision to change was not state out right, but the events in the novel, led the reader to the conclusion, that he turned around his life for Lucie. At the beginning of the novel, when Carton is first introduced, he is sitting in the courtroom staring at the ceiling. The author made it seem like Carton did not care what was going on in the courtroom, but later the reader discovers that Carton was listening to the case the entire time. Carton had heard a flaw in the prosecutor’s plan, and he gave a note to Stryver, resulting in an acquittal, which Stryver had received full credit. As the reader continues reading, it is later discovered that Carton is the hand guiding Stryver, while Stryver is just the image. Carton never did anything for himself; because he was too busy helping others. Later in the novel, Carton planned an almost full proof plan to help Charles Darnay. Even though he had made the decision to change, and think out a plan, he never lost the characteristic of putting others before himself. Although he took the place of the Darnay, before his death, he took it for Lucie. As Carton’s character is slowly unfolded throughout the second book, the reader can conclude that Carton dislikes Darnay. Carton dislikes Darnay, because Darnay is the constant reminder to Carton of what he could have been like, if he had not made bad choices in law school and made good choices in general. Whenever Carton came over to the Manette’s home, and was in the presence of Darnay, he was even more quiet then usual. However, when he decided to turn his life around, he buried his hatred for Darnay, and treated him with respect. Even with this decision, carton could not have Lucie, but she accepted him as part of her own family, and he was content with that. At the end of the novel, Carton takes time to plan out a five-step plan to save Darnay, and ends up sacrificing himself for a man he use to hate. Part of Carton’s old personality, was that he always wore his emotions on his sleeve. He thought he was useless and he lacked self-esteem. This was shown throughout the beginning of the book, for he was a drunk resembling his worthless life. He didn’t speak in the conversation unless it was a topic that he truly cared for. Right before his change, he professed his love to Lucie. After his change, he learned to hide his emotions. Although he may not like Darnay, he kept those feelings to himself. He stayed mysterious in Book III, in order for his plan to be successful and his appearance to be surprising. The character, Sydney Carton, was given a second chance as their life was resurrected. Lucie Manette is responsible for the resurrection of Sydney Carton, for she was the inspiration that got Sydney Carton off his feet. Carton twice saves Charles Darnay even though he disliked him. Carton described himself as a wasted creature but Lucy explained that she had faith in him and that he was capable of doing better things. He ended up promising that he would do anything for her, sacrificing his life for Charles Darnay. By hiding his emotions, he was able to carry out a plan without anyone attempting to stop him. Carton strived to become a better person and change his life around because Lucie believed in him. Because of the change in Carton, Darnay’s life is spared and Carton dies with dignity, knowing his life was not a waste. A Tale of Two Cities Character Carton Analysis. (2017, Feb 21).

English Comp 1 unit 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English Comp 1 unit 4 - Essay Example What they wish to do on their own time without interfering with anyone else is their own business. In cases where other people are not annoyed to death or put into danger, I really do not care if people use their cell phones. The topic that was chosen was to compare online to on-ground education. In order to do this, it is necessary to look at the pros and cons of each. First we will look at online education, and then travel on to on-ground education. According to Hubpages (2009 p.1), "In August 2005, a survey indicated that approximately 3.2 million students in the U.S chose to enroll in classes online. These students chose online education because it is convenient and effective. However, there are still certain agencies and institutions that refute the enrollment of students in online classrooms because they feel that it is easy to be a dishonest student while taking classes online. The question arises of whether a student would peek into a text book or notes during an examination. This is the main reason why online classes are not offered by all Universities." According to Hugpages (2009 p. 1), "When students attend classes everyday, they are often distracted by outside factors. It may be that the weather is so hot that they cannot concentrate, or that somebody else is wearing better shoes than they are.

The Mystery of Capital Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Mystery of Capital - Assignment Example In Communist China, property ownership and rights extend only as far as the Communist Chinese Party goes. The structure of The Party illustrates not only how communist the nation’s political system is, but also how Leninist it remains. It is true that China is not only communist in name. It is true that the nation shifted from its core communist economic system long ago and replaced it with a strict central planning that facilitated the coexistence of commercial state enterprises alongside a vigorous private sector. However, according to McGregor, it is also true that the tension existing within the political structure and the level to which capitalism may benefit the country is inextricably intertwined with how the political structure is permitted to develop the economy. This is in light of the Chinese dictators being keen to maintain a grip on politics by commanding the People’s Liberation Army, propaganda and personnel. All aspects of life, including owning property or conducting for-profit business, are controlled by The Party. Individuals cannot own private property exclusively in a manner that can afford them to use it as collateral and release capital. To be able to run a business and earn a sort of immunity from legal procedures or prosecution, one needs to seek membership to The Party.

Violent Media Is Good for Kids by Gerard Jones p. 195 , book current Essay

Violent Media Is Good for Kids by Gerard Jones p. 195 , book current issue - Essay Example cular kids through inductive reasoning that is based on anecdotal evidence, ethos and effective emotional appeals for kids’ personal needs and issues, although he commits the fallacy of hasty generalisation by using a biased sampling. Jones has ethos because he has credibility due to being one of these kids who used violence and gained positive results, he uses a sensitive tone for kids who experienced violence in their lives, and he has conducted a study on kids who benefited from using violent media. First, Jones has ethos because he is one of these kids who did not become violent because of violent media. He enjoyed the Incredible Hulk, because he can identify with him as someone who is â€Å"raging against a frightened world that misunderstood and persecuted him† (Jones para.4), and later on, he adds that he has become a comics writer and movie scriptwriter (Jones para.5). By sharing his personal story, Jones establishes that he has first-hand knowledge of what it means to be afraid and anxious and using a violent character to identify with and to become stronger because of this identification. Second, Jones uses language that is sensitive to the situations of children who have experienced violence and used violent media to help them handle their traumatic experiences. For example, when he gives the case of a girl who is â€Å"exploding with fantasies so violent† (para.13), he does not use negative words to make this girl look weird or bad. Jones shows empathy to the girl because he knows what she needs someone to help her deal with her violent thoughts and actions. Third, Jones is a reliable source for his argument because he conducted a study on kids and learned the benefits of violent media from them. He helped psychologist Melanie Moore create â€Å"Power Play,† a program who helped kids use heroic stories to enhance their self-knowledge and to feel emotionally stronger (para.10). The program helped many kids use â€Å"creative violence† as a tool for

Does modernization theory adequately explain the levels of Assignment

Does modernization theory adequately explain the levels of socioeconomic growth in the developing world Support your answer with appropriate examples - Assignment Example tion theory thus takes into consideration the internal dynamics with a focus on cultural and social structures as well as adaptation of new and appropriate technology. This can be seen in the development of nations like china. Socio-economic growth on the other hand is the process of economic prosperity and social development in a society. It is a process that is elite-directed and concentrates power to produce growth trajectory in households’ living standards and culture. It is therefore measured by the indicators which include GDP, literacy, employment levels and life expectancy among others. Socio-economic growth can be impacted by changes that include: laws, ecological changes, new technology as well as changes that affect the physical environment (Baumgartner, Burns, & DeVille, 2014). Understanding these two terminologies, the essay thus holds the view that modernization theory adequately explains the levels of socioeconomic growth in the developing world. This essay will give an explanation as to why the above statement is correct supporting them with examples. It is correct to state that modernization theory adequately explains the levels of socioeconomic growth in the developing world. Let us decipher this, modernization theory focuses on internal factors within a country to be responsible for underdevelopment. These internal factors may include: literacy, the attitude of the populace, communication, infrastructure, agrarian structure, laws, among others. In this essay the listed internal factors will therefore be discussed one by one to understand their implication on socio-economic development of a country. In so doing, each of the factors will be evaluated in terms of their impact on the countries physical environment, ecological changes, technology and laws and subsequently their implication on a country’s GDP, literacy, employment levels and life expectancy among others. Modernization theory takes into consideration the internal dynamics with

Management leadership and performance for new products Dissertation

Management leadership and performance for new products - Dissertation Example Based on this research it is through accountable leadership that the decisions on which technological advances are best to adopt in order to ensure improved production are formulated. However leaders should be encouraged to also seek the suggestions of their subjects as they could also be of help. The management of Clydesdale bank has to undertake a market analysis with which they can be able to establish their target group hence market segmentation. Counterfactual experiments are always a challenge for those who continue to practice them and they end up with complicated results. This can be illustrated in a nation that has been dominated by the need for balance of power to the extent that they do not consider alternative perspectives. Despite the fact that some of them go ahead to practice the issue of power transition, they still find themselves experiencing some of the past power stylistics which they thought would change through the transition process. This is attributed to the b elief that, equal distribution of power in a country is a driving force to the international politics. Economic wealth on the other hand, is viewed as a major source of power for many countries that can now be grouped as the developed nations. This is because, for a long period of time they have been able to immerse wealth that enables them to be independent. Through operations management, the organizational structure ensures that there is a flexible relationship between production and the amount of consumption by the consumers. Inputs should at the end of the day be processed into outputs. There has to be a frequent supply of labour to ensure consistency in production. The resources that are acquired have to be used skillfully in order to obtain maximum profit. Through operations the bank should be able to come up with social networks so as to facilitate acquisition of skills from other organizations. This encourages the process of induction in the companies in their endeavor to in crease productivity (Sang-hun 2010, p. 6).

US Airways Group - Putting It All Together Essay

US Airways Group - Putting It All Together - Essay Example In a market characterized by low-fares, high volumes, traditionally basic services such as in-flight meals and movie were included in the fare price but in today’s fierce operating environment airlines have resulted to charging extra for these services in an effort to offer the lowest selling price possible for the passengers. U.S. Airways is suffering from an image problem, where it is collectively viewed as one of the least admired corporations in its industry sector. In the Fortune 1,000: Most Admired Companies 2006, U.S. Airways received the lowest score out of ten of the major airlines in the U.S. Even in the 2011 Fortune survey with added competition from other major airlines out of the twelve companies surveyed only AMR received a lower score than U.S. Airways. Furthermore it has not improved in any of the attributes surveyed in the study (Cnn, 2011). It is clear that U.S. Airways needs to address its quality of service in order to increase its market share in the domestic market as well as successfully entering into the global airline market. The airline industry in general is very susceptible to external economic, legal and political factors which can deeply affect its day to day operations. The recessionary economic conditions in the domestic economy as well as internationally significantly affec ted the airline industry particularly in the years 2008-2009 where most major airlines reported operational losses. Price gouging and intense competition have been a defining characteristic of the industry ever since the deregulation of 1978. After the 2010 travel season with slight improvement in the domestic and global economy the airline industry has been able to bounce back maintaining full occupancy rates for its flights and has once again reached profitability (Yahoo, 2011). One of the biggest costs for any airline is the cost of fuel, so in general the industry is particularly vulnerable to fuel price increases (Datamonitor, 2011). Regardless, rising costs and the volatility of fuel prices has cut the average margin of the airline industry to only 2%.U.S. Airways as a whole needs to improve the customer satisfaction rate by improving their customer service, improving the quality of its services, and decreasing the percentage of delayed flights. They also need to improve the s peed of the boarding process in order to improve customer satisfaction. These are some of the things that U.S. Airways management needs to address in order to improve their market share and increase revenues. The airline industry has always been characterized for being a highly regulated industry with various federal agencies overseeing their operations from a safety and security standpoint. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for regulating and ensuring the overall safety of all civilian as well as commercial flights in the domestic airspace. All airlines operating in the domestically are subject to the rules and regulations of the FAA. The FAA has the authority to issue any directives or changes in procedures, including aircraft maintenance. For U.S. Airways the adequate planning and budgeting of enough cash reserves, manpower, airplane inventory and financial resources to meet with the changing operational demands of running a domestic and global airline must be factored in the strategic and contingency planning of the company. There is a high degree of complexity in the operation, maintenance and repair of commercial aircrafts. As a consequence there is a high level of added costs

Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example .W.O.T analysis shows the internal strengths and weaknesses of the company and the external opportunities and threats in conjunction to the environment in which the company operates (Stimpson Peter,Farquharson Alastair, 2010). Primarily, Dyson Private Ltd.’s main internal strengths of are its human resource of the company, which consists of highly professional fleet of engineers and scientists including Sir James Dyson himself. Secondly, the company has an edge as a resultant of the cost saving which was achieved when the operations such as an introduction of a manufacturing assemblies being established in Malaysia, most significant strength of the company lies with the quality of products it offers to its customers. On the contrary, the weaknesses associated with Dyson Pvt. Ltd. are the remoteness of its operation in Malaysia that is the cost of transport incurred and the communication problems in Malaysian corporate culture restricting effective communication. Moreover, the external factors resulting in future opportunities and hence success for the company is the potential of customers in the global market for its promising products, similarly the continuous research and development of new prototypes and designs. External threat for Dyson Private Limited is mainly the competition from the home country and foreign countries, the main competitors for Dyson vacuum cleaners are Kerstar (Kerstar, 2014), which also like Dyson Co provides a large range of vacuum cleaners with alternative variations, such as dry vacuum cleaners, wet and dry dwarf vacuum cleaners, industrial vacuum cleaners, carpet vacuum cleaners and others. However, Kerstar’s pricing strategy is penetration pricing strategy, as per renowned UK ranker website (Brandes, Werner, 2014), Dyson Pvt. Ltd. ranks number 1, and for this reason, Kerstar uses this pricing strategy. Another major competitor confronted by Dyson Private Limited is the Big Brute Co (Big Brute, 2004). Big Brute Co. of fers a wide

Human Trafficking in America Essay Example for Free

Human Trafficking in America Essay According to the report submitted to the U. S. Department of State in 2004, every year there is an estimated account of 600,000 to 800,000 people being trafficked for force labor and sex worldwide. In the United States alone, there are around 14, 000 to 17,000 men, women and children of different nationalities being trafficked each year passing discreetly international borders just to come inside the territories of the United States. Of these numbers, 70 percent are female while 50 percent are children or minors and most of them end up working forcibly in the illegal sex industry. The report also said that most of these trafficked foreign nationals mostly come from Asia. In America, however, an estimated 200,000 missing American children (minors usually women) from the past years are also getting the risk of having trafficked also in the sex industry (Shurter). While the United States has an open policy in accepting foreign nationals to its territories, the succeeding events of terrorism in the American soil during the past years has reorganized its system of policies and became more aware in allowing foreign nationals to stay in America. But then America remained to be the main transit and destination country for trafficking people if compared to other countries in the world. To adhere to the strong commitment of fighting human trafficking in the US and other countries, the US government has enacted The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 or the TVPA to redefine pre-existing criminal penalties and provide better protection for the victims of human trafficking. This act establishes Cabinet-level federal interagency task force to use their federal program in providing services to the trafficked victims. Initially the monitoring program done by the US in the early 1990s was primarily focused on trafficking women for the sex industry. But ever since the U. S. Department of State has included in their report in 1994 that not only women are being trafficked, the department began monitoring all persons with questionable citizenship status in the US beginning in that same year. To greatly reduce human trafficking, the U. S. has begun initiating anti-trafficking programs to aid countries fight this illegal trade. The office of the TVPA was assigned to monitor and allowed by the US State Department to combat human trafficking in the international level while millions of dollars were poured out as grants to organizations around the world to implement programs combating human trafficking. The U. S. has also helped these countries in enacting their laws for anti-trafficking legislation and provided training to law enforcers, prosecutors, border guards and judicial officers in determining, investigating and prosecution of traffickers and providing protection for the victims. Two years after the resolution of TVPA, The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2000 was reformulated to 2003 to provide resources and initiatives in helping the 18,000 to 20,000 victims of human trafficking saved in the US. Then in 2006, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 was signed into a stronger law (Justice). To show that there is clearly the cause for alarm with human trafficking which brought about white slavery in the United States, CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith explores and exposes the world of human trafficking in America by making her own series of research in America’s suburbs and reported her findings for The Early Show in series. Tracy interviewed a number of people who were victims of illegal sex trade and one of these is Shauna. Shauna is a 17 year old girl from Florida who was looking for friends in school because she was the new girl in the campus. Finally she was befriended by another student and invited her for a sleepover in her house. But a man who posed as the friend’s father drugged her drink and woke up to a nightmare. She found herself tied still dizzy with the drug. Not long after, she was brought to a place where she was sold. She was raped and beaten if she refused to have sex. Her parents searched for her and finally she was found by investigator Brad Dennis in a club. According to Dennis, Shauna was a victim of human trafficking which becomes the growing problem in the suburbs of Florida. Tracy Smith has discovered that the syndicates who are behind the kidnapping and human trafficking know the profile of the most potential targets that can be used for their sex trade. In this manner they connive with other people to do their deeds. Dennis said usually girls who are victims of human trafficking are moved around a circuit by their captors hitting major hotels and convention centers looking for potential and moneyed clients. Wan Kim of the U. S. Justice Department said that this kind of business has now developed into a very prolific business and usually undetected. The problem for the authorities is that the people behind this crime have wide connections and they have become even wiser with the trade. They can keep women for years without people knowing they live there as sex slaves. In the case of Shauna, her case has never been pursued because until today her captors remained at large (Smith). Human trafficking has developed into a lucrative business formed by different individuals grouped together to run a ring of syndicate. However, this is not always the case. In 2008, Maribel Rodriguez Vasquez, a 28-year old Guatemalan woman was arrested in Los Angeles for her involvement in her family’s human trafficking business. She was the sixth member of her family who was nabbed by immigration authorities as she was charged with 50 counts of human trafficking cases specifically luring Guatemalan minors to the United States with a promise of well-paid jobs but all ends up being prostitutes. Vasquez who was known as the â€Å"L. A. Madam† by her clients was posted on television as one of â€Å"America’s Most Wanted†. But Vasquez’ case was only one of the few cases of human trafficking that was highlighted by the media which makes people believe cases of immigrant sex trafficking are not literally important to be known by the masses. Lisette Arsuaga, director of Development for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking in Los Angeles said we have a clear reality that human trafficking operates in every American city and even to towns but it is craftily hidden it is hard to uncover (Johnson and Rodriguez). The state of San Francisco is known for its liberalism toward sex and it has continuing history of arresting prostitutes around the city. Unfortunately it has also become one of the top American cities to be the favorite sanctuary of international sex traffickers and so large numbers of illegal immigrants pour out to the city each year. This is because sex trafficking is now an $8 billion international business and sadly traffickers consider San Francisco to be the best place to operate their largest commercial trades. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom who is not ignorant about this trade said although the city despised such reputation, being underground with unending source of clients makes the state helpless. Mayor Newsom said girls are forced to come to America because their families are being threatened and so the cases of human trafficking seem to be endless. While the U. S. Department of Justice states that thousands of illegal immigrants are being brought to the United States each year, there are still no quantifying data which assure that many of them fall as sex or force labor victims. The CIA is now involved to stop this trade and it has used its significant methods to come up with reliable sources of illegal immigrants. They now rely on law enforcement data, government data, international reports and academic research just to come up with backed-up information and track the sources of this trade. The CIA also confirmed that trafficked women for the sex industry generally come from Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union and also South America. As usual, they are lured to work in the United States for more meaningful opportunities but once they are in, they are held captives and sold to brothels, strip clubs and outcall services. Even high-society call girls who come to the United States admit to the Federal investigators that being in captivity and held as sex slaves can be the most degrading and unimaginably unacceptable. In other parts of the world, human trafficking has also become an insatiable growing business which has overtaken drugs and arms trafficking. According to Barry Tang who is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement attache with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security in Korea, human traffickers in Korea are now highly organized with full logistical network between Korea and the United States. They have recruiters, intermediaries, brokers and even designated taxi drivers and influential pimps. On other countries, women are the usual traffickers and they acquire women from clubs, bars, colleges, restaurants and even pool halls. Their international contacts target mostly developed countries such as the United States, Japan and Australia because this is where the money is. When everything is settled in these countries, they even set up their own shops in the main cities particularly in California, New York, Las Vegas and Texas (May). As a conclusion, we may never stop human trafficking for the moment because it has already rooted itself in our societies. Not even America who advocates for human rights and preservation of human dignity find it hard to control such a phenomenal dilemma. But though this has become an uncontrollable ailment because it made its evil influence to the different form of culture and societies, we might still reduce its havoc in degrading human dignity by involving ourselves and be guardians for the sake of our children and our society. The governments are trying hard to pursue what is necessary but they cannot do it alone. We might not be the victims here but our children maybe their next target. Works Cited: Johnson, Alex, and Cesar Rodriguez. Human Trafficking in America. The World Race (2008). April 14, 2009 http://matthewsnyder. theworldrace. org/? filename=human-trafficking-in-america. Justice, U. S. Department of. Report on Activities to Combat Human Trafficking: Fiscal Years 2001 2005. (2006). April 15, 2009 http://www. humantrafficking. org/countries/united_states_of_america. May, Meredith. Sex Trafficking: San Francisco Is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave. San Francisco Chronicle2006. Shurter, David. The Problem with Human Trafficking in America. Now Public: Crowd Powered Media (2009). April 15, 2009 http://www. nowpublic. com/world/problem-human-trafficking-america. Smith, Tracy. Slavery in the Suburbs. United States, 2007. CBS Evening News. (September 12, 2007): CBS Interactive, Inc. http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2007/09/12/eveningnews/main3254966. shtml

A Tale Of Two Cities Essay Example for Free

A Tale Of Two Cities Essay We learn that the Signal man has seen very disturbing events such as the train crash and the bride dying and what is more troubling is that he seen it coming, throughout the story we see how the signal man opens up to the narrator on how he is troubled and is emphasizing how he saw a ghost but the narrator starts to doubt his new friends mind and starts to have a very patronizing attitude towards the signal man. Throughout the story the fear is spreading. Dickens also uses tactile imagery Frozen finger tracing out my spine and also Dickens uses olfactory imagery an earthly deadly smell. The relationship between the narrator and the signal man is one of trust as the signal man opens up to him on their second meeting do the signal man and the narrator linked in some way? Dickens has made the story raise some doubts about the afterlife and fate. However Bram Stoker famed for his book Dracula has created a short story that is much like The Signal Man but has a different approach to the horror genre for the first few pages are a little bit of a mysterious Draculas Guest is full of suspense the title alone raises the expectation for the reader as it does not give away the plot but creates a feeling of intrigue making the reader want to read on, this is a clever ploy Stoker has used and it was also a popular theme to use as in the middle ages and Victorian era the legends of vampires have been popular among the people of Britain and Ireland and perhaps the world. The short story contains many dark themes that create mystery and also adds to the mounting tension that is created by the title Draculas Guest Bram who is Known for his Dark stories that contain major supernaturalist elements such as Mythism and oppressive that are including as the novel The Lair of the White Worm, Bram creates the prefect atmosphere for the short stor y and for the century as the Victorian era had a thing for vampirism stories. The story begins in Munich the weather is idyllic The sun was shining brightly on Munich, and the air was full of the joyousness of the early summer is the weather too idyllic? Bram cleverly opens the story this way to lull the reader into a sense of false security a very smart move I think personally, but that all ends when still holding his hand on the handle of the carriage door is used which is very arousing and causes a lot of interest, He also uses personification a shiver in the north wind adds more dramatic effect so does the use of alliteration Sudden Storm but the line But I am sure you will not be late, here he smiled and added for you know what night is it mysterious what is the night in question? And why is it so important? The 1st paragraph creates a sense of importance for the night and adds to the mystery and we then learn the reason the maitre and coachman fears the night and also we learn the name Walpurgis Nacht which translated from German means Night of Evil this term is very important to Catholics this is the first relation to religion, later on we here Walpurgis nacht! , Stoker uses the language barrier and the fail to understand adds to the suspense and surreal aspect, later the weather changes to dark clouds drifted rapidly across the sky the atmosphere changes to a sinister dull mood. Again the language barrier is there and the personification has the desired effect the storm of snow he comes before long time also the dialogue become vague and broken creating more tension here vampirism applied mouths red with blood, we see that the protagonist seems to doubt his sanity a lot like Dickens character The Signal Man it seems he also is succumbing to his fear Paroxysm of the fear- white face perspiring, trembling Bram Stokers technique second to none he uses detailed descriptions for his characters and settings and his use of the language devices such as metaphors glistening white carpet and his alliteration Sudden Storm and lastly repetition Walpurgis nacht. Each writer Dickens and Stoker uses different methods to create a spine-chilling effect on the reader each could even be masters of horror and suspense, all the aspects that the gothic genre needs to be successful and The Signal Man and Draculas Guest where very successful in that age and successful today in the study of literature . In conclusion after close analysis of both stories I have seen that both stories are great for maintaining tension and use techniques such as alliteration, pathetic fallacy and are good to create confusion among the readers. This wining combination gives the story a kick and keeps the reader engrossed in the story. I believe that stoker is perfect for building suspense and tension while Dickens plays on the readers emotion by lulling them into a sense of security and then confuses them and then plays on their confusion. Gavin Teggart Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Concepts of Organisational Culture

Concepts of Organisational Culture What is organisational culture? Organisational culture is often referred to as something which tells us more about the organisation. This something may be the personality, philosophy, ideology or even the overall climate of the organisation. Organisational Culture is therefore an element which differentiates each organisation from the other and gives it a unique identity (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). The managerial writers vs. the academic social scientists The debate arises when theorists try to define culture. The management academics and consultants perceive this culture as a collection of values and beliefs, myths, symbols, heroes and symbols that possess a uniform meaning for all the employees. Whereas, the academic social scientists see it as a subjective reality of values and beliefs, artefacts, myths, symbols etc. They believe that organisational culture is formed through the social interactions of the organisations members and hence it is produced and reproduced continuously (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). This essay takes up both these contrasting perspectives separately in the light of various theoretical models and the examples of real life organisations. Organisational culture: following or adopting? The Managerial writers such as ouchi,1981; Deal and Kennedy,1982; Pascale and Athos,1982; Peters and Waterman,1982 and Schien,1985; believe that culture being an attribute of the organisation is given to its members who do not participate in its formation and accept or tolerate it as the organisation has it (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). Thus it is a collection of some basic assumptions that all organisational employees share and hence if these assumptions are changed, the culture will automatically be changed (Schien, 1985 Cited in Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). Schien (1983) in his three levels of culture points out one of the sources of organisational values as those values which were the idea of a single person (founder) and are later modified by the companys current senior management. In contrast, Buchanan and Huczynski (2004) argue that if such is the case then these values may not be adopted by employees but only followed by them. And if senior management are the source of creating organisational values then these value may cause chaos when mergers and acquisitions take place. Then it will be a question of which of the older companies value will be followed in the newly formed organisation. Organisational culture as a means of unification and control The managerial writers suggest that if the basic assumptions are integrated amongst members and the organisation has a unified culture, then employee control will be possible and this will lead to greater productivity and profitability (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). On the other hand, the academic social scientists argue that a unified culture is never possible as organisational culture is pluralistic in nature due to the different subcultures present in every organisation. (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). Where managerial writer talk about extending the same unified culture to all the employees Brown (1995) argues and states the following facts that influence culture: Even if the employees are enthusiastic and intrinsically motivated as suggested by McGregors theory Y, most of them only give a fraction of their time to the organisation. They are members of other variety of clubs, societies and unions and hence they may not accept the culture whole heartedly and without any question since their demands and constraints are also influenced by these other bodies Part time or temporary workers are less likely to adopt the culture and some of them are actually working part time to avoid cultural control systems. Large numbers of people perform relatively unrewarding and undemanding jobs just for the sake of the financial reward. These workers may be only loosely attached to the organisation and may even go against a dominant culture in the organisation Contractual workers who are hired by organisations are actually members of separate organisations and it will be extremely difficult to make them feel part of the organisation. Therefore, the changing patterns of employment and organisational forms are actually impacting many of the very strict and cohesive cultures. The managerial writers believe in symbolic management of employees i.e. the use of organisational culture and selectively applying rites, ceremonials, myths, stories and legends to direct the behaviour of employees. The academic social scientists argue that since people enter organisations with different expectations, experiences, values, beliefs and motivations hence these factors also influence their behaviour in different directions In the practical world, we see companies using both these ideas, some try to reconsider their values and beliefs; and under the banner of changing culture try to come up and introduce new values and beliefs. It is argued that such attempts at changing culture may change behaviour of employees but not their deep rooted value and beliefs which do eventually have an impact on some of their behaviours (Thompson and Findlay, 1999). A simple example would be of the recent importance to corporate social responsibility. In such a case an employee may differ on his value and belief for a certain ethical issue, say the employee may not believe in child labour but what will he/she do when the company may have to outsource its manufacturing to a third world country (where majority of children are used as cheap labour) in order to cut down cost. Here, the employee may be convinced to change his behaviour and he/she may do so to save their job but at the end of the day their value and believe rema ins unchanged. On the other hand, some companies increase their employee interactions in a way that changes employee behaviour automatically. An example would be of an organisation that increases employee interactions with the customers and through this the employees are better aware of what behaviours please the customers. The changing nature of culture Another argument against the managerial writers would be that since they see organisational culture as something that has been pre determined and cannot be changed, how would they take into account the several changing factors that influence culture generally. An organisations culture may be influenced by its history, primary function and technology, its customers, its goals and objectives, size, location, top executives, strategy, structure and its environment (Mullins, 2007). The argument therefore is what happens to the culture when either of these factors changes. What will happen if there is new top executive in the company who may modify the founders ideas as per his values and beliefs? What happens if the organisation steps into a dynamic industry and requires a new structure and strategy, will its culture not automatically change or will the whole process of laying down new basic assumptions (values, beliefs, myths, stories and artefacts) will have to be put into action to ma ke the culture change? What happens if an organisation makes an international move and faces a new national culture? How will it now rely on its old stories, myths, legends and artefacts to induce a change in this new national culture? This argument is supported by the academic social scientists who consider culture to be produced and reproduced through different interactions. A fairly new concept is the learning organisation which was conceived by Peter Senge as a place where people at all levels are in a continuous state of learning and individual learning results in organisational learning (Mullins, 2007). Although it may seem as a utopian concept but it strengthens the academic social scientists view of the is culture which is in a state of continuous re-production. Therefore one can agree that the culture of the learning organisation would be one which would continuously change with every new organisational learning. At the learning organisation the has culture would be seen as one which would bound learning and may not appeal to the intrinsic sense of the employees to challenge, learn and achieve. On the contrary critiques like Harrison argue that the sum of the learning of individuals does not necessarily equal organisational learning (Mullins, 2007) Pixar is one such organisation which believes in creativity and learning at not only the artistic level but the technical level as well. The underlying reason for such a belief is that a movie contains many ideas all of which do not necessarily come from the producer or the creative head, but these ideas come from people dealing with cameras, characters, lightening etc. Pixar follows a peer culture where they have open discussions and exchange of ideas over any piece of ongoing work. They also have peers who look at and analyse daily motion work, unlike Disney where only a small senior group has the responsibility to do so. Therefore, at Pixar learning occurs from all directions and all employees which is due to its belief that everyone should have the freedom to communicate with anyone and it must be safe for anyone and everyone to offer ideas. That is how they foster collective creativity and learning (HBR, 2008). Organisational culture and the psychological contract The psychological contract of employees is another component which may be viewed in the light of the two perspectives of organisational culture. If the has culture is considered the psychological contract may be seen as the same for all employees as all share the same basic assumptions and clear controls are in place and hence the employer and employees may be contracting with each other on the same set of expectations. On the other hand the is culture will produce many different psychological contracts of employees and it will become very hard for the organisation to manage them, as each individual on the basis of their different interactions and interpretations will have a different set of expectations. (Herriot and Pemberton, 1995). The dilemma in cultural practice A major problem for an organisation can be sticking to any one of these cultural ideologies. This is due to the fact that an organisation on one hand may have an espoused culture i.e. how its senior management describes it and on the other hand it may have its in-practice culture i.e. the culture as it is experienced and lived by its members. Therefore even if it claims to be following a certain ideology it will always have more than one culture running in the organisation. Organisations rarely possess just one unified culture. One culture that superimposes the organisation culture is the stitched together patch of sub cultures in an organisation which may be overlapping and conflicting as well. (Brown, 1995) We see this conflict in the organisational culture of Nokia where on one hand it claims to nourish new ideas and innovation amongst employees (http://www.nokia.com/careers/nokia-as-an-employer/nokia-way-and-values) where as on the other hand it seems to have lost a head start at touch screen technology. This was when its stifling bureaucratic culture killed the idea of a smart phone with internet and touch screen technology and the management reasoned it to be a development Nokia would not be interested in. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/hardware/Nokias-bureaucratic-culture-troubles-new-CEO/articleshow/6637291.cms).However, recently we see that Nokia is struggling to compete in the same market. If the management would have actually maintained the culture they claim, and would have fostered idea growth, they would probably have been ahead of apple today. The concept of Organisation Socialization The managerial writers believe that a process of organisation socialization has to be followed with new employees of the organisation in order to make them learn the culture so that they can follow it and survive in the organisation. (Edgar schien, 1979 Cited in Buchanan page 650). It must be remembered that these writers believe that culture must be tolerated as it is something an organisation has. But when organisations like Disneyland are considered, it may be argued that the organisation socialization process consists of two parts. One is the formal socialization where the new recruits attend the University of Disneyland on an apprenticeship programme. This is where they learn the history, philosophy, language and values of the company. The other is the informal socialization mechanisms which are also very well developed at Disney land. New recruits at some point learn through their peers that the job they are assigned, the costume they wear and the area of the park they are allotted are actually determinants of their social status at work. At the same time they also learn about Getting back at misbehaving guests by tightening seat belts, slamming breaks suddenly and drenching people standing at river banks (Brown, 1995). Now, this informal socialisation is actually another sub culture within the organisation which is limited to the employees. Hence, this reinforces the ideo logy that culture may not necessarily be taught but may be born through social interactions. Organisational Culture and Motivation When discussing motivation and culture, one may argue how a culture of motivation may be left to be developed by the social interaction of organisational members. In such an area, the organisation may have to provide a cohesive culture which can offer employees both extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards such as bonuses, promotions, and stories, rites and ceremonies which create feelings of belonging. An organisation may also have to employ threats of punishments such as unwanted transfers, demotions and salary decreases to deal with certain cases of lack of motivation (Brown, 1995). Here we see that the views of managerial writers are more practical of providing a certain has form of culture to keep motivation in place. Bringing about Cultural Change The managerialist writers believe that culture can only be changed by changing the basic assumptions by the senior management (Schein 1979) we see that these writers specifically Schein are also compelled to believe and have written that when an organisation is in the last stage of its development i.e. maturity where it may also see declining profitability and loss of key people and outsiders have to be brought in to manage the organisation, such an influx of outsiders may induce cultural change. (Brown, 1995). Although, Schein states that such a change occurs due to change in the stage of organisational development (from birth and early growth to organisational midlife to organisational maturity) but it may be argued on the basis of the academic social scientists that such a change was induced by the change in key people and new social interaction induced a change in culture. Change is therefore viewed as intentional, predictable, pre-determined and brought about after careful planning, thus it follows a rational step-by-step procedure to effectively manage change(e.g. Kotter, 1996). An argument for cultural change is that changing only one factor as suggested by managerial writers such as a basic assumption may not be enough to bring about a cultural change. Ram Charan gives the example of cultural change at Home Depot involves multi-directional changes in the ways people worked to support the business model. A change was made to four main dimensions: Behaviour expectations were clarified and identification and measurement methods were put across. Metric such as data quantifying customer perceptions of the home depot experience clarified the expectation of accountability. Processes of how work was done were changed to fit the new culture e.g. instead of the old memos a video cast went out to all stores which focused on the upcoming promotions, new product lines and sales targets and bonuses for the week ahead.of new product lines, the revenue needed in the last week. Specific Programmes were put into place to support the cultural change e.g. competitive simulation and role-playing exercises where employees had to act out situations which clarified to them why the huge changes were made. Changes in the organisational structure made it easier to follow the new culture e.g. changes were made in purchasing processes to lower costs. Cultural change management takes place in an open system where the organisation has to simultaneously react to external needs and demand. In the recent years, factors such as globalisation, diversity, equality, increasing number of immigrants and avoiding discrimination have had a vast impact on how organisations manage cultural change. Is cultural change manageable? Cultures are a complex social phenomenon produced as a result of interactions. Therefore they are a product of humans, created by humans, sustained by humans and therefore can also be changed by human intervention. Therefore even if it is not planned to be changed, it will change as the social interactions change (bate, 1994) page 137 The main question is whether cultural change is manageable? i.e. whether persons can change culture deliberately, intervene by will and change the path of development of culture. This is where cultural change programmes fail to succeed since they do not take into account studying in detail the culture that has to be changed. An in-depth knowledge of the current culture is the basis for managing cultural change. (bate, 1994) page 137-138 Organisational Culture, Structure and Strategy What we notice and experience as cultural change depends directly on how we conceptualize culture (Meyerson and Martin, 1987 cited in Bate, 1994) page 9 The supporters of the has culture see culture as a component of an organisation which is no different to the other components such as structure, strategy, staff and so on. (Bate, 1994) page 11 One such model which details this is the Mckinseys 7-S framework which puts culture i.e. shared values at the centre of all the other components (Structure, Strategy, Systems, Style, Skills and Staff) (Peters and Waterman 1982 cited in bate,1994)page 11 Hence culture in this framework is treated as a variable which influences and is influenced by all the other organisational components. Hence Culture has an influence over organisational effectiveness in two regards, firstly its strength and secondly how well it is aligned with the other components (e.g. the structure-culture fit).Therefore from this perspective, changing culture is equivalent to a mere tasking of removing a faulty component and inserting a new one. (Bate, 1994 page 11-12) On the contrary, the supporters of the is culture conceive culture as synonymous with organisation i.e. an organisation is culture. They see culture as a paradigm which is defined by interpersonal organisational life. Therefore they see cultural change to be the same as organisational change. Since there is no bifurcation between organisation and culture therefore change in one will automatically lead to change in another and thus no separate strategies are required for each. (Bate, 1994)page 14 Another argument against strong cultures is that they have a development strategy for culture but no change strategy and so they are more likely to get trapped in their own culture. An example of such is the Hewlett Packard case where its ideology of doing things the HP way offered some form of comforts to the employees which backfired and employees were so busy being nice to each other that they avoided making commercial decisions which went against any other employee (such as laying off or relocating people). HPs intense humanistic ways lead to the employees viewing their privileges as rights e.g. refusal to relocate to other divisions made some divisions less competitive (bate, 1994) page 127 -128 On the other hand the has perspective which reinforces the importance of a strong culture is attractive from the view point that organisations can easily audit their cultures and be proactive in changing or strengthening the shared basic assumption and they can even bring about intentional change through the process of reculturing (Stoll, 1999). The has culture takes culture as, a separate component in an organisation and hence deals with issues such as strategy culture fit and so on. Weick (1985) and Hennestad (1991) argue against such a perspective stating that culture and strategy are substitutable for one another and culture is a strategic phenomenon and strategy is a cultural phenomenon. This implies that from such a perspective formulating a strategy of any kind is actually a cultural activity which will bring about engagement in a cultural change (Bate, 1994). A real life example of such a scenario would be when a company changes its strategy from a production oriented strategy to a market led strategy, this actually brings about a cultural change where a culture encouraging market research and up-to-date market knowledge is born. Further, the perspective implies that cultural change is actually strategic change where moving from one culture to another actually moving from one strategy to another. (Bate, 1994). A real life example of this perspective would be when a company like Disneyland in its organisational socialization stage declares to its employees that customer is king , this is in itself a strategy of being customer oriented. Pg 17-23 Limitations of the two cultural perspectives The managerialist perspective of organisational culture has a number of limitations. However, arguably it limits a deeper understanding of organisational culture and analyses only surface cultural factors such as taken-for-granted values and basic assumptions held in unity by the organisational members as described by Schein (1985). Secondly, it does not take into account the impact of the external environment on organisations which may play a role in determining change processes. The social perspective on the other hand gives a detailed insight into organisational culture, it opens up to dynamic areas of culture. But it requires the collection of very rich qualitative date which may not necessarily provide a clear pathway for action and interpretation of the data becomes a tedious task (Prosser, 2007) The management of organisational change is therefore understood from an open systems perspective in the organisations reaction to external forces and its adaptation and responsiveness to external needs and demands. Conclusion There is a lack of a definite way to define, control and change organisational culture. This may be due to the fact that researchers who work on this topic themselves come from different cultures and consider different elements to be part of organisational culture. The early researchers took a more philosophical approach to the topic. A reason for this might have been the unproven influence of culture on management and organisational practices. Later the academic social scientist gave a more externally-oriented approach which may have been due to the evolution of organisational culture and its impact on organisations (Stefan and Liz, 2000). The essay, based on various theoretical arguments, suggest that there is a broad scope for debates relating to whether culture can be changed or influenced, depending on how culture is defined. Most of the authors unite on the notion that culture can be changed but they differ on how and to what extent this can be done. They also differ on the fact if culture is only followed on the surface or adopted whole-heartedly. Another area covered was the debate about unification of employees on the basis of a unified culture. Cross relations of organisational culture with other concepts such as strategy, structure, motivation, psychological contract and socialization have been discussed. The essay ends with mentioning the limitations of the two approaches to organisational culture which reveal that these concepts are also influenced by the open and closed systems that an organisation may operate in.

The Bubonic Plague in Europe :: essays research papers

The Black Death in Europe 1 Abstract The Black Death in Europe was one of the continents worth natural disasters. The bubonic plague wiped out nearly 60% of the population, causing changes that took many years to recover. The effects of art are astonishing. Every person and social class were affected, the church lost prestige and power, as did the doctors and physicians. Politics changes for a short time and the nobility lost wealth. Fear was wide spread, and people lost trust of their families. No one could escape the carnage this illness brought, if they tried, they succeeded in bringing it with them. The Black Death in Europe 2 Knox (page 15) states that the population losses were staggering, between1347 and 150 nearly 1 to of 3 people where gone. Venetian records stated that the death rates escalated close to 500-600 deaths a day, 60% of Venice’s population was gone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As with medical professions the clergy suffered great losses as well. Theirs was an occupational hazard; entering the home of the sick, doctors were at greater risk of catching the illness themselves. The clergy had to give the dieing their last rights and preside over the burials, this made for their demise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As indicated by Knox (page12) those who were learned hade some ideas about what was causing the disease such poisonous vapors released by constellation alignments. They recommended that no fat meant should be eaten at all and bathing was hazardous, these suggestions only made to make people more vulnerable to the plague. The only real action taken that worked was confinement, cities walled themselves off from incoming ships and would quarantine and ill persons house.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the population losses the labor forse was reduced, there was a greater need for crafts men and skilled laborers. Guilds began opening their doors to other skilled peoples, because when and skilled man died his whole family usually got the plague as well, this mad openings for others. Towns began to advertise higher wages to those artisans and those with skills. If the miller died and the sickens was in his home, then the miller family passed away also, this left none to mill the grain, therefore towns were in need of help.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Black Death in Europe 3 According to Marchione di Coppo Stefani (1370-1380) people looked to the doctors and the clergy for answers and advice, neither had the answers nor the cure. â€Å" In the year of the Lord 1348 the was a great pestilence in the city of Florence.

With reference to An Arrest and An occurance at Owl Creek bridge Essay

With reference to An Arrest and An occurance at Owl Creek bridge Explore Ambrose Beirce's treatment of the theme of justice. Leann Parker With reference to 'An Arrest' and 'An occurance at Owl Creek bridge' Explore Ambrose Beirce's treatment of the theme of justice. Ambrose Beirce lived between the years of 1842 - 1914 ,though his date of death can not be for certain. He lived during the period of the civil war and was the author of supernatural stories. He wrote those stories because he was interested in the war and crime and this led too his two books; 'Tales of soldiers and civilians' and 'Can such things be?'. Justice also played a huge part in Beirce's opinion. He believed that justice had changed during the Civil war and that what was happening was somewhat unfair. He expressed this in a way to make us feel sympathetic. In each state their were different laws ,something you could do in Kentucky you might not have got away with in New York City ,justice was givenfor many different reasons. Law during the Civil warwas very different and the sheriffs (not police) found keeping Law and order very difficult. The two main stories he wrote about were 'An Arrest' and 'An occurance at Owl Creek bridge'. Beirce wrote his stories on the theme of justice and he done this because he wanted to explore the mind and feel hope and peace. The first story 'An Arrest' is about a man Orrin Brower , a fugitive on the run. He was sent to prison for murdering his brother-in-law and has longed for freedom ever since. He eventually manages to escape and runs into the forest but gets lost. He finally makes his way onto a road but on the other side spots a figure of justice who takes him back to the jail but on... ...help out, farquhar thinking he was on his side, he is then hung for doing something bad but his last 3 seconds turn into a lifetime before he is actually hung. Ambrose Beirce chose an innocent man called Peyton Farquhar as his main character because he wanted us to feel sorry for him and angry with the officers for causing the pain inflicted. Farquhar took the role in the war because he had always wanted to be part of it.He was not allowed to fight for his own country so when the enemy tricked him, he was no wiser and was trying to help his side and so he did what the enemy wanted. ' I observed that the flood of last winter had lodged a great quantity of driftwood against the wooden pier at this end of the bridge. it is now dry and would burn like a tow'. In the last moments of his life we learn so much about his personality, feelings and thoughts.

Carowinds Versus the Pavilion :: essays research papers

Carowinds Versus the Pavilion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whenever considering what amusement park you would like to attend to, you look for the one with the best rides, atmosphere, admission. Carowinds is a better amusement park than The Pavilion when considering types of rides, atmosphere, and cost of admission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Carowinds is compiled of many gravity-defying rides. Top Gun: The Jet Coaster is the Carolinas’ only inverted steel roller coaster. While on the ride, you are hurled through six swirling inversions while in the air. The Vortex is a stand-up roller coaster that takes you on a 50 m.p.h. series of loops and drops. Drop Zone Stunt Tower is a ride where you can experience the rush of gravity as you descend sixteen stories in seconds and falls at 56 m.p.h. to safety. The Carolina Cyclone is a steel coaster that spins you through four 360-degree loops and a 450-degree uphill helix. Thunder Road is a twin-racing roller coaster takes you backward and forward through North and South Carolina. The Xtreme Skyflyer is a ride that gives you the thrill of hang gliding with the suspense of skydiving as you are hoisted 153 feet in the air then pull a ripcord that plunges you into a 50-feet free fall at 60 m.p.h. The atmosphere of Carowinds is very live and exciting. While you walk through the park, you can hear miles and miles of laughter, music, and screams. The intense smell of Chinese food, barbecue, French fries, and funnel cake just makes your hunger crave for it and your mouth water. From my experiences, it is always sunny and cool. By the sun being so bright, it brought out the ambiance of the entire park by showing the bright colors. The general admission at Carowinds, which includes the cost to get in and unlimited riding of rides, is children ages two and under free, seniors, sixty and up, and children, three to six, $26.99, and adults, seven to fifty-nine, $38.99.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The rides at The Pavilion are not as adrenaline rushing as the rides at Carowinds. Top Spin is a lot like a Ferris wheel and a boat in one. While one part of the ride is going back and forth in a rocking motion, the seat of the ride is turning 360 degrees high in the air. Mad Mouse is a small roller coaster, but full of speed. It is like being strapped to the back of a mouse while it is running away from a predator.

Business coursework; Fish and Chip shop (Burnham high street) Essay

Introduction I am doing an investigation on a small local business to identify ways that it could be improved and what the business is doing wrong at the moment that is preventing it from making the progress that it could make. The local shop that I chose was the fish and chip in Burnham high street, SeaWorld. I chose this shop because I am a fan of seafood and when I go into a seafood place I expect to find many items that are actually seafood but normally they have different varieties of food but rarely any seafood. They normally have kebabs, chips, burgers, but chips are a necessity with fish. Preparation We started off making our individual surveys for both customers and workers and chose the best survey to be printed out. We also were planning on tasting the food in SeaWorld as well to see how good the product was. We thought of the types of shop that would be competitors. What we did For our research we had about an hour to go to the fish and chip shop in Burnham high street, but unfortunately SeaWorld was closed so we decided that some of us would take out the surveys on the public while the other group would see how the point of sale looked and find anything wrong with it. There were quite a few surveys done, and we managed to figure out some problems with the point of sale. Luckily there was a worker inside SeaWorld who did not mind us asking questions about his workplace. I think that we had taken a few surveys of people who go there regularly, but would have liked to see how the business was when it was open. Things like how many people go there, what there menu was, how well priced the food was, what majority of the regular customers thought of the seafood shop. We also looked out for competitors and how accessible their shops are, how their shops looked and how close they are to SeaWorld. Place SeaWorld is in Burnham high street and because it is quite a small high street even a small number of competitors would be a problem. There aren’t any seafood restaurants or seafood take-away as such in Burnham high street but there are cafes and fast food shops and there is a seafood shop in Burnham. These are also competitors because if people go into these shops it can pose a threat to the business of SeaWorld by reducing its market share. The other issue with the place is how easy it is for the customers to access the shop in terms of parking, distance and is there a contact number so they can order over the phone? The restaurant has a telephone number next to the restaurant’s name which is convenient for the customers and the business because it won’t be crowded so they will have enough seats but they will still be getting the sales and revenue. The first take- away or restaurant that you see when you enter the high street from hog fair lane is SeaWorld which means that for ease of access and to save time people will go here. Therefore I think that the place that the seafood shop is not bad, but the look of the point of sale from the inside and outside needs to change. It needs to be re-painted and the inside needs to be looking more spacious to attract more customers. Product I did not have the opportunity to get a good look at their menu because at the time they were not open, but from what I saw there was a range of fried and battered fish food, chips and drinks which is what their customers would expect and this makes them look good. There was a problem though which was that on the outside of the shop there was a label that said ‘kebabs’ that is something that you wouldn’t expect in a fish and chip shop and I don’t know if they do sell kebabs but if they didn’t then that would be misleading the customers which would be irritating for them and they could potentially lose customers. If they did have kebabs then it would be inappropriate. Price I was not able to ask or look at the prices that they had for their food but the price needs to be below five pounds for each product and above a pound. If the products are priced too highly customers would not buy from that shop and if it was too low then they will be at a loss and will not be able to run efficiently. Theoretically the lower the price the more demand there is for that product, but you also need to balance between charging high enough to cover costs but low enough to keep the customers buying. Sometimes even if the prices are high the demand still remains the same, this is because things like customer service is good and the product also should be better than others. For the seafood shop it means that they need to be friendly to customers, deliver orders on time and put the customer’s needs and requests first. Promotion Walking along Burnham high street I did not see any form of promotion for the seafood shop. This is one of the crucial factors of getting a small business to succeed. If people do not know where you are or even if you exist then how will you get more customers? The seafood shop does not even have a website which means that it makes it harder for people find out about such a shop. The locals around Burnham high street might know about the shop but not many other people will. Therefore they need to find a form of promotion that will allow them to be known but not too expensive either. Picking the promotion The ways of promotion best for SeaWorld is through leaflets through letter boxes, this is a form of promotion suited to this business because it will be spread throughout the local area, because people from other areas are not going to travel a long way just to get to SeaWorld and it is not that expensive. The down side to leaflets is that it is often seen as junk and discarded, so it has a low success rate and you would need to find someone to hand them out or put them in letterboxes this means they need to pay that person as well. Another way that is cheap and affordable is advertising in the local newspaper, this would reach a wide local audience and there is only the cost of publishing it in the newspaper. The size of the advert can be adjusted so that it fits the budget of the seafood shop, but to get a large sized advert that is well designed it may be expensive. Another promotion that is totally free, very reliable and trustworthy is customer word-of-mouth recommendation; this is when customers recommend the shop to family and friends. When it is recommended by family and friend’s people trust that it is a good shop and go there, but it is the customer’s choice to do it and you cannot control it. You can aid this by providing excellent customer service, good value for money and good standard of food. A good thing to advertise is offers like buy one get one half price or tokens on newspaper or leaflets that have good offers which they can claim. Offers for a meal are actually cheaper than buying them all individually so it encourages customers to buy more and they would chose a place that has offers on food to one that does not. Loyalty cards are also a good incentive to get new customers and keep existing customers to come back for more and this would increase sales because a certain number of purchases would get them a reward, which is normally more food. Frequent customers would feel angry that they do not get discounts or complimentary food. Survey of worker We did a questionnaire on the worker about the Seafood shop, and working conditions and he seems to be very positive about working there, but from how he spoke we realised that he was being bias so we cannot really trust everything that he said. He said that it was a good environment to work in and that the working conditions were good. The environment would be good because it would be busy. The workers seem happy and motivated therefore I would expect the customer service to be good as well and the food to be of a good standard. I asked what kinds of fringe benefits or monetary benefits they get but it seemed that he did not get any. The staff cannot be kept well motivated for long without any benefits. The owners can make the staff more motivated by giving monetary benefits at first and then fringe benefits. At first they would find that money is what they need and will be motivated when money is at the other end and it will be cheaper to give small monetary benefits than fringe benefits. When the business grows it can afford fringe benefits and the workers need benefits other than money to motivate them. The easiest fringe benefit could be a discount on the food in the fish and chip shop, or free lunch for the workers. To keep them well motivated there needs to be a better fringe benefit that they will get for working well or achieving a target number of sales.