Ferdinand de Saussure Essay

†¢The origin of Language †¢Features of Language †¢Knowledge of Language †¢Linguistics †¢Branches of Linguistics †¢Approaches to Linguistic Studies †¢Schools of Linguistics THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE †¢The divine source †¢The natural sound source o Primitive words o Cuckoo, splash, rattle, hiss, buzz oâ€Å"Bow-wow theory of language origin.† †¢The social interaction source †¢The physical adaptation source †¢The tool-making source †¢The genetic source oChild development à ¨ Automatic oDeaf children à ¨ Fluent users of sign language à ¨ innateness hypothesis oWe are born with a capacity for speaking/using language †¢(See Yule, Ch.1; Fromkin et al., Ch.6) MAJOR FEATURES OF HUMAN LANGUAGE 1-Communicative : function of language is to communicate 2-Vocal : human vocal organs are used 3-Human : sophisticated use of language is unique to human species 4-Social : it Ä ±s used by the members of a community 5-Natural : Ä ±t is a natural phenomena 6-Changeable : it can and will change trough time 7-Rule-governed : there are systematic rules in it. 8-Product of mind : it is the product of mental operation 9-Arbitrary : no systematic relationship between form and meaning 10-Creative : language is used creatively MINOR FEATURES OF LANGUAGE 1-Language , unless recorded, flies away the movement we speak it. 2-Self-talk is a form of language 3-We talk in our minds : inner speech 4-We can not help but to process and understand what we hear. 5-Language can be used by some to xert their power over others. 6-Language is used for cultural preservation and transmission . 7-Language is varied : not monolithic. 8-The direction of changes in language is not predictable. 9-Language is personal as well as social. 10-Language is a means for mental and social development. 11-Language is a predictor of social identity. 12-Language reveals patterns of how mind works. 13-All languages have the same potential for development KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"I know English.† †¢Produce individual sounds and combining them (Phonetics & Phonology); †¢Form and dividing words (Morphology); †¢Combine these words into phrases and sentences (Syntax); †¢Understand the meaning of words, phrases and utterances (Semantics); †¢Use the language appropriately in different contexts (Pragmatics). Language is an arbitrary and changeable set of vocal symbols which are cognitively formulated, and socially used for human natural communication. Linguistic knowledge is knowledge about language which is acquired unconsciously. LINGUISTICS †¢ Linguistics is the scientific or logical examination of any aspect and property of language including the influences of language on any sphere of life. BRANCHES OF LINGUISTICS †¢MICRO-LINGUISTICS ïÆ'ËœPhonetics (Fonetik) ïÆ'ËœPhonology (Ses Bilimi) ïÆ'ËœMorphology (Dil Bilimi) ïÆ'ËœSyntax (Sà ¶z dizimi) ïÆ'ËœSemantics (Anlam Bilim) †¢MACRO-LINGUISTICS ïÆ'ËœPragmatics ïÆ'ËœSociolinguistics ïÆ'ËœHistorical-linguistics ïÆ'ËœPsycholinguistics ïÆ'ËœNeurolinguistics ïÆ'ËœAnthropological Linguistics ïÆ'ËœApplied Linguistics APPROACHES TO LINGUISTIC STUDIES †¢Descriptive-Prescriptive †¢Diachronic-Synchronic †¢Reference Grammar †¢Teaching Grammar †¢Theoretical Grammar SCHOOLS OF LINGUISTICS Traditional Linguistics †¢Based on study of Latin †¢Applied to other languages, e.g. English, French †¢19th C. Jacob Grimm, Max Mà ¼ller, Henry Sweet Structural Linguistics †¢Ferdinand De Saussure †¢Linguistics features as abstract system governing speech †¢Langue and parole †¢While language is regarded as language system stored in the mind of its speakers, parole is conceived as the actual language behavior Transformational -Generative Grammar †¢Chomsky †¢Every language has a finite set of rules to produce infinite number of sentences; †¢ Phrase structure rules and generative rules; †¢Deep structure and surface structure; †¢Structure over meaning; †¢Competence and performance.

Deception Point Page 37

Ekstrom scowled. â€Å"So is it possible or not?† â€Å"Not on your life,† Norah said flatly. â€Å"Totally impossible. I would have hit pockets of brine ice in my core samples.† â€Å"Core samples are drilled essentially in random spots, right?† Rachel asked. â€Å"Is there any chance the cores' placements, simply by bad luck, could have missed a pocket of sea ice?† â€Å"I drilled directly down over the meteorite. Then I drilled multiple cores only a few yards on either side. You can't get any closer.† â€Å"Just asking.† â€Å"The point is moot,† Norah said. â€Å"Brine interstices occur only in seasonal ice-ice that forms and melts every season. The Milne Ice Shelf is fast ice-ice that forms in the mountains and holds fast until it migrates to the calving zone and falls into the sea. As convenient as frozen plankton would be for explaining this mysterious little phenomenon, I can guarantee there are no hidden networks of frozen plankton in this glacier.† The group fell silent again. Despite the stark rebuttal of the frozen plankton theory, Rachel's systematic analysis of the data refused to accept the rejection. Instinctively, Rachel knew that the presence of frozen plankton in the glacier beneath them was the simplest solution to the riddle. The Law of Parsimony, she thought. Her NRO instructors had driven it into her subconscious. When multiple explanations exist, the simplest is usually correct. Norah Mangor obviously had a lot to lose if her ice-core data was wrong, and Rachel wondered if maybe Norah had seen the plankton, realized she'd made a mistake in claiming the glacier was solid, and was now simply trying to cover her tracks. â€Å"All I know,† Rachel said, â€Å"is that I just briefed the entire White House staff and told them this meteorite was discovered in a pristine matrix of ice and had been sealed there, untouched by outside influence since 1716, when it broke off of a famous meteorite called the Jungersol. This fact now appears to be in some question.† The NASA administrator was silent, his expression grave. Tolland cleared his throat. â€Å"I have to agree with Rachel. There was saltwater and plankton in the pool. No matter what the explanation is, that shaft is obviously not a closed environment. We can't say it is.† Corky was looking uncomfortable. â€Å"Um, folks, not to sound like the astrophysicist here, but in my field when we make mistakes, we're usually off by billions of years. Is this little plankton/saltwater mix-up really all that important? I mean, the perfection of the ice surrounding the meteorite in no way affects the meteorite itself, right? We still have the fossils. Nobody is questioning their authenticity. If it turns out we've made a mistake with the ice-core data, nobody will really care. All they'll care about is that we found proof of life on another planet.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Dr. Marlinson,† Rachel said, â€Å"as someone who analyzes data for a living, I have to disagree. Any tiny flaw in the data NASA presents tonight has the potential to cast doubt over the credibility of the entire discovery. Including the authenticity of the fossils.† Corky's jaw fell open. â€Å"What are you talking about? Those fossils are irrefutable!† â€Å"I know that. You know that. But if the public catches wind that NASA knowingly presented ice-core data that was in question, trust me, they will immediately start wondering what else NASA lied about.† Norah stepped forward, eyes flashing. â€Å"My ice-core data is not in question.† She turned to the administrator. â€Å"I can prove to you, categorically, that there is no brine ice trapped anywhere in this ice shelf!† The administrator eyed her a long moment. â€Å"How?† Norah outlined her plan. When she was done, Rachel had to admit, the idea sounded like a reasonable one. The administrator did not look so sure. â€Å"And the results will be definitive?† â€Å"One hundred percent confirmation,† Norah assured him. â€Å"If there's one goddamn ounce of frozen saltwater anywhere near that meteorite shaft, you will see it. Even a few droplets will light up on my gear like Times Square.† The administrator's brow furrowed beneath his military buzz cut. â€Å"There's not much time. The press conference is in a couple of hours.† â€Å"I can be back in twenty minutes.† â€Å"How far out on the glacier did you say you have to go?† â€Å"Not far. Two hundred yards should do it.† Ekstrom nodded. â€Å"Are you certain it's safe?† â€Å"I'll take flares,† Norah replied. â€Å"And Mike will go with me.† Tolland's head shot up. â€Å"I will?† â€Å"You sure as hell will, Mike! We'll be tethered. I'd appreciate a strong set of arms out there if the wind whips up.† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"She's right,† the administrator said, turning to Tolland. â€Å"If she goes, she can't go alone. I'd send some of my men with her, but frankly, I'd rather keep this plankton issue to ourselves until we figure out if it's a problem or not.† Tolland gave a reluctant nod. â€Å"I'd like to go too,† Rachel said. Norah spun like a cobra. â€Å"The hell you will.† â€Å"Actually,† the administrator said, as if an idea had just occurred to him, â€Å"I think I'd feel safer if we used the standard quad tether configuration. If you go dual, and Mike slips, you'll never hold him. Four people are a lot safer than two.† He paused glancing at Corky. â€Å"That would mean either you or Dr. Ming.† Ekstrom glanced around the habisphere. â€Å"Where is Dr. Ming, anyway?† â€Å"I haven't seen him in a while,† Tolland said. â€Å"He might be catching a nap.† Ekstrom turned to Corky. â€Å"Dr. Marlinson, I cannot require that you go out with them, and yet-â€Å" â€Å"What the hell?† Corky said. â€Å"Seeing as everyone is getting along so well.† â€Å"No!† Norah exclaimed. â€Å"Four people will slow us down. Mike and I are going alone.† â€Å"You are not going alone.† The administrator's tone was final. â€Å"There's a reason tethers are built as quads, and we're going to do this as safely as possible. The last thing I need is an accident a couple hours before the biggest press conference in NASA's history.† 43 Gabrielle Ashe felt a precarious uncertainty as she sat in the heavy air of Marjorie Tench's office. What could this woman possibly want with me? Behind the room's sole desk, Tench leaned back in her chair, her hard features seeming to radiate pleasure with Gabrielle's discomfort. â€Å"Does the smoke bother you?† Tench asked, tapping a fresh cigarette from her pack. â€Å"No,† Gabrielle lied. Tench was already lighting up anyway. â€Å"You and your candidate have taken quite an interest in NASA during this campaign.† â€Å"True,† Gabrielle snapped, making no effort to hide her anger, â€Å"thanks to some creative encouragement. I'd like an explanation.† Tench gave an innocent pout. â€Å"You want to know why I've been sending you e-mail fodder for your attack on NASA?† â€Å"The information you sent me hurt your President.† â€Å"In the short run, yes.† The ominous tone in Tench's voice made Gabrielle uneasy. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"Relax, Gabrielle. My e-mails didn't change things much. Senator Sexton was NASA-bashing long before I stepped in. I simply helped him clarify his message. Solidify his position.† â€Å"Solidify his position?† â€Å"Exactly.† Tench smiled, revealing stained teeth. â€Å"Which, I must say, he did quite effectively this afternoon on CNN.† Gabrielle recalled the senator's reaction to Tench's fence-buster question. Yes, I would act to abolish NASA. Sexton had gotten himself cornered, but he'd played out of the rough with a strong drive. It was the right move. Wasn't it? From Tench's contented look, Gabrielle sensed there was information missing.

Case Brief on Arizona versus Hicks

Case Brief: Arizona v. Hicks The bullet was fired through the defendant’s apartment floor and went in to the apartment below and hit an individual who then called the police. Police responded to the incident and went first to the apartment where the bullet entered. The defendant, Hicks, was not in the apartment at the time, but the officers found and seized three guns and a stocking-cap mask, which were both plain sight. One of the officers saw two sets of stereo equipment that looked like they didn‘t belong there.The officer moved two turntables of the top of the equipment; the officer recorded their serial numbers and found them to be property stolen in a recent armed robbery. Mr. Hicks was found and charged with multiple crimes, released, and now the state appeals. The prosecution argued that since there were exigent circumstances to search the defendant’s home, any evidence found in â€Å"â€Å"plain sight†Ã¢â‚¬  was seized legally. The defense contes ted the validity of the search, claiming that the search of the stereo equipment was unwarranted based on its appearance alone and violated the defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights.The defendant is found guilty of the initial charges, but all evidence relating to the robbery charges is ruled fruit of an unlawful search by the state trial court and the Arizona Court of Appeals. When the Arizona Supreme Court denied review, the United States Supreme Court accepted the State’s request for a hearing. The Supreme Court first ruled that the warrantless entry by the officers, under the exigent circumstances exception to the warrant requirement, was valid. The court then ruled that the recording of the equipment’s serial numbers did not constitute a search or seizure.However, when the officer moved the turntable it was held to be a separate search, apart from the search for the defendant and his firearms. It was the court’s ruling that the officer did not have pro bable cause, only reasonable suspicion to search the stereo equipment. The evidence seized after the discovery of the turntables constituted unlawful search. The lower court’s decision was affirmed. Work Cited http://www. casebriefs. com/blog/law/criminal-procedure/criminal-procedure-keyed-to-weinreb/the-fourth-amendment-arrest-and-search-and-seizure/arizona-v-hicks

Benefits of breast feeding and natural birthing techniques Research Paper

Benefits of breast feeding and natural birthing techniques - Research Paper Example On the other hand, nutrients in mother’s milk also help to prevent the spread of childhood infectious and noninfectious diseases. This means that the benefits of breastfeeding are limitless, and it is a momentous act a mother does to determine the present and future health of a child (Department of Health and Human Service Office on Womens Health , 2003). In the current world, breastfeeding has been considered not to be beneficial, and that infants can be fed formula milk and survive. I disagree with this and can say that formula milk will never have similar vitamins and nutrients that are in the human milk even if vitamin, minerals and supplements included in formula milk, additionally, breastfeeding is also beneficial to mothers. Firstly, breastfeeding prevents the high risks of infectious diseases on children. Research has shown that breast milk prevent children against infectious diseases like lower and upper respiratory infections than formula milk. These infections are caused by lack of immunity and antibacterial that are present in human milk, hence most children affected with these infections are those fed formula milk. Latest research has also indicated that breastfeeding helps in preventing urinary tract infections. Secondly, breastfeeding is also beneficial to children who are born as a result of pre- mature births leading to children being born before they fully develop. The term that is usually used by most medics is neurodevelopment. Studies have indicated that breastfeeding contributes to cognitive development of infants whereby children who are breastfed develop faster than those fed formula milk. However, it reduces the death rate during early childhood. Studies have indicated that most death is common in formula fed infants because there is no interaction that takes place between mother and child when breastfeeding hence, mothers’ intelligence during breastfeeding also contribute to few SIDS

Restaurants should have to display their nutritional content on their Essay

Restaurants should have to display their nutritional content on their menus - Essay Example Government assistance is called upon to ensure all the stakeholders in this sector have compliant in totality as this will help the population which is time caught up to have an easy time by having to take balanced diets just at a look of the menus. We believe that this report offers the best recommendations which will see a positive overhaul in the fast food sector of these chain restaurants. This will go along way into leaving with the mission and vision of a healthy society under the basis of preventive and not curative measures. On any queries where you need clarification you can always contact our office which is open for you. We believe together we can achieve incredibly. This report is mainly a consumer initiated to determine whether the value of the money they use in buying foods from the chain restaurant is worth what they finally get. The report aims mainly at giving some justifications which goes a long way in ensuring that all the leading chain restaurants do give the nutritional value of the food they are selling on the menus. This is a direct implication the client will have a sole decision as to which kind of food he should eat. The justification once ready they are submitted to the Food and Drug association for implementation. The report involves a scrutiny on all the chain restaurants businesses which have over 20 branches nationwide. This is with a firm believe that these restaurants have the greatest share of the food market in the united states of America and taking control of the food industry at their level is managing what the Americans eat. This has been propelled by the fact that modern people want easy readymade food for take away. Small restaurants have not been left out but they were also checked to find out the efforts they were inputting in seeing the dream of safe food for all come true. Several methods where put in place to see that the whole

Corporate Responsibility in Fashion Retailing in Europe Essay

Corporate Responsibility in Fashion Retailing in Europe - Essay Example The European fashion retailers are faced with the responsibility of reducing environmental pollution (Grace, & Cohen, 2013). This is because these organizations conduct numerous activities that harm the environment, and thus need to be reduced. For example, the industry deals with clothes that are made with inputs such as nylon, synthetic, and acrylic that are made from non-renewable mineral oil (Balsiger, 2014). This means that the use of these resources leads to the disappearance of mineral oil from the environment. Synthetic fibers also do not degrade when disposed of in landfills, thus they cause pollution in the environment when they release harmful gases and particles to the air (Dupuis, & Dawson, 1999). The fashion industry handles the problem of the non-degradable materials by recycling them. The fashion retail sector also practices social responsibility to the environment by reducing the use of toxic chemicals, too much energy, and water. The industry uses these resources es pecially in the end processes of processing that include dyeing, bleaching, and cleaning (Martinuzzi, Kudlak, Faber, & Winam, 2014). Fashion retailers are also minimizing environmental destruction by minimizing the sale of clothes made from fabrics such as cotton that contribute to high amounts of pollution. The industry does this by selling apparel made from friendly inputs such as organic cotton and bamboo; Eco-Fiber is a retail organization that specializes in selling these types of clothes.

Media ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Media ethics - Essay Example Danger in so many ways is and continues to be one of the hazards of the trade. The advent of technology has brought forth a new media that allows for and searches for a new definition of press freedom. In this new avenue, censorship is becoming a mere obstacle that can be hurdled. This is not to say that oppressive governments cannot find their way into the loop but admit it or not, it has opened up a number of possibilities that allows for creativity. In the same way that administrations found alternative ways to deal with the issue and avert from the muckraking that is ruinous to them. The Asian region remains the front line in terms of censorship. The communist nations of China and Vietnam records the most number of jailed web radicals to date. The issue of censorship will never seem to elude the continent as oppressive governments are persistent upon their unruly implementation or lack thereof of press freedom. The World Wide Web has turned into a battlefield where journalists, guised in anonymity, can express themselves and expose subsequent governments. But in a number of times, this is not without its undue consequences entailed (Kushner, par. 1-2). The current trend, as Adam B. Kushner of Newsweek said is that, â€Å"governments dont just censor, they scare.† With the 210 million users of Internet in China, the government has long realized that it will be impossible to police all of them, and so in a last ditch effort for control, text messages have circulated that aims to jolt fear in common and oftentimes apolitical masses. This is a type of surveillance wherein authorities make it seem they are scattered all over to prevent and taunt those who desire to search for materials online. On a regular basis, China denies access to 19,000 websites that are considered threatening by the Chinese government according to a study conducted by the Harvard Law School. The study found out that the capital, Beijing, blocks

International Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Finance - Case Study Example In 1993, ICI demerged its bioscience businesses to a publicly listed company, Zeneca Group PLC. 1997 saw ICI transforming from a regional manufacturer of bulk chemicals to a global specialty chemical and paints leader with the acquisition of Unilever's Speciality Chemicals businesses. Over the last decade, ICI has transformed its portfolio through a number of acquisitions and divestments worth more than 12 billion. Proceeds from divestments have helped ICI reduce its net debt and improve its balance sheet strength (ICI Annual Report, 2006). This paper evaluates the international operations of ICI and discusses how important international trade is for the ICI Group. Various analyses are conducted such as strategic, financial, SWOT, and risk to provide a deeper insight into the company's international operations. ICI Board comprises of the Chairman, Chief Executive, 3 directors, and five non-executive directors. Collectively, the Board is responsible for the success of the company. Through the Chief Executive, the Board delegates to management the overall performance of the company through the setting of clear objectives, building long-term management capability and ensuring that the business is managed in conformity with the business principles. Core businesses Core businesses of ICI comprise ICI Paints and the adhesives, specialty starches, specialty polymers and electronic materials operations of National Starch. These businesses serve diverse consumer and industrial markets through 40 strategic business units. These businesses are supported by Group functions that provide expertise in the disciplines of information technology, finance, human resources, operations, procurement, safety, security, and applied technology (ICI Annual Report, 2006). ICI Paints has some of the world's leading paint and decorative product brands. ICI makes products to prepare and care for many building materials, and provides coatings for cans and packages. It is headquartered in the UK and has operations in 25 countries (ICI Annual Report, 2006). National Starch markets a broad array of products to various sectors such as food, healthcare and construction. It has four divisions that are grouped around adhesives, specialty starches, specialty polymers and electronic materials. National Starch is headquartered in the United States, and has manufacturing and customer service centres in 39 countries (ICI Annual Report, 2006). ICI has a number of regional and industrial businesses, principal operations for which are located in Pakistan and Argentina. They include the manufacture of pure terephthalic acid, polyester, sulphur-related chemicals, wine chemicals and soda ash (ICI Annual Report, 2006). ICI is headquartered in the UK, with geographically diversified operations worldwide. Asia and Latin America account for 36% of sales, North America 33%, Europe 29%, and the rest of the world 2%. ICI's businesses have adopted a staffing policy whereby local nationals are typically hired. Total employee strength at ICI is 29, 130, of which 87% are located outside the UK. ICI Group has operations in more than 50 countries around the world. More than 60% of the Group's revenue comes from sectors which are believed to be non-cyclical in nature, such

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 9

Psychology - Essay Example My feelings only increased during the scenes in which the Titanic actually sunk. The people cared for nobody but themselves, and the rich passengers seemed to think that because they had more money that they were more important when it came to getting on the lifeboats and being rescued. Other people were shunted aside, including women and children, so that some of the rich men could be selfishly saved. I also felt saddened by the fact that the movie is based on true events. Though there are no records of the characters of the film, as they were all fictional, the sinking of the Titanic was very much real. As I watched the devastation of the characters trying to survive, I realized that the people who actually experienced the sinking ship probably went through similar experiences. They no doubt felt the same fear and uncertainty that the characters portrayed. This was one of the most memorable events in our history and watching even a fictionalized version of what took place makes me upset because of the people that were lost that night. The movie 2012 is an exciting film about what some people assume might take place on December 21, 2012, which many people believe might be the end of the world. This is according to the Mayan calendar, which I believe to be misunderstood. Even though I believe that there is almost no chance that the world will end on that day, the movie still makes me feel nervous and frightened. After spending so much time thinking of theories of how the world could end, they finally present us with a visual representation. This makes me never because I think that anything can happen to the world. It probably will not play out like it did in the movie, but anything else is really possible. It brings into perspective that the world could really end, and the hype around the end of the Mayan calendar is not helping much. And since so many

Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men Essay The action comes full circle as George destroys Lennie at the end of the novel. Steinbeck purposely wrote the novel so that it could be turned into a play. Each chapter starts with the description of a scene; the characters come in, speak and then go off as they would in a play. The story is set in 1930s America. It was written in 1937. America and Particularly California was the land of opportunity. It was believed that any person could make their fortune and achieve success by working hard. This was called The American Dream and is what Lennie, George and later on in the film Candy hoped to achieve. This was the America that Steinbeck knew of and experienced this kind of life, because he was alive at this time. The American Dream was destroyed by the depression of the 1930s. The Wall Street Crash in 1929 when the stock markets collapsed triggered this and thousands of people lost everything they had. Hardly anyone could find work easily and many people were driven to become workers travelling from place to place not getting much money, like George and Lennie. Other problems of that time were that farming was easier, they used combine harvesters and other machinery, and so fewer men were needed to do the same jobs. Poor farming methods of that time meant that thousands of acres of farmland dried up rapidly, and became dry deserts. The landscape in the new film reflects the reality of the landscape more clearly and the viewers understood what it was like by watching it. There have been three film versions of the novel Of Mice and Men. Now I will compare the two film versions. Both versions are very effective and brilliant techniques have been used. The older version was made for television, it is episodic, and the new one is in film version. The new film contains well-known actors. Gary Sinise and John Malkovich, this makes more people want to watch it. In the new film we see no action until the titles have finished, which is more effective. In the opening of the new film the camera crosscuts between long shots and close-ups during the chase to highlight the danger. They focus on George and Lennie a bit more than they do with other characters at the beginning. I think they do this so the viewers realise who the main characters are and can get to know them. There are close-ups in Aunt Claras house. Lennie is given a big piece of pie and George gets a small piece. Lennie is shown as being a big kid. In the 1992 version there close-up shots of the mens faces on the train, we see their relief of escaping. They are safe. You hear the sound of the train as the white writing comes down over the black screen. This is very effective and makes you want to keep watching. The train scene is not actually used in the text. The director has added this to make his film more interesting and effective. The lighting in both versions of the novel were quite natural, no use of fake lighting. The director does this to make it more realistic. In the new version of the film the scene changing is very effective. The music in the opening of the old version is varied; it is played on a flute to give a pleasant and optimistic feeling. It becomes intense as the action picks up. This is to reflect the danger and the fear of Lennie and George as they are running. George doesnt want to take care of Lennie anymore and he plans to leave him. When he does this the music becomes quieter. It reflects whats happening in the plot. In the 1992 film version the music is more dramatic. It keeps you in suspense and is more atmospheric. It starts with piano music and then the sound of the train comes in. They do this to make the opening more effective and attention grabbing. The costumes are more or less the same in both versions of the film. They are ragged and dirty. George and Lennie have cravats tied around their necks, and hats. When George and Lennie go to visit Aunt Clara in the old version of the film, Lennie repeats George when presented to Aunt Clara. Yes mam. The director has added this scene into the old version. In the novel the only time she appears is in Lennies imagination. This scene has been included to put Lennie into context; it gives him a background, and shows that he has always been looked after and that the people who know him still treat him like a baby. It also serves to highlight Lennies reliance on George. As an audience we feel really sorry for Lennie when George tricked him to try and free himself from responsibility of looking out for Lennie. Lennie is more childish in the new film. You feel more sympathy for him in the old version. In the 1981 version of the film Curleys wife is portrayed as a bit of a tart, her dressed are tight fitting and she wears lots of makeup. In the scene when she is murdered, she is wearing a tight fitting, black knee length dress with a flower on it. Black represents experience. She has bright red shoes and red earrings. The description of her in the novel is more or less the same as the way she is presented in the films. In the newer version she is wearing a white dress. This represents innocence. She speaks quietly and is quite flirtatious; she is attentive when Lennie is speaking to her. When Lennie murders her, she screams a lot and is more dramatic in the new film. This draws attention to the viewer and gives a slight chill. The men are outside playing their game, they are so near, yet they dont hear her screaming or come to help. It makes it more sinister. When Lennie and Curleys wife are talking in the old film, Lennie doesnt listen to her much and interrupts, but in the newer version he sits and looks like he understands and he listens to her carefully. This makes the audience feel sorry for Lennie in a way because he acts like a big baby. He interrupts and talks about his things and doesnt listen to what Curleys wife is saying. Also, it gives a slight chill because one minute Lennie is being nice to Curleys wife and the next, he kills her. Curleys wife becomes very flirtatious and asks Lennie to stroke her hair. This all leads to the murder. He enjoys this and she looks like she enjoys it. She is more excited in the newer version, there is heavy breathing and she shows that she likes it a lot. Lennie stares at her a lot and there are lots of close-ups of this. In the older version when Lennie kills her, you see the close-up of his hand over her mouth. The camera switches from a low angle shot of her feet to a close up of her face where we see the fear in her eyes and then the camera goes back to her feet where one of her shoes fall off. This is very effective because we see just enough of her eyes to see how scared she is. Then there is the very sad and final indignity where she loses her shoe in death and she has been so proud of her appearance. Then the episode ends to create suspense. The newer version is much closer to the novel. There are only long and mid-shots of Lennie holding her enough to break her neck. There is quiet music up until Lennie starts becoming fierce. The music is more dramatic and brings an atmosphere. The volume increases to show that its important. It keeps the audience hooked. In the older version there is slow haunting music when she dies. This makes it creepy for the viewer.

Post Fordism System

Post Fordism System Post Fordism is an industrial model that replace Fordism model in 1970. It is a production model which is closely associated with socioeconomic system used in most industrialized countries. Unlike Fordism which was used by Henry Fords plant where workers worked in a production line with each person performing specialized task in a repetitive manner, Post-Fordism is characterized by the use of new information technology with the coming of the globalize financial market. From this model, I have learned that production should be tailored to the needs of the customers and should be driven by market demand. This means that labor has to be managed according to the production process utilizing the current technology in the market. I have also learned that the production process should be more aimed at the consumers and their demands. Flexible organization is an approach which believes that production should not be aimed at the mass but it should be flexible enough in order to target a certain group of consumers. Firms no longer need to invest so much of their money in creating production lines for mass production but they sound rather embrace the modern technology which requires them to use intelligent labor and machine systems in order to respond to the market needs quickly. One example of such flexible organization or flexible specialization is just-in-time manufacturing. This concept of just in time production embraces producing what the consumers want and when it is needed taking into consideration the quantity that is needed. This ensures that there is not overproduction of goods and there is minimal wastage of resources. Just in time production has been described as a pull system of production in which the actual order signals the real product to be manufacturers. This is a demand pull which enables an orga nization to produce only what the market requires and in the correct quantity and at the needed time. This is a concept to minimize the cost of house ware since the levels of raw material, component the labor and end product are kept to the minimum. It means only the needed labor will be kept in the organization. The concept also requires that use of horizontal chains of authority. This means that unlike in the earlier model where authority came from the top, post-Fordism ensures that authority in the management of labor in an organization flows in a horizontal manner. It gives more authority to the line managers to make decision without relying on the decision from the top management. One of the concepts that support horizontal chains of authority is the concept of decentralized decision making. This means that there is more decision making power that is delegated to the junior and middle staff in an organization. It helps line supervisors and manager and even the individual employees to make their own decision and not wait for decision to come from above. Decentralize to decision making allows the labor force to have more space to make their own decision concerning their work. (Womack 2003, p. 45) Having a creative labor is advantageous to the organization. It helps the organization to create a competitive advantage in the market. To manage creative labor, the concept of post-Fordism applies in that the labor force must be given space and time to be innovative. This will help them to make the decision that they have to make in their work which increases their production. Basic critiques on post-Fordism argue on its structuralism, functionalism and evolutionism. Structuralism view change in terms of tensions, contradictions and dysfunction of structures not as a result of voluntary action of social agents. Functionalism continue despite opening of alternatives and faced with structures actors must make a choice. It has also been cricticised on the idea of selecting a single central factor as the impetus for change. From the topic I have learned that labor should be managed in order to be in line with the production needs of the organization which is dictated by the needs for the market. From what I have from the concept of post-Fordism it will help me in my future management practice since I have knowledge of labor management following the characteristics of post-Fordism. This will help me to manage labor specialization and feminism in the work place. It will help me manage labor to match the production needs of the customers. â€Å"Enron the smartest guys in the room† The above phrases come from a movie that was screened describing the collapse of the collapse of Enron Corporation. This resulted in criminal trails involving several top executive of the company. The film describes how the Enron trades were involved in the California Electricity crisis. This film gives an insight into the corporate cultures and the inherent problem that comes with its. It describes some mechanism which motivate a vast immoral and profit oriented corporate culture. It describes how the organization misused the employees in a bid to make higher profits. It also tried to describe how an individual can take an order before they question the reason why they are taking the order. It is a general review of how companies use immoral means to make high profits Form the case, we can relate the idea of organization complexity in how and organization is made of different people and of diverse characters. The film illustrated how Enron was made up of different people of different character and in the whole portrayed a picture of the complexity of the organization both in the making and in its operation. From the above I learned how the organization functions as a complex entry that needs a clear leadership in order to harmonize all the characteristics to function as one. The complexity in the operation of the organization comes out in the strategy that the company uses to hike price only to return electricity later in order to make more profit. However this movie has been crictsized on the ground that while it gave so much on what can happen on peoples lives which were ruined by Enron, it did not give them a real human face. It also illustrates the concept of how an organization functions as a system. In this film, the management creates an unhealthy competition that crates animosity on the workers. They start engaging in an unhealthy competition in a bid to outperform the other. This is because employees doing worst in an area were to be fired. The concept of organization as system means that the organization functions together as a system made of different interdependence parts. This means the management and the workers must work together to achieve the goals of the organization. But in this case the management uses the workers in order to make more profit. From this I have learned that the management should create a cordial working condition with the employees rather than creating competition between them. From this example we can see how the organization uses a fraud means in order to make more profit. Enron shifts power in order to create power shortage and raise price and later bring back power in order to reap the high profits. This happens in the full view of the managers. I have learnt that as a manager I am given the sole responsibility of deciding for the organization and I should use my power to prevent an organization from committing such fraud. I have learned that it is fraudulent to use the employees in ode rot make higher profit rather than protecting them. Once the Manager in the Enron knew that it was collapsing they started selling their shares and encourages the employees to retain theirs. In the movie there is the milligram experiment that is performed in order to understand how a worker can take order from a person without questioning such an order. A person is given an order to raise the voltage and push the button until he stops pushing the button on a moral ground. This showed a factor of leadership. This experiment was meant to show that there is a high probability that the one who is given an order to carry out questions it. From this I have learned that as a manager I should provide real leadership to those under me and not just issue order. Every one has the right to question why they have been told to carry out that order. In the future I will be able to provide real leaderships to the workers and explain to them the orders that I issue and at the same time allow them to enquire about the orders. Production chains and coff ee industry: â€Å"Black Gold† â€Å"Black Gold† was a documentary that was made as a film depicting the struggle African farmers in Ethiopians undergoes despite producing one of the most important primary commodity in the world. This film was made to illustrate how the western consumers fails to get in reality with the plight of those African farmers who toil day in day out to produce coffee for them. It also features the World Trade Organization which was just an illustration of how production chains exploit the farmers in Ethiopia who are faced with famine. This documentary showed how the complexity of the production chain continues to hamper the prosperity of business. It gives an idea of how reducing the production chain can benefit the primary producer like the farmer in Ethiopian Highland. However the documentary has been crictsized on the ground that while it highlighted the plight of the Ethiopian Coffee farmers, it did not give any solution on what can be done to improve the distribution chain. One of the most important highlight of this documentary is the need to reduce production chains. It shows how the chain from producer, middlemen exporter, importer, roaster, retailers and consumers pushes the price of the end product and at the same time reduces the price of the primary producer. Although we can accept the idea of chain production, a lengthy chain leads to exploitation. From this documentary I have learned that the longer the production chain, the higher the operation cost and the higher the price of the end product. Hence in my future management, I will be striving to shorten the production chain in order to make effectful use of the labor and reduce the production cost. This documentary also brings an important aspect of business ethics. Business ethics is an integral part of any business operation. It is the moral values that form the backbone of operation of any business. Business code of ethics is an important tool that should guide any strategy that is taken by management. In this documentary, it was clearly evident how the middlemen continue to exploit the Ethiopian farmer and how the western consumer rushes to give food aid to the Ethiopian farmer who is faced with hunger without taking into consideration how much they take from that farmer. I have learnt that as a manager we should conduct our business following a code of ethics. This is important since it helps us to operate with a clean conscious. It is also important since it avoids the exploitation of the consumer. In my future management work, I will strive to ensure that I keep to the business code of ethics. I will try to position the operation of the company with the need of other peo ple in regard to the needs of the consumers and the need of the employees. I will strive towards implementing strategies for the company which reduces chances of exploitation. The paradox that comes from the movie is that while the farmers are exploited, they are not aware of what they produce. They toil in their fields but they are not aware of the value to their products. They are not aware of the price their products fetch in the market. At the same time the western consumers are not aware of what the Ethiopian farmers goes through in the field as they struggle to produce sweet for them. I have learnt that informing the consumers of what we are producing is very important since they become aware of the source of that product. It is important to inform the consumers about the product right from the starting of the production chain up to when it reached them. In this regard as a manager I will ensure that all products from the company bears clear information on the label and carry out advertisement to inform the consumers on the product. It is important for them to realize that what they are consuming and where it has come from. References CKD, 2008, Director FAQ, Black Gold, Retrieved from http://www.blackgoldmovie.com/faq.phpon 12th march 2008 Dempsey, J Campbell, R 1999, A Value Chain Approach to Coffer Production, Available at, http://www.acdivoca.org/852571DC00681414/Lookup/WRSpring06-Page5-7-ValueChainCoffee/$file/WRSpring06-Page5-7-ValueChainCoffee.pdf. George, B 2004, Fordism, Social Analysis, Vol. 48, Issue 3, P. 2-5 Gloria, C 1999, Managing Fraud and Integrity Risk, Arthur Anderson Howard, R 2004, Business Ethics: Company with a conscious, Myers Templeton, Denver Independent Lens, 2008, Enron: The Smartest Guy in the Room, Retrieved from, http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/enron/ on 12th March 2008 Jacobsen, I 2000, Creating a Flexible Organization, The Innovator Leader, Vol. 9, Issue, 1, p. 6-9 Kiechel, W 1995, Managing Innovators, Kiechel Research Tutor 2U, 2008, Just in time Production, Retrieved from http://tutor2u.net/business/production/just-in-time.html on 12th March 2008 Varghees, J 2000, Centre for leadership and management, Griffith University, p. 1 Womack, J 2003, Lean Thinking, Harper Business Yolles, M 2004, Organization Complexity and management, MCB Publishers

Contingency Theories of Organizations

Contingency Theories of Organizations Part 2 OB: What is the core argument of contingency theories of organizations? Discuss giving examples from at least one such theory. Evaluate the claims of this theory and assess its relevance for organizations today. Organizations operate in many different environments and it is vital to assess how they influence their structures. Effective and efficient organizing has become increasingly important in the modern world characterized by rapid changes. Contingency approaches emphasize that in order for organizations to succeed they must adopt a structure suitable for the environment in which they operate. There are many forms of contingency theory. In general, contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that claim that there is no best way to organize a corporation and the organizational structure of the company. An organizational or leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Therefore, the best way of organizing the company, is contingent upon the internal and external situation of the company. External environments influence organizations in a varied number of ways. Critical external factors include, but are not limited to, the size of the organization, labor markets, availability and cost of capital, competitors, governmental laws and policies, managerial assumptions about employees, strategies, technologies used, etc. The main ideas of contingency theory are: * There is no universal or one best way to manage * The design of organizations and its subsystems must fit with the environment * Effective organizations not only have a proper fit with the environment but also between its subsystems * The needs of an organization are better satisfied when it is properly designed and the management style is appropriate both to the tasks undertaken and the nature of the work group. Several contingency approaches were developed simultaneously in the late 1960s. The emergence of the theory was the result of criticisms of the classical theories such as Webers bureaucracy (Weber, 1946) and Taylors scientific management (Taylor, 1911) which had failed because they neglected that management style and organizational structure were influenced by various aspects of the environment: the contingency factors. The contingency approach originated with the work of Joan Woodward (1958), who declared that successful organizations in different industries with different technologies were characterized by different organizational structures. In this essay I will discuss three influential contingency theories, those of Burns and Stalker (1961), Lawrence and Lorsch (1967) and Fiedler (1967). Tom Burns and Graham Stalker in their 1961 book, The Management of Innovation studied about 20 Scottish and British electronics companies operating in increasingly competitive and innovative technological markets. Their findings demonstrated that organizations operating in stable environments are very different from those which have to face a changing and dynamic environment. The authors have discovered that differences in the way firms approached change and innovation related to the values and mission of the firms. Burns and Stalker classified the firms into 2 categories on the basis of their managerial structures and practices: mechanistic and organic. The authors found that mechanistic organizations, also called bureaucracies, are suited for relatively stable environmental conditions. Such organizations are clearly programmed, strictly controlled and hierarchically structured. Often they do not have mission and vision statements, and instead depend on established rules for guidance, measuring success by the degree to which staff conforms to process and procedure. Organizational tasks are typically broken down into specialized activities. Individuals are responsible for their specific functions in a relative isolation from the overall organizational goal. The organic organizations are more likely to exist under unstable environmental conditions. Organic organizations are orientated towards results, have a flat organization structure instead of a hierarchy, and little structure in terms of process and rules. They focus on results and employees receive positive rewards for creative and pragmatic contributions. Given these conditions it becomes necessary to review and redefine the responsibilities, methods, inter-role relationships, and even goals on a continual basis. Burns and Stalker emphasized that each system is appropriate under its own specific conditions. Neither system was superior to the other under all situations. Since the 1960s much of writings in organization theories field is a constant debate between the machine/organ analogies, and attempts to develop growth models of how simple mechanistic forms can grow into the more complex organic forms. Another significant study to demonstrate the relationships between environmental characteristics and effective organizational structures was conducted by Paul Lawrence and Jay Lorsch (1967). They studied ten US firms in three separate industries (plastics, food, containers) that confronted varying degrees of uncertainty, complexity and change. The researchers found that successful firms in each industry had a different degree of differentiation. The firms operating in uncertain, complex, rapidly changing environments had more highly differentiated internal structures: sales, production and RD departments. Such organizations require the greater need for suitable mechanisms for integrating and resolving conflicts between ranges of segments. Successful firms in more homogeneous and stable environment were more formalized and hierarchical in their forms. Authors concluded that successful firms must have internal structures as complex as environments in which they operate. This seminal work of Lawrence and Lorsch refined the contingency theory by demonstrating that different markets and technological environments require different kinds of organizations, and that subunits or functional departments within an organization might be managed in different ways, due to variations resulting from their sub-environments. Their view is ecological those organizations that can best adapt to the environment will survive. Managerial leadership has influenced organizational activities in many ways. These influences include motivating subordinates, budgeting scarce resources, and serving as a source of communication. Contingency theories of leadership argue that no single leadership style is effective in all circumstances, but the leadership styles are contingent on the organizational and situational context. Fred Fiedlers theory (1967) is the earliest and most extensively researched is also known as contingency model of leadership effectiveness. Fiedlers ideas originated from trait and behavioral models by stating that performance of the group is dependent on the leaders psychological orientation and on three contextual variables: group atmosphere, task structure, and leaders power position. The contingency model underlines the importance of both the leaders personality and the situation in which that leader operates. The first major factor in Fiedlers theory is known as the leadership style. This is the consistent system of interaction that takes place between a leader and work group. In order to classify leadership styles, Fiedler has developed an index called the Least-Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale. To get an LPC score a leader is asked to think of co-workers with whom he/she has ever worked and choose the one with whom the work was the most difficult. Then this person is rated on a number of eight-point bipolar scales (friendly/unfriendly, hostile/supportive, etc.). The responses to these scales are summed and averaged: a high LPC score suggests that the leader has a human relations orientation, while a low LPC score indicates a task orientation. The second major factor in Fiedlers theory is known as situational favorableness or environmental variable. This basically is defined as the degree a situation enables a leader to exert influence over a group. Fiedler then extends his analysis by focusing on three key situational factors, which are leader-member, task structure and position power. For leader-member relations, Fiedler maintains that the leader will have more influence if they maintain good relationships with group members who like, respect, and trust them, than if they do not. Fiedler explains that task structure is the second most important factor in determining structural favorableness. He contends that highly structured tasks, which specify how a job is to be done in detail provide a leader with more influences over group actions than do unstructured tasks. Finally, as for position power, leads who have the power to hire and fire, discipline and reward, have more power than those who do not. For example, the head of a department has more power than a file clerk. By classifying a group according to three variables, it is possible to identify eight different group situations or leadership style. These eight different possible combinations were then classified as either task orientation or relationship orientated. Several implications can be derived from Fiedlers findings. First, it is not accurate to speak of effective and ineffective leaders. Fiedler goes on by suggesting that there are only leader who perform better in some situations, but not all situations. Second, almost anyone can be a leader by carefully selecting those situations that match his or her leadership style. Lastly, the effectiveness of a leader can be improved by designing the job to fit the manager. For instance, by increasing or decreasing a leaders position power, changing the structure of a task, or influencing leader-member relations, an organization can alter a situation to better fit a leaders style. The following aspects can be considered as strengths of Fiedlers theory: it is predictive and supported by a lot of empirical research, it does not require that people be effective in all situations and provides a way to assess leader style that could be useful to an organization. However among its weaknesses are the fact that it is cumbersome to use, it doesnt explain what to do when there is a mismatch between style and situation and it doesnt take into account situational variables, like training and experience, which also have an impact in a leaders effectiveness. Finally, there is some doubt whether the LPC is a true measure of leadership style. In summary, the essence of contingency theory is that best practices depend on the contingencies of the situation. Contingency theory is often called the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“it all dependsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  theory, because when a contingency theorist is being asked for an answer, the typical response will be that it all depends. While this may sound simplistic, assessing the contingencies on which decisions depend can be a very complex. Contingency theorists try to identify and measure the conditions under which things will likely occur. Considering that organizations should attain both external and internal fit to achieve superior performance, at the same time, the processes of strategy formulation and implementation are not separable activities; there is a need for an integrative approach that incorporates both schools of thought. The appropriate management style and organizational structure depend on the environmental context of the organization concerned. The ability to manage change is now recognized as a core organizational competence. References: 1. Fineman, S., Sims, D. Gabriel, Y. (2005) Organizing and organizations , London, Sage. 2. Smith, M. J. (1984). Contingency rules theory, context, and compliance behaviors. Human Communication Research, 10, 489-512. 3. Burns, T., Stalker, M. (1961). The Management of Innovation, 3rd Edition, 1994, Oxford University Press 4. Lawrence, P. R., Lorsch, J. W. (1967). Organization and Environment. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 5. Fiedler, F. E. (1964). A Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol.1). 149-190. New York: Academic Press. Burnes, B. (1996), No such thing as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“one best wayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  to manage organizational change. Management decision, Vol. 34, Issue 10, pp. 10-18

Human Resource Management :: Business Management

One could suggest that common sense tells us Human Resource Management matters. So many challenges and successes in business are due to the actions of firms' human resources, especially since service is becoming a distinguishing competitive advantage; naturally the management of such resources would be vital. Productivity, efficiency and supremacy can be attributed to human resources. In the same respect, human resources can also be to blame for idleness, incompetence and other hindrances. When prompted about the importance of HR, Kevin Wheeler, founder of Global Learning Resources, Inc. and The Future of Talent Institute, argues, â€Å"If we believe, as I do, that innovative and engaged people will be the most important raw material of future organizational and national prosperity, the answer is obviously 'yes.' No corporate function represents people, advocates for people, or develops strategies to improve people other than HR† (Wheeler). Susan Heathfield goes on to say â€Å"No matter what other work I am doing with a company, employee performance – or the need to change or improve employee performance – is always part of the discussion.† As a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and an HR consultant, Ms. Heathfield has facilitated over 2,000 training sessions, thus demonstrating the importance of investment in human capital (Heathfield). More precisely, Human Resources Management serves to guide, benefit and protect several parties. Corporations, managers, employees, the market and the end consumer can experience an elevation in welfare due to HR Management. Corporations benefit and are inherently protected by many of the guidelines and literature in Human Resource Management. This includes workplace issues regarding organizational relationships, retention, risk management, safety and health in regards to the work environment, disaster preparedness, and union dealings. Understanding these guidelines allows for corporate policies to be created and understood prior to their need or development. For example, Human Resource Management actively trains employees on disaster preparedness and respective corporate policies if such an occasion should arise. A disaster policy would do little justice if created after such an event, despite the fact that it would aid in recurrences of disasters. Similarly, managers benefit and are guided by many HR practices, such as understanding their employee advocate and strategic roles, recognizing the value of the planning process, cultivating and predicting employee effectiveness, fostering a high-quality recruitment method, developing and integrating continuous training, and accurately and appropriately conducting performance appraisals.

alcohol abuse Essay -- essays research papers

Alcoholism is an overwhelming desire to drink alcohol, even though it is causing harm. Alcohol is a drug. In the United States alcoholism is the most widespread form of drug abuse, effecting at least 5 million people. About one third of high school students in the US are thought to be influenced drinkers. Many already may be alcoholics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A person who is dependent on alcohol is called an alcoholic. Drunk drivers account for one half of all fatal automobile accidents each year in the US. Alcoholism also creates many severe physical problems. More then three drinks a day, over a few weeks causes destructive danger in the liver. Changes in the brain and nervous system result in hostile behavior. A family or individual with an alcoholism problem is in serious trouble because the alcoholic's main goal is to get something to drink. The drinking usually continues until the person is drunk. Family, friends and work are little concern compared to the need for alcohol. Drunkenness limits the alcoholic's control of normal behavior and to perform the easiest functions. Many resources can help but two rules apply to recovery. One is that the alcoholic must accept the fact that there is a real problem and must decide to stop drinking. An alcoholic must also realize that any form of alcohol is literally poison. When in recovery an alcoholic could never take another drink.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all you will notice that an alcoholi...

Mba Syllabus

Master of Business Administration (MBA) – 2 Years (Syllabus 2007) SEMESTER I DBA 1601 MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS UNIT I INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT – Evolution of Management thoughts – Contribution of Selected Management Thinkers – Various approaches to management – contemporary management practice – Managing in global environment – Managerial functions. UNIT II PLANNING – Importance of planning – TypesImportance of planning – Types of planning – decision making process – Approaches to decision making – Decision models – Pay off Matrices – Decision trees – Break Even Analysis.UNIT III ORGANISING – Departmentation – Span of ContDepartmentation – Span of Control – Delegation – Centralisation and Decentralisation – Commitees – Line and Staff relationships – Recent trends in organisation structures. eading – Leadership styl es and qualities – Communication – process and barriers. UNIT V CONTROLLING – Managements control systems – techniques – Types of control. TEXT BOOKS: * Stephen P. Robbins and David A. Decenzo, Fundamentals of Management, Pearson Education, Third Edition, 2001. *   J. S.Chandan, Management Concepts and Strategies, Vikas Publishing House, 2002. REFERENCES: * Tim Hannagan, Management Concepts and Practices, Macmillan India Ltd. , 1997. * Hellriegel, Jackson and Slocum, Management: A Competency-Based Approach, South Western, 9th edition, 2002. * Stewart Black and Lyman W. Porter, Management – Meeting New Challenges, Prentice Hall, 2000. * Koontz, Essentials of Management, Tata McGraw-Hill, 5th Edition, 2001. * Bateman Snell, Management: Competing in the new era, McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2002. DBA 1602 STATISTICS FOR MANAGEMENT UNIT I PROBABILITY -Basic definitions and rules for probability, conditional probability, independent of events, Bayeâ€⠄¢s theorem, random variables, Probability distributions: Binomial, Poisson, Uniform and Normal distributions. UNIT II SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION AND ESTIMATION – Introduction to sampling distributions, sampling techniques, sampling distribution of mean and proportion, application of central limit theorem. Estimation: Point and Interval estimates for population parameters of large sample and small samples, determining the sample size. UNIT III TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS -Hypothesis testing: one sample and two samples tests for means and proportions of large samples (z-test), one sample and two sample tests for means of small samples (t-test), F-test for two sample standard deviations, Chi-square test for single samples standard deviation. Chi-square tests for independence of attributes and goodness of fit. UNIT IV NON-PARAMETRIC METHODS – Sign test for paired data. Rank sum test: Mann – Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test. One sample run test, rank correlation. UNIT V CORRELATION, REGRESSION AND TIME SERIES ANALYSIS – Correlation analysis, estimation of regression line.Time series analysis: Variations in time series, trend analysis, cyclical variations, seasonal variations and irregular variations. TEXT BOOKS: * Levin R. I. and Rubin D. S. , â€Å"Statistics for management†, 7th edition, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. , New Delhi, 2001. * Aczel A. D. and Sounderpandian J. , â€Å"Complete Business Statistics†, 5th edition, Tata McGraw – Hill Publishing Company Ltd. , New Delhi, 2004. * Anderson D. R. , Sweeney D. J. and Williams T. A. , â€Å"Statistics for business and economics†, 8th edition, Thomson (South – Western) Asia Pte. Ltd. , Singapore, 2002. REFERENCES: Levine D. M. , Krehbiel T. C. and Berenson M. L. , â€Å"Business Statistics: A First Course†, Pearson Education Asia, 2nd edition, New Delhi, 2002. * Hooda R. P. , â€Å"Statistics for Business and Economics†, 2nd edition, Macm illan India Ltd. , 2001. * Morse L. B. , â€Å"Statistics for Business and Economics†, HarperCollins college Publishers, New York, 1993. * Bowerman B. L. , Connel R. T. O’ and Hand M. L. , â€Å"Business Statistics in Practice†, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill / Irwin, 2001. * Gupta S. C. and Kapoor V. K. , â€Å"Fundamentals of MathematicalStatistics†,Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi, 2002.DBA1603 ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT UNIT I NATURE AND SCOPE OF MACRO ECONOMIC ISSUES – Macro economic variables – national income, investment, savings, employment, inflation, balance of payment, exchange rate – circular flow of income – national income concepts – measurement of national income – role of economic planning – Indian economic planning. UNIT II ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL INCOME – Determination of national income – Keynesian perspective – multiplier – accelerator – busi ness cycle – the role of fiscal policy – Indian fiscal policy and experiences.UNIT III ANALYSIS OF MONEY MARKET – Demand and supply of money – money market equilibrium – the role of money – monetary policy – Indian perspectives. UNIT IV INTEGRATION OF COMMODITY AND MONEY MARKET – Analysis of inflation and unemployment – the role of economic policies – Indian experiences. UNIT V ANALYSIS OF EXTERNAL SECTOR – International trade – trade multiplier – linkage model – the role of trade policy – analysis of performance of Indian economy in external sector. TEXT BOOKS: * Ahuja H. L. , Economic Environment of Business, Macroeconomic analysis, S.Chand & Company Ltd. , New Delhi, 2005. * Gupta, G. S. Macroeconomics, Theory and Applications, Tata McGraw-Hill publishing company Ltd. , New Delhi, 2001. REFERENCES: * Samuelson, Paul A. , and Nordhaus, W. D. , Economics, Tata McGraw-Hill pu blishing company Ltd. , New Delhi 2004. * Ruddar Datt and K. P. M. Sundharam, Indian Economy, S. Chand & Company Ltd. , New Delhi, 2003. * Government of India (Ministry of Finance), Economic Survey (Latest issue), New Delhi. DBA1604 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR UNIT I FOCUS AND PURPOSE -Definition, need and importance of organizational behaviour – nature and scope – frame work – organizational behaviour models. UNIT II INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR – Personality – types – factors influencing personality – theories – learning – types of learners – the learning process – learning theories – organizational behaviour modification. Attitudes – characteristics – components – formation – measurement. Perceptions – importance – factors influencing perception – interpersonal perception. Motivation – importance – types – effects on work behavior. UNI T III GROUP BEHAVIOUR -Organization structure – formation – groups in organizations – influence – group dynamics – emergence of informal leaders and working norms – group decision making techniques – interpersonal relations – communication – control. UNIT IV LEADERSHIP AND POWER – Meaning – importance – leadership styles – theories – leaders Vs managers – sources of power – power centers – power and politics. UNIT V DYNAMICS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOURS – Organizational climate – factors affecting organizational climate – importance. Job satisfaction – determinants – measurements – influence on behavior.Organizational change – importance – stability Vs change – proactive Vs reactive change – the change process – resistance to change – managing change. Organizational development †“ characteristics – objectives – team building. Organizational effectiveness – perspective – effectiveness Vs efficiency – approaches – the time dimension – achieving organizational effectiveness. TEXT BOOKS: * Stephen P. Robins, Organisational Behavior, Prentice Hall of India, 9th edition, 2001. * Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman, Organisational Behavior, South-Western, Thomson Learning, 9th edition, 2001. REFERENCES: Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborn, Organisational behavior, John Wiley, 7th edition, 2001. * Jit S. Chand, Organisational Behavior, Vikas publishing House Pvt. Ltd. 2nd edition, 2001. * Fred Luthans, Organisational Behavior, McGraw Hill Book Co. , 1998. * New Strom & Davis, Organisational behaviour, McGraw Hill, 2001. * Jaffa Harris and Sandra Hartman, Organisational Behaviour, Jaico, 2002. DBA1605 COMMUNICATION SKILLS UNIT I COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS – Systems approach, forms of business communication, managemen t and communication, factors facilitating communication. UNIT II COMMUNICATION PROCESS -Interpersonal perception, selective attention, feedback, variables, listening, barriers to listening, persuasion, attending and conducting interviews, participating in discussions, debates and conferences, presentation skills, paralinguistic features, oral fluency development. UNIT III BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE – Business letter. Memos, minutes, agendas, enquiries, orders, sales letters, notice, tenders, letters of application, letter of complaints. UNIT IV TECHNICAL REPORTS – Format, Choice of vocabulary, coherence and cohesion, paragraph writing, organization. UNIT V PROJECT REPORTS – Project proposal, project reports, appraisal reports.TEXT BOOKS: * Sharan J. Genrson and Steven M. Gerson – â€Å"Technical Writing – Process and Product† – Pearson Education – 2000. * Raymond V. Lesikar, John D. Pettit and Mary E. Flatley – Lesikass Bas ic Communication Tata McGraw Will 8th Edition – 1999. * Stevel. E. Pauley, Daniel G. Riordan – Technical Report Writing Today – AITBS Publishing & Distributors, India 5th edition – 2000. * Robert L. Shurter, Effective letters in business Thrid Ed. 1983. REFERENCES: * McGraith – Basic Managerial Skills for all Prentice Hall of India – 6th Edition 2002. * Halliday, M. A. Ky R. Hasan, Cohesion in English, Longman, London 1976.DBA1606 ACCOUNTING FOR MANAGEMENT UNIT I FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 1. 1 Introduction to Financial, cost and management accounting, generally accepted accounting principles, conventions and concepts. The balance sheet and related concepts, the profit and loss account and related concepts/ Introduction to inflation accounting, introduction to human resources accounting. 1. 2 Accounting Mechanics – Basic records, preparation of financial statements, revenue recognition and measurement, matching revenues and expenses, In ventory pricing and valuation, Fixed assets and depreciation accounting, intangible assets. . 3 Analysis of financial statements – Financial ratio analysis, cash flow and funds flow statement analysis UNIT II COST ACCOUNTING AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING 2. 1 Cost Accounts – Accounting for manufacturing operations, classification of manufacturing costs, Accounting for manufacturing costs. Cost Accounting Systems: Job order costing, Process costing, Activity Based costing, Costing and the value chain, Target costing, Cost-Volume – Profit Analysis, Standard cost system. 2. 2 Management Accounting:Relevant Cost for decision making, Incremental analysis, Special order decision, Production constraint decisions, Make or buy decisions, sell, scrap or rebuild decisions, Joint product decision, Responsibility accounting and performance evaluation. Budget: As a planning and control tool. TEXT BOOKS: * M. Y. Khan & P. K. Jain – Management Accounting, Tata McGraw Hil l publishing company Ltd. , 2004. * M. A. Sahaf – Management Accounting (Principles & Pratice): Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. , New Delhi, 2004. REFERENCES: * R. S. N. Pillai & Bagavathi – Managemnt Accounting S. Chand & Co.Ltd. , New Delhi, (2002). * R. Narayanaswamy – Financial Accounting – A managerial perspective Prentice Hall India Pvt. , Ltd. , New Delhi. * Bhattacharya S. K. John Dearden Accounting for Managemnt text and cases – Vikas publishing house, New Delhi, 2000. * Charles T. Hornegren – Introduction to management accounting Prentice Hall, New Delhi, 2001. DBA1607 LEGAL ASPECTS OF BUSINESS UNIT I MERCANTILE AND COMMERCIAL LAW The Indian Contract Act 1872 – Essential of a valid contract, Void Agreements, Formation of a contract, performance of contracts, breach of contract and its remedies, Quasi contracts.The Sale of Goods Act 1930 – Sales contract, transfer of title and risk of loss, warranties in s ales contract, performance of sales contracts, conditional sales and rights of an unpaid seller. Negotiable instruments Act 1881 – Nature and requisites of negotiable instruments, transfer of negotiable instruments and liability of parties, enforcement of secondary liability, holder in due course, special rules for cheques and drafts, discharge of negotiable instruments.Agency – Nature of agency – How created, Agent’s authority and liability of principal and third party: Rights and duties of principal, agents and Third party, liability of principal or agents torts, termination of agency. UNIT II COMPANY LAW – Major principles – Nature and types of companies, Formation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, Prospectus, Power, duties and liabilities of Directors, winding up of companies, Corporate Governance. UNIT III INDUSTRIAL LAW – An Overview of Factories Act, Payment of Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act, Minimum Wages Act, Industri al Disputes Act.UNIT IV INCOME TAX ACT AND SALES TAX ACT – Corporate Tax Planning, Overview of Sales Tax Act, including Value Added Tax. UNIT V CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT AND INTRODUCTION OF CYBER LAWS. TEXT BOOKS: * N. D. Kapoor, Elements of mercantile law – Sultanchand and company, New Delhi – Latest edition. * Sen & Mitra – Commercial and Industrial law – The world press, Pvt. Ltd. , Calcutta – 1996. REFERENCES: * P. P. S. Gogna, Mercantile Law, S. Chand & Co. Ltd. , New Delhi, 1999. * Dr. Vinod K. Singhania Direct Taxes Planning and Management (Latest edition). * Respective Bare Acts.

Materialism in “Fifth Business” by Robertson Davies Essay

Life embodies those whose dreams are involve success. For this definition in Shoeless Joe, by W.P. Kinsella, Ray lives a fulfilled existence by following his dreams and pursuing the idealistic path. He helps others fulfill their meaning of life by traveling miles to find them and to bring them back to his field of dreams. He risks his fortune to do so, ultimately being successful. On the other hand, in the novel â€Å"Fifth Business†, by Robertson Davies, Boy Staunton believes that he will be very successful and will get what he wants if he is rich. Although boy succeeds in getting money and living a life of luxury, he is never truly happy. He always tries to reach his vision, but never seems to achieve it because he does not live in a way that makes his vision a possibility; Boy lives the life he wants. Throughout the novel, the rich possesses a sense of carelessness and he believes that money yields happiness. His neglectful view of money and his materialistic attitude, even tually lead to the destruction and downfall of his character. Authors, W.P Kinsella and Robertson Davies contrast materialistic and idealistic values in their novels. ?At the beginning of the novel Shoeless Joe, W.P Kinsella portrays the protagonist Ray as a good father and husband with an ambitious image. Ray Kinsella is called upon by forces left unknown to the readers and himself, to go on both a physical and heart-felt journey. â€Å"If you build it he will come† (Kinsella, 3). When Ray first heard the voice he knew that it had a special meaning and it was telling him to do something. At the beginning it seemed to Ray that the voice is just his own imagination, but when the voice constantly repeated he knew that it was real. From that moment Ray knew that his goal would be to build a baseball field and ‘he’ referred to Shoeless Joe. Throughout the novel, Ray Kinsella starts to believe more and more in his dream. Initially, it seemed almost impossible, but as his belief grew, he realized that it might soon be a reality. This idea of believing in one’s dreams is integral to the novel and is shown ideally in Ray’s character. In opposition, Robertson Davies characterizes the antagonist Boy Staunton as a materialistic individual who only cares about him self. When Percy Boy damaged Mary Dumpster’s brain, which caused premature birth, he quickly moved on and forgot about the incident. After many years, he was asked about recognition of Mrs. Dempster and he replied:† Not at all. Why should I?†(Davies,261). He focused on the negative aspects of his life. Boy is still finishing school and in the  process of stealing Dunny’s girl while he was away. By avoiding problems in his childhood Boy became a successful materialist. ?Ray Kinsella’s journey began when he left his family and risked his fortune to fulfill other people’s dreams. At the end he succeeded in accomplishing his goal, but did not expect any award. â€Å"I did it all. I listened to the voices, I did what they told me, and not once did I ask what’s in it for me† (Kinsella 230). He was not doing anything to please himself, but thought of others instead. He spent a lot of money to build the field and treated other men like guests. â€Å"This is my corn. You people are guests in my corn.† He proved that in order to be happy there is no need to have a lot of money and material objects. He chose an ideal path rather than a material one. While Ray is in a search for inner truth and idealism, Percy is searching for outer beauty and satisfaction with his appearance. Boy is more concerned with increasing his great wealth and all the possessions money can buy, rather than his ideal well – being. There is nothing more important for Boy than himself and his success. He is an egoist. â€Å"We looked into each other’s eyes and I knew that he was afraid, and I knew also that he would fight, lie, do anything rather than admit what I knew. And I didn’t know what in the world I could do about it.† He believes that he can control life by exerting his willpower. He does not clutter his mind with useless information, and also never forgets what is useful to his advance through life. He knows women only as sexual objects, and thinks only in terms of the surface appearance of things. ?† I feel rotten†¦ I’ve done just about everything I’ve ever planned to do, and everybody thinks I’m a success†¦ But sometimes I wish I could get into a car and drive away from the whole damned thing.† PIOTREK! Daj tu citation!! As he gets older he realizes the sterility of acquiring more things, but unfortunately doesn’t do anything in order to change. In the book Shoeless Joe, W.P. Kinsella wrote about how some people were missing something in their lives, but they found what they had been looking for when they arrived at Ray’s field. Ray built a baseball field to fulfill his unfulfilled dreams of the past. Ray’s father died when he was a teenager, so Ray did not get to spend much time with him. Ray had always longed to see his father again and this dream came true when he built the field. Others had unquenchable dreams like Ray. Archibald Graham never got to bat in the majors, and that was what was missing in his life. â€Å"Well, you know I†¦ I never got to bat in the  major leagues. I would have liked to have that chance. Just once.† (Kinsella, 165). When Archie Graham came to Ray’s field, he found the thread that tied the meaning of his life. Eddie Scissons also had an unrealized dream, all his life he had lied about himself being the oldest living Chicago Cub, but he was only looking for the recognition that he had always dreamt of having. When he came to Ray’s field, he no longer had to lie about himself being the oldest living Chicago Cub, for that’s exactly what he became. Ray’s field of dreams helped fulfill the dreams of other men besides himself, and it made all the men very happy to finally find what they have been looking for all their lives. On the other hand, in Fifth Business, Boy’s materialistic values destroyed his marriage and lead to his downfall. â€Å"To him the reality was of life lay in external things, whereas for me the only reality was of the spirit – of mind. â€Å"(Davies, 114) Percy wants everyone, and everything in control, in his control. He is not able to form warm, lasting human relationship. When Boy realized that his wife is not what he wants he decides to abandon her. When Leola commits suicide Boy’s guilt became so great that he could no longer face it. When Boy realized that his acquisitive way of living destroyed his family and lives of others, suicide was the only way out. â€Å"He was killed by the usual cabal: by himself, first of all; by the woman he knew; by the woman he did not know; by the man who granted his inmost wish; and by the inevitable fifth, who was the keeper of his conscience and keeper of the stone.† (Davies, 237). Both authors R.W. Kineslla and Robertson Davies contrast ideal vs. material values in their novels. They show that life based on material values is shallow and unrewarding, while believing and never giving up on dreams is the only true path to happiness.

Massive disappearance

You awoke one day then you find that the world becomes suddenly empty of about 11 million Latinos that comprise at least the area of California. This is the controversial core premise behind the film â€Å"A Day Without a Mexican†. In essence, the film appears to highlight the idea of how America at least is dependent on the workings of this often-abused sector of the society.Directed and co-written by Sergio Arau along with Yareli Arizmendi, the movie emphasizes the stereotyping of Latinos as Mexicans in California, and presumes all of these individuals are illegitimate immigrants. Moreover, the primary message that the film seeks to convey is that many individuals in the society take for granted the contributions brought both by legal and illegal Latino immigrants who work for these people.The range of the contributions of these Latinos covers most—if not all—of the essential endeavors in the society. From being a fruit harvester to being elite executives in a renowned place like California, Latinos play a huge role in the performance of the nation’s economy. This is one of the significant messages underlying the movie which is based on a brief film of the same director.The content of the movie can be summarized in the idea that an unexplained event covers California. That is, people within the state cannot communicate with individuals residing outside California. This is coupled with the disappearance of all the Latinos which heightens the chaos that surrounds the people.Particularly in California, the film depicts the central idea that nobody in the place likes or appreciates Latinos. This feeling is overturned by the sudden events in the movie, specifically the part which shows the disappearance of the Latinos.What the film is essentially attempting to establish is this idea: that, perhaps, the only way for everybody to realize the social worth and individual importance of these Latinos is to make them feel their absence in the society. That way, the disappearance of the Latinos will force these people to do the usual things and important social roles by themselves—which is why Latinos are an important segment of California.The movie narrates this plot by portraying the lives of four individual characters, all of whom share an integral part in their respective professions. A teacher as well as a common housewife, Mary Jo Quintana shares the same effect of the wide disappearance of Latinos with Senator Abercrombie, Louis McClaire, and Lila Rodriguez. In general, the massive disappearance opens up their once-private lives.As experts bring up various theories in an attempt to explain the disappearance of the Latinos, the status of the entirety of California starts to decline. The events led to the depreciation in the cleanliness of the state as garbage mounts in the streets of California and in the economic devastation of the state. This in particular sums up the idea that, indeed, Latinos have an impo rtant role in the continuance and progress not only of California but of America as a whole.

Homework: Harmful or Helpful

Is Homework Harmful or Helpful to Students? The student body hates nothing more than finding out that, on top of the work assigned in class, there is an additional 10 questions to be completed at home. The big question that has arisen lately is: Is homework helpful to students, or does it create unnecessary stress? I personally have to say that homework is not helping us students learn anything more. First of all, homework causes students to become stressed out or even depressed. Second of all, it does not expand the student’s learning much. Third of all, too much of it can effect the student’s home life.Forth of all, doing too much homework can have negative effects on the body. As a student myself, I find that getting homework is somewhat helpful, but only to a certain degree. Many nights, students have pages upon pages of homework to complete and it’s difficult to get it all done within the specified timeframe. Having to deal with homework is very bad when you also have to complete important projects or assignments. This is because, if you don’t get your homework done, you get into trouble and could be penalized, but if you don’t get your assignments done, your grades will go down drastically.Getting both tasks done at the same time is troubling for most students and most of the time students will just bail on their work and give up because of the amount of stress. There have even been studies that prove that too much homework causes depression in children, especially from the ages of 14 – 19. Many people-especially teachers-will have you believe that homework is essential to a student’s success and helps to expand their learning skills and knowledge. However, this is not entirely true. I am going to use math as an example.If a student does all of his or her homework for math, writes the unit test, and passes, yes I suppose they have learned something. However, the information they have learned will only stay fresh in their mind for a short amount of time. Eventually they will completely forget about whatever they learned and will need to be retaught everything next year. So, in truth, they really haven’t learned anything, only memorized what they had to until they no longer needed it. Many topics learned throughout the school year are never even used in real life scenarios.For example, unless you have decided to take up biology as an occupation, many people will not use any kind of science in their lives. When a student comes home from school, most of the time they almost immediately start on their homework. If there is a great amount of work to be finished for the next day, they will work all through the evening and night trying to finish, usually skipping out on dinner or family time. When that student isn’t present very often and spends little time with the family, that cause problems between them and leads to fighting and weakened relationships. Read also  Homework Solutions – Chapter 3If the homework issue is consistent, parents may feel the need to speak to the teacher or even the principal, stating that their child has been neglecting to do much or anything except try to finish work. A few parents may even begin arguing with their child, wondering why they have so much homework and why they can’t spend time with their family for once. Arguing will create more stress for the student and will affect their performance in school. In extreme cases, too much homework can result in negative consequences on the body and mind.As well as stress, a heavy workload can cause everything from mild to strong body pains, to mental health issues, to physical inactivity, to sleep loss. If there is only a half hour or so of homework to be completed then it isn’t a huge concern. Although, oftentimes there is more than that and it has negative effects. Leaning over a desk for a long amount of time can cause back, neck, h and and joint pains that could last for days. If the subject being worked on involves a lot of thinking and brainwork, the student can suffer from headaches and dizziness.If the student is constantly sitting and doing work, they probably aren’t getting much physical activity and that could lead to obesity or sometimes malnutrition if they are skipping supper to finish. The most common negative effect of too much homework is mainly stress and lack of sleep. This happens because the child is worried that they need to complete everything or else the teacher will penalize them, so they stay up all night perfecting the assignment or task.There are an endless amount of reasons for why homework is bad for students, and there are many reasons to counter this argument. If you choose to believe the latter, then that is your choice; but think about this: Is homework really so important to the world that the health and wellbeing of students has to be put into jeopardy? Children donâ€⠄¢t need stress, family issues, and constant torment at this time. The issue really isn’t worth ruining our youth’s short amount of time to be carefree and have fun before they have to face the harsh reality of adulthood.

Managing Human Resources Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Human Resources - Coursework Example man resource management has changed its role from primarily administrative to a more influencing and facilitating position with an aim of adopting a commercial approach to HRM. Human Resources Management is business today is the hardest duty of a manager as coordination of capabilities of humans is central to the business’s achievement of the set goals. However, HR manager is faced with challenges as humans are constantly in conflict with their psychology, assumptions, aspirations and attitudes. HRM involves activities such as development strategies, employee training, coordination of employee benefits, performance management and recruiting and hiring employees (Tichy, Fombrum and Devanna, 1982). Although both human resource management and personal management are concepts involved with management of human labor in an organization, there are notable differences between the two concepts. Personal management is a traditional style while HRM is the new and modern version. Personal management is more inclined to focus on labor relations, employee welfare and personnel administration as opposed to motivation and sustainability and acquisition and development of human resources. During the 1990s when the concept of HRM took root in organizations, the two concepts were interchangeably used to mean the same things. However, social and economic development in the structure of organizations since 1990s have seen the evolution of HRM in order to cope with the needs of the ever changing business environment. Key areas of distinction between HRM and personal management can be examined in relation to leadership and management roles, contract of employment, job design and pay policy and the nature of relations. HRM has been described as a concept that takes two different forms; hard and soft HRM. The soft model is concerned with the humans and their self-direction with a view of emphasizing centrally on self- regulating behavior, trust and commitment. On the other hand, the

How did music influence dictator and their politics Essay

How did music influence dictator and their politics - Essay Example The interesting thing about all the three is that they all hated jazz music. Jazz, being based on improvisation, was for them a synonym of freedom, which is not what was needed for an authoritarian regime. As a result, all the three dictators prohibited jazz and other western music in their countries. The favorite composers of Hitler were Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, and Anton Bruckner. Their powerful, heroic, and especially marshal pieces were inspiring the dictator and, finally, he promoted the three composers as examples of great artists of the Nazi Germany. As a result, it came out that Hitler was supporting the German musical tradition, but suppressed creativity – everything was to be close to the set standards. Situation in the Soviet Union was quite similar. However, the emphasis of Stalin was not on classical music, but on ‘soviet’ music instead. Composers and song writers were to write only ‘politically correct’ compositions that supported the ideology of the USSR. Most of those willing to create freely did not survive the

Writting paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Writting paper - Essay Example It is also known as the Chase or Police and Thieves. The participants of the game are split in two teams. One team is the Cops or the Police- the good guys; the second team is the thieves- the bad guys. The cops chase the robbers and put them into a prison or jail. The robbers can not break free from the prison by themselves. Only a fellow thief can come and rescue the jailed robber by tagging him/her, while being vigilant about the police and trying that it does not catch them. The teams switch roles when all the robbers have been jailed. In a slightly modified version of the game, the robbers are given a few minutes margin before the chase begins. Both sides often use toy guns and assume a language and other artifacts that relate them to their role. Bimbo is another game that us popular amongst children, especially in Italy. The two main roles in the game are that of Bimbo (the leader) and the players who are chased. The players stand in two files facing each other, five yards apart, with their hands facing upwards behind their backs. The Bimbo has two leaves with him, and he struts behind the lines, discreetly placing the leaves in the hands of any two players, one from each line. Then he suddenly shouts â€Å"Stop! Thief! Lucky Leaf!† and that is the cue for the two players who are in possession of the leaves to run to the opposite side, avoiding being caught by the Bimbo (Cagel, 2010). These two players then pass the leaves to another two players who run across the play area to the opposite line and so on, while the Bimbo tries to catch them. If the Bimbo catches any person who has the leaf, then that person is the new Bimbo. Both Cops and Robbers and Bimbo are outdoor games and the theme of the game remains the same: the thrill of chase. The games are similar in the respect that there are two different roles that the participants are split into, and both games can involve a large group of children. The concept of assuming a pretended identity is