Saturday, August 31, 2019

Legalization of Marijuana Paper

|ETHICAL ISSUE MAP |[pic] | ———————– 7. Do any PEDs or pseudoethics enter into my thinking about this issue? Some of the psuedoethics that enter into thinking about this issue I would have to say would be religious beliefs. It came up it the discussion that the Native Americans smoke marijuana at their spiritual and religious ceremony’s. 9. Implications/Consequences of my conclusion.I truly believe that there wouldn’t be any consequences it the government legalized marijuana. 8. Thought Out Conclusion I personally feel that the America would very much so benefit from the legalization of marijuana. 3. Important Information I need to know to answer these ethical questions. What research needs to be done? Some research that may need to be done before making a decision would probably be research. I think that they should research how marijuana affects the brain and if this is a positive or negative thing.I also believ e that they should do tests to see how people operate while under the influence of marijuana. 4. What ethical theories & concepts can I use to guide my thinking? Which theory is most important one to apply here? In regard to the use of legalization of marijuana I believe that the ethical relativism theory is the most important concept to apply to this matter. These issues are based on what is normal in ones culture and many societies have different beliefs.This is especially true in regard to the usage of marijuana, for example the American Indian culture was well known for smoking â€Å" peace pipes† and in todays society in Holland they actually have cafe style places that people can meet specifically to smoke marijuana, similar to a coffee bar, Many years ago marijuana was actually legal in the United States however as noted in the Ethical Relativism Theory minority beliefs can become the code for society and its institutionalized ethical practices. 2. Who are the Stakehol ders? DoctorsCancer victims Anyone with Pain The government 5. How can I re-frame this issue? I can re-frame this issue by looking at this topic at different viewpoints and seeing other options to this. One may think that if marijuana is legalized that it will only be used primarily for recreational use but if they look further into what it can to benefit people that may help change their mind. 6. Main assumptions & can I support these assumptions? I assume that if marijuana is legalized it will only benefit the U. S government and human health.The way that it will help the government is that we could tax it like we tax food and other goods and this would help out our economy. Also it would help our human health by benefiting those that have sever pain who don’t want to take medication that they could possibly become addicted to. It will also help cancer victims, people with sever migraines and a lot of other different diseases. 1. Define the issue. What are the specific ethi cal questions that arise from this issue? The ethical question being asked here is should marijuana be legalized?

Friday, August 30, 2019

What Is Human Resource Planning and How Does It Contribute to Achieving an Organisations Goals

This essay discusses the importance of HR planning and the major steps of planning in order to demonstrate its importance and use: Forecasting; Inventory, Audit, HR Resource Plan, Acting on Plans, Monitoring and Control. So what is human resource planning and how does it contribute to achieving organizational goals? Human resource planning is the responsibility of all managers. HR planning links people management to the organization's mission, vision, goals and objectives, as well as its strategic plan. A key goal of HR planning is to have the right number of people with the right skills, experience and competencies in the right jobs at the right time and costs. When we prepare our planning programme, Employers /senior managers should bear in mind that their staff members have their own objectives and that people are different from the other resources that are deployed in an organization as people have thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. This is the reason why employees seek employment within companies that match their needs best (eg. Flexi working hours, training etc.. ). Human resources are the people that work for an organization, and Human Resource Management is concerned with how these people are managed. The term HRM has thus come to refer to an approach, which takes into account both: †¢The needs of the organization †¢The needs of its people. Neglecting these needs would result in poor motivation that may lead to unnecessary poor performance and even Industrial actions. Commencing an HR Plan is often complicated, but the results provide a smooth and efficient set of processes that allow organizational goals to be achieved in an orderly fashion. Planning involves gathering information that would enable managers and supervisors to make sound decisions. The information obtained is also utilized to make better actions for achieving the objectives of the Organization. There are many factors that you have to look into when deciding on a HR Planning programme. As mentioned above HR Planning involves the gathering of information, making objectives, and making decisions to enable the organization achieve its objectives. When HR Planning is applied in the field of HR Management, it would assist to address the following questions: How many staff does the Organization have? †¢What is the cost of employees and can they be reduced? †¢What type of employees as far as skills and abilities does the Company have? †¢How should the Organization best utilize the available resources? †¢How can the Company keep its employees? Human resource management therefore involves finding out about the needs and aspirations of individual employees, for example through the appraisal process and then creating the opportunities within the organization (e. g. through job enlargement) and outside the organization (e. . through taking up educational opportunities at local colleges/universities) for employees to improve themselves. HRM therefore relates to every aspect of the way in which the organization interacts with its people, e. g. by providing training and development opportunities, appraisals to find out about individual needs, training and development needs analysis, etc. Opportunities and courses for individuals to develop skills, knowledge and attitudes that help the organization to achieve its objectives. Development – the provision of opportunities and courses for individuals to develop skills, knowledge and attitudes that help themselves to achieve personal objectives. Training and development needs†¦ From the above we can see that HR have a huge task keeping pace with the all the internal and external changes and ensuring that the right people are available to the Organization at the right time. The changes in composition of a workforce not only influence the appointment of staff, but also the methods of selection, training, compensation and motivation. It becomes critical when Organizations merge, plants are relocated, and activities are scaled down due to financial problems. Poor HR Planning and/ or a lack of it in the Organization are likely to result in huge costs and financial looses. It may result in staff posts taking too long to be filled or unable to find the required skills. This can inflate costs and obstruct effective work performance and motivation as employees may be requested to work unnecessary overtime and may not put more effort due to fatigue / lack of motivation. If extra work is then delegated this may stretch employees beyond their capacity which will cause unnecessary disruptions to the production of the Organization. Employees are put on a disadvantage because their lifestyles are disrupted and they are not given the chance to plan for their career development. The most important reason why HR Planning should be managed and implemented is due to cost savings and ensuring the right skills are available at the required time; because costs form an important part of the Organizations budget, workforce Planning enables the Organization to provide HR provision costs. For example when there is a staff shortage, the organization can consider options other than just recruiting new staff, such as training and transferring of staff. The first step in HR Planning requires that we gather data on the Organizational goals objectives; in effect its management understand where the Organization wants to go and how it wants to get to that point and forecasting human resource availability. This involves an examination of the internal and external labour supply. Present employees who can be promoted, transferred, demoted or developed make up the internal supply. The external supply consists of people who do not currently work for the organisation. The needs of the employees are derived from the corporate objectives of the Organization. They stem from shorter and medium term objectives and their conversion into action budgets (eg) establishing a new branch in Singapore by January 2014 and staff it with an Office Manager – ?30,000, an Administrator -?21,550, and two Sales staff – ?18000 per year. For this reason the HR Plan will have a process to convert planned Company strategies into planned results and budgets so that these can be converted in terms of money and skills required. To forecast the organization’s future HR requirements and determine from where they will be obtained. Three sets of forecasts are required: †¢a forecast of the demand for human resources †¢a forecast of the supply of external human resources †¢a forecast of the supply of human resources available within the organization After knowing what human resources are required in the Organization, they will then want to measure / analyze the current employees in the Organization. The HR inventory will relate to data concerning numbers, ages, and locations, and an analysis of individuals and skills. A Skills inventory provides detailed information on professional and technical skills and other qualifications provided in the firm. It reveals what skills are immediately available in the firm when compared to the forecasted HR requirements. Given the constant changes in our lives, competition and the world our HR resources can also change rapidly. HR inventory requires data to be collated; the HR audit involves the examination and analysis of the inventories data. The Audit analyses what had occurred in the past and at present in terms of labor turn over, productivity, age and sex groupings, training costs and absence. With this information, you are better able to predict what will happen to HR / be required in relation to the future of the Organization through patterns and trends. With the audit being completed we are able to look at career Planning and HR plans. People are the greatest assets in any Organization. Individual Organizations develop their employees in the way ideally suited to their individual capacities in accordance with their own goals. The main reason is that the Organization’s objectives should be aligned as near as possible, or matched, in order to give optimum scope for the developing potential of its mployees. Therefore, career planning may also be referred to as HR Planning or succession planning- namely that what will happen if employee A leaves tomorrow? The main issues to consider with HR: †¢Are we utilizing all of the available talent we have in the Organization, and have we enough abilities for the future? †¢Are employees satisfied with our interest in their growth in terms of advancing their career? Designating individuals to planned future posts enables the Senior management to ensure that these individuals are suitably prepared for roles that will arise in the future. There are three fundamentals necessary to start actioning a plan: †¢To have a fixed direction. †¢There must be acceptance and backing from top management for the planning. †¢Detailed knowledge of the available resources (i. e) financial, physical and human (Management and Technical). HR Plans become Corporate plans once they are acted upon as having been made and concurred with top management, the plans become a part of the company’s long-range plan. Failure to achieve the HR Plans due to cost, or lack of knowledge, may result in long-term plans being adversely affected. Given that the success of an organization ultimately depends on how well its human resources are managed, HR planning will continue to grow in importance. Successful HR planning requires the HR manager to ensure that: †¢HR personnel understand the HR planning process †¢Top management is supportive †¢The organization does not start with an overly complex system †¢The communications between HR personnel and line management are healthy †¢The HR plan is integrated with the organization’s strategic business plan †¢There is a balance between the quantitative and qualitative approaches to HR planning. Monitoring and Control is the last stage of HR planning in the Organization. Once the programme has been accepted and implementation launched, it has to be monitored and controlled. The HR department has to make regular reviews to see what is happening in terms of the available resources and that processes are followed with appropriate / expected results (training, recruitment etc.. ). The aims of the reviews are to ensure that we utilize all talents and resources optimally to ensure goals are achieved. As we can see the HR plan is the basis of Human Resources Management. We now have a review of Human Resource planning and its importance as without it- we will not be able to utilize our Organizational talents effectively; we are not likely to have the skills we require, when we require them, to complete projects effectively and maintain a competitive advantage. By using the available talents optimally and in an orderly fashion you are able to enhance profits and develop your company with minimal costs; and this can only be achieved with adequate / sufficient HR Planning.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Political and Economical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Political and Economical Issues - Essay Example Japan holds an international conference to push for the resumption of commercial whaling. Anti-whaling nations in the International Whaling Commission such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have boycotted the conference. February 14, 2007 U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell announces that Muqtada Al Sadr fled Iraq several weeks ago and is in Iran. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow confirmed that the White House believes Iran is equipping Shia insurgents in Iraq.The U.S. House of Representatives debates the proposed non-binding resolution to oppose President Bush's surge plan. The foreign ministers of India, China and Russia have met in the Indian capital, Delhi, to discuss terrorism, drug trafficking and Afghanistan. An Indian foreign ministry statement said the meeting discussed key global issues, including the importance of the United Nations. February 15, 2007 Hamas- The led Palestinian government has resigned after 11 months in office to make way for a government of national unity. South Korea has agreed to resume high-level talks with North Korea that could restart major aid shipments, despite calls for caution over an international deal on the North's nuclear programs. Justice Minister Chris Ellison has warned anti-whaling protesters and the Japanese whaling fleet they could face questioning if they dock in Australia after clashing in the Southern Ocean. February 16, 2007 The G8 countries, plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, approve the 'Washington Declaration,' proposing a global Carbon emissions trading system to replace the Kyoto Protocol by 2009. A Turkish court has handed down life sentences to seven Al Qaeda associates for their... Iraq's High Tribunal sentences former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan to death for his role in the 1982 killing of 148 men and boys in Dujail following an unsuccessful assassination attempt against Saddam Hussein. Japan holds an international conference to push for the resumption of commercial whaling. Anti-whaling nations in the International Whaling Commission such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have boycotted the conference. The foreign ministers of India, China and Russia have met in the Indian capital, Delhi, to discuss terrorism, drug trafficking and Afghanistan. An Indian foreign ministry statement said the meeting discussed key global issues, including the importance of the United Nations. The US and Israel will not work with a new Palestinian unity government unless it recognizes Israel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said. Mr Olmert said a Palestinian government that failed to accept conditions laid down by the quartet of the US, EU, Russia and UN "cannot receive recognition and there will not be co-operation with it". The US and South Korea have reached a deal to hand full control of South Korea's military back to Seoul by 2012.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Describe how Management By Objective (MBO) can provide better Essay

Describe how Management By Objective (MBO) can provide better efficiency in setting, planning and accomplishing organizational goals - Essay Example The management by objective is a technique that is applied which is based on set objectives that are achievable by the company, the divisions and the employees. These objectives then are considered as a measurable contribution of the individuals in the company to the success in the achievement and completion of the goals of the whole organization (Drucker 121-30). Due to the fact that MBO is based on the aim to be a measurable management technique, the activities and job assignments are then gauged in measurable and numerable quantities. The number of activities done constitutes an important role in the assessment of performance of the employees. For that matter, the quantity of work done can be incorporated to the type and quality of activity that is undertaken (Drucker 121-30). The application of MBO can be on the different levels of the organizational system, thus, covering different forms of activities. Included in such activities are human resources, maintenance services, research and development, sales, finance and most importantly production. The said management technique became widely known as the setting up of quotas in different types of jobs and organizational roles. When the said term is heard, the vision of numerable work values is perceived (Deming 24, 54; Drucker 121-30). The MBO is focused on the establishment of specified objectives that can be achieved through the course of operation. In addition, the quality of the work undertaken in the process of achievement of such goals is also given high regard. The acknowledgement of the division or individual employee with the most commendable performance is practiced for motivation in the said system (Garrison and Raynes 121). There are different of advantages that can be associated with the MBO, thus, it is considered as one of the management techniques commonly applied.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Critical Issues in Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critical Issues in Globalisation - Essay Example Through evaluating its existing business situation, Marks and Spencer needs to review its market segmentation, share out its products to diverse target markets, and serve its clients efficaciously. Introduction Marks and Spencer is a worldwide company that spreads throughout Europe, Asia and North America. It sells footwear, clothing, food, house appliances and gifts. This paper will comprise three sections. Principally, it will evaluate the micro and macro environment of Marks and Spencer. Secondly, the paper will employ SWOT to evaluate the four facets of its business. Lastly, the paper will a draw an inference concerning the whole evaluation and provide the necessary recommendations. PEST Analysis The extensive external factors, which indirectly affect a company, comprise legal, political, social, economic and technological aspects. These frameworks will show how the macro environment influences M&S in formulating its marketing decisions. Legal and Political Environment It is very crucial for firms to adhere to government policies and global organisation structures such as the World Health Organisation, when formulating their marketing policies. Governments, particularly in the advanced countries, pay attention to the human and ecological environment life. Governments devise policies and systems to monitor companies and their products, for instance, energy saving strategies and genetically modified foodstuff regulation. The United Kingdom government has initiated energy saving policies such as climate change duty and Green Tariff on energy usage to reduce carbon dioxide and supplied subsidisations to enhance its policies. Marks and Spencer has instituted an incentive scheme in which stores can retain a 10% value of every savings they generate in its budget (Marks & Spencer 2012). This scheme aids Marks and Spencer in saving around 5 per cent of M&S energy. In current years, the gene technology has increased significantly. Some of the technology has been util ised to manufacture food. Nonetheless, some of the technology can bring about environmental pollution and jeopardise human health. Marks and Spencer declared that it would be stocking non-GM foods upon its shelves. Economic Economic aspects affect firms to either develop or retrench their business, for instance, loss-generating operations and their non-primary business operations. For example, the 9/11 misfortune in United States caused numerous firms to encounter depressions within Europe and North American countries. The 9/11 mishap in United States caused consumers to alter their purchasing habits and sales decreased tremendously. In fact, M&S lost about 8.6m pound worth of profits in 2001-2002 from its worldwide retailers. However, M&S has shut its deficit-generating operations within Continental Europe and sold out its non-core business within North America (Marks & Spencer 2012). Social Factors Buyers’ needs change incessantly. People desire to feel modern, special, and well situated. Therefore, people buy fashionable apparel and spend credit cards to fulfil their needs. M&S keeps up with the newest colour and style. Though it has high-ranking quality goods, M&S co. does not take into account the customers’ needs, particularly in clothing market (Marks & Spencer 2012). Technological Factors In the current era, information technology has be

Monday, August 26, 2019

Kidney Failure Scenarios Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kidney Failure Scenarios - Essay Example Lack of insulin leads to the high sugar levels in the kidney and therefore, the body tries to balance such high levels of sugar by retaining large amounts of water in the body, hence low output of urine. This causes the kidney disease. Since her case seems to be in the early stages, the best option is to undergo treatment for renal dysfunction (Stein, 2007) A Mr. Hodges kidney is affecting the rest of his body because it is associated with heart failure. The poor circulatory function retains a lot of wastes and other toxins that then affect the other body parts. The heart is what controls all our body parts by supplying it with blood and oxygen. Therefore, other body parts are likely to be affected when one suffers from congestive heart failure. As his renal failure worsens, other symptoms and signs that might occur are high urine levels in blood, nocturnal urination, abnormal heart rhythms, memory problems, difficulties in breathing, and slowed digestive process ((Amgen, 2009). Mr. Hodges kidney disease is being caused by prolonged and uncontrolled hypertension. The best treatment option for Mr. Hodges is a complete kidney transplant (Stein, 2007) since it happens to be either in stage four or five (Fadem, (2008). However, it is difficult to find a donor, besides ensuring the compatibility of the kidney with his

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Newdow case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Newdow case - Essay Example Since conservatives are likely to support the religious aspect then they are more likely to oppose changes on the pledge. The conservatives would prefer the oath to have some religious significance other than being a meaningless political or social statement. Most religious people, who are often considered to be conservative, were opposed to Newdow opinion since they felt that it was morally repugnant. A true conservative would be opposed to any move to fully separate the state and religion as the Newdow case required. For a conservative, inclusion of religious value in school aspects helps in shaping them morally. For them the phrase in the pledge is a mere acknowledgement of a religious nation and does not affect anyone’s beliefs. Furthermore, conservative would argue that no one is usually forced to recite the contentious phrases. Additionally, conservatives fell that it is part of their responsibility to share their belief with others. Conservatism is all about practicing morality in addition to maintaining the existing norms. It entails supporting that which affects the majority and in the case of Newdow, the majority was those opposed to removal of the phrase. Conservatives would thus oppose any moves to remove the contentious phrase (Williams

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Community Safety Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Community Safety - Assignment Example These authorities are responsible for different areas and premises. They include the fire and safety authority operating in areas of residence, the Health and Safety Executive who is responsible for areas of the Navy and other such areas, local authorities and finally any fire inspectors or fire services maintained by the Secretary of Defense. All of these are the enforcing authorities for the fire safety of the community ("The regulatory reform," 2005). One authority alone however, cannot deal with an issue as huge as community safety. When dealing with projects as large as the one of reducing incidence of fires amongst a whole community of immigrant workers, a partnership between different agencies and authorities is important. This is because different authorities and agencies have access to different parts of the community, and have control over different aspects of the lives of the people. The police department is one, which may assist this authority from time to time. The polic e could do this by reinforcing the law pertaining to smoke detectors. In the US, it is illegal to deactivate a fire alarm in one’s home. Deactivation of this alarm can lead to heavy fines, since it poses a serious threat for the dwellers of the household. This implies that there is an important role the police can play in the reducing the risk of fire-related incidents. To do this, they could follow cases of reported fires where smoke detectors were not present to indicate the fire on time. To the people involved in such a fire, the police could issue warnings of heavy fines or punishment for not having had properly functioning smoke detectors. This would ensure that these citizens would heed the advice to keep properly functioning smoke detectors, thus reducing the incidence of fires, which the fire brigades could not stop on time due to absence of smoke detectors. One can sought out other parties that can be helpful in reducing the incidents through evaluation of the situat ion for its causes. This is possible through a problem-oriented approach. The situation involves immigrant workers who live in rented accommodation, and do not have smoke detectors or the proper education when it comes to safety from fire. So when helping these people to prevent fires, one can pin down several root causes for when these people experience fires in their living quarters. Firstly, they live in rented space, for which they are not responsible. Thus, they do not deem themselves liable to arrange for smoke detectors. Then, they may not be aware of the importance or necessity of smoke detectors in ones living quarters. In addition, they may not be aware of the basic procedures for prevention from fire hazards, since they may not have learned about them from the country they have migrated. Thus to remedy all these problems, the relevant authorities must be included in the solution. As far as the rent-tenant problem is concerned, the authority concerned with tenant-landlord laws must make the tenants aware the property owner is legally bound to provide them with a safe, health hazard-free living environment. The fire department should ensure that smoke detectors are available to any citizen who wishes to get them. Emergency healthcare services and immigration authorities should collaborate to ensure a final, very important factor. This is that each person who receives the permission to immigrate to the country is given a

Friday, August 23, 2019

Human Resources literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resources literature Review - Essay Example and laws, policies and programs that define their responsibilities and code of conduct both within and outside the office as people who represent the values of the department govern these employees. The department has a series of laws and policies that guide the actions of the employees and partners of the department and the code of conduct that they are supposed to observe (Perry, 2006; Plotnick, 2005). The purpose of this research is to conduct an overview of the laws or policy and program at the DFC, investigate how they are implement in the work place ( policy or laws) and find out any challenges to the implementations. It also intends to investigate any change to the work place, how is it affect the employee and the goal desire of the outcome of the policy This research will be conducted through reviewing different research documents and online sources that have been written on the human resource policies and laws and DFC and find the successes and gaps in the implementation of human resource policies focusing on employee rights and responsibilities at the DFC. The findings from this research will be used in the next section. The research findings from this study will be used to come up with conclusions and make recommendations to the DFC on how to improve their human resources laws and policies to create a healthy working environment and an efficient

Lesson Plan on the Example of the Elementary School Math Lesson Essay

Lesson Plan on the Example of the Elementary School Math Lesson - Essay Example This is critical because the learning process is a dynamic and involving task which may make one lose focus albeit in a small proportion. It is also important to note and mention that a lesson plan offers a valuable guide to the class to progress and proceed with the learning in any case the tutor or teacher may be absent. This is to say that the lesson plan provides an automatic guide and easy mode of progress even if he or she is a substitute teacher. In principle, the desired result or the total outcome stands to be realized even if the teacher is not physically present to deliver. It is also important to stress the fact that a lesson plan helps the teacher to gauge the positives in the form of a learning outcome with the aim of correcting the negatives (Tomlinson, 2014). This is to say that if by any chance there was something that was well understood by the learners or students, the lesson plan provides a framework for correcting such a situation. Conventionally, lesson plans are unique and different for each and every level of learners. It mentions that the lesson plan for an elementary school cannot be the same lesson plan that would be used for a middle school or a high school learning process. Thus, for the purpose of this essay and exposition, the paper will focus on the notion of an elementary school plan. Specifically, the Elementary School Math lesson: Bundles of Beans: A place value lesson. In principle, this is to say that this exposition will discuss the fundamental principles and tenets of the elementary school learning lesson plan. To begin with, mathematics is an interesting subject that requires a lot of attention from both the teachers and the students before any meaningful and gainful learning would occur. This is the reason as to why it would be critical and imperative to gauge with utmost precision and accuracy the aspect and notion of student  readiness.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Cady and Brutus Essay Example for Free

Cady and Brutus Essay Brutus and Cady emerge as the most complex characters in Julius Caesar and Mean Girls respectively. They are each stories tragic heroes. In each of their soliloquies, the audience gains insight into the complexities of their motives. Brutus is a powerful public figure, but he appears also as a husband, a master to his servants, a dignified military leader, and a loving friend. Cady starts off as virtually nothing, but eventually becomes a direct parallel in terms of Brutus’s power. The conflicting value systems that battle with each other in the play as a whole are enacted on incredibly small level in Brutus’s mind. Even after Brutus has committed the assassination with the other members of the conspiracy, questions remain as to whether, in light of his friendship with Caesar, the murder was a noble, decidedly selfless act or proof of a truly evil callousness, a gross indifference to the ties of friendship and a failure to be moved by the power of a truly great man. Brutus’s rigid idealism is both his greatest virtue and his most deadly flaw. In the world of the play, where self-serving ambition seems to dominate all other motivations, Brutus lives up to Antony’s elegiac description of him as â€Å"the noblest of Romans.† However, his commitment to principle repeatedly leads him to make mistakes that cost him much: wanting to curtail violence, he ignores Cassius’s suggestion that the conspirators kill Antony as well as Caesar. In another moment of rampant idealism, he again ignores Cassius’s advice and allows Antony to speak a funeral oration over Caesar’s body. As a result, Brutus forfeits the authority of having the last word on the murder and thus allows Antony to incite the shocked Roman crowd to riot against Brutus and the other conspirators. This is similar to when Regina George incites the entire school into chaos using the â€Å"burn book.† Brutus later endangers his good relationship with Cassius by self-righteously condemning what he sees as dishonorable fund-raising tactics on Cassius’s part. This is similar to how Cady views Regina, with respect and with friendship, but also with contempt. In all of these episodes, Brutus acts out of a desire to limit the self-serving aspects of his actions; ironically, however, in each incident he dooms the very cause that he seeks to promote, thus serving no one at all. The changes that shape Brutus and Cady are very interesting because they correlate so well. These changes occur because of the spurring of other characters. In Julius Caesar, Brutus is spurred on by Cassius and his conspirator band. In Mean Girls, Cady is spurred on by Janice (who is Cassius’s parallel). This spurring directly influences the characters actions and thoughts. Brutus probably wouldn’t ever have acted on this plot if it wasn’t for Cassius’s flattering comments. Cady wouldn’t have followed her path if she didn’t befriend or follow Janice’s ideas. Brutus and Cady develop along the same line in their respective stories, which is to be expected as they are the same character in similar settings.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

What Social Factors Can Contribute To Mental Illness?

What Social Factors Can Contribute To Mental Illness? A mental illness is a psychological abnormality of an individual, and significantly affects the individuals emotional stability. There are different types of mental illnesses with different degrees of severity such as; depression, anxiety, eating disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder and personality disorder. When a person develops a mental illness, emotions can be so overwhelming that they develop an inability to cope with everyday activities such as: work, socialising, and maintaining a relationship. In extremity, people who suffer from depression may find it difficult to physically care for themselves, or leave their home. The less common mental illnesses may involve psychosis; these include bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia. People experiencing these types of psychosis lose their sense of reality, feelings and the world surrounding them. A psychotic episode may involve delusions and/or hallucinations which can confuse or threaten the individuals peers. (Sciencemus eum.2012) This essay will explore the social factors that can contribute to mental disorders, it will analyse the three dominant theories: the stress theory, social structure theory and the labelling theory. It will explore each theory in turn and look at the research, assumptions and criticisms. The sociological approach looks at the environmental or social factors, which are external to an individual. It suggests that, these factors can cause an overwhelming stress; leading to a breakdown in mental health. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:121) The stress theory is derived from the notion that when social stressors are accumulated, mental health problems are more likely to occur. The term stress or stressors was introduced in the mid 1930s by a physiological researcher, Hans Selye. When using these terms it is meant that stress is anything that causes the body wear and tear. Selye used laboratory animals to experiment; the stressors he used were extreme hot and cold temperatures, overcrowding of the animals in cages, and electric shocks. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:122). This experiment showed that when animals are exposed to such stimuli, they show three stages of reactions known as general adaptation syndrome (G.A.S). The first stage of reaction was flight or fight, the animal becomes aggr essive and ready to fight or retreat from the threat. In the second stage, the animal reacts with resistance; regaining equilibrium, it continues to combat the effects caused by the stress. The final stage is exhaustion; the bodys ability to defend itself becomes depleted leaving the individual more susceptible to infection or disease. Selye experiment proved a link between prolonged exposure to stress and illness. In the years to follow the research began to focus on the effects of stress in humans and social stressors (mainly major life events) (Horwitz Scheid 1999:122) Researches regarding major life events were carried out by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. They defined major life events as: external changes which occur in peoples lives and require them to make major psychological adjustments. They proposed that increased amounts of readjustments could cause exhaustion of the ability to cope; this would cause the person to be at a higher risk of illness. Holmes and Rahe devised a life events checklist with 43 life stresses that may cause a person to make adjustments. The checklist was named the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) Each event on the checklist was called a Life Change Unit (LCU), with a different weight for each type of stress. The more events the patient added up, the higher the score became. The higher the score meant the larger the weight of each event; this made the individual more likely to become ill. (McLean Link 1994:162) The checklist allowed social researchers to determine whether being exposed to social stressors coul d cause a breakdown in a persons health. The problems with Holmes and Rahes SRRS are that there were many major life events missing from the list, such as: exposing ones homosexuality and losing custody of a child. It also assumes that both positive and negative life events cause behavioural adjustments, leading to overtaxing ones ability to cope. Later research found that negative life events had a more severe impact on individuals psychological health than positive life events. (Ayers.S 2007:131). After years of research into the mental health effects of stressors, considerable variations have been found. There are three dominant approaches to explain these variations. The first approach looks at the stressor itself and examines its characteristics. When looking at the characteristics of the stressor and familiarising with Holmes and Rahes SRRS, there is a clear indication of the difference in the severity of affect for negative life events. Each event can vary in how stressful it is or how it affects a person emotionally; this is because of the differences in their desirability, predictability, controllability or their magnitude. (Thoits 1983:33-103) Research shows that the undesirable or uncontrollable events are the ones which have a greater detrimental effect. (Ibid). Although the first approach was originally designed to categorize the different ways that stressful situations effect people psychologically, what it actually helped to do was establish that different types o f stress manifest in different ways. For example, work or family based issues, effect people differently to financial problems or illness. Furthermore, the different characteristics of each instance in life alter how it affects the mind. So, the timing and circumstances surrounding a life event make a difference to how a person copes and any long term effects it will have.(Ibid). In contrast, the second theoretical approach focuses on the characteristics of the person who is experiencing the stressor. Variations in the effects of stressors, is a function of variations of a persons vulnerability or how they react to stressors. There has been a lot of research on coping and social support. When a person is dealing with negative stressors they rely upon social and personal characteristics, also known as coping resources. (Perlin Schooler 1978:2-21) The social and personal characteristics can be found in an individuals social network, this is where the individual will seek emotional or practical support. Such support systems can raise a persons self esteem, and help them to stay in control. Research examines to what extent individuals or groups vary in how much personal or social resources they possess e.g. self esteem, mastery and social support.(Ibid) The research indicates that the more of these resources people have, the greater the negative impact of stress ful life events are buffered. Overall, the studies carried out for this approach signify that people who have strong coping resources and have access to functional, structural and emotional support have the advantage of being able to tackle the psychological consequences of stressors, easier than those whom do not have personal or social resources.(Ibid) Lastly, the third theoretical approach attributes variations in psychological harm caused by stressful life events to variations in the larger social context surrounding stressors. Advocates of this approach argue that when an event or strain occurs, the social circumstances are important for explaining variations of their psychological effects. This is because they form the personal meanings and emotional significance of the stressors. Blair Wheaton (1990:209) shows that; a role loss such as divorce is often less distressing to individuals who have experienced a lot of marital stress, than for those who have a less stressful marriage. A similar study by Deborah Umberson (1987:306) indicates that widowhood brings more depression to people who suffer from household and financial strain than those who do not experience these stressors. The stress theory is well suited for the purpose of explaining why lower class people are more likely to have a mental illness than middle or upper class people. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:128) However, the theory is non specific for example, it does not explain how some groups are more susceptible to certain disorders than other groups such as: depression and anxiety are mostly experienced by women, and men are more susceptible to anti social disorders. (Ibid) Furthermore, this theory does not apply to all mental disorders such as psychoses: a very complex and serious disorder, which is better explained by biological explanations or ones childhood socialization. Price et al (1988) show experiments which indicate that interventions which alter an individuals coping strategy and offer social support and encouragement, do reduce negative emotional reactions to major life events. Therefore, the stress theory is a promising tool for administering mental health interventions. (Horwitz Schei d 1999:129) A blanket term used to describe more specific sociological theories regarding mental illness etiology is structural strain theory; which looks at the broader organizations of society and finds the basis of distress, and where some groups are at a disadvantage when compared to others. (Ibid) A useful example of structural strain theory is Mertons (1938) anomie theory; this theory attempts to explain criminal behaviour, rebellious behaviour, addictive behaviour, as well as mental illness. Merton uses the American society to explain his theory, he argues that the American culture highly emphasize how wealth and success are the most important values an individual can posses. They are taught that the highest goal in life is to strive for success, with education being the key means to achieve economic success. Mertons assumption is that most people agree that education is the most legitimate route to achieving success. There is a majority of the society who unfortunately have their means t o success blocked. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:130)These groups live in neighbourhoods which are poor and lack school facilities and competent teachers. Thus, they lack encouragement, preparation and funding for progression onto higher education. This causes class and race based discrimination within the schools and the workforce, leading to a defeat in efforts made to succeed when attempting to follow the legitimate paths.(Ibid) Mertons use of the term anomie describes a gap between the desire to be financially successful and the means of entry to acceptable education or employment. He argues that individuals who experience the gap will adapt by changing their goals or looking for alternative means. Merton described 5 adaptive responses, which are; conformity, ritualism, innovation, retreatism and rebellion (Morine.N:2009). The people who conform follow rules shared by the cultures goals, and carry out legitimate means to achieve them. Even if they are doubtful that their efforts will pay off. Ritualists give up on achieving success. However, they continue to behave in a socially acceptable manner; for instance working steadily in a job with low income and low prospects. The conformist and ritualist do not cause society many problems. Whereas, the innovator, retreatists and rebels cause major problems for society. (Ibid)This is because: innovators give up on success, but they still desire wealth and use ille gitimate means to achieve it such as; committing fraud or tax evasions. Retreatists also give up on success and retreat from the world surrounding them into substance abuse or become mentally ill.(Ibid) Rebels use threatening behaviour to achieve success, they reject socially acceptable goals and create new goals with new ways of achieving them such as; being involved in riots or social movements (Ibid). The main point of this analysis is to show how mental illness is a reaction to environmental demands and the result of an individuals legitimate pathways being blocked; due to the hierarchical or structure of society causing a disadvantage for some social groups. (Ibid) Most structural strain ideology of mental illness suggest that, macro strains in social and economic systems can cause increased rates of mental illness for certain groups. (Horwitz Scheid,1999:131) Emile Durkheim (1897) analyzed the social factors which can cause suicide; he found that the distributions of suicide within and across societies were unequal. Durkheim argued that the social integration of groups and societies differ. People are bound together by the balance of shared norms. These norms regulate a persons passion and maintain the ties to one another; in order to prevent unreasonable behaviour from acts of passion or emotional impulses. If a society is too weakly, or too strongly integrated, or are subjected to rapid changes it can cause conditions of structural strain. There are two main assumptions of this theory; the first is that, minority groups, women, the poor, unmarried people and the elderly are all at a socioeconomic disadvantage.(ibid) The second assumption is that high rates of mental health breakdowns are caused by the socioeconomic disadvantage. In comparison to the stress theory, the structural strain theory is better suited for explaining that mental illness is not distributed randomly in society, rather it is closely linked to socially or economically disadvantaged groups of society.(Ibid) It conveys that, the structure of society itself could contribute to the epidemiology of mental illness. The stress theory does not fully capture this idea and biological and psychological theories bypass it altogether. The disadvantages of the structural strain theory are that, structural theorists do not present how the broad social structures and socioeconomic trends are actualized in individuals lives. They also tend to give priority to econom ic factors and disregard other large scale changes such as, poor quality family relationships (absentee fathers, increased divorce rate and child or spouse abuse) which could affect mental health. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:132) Therefore, it is unclear of how the macro social trends cause psychological distress. It is not only socioeconomic disadvantage that are sources of stress, but interpersonal relationships can also be a contributing factor. It is interesting to note that, the structural strain theory has the same basis as the stress theory. The concept that the stress theory is essential to support the structural strain theory makes this theory weak.(Ibid) The societal reaction theory (labelling theory) is similar to the structural strain theory in the sense that they both offer a unique sociological explanation for the cause of mental illnesses; it is often referred to as the radical sociological explanation. The fundamental idea of the labelling theory is how the identity and behaviour of an individual can be influenced by how they are described and categorized by others in the society. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:13) The theory looks at the linguistic tendency of a majority to negatively label those perceived as deviant from the shared norms, and is connected with the idea of a stereotyping and self-fulfilling prophecy. As a use of phenomenology, the theory speculates that the labels which can be applied to an individual can influence their behaviour. In particular, the application of stigmatizing or negative labels such as: criminal can promote deviant behaviour and therefore becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Consequently, the labeling theory assumes that social deviance can be prevented by using a social shaming reaction and replacing moral anger with tolerance.(Ibid) The labeling theory has been closely linked to the mentally ill. In 1966, Thomas Scheff published his writings: Being Mentally Ill. Scheff questioned the common perceptions of psychological disorders by declaring that mental illness is exhibited entirely as a result of societal influence. Scheff disputed that society perceives certain behaviour as deviant, and certain expectations are then placed on the individuals. Over a period of time this will unconsciously alter the individuals behaviour; in order to fulfil the expectations. The criteria given for different mental disorders are not always filled by the people who are diagnosed with them just because they all suffer from the same disorder. Scheff believed they are simply fulfilled due to the mentally ill being led to presume they are supposed to conform and act in a certain manner and eventually they do. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:14) Scheff received multiple criticisms for his theory; the most notable critic is Walter Gove. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:15) Gove has frequently argued an almost opposite of his theory; he feels strongly that society has very little influence on mental illness. Instead, he argues that any societal perceptions of people who are mentally ill are derived as a result of the individuals behaviour. Goves ideology is that, the mentally ill behave uncommonly due to their disorders, so they come to be treated as being different. Most of the sociology theorists view labeling and mental illness between the extremes of Scheff and Gove. It is difficult to deny, given both research findings and common sense; that perception society gives to crazy people has had a detrimental effect on them. Realistically, it seems that labeling can accentuate and perpetuate a mental illness. However, it is rare that it is the complete cause of the symptoms. (Ibid) Each of the sociological theories can be integrated. For example, structural strain theories have indicated that risks for certain social groups are created by the way in which societies are organized. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:137) The stress theory can assist in helping to bridge the gap between micro and macro structure, by giving an explanation of how structured risks are actualized as stressful events in peoples lives(Ibid) Also, the stress theory suggests that accumulation of strains and life events can overwhelm an individuals psychosocial resources and their ability to cope; thus leading to mental illness. This is similar to primary deviance in the labelling theorys terms. (Ibid) In conclusion, there has been a lot of research to prove a link between sociological ideology and mental illness. The stress theory proves how the more an individual is subjected to major negative stressors; the higher risk they have of psychological breakdown (flight or fight). Also, it indicates how an individuals coping resources can assist with overcoming psychological breakdowns (resistance) and lastly, how overwhelming exposure to stressors can cause exhaustion and a breakdown of an individuals mental state (exhaustion). (Horwitz Scheid 1999:122). The structural strain theory focuses more on society as a whole and determines which groups are more susceptible to mental illness. Groups of low social status, living in poor and disadvantaged areas are more susceptible to unemployment, being victims of crime etc and are more likely to become involved in illegitimate means to success or mental illness. (Horwitz Scheid 1999:130) The labelling theory then explains how the individuals who suffer from mental illness as a reaction to overwhelming stressors and/or being disadvantaged due to hierarchical or societys structure are then stigmatized and unfairly stereotyped. (Pilgrim Rogers 1999:13) It also shows a link that those who receive the label find it difficult to remove the label and often causing the individual to become entrapped with no other choice but to act in the way that they are meant to. (Ibid)

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

An Exploration Of Leadership Style Of Howard Schultz Management Essay

An Exploration Of Leadership Style Of Howard Schultz Management Essay This essay explores the leadership style of a successful international businessman, Howard Schultz, the Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks coffee-house company, arguably the worlds most successful coffee company. Fellner (2008) credited Schultz with having a highly successful year in 2003 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ with a net sales of $4.1 billion (almost twice what it had earned in 2000 when it yielded $265 million (p.16). Schultz was ranked as the 354th richest person within the USA in 2006 with a net worth of over one billion dollars (Forbes.com, 2006). Schultz joined the Starbucks Company initially as an executive in the early 1980s before becoming chief executive officer in 1987 and was credited for developing the company into an internationally recognized brand and multi-national corporation (James, 2009). He took a step down from CEO to Chairman in 2000 and witnessed the company struggle through the economic down-turn before returning to the helm as CEO in 2008 and navigating the compa ny through an international expansionist strategy whilst reducing the number of physical companies in the domestic US market. The premise of relevant leadership theories and models will be used to analyze the topic of Schultzs leadership style. In particular, one will assess the type of skills that he has demonstrated in order to ascertain his style of leadership in terms of competencies and meta-competencies. This assignment will enable the reader to understand what makes a successful entrepreneur and global leader by providing a lens into their world-view. In conjunction with references to academic discourse, the components of this effective leader are illuminated through a personal bibliography within the following section. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND SCHULTZS LEADERSHIP STYLE Burns (1978) introduced a theory on leadership that has had global implications for organizations. At the heart of Burns argument was a differentiation between two different types of leader: transformational and transactional. The latter often bases his approach on interactions and exchanges with those at lower organizational tiers in order to meet his desired strategic goals. In turn, his employees get what they require such as a salary, praise or promotion in exchange for what the leader values (such as effective performance levels). Conversely, a transformational leader seeks to redress employee/follower concerns and meet their desires whilst leading effectively and dealing with organizational issues at a higher contextual level. In this latter respect, followers are accorded respect and encouraged to develop as persons in their own right. They are also encouraged to participate at a collective level in order to ensure organizational objectives are met. Transformational Leaders te nd to adapt a selling style of leadership. The influence of this approach is captured in the following quote: [It] engenders high levels of motivation and commitment among followers/members. The emphasis is on generating a vision for the organisation and leaders abilities to appeal to the higher ideals and values of followers/members in order to achieve high performance, high commitment and high inclusion to an organisation or system (Rodgers et al; 2003: p.16). The emphasis shift from Transactional to Transformational leadership occurred in order to redress the hierarchical imbalance associated with Transactional theories by encouraging active participation and inclusion amongst followers. Discourse widely proffers that effective leadership development is an ambiguous and contested concept due in part to the variability of peoples leadership styles. Bryman (2007) argues that heroic and hierarchical forms of leadership that focus on a leaders competencies and behaviours have traditionally prevailed within business circles yet are increasingly unsuitable in the current and somewhat chaotic, global business environment (Collinson, Collinson, 2009: p.367). It is widely argued that modern leaders must eschew novel skill-sets, meta-competencies such as inter-personal skills and positive behaviours in order to increase organizational efficiencies and effectiveness (Kiel and Watson, 2009). Kutz discusses some of the tensions emanating from globali zation and free-market structures where a: Constant pressure to innovate, gives rise to continually changing contexts. In turn, these phenomena require executives and leaders to respond and adapt to quickly changing contexts (2008: p.18). Schultz recent advocated the use of mobile technology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the company by accepting purchase payments through a mobile device. A Starbucks Card-Mobile iPhone application also enables use in a gift card capacity by presenting a technically secure QR bar code for baristas to scan in front of a high-tech 2D scanner during the payment process (Butcher, 2010). Participating customers now have the ability to reload their card balance via their mobile device using a major credit card. They also have the ability to check the status of their My Starbucks Reward status and to search for Starbuck stores in situ (ibid). From an historical perspective and before mobile technologies were piloted and implemented across New York Stores, Schultz had a vision to create 2000 physical stores by the year 2000. Some observers credit this vision with the driver behind Starbucks success. Schultz used his ability to translate this vision across the organizations management teams and supervisors who possessed micro level visions that directly sustained and supported his aims: His powerful communication skills define a leader who knows not only what he stands for, but also the values he promotes, and who knows how to make an emotional connection with his listeners (Bloomberg Businessweek, 2006: n.p). At a lower contextual level, management and supervisors directly supported their staff by providing them with the opportunity and resources to grow through various activities such as coaching, training, mentoring and educational opportunities. A shift towards a situated, networked and fluid leadership style based on n ovel forms of participation has been the consequence of Schultzs actions. Schultz stresses the importance of sharing both the success and the credit of entrepreneurship (Neff Citrin, 1999). Collinson Collinson cited research by Bolden et al. (2008, 2009) within the higher education establishments which identified strong evidence of distributed leadership. Conversely, and paradoxically, respondents (employees) also recognized the importance of powerful and inspiring leaders (2009: p.376). Schultz advocated the purchase of companies including Seattle Coffee Company in the UK and subsequently expanded their operations beyond the United States into Europe and South East Asia. By 2003 the number of stores rose to 6,000 and by 2010 approximately 16 thousand stores existed in over 50 countries (New York Times, 2010). The success of Starbucks has been attributed to Schultz collaborative style that contained powerful social essence, encouraged follower empowerment and which was seen as non-hierarchical and less-centralized compared to many other business models. Starbucks business strategy was driven by a man who exhibited effective leadership skills by empowering lower-tiered management and staff to participate in decision-making activities (associated with the 2000 vision) and by, for instance, providing universal healthcare for all employees. Starbucks uses 2 mission statements which are noted in the companys website: To inspire and nurture human spirit one person, one cu p, and one neighbourhood at a time and Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business (www.starbucks.com). James (2009) recently noted how the company still prides itself on its treatment of workers (baristas) who receive the same health benefits as all other tiers of the company: He gave baristas health care plus a share of the profit. When the AIDS epidemic was at its height, Starbucks paid for terminal illness care for employees for 29 months until the government took over (n.p). James also noted some of the current tensions facing Starbucks Corp and its CEO in particular. Schultz may have provided all employees with a 401(k) plan and stock options (including health benefits); however Starbucks Workers Union has restricted rights which limit its ability to defend staff against low-paid work and unsociable hours. James noted how Schultz stated: I was convinced that under my leadership, employees would come to realize that I would listen to their concernsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦If they had faith in me and my motives, they wouldnt need a union. On his return to the CEO fold in 2008, Schultz planned to dramatically reverse a decline in sales and achieve a turnaround in the companies financial performance at a time when the business world presumed that Starbucks had effectively lost its innovative edge. He advocated the closure of 300 US stores and cut hundreds of jobs yet aggressively opened hundreds of new stores beyond the US market (New York Times, 2010). Schultz took the decision to downsize in the US market and expand further globally with the support of his senior management team. This reflects Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy (1999, p. 365), who found that: [members] solidify into an interdependent team of mutually supporting friends and colleagues (cited in Bentley et al; 2004). Tobak, (2009) questions whether Schultz had the vision at that time to acknowledge that Starbucks undertook such changes without foreseeing the problems that may ensue. He conveniently blamed the economic downturn  [1]  for much or Starbucks p roblems when in fact significant problems occurred approximately 18 months before the economy: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦took a nose dive. From January 2007 to August 2008, its share price was off 60 percent while the Nasdaq index was essentially flat. This is not about the economy, and Schultz knows it (n.p). Schultz stated in a recent July/August 2010 Harvard Business Review article: The past two years have been transformational for the company and, candidly, for me personally. When I returned, in January 2008, things were actually worse than Id thought. The decisions we had to make were very difficult, but first there had to be a time when we stood up in front of the entire company as leaders and made almost a confession-that the leadership had failed the 180,000 Starbucks people and their families. And even though I wasnt the CEO, I had been around as chairman; I should have known more. I am responsible. We had to admit to ourselves and to the people of this company that we owned the mistakes that were made. Once we did, it was a powerful turning point. Its like when you have a secret and get it out: The burden is off your shoulders. Cited in Petty (2010: n.p) In early 2009, the company bounced back and has seen more store traffic and renewed earnings growth with Starbucks shares raising to $24 a share. By spring 2010, the company: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦announced its first dividend to be paid in cash to investors. In April, the company said its profit rose more than eightfold in the second quarter, as more customers visited its stores and spent more (ibid: n.p). Kiel Watson (2009) suggest that most organizational issues encompass human rather than technical challenges and suggest: While no academic study has been conducted on this topic [affective leadership and emotional intelligence], we believe that [those] who are successful in developing the support of their communitiesare ones who expend considerable emotional labo[u]r (p.22). Schultz leadership style has been described in the following terms: They dont teach caring in business schools, and benevolence isnt usually discussed in corporate management seminars. But these values anchor Schultzs leadership philosophy as he seeks to build connections between people through demonstrations of heart and conscience. Starbucks baristas, for example, receive a Green Apron Book that exhorts them to be genuine and be considerate. And the company works hard to treat its coffee growers in Third World countries with dignity while purchasing their products at above-market prices (Meyers, 2005, p. 1) Lara Wyss, Starbucks director of global consumer public relations also noted how: The company is testing concept stores with various platforms that fit in with its Shared Planet pledge hat each new store built in 2010 will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified (Zegler, 2010: p.62). Starbucks has recently introduced three concept stores in Seattle, Disneyland Paris and London. The former was recently redesigned in the light of its heritage concept theme and uses various recycled and revamped materials as part of its dà ©cor. Schultz illustrated examples of effective leadership by embracing a culture of open communication and by constructing active partnerships with his work-force. Schultz style of leadership would be at odds with a somewhat aggressive and negative management style that reflected an authoritarian and hierarchical leadership approach, such as that adopted by Michael OLeary from Ryanair. A Wall Street Journal (2009) article highlighted OLeary s abhorrence and total disregard of trade union power within the airline industry and how his drive for cost savings included the prospect of refusing free food for airline staff if the opportunity arose. Further criticism was directed at him for a perceived lack of moral leadership by refusing to provide wheel chair assistance for disabled passengers (Box Byus, 2005: p.68). Conversely: Starbucks was among the first companies to provide medical benefits to part-time employees. Today, however, Starbucks is spending more on healthcare than on coffee, and the workforce is nervous about shrinking benefits. Were not ever going to turn our backs on our partners [employees], says Schultz reassuringly. Then he faces reality. But we need relief. Where is the money going to come from? (US.news.com, 2005) In this respect, Schultz and OLeary are clearly different types of leaders with opposing leadership styles, yet both have similar beliefs in regards to trade union power. Fellners (2008) book viewed Schultz as the leader of a coffee chain with a proffered liberal consciousness and whose reputation was paradoxically categorized as a symbol of globalization and all that is immoral with free-market capitalism. She found paradoxes in the basis of employee friendly structures that espouse universal healthcare provision with anti trade-unionist practices; and between what she perceived as community individuality and forms of cultural hegemony. Carroll, Levy Richmond (2008) discussed Alvesson and Sveningssons (2003abc) research findings which stipulated that numerous managers involved in leadership development may effectively articulate abstract ideals such as vision and inspiration. However, an inability to define or explain concrete actions undertaken in pursuit of such ideals was also d eemed prevalent (ibid). CONCLUDING NOTES This section will provide a conclusion to the assignment and discuss some of its limitations. It was noted within the main body of text how different leadership styles can influence employee motivation and job satisfaction. A clear comparison can be made between Schultz leadership style and that of a successful entrepreneur in another industry (Michael OLearys Ryanair airline company). It was also discussed above how various leadership styles impact upon employee motivation and job satisfaction. Nelson and Quick (2006) attributed Schultzs leadership to a transformational style because his caring and generous nature reflects transformational leadership qualities. In some respects, it is clear that Schultz shows concern for the whole Starbucks organization and exhibits openness and debate amongst its employees and management rather than pursuing activities out of his own selfish interests. Spillane proposes that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ from a distributed perspective, leadership practice takes shape in the interactions of people and their situation, rather than from the actions of an individual leader (2004: p.3). In realist terms, Fellner (2008) illuminated the chaotic social and business blend that Schultz embraces which seeks to maximize corporate profit by targeting new markets (foreign markets, mobile technology markets) whilst exhibiting sufficient social justice tendencies. It is this paradox that has led Schultz and his team to constantly align itself with one set of principles whilst seeking solace in another set of principles that are arguably at opposing sides of the spectrum. Collinson Collinson (2009) noted how Cameron et al. (2006) viewed effective leaders as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦simultaneously paradoxical, integrating factors usually seen as competing, contradictory and even incompatible (ibid: 377). Schultz seems to have used high degrees of emotional intelligence by seeking alliances and partnerships within the Starbucks organization, rather than thrive on adversity and seek economic benefit from unethical channels. As noted above, OLearys approach to staff meals and customer wheel chairs highlight his domineering and hierarchical leadership approach whilst Schultz willingness to support employees suffering from HIV shows aspects of social justice in his personality traits. Schultz embraced change and development in a chaotic, competitive and complicated external environment. He seemed to display a significant amount of vision and emotional intelligence in order to transform the status quo into a global brand in over 50 countries. Overall, the literature suggests that modern leaders must provide effective leadership skills that compliment and encompass traditional management skills. These are increasingly linked to emotional intelligence, empowerment, empowerment, reflection, the ability to take risk without apprehension and the need to reflect upon the ethical and moral consideration of others. Schultz openness for social and ethical practices in pursuit of Starbucks business objectives has been applauded by many observers. Much of Schultz skills included trust building, negotiating with opponents and encouraging mutual co-operation. Therefore, one must possess a combination of hard, technical and softer, intuitive leadership skills in order to solidify their role as an effective leader in all situations. They must also be charismatic and inspirational yet calculated risk takers in order to navigate their respective organizations through the chaos and complexity (for instance, see Wheeler et al., 2007 in Coll inson Collinson, 2009)

Monday, August 19, 2019

Hugo Chávez Essay -- Biography Chavez President Venezuela Essays

Hugo Chà ¡vez El Comandante! El Comandante! If you scream that in the streets of Venezuela, there is only one person you could possibly be referring to – Hugo Chà ¡vez. The current president of the South American country, Venezuela, has been in power for the past four years. His time in office has been criticized by most and glorified by some. He has had the backing of other countries such as Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, Libya and Iraq. On the other hand, the United States has had a continuous growth of confusion for Chà ¡vez’s actions. The leader’s intentions have been surrounded by a circle of uncertainty. Chà ¡vez’s life as president or even before those days has been far from interesting. Hugo Chà ¡vez has been a leader, a commander and a revolutionist. Hugo Rafael Chà ¡vez Frà ­as was born in Sabaneta de Barinas, a small town in the lightly populated savannah. His young life was simple. He grew up selling bananas and sowing corn. He enjoyed the academics and had a thirst for knowledge. Chà ¡vez excelled in baseball, the country’s national pastime. Josà © Là ³pez, Chà ¡vez’s baseball coach, described the youngster as, â€Å"A tough little kid, mischievous, a real talker and dreamer, but as tenacious as hell† (Rother). As he grew up he had a growing curiosity towards the military and those with power. He was assigned to many regions where he performed different duties. He also had the opportunity to meet numerous people. A former classmate and friend of Chà ¡vez, Jesà ºs Hernà ¡ndez recalled, â€Å"We were a group of four or five captains who used to jog together in the afternoons, and one day in 1983 Chà ¡vez suggested we swear an oath to fight against corruption and for the welfare of our country†¦from that moment on, we began to study the pr... .... Is this the president we have been waiting for Works Cited Buxton, Julian. Failure of Political Reform in Venezuela. Aldershot, New Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing, 2001. Ellner, Steve, and Daniel Hellinger, eds. Venezuelan Politics in the Chà ¡vez Era. Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc., 2003. Rother, Larry. â€Å"Chà ¡vez Shaping Country to His Vision.† The New York Times. On-line. Internet. 28 July 2000. Available WWW: http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/americas Schemo, Diana Jean. â€Å"Renegade Officer Favored in Venezuelan Election.† The New York Times. On-line. Internet. 6 December 1998. Available WWW: http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/americas â€Å"Venezuela’s Chà ¡vez plans to rule until 2013.† CNN Presents. CNN. 14 July 2002. Wilson, Scott. â€Å"Political Deadlock Bolsters Chà ¡vez.† The Washington Post 20 January 2003: A15.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Young Offenders :: Free Essay Writer

Young Offenders   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These days more and more young people are turning to crimes. These crimes are being committed by young offenders of all ages. The crimes they are committing are get even more and more serious and in the last five years the percentage of youngsters committing more crime has increase by more then 50%. Young offenders are committing these crimes because the know that the punishment is real weak. If you ask me most young offenders think the young offenders act is a JOKE, and trust me I am a young person I know just as other young people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A young offender is a person between the ages of 12-17. This person is a person who comities a crime and is given special rights. These right are less server then adults would get if they committee this same offenses.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many cases where a young offender has got off much easier then a adult and no punishment at all. In one case in particular â€Å"A boy who was 11 years old who has been in trouble with the law before took a girl with him to his apartment with his gang and then raped her. Then when the police arrived he said you can not touch me† . This to me is very sad first off because he is only 11 years old and he raped a girl but the thing I found most shocking and the rest off the media was that when the police arrived he told them that they could not touch him. Even though he did committee the crime and he should have been charged but sadly e was right. This young offenders knows that the young offenders act is a joke and that is why he committed the crime. He could care less about what he did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another case talking about the young offenders act is the James Bulger. â€Å" Had the murder of toddler James Bulger occurred in Canada, his killer would never been charged. Under the Canadian law, no child under the age of 12 can be charged with any criminal act, no matter how odious.† This was a cases which created a lot of heated discussion about the young offenders act. The discussion was that the young offenders act has to be more strictly and changes are need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In another case a teen was charged for a murder. â€Å"An 18-year-old was killed with a baseball bat Tuesday after he was trapped at the entrance to a chopping mall in Hamilton by six youths out settle a grudge against his younger

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Rock and Roll in the Early Fifties Essay -- Music Art Musicians Rock a

Rock and Roll in the Early Fifties Hail, hail rock ‘n’ roll, Deliver me from the days of old. Long live rock ‘n’ roll The beat of the drum is loud and bold, Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll, The spirit is there body and soul.† - Chuck Berry (Hibbard and Kaleialoha, 19) An African- American euphemism for making love, rock and roll spurred from all genres of music, but mainly that of folk, country, jazz, pop and rhythm & blues (Yorke, 11). It is a type of music that generally involves heavy pounding of the piano, a loud drum beat, saxophone backgrounds and boisterous shouting by the singer. It was a new blend of music emerging from 1948- 1951 as a result of a generation’s need to express their own identity. Originally, rock and roll was performed by black artists because it was a result of the incorporation of a more upbeat background to rhythm & blues. Examples of such artists would be Little Richard and Chuck Berry; both were coined â€Å"the fathers of rock and roll† even though they started out as rhythm & blues artists (Szatmary, 16). In context of â€Å"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,† the characters most likely to support rock and roll are Maggie, and Mae’s children. This new upbeat, new- age, gibberish was a sy mbol of independence, escapism, and rebellion for youths of the early1950’s (Brown, 4). Although its initial peak of success occurred in 1956, rock and roll had been developing since 1951. The introduction of the 45 rpm disc, transistor radio, and television; and finally, its lively, upbeat sound all contributed to the success of rock and roll(Peterson, 102- 104). The â€Å"baby boomer† generation after the Second World War, was a major influence on the success of rock and roll. Unlike their parents, this g... ... Roll. New Jersey: Prentice- Hall Inc., 1996. This book provides a very detailed outline on how and where rock and roll originated. It places much emphasis on the transition from Black to White rock artists and how society reacted to this change. Szatmary also presents sufficient information on the many aspects of rock and roll, ranging from what the lyrics are about, to the beginnings of rock and roll and new age rock. - Yorke, Ritchie, Rock- The History of Rock’n’Roll. New York: Methuen/ Two Continents Publications, 1976. In Rock- The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Yorke provides a chronological approach to rock and roll from 1877- 1974. Although it is not extremely detailed, a general overview of each year’s music is presented. Throughout the book, many descriptive summaries of individual artists may be found along with classic pictures.

Ethics Munson’s 5 Ethical Theories Essay

Ethics is a branch if philosophy that deal with ideas about what is morally good and bad. Ethics act as tools, giving us guidance when we need to make important decisions in personal and professional situations. There are biblical inferences that can relate to most if not all situations that we come across in our daily lives. God will not put us in any situations that we cannot be triumphant in. If the Bible is an absolute in all of these theories, so is Jesus Christ. The first ethical theory is Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that describes how the moral value or worth of an action is determined by how much benefit is gained from that action. It is measured by not only the amount of benefit gained but also the amount of people with benefits in the process. This theory hopes to provide guidance when choosing a course of action. Utilitarianism is divided into two groups based off of how they apply the theory. A Rule Utilitarian believes that the action is right if it results in happiness of great benefit (Munson, 2009). For example, the commandment, â€Å"thou shall not kill† is very straight forward and doesn’t leave room for interpretation. Someone who follows Rule Utilitarianism would strictly follow this rule by never committing murder or killing any living creature. An Act Utilitarian would decipher the commandment according to its greatest benefit. Act utilitarianism is the belief that an action is right if it is better than all of the other options as long as it yields the best results. In other words, there may be situations in which breaking the rules may be the best option. Breaking the commandment, â€Å" thou shall not kill† may seem wrong when looking at it from the surface, but if it is done to save the life’s of others it may yield the best result. The absolute that applies to Utilitarianism is the Bible. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, â€Å"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart; not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.† This theory is about the best benefit and focuses on the amount of benefit as well as the amount of people it benefits. In order to achieve this, the reason for giving cannot be selfishly or self- motivated. Immanuel Kant’s deontological theory is the complet ely opposite of Utilitarianism. Kantian Ethics believes that right and wrong are not depended on their consequences but on whether the duty or task at hand is fulfilled. Kant theory is also reliant on the view that humans, unlike any  other creature, have the capacity to rationalize. He believes that a person’s feelings and inclinations should not play any part in motivating a chosen action. This theory does not work well in the field of healthcare. Feelings and inclinations are a necessity when working with human beings. Healthcare workers are not reading step by step instructions as if they are putting a car together, but instead are caring for a patient whose case is different and patient specific. Patients cannot be treated like a checklist. Although this theory eliminated any of the categories under the Bible: commandments, guidelines, inferences, and convictions; completion is a big topic in the Bible. God completed the creation of the world in six days, and rested on the seventh. Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day. In John 17:4, Jesus said to them, â€Å"My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.† W.D. Ross believed that there was not one rule or principle that one must abide by. Instead he believed that we can progress through moral duties. Ross proposed that we have self-evident prima facie moral duties and that there are some things have intrinsic value (Ross, 2002). He believed we have the duty of fidelity or the duty to keep our promises, the duty of reparation or the duty to pay for harm done to others, the duty of gratitude or the duty to return favors, the duty of beneficence or the duty to maximize the good, and the duty of non-injury or the duty to refuse harm to others (Ross, 2002). For example, it is generally wrong to kill a person because it causes pain and is one of the 10 commandments. In order for it not to be wrong to kill, a person must have an overriding reason to do it such as saving the lives of others. Ross’s belief in overriding reason is very similar to that Act Utilitarianism. The Bible is an absolute in this theory as well. Ross puts emphasis on the duties we must uphold. The Bible lays out many duties given to Christians. One of the most popular lists is the Ten Commandments. Virtue Ethics is the approach that deemphasizes rules and duty, focusing on a person’s character (Munson, 2009). Character is an impor tant focus when choosing employees in the Healthcare field. I have worked in many healthcare areas and have worked with many people who truly were not in the field for the right reasons. Passion is a necessity when working with human beings. There are many workers who lack this characteristic and are simply in the field for monetary benefit. Although it may be impossible to completely rid the  healthcare field of â€Å"bad seeds,† providing an overflow of kindhearted, loving employees would definitely help. The Bible is an absolute in this ethical approach. Matthew 12:35 says, â€Å"The good person out of his good treasure bring forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.† As a Christian we must make sure we are living our lives in God’s image. We are walking billboards for Christ and need to make sure that we act accordingly. As a Christian, this walk will definitely be hard and there will be many temptations along the way but our character will help us to choose the right path. Care Ethics argues that some duties cannot be justified by theories of right, justice, and utility (Velasquez, 2002). Care ethics believe that the most important factor is the concrete relationship with a person or persons (Velasquez, 2002). This theory is very evident in the healthcare fiel d and I find this theory most appealing. I have worked in the healthcare field for most of my career and realize that it is my duty to take care of and provide for each patient I serve. Through experience, I also realize that there are certain patients that I have been drawn to, and that I feel closer to. At my last job, I worked on the spinal cord injury unit. Most of my patients were fully depended on what I did for them. The interaction could be awkward as I was performing tasks such as showers, bowel programs, and diaper changes. I felt it my duty to make them feel comfortable and to let them know that I care. For a lot of my patients, I was the only family they had. No one ever came to visit them so our conversation was something to look forward to. As I worked with a patient every day, special bonds were formed. We celebrated any and all progress made. Whether it is something as small as moving a pinky for the first time or taking a first step after, everything should be celebrated. Both Jesus Christ and the Bible are absolutes in this theory. This job has also taught me to be more appreciative of the things I do have. It has taught me to stop complaining about little things. Most of my patients lived regular lives just as I do, and in an instance it was taken away from them. Most people unknowingly take things for granted such as being able to walk, talk, brush your teeth, and clothe yourself. Instead, we feel that the things are owed to us and that we are deserving of these things. The Bible and Jesus Christ are definitely absolutes in this theory. We as Christians yearn for a strong, deeper relationship with God and the best way to attain this is by  studying the word of God daily. Proverbs 8:17 says, â€Å"I Love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.† References Holy Bible Kant, I. (1785) â€Å"First Section: Transition from the Common Rational Knowledge of Morals to the Philosophical.† Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals. Munson, R. (2009). Intervention and Reflection: Basic issues of bioethics (9th ed.). Ross, W.D., (2002). The Right and the Good. Edited, with an Introduction, by Philip Stratton- Lake. New York: Oxford University Press: rpt. of original 1930 edition. Velasquez, M.G., (2002). Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Conflict is the essence of drama Essay

The effect of conflicts in drama is profound, and conflicts contribute to a great extent in making drama attractive for audience to watch. Conflict basically forwards drama, while in the meantime it leads to changes that attract audiences as it progresses through time. Conflict shows character, their realizations, and also realizations of audiences, all of which make drama interesting to attract audiences. It projects meanings and gives vividness to drama, thus it makes drama interesting in order to attract audiences. Conflict forwards drama by introducing changes that keeps the audiences sited. Audiences find an unchanging play that follows routine to be boring and hopes to find differences. Thus, changes are necessary in drama for it to demand a reaction from the audiences that’s maintained, so that they can keep focused to the play. In Oedipus, changes occur from the beginning of the play to the end. Oedipus doesn’t go through a normal life as being a king or live a happy life with his wife, but experiences through a catastrophe that influences his life. Critical changes are brought out by conflict at certain moments and introduce newness to drama, for example when Jocasta discovers that Oedipus is the child she sent years ago. The conflict is within Jocasta herself, of sinfully being both a wife and mother of Oedipus. Also the conflict is between her and people of Thebes, including Oedipus, where the normal relationship has been destroyed. These two conflicts mean a dramatic change in Jocasta herself, and for the play, as it moves on acknowledging the effects of these changes. Similarly, in â€Å"Macbeth†, changes are brought out throughout the play, enriched by conflicts within characters, such as Macbeth, and conflicts between characters, such as between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. The two monologs of Macbeth shows his inner conflict between his consciences and his ambition, which slowly drives him towards murdering the king. The vast change in his inner mind based on the conflict sets the basis for the play and leads to the potential consequences that happen later. Conflict between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth occurs when Lady Macbeth accuses her husband of not being a man to have the courage murder. Changes are brought out as Macbeth becomes more firm and aggressive towards the murder, which then affects direction of the whole play by moving closer towards the murder and gives the audiences anticipation towards th e killing. This brings a sense of delight in the audiences to keep them focused to the play. By having conflicts which leads to changes, drama is forwarded along with the reactions from the audiences. At the same time conflict forwards a play, conflict also shows character of the characters. In â€Å"Oedipus†, conflict is presented between characters such as between the Terisias the priest and Oedipus. The technique of stichomythic dialogue is used when the two have a conflict in their conversation, to show the characters’ emotions, especially Oedipus’s pride. Short, fast sentences are used when Oedipus hears Teiresias’s accusation on him, he says â€Å"Shall I bear more of this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and Teiresias answers â€Å"I will. The stichomythic dialogue shows Oedipus’s jealousy and his tyranny behavior. By being not able to see the warning language of Terisias, he’s also shown to be arrogant. His conversation with Creon further shows his arrogance and hubris. Again, stichomythic dialogue is used when Oedipus says â€Å"By no means. I would have you dead, not banished† and Creon answers â€Å"if you can show in what way I have wro nged you†. In â€Å"Macbeth†, conflict within Macbeth himself shows his character. In Shakespeare’s portrayal of Macbeth, there’s resolution and irresolution, there’s decision and indecision, all which describes his character. During the two long monologs, his relentless ambition fights with his conscience, showing the opposing two sides of his inner character. When Macbeth sees the dagger hanging in front of him, he mentions he thinks not of them and that â€Å"there’s no such thing†, but it is indeed ironic because he’s mind is actually focused on them. The irony shows his character, the fighting between trying to remain conscience by not thinking of them and murdering the king. He mentions the dagger as a â€Å"false creation†, but in his deep heart desires to use it. Along with showing character, conflict shows their realizations, and more, makes also the audiences to realize. With â€Å"Oedipus†, audiences realize the effect of hubris of people, after seeing how Oedipus experiences his downfall. Audiences realize how the dominating emotions of arrogance, jealousy, pride affect Oedipus in refusal to recognize his wrongness. The paradox of Terisias of being physically blind but sees things correctly in terms of morality further contrasts with Oedipus’s emotion, and further encourages the audiences to realize hubris. Although in â€Å"Oedipus†, realizations happen while the audiences have a certain outline, some knowledge on the play, audiences still experience the play differently, since it is live. However, this is not true with â€Å"Macbeth†, as history of the play is made up as going along. Audiences realize the consequences of Macbeth after murdering the king by seeing that, in the end, he dies in the battle. Characters themselves also have realizations in drama, usually at critical moments where conflict makes the play changes its plot dramatically. Oedipus’s realization of him being the son of Laius comes slowly, but also catastrophically. Again, the tension of the realization is built up using stichomythic dialogues. Oedipus realizes that he can never go back to where he was. His conflict lies in that he wishes to return to being the king as before, but the truth does not allow him to do so. Similarly, In â€Å"Macbeth†, realization of Macbeth comes with his action of murdering the king. There is clearly a feeling of being scared of others discovering their actions inside Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after murdering the king, as they rhetorically question the noise of the surroundings. Also, Macbeth mentions† I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done†, suggesting he realizes the dangers that would occur to him if his actions were discovered. Conflict in drama projects meaning, though it might not project a resolution to the problem at the end of the play. The end of one conflict in the play doesn’t necessary mean that there will be no future conflicts. In â€Å"Oedipus†, the fall of Oedipus doesn’t indicate the problem of the nation has been solved, but on the contrary, there might be other arrogant tyrants like Oedipus in the future. However, the story of â€Å"Oedipus† somehow teaches the audiences to be morally good, therefore it has a meaning. Similarly, in â€Å"Macbeth†, the tragedy of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth teaches audiences to realize that following a path similar to them will lead to destruction. Duncan’s speeches of gracefulness, loyalty, honor, honesty and integrity are meant to project moral rightness, therefore to teach morally. Still, there’s no final resolution at the end of the play and it may mean that there will be other tyrants like Macbeth in the future. However, the play itself has projected meanings which, attracts audiences to watch it because simply no one would be interested in a play with no meanings. In conclusion, conflict does not only perform the basic functions for drama, such as forwarding the play, but conflict’s main effect is that it makes drama more interesting, which is essential to attract audiences. Changes are brought out by conflict that introduces something different, and something new. Also, characters in drama are shown vividly through conflict. Conflict projects meaning, create realizations of the audiences and characters, with all of this, it makes drama fascinating and irregular.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Eleanor Rigby Literary Analysis Essay

In the song â€Å"Eleanor Rigby† by The Beatles, there is a lonely, sad woman who dies and is readily forgotten as she has nobody to care about her. How many people do we see out on the street that will just become â€Å"another dead body?† Eleanor Rigby really puts this into perspective that there are lonely people in this world living their lives serving others without being acknowledged. Eleanor is waiting for someone, but she is scarred in her heart by her lonely life. Sadly enough, she is an afterthought even in her death, as Father McKenzie writes her sermon in his socks, late at night. The theme of the song is that keeping the up the illusion isn’t always worth it. The literary devices demonstrating this theme are allegory, repetition, and imagery. An allegory is symbolic narrative details that can sometimes imply another meaning. There are many examples of this in the song. In the line, â€Å"Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been. Lives in a dream,† The Beatles display a good example of allegory. The church in the song is very symbolic for life and death for many reasons. There is a mention of a wedding in this line and in some cultures a wedding is known as the celebration of life, however in the end Eleanor Rigby dies, thus being the opposite of life, instead she represents death. This allegory relates to the theme because it shows that Eleanor Rigby lives her life working in a church, attending weddings and working to bring life and happiness to others. She is living what everybody else considers the dream, but in reality she is a sad, lonely person. She keeps up the illusion of being happy and everyone believes her, however in the end she dies unremembered. Another representation of the theme is repetition. In the lines, â€Å"All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong? Ah, look at all the lonely people. Ah, look at all the lonely people† The Beatles use the repetition of â€Å"lonely† to drive in the main message of the song. Saying that Eleanor Rigby is living the dream can be deceiving to listeners but by the repetition of â€Å"lonely† they make it clear that underneath the faà §ade of grandeur, there is a bleak undertone. This is a fantastic example of use of repetition to convey the theme because The Beatles make the whole song an illusion except for the chorus in which â€Å"lonely† is continuously repeated and in the end Eleanor Rigby dies, proving without a doubt that the illusion wasn’t worth it. One of the most prominent literary devices in the poem is imagery. The Imagery  is used to show exactly how much of an illusion Eleanor is living. In the line, â€Å"Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door† It is very easy to imagine somebody literally keeping a head or face in some type of liquid in a jar to be put on when necessary. This line is actually not meant to be taken quite so literally. This face in the jar is probably the face that she puts on to look beautiful, the jar being the makeup jar from which the face comes. She disguises her sadness and her longing with the face by her window. She doesn’t literally put on a mask or someone else’s face, but she puts on a face to fit society. This example of imagery fits the theme because Eleanor Rigby wears face so that no one can see the loneliness and emptiness that she feels. It is a false impression that she is giving to everyone that she sees, it is nothing but an illusion. As Eleanor Rigby dies at the end of the song, it is clear that the illusion of happiness wasn’t worth keeping since nobody even remembered her. The very apparent theme in the song is loneliness. Eleanor Rigby was very lonely although she never let on and thinking she was well off and happy, nobody else ever thought to pity her or pay her attention. In the song, Father McKenzie wipes the dirt from burying Eleanor off of his hands. Wiping the dirt from your hands is a phrase often used to illustrate that you are going to get rid of something and forget about it. It is clear that the minister just wants to forget about Eleanor and take care of his own problems, thinking she lived a good life, he is impartial. Through the use of allegory, repetition, and imagery The Beatles paint a mesmerizing tale of the false life a woman lives to keep up the illusion of happiness, all for naught.